Woman Between Islam and Western Society
5. Position of Woman in the Islamic Shari‘ah
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men but not women.” It was in this context that the
following verse was revealed to the Prophet:
I will deny no man or woman among you the
reward of their labors. You are members, one
of another.
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This makes it clear that, although males and females
differ from one another biologically, they are equal
in terms of human status, they have a definite
partnership with one another, and there is no
distinction made between them as regards their
respective rights. They are, in fact, each other’s
lifetime companions.
THE PRINCIPLE OF THE DIVISION OF LABOR
Within the social framework, however, Islam —
to the extent that it is both natural and practical
— has adopted the division of labor in respect of
the sexes, the man’s field of activity being
basically external to the home, while the woman’s
is domestic. This division, however, has never
been intended as a form of discriminatory
treatment. Its main purpose has always been to
preserve the distinctive characteristics of both
