Islam is frequently misconceived, particularly regarding rights of women in Quran. The contemporary world portrays Islamic society as full of oppression when talking about islam and women’s rights. This happens mainly because of cultural practices that most people mistake for religion. However, the rights of women in Islam are far more exhaustive, empowered, and equal to those considered in many other faiths. Here, we will try to unveil the rights awarded by Islam to women in the Quran and Hadith and correct some wrong notions.
Understanding Women’s Rights in Islam
Historically, the status of women in pre-Islamic Arabia was really dismal. Women were often treated as properties, where female infanticide was not uncommon. The advent of Islam in the 7th century constituted a revolution in the status of women, bestowing on them rights that were revolutionary for their time—ensuring them dignity, equality, and protection.
The holy book of Islam, the Quran, is the most prominent source from which these rights are drawn. Being among the few religious texts that overtly confer a set of legal and social rights to women, including in the areas of education and property ownership and marriage, the Quran presents a comprehensive understanding of female rights in islam by connecting the historical context with specific Quranic teachings that fostered the empowerment of women.
List of Women’s Rights in Islam
1. Right to Life
One of the first and most significant changes Islam brought was that of the right to life. Before its arrival, female infanticide was rampant in some parts of this world, as having baby girls was considered a burden. The Quran outrightly condemned the practice:
“Do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you.” (Quran 6:151).
This verse not only prohibits the killing of female infants but also affirms that both men and women are equally responsible for the upbringing of children.
2. Right to Education
Islam values knowledge and learning; men as well as women are encouraged to pursue education. According to a celebrated Hadith,
“Seeking knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim (male and female),”
It seems that the belief of the foundation is education for every Muslim irrespective of gender. Historical examples include the wife of Prophet Muhammad, Aisha, who was both a scholar and a teacher and an example of women working actively in intellectual discourse and in generating Islamic knowledge.
3. Right to Own Property
In Islam, women have all rights over property and wealth. This was a historical breakthrough because women then were usually deprived of owning anything. As such, verses of the Quran are clear that men and women have different financial rights: women can independently acquire, own, and dispose of what they want to with their wealth.
“For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave.” (Quran 4:7).
4. Right to Work and Earn
Unlike most other cultures at the time, women in Islam have a right to work and gain money. Women of early Islamic society like Khadijah, who was the prophet Muhammad’s wife, were active businesswomen.
Khadijah was such a successful merchant that she hired prophet Muhammad before their marriage, which vividly illustrates how women’s involvement in business and the workforce is permissible and encouraged. The Quran supports this idea by ensuring that women have full control over their financial affairs.
5. Right to Marriage and Family
In Islam, matrimony is a right-based equal partnership. A woman has to give her consent for the marriage to be legally valid. Islam never supports forced marriages. The Quran correctly conveys the perfect mutual love and respect between husband and wife:
“And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find rest in them, and He placed between you affection and mercy.” (Quran 30:21).
There’s also equal rights to divorce granted to the women (which was revolutionary for the 7th century). All the rights discussed above are not unidirectional but balanced in a manner that establishes respect and equity toward both partners.
6. Right to Inheritance
Indeed, women are not entitled to inherit property in many cultures before the advent of Islam, but Islam changed this for women to be given the right to inherit. The share could be otherwise different from that of men in certain situations, but the principle in quran and women’s rights is that they have rights to inherit from both parents and other relatives.
“For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave.” (Quran 4:7).
The Role of Women in the Quran
There are excellent examples of pious women worthy of all admiration for their faith and virtues in the Quran. Amongst these are:
- Maryam, Mother of Prophet Isa , one of the most respected women in Islam for her devotion and purity. She is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran; an example of faith and righteousness.
- Asiya was the wife of Firoun, who refused to change her faith even though her husband was such an oppressor; she is considered to be one of the four most important women in Islam according to a prophetic narration in Sahih al-Bukhari.
- Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba, known for her wisdom and leadership.
These women, among others, demonstrate the ideal characteristics of piety, leadership, and strength that Islam encourages for all women.
Common Misunderstandings About Women’s Rights in Islam
Despite this, female rights in islam are often misrepresented in mainstream media and have led to some very untrue assumptions about women’s treatment under Islam. Several common untruths include:
Misconception: Islam Oppresses Women
Islam does not oppress women; it’s rather a cornerstone of rights and protection for women. What goes on in one or two countries culturally is not Islamic; rather, they are not according to the teachings of the Quran or Hadith.
Misconception: Women Have No Rights in Marriage
Islamic marriage emphasizes mutual respect, consent, and shared responsibility. Rights of women in quran also mentions the right to ask for a divorce (Khula) if their needs were not being met; this too was a progressive move in those times.
Misconception: Islam restricts the freedom of women.
The emphasis of Islam in maintaining a balance between rights and duties rather than the absolute freedom found in most Western ideologies defines women’s freedom in the light of ethical conduct, respect for others, and personal responsibility.
Conclusion
List of Women’s rights in Islam, in proper context, reveal a comprehensive system of respect, equality, and protection. Therefore, the Quran and Hadith provide clear guidelines for the dignity and rights of women, principles that were progressive in their time.
Often, however, these interpretations and subsequent cultural practices obscured the true message of Islam in regard to women. The status of women in Islam needs to be understood clearly by separating religious and cultural norms and distinctions in order to understand and appreciate the Quran as a timeless source of justice, equality, and empowerment.