I. Introduction

It should be noted, however, that it is highly desirable to have a brief description of women's status in the pre-Islamic societies from spiritual, social, economic, and legal points of view to provide a better basis for an impartial evaluation of what Islam contributed toward the restoration of women's dignity and rights.

II. Historical Perspective

Truly, women have suffered all kinds of oppression and injustice and have been subjected to degrading and inhuman treatment. Even in the most civilized societies where a great deal of progress and prosperity was achieved, women were abused by men for fun and pleasure. Philosophers, who were the intellectual leaders for humanity, considered woman as the subject and man as the essence in an elusive duality. Sometimes she was presented as the reaction against the rational, nature against culture, the body against the soul, necessity against freedom or the fragment against the whole, etc... She was portrayed as incarnating evil and impurity.

III. Woman in Ancient Societies

In India, subjection of women was a basic principle. She was held by her protector -man- in a state of dependence. Females were excluded from the rules of inheritance.

To the Hindus, she was a cheap creature. If the husband died, the wife was burned alive with him in the sacred fire. For some ancient Hindu tribes a woman does not even deserve to be burned with her husband, for she was a mean creature (unworthy of that treatment). For that reason, they used to bury her alive after her husband passed away. If a man had more than one wife, they buried them all alive. The husband could repudiate his wife at any given moment and in any manner he chose. She had no right to ask for divorce, however degrading the way her husband treated her.

The Chinese say: "Woman is like a ball, the harder you kick it the higher it goes." This reflects the extent to which women were despised by the Chinese. The Greek civilization attained the positions of leadership in the field of philosophy. Nonetheless, woman was not considered a human being, but a property that man could dispose of in any way he liked. In Athens, a woman was not better off than her counterpart in India. Athenian woman was always minor, subject to some male -father, brother, or husband. Her consent to marriage was not always thought to be necessary. She was obliged to submit to the wishes of her parents. The husband had the right to dispose of his wife by selling her to a buyer who could keep her for a trial period. The husband could also kill his wife if he suspected her having a relation with another person; he was not held accountable for that. He could have a mistress with whom he could commit adultery in his wife's house. He also could repudiate her anytime he wanted and she could not oppose his decision.

The ancient Greek myths considered woman as the origin of all evil and suffering in the world. Contrary to what is revealed in Qur`an, it was Eve who tempted Adam and got him out of paradise. The noble Qur`an says "the shaytan (Satan) whispered to him saying: "O Adam! Shall I lead you to the tree of eternity and to a kingdom that will never waste away?" then both ate of the tree, and so their private parts appeared to them..."
The great philosopher, Socrates, attributed the fall of Sparta to granting freedom to women, a freedom that pushed women to prostitution. Women had the right to marry more than one man and man was denied that right. He could have a second wife only in extreme cases.

Under the Roman Empire, women used to be sold and bought like merchandise. The Romans considered her a creature without a soul. She was forbidden to talk or laugh. Some put a lock on her mouth. In some cases, she was not allowed to eat Meat. When the Romans embraced Christianity, they granted the first wife some rights; other wives were considered as companions. Their children were treated like abandoned children and had no right to inheritance. In Roman law, if a woman is married, she and her property passed into the hand of her husband. The wife was the purchased property of her husband, and like a slave, was acquired only for his benefit. A woman could not hold any civil or public position, and could not be witness, tutor or curator.

The Ancient Greek historian, Herodotus, said that there was among the gods of Ancient Persia one goddess called Ashtar. She was the goddess of love, beauty and pleasure. She called herself the goddess of adultery or prostitution. The Persians offer adultery their goddess young virgins who would go the altar where every man could pick the girl he liked after throwing a coin of silver into her lap.

To the Kaldans (Chaldeans), when a woman got married, but could not get pregnant, they considered her cursed by the gods, or possessed by Satan. First they try to cure her. If the cure does not work, the woman is considered barren and has to be killed. When Hamurabi's legislation was passed, women were given some rights. This legislation allowed men to have girlfriends, and gave women the right to divorce only if it is proved that harm was done to her; otherwise, she is thrown in the river or enslaved.

