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Womens' Rights in Islam

Aspects of Equality in the Holy Quran
Both men and women are equal in reward and punishment of Allah

In Islam there is a basic rule which is that there is no discrimination of any kind, no sex discrimination, no discrimination by color…in short no discrimination what so ever.

To assure this basic rule Allah equivalently addressed both men and women in various issues in the Holy Quran. There is a complete verse in Islam called (Surah Al-Nisaa) which means (The verse of women) in which Allah Almighty assures this equality and explains lots of the rights and duties of the Muslim woman. Here are some examples that assure this equality from the Holy Quran:

a- In Obligations
All the coming verses are addressing man kind (both men and women) and explaining their obligations.

  • "And (as for) the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of each other; they enjoin good and forbid evil and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, and obey Allah and His Apostle; (as for) these, Allah will show mercy to them; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise." (Surah AlTawba : 71)

  • "O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Apostle, and do not make your deeds of no effect." (Surah Muhammad :33)

  • "And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and bow down with those who bow down." (Surah AlBakkaraa :43)

  • "O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are Intoxicated until you know (well) what you say." (Surah AlNisaa :43)

  • "Nay! man is evidence against himself, Though he puts forth his excuses." (Surah Alkkiyama :14,15)

  • "It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error." (Surah AlAhzab :36)

b- In Judgment

  • "And every one of them will come to Him on the day of resurrection alone." (Surah Maryam :94)

  • "So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them), "Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female. You are (members) one of another, so those who emigrated and were driven out from their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, and who fought, and were killed (in My Cause), verily, I will remit from them their evil deeds and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); a reward from Allah, and with Allah is the best of rewards." (Surah AlImran:195)

c- In Reward

  • "Allah has promised to the believing men and the believing women gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them, and goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual abode; and best of all is Allah's goodly pleasure; that is the grand achievement." (Surah AlTawba : 72)

  • "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 almsgiving men and the almsgiving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember-- Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward." (Surah AlAhzaab : 35)

  • "On that day you will see the faithful men and the faithful women-- their light running before them and on their right hand-- good news for you today: gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide therein, that is the grand achievement. ." (Surah AlHadeed : 12)

  • "That He may admit the believing men and the believing women to Gardens under which rivers flow (i.e. Paradise), to abide therein forever, and to expiate from them their sins, and that is with Allah, a supreme success" (Surah Alfath:5)

d- In Punishment

  • "As for the fornicatress and the fornicator, flog each of them, (giving) a hundred stripes, and let not pity for them detain you in the matter of obedience to Allah, if you believe in Allah and the last day, and let a party of believers witness their chastisement. The fornicator shall not marry any but a fornicatress or idolatress, and (as for) the fornicatress, none shall marry her but a fornicator or an idolater; and it is forbidden to the believers." (Surah An-Nur : 2,3)

  • "And (as for) the man who steals and the woman who steals, cut off their hands as a punishment for what they have earned, an exemplary punishment from Allah; and Allah is Mighty, Wise." (Surah Almaaidah : 39)

  • "So Allah will chastise the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women and the polytheistic men and the polytheistic women, and Allah will turn (mercifully) to the believing women, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." (Surah AlAhzaab : 74)

    e- In Support

  • "The believers, men and women, are Auliya' (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma'ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) and give the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise." (Surah AlTawba :71)

  • "And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, bear on themselves the crime of slander and plain sin." (Surah AlAhzab:58)

  • "Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women (by torturing them and burning them), and then do not turn in repentance, (to Allah), will have the torment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the burning Fire." (Surah AlBorooj:10)