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 provides clear-cut evidence that a woman

is completely equated with man in the sight of God in terms of her rights and
responsibilities.

Many Muslims have adopted the Judeo-
 ethic which views women as the
source of human tragedy because of her alleged biblical role as the temptress who
seduced Adam into disobedience to his Lord. By tempting her husband to eat the
forbidden fruit, she not only defied Allah, but also caused humankind's expulsion from
Paradise, thus instigating all temporal human suffering.

Woman, according to the Quran, is not blamed for Adam's first mistake. Both were
jointly wrong in their disobedience to

, both repented, and both were forgiven.

"In result, they both ate of the tree...thus did Adam disobey His Lord, and fell into error.
But his Lord chose for him (From His Grace): He turned to him, and gave him
guidance."

Therefore, there is nothing in Islamic doctrine or in the Quran, which holds women
responsible for Adam's expulsion from paradise or the consequent misery of
humankind.

The result of such misinterpretation of hadiths and spreading negativity is that entire
societies have mistreated their female members despite the fact that Islam has honored
and empowered the woman. The woman in Islamic law is equal to her male counterpart.
She is as liable for her actions as a male is liable. Her testimony is demanded and valid
in court. Her opinions are sought and acted upon.

"And whatever wrong any human being commits rests upon himself alone; and no
bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another's burden... For, He it is who has made
you inherit the earth, and has raised some of you by degrees above others, so that He
might try you by means of what he bestowed upon you"

A woman is given the role of a mother; a role that Islam gives the highest respect to
after Allah. People who disobey their mothers are held in God¶s eyes as the worst type
of sinners. Such is the place of women in the eyes of Allah. She is a "rehmat" or the
bringer of fortune and joy in the form of a daughter. And she is a wife; companion to
man in all his social, physical and economic endeavours.

A woman is no commodity or slave but an equal to man in all spheres of life. She is in
no way compelled to subjugate her will to the will of a man if she has the right stance.
Thus, the examples of women supression that we see in Middle Eastern countries are
extreme misinterpretations of what Islam actually states about the due place of women
in an islamic society. In Islam the basis of submission is not that women are submitting
to men, but that men and women together submit to God. So therefore, when you read
the passages of the Quran, it becomes very clear that the obedient from among both
the believing men and women receive paradise, which is the greatest aim and objective
in a Muslim's life.

The feminist movement of the 60s did much to gain recognition for women¶s rights in the
United States. But what it failed to do was recognize that men and women are different
and women shouldn¶t be exactly like men because they aren¶t men. ë
 recognizes
this major point, but what many Muslims fail to understand is that just because men and
women are different, this doesn¶t mean that men are made to do only "A", and women
are made to do only "B". There is more overlap in their roles and contributions to society
than there is clear-cut specialization. Women belong in certain roles wheras men belong
in others but this does not give precedence to one over the other.

We can then say that Islam declares man and woman, as being of the same substance,
ethics, feelings, mentality and one is not in a commanding position over the other. This
then is the basic belief which if adhered to can eradicate a whole array of issues and
problems that  
  face today.

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