The only nation where woman enjoyed some rights was ancient Egypt under the Pharaohs. Woman had the right to own property and to inheritance. She maintained the family during her husband's absence. But, she depended on man who was the master. Women were offered as sacrifice to the Nile River and to the gods. When Islam appeared, the level of the water of the Nile had receded, Sa`idah Nafisah sent her veil to be thrown into the Nile which then overflowed. That is the difference between Islam and ancient civilizations.

It is said in the Talmud, the second Book revealed to the Jews after the Torah, that women not belonging to the children of Israel are but beasts. Therefore committing fornication with them was not considered to be a crime for they were the beast's progeny. It is established in the Talmud that the Jewish woman had no right to complain if her husband committed adultery in her house. The father had the right to sell his young daughter. In the Mosaic Law, the wife was betrothed. According to the Encyclopedia Biblica "to betroth a wife to oneself meant simply to acquire possession of her by payment of the purchase money; ..." From the legal point of view the consent of a girl was not necessary for the validation of her marriage. As to the right to divorce, "the woman being man's property, his right to divorce her follows as a matter of course." This right was held only by men.

The position of the Christian Church until recent centuries seems to have been influenced by the Mosaic Law. The early church Fathers presented woman as the door of hell and the mother of all the human ills. She should be ashamed at the very thought that she is a woman. She should live in continual penance on account of the curses she has brought upon the world. One of the fathers said "Do you know that you are each an Eve? The sentence of God on this sex of yours lives in this age: the guilt must of necessity live too. You are the devil's gateway... you are the first deserters of the divine law..."

Not only did the church affirm the inferior status of woman, it deprived her of the legal rights she had previously enjoyed.

The Christians believe in the present Torah and believe that woman is the cause of destruction of humanity because Eve tempted Adam and got him out of paradise. That is why God blessed his creatures with redemption, which according to their belief was the reason for the crucifixion of Jesus. They described woman as the most potent instrument of the devil, the scorpion that doesn't hesitate to sting, or the viper that spits its deadly venom.

In some of his letters St. Paul forbids woman from education. In the fifth century of the Christian era, the Amacon gathering was held to discuss issues pertaining to woman, such as her entity and physical constitution and to determine whether she was a body without a soul or, if she had a soul, and in case she had a soul was it a perfect one. Finally they reached the conclusion that all women have an imperfect soul except Sayyidah Maryam (Mary, the virgin). In 586 AD a conference was held in France to determine whether woman should be considered a human being.

After a long discussion it was decided that woman is a human being that was created to be at the service of man. One should not also forget what happened in the eighteenth century to a French Feminist (De Gogue) who was sentenced to death because she called for granting woman rights equal to those of man. In England, a royal decree was issued during the reign of Henry the Eighth forbidding women from reading the Holy Book. They also were denied the right to property until 1882. Man had the right to sell his wife and church allowed lending wives. It made it an obligation that newly married women spent their first night with the barons before they pass them over to their husbands. This practice continued until the year 1486.

IV. Woman before Islam

The ancient Arabs considered woman a shame and disgrace. Weeping was the only way she could help the Arab warriors fighting their endless wars. She had no right to property. She used ruse and intrigues to get man caught in her snares. Pagan Arabs used to practice female infanticide. When a father is given the news of having a female baby he is filled with grief and hides away instead of celebrating.

V. Woman and Islam

Islam denounced female infanticide in the clearest terms possible "when the female (infant), buried live, is questioned for what crime she was killed" S. 81, A. 8-9. Then Allah says in the Holy Qur`an "when news is brought to one of them (of the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief. With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on contempt or bury it in the dust. Ah! What an evil (choice) they decided on?" - S. 16, A. 58-59. The Qur`anic expression "when the news is brought to one of them" (good tidings) is meant by Allah as an indication that the birth of a female child ought to be a cause of optimism and joy and not grief and hiding. Allah says, "He bestows male or female according to His will. Or, He bestows both males and females, and He leaves barren whom He will, for He is full of knowledge and power". S. 42, A. 49-50. This means that woman is a kind gift from Allah. Al Hakim related: Ibn Abbas said, "He who had a female child and didn't bury her alive, didn't humiliate her, or treat the male child better than her, Allah enters him into paradise".

