Men and Women Are Equal in Reward
Fatwa No: 447970

Question

I am new muslim and I'm confused about the concept of rewards and thereafter. From what I have been reading it seems that women get rewarded less than men even both have the same deeds. E.g. if a man and a woman each have 10000 deeds, each will get the same house, food, etc. but the man will get many wives, while the woman will only get 1 husband. So even though both have the same number of good deeds, the man gets more rewards than the woman. I knowthat muliple spouses are only for men, but do women get another form of reward or get given more than men in something else? because if not, then if a man and woman get have the same good deeds, the gets more? Also I read that will be hooralyn are more beutiful and suprior to women of this world is this true?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

There is no doubt about the Justice of Allah the Almighty, and that He, Glory be to Him, has forbidden injustice for Himself; Allah Says (what means): {Indeed, Allah does not do injustice, [even] as much as an atom's weight; while if there is a good deed, He multiplies it and gives from Himself a great reward.} [Quran 4:40]

Ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer (interpretation of the Quran):

Allah states that He does not treat any of His Servants with injustice on the Day of Resurrection, be it the weight of a mustard seed or a speck of dust. Rather, Allah shall reward them for this action and multiply it, if it were a good deed. For instance, Allah said, {And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all. And if there is [even] the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as accountant.} [Quran 21:47] .” [End of quote]

Allah did not differentiate between a man and a woman in regard to the reward of deeds and the reward of the Hereafter, Allah Says (what means): {For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned...} [Quran 4:32]

Tafseer At-Tabari reads:

And the men said: “We hope that we will be preferred over women with our good deeds in the Hereafter, as we have been favored over them in inheritance.” So Allah revealed: {For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned...}; Allah says that a woman is rewarded for her good deed ten times, exactly in the like manner as the man is rewarded.” [End of quote]

Allah Says (what means): {And their Lord responded to them, "Never will I allow to be lost the work of [any] worker among you, whether male or female; you are of one another.} [Quran 3:195]

Ibn ‘Attiyyah said in his Tafseer: “Allah’s Saying: {… you are of one another}; means in reward and in acceptance of deeds, meaning that men and women are equal in this regard.” [End of quote]

Ibn Katheer said:

So, their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them), stating that no deed of any person is ever lost with Him. Rather, He will completely reward each person, male or female, for his or her good deeds. Allah's statement, {you are of one another}; meaning, you are all equal in relation to gaining My reward.” [End of quote]

As for the men’s exclusiveness of having Al-Hoor Al-‘Ayn, and that a man will have more than one wife in Paradise, then there is no evidence in it that the reward of a woman is less than that of a man, but Allah Almighty rewards His Servants with what suits each of them and what suits his/her condition. Allah has the absolute Wisdom and absolute Knowledge, and all dominion is His, and all Praise is His.”

Some of the weak Ahadeeth (Prophetic narrations) indicate that the women of this world are preferred in beauty in Paradise over the Hoor al-‘Ayn, and some scholars said that.

There is no doubt that Paradise is the abode of peace and the abode of eternal bliss, and in it is what souls desire. The souls in it are extremely contented and pleased; the lowest of the people of Paradise sees himself as if Allah has given him what he has not given anyone else.

The rational person should occupy himself with what brings him closer to Allah and leads him to His Pleasure and to entering His Gardens.

Allah Knows best.

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