Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
5. The Status of Woman in Islam
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atmosphere he would converse with her over a long period of time.
(
Sahih
al-Bukhari,
Sahih
Muslim)
This course of informal education continued uninterruptedly,
for Aishah used to accompany him even on his journeys.
This informal education was so important for Aishah that she
became the most distinguished personality so far as religious
knowledge was concerned. She survived the Prophet for a full fifty
years. Throughout this period she remained a very valuable source
for the acquisition of religious knowledge. Her house served as a
school of religious learning.
In the early period of Islam, regarded as model for all believers,
we have a number of examples that show that women used to take
part in practical matters. For instance Khadijah, the Prophet’s wife,
conducted business, and Fatimah, the Prophet’s daughter helped
with giving first aid to the wounded in battle. Asma, Abu Bakr’s
daughter, looked after her camels and date orchard, etc.
Western civilization believes in gender equality, that is man and
woman are one and the same thing. There is no difference of any
kind between the two. But Islam regards this equality as unnatural.
In the light of Islamic teachings men and women both are, without
doubt, equal. In God’s eyes, both have equal rights and duties.
Owing to their biological structure, however, they are different
from one another. That is to say, they are equal but different.
The characteristics of true believers, both men and women, are
referred to in the Quran in these words:
