Gender roles in Islam

In Islamic theology, both sexes are considered equal in value. At the same time, Islamic law and Muslim practice recognize the differences between sexes, resulting in different rights and obligations.

Background

Throughout the history of Pre-Islamic Arabia the roles of the genders was never explicitly defined, and varied amoung the numerous tribes. For example, in the southern, more prosperous, region of the Arabian Peninsula the religious edicts of Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism held sway amoung the Sabians and Himyarites, whereas in cities such as Mecca, the city where the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, was born, a more tribal set of rights was in place, in particular amongst the Bedouin, which varied from tribe to tribe. Thus there was no clear definition of the roles played, and rights held, by women prior to the arrival of Islam. There were some instances where women held high positions of power and authority. There were also numerous reports of men killing their female infants because they were thought to be inferior or for family planning reasons. In his book Infanticide: Comparative and Evolutionary Perspectives Glenn Hausfater details how Qais Bin Assem, a leader of the Tamim tribe, killed every daughter he had for fear of their capture (and his disgrace) in the inter-tribal wars that dominated Arabian society. Poorer families, he continues, were known to kill daughters in times of famine, viewing daughters as a burden on a starving family.

Thus, while Muhammad's consolidation of power in Arabia led to a region-wide religious ban on the practice of infanticide, the rights of women in some respects were diminished, while in other areas for some women, they were increased, such as giving women the right to divorce [Kuh‘l] (Although a lot of jurists still deny this to Women)[1]

One hadith from Bukhari considered Sahih (Volume 3, Book 43, Number 648) gives an example of the more assertive role of women from Medina as compared to those from Mecca. It states:

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas:

Then 'Umar went on relating the narration and said. "I and an Ansari neighbor of mine from Bani Umaiya bin Zaid who used to live in 'Awali Al-Medina, used to visit the Prophet in turns. He used to go one day, and I another day. When I went I would bring him the news of what had happened that day regarding the instructions and orders and when he went, he used to do the same for me. We, the people of Quraysh, used to have authority over women, but when we came to live with the Ansar, we noticed that the Ansari women had the upper hand over their men, so our women started acquiring the habits of the Ansari women. Once I shouted at my wife and she paid me back in my coin and I disliked that she should answer me back. She said, 'Why do you take it ill that I retort upon you? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet retort upon him, and some of them may not speak with him for the whole day till night.' What she said scared me and I said to her, 'Whoever amongst them does so, will be a great loser.'"

Prior to Islam, a lot women could not inherit land or wealth, which was usually the property of the tribe she was born or married in to. Islam changed the very structure of the society and to a large degree unified the people, making the gender roles similar throughout the region.

Equality

In the Quran, the Sunnah

• In the Quran Sura 3:195, God is reported to say:

"...I will not waste the work of a worker among you, whether male or female, the one of you being from the other..."

• Also in Sura 40:40:

"Whoever commits a sin is requited for just that, and whoever works righteousness - male or female - while believing, these will enter Paradise wherein they receive provisions without any limits"

• One of the different rights and obligations concerns divorce, if a woman is found to be pregnant during the iddah, a man is advised to reconcile with his wife, but in case he does not want to, his unwillingness will prevail, giving him the upper hand in this matter. This is described in Sura 2:228

And the divorced women should keep themselves in waiting for three courses; and it is not lawful for them that they should conceal what Allah has created in their wombs, if they believe in Allah and the last day; and their husbands have a better right to take them back in the meanwhile if they wish for reconciliation; and they have rights similar to those against them in a just manner, and the men are a degree above them, and Allah is Mighty, Wise.

• Another difference is descibed in verse in where men are told they are the protectors and maintainers of woman since they have been gifted with strength and are responsible for spending, out of their property.

And do not covet that by which Allah has made some of you excel others; men shall have the benefit of what they earn and women shall have the benefit of what they earn; and ask Allah of His grace; surely Allah knows all things. And to every one We have appointed heirs of what parents and near relatives leave; and as to those with whom your rights hands have ratified agreements, give them their portion; surely Allah is a witness over all things.Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great.

In practice

• In Iran, 60% of the students in Universities are women. ^google

Inequality

Equality in the Quran

The Quran repeatedly states that God works through men, and not women, although there is some dispute over how inclusive the term "men" is in Classical Arabic. Some scholars traditionally have argued that "men" did not include women. Many others, including many modern scholars, claim that it did.^{[2] For instance,}

Sura 12:109

Nor did We send before thee (as messengers) any but men, whom we did inspire,- (men) living in human habitations. Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them? But the home of the hereafter is best, for those who do right. Will ye not then understand?

Sura 16.043

And before thee also the messengers We sent were but men, to whom We granted inspiration: if ye realise this not, ask of those who possess the Message.

Sura 22.075

Allah chooses messengers from angels and from men for Allah is He Who hears and sees (all things).

