WOMEN IN ISLAM

Rabi’a Hakima
 Contents
WOMEN PRE-ISLAM WOMEN POST-ISLAM
 Women’s Rights  Women’s Rights
Property Rights Property Rights
Divorce Divorce
 Polygamy  Polygamy
 Veiling  Veiling
Women Before Islam
 Women’s Right to Property
 A daughter could inherit only if no
male heirs existed (Numbers 27:8)

 Among pagan Arabs, only males

could inherit

 Women were considered property,

were buried alive, had no rights, etc.
 Polygamy (Pre-Islam)
 Monogamy protects men, allowing
them to "play around" without
responsibility

 Many of the ancient Israelites were

polygamous, some having hundreds
of wives. King Solomon (peace be
upon him) had 700 wives and 300
concubines.
 Veiling (Pre-Islam)
 Veil in use before Islam
 It was often a sign of class distinction
 Slaves could be punished for veiling
 Before and after Islam, where it was
a nuisance to labor, veil was not
worn
What the Qu’uran (Koran)
Says About Women
 Women’s Rights-Property
Woman’s Right to Property
(Inheritance)
Surah 4, Ayah 7:
"From what is left by parents and those
nearest related there is a share for men
and a share for women, whether the
property be small or large, a determinate
share."
Women’s Rights-Property cont’d
Woman’s Right to Property
(Divorce)
Ayah 20:
“But if ye decide to take one wife in
place of another, even if ye had
given the latter a whole treasure for
dower, take not the least bit of it
back: Would ye take it by slander
and manifest wrong?”
 Women’s Rights-Divorce
Surah 4, Ayah 20:
“But if you decide to take one wife in
place of another, even if you had
given the latter a whole treasure for
dower, take not the least bit of it
back; Would you take it by slander
and a manifest wrong?”
 Women’s Rights-Support
Woman’s Right to Support
Surah 4, Ayah 34:
“Men are the protectors and
maintainers of women, because Allah
has given the one more (strength)
than the other, and because they
support them from their means.”
 Polygamy
Surah 4, Ayah 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."
 Veiling (For Women)
Surah 24, Ayah 31:
“And say to the believing women that
they should lower their gaze and guard
their modesty; that they should not
display their beauty and ornaments
except what (must ordinarily) appear
thereof; that they should draw their
veils over their bosoms and not display
their beauty except to [relatives]”
 Veiling (For Men)
Surah 24, Ayah 30:
“Say to the believing men that they
should lower their gaze and guard
their modesty: that will make for
greater purity for them: and Allah is
well acquainted with all that they
do.”
 Veiling
Surah 33, Ayah 59:
“O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy
daughters and the women of the
believers to draw their cloaks close
round them (when they go abroad).
That will be better, so that they may
be recognized and not annoyed.
Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.”
Muslim Women Today

Questions?