Status of women and how Islam elevated them

If we look at the pre-Islamic era we will come to realize that the status of women was very different. Women were treated as commodities. They were bought and sold and at the same time, they had no say in the community.

Women were not allowed to own anything. They were from amongst those who were considered to be there for the pleasure of a man and not as human beings.

When a person was informed that his wife had just delivered a girl he would get so upset that he did not know how to hide his face or where to hide, from his friends and the rest of the community.

He considered it part of his duty to take that innocent baby and to bury her alive in a grave such that she was to die in it so that he would not have a female child.

Female Infanticide & Islam

When Muhammad (S.A.W.) was sent to us to remove us from darkness into the light he ensured that this was made completely prohibited.

In every sense, to bury the girl child alive and to become upset at the fact that you’ve been informed you are about to have a girl or you’ve just had a girl, is also prohibited.

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So up to today if anyone becomes upset that they’ve got a female instead of a male, Islam considers that a sin.

According to the teachings of Islam, you need to thank the Almighty for He is the one who chooses what He would like to give you.

Rules of Inheritance & Islam

The second thing that Islam had come up with is the fact that women used to be inherited.

Moreover, before the advent of Islam if a person had debt and they owed money to someone, what they used to do at the time was that they would send their girls or their women as payment.

Pre-Islam they would say that if I die then you can take my wife, or you can take my daughter or you can take my sister, and so on.

Islam prohibited this and said you are not allowed to do this but you must give from your wealth a token amount to the female child and it will be something that she can have for herself she is not compelled to use it on anyone else.

What does this mean? Islam has taken care of the female in that it states quite clearly that the responsibility of the financial and other needs of the female is to be met by the closest male relative.

Whether it is a husband or a father or a grown-up son or an uncle he needs to provide for her food, clothing, accommodation, and look after her in terms of health expenses and health matters so this is the duty of every single male.

Women & Right to Money

It is said that if a male has to look after a female then why does she need money?

She does not need to spend it for everything but Islam still gives her an amount and says don’t worry you can use this we are just acknowledging you’re a human being and you can actually buy what you’d like. You can do what you want within the instruction of Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala.

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So if we take a careful look at this beautiful teaching of Islam we will come to realize and understand that Islam has actually elevated a female.

The ownership of property in Islam for the female is something that is considered and it is her right and this is something that Allah Subhanahu Wa’ta’ala has ordained something very important.

Women & Marriage in Islam

There is also a misunderstanding regarding marriage. In Islam, a woman is not allowed to be forced to marry whom she does not want to marry, that is very clear.

There might be some cultures that use the name of Islam in order to oppress their women but definitely, it is not a part of Islam.

In Islam, a woman has the right to decline marriage. Society is not allowed to force her to marry someone whom she does not want.

In fact, if she would like to marry someone in particular then for as long as that particular person is a decent individual, you need to facilitate that particular marriage for her.

What is important for us to realize is when it comes to the closeness of the Almighty, men, and women are absolutely equal.

They have equal opportunities to gain closeness to the Almighty and they will achieve closeness in fact to the degree that women can actually go beyond the level of a man when it comes to spirituality and achieving closeness to Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala.

She is emotionally much different from males and at the same time physically she needs to be honored as she is the one who carries the base of a house and society.