Table of Contents
Honor and Equality in Spiritual Worth
Islam begins with a clear principle. Women and men share the same human dignity, are created by the same Lord, and are judged by the same standard. The Qur’an does not describe woman as inferior or as the cause of man’s downfall. Instead, it speaks about both together as human beings responsible before Allah.
“O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women…”
(Qur’an 4:1)
Both men and women are addressed together with the commands of faith, charity, and righteousness, and both are promised the same reward when they believe and act righteously.
“Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their chastity and the women who guard [it], and the men who remember Allah often and the women who remember [Him] often, for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.”
(Qur’an 33:35)
“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer, We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.”
(Qur’an 16:97)
The Prophet ﷺ clearly stated that the spiritual capacity of women is complete.
“Women are the twin halves of men.”
(Abu Dawud)
In belief, worship, moral responsibility, and hope for Paradise, there is no spiritual inferiority linked to being a woman. Any cultural customs or local practices that deny this equality in worth and accountability are not part of Islam.
In Islam, a woman’s spiritual value and ability to attain closeness to Allah are equal to that of a man. Superiority is only by taqwā, not by gender.
Rights and Duties, Not Oppression
One of the most common misconceptions is that Islam gives men rights and burdens women with duties, or that women must always obey men in every matter. Islamic teaching is based on the idea that each person has rights and responsibilities defined by Allah. Some rights are shared, and some differ according to roles, not value.
The Qur’an commands just treatment of women and rejects injustice and hostility.
“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives…”
(Qur’an 4:135)
“…And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them, perhaps you dislike a thing and Allah makes therein much good.”
(Qur’an 4:19)
The Prophet ﷺ repeatedly warned about wrongdoing toward women.
“Fear Allah concerning women, for you have taken them as a trust from Allah…”
(Muslim)
“The best of you are those who are best to their wives, and I am the best of you to my wives.”
(Tirmidhi)
These texts show that kindness, respect, and justice toward women are religious duties, not optional niceties. When Muslims act harshly, oppressively, or abusively, they oppose these clear instructions and follow culture or desires, not the religion.
Education and Seeking Knowledge
Some think Islam discourages women from learning or that religious study is only for men. In early Islamic history, women were scholars, teachers, and transmitters of hadith. The wife of the Prophet ﷺ, Aishah, was one of the most knowledgeable Companions and a reference for matters of law and prophetic tradition.
The Prophet’s ﷺ command to seek knowledge includes all believers, men and women.
“Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.”
(Ibn Majah)
The Qur’an repeatedly praises those who possess understanding and knowledge without limiting this to men.
“Say, ‘Are those who know equal to those who do not know?’ Only they will remember who are people of understanding.”
(Qur’an 39:9)
“Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees.”
(Qur’an 58:11)
Islamic history preserves many names of learned women, especially in fields such as hadith and law. The lack of education for women in some Muslim societies is due to social, economic, or cultural factors, not to a religious teaching against female education.
Seeking beneficial knowledge about faith and life is a religious duty for women just as it is for men. Preventing women from lawful education is contrary to Islamic guidance.
Modesty, Ḥijāb, and Protection of Dignity
Another area of misunderstanding is modesty and ḥijāb. Many see ḥijāb only as a symbol of oppression or control by men. In Islamic teaching, modesty is a virtue for both men and women, and the command to lower the gaze and guard chastity is first directed to men.
“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof…”
(Qur’an 24:30–31)
The Qur’an mentions a specific guidance for believing women to draw their outer garments around themselves in public.
“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.”
(Qur’an 33:59)
These verses explain the wisdom behind modest dress. It is meant to protect dignity, signal a woman’s status as a believer, and discourage harassment, not to erase her presence from society. Men also have rules about clothing, gaze, and behavior, and are accountable for any harassment, abuse, or indecent conduct.
The Prophet ﷺ described modesty as a branch of faith, not a burden placed exclusively on women.