Islam raised women to the highest position a human being can reach. The First order in the history of humanity was given to both man and woman. Allah says: "And we said: 'O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (when and where) you will, but approach not this tree, or you run into harm and transgression.'" - S. 2, A. 35, thereby invalidating the old myth that woman is Satan, "Then we said: "O Adam! Verily, this is an enemy to thee and thy wife: so let him not get you both out of the garden, so that thou art landed in misery." S. 20, A. 117.

VI. Woman is Equal to Man in Reward

Woman and man are equal in reward and each is compensated according to his deeds, for there is no difference between them as to their readiness and willingness to obey Allah. "If any do deeds of righteousness, be they male or female, and have faith, they will enter Heaven and not the least injustice will be done to them." S. 4, A. 124. Allah also said in Surat an-Nahl (the Bee) "Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily, to him will we give a life." Ayat 97.

Also, man and woman have gifts from Allah, some greater than others. They seem unequal but Allah assured that He has allotted them by a scheme by which each receive what he or she earns." "To men is allotted what they earn, and to women what they earn." S. 4, A. 32.

VII. Woman is the Sister of Man

"O mankind, fear your Guardian Lord, who created you from a single soul, created out of it his mate." S.4, A.1. The Prophet Muhammad, Salla-llahu Alaihi Wa Sallam (peace be upon him), said "woman are the sisters of men" (hadith narrated by Nisa'ee) . Being the sister of man she constitutes half the society (of mankind). She is the wife, the mother, and the daughter. Ibn Umar narrated that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "Life of this world is but provisions and the best of provisions is the righteous woman".

VIII. Man and Woman are Created from a Single Nafs -soul (self)-

"O mankind! Fear your Guardian Lord, who created you from a single soul, created, out of it, his mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women; Fear Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and be heedful of the wombs (that bore you); for Allah ever watches over you." S. 4 A. 1. Based on this Ayat, woman has the same rights and duties as man. Allah Almighty says: "and their Lord hath accepted of them, and answered them: 'Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female: you are members, one of another:'" S.3, A. 195.

Allah obligated woman (exactly like man) with the same religious duties and enjoined her to adhere to good behavior. "For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's remembrance, for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward." S. 33, A. 35.

Independently from man, woman is responsible for her deeds. If man is righteous it doesn't relieve her from her duties; if man makes mischief, it doesn't cause her any harm. "Allah sets forth, for and example to the Unbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lut (Lot); they were (respectively) under two of our righteous servants, but they betrayed their (husbands), and they profited nothing before Allah on their account, but were told: 'enter ye the fire along with (others) that enter!' And Allah sets forth, as an example to those who believe the wife of Pharaoh: behold she said: 'O my Lord! Build for me, in nearness to Thee, a mansion in the Garden, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings, and save me from those that do wrong;" S. 66, A. 10-11. Ibn Umar narrated, that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "You are all shepherds and responsible for your flocks".

IX. The Excellent Virtues of Khadijah

Khadijah (Allah be pleased with her) was that pious woman who gave up idolatry before Prophethood. She was such a source of strength and vigor to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and to the cause of Islam. She stood by his side encouraging and supporting him and provided amply for his needs.

