STATUS OF WOMAN IN ISLAM:

Status of woman in Islam constitutes no problem. The Quran and the early
Muslims bear witness to the fact that woman is at least as vital to life as man himself. This
question would have never arisen among the Muslims because of foreign cultures cause this
inquiry. In order to understand what Islam has established for women, there is no need to
deplore her plight in the pre-Islamic era or in the modern world today. Islam has given woman
rights and privileges, which she has never enjoyed under other religious or constitutional
framework. The rights and responsibilities of woman are equal to those of man but they are not
necessarily identical with them. Equality and sameness are two different things. This difference
is understandable because man and woman are not identical but they are created equal. With
this distinction in mind there is no problem. The distinction between equality and sameness is a
paramount importance. Equality is desirable, just fair but sameness is not. People are not
created identical they are created equals. With this distinction in mind, there is no room to
imagine that woman is inferior to man. There is not ground to assume that she is less important
than man just because her rights are not identical to man. Had her status identical with man
she would have never simply duplicated of man, she would have simple duplicate of man which
she is not.

The fact is that Islam gives her equal rights but not identical. This shows it takes her into
due consideration, acknowledges her, and recognize her independent personality. It is not the
tone of Islam that brands woman as the product of devil or the seed of the evil. Nor does the
Quran place man as the dominant lord of woman who has no choice but surrender to his
dominance. Nor was it Islam that introduced the question of whether or not woman has any
soul in her. Never ever in the history of Islam any Muslim has doubted the human status of
woman or her possession of soul and other fine spiritual qualities. Unlike other popular beliefs,
Islam does not blame Eve alone for the first sin. The Quran makes it clear that Adam and Eve
were tempted that they both sinned, and that God’s pardon was granted to both after their
repentance and god addressed them jointly. In fact, the Quran gives them impression that
Adam was more blamed for that first sin from which emerged prejudice against woman and
suspicion of her deeds. Islam does not justify that prejudice because both Adam and Eve were
equally in error.

Status of woman in Islam is something unique that has no similarity in any system. If you
look at the communist world or the so called democratic nation we find woman are not in
happy position such as she has to work hard to live and sometimes she performs the same job
as man does and gets less wages. Islam has established her status but divine decree as a
Muslim woman. Modern woman reached on required status or position by force not through
natural process. Shortage of man power during wars, pressure of economic needs, and the
requirements of the industrial development brought woman to get out from home. Woman in
Islam is recognized as equal partner of man. He’s father she’s mother and both are essential for
life. By this partnership she had equal shares in every aspect. God says: “Oh! Mankind verily we
have created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and
tribes that you may know each other.” She’s equal to man in bearing personal and common
responsibilities and receiving rewards. Her human nature is not inferior to man. She’s equal to
man in pursue of education and knowledge. She’s entitled to freedom of expression as much as
man is. Historical records suggest that woman participated in public life with early Muslims
especially in the times of emergencies. Islam gives equal rights to contract, to enterprise and to
earn and possess independent life. Islam never tolerates those who are inclined to prejudice
against woman or discrimination among man and woman. Islam gives share of inheritance.
Before Islam, she was not only deprived from the share but she was considered as property to
be inherited to man.

Marriage and divorce in Islam:

One of the distorted concepts of Islam is the real marriage. Marriage in Islam is not
business deal or negotiated by two partners nor is a secular contract for material. It is
something solid or something secrete. Moral charity, spiritual elevation, social integrating,
human stability, peace, mercy constitutes the major elements of the marriage. It is the contract
which god himself is first witness and the first party. It is concluded in his name and obedience
according to his ordinance Islam has spelt out such as ‘nikkah’.