Men, Women as Human Beings ‘Completely Equal’ in Islam
Islam has paid attention to women's issues from various political, legal, social, and religious (religious, historical, and jurisprudential) aspects. The Quran, the holy book of Muslims, has many verses about women and their issues. Accordingly, one of the surahs of the Quran is about women, which is known as Surah An-Nisa [the fourth chapter of the Quran, with 176 verses. The title derives from the numerous references to women].
A lot of discussions also take place nowadays about gender equality in Islam. It is often insinuated that there is no gender equality in Islam and there are many criticisms regarding the treatment of the genders.
Many people raise some allegations that Islam discriminates against women.
Islam recognizes the equality of men and women but strongly emphasizes that roles and responsibilities are not equal and are different.
The Quran indicates that both men and women are spiritually equal. “O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may get to know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware.” (Quran 49:13)
It must be acknowledged that each gender has strengths and weaknesses that may or may not overlap. In certain aspects, one gender has an advantage over the other, while in other aspects, the other gender has the advantage. In spite of these differences, God declares in the Holy Quran:
"But those who do good—whether male or female—and have faith will enter Paradise and will never be wronged even as much as the speck on a date stone.” (Quran 4:124)
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in a meeting with hundreds of prominent Iranian women in the Imam Khomeini Hussainiyah on January 4, 2023, said, “One of the points that I would like to talk about today is Islam’s viewpoint with regard to gender and the issue of women… Regarding the Islamic viewpoint, it can be said that Islam sees individuals as “human beings” when it evaluates them on the basis of Islam and as a person. Men and women have no priority over one another. They are not different in this. The equality of men and women in terms of human and Islamic values is one of the clear principles of Islam. There is no doubt about this.”
Due to the fact that women are born with the ability to give birth to children, and are naturally better equipped to care for a newborn’s needs, Islam has assigned them a more central role in terms of the upbringing of children. This does not mean that men do not have any role in this regard. It only means that the father has a supportive role while the mother has the primary role and responsibility in taking care of young children.
If these roles are reversed, then societal problems do arise. There is no physical equality between men and women except that they are both human beings. The differences are remarkable and unique.
In some aspects women are unique and men cannot do the functions that women are capable of carrying out e.g. bearing children.
“There is no difference [between them]. That is, there is no difference between men and women in terms of human and Islamic values. Islam views men and women as human beings. [Neither one] is more favored than the other. Of course, the duties of men and women are different, but there is a balance… When we look at responsibilities, emphasis is placed on the natural characteristics of men and women. There are certain differences between men and women, that is, in the female nature and in the male nature. There are differences in their bodies, souls, and spiritual matters. Their duties are in accordance with these differences. These differences have an effect on the type of responsibilities assigned to men and women. This has to do with the feminine and masculine nature. Neither [gender] should act in a manner that contradicts their nature,” Ayatollah Khamenei said. (January 4, 2023)
The Holy Quran repeatedly emphasizes the spiritual equality of men and women.
Women can attain all those spiritual heights that men can attain. The Holy Quran also stresses that both men and women will be equally rewarded in the hereafter for their actions in this world.
“Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so - for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.” (Quran 33:35)
Undoubtedly, just as in the past patriarchal and degrading views towards women have harmed both men and women, the extreme beliefs of feminism will be more to the detriment of both men and women.
Islamic balanced viewpoint does not accept any kind of extremes. Based on Quranic teachings, men and women are equal in their human essence but have two different characteristics.
Source: Tehran Times
