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In his pamphlet The Status of Woman in Islam, Dr. Jamal Badawi has given several Qur'anic examples of the status of women.

The spiritual aspect

Qur'an 3:195  "...So their Lord accepted their prayers, (saying):  I will not suffer to be lost the work of any of you whether male or female.  You proceed on from another..."

 

Qur'an 16:97  "Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily to him will We give a new life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the their actions."

 

As is seen here, man and woman are considered equal.  Whereas woman was blamed in biblical times for the fall of mankind, in Islam both are held accountable for their actions.

 

The social aspect

In ancient Arabia the practice of female infanticide was practiced.  With the advent of the Qur'an, this was forbidden.

 

Qur'an 81: 8-9  "And when the female (infant) buried alive - is questioned, for what crime she was killed."

 

This further condemned in another verse of the Qur'an.

 

Qur'an 16: 518-59  "When news is brought to one of them, of (the Birth of) a female (child), his face darkens and he is filled with inward grief!  Shall he retain heron (sufferance) and  contempt, or bury her in the dust?  Ah!  What an evil (choice) the decide on?

 

There are several Hadith (sayings of the Prophet {pbuh})  that also deal with this subject.

 

Ibn Hanbal, No. 1957:  Whosever has a daughter and he does not bury her alive, does not insult her and does not favor his son over her,  God will enter him into Paradise. 

 

The economic aspect

Under Islamic law a woman is guaranteed the right to hold and administer that which is hers regardless of marital status.  She can seek employment if it is necessary.  I have covered this in more detail under rights and employment.  

 

As can be seen by the some of the examples here the status of women in Islam is guaranteed by the Qur'an, the Shari'ah (Islamic Law) and Hadith.

 

In his book Islam in Focus second edition, Hammudah Abdulati on pages 184 - 191 covers the subject of the status of Women in Islam in more depth.

 

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