The Quran also presents the world and the afterlife in a very male-centric manner. For instance, Sura 56:12-39 says of those in Heaven,

"They shall recline on jewelled couches face to face, and there shall wait on them immortal youths with bowls and ewers and a cup of purest wine (that will neither pain their heads nor take away their reason); with fruits of their own choice and flesh of fowls that they relish. And theirs shall be the dark-eyed houris, chaste as hidden pearls: a guerdon for their deeds... We created the houris and made them virgins, loving companions for those on the right hand..."

Obviously this is a vision of Heaven that is more likely to appeal to men. Eternally virgin dark-eyed Houris are unlikely to appeal to many women.^{[3] Moreover in the afterlife a good Muslim woman faces sharing her husband with these companions.[4]}

Equality in Hadiths

Despite the Quran's theological commitment to equality there are a number of Sunni Hadiths that suggest a very different view of women was also present in the early Muslim community. From Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 24, Number 541:

Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri

On 'Id ul Fitr or 'Id ul Adha Allah's Apostle went out to the Musalla. After finishing the prayer, he delivered the sermon and ordered the people to give alms. He said, "O people! Give alms." Then he went towards the women and said. "O women! Give alms, for I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-Fire were you (women)." The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is the reason for it?" He replied, "O women! You curse frequently, and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. O women, some of you can lead a cautious wise man astray." Then he left. And when he reached his house, Zainab, the wife of Ibn Masud, came and asked permission to enter It was said, "O Allah's Apostle! It is Zainab." He asked, 'Which Zainab?" The reply was that she was the wife of Ibn Mas'ub. He said, "Yes, allow her to enter." And she was admitted. Then she said, "O Prophet of Allah! Today you ordered people to give alms and I had an ornament and intended to give it as alms, but Ibn Masud said that he and his children deserved it more than anybody else." The Prophet replied, "Ibn Masud had spoken the truth. Your husband and your children had more right to it than anybody else."

Two of the most authoritative collections of Sunni Hadiths, those of Bukhari and Muslim, give the following Saying of Muhammed from Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 6, Number 301,

Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri:

Once Allah's Apostle went out to the Musalla (to offer the prayer) o 'Id-al-Adha or Al-Fitr prayer. Then he passed by the women and said, "O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women)." They asked, "Why is it so, O Allah's Apostle ?" He replied, "You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could be led astray by some of you." The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?" He said, "Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?" They replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Isn't it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?" The women replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her religion."

Or from Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Number 142,

It is narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah b. Umar that the Messenger of Allah observed: O womenfolk, you should give charity and ask much forgiveness for I saw you in bulk amongst the dwellers of Hell. A wise lady among them said: Why is it, Messenger of Allah, that our folk is in bulk in Hell? Upon this the Holy Prophet observed: You curse too much and are ungrateful to your spouses. I have seen none lacking in common sense and failing in religion but (at the same time) robbing the wisdom of the wise, besides you. Upon this the woman remarked: What is wrong with our common sense and with religion? He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Your lack of common sense (can be well judged from the fact) that the evidence of two women is equal to one man, that is a proof of the lack of common sense, and you spend some nights (and days) in which you do not offer prayer and in the month of Ramadan (during the days) you do not observe fast, that is a failing in religion. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Tahir with this chain of transmitters.

Again, from Sahih Muslim Book 31, Number 5966, it is clear that the average man is much better than the average woman,

Abu Musa reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There are many persons amongst men who are quite perfect but there are not perfect amongst women except Mary, daughter of 'Imran, Asiya wife of Pharaoh, and the excellence of 'A'isha as compared to women is that of Tharid over all other foods.

Lesser traditions also demean women in various ways,

From Sunaan Abu Dawud, Book 11, Number 2135,

Narrated by Qays ibn Sa'd:

I went to al-Hirah and saw them (the people) prostrating themselves before a satrap of theirs, so I said: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) has most right to have prostration made before him. When I came to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him), I said: I went to al-Hirah and saw them prostrating themselves before a satrap of theirs, but you have most right, Apostle of Allah, to have (people) prostrating themselves before you. He said: Tell me , if you were to pass my grave, would you prostrate yourself before it? I said: No. He then said: Do not do so. If I were to command anyone to make prostration before another I would command women to prostrate themselves before their husbands, because of the special right over them given to husbands by Allah.

Thus although women's equality was theoretically part of Islam, in fact there were other traditions as well which demeaned women's intelligence and piety.

Islamic law also placed some other restrictions on women. Women should not rule according to Sunni jurisprudence. According to the Sahih Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59, Number 709,

Narrated Abu Bakra:

During the days of Al-Jamal, Allah benefited me with a word I had heard from Allah's Apostle after I had been about to join the Companions of Al-Jamal (i.e. the camel) and fight along with them. When Allah's Apostle was informed that the Persians had crowned the daughter of Khosrau as their ruler, he said, "Such people as ruled by a lady will never be successful."