When the Archangel Jibri'il (Gabriel) came to him and said: "Read in the name of thy Lord Who created." The Messenger of Allah (pbuh), returned with this (message) while his heart trembled and he came to Khadijah and said: "Wrap me up, wrap me up", and she wrapped him up until the awe left him. Then he said to Khadijah, while he related to her what had happened: "I fear for myself." Khadijah said, "Nay, by Allah, Allah will never bring thee to disgrace, for thou unitest the ties of relationship and bearest the burden of the weak and earnest for the destitute and honorest the guest and helpless in real distress." Khadijah brought him to Waraqah bin Naufal her uncle's son, who had become a Christian in the time of ignorance, and he used to write the Hebrew script.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) related to him what he had seen. Waraqah said to him: "This is the Angel Jibri'il whom Allah sent to Moses; would (I wish) that I were a young man at this time, would that I were alive when thy people would expel thee! The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Will they expel me? He said: Yes; never has a man appeared with the like of that which thou hast brought but he has been held in enmity; and if thy time finds me (alive) I shall help thee with the fullest help. After that, not much time had passed that Waraqah died, and revelation broke off temporarily.

The Holy Prophet also had intense love for Khadijah. He did not marry again until the death of Khadijah. After her death, whenever he slaughtered a sheep, he used to send meat to the friends of Khadijah. Hadrat `A'isha reported: "I had not seen Khadijah (Allah be pleased with her) yet I never did feel jealous of any wife among the wives of the Allah's Apostle (pbuh) as I felt in case of Khadijah, for he praised her very often." It has been stated that the Holy Prophet said: "I can never forget her; she believed in me when none else did. She embraced Islam when people disbelieved me, and she helped and comforted me when there was none to lend me a helping hand, and she bore all my children." There are many traditions in support of the excellence of Sayyidah Khadijah (Allah be pleased with her). It has been narrated in Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari, that once Jibri'il was sitting beside the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and when Khadijah (Allah be pleased with her) came, he said: "Convey to her the good tidings of giving her a palace of Jewels in Paradise where there is no noise and toil."

X. Glory and Splendor

Narrated by Imams Ahmad and Abu Dawud, and mentioned by Ibn Kathir in his introduction to Surat al-Mujadilah, that Imam Ahmad recorded that Khuwaylah bint Tha'labah said: "By Allah! Allah sent down the beginning of Surat al-Mujadilah in connection with me and `Aws bin as-Samit. He was my husband and had grown old and difficult. One day, he came to me and I argued with him about something and he said, out of anger, 'You are like my mother's back to me.' He went out and sat with some of his people. Then he came back and wanted to have sexual intercourse with me. I said, 'No, by the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Khuwaylah! You will not have your way with me after what you said, until Allah and His Messenger issue a judgment about our case.' He wanted to have his way regardless of my choice and I pushed him away from me; he was an old man. I next went to one of my neighbors and borrowed a garment from her and went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). I told him what happened and kept complaining to him of the ill treatment I received from `Aws. He said, 'O Khuwaylah! Your cousin is old man, so have Taqwa of Allah regarding him.'

By Allah! Before I departed, parts of the Qur`an were revealed about me. Allah's Messenger felt the hardship upon receiving the revelation as he usually did and then became relieved. He said to me, 'O Khuwaylah! Allah has revealed something about you and your spouse.' He recited to me, 'Indeed Allah has heard the statement of her that disputes with you concerning her husband, and complains to Allah. And Allah hears the argument between you both. Verily, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Seer', until, 'And for disbeliever's, there is a painful torment.' He then said to me, 'Command him to free a slave.' I said, 'Allah's Messenger! He does not have any to free.' He said, 'Let him fast for two consecutive months.' I said, 'By Allah! He is an old man and cannot fast.' He said, 'Let him feed sixty poor people a Wasq (a load) of dates.' I said, 'O Allah's Messenger! By Allah, he does not have any of that.' He said, 'We will help him with a basket of dates.' I said, 'and I, O Allah's Messenger! I will help him with another.' He said, 'you have done a righteously good thing. So go and give away the dates on his behalf and take care of your cousin.'" And she did that.

