EQUALITY BETWEEN GENDERS

S. Imad-ud-Din Asad

It is a general belief in the West that in the eyes of Islam woman is inferior to man. This is due to their lack of access to the Quraan and the Sunnah. In fact, only Islam contains provisions that ensure absolute equality between man and woman. However, the distinction between equality and similarity must be kept in mind.

Man and woman have been created equal, not identical. In Islam, the rights and responsibilities of a woman are equal to those of a man, but they are not necessarily the same. Since they happen to be physically different from each other, their roles in household chores and society are also different. But dissimilarity in their functions does not imply that one is inferior to the other.

Let us have a brief look at the various aspects of the equality of sexes in Islam:

1. Equal spiritual status: The highest favour which Allah has bestowed upon man is the gift of Divine revelation. In the Quraan, we find women mentioned along with man.

“And when the angels said: O’ Mary! Allah has chosen thee and purified thee and chosen thee above the women of the world.” (3:41)
“When We revealed to thy mother what was revealed.” (20:38)
“And We revealed to Moses’ mother...” (28:7)

The Quraan speaks of the great prophets of Allah, saying:

“And mention Abraham in the Book.” (19:41)
“And mention Moses in the Book,” (19:51)
A woman is spoken of in exactly the same manner:
“And mention Mary in the Book.” (19:16)

2. Equal bestowal of reward: The Quraan makes no difference between man and woman regarding the bestowal of reward for the good deed performed by him or her.

“Whoever does good, whether male or female, and is a believer, We will certainly make him live a happy life, and We will certainly give them their reward for the best of what they did.” (16:97)

“Surely the men who submit and the women who submit; and the believing men and the believing women; and the obeying men and the obeying women; and the truthful men and the truthful women; and the patient men and the patient women; and the humble men and the humble women; and the charitable men and the charitable women; and the fasting men and the fasting women; and the men who guard their chastity and the women who guard their chastity; and the men who remember Allah and the women who remember Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward.” (33:35)

3. Equal right to education: Woman is equal to man in the pursuit of education and knowledge. When Islam enjoins the seeking of knowledge upon Muslims, it makes no distinction between man and woman. Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe Wasallam) declared that the pursuit of knowledge is incumbent on every Muslim (male and female).

4. Equal right to inherit: Man and woman have been given equal right to inherit from the parents and the near-relatives.

“Men shall have a portion of what the parents and the near relatives leave, and women shall have a portion of what the parents and the near-relatives......” (4:7)

A woman’s right to inherit is as much protected by law as that of a man. If the deceased wishes to deprive her by making a will to other relations or in favour of any other cause, the law will not allow it. However, it must be remembered that whereas the right to inherit of both man and woman is equal, their share in the inheritance may differ. In certain cases, a woman gets half of what a man in her position would get. The cause of this variation is the financial responsibilities and liabilities with which only man has been burdened, not woman.

As compared to man, woman is financially secure and provided for. If she is a wife, her husband is the provider; if she is a mother, it is the son; if she is a daughter, it is the father; if she is a sister, it is the brother; and so on. If she has no relations, then it is the responsibility of the Islamic state to maintain her. In no case she will be left helpless. Whereas a man, except in one or two exceptional cases, is supposed to not only look after his family and other needy relations, but also to make financial contributions to good causes in the society. Thus, a larger share in inheritance does not depict the supremacy of man over woman, but it is rather a concession granted to him in lieu of his financial burden.

5. Equal right to earn: Islam has granted man and woman equal rights to contract, to enterprise, and to earn and possess independently. “...For men is the benefit of what they earn. And for women is the benefit of what they earn. And ask Allah of His grace...” (4:32)

6. Equal freedom of expression: Man and woman are equally entitled to freedom of expression. Women not only expressed their opinion freely but also argued and participated in serious discussions with the Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe Wasallam) and other Muslim leaders. There were occasions when women expressed their views on legislative matters of public interest, and stood in opposition to the Caliphs, who then accepted the sound arguments of these women.

7. Equal civil and criminal liability: In the eyes of Islam, a woman’s life, property, and honour are as sacred as those of man. If she commits an offence, her penalty is no less or more than a man’s in a similar case. If she is wronged or harmed, she gets due compensation equal to what a man in her position would get.

“O’ you who believe, retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the slain: the free for the free, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female....” (2:178)

Equality in civil and criminal liability can also be explained by the example of theft liable to Hadd. If the charge is proved, then the person, regardless of being man or woman, is punished with amputation of limb.

“And (as for) the man and the woman addicted to theft, cut off their hands as a punishment for what they have earned, an exemplary punishment from Allah....” (5:38)

Similarly, the punishment for adultery is also the same for man and woman.

“The adulteress and the adulterer, flog each of them (with) a hundred stripes, and let not pity for them detain you from obedience to Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day, and let a party of believers witness their chastisement.” (24:2)

Conclusion: The verdict of Islam, on the status of man and woman, is the only complete, logical, and practical declaration pertaining to the matter. The approach of Islam towards defining the positions of man and woman is unique, as it always handles the issue by making a distinction between equality and sameness.

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