Woman Between Islam and Western Society
5. Position of Woman in the Islamic Shari‘ah
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THE STATUS OF WOMAN
In Islam, a woman enjoys the same status as that of
a man. In the words of the Qur’an, “You are
members, one of another.”
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There is no difference
between man and woman as regards status, rights
and blessings both in this world and in the
hereafter. Both are equal participants so far as the
carrying out of the functions of daily living is
concerned. If Islam stresses the division of labor
between the sexes rather than sexual equality, it is
because it does not countenance the idea of either
sex suffering from the feelings of degradation and
inferiority resulting from any imitation of the
opposite sex. As the Prophet once observed: “Those
men are cursed who try to resemble women, and
those women are cursed who try to resemble
men.”
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The biological division of human beings into male
and female is the result of purposeful planning on
the part of the Creator. And there can be no human
progress without constant respect being shown for
this division. Any attempt to cross the dividing line
laid down by the Almighty is akin to breaking
