Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
5. The Status of Woman in Islam
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This verse stresses the aspect of commonness between
man and woman (what is common between the two) that is,
both are a source of comfort to one another.
The word ‘comfort’ relates to all the activities of life,
meaning thereby that God has created men and women in such
a way that they assist one another in all matters of life, in order
to go on life’s journey peacefully and successfully.
3. There is another verse in the Quran, which tells us that men
and women have equal status in God’s eye. None is superior to
the other.
“I will not let the deeds of any doer among you go to
waste, be he male or female. You are members, one of
another.” (3:195)
Abdullah Yusuf Ali, the well known commentator on the
Quran, remarks in his commentary on this verse:
“In Islam the equal status of the sexes is not only
recognised but insisted on. If sex distinction, which is a
distinction in nature, does not count in spiritual
matters, artificial distinctions, such as rank, wealth,
position, race, colour, birth, etc., would count even less.”
Thus it will be the very same virtues in thought, word and
deed, which will be prerequisites for both sexes to enter
Paradise. If the qualities of piety, humility, honesty, patience
and compassion are demanded of men, they will in like
measure be demanded of women.