This woman had a good reputation among the companions. One day after Salat, Sayyiduna `Umar while walking out of the Masjid accompanied by Al Jaroud Al Abdi greeted her, she said to him, "O! `Umar I knew you when people used to call you `Omar in Ukath place. You used to keep your flock holding your stick. Fear Allah in (concerning) his servants and know that if you fear the warnings, the far away will be close to you, and if you fear loss you will fear death. Jaroud said to her: "What you said is too much for the Commander of the Faithful to stand". Sayyiduna `Umar said to him: "let her speak, don't you know that she is Khawla, the lady to whom Allah listened, from above seven heavens; by Allah it is more fitting for `Umar to listen to her."

Ibn Kathir narrated that Jaroud said to Sayiduna Omar: "You kept Qurayshi's waiting while talking to this old woman". Sayyiduna `Umar answered him saying: "Don't you know who this woman is; she is the woman to whom Allah listened from above seven heavens, this is Khawlah bint Thalalaba. I would stay here the whole night until I fulfill all her demands and I wouldn't leave her except only to perform Salat, and then come back to her, until she is satisfied with my answers."

XI. The Obedient Zainab, Daughter of Jahsh

The Prophet (pbuh) asked for the hand of his own cousin Zaynab, for his adopted son Zayd. Her brother, Abdullah Ibn Jahsh, refused to let his sister, the Hashimi and Qurayshi noble girl that she was, and the first cousin of the Prophet in addition, to become the wife of a slave whom Khadijah had bought and whom Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had set free. Such a union, was regarded by him as well as by the Arabs in general, as a thing of great shame. For the daughters of the aristocracy to marry their slaves, even though their slaves had become free, was plainly unthinkable, but Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sought to wipe out these racial and class distinctions between men. He sought to educate the whole world to the truth that no Arab is superior to any non-Arab unless it be in virtue and piety. For it was Allah who said: "Highest in Allah's view are the most virtuous."

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) insisted that Zaynab agree to marry Zayd and that her brother Abdullah ibn Jahsh accept Zayd as a brother-in-law. Indeed, this provided the occasion for the revelation that "No believer, whether man or woman, has freedom to choose otherwise than as God and His Prophet have resolved in any given case. To do so is to disobey God and His Prophet, to err and fall into manifest misguidance." Upon hearing Allah's word Zaynab consented to marry Zayd.

XII. Two Hijras (Migrations)

Sayyiduna `Umar humorously said to Asma bint Amis, wife of Jaafar: "we made Hijra before you did", she said: "you are right, you were in the company of the Prophet (pbuh), feeding the hungry and teaching the ignorant amongst you, and we were the isolated and excluded. By Allah, I will go to the Prophet (pbuh) and tell him what you said." Then she came to the Prophet and said: "O! Messenger of Allah, some men are ridiculing us and pretending that we were not among the first migrants". The Prophet (pbuh) said: "you made two Hijras: you migrated to Abyssinia when we were stuck in Mecca, then you migrated to Madina (Yathrib)."

XIII. Umm Sulaim Preferred Islam to Wealth.

When Abu Talha, who was a pagan and very rich asked Umm Sulaim: "why don't you marry me? Do you want a lot of gold and silver?" She answered: "No I don't want any gold or silver, I only want you to be a Muslim. If you accept Islam, I can marry you."

XIV. Women Asking the Prophet (pbuh) About Private and Religious Matters

Umm Sulaimah reported: Umm Sulaim, mother of Anas Ibn Malik came to the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) and said: "Apostle of Allah, Allah is not ashamed of the truth. Is bathing necessary for a woman when she has a sexual dream?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Yes, when she sees the liquid (vaginal secretion)." Umm Sulaima said: "Messenger of Allah does a woman have sexual dream?" He said: "let your hand be covered with dust, in what way does her child resemble her?"
Islam made it obligatory on women and men alike to seek knowledge; "seeking knowledge is a duty on every Muslim".

The first obligation for a woman is to know her religion by studying the Holy Book, Al Qur`an, reciting and understanding it. She also has to be familiar with the science of Hadith and the life (Sirah) of the Prophet (pbuh), and the other women Companions and those who followed them (Taba`un) and those who were model virtuous women.