“Modesty is a part of faith.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Some cultures turn modesty into complete isolation or use it to silence women. This goes beyond what Islamic sources require and can be harmful. Within the limits of modesty, Islam allows and even encourages women to work, study, trade, and participate in community life.
Islamic modesty is about honoring and protecting dignity, not denying a woman’s humanity, voice, or presence. Any use of “modesty” to justify abuse or to silence women is a misuse, not the intent of the law.
Marriage, Consent, and Mutual Rights
Another widespread misconception is that Islam allows forced marriage or that a woman’s consent is irrelevant. In reality, the validity of a marriage in Islamic law depends on the willingness of both spouses. The Prophet ﷺ cancelled marriages when a woman was forced into them.
“A previously married woman has more right to her person than her guardian, and a virgin’s consent is sought regarding herself…”
(Muslim)
In another narration, a woman complained that her father had married her off, and the Prophet ﷺ gave her the choice to accept or reject that marriage.
“A virgin should not be married until her permission is sought, and a woman previously married should not be married until her command is sought.”
(Bukhari)
The Qur’an forbids inheriting or retaining women against their will.
“O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion…”
(Qur’an 4:19)
Within marriage, both husband and wife have rights and duties. The husband is responsible for financial maintenance and protection, while the wife is trusted with care, cooperation, and maintaining the home, though these roles can include flexibility according to circumstances. The Qur’an describes marriage as affection, mercy, and tranquility, not as domination.
“And among His signs is that He created for you from yourselves spouses that you may find tranquility in them, and He placed between you affection and mercy…”
(Qur’an 30:21)
The Prophet ﷺ emphasized good treatment and kind behavior.
“The most perfect of the believers in faith are those best in character, and the best of you are those who are best to their women.”
(Tirmidhi)
These texts show that forcing a woman to marry, trapping her in cruelty, or denying her lawful rights contradicts the aims of marriage in Islam and violates the Prophet’s ﷺ teachings.
A valid Islamic marriage requires the woman’s consent. Forced marriage and ongoing injustice within marriage are forbidden oppressions, not expressions of Islamic law.
Divorce, Abuse, and Misuse of Authority
Critics sometimes claim that Islam gives men an unchecked right to divorce or permits abuse. While this course discusses the details of divorce and family law elsewhere, it is important here to clarify the basic principle. Divorce is allowed as a last resort when the objectives of marriage cannot be fulfilled. It is not meant to be a tool of cruelty.
“…And when you divorce women and they have fulfilled their term, either retain them in an acceptable manner or release them in an acceptable manner, but do not keep them, intending harm, to transgress [against them]. And whoever does that has certainly wronged himself…”
(Qur’an 2:231)
Physical or emotional abuse is a betrayal of the Prophet’s ﷺ guidance. He never struck a woman or a servant.
Aishah said: “The Messenger of Allah never hit anything with his hand, neither a woman nor a servant…”
(Muslim)
He ﷺ said that the best believers are those who are best to their families, and he described cruelty as a sign of moral deficiency, not authority. Any use of religious language to justify harm, terror, or humiliation within the family stands against these clear prophetic standards.
Inheritance, Witnessing, and Financial Rights
Some objections target financial rules, such as inheritance shares or the number of witnesses in certain contracts, and claim that they show women are worth less than men. Islamic law in these areas is based on a complete financial system and on different responsibilities, not on a belief that a woman is less human or less honorable.
The Qur’an established inheritance for women at a time when many societies gave them nothing and treated them themselves as inheritable property.
“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, be it little or much, an obligatory share.”
(Qur’an 4:7)
In some situations a man’s share is greater, but he is also obliged to pay a dowry, provide full maintenance, and bear financial responsibilities for his dependents. In other situations, a woman inherits the same or more. These details belong to the study of law, but the main point is that different shares reflect different obligations, not a different human worth.
