In terms of
moral, spiritual duties, acts of worship, the requirements of men and women are
the same, except in some cases when women have certain concessions because of
their feminine nature, or their health or the health of their babies.
"Whatever men earn, they have a share of that and whatever women earn,
they have a share in that." [Noble Quran 4:32]. The Quran explicitly, in
more than one verse, 3:195, 4:124, specified that whoever does good deeds, and
is a believer and then specifies "male or female" God will give them
an abundant reward.
In Europe
until the 19th century, women did not have the right to own their own property.
When they were married, either it would transfer to the husband or she would
not be able to dispense of it without permission of her husband. In Britain,
perhaps the first country to give women some property rights, laws were passed
in the 1860's known as "Married Women Property Act." More than 1300
years earlier, that right was clearly established in Islamic law.
Secondly,
there is no restriction in Islamic law that says a woman cannot work or have a
profession, that her only place is in the home. In fact, by definition, in a
truly Islamic society, there must be women physicians, women nurses, women
teachers, because it's preferable also to separate teenagers in the volatile
years in high school education. And if she chooses to work, or if she's married
with the consent of her husband, she's entitled to equal pay, not for equal
work, but for work of equal worth. The duty, not the right, the duty of
education, as the Prophet (SAW) said, is a duty on every Muslim, male and
female.
Thirdly,
when it comes to financial security, Islamic law is more tilted in many
respects towards women. These are several examples:
During the
period of engagement, a woman is to be on the receiving side of gifts.
At the time
of marriage, it is the duty of the husband, not the bride's family. He is
supposed to pay for a marital gift. The Quran called it a gift, and it is
exclusively the right of the woman. She doesn't have to spend it on the
household, she doesn't have to give it to her father or anyone else.
If the woman
happened to own any property prior to marriage, she retains that property after
marriage. It remains under her control. Also, in most Muslim countries, the
woman keeps her own last name, and her own identity.
If the woman
has any earnings during her marital life, by way of investments of her property
or as a result of work, she doesn't have to spend one penny of that income on
the household, it is entirely hers.
The full
maintenance and support of a married woman is the entire responsibility of her
husband, even though she might be richer than he is. She doesn't have to spend
a penny.
As far as
treatment of daughters is concerned, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be
upon him) said, "Anyone who has two daughters, and did not bury them, did
not insult them and brought them up properly, he and I will be like this,"
holding his two fingers close together. Another version adds, "And also
did not favor his sons over daughters."
One time the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was seated. A companion was sitting
with him. The companion's son came. He kissed his son and put him on his lap.
Then his daughter came, and he just sat her by his side. The Prophet told the
man, "You did not do Justice," meaning he should have treated the
daughter equally, kissed her and put her in his lap also. Indeed, whenever the
Prophet's daughter Fatimah came to him, in front of everyone, he stood up,
kissed her and let her sit in his favorite place where he'd been sitting.
BIBLOGRAPHY
Adapted from
<http://www.islamswomen.com/articles/do_muslim_women_have_rights.php>
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