Even polygamy in Islamic society was more acceptable to later generations than to Muhammed who, even though he himself was polygamous, expressed disapproval of it for his own daughter, Fatima. According to Bukhari (who mentions the hadith twice, Book 7, Number 115 and 152),

I heard Allah’s apostle who was in the pulpit saying "The Bano-hisham bin Al-Mughira have requested me to allow them to marry their daughter to Ali bin Abi Taleb, but I do not give them permission and will not give permission unless Ali divorces my daughter because Fatima is a part of my body, and I hate what she hates to see and what hurts her."

However it may be that these traditions are more part of the traditional practice of Islam and not what was originally intended in Muhammed's time. It is recorded in the Sahih Muslim (Book 4, Number 1039) that,

Aisha complained that Muhammad’s followers made women like dogs and asses…

Equality in Islamic Law

• Islamic law does not value the testimony of women as much as that of men. The value of a female witness is usually given as half that of a man.

Diya

In some traditional schools of Islamic law the diya (or Blood money) for the death of a woman was half that of a man. For instance, from a Maliki book of jurisprudence

37.4. The tariff for other than Muslim men

37.4a. Half the tariff

The blood money of a woman is half that of a man. The same applies to the blood money of Kitabis, and their women is half of that of their men.

The same is true for the Jews and Christians. It is half that of the Muslims based on what an-Nasa'i reports that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The blood wit of the people of the dhimma is half that of the Muslims. There is half of that blood money for Kitabi women.]

Thus in Islamic law women, whether Muslim or not and hence whether they worked outside the home or not, were literally half the value of a man.

Inheritance

Women inherit half the amount as men. Shi'a Muslims have stronger provisions for female inheritance than do Sunnis. Arguably, when the responsibility of men to support women is taken into account, the women's share becomes much higher than of men. The problem is that the rules regarding inheritance are very confusing. The applicable verses are,

Sura 4:11,

Allah directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females; if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. The distribution is in all cases after the payment of legacies and debts

Sura 4:12,

In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts

Sura 4:176,

If it is a man that dies, leaving a sister but no child, she shall have half the inheritance: If (such a deceased was) a woman, who left no child, Her brother takes her inheritance. If there are two sisters, they shall have two-thirds of the inheritance (between them). If there are brothers and sisters, (they share), the male having twice the share of the female. Thus doth Allah make clear to you (His law), lest ye err. And Allah hath knowledge of all things.

It is hard to work out exactly what the status of women is in the case of inheritance because it is trivially easy to find cases where the division would amount to more than the entire estate.

Equality in Marriage

• Men are allowed more than one sexual partner, not necessarily in marriage, at a time. Women are not although they were in pre-Islamic times. This is based on Sura 4:3,

If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, Marry women of your choice, Two or three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice.

• A wife is strongly advised to not deny her husband sexual access. If a man does not have sexual contact with his wife for more than 4 months, she is entitled to end the marriage. This is backed up by many Sunni Hadiths. For instance,

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 460,

The angels curse a woman for refusing to have sex with her husband.

And, Volume 7, Book 62, Number 81

Marriage gives a man the right to enjoy a woman's private parts.

Also Sahih Muslim, Book 8, Numbers 3367-3368,

Allah gets displeased with the woman who does not immediately respond when her husband demands sex from her.

And from the medieval Islamic Scholar Ghazali, Volume 2, page 43,

A wife should not refuse her husband if he wants to enjoy her body. If the wife of a man dies while he is pleased with her she will enter paradise. If a man wants sex his wife must comply with him even she is on the back of a camel.

• The Divorce process, Talaq, is initiated by the husband. Men do not need anyone's permission to do so. Women need to ask an Islamic judge - a Qadi, always a man, to initiate the Talaq. Shias have a more demanding Talaq process, while the Sunnis can in some cases make the proces start and end instantaneously.

• Custody of any children always go to the husband as long as the children are over a certain age. Infants may remain with their mothers but as soon as they are old enough they must be returned to their paternal home. The couple may agree to a different solution.

=Equality in the Home

• Women are not required to contribute to the household duties in any way, it is completely at their discretion whether they do so or not. A woman's refusal to do so does not grant the man any relief from his duty to support her.

• In a Nikah marriage, a husband may forbid his wife to leave the marital home. Indeed the Quran explicitly encourages women to do this. Sura 33:33 says,

And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance; and establish regular Prayer, and give regular Charity; and obey Allah and His Messenger. And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye members of the Family, and to make you pure and spotless.

• The husband is obliged to provide all support for his Nikah wife or wives.

• In a Nikah, in case of women not "guarding the unseen", in other words letting in uninvited men into the home, the husband is first to admonish them, then leave them alone in the sleeping-places and as a last step before the Talaq is initiated, he may symbolically beat her once, not in the face and not leaving any mark on the body.

See also

• Islamic view of marriage

External links

• http://www.safraproject.org/sgi-genderroles.htm
• Women in Islam