How did the role of women change under Islam?

Answer 1

Women were given the right to own and dispose of their own property/money as the saw fit, reject forced marriages, obtain an education and initiate divorce. Over 1400 years ago. A reminder that these rights were given to women in the west only over the last 200 years.

Answer 2

It vastly improved the rights of women, such as allowing them to obtain, inheret and dispose of thier own money and property as they desired, to reject forced marriages, to obtain an education and initiate divorce, and many more.

Answer 3

Before the advent of Islam women were mistreated. They were regarded as a lesser creation than man, they were also looked down upon as sex objects. Islam raised the womens status as equal to man, gave her the right of property and inheritance for the first time in the history of humanity and much more.

Answer 4

Islam decreed a right of which women were deprived before Islam:

1. Property Rights and the Right of Independent Ownership

Islam acknowledged the woman's right to her money, real estate or properties. This right undergoes no change whether she is single or married. She retains her full properties. It is nowhere suggested in the Quran or the Sunnah that a woman is a minor because she is female. The Muslim woman keeps, all her life, her maiden name, an indication of her independent legal entity.

2. Financial Security

Financial security is assured for women in all stages of their lives, as a daughter, wife, mother, sister and sister in faith.

a. As a daughter: Her father is fully responsible of her until she can earn her sustenance or get married.

b. As a mother: Her husband should provide for all her needs. If he cannot, her son takes over the responsibilities of his father.

c. As a sister: If the father cannot meet his responsibilities, her brother replaces the father.

d. As a sister in faith: All the Muslim community is responsible for the women in need. Zakat (the obligatory Alms) is there to provide for them.

e. As a wife: She is entitled to full financial support during marriage, and during waiting period (Iddah) in case of divorce or widowhood. The divorcee is also entitled to alimony from her ex-husband. Her financial support does not depend on her own wealth but on the husband's wealth.

3. Inheritance

Islam restored to the woman the right of inheritance, after having been herself an object of inheritance in some cultures. Her share is completely hers and no one can make any claim on it, including her father and her husband. Her share in most cases is one-half the man's share with no implication that she is worth half a man. The variation in inheritance rights is only consistent with the variations in financial responsibilities of man and woman according to the Islamic law. Man in Islam is fully responsible for the maintenance of his wife, his children, and in some cases of his needy relatives, especially females. This responsibility is neither waived nor reduced because of his wife's wealth or because of her access to any personal income gained from work, rent, profit or any other legal means. She has no obligation to spend on her family. An examination of the inheritance law reveals not only justice but also an abundance of compassion for women.

4. Employment

Nothing in the Quran or the Sunnah prevents the Muslim woman from practicing a job or a profession needed by her society, for her own benefit and the benefit of the society. Surely raising her own kids must come on top of her priorities.

After the death of the Prophet, when Umar Ibn Al Khattab was the Khalif, he nominated a woman "Alchiffa" as the supervisor of the town's market. If a Muslim woman is able to carry out a job without causing or enduring any prejudice for her or for the society, she is entitled to have it.

5.The Political Aspect

1. Women, at the time of the Prophet, used to participate in the "Presidential elections": The new converts had to give a pledge, personally, to the Prophet. Every one was responsible for the pledge she or he gave to the "President" they have chosen. No man could pledge on behalf of his daughter, wife, sister or mother, nor man could repudiate that pledge. This is true of any vow or pledge a woman makes. The young Muslim community grew in this way, thanks to the individuals who were choosing personally, the new leader, the Prophet Muhammad. This shows clearly the importance of women in the political life.

2. Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet, acted as his secretary of defense during the event of the truce of Hudaybeyah. The Muslims who were going to do the pilgrimage to Mekka were prevented by the pagans and the Prophet agreed to make a truce with them. But that truce did not seem acceptable to the Muslims. They stayed quiet but did not obey the Prophet's orders. The Prophet told Umm Salama about that delicate situation and she suggested to him what to do. He carried on her suggestion and effectively he was obeyed.

3. The Quran gives the story of the Queen of Sheeba celebrating both her political and religious practices. The Quran demonstrates that her judgment was better than the norm, and she independently demonstrated that better judgment. The Quran shows that her faith and her politics were of a high level. They indicate one who has knowledge, acts on it, and can therefore accept the truth.

6.The Legal Aspect

1.It is true that the Quran has instructed the believers dealing in financial transactions to get two male witnesses or one male and two females [2:282]. The reason given in the same verse is "so that if one of them errs the other can remind her". In the wording of this verse, both women are not called as witnesses. One woman is designated to "remind" the other: she acts as corroborator. Although the women are two, they each function differently. However, considering that women could be coerced in that society - and even in today's societies - if one witness was female, she would be easy prey for some male who wanted to force her to disclaim her testimony. When there are two women, they can support one another, especially in view of the term chosen: if she "tudilla", "goes astray", "errs", the other can "Tudhakkira" "reminds her", or "recall her attention" to the terms of agreement. The single unit which comprises two women with distinct functions not only gives each woman significant individual worth, but also forms a united front against the others. Despite the social constraints, at the time of Revelation - inexperience and coercion of women - a woman was nevertheless considered a potential witness, with potential resources.

2.It is also true that the Quran in other situations accepts the testimony of a woman as equal to that of a man. In fact, the woman's testimony can invalidate the man's. If a man accuses his wife of unchastity, he is required by the Quran to solemnly swear five times as evidence of the wife's guilt. If the wife denies and swears similarly five times, she is not considered guilty and the marriage is dissolved [24:6-9].

ConclusionIslam, as we have seen, gave women an independent identity and declared that their moral and spiritual gains depended solely on their own performance. Like man, a woman's failure or success rests on her own beliefs, attitude, behavior and conduct. She is a responsible being in her own rights and carries the burden of her moral and spiritual obligations.

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Answer 5

The pre-Islamic land of Arabia saw women as nothing more than property, they had no rights whatsoever. Sons could even inherit them. Their intolerance had gone to such an extent that when Arab fathers found out that they had their wives had given birth to a girl, they would bury them alive.

However, the coming of Islam saw a vivid change. Women were now given rights, they were rendered equal to men and, Islam laid stress on treating women gently and fairly.

Answer 6

Islam is the first religion that secured woman rights and called for it; even before the UN woman human rights. Islam assured woman rights in working, inheritance, having own properties and business, marriage/divorce by her own will, equal rights and duties to men, and many other rights.

refer to related questions below.

Answer 7

Same rights as men. In addition, prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that the Paradise is under the feet of mothers. Refer to question below.