Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books 180 Questions Enquiries About Islam Volume One: The Practical Laws The Rights of Women In Islam ** ** What Rights does Islam offer to Women? With the onset of Islam and its special teachings, the life of women entered into a new phase - a phase which differed vastly from the previous one and became one in which women availed of all kinds of individual, social and human rights.
The basis of Islamic teachings with respect to women is exactly what we read in the Noble Qur`an: وَ لَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ “…and they have rights similar to those against them in a just manner…” i.e. the women possess rights and privileges in the same measure as the responsibilities which they shoulder within the society.
Islam considers a woman, just like a man, to possess a human soul, will and choice, and perceives her to be on the path of spiritual perfection, which is actually the purpose of human creation. It is for this reason that it has placed man and woman alongside each other, addressed them together: ياَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ and: ياَ أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا and imposed moral, educative and scientific curriculum upon both of them.
By means of verses such as: وَ مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحاً مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْـثى وَ هُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولٌئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ “…and whoever does good, whether male or female, and he is a believer, these shall enter the garden.” [^1] Islam has promised the benefits of complete prosperity to both the sexes.
By verses such as: مَنْ عَمِلَ صالِحاً مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْـثى وَ هُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَ لَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ “Whoever does good whether male or female and he is a believer, We will most certainly make him live a happy life, and We will most certainly give them their reward for the best of what they did.” [^2] it has elucidated that every man and woman, by adhering to and implementing the Islamic curriculum, can achieve material and spiritual perfection, and possess a pure, good life that is replete with ease and comfort.