Which religion honors women the most? - I

20/01/2011| IslamWeb

Since the emergence of Islam, its enemies have been attacking it and making false accusations against it. Perhaps one of their most laughable methods of fabricating such lies is denying their own sinful ways, and deflecting them onto Islam and then attacking them.

One of the issues that is raised by the enemies of Islam in an attempt to distract others from realizing the truth about their own misguided beliefs and traditions; which has resulted in widespread sexual permissiveness combined with men’s lack of protectiveness towards their womenfolk.

 

Our enemies claim that Islam deprives women of their rights, revokes women’s humanity and reduces them to the status of objects of pleasure.

 

Let us commence with the most famous point: whether the woman is a human being or an object for entertainment and pleasure, and the stance of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity on that point.

 

Let us start with the attitude of Islam towards women.

 

As everyone knows, the basis of Islam is the Quran and the Sunnah (tradition), which will be our reference in discussing the stance of Islam. We may also add some historical incidents. 

 

What does the Quran say about this issue?

 

Allah The Almighty Says (what means):

 

·        {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.} [Quran 4:124]

 

·        {Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer -- We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.} [Quran 16:97]

 

·        {O my people, this worldly life is only [temporary] enjoyment, and indeed, the Hereafter -- that is the home of [permanent] settlement. Whoever does an evil deed will not be recompensed except by the like thereof; but whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - those will enter Paradise, being given provision therein without account.} [Quran 40:39-40]

 

This is the decisive statement of the Quran on this issue.

 

Faith and righteous deeds represent the criterion of preference between all human beings, including men and women equally. This is, furthermore, supported by the Sunnah.

 

The infallible Messenger, , said: “Verily, women are peers to men.”

 

Scholars interpreted “peers” as "like", and thus, women are similar to men in undertaking religious assignments, in reckoning, punishment and reward.

 

Building on these genuine Islamic concepts, history witnessed Asmaa’ bint Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with her, that Muslim girl who was brought up upon the precepts of the best of people, Muhammad, , firmly standing in front of the tyrannical disbeliever, Abu Jahl, who was scolding her and asking her the whereabouts of the Messenger of Allah, , and receiving a hard slap on her face that ripped off her earring.

 

Nevertheless, she was neither shaken nor disturbed by that. Once again history witnessed her carrying food, unnoticed by the disbelievers, to the Messenger of Allah, , and his Companion in the cave.

 

Another historic example gives credit to Nusaybah bint Ka‘b, may Allah be pleased with her. This woman held a sword and fought in the Battle of Uhud heroically trouncing the valor of the disbelievers of the Quraysh. Both the Messenger of Allah, , and ‘Umar Al-Faarooq, may Allah be pleased with him, favorably testified to her courage.

 

A third example comes from the Quran that glorifies and venerates women who were elevated by their obedience to Allah The Almighty Who Says (what means): {And Allah presents an example of those who believed: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, “My Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the wrongdoing people.” And [the example of] Mary, the daughter of ‘Imraan, who guarded her chastity, so we blew into [her garment] through Our angel, and she believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures and was of the devoutly obedient.} [Quran 66:11-12]

 

This is the criterion of preference in Islam; piety and obedience, not the gender of the person involved.

 

If this is the stance of Islam and these are examples of women who were brought up observing Islam, then what is the stance of the enemies of Islam? What is the image of women as portrayed by the Old Testament and the New Testament?

Let us read about the image of women as depicted in the holy scriptures of the Jews and Christians. Let us read about the woman, the heroine, or the woman’s heroism as described in the scriptures of the Jews and Christians.

 

The stance of Judaism and Christianity on women dates back to Hawwaa’ (Eve), who had been deemed guilty of the original sin by the Old Testament.

 

The Book of Genesis [3: 11-17] includes a conversation between the God of the Holy Scripture, Aadam (Adam), may Allah exalt his mention (the first man ever), Eve (the first woman ever), and the serpent (Satan):

¹¹ And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

 ¹² The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

 ¹³ Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
      The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

 ¹⁴ So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
       “Cursed are you above all the beasts
       and all the wild animals!
       You will crawl on your belly
       and you will eat dust
       all the days of your life.

 ¹⁵ And I will put enmity
       between you and the woman,
       and between your offspring and hers;
       they will crush your head,
       and you will strike their heels.”

 ¹⁶ To the woman he said,
       “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing;
       with pain you will give birth to children.
       Your desire will be for your husband,
       and he will rule over you.”

 ¹⁷ To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,'
       “Cursed is the earth because of you;
       through painful toil you will eat of it
       all the days of your life.

 ¹⁸ It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.

 ¹⁹ By the sweat of your brow
       you will eat your food
       until you return to the earth,
       since from it you were taken;
       for dust you are
       and to dust you will return.”

 

This text from the Old Testament obviously indicates that Eve was behind the sin committed by Aadam, may Allah exalt his mention, and Aadam was punished only because he listened to his wife. Satan tempted Eve and Eve tempted Aadam, may Allah exalt his mention.

 

Thus, the woman was punished by going through pregnancy and childbearing for having tempted Aadam may Allah exalt his mention.

 

This text shows us an important point as to how the Jews and Christians regard women.

 

They consider women as the devil’s agents to seduce men, since Eve was the cause of expelling Aadam, may Allah exalt his mention from Heaven.

 

Now, let us compare this text to what is mentioned in the Noble Quran, which affirmed the individual’s responsibility for his own mistakes and did not ascribe the sin completely to Eve.

 

Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And We had already taken a promise from Aadam before, but he forgot; and We found not in him determination. And [mention] when We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Aadam,” and they prostrated, except Iblees; he refused. So We said, “O Aadam, indeed this is an enemy to you and to your wife. Then let him not remove you from Paradise so you would suffer. Indeed, it is [promised] for you not to be hungry therein or be unclothed. And indeed, you will not be thirsty therein or be hot from the sun.” Then Satan whispered to him; he said, “O Aadam, shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and possession that will not deteriorate?” And Aadam and his wife ate of it, and their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten over themselves from the leaves of Paradise. And Aadam disobeyed his Lord and erred.} [Quran 20:115-121]

 

Then, which religion honors women?

 

Judaism and Christianity that completely ascribe the sin to Eve and her daughters, or the Quran that acquits her of this accusation and declares that the responsibility, trust and religious assignments are shared between her and Aadam, may Allah exalt his mention?

Which religion honors women the most? - II