Sayyidah A`isha (Allah be pleased with her) was excellent in knowledge. She possessed a good deal of knowledge about Poetry, Hadith, and Medicine. Imam Zahri said: "If the knowledge of the wives of the Prophet (pbuh) is put together, A`isha's knowledge would be greater." Urwa bin Zubair said: "None had more knowledge than A`isha, of the Holy Qur`an, Fundamentals, Fiqh, Poetry, Arabic History, and Genealogy."

It is reported in Sahih Muslim that Sayyidah A`isha said to her nephew Al Qasim when he committed an error narrating a Hadith: (Al Qasim was in the presence of A`isha, Allah be pleased with her): "What is the matter with you that you do not narrate as this son of my brother narrated the Hadith? Well, I know from where you picked it up. This is how his mother brought him up and how your mother brought you up. Qasim felt angry (on this remark of Sayyidah A`isha) and showed bitterness towards her. When he saw that the table had been spread for A`isha, he stood up, A`isha, said: "Where are you going?" He said: "(I am going) to say prayer". She said: "Sit down (to take the food)". He said: "I must say prayer". She said: "Sit down, faithless, for I have heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: 'No prayer can be (rightly said) when the food is there (before the worshipper), or when he is prompted by the call of nature.'"

Among the famous women who excelled in knowledge, was the daughter of Sayyid Ibn al Musaib, the scholar of his time. He refused to marry his daughter to the son of the Commander of the Faithful, Abdul Malik ibn Marwan, and married her to one of his students, Abdullah ibn Wada`a. On his wedding night, Abdullah discovered that he married not only a woman of beauty but also a great Hafiz of Qur`an and a great woman scholar. She was very knowledgeable in the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) and familiar with the rights of marriage. In the morning of the next day, when Abdullah prepared himself to leave she asked him where he was going. Abdullah answered: "to the circle of your father Sayyid to acquire Knowledge." She said: "sit, I will teach you the science of Sayyid." He did not attend the circle of his teacher, her father, for a whole month preferring his beautiful young wife as a teacher, to his Shaykh.

Another outstanding woman of learning was Fatimah bint Ala ud Deen Samarkandi, who wrote "Tuhfatu al Fuqaha" (the Gift of the Jurisprudents) who died in the year 539 H. His daughter Fatimah was a luminary Jurisprudent instructed by her father, and who learned his book (the Gift) by heart. He married her to his student Ala ud deen Kasani who excelled in both doctrines of fundamentals and branches, and compiled his Great book "Badai`u as Sanai`u" (the Wonders of Craftsmanship), which is a commentary on the book "Tuhfatu al Fuqaha". When he presented his book "Budai`u as Sanai`u" to his Shaykh, the latter was very pleased and appreciated the work, by considering it a dowry for his daughter, for whose hand a number of Roman dignitaries had asked. The father refused them all and married her to his student. The scholars of that time said "He explained his book; he married to him his daughter."

Al Hafiz ibn Asaker, who died in the year 571 H., was one of the most trustworthy and truthful narrators of Hadith. He was called "Hafiz of the Nation". He had among his Shaykhs and teachers more than eighty women. Among the women narrators of Sahih Bukhari were luminary Sayyidah al Wuzara Wazira bint Muhammad ibn `Umar ibn Asad ibn al Munji Tunukhia, and Karima bint Ahmad al Mirwazza. Both were mentioned in the introduction the book "Fathu al Bari" by Ibn Hajr al Askalani.

Muslim women's History was all the more illustrious because they sincerely and truthfully narrated the Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) avoiding traps and treacherous grounds to a point that a great number of men didn't achieve. To this testified Imam Hafiz al Thahbi in his book "Mizaan al Itidal" (The Balance of Moderation), in which he criticized the narrators of Hadith. He accused four thousand of them, considering them supposed or neglectful narrators. As for women narrators he said: "I didn't know of any woman narrator who was supposed or neglectful".

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