Does Islam oppress women?
How could it oppress women when every year millions of pilgrims walk between the two mountains Safah and Marwa in Makkah following the footsteps of a woman, Hajar, the second wife of Prophet Ibraham. She was left in the barren valley of Makkah with her newborn Ishmael about 4000 years ago, and when she asked her husband, “Did Allah (God) commanded you to leave us here?” and his answer came with, “Yes” she replied: “Then He will not let us down.” She supplicated and searched for signs of rescue by running between the two mountains and never lost her confidence in Allah, until He sent her a spring of water in that desert. (This story is mentioned in all the old scriptures, Genesis, and in the final scripture, the Qur’an). Her footsteps and complete confidence in her creator became a ritual to follow for all the believers and an inspiration which teaches that Allah will not let down those who have confidence in Him and call Him.
Supremacy in Islam is based only on piety, not gender, color, or nationality
Allah (God) informs us in His final revelation: “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” (The Qur’an, 49:13)
Islam values men and women equally in their acts of worship
Women in Islam are equal to men in view of their duties, rights and responsibilities which were assigned by Allah to both of them. Both are rewarded accordingly. “And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer – those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged, [even as much as] the speck on a date seed.” (The Qur’an, 4:124)
The relation between men and women is looked at as an interdependent relationship, according to the Islamic law. “And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” (The Qur’an, 30:21)
The rights and responsibilities of the Muslim woman are equal to those of the Muslim man, but they are not necessarily identical. Good actions, lawful deeds and stopping unlawful actions are expected from both of them. “And due to them [i.e., the wives] is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable. But the men [i.e., husbands] have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority]. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.” (The Qur’an, 2:228)
Men and women are therefore complementary to each other in a multi-functional organization rather than being competitive with each other in a mono-functional society.
