Woman in Islamic Shari‘ah
3. Womanhood in Islam
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3. WOMANHOOD IN ISLAM
FEAR OF God and honoring one’s fellow men —
this is the twin foundation of Islam laid down in the
Qur’an in these words:
Mankind, fear your Lord who created you
from one soul and created man’s mate from
the same soul, from these two scattering on
earth many men and women. Fear God, in
whose name you entreat one another, and be
careful not to sever your ties of kinship. God
is watching over what you do.
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The words, “and created man’s mate from the same
soul” have been explained as meaning that first
Adam was created from earth; then a rib was taken
from his body, out of which Eve — his mate — was
formed. But there is nothing in the Qur’an to
support this theory. It is a biblical explanation, not a
Qur’anic one. Here is what the Book of Genesis has
to say about the creation of Eve:
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall
upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of
his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
