God, the Sublime, has stated in the Quran: مَنْ عَمِلَ...

God, the Sublime, has stated in the Quran: مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى وَ هُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَ لَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ “Whosoever performs a good deed, whether man or woman, while having faith in Allah, We shall assuredly restore them with a good and pure life and We shall recompense them with rewards according to the best of what they have done.” [^6] Allah also declares: فَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ أَنِّي لاَ أُضِيعُ عَمَلَ عَامِلٍ مِّنكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى بَعْضُكُم مِّن بَعْضٍ “Therefore their Lord granted their prayers.

Verily, I shall not suffer the work of any agent among you to be lost, whether man or woman; you are all members of the same race.” [^7] The Quran praises righteous and worthy women and men similarly and thus states: إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ الْمُسْلِمَاتِ وَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَ الْقَانِتِينَ وَ الْقَانِتَاتِ وَ الصَّادِقِينَ وَ الصَّادِقَاتِ وَ الصَّابِرِينَ وَ الصَّابِرَاتِ وَ الْخَاشِعِينَ وَ الْخَاشِعَاتِ وَ الْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ وَ الْمُتَصَدِّقَاتِ وَ الصَّائِمِينَ وَ الصَّائِمَاتِ وَ الْحَافِظِينَ فُرُوجَهُمْ وَ الْحَافِظَاتِ وَ الذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَ الذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا “Verily, for Muslim men and women, for faithful men and women, for obedient men and women, for truthful men and women, for patient men and women, for humble men and women, for almsgiving men and women, for fasting men and women, for men and women who guard their private parts, and for men and women who remember God much, Allah has prepared forgiveness and a mighty reward.” [^8] The Quran has indicated worthy women in history just as it has mentioned such men and has commended them greatly.

For example, regarding Saint Maryam (Mary) (‘a), the Quran states: فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ وَ أَنبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا وَ كَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقاً قَالَ يَا مَرْيَمُ أَنَّى لَكِ هَذَا قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللّهِ إنَّ اللّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاء بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ “So her Lord accepted her with gracious favor and nurtured her well and appointed Zachariah to foster her.