Likewise, the verse that mentions two women in certain financial witnessing situations does not say women are less intelligent or less trustworthy by nature. It relates to the common social context in which business dealings were mostly handled by men.
“…And bring to witness two witnesses from among your men. And if there are not two men [available], then a man and two women from those whom you accept as witnesses, so that if one of the women errs, then the other can remind her…”
(Qur’an 2:282)
In other legal areas, a woman’s testimony is equal to a man’s, and in matters such as breastfeeding, only a woman’s statement is accepted. The Islamic legal system is more detailed and contextual than the simple claim that “a woman counts as half a man.” That claim ignores both the spiritual equality and the lived responsibilities that the Qur’an sets out.
Differences in specific financial or legal rules do not mean that a woman’s human worth is less. In Islam, honor before Allah is based on taqwā, while legal responsibilities and shares can differ by role and context.
Participation in Society and Public Life
Another misconception is that Islam orders women to stay entirely out of public life. The Qur’an and Sunnah present women who worship, work, trade, teach, attend the mosque, and take part in community matters, within the framework of modesty and lawful interaction.
The Qur’an praises believing men and women together who “enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.”
“The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, establish prayer, give zakāh, and obey Allah and His Messenger…”
(Qur’an 9:71)
The Prophet ﷺ did not forbid women from attending the masjid.
“Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from the mosques of Allah.”
(Muslim)
Some women in his time were active in trade and earning, such as Khadījah, his first wife, who was a successful businesswoman even before the Prophet ﷺ received revelation. Other women transmitted knowledge, gave legal verdicts, and assisted in community affairs.
If some communities shut women out of all public roles or deny them the right even to attend places of worship, this reflects local customs or individual decisions, not a command from Allah or His Messenger ﷺ.
Correcting Cultural Practices and Misattributed Customs
Many harmful practices that people associate with “Islamic treatment of women” come from culture, ignorance, or inherited traditions. Examples include treating daughters as burdens, depriving them of inheritance, forcing them into marriage, or justifying violence. The Qur’an explicitly condemned earlier cultures that were ashamed of having daughters.
“And when one of them is given good tidings of a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief. He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been informed. Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground? Unquestionably, evil is what they decide.”
(Qur’an 16:58–59)
The Prophet ﷺ turned this attitude upside down and promised great reward for those who raise daughters kindly.
“Whoever has three daughters and is patient with them, provides for them, clothes them from his wealth, they will be a shield for him from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.”
(Ibn Majah)
He ﷺ similarly praised the one who cares for two daughters or two sisters. This shows that honoring and supporting women in the family is a path to Paradise.
When Muslims practice customs that demean or endanger women, they act against these teachings. Islam calls believers to examine their traditions in the light of revelation and to abandon what conflicts with the Book and Sunnah.
Not everything done in “Muslim” societies is Islamic. Any custom that violates the Qur’an’s command for justice and the Prophet’s ﷺ example of mercy to women is a cultural wrong, not part of the religion.
Women and the Hereafter
Finally, it is important to correct the idea that Paradise, forgiveness, or closeness to Allah are more accessible to men. The Qur’an repeatedly speaks to believing women directly, promising them forgiveness, great reward, and eternal joy.
“Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women … for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.”
(Qur’an 33:35)
“Their Lord responded to them, ‘Never will I allow to be lost the work of any worker among you, whether male or female; you are of one another…’”
(Qur’an 3:195)
The phrase “you are of one another” shows a shared human and spiritual reality. Acts of worship, patience, charity, and trust in Allah count fully, whether they are done by a man or a woman. Just as misdeeds are recorded upon each soul, so every good deed performed by a woman is honored by Allah with the same justice and mercy that He extends to men.
In this way, Islam presents women as full moral agents who stand before Allah on the Day of Judgment, not as extensions of fathers, husbands, or brothers. The misconceptions that deny this individuality and responsibility do not come from revelation, but from mistaken attitudes that Islam came to reform.