Status of women in Islam

Every year International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8th. This day is celebrated to end discrimination against women and promotes granting equal rights to women. As a Muslim woman, I want to shed some light on the status of women in Islam. According to Islamic teachings, all believers without distinction are equal and that only righteous deeds elevate one person above another. The Holy Qur’an states, “Surely, men who submit themselves to God and women who submit themselves to Him, and believing men and believing women, and obedient men and obedient women, and truthful men and truthful women, and men steadfast in their faith and steadfast women, and men who are humble and women who are humble...men who remember God much and women who remember Him –God has prepared for all of them forgiveness and a great reward” (33:36). This verse explains how men and women are on the same status in the sight of God.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us about the rights of women. He said “The most perfect of believers in the matter of faith is he whose behavior is best, and the best of you are those who behave best towards their wives.”

The founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Promised Messiah, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (peace be on him) also urged good treatment of women in light of Qur’anic teachings. He made it clear by saying, “I see a person who fights with his wife as a coward and completely unmanly.”

I am proud to be a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community which educated me about the rights and status of women. According to Islamic teachings, due to the differences in physical and emotional strengths, Islam sets out the key roles for men and women in life. The roles are therefore not a question of superiority or inferiority, but a question of natural capacity and proper functioning. For example men have been assigned the duty to work and provide for their family and women have been assigned the role of motherhood and of looking after the household. This does not mean that women cannot work or serve society or that men have no duties or responsibilities for their children or for their household. It is interesting to note that where women choose to work, according to Islam the money they earn is theirs and the husband has no right over it, whereas a husband must provide financial help for the whole family.

All of this is in direct contrast to the status of women before the advent of Islam. May God bless all of us and strengthen us to protect others who suffer at the hands of those who fail to safeguard the rights of women.