In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Gracious

As-Salaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuhu

ISLAMIC

RESEARCH AND INFORMATION CENTRE

The Concept of Equality

Islam maintains justice, instead of equality, in status, rights, duties and responsibilities between males and females. We must know that justice does not demand always equality: it sometimes demands inequality since it demands qualification. Similarly, we must also know that equality does not lead always to justice: it sometimes leads to injustice. For instance: - Suppose, you have a factory and you need employees for your factory. When applicants approach you with different qualifications, will you give the same position and equal salaries to all just because they are all human beings? Certainly no, you can’t. You will see their qualifications and then you will appoint them on different positions suitable to their qualifications and you will give them different salaries suitable to their positions. If you do this sincerely, can anyone say of you that you have not maintained justice, just because you have not given all the applicants same position and equal salaries? Certainly, none can say so. Why? Because you have maintained justice by giving the applicants the positions and the salaries that they deserve, even if there may or may not be equality in their positions and salaries. If you give same positions and equal salaries to all employees who possess different qualification, it will be injustice, and you will be blamed for it. This clarifies that justice does not demand always equality. It sometimes demands inequality since it demands qualification. Similarly, equality does not lead always to justice. It sometimes leads to injustice.

So, to establish justice, we should see what a person deserves, and provide him/her with what he/she deserves. We must not bother about the word ‘Equality’.

Islam gives both man and woman the status, the rights, the duties and responsibilities that they deserve – not necessarily be equal or same -, that fulfill their natural and legitimate demands and that are suitable to their sex, nature and roles.

But the modern culture is doing injustice to either of two sexes in the name of equality. To know the injustice that modern culture is doing in the name of equality, we must classify the concept of equality as follows:

1)      Equality in roles, duties and responsibilities between males and females.

2)      Equality in rights and status between males and females.

Equality in roles, duties and responsibilities between males and females

Today, having used the respectable terms like equality and freedom, men are misusing and deceiving women. As we all know that the process of the distribution of absolutely equal and identical roles, duties and responsibilities between male and female, is impracticable. That is why we don’t see equality in roles, duties and responsibilities between males and females in our modern society. But women, in ignorance, become excited when they are aroused in the name of equality and freedom.

The modern systems of living have imposed financial burden along with housework and natural work (menses, child bearing and rearing, breast feeding, etc.) on women. Thus it has imposed more burdens of responsibilities and duties on women than men, and facilitated men to use women as an object in the civilized manner both within and outside the house.  Moreover, women have been made insecure. Now, they will have to earn to look after themselves. Men have been made more relaxed because their wives are sharing their financial responsibilities, and they don’t have to share the housework and the natural work. Thus, in the name of equality and freedom, women have been victimized.

Modern systems failed to recognize the importance of housework and natural work. It makes women feel their work i.e. housework and natural work inferior to the work of men i.e. earning money, and asks women to follow the footsteps of men. Thus, having broken the natural discipline, modern systems have been harming individuals, families and society much more than that what they give to women in recompense. Dr. Kamal omar says:

“The secular conspiracy against the female person has completely destroyed the family unit or marriage bond in the secular states and has given way to ‘unisex worship’ wherein only the male role is respected, desired and cherished. The result is feminine personality degeneration: women despising their womanhood and feeling pride in imitating the males! This inferiority complex has robbed women of their clothing and behaviour as if their original has been buried alive! --- A crime perhaps not less serious than female infanticide said to be ‘popular’ among the pre-Quraanic Arab society (81: 8, 9). The normal human society in which the male sex looked after the economic aspect (the Quraan 2:233, 240-241; 4:34) and the female handled childbearing and rearing (the Quraan 2:233; 7: 189) has completely crumbled in secular countries, wherein the females and the males are neither helping, nor co-operating with, one another, in the different roles essential for normal human life. They are merely competing with one another in the same and identical fields, which is disastrous for both.” (Deep into the Quraan Pg.- 165)

Islam has assigned different, but suitable roles, duties and responsibilities to men and women with respect to family and society. Man should see all financial responsibilities and all outdoor work; and woman should see housework, natural work and other indoor work. And some responsibilities, like personality development, upbringing, mind-making etc. of children, should be seen together by both man and woman. Islam recognizes the work of women i.e. housework, natural work and other indoor work, and considers them as worthy as earning money to keep individuals, families and society healthy and prosperous. Thus Islam has maintained justice between man and woman. This discipline must be maintained for the health and well-being of individuals, family and society.

Equality in status and rights between males and females

Islam gives both man and woman the status and the rights that are suitable to their sex, nature, roles, duties and responsibilities. Islam gives them the status and the rights that they deserve, and that meet their natural and legitimate demands. (See Islamic freedom and women and the concept of family).

Islam has given women such a position that men’s characters are recognized on the basis of their behaviour with women. Prophet Muhammed said: “The complete Mumin (believer) is the one who is good in morals. The best of you are those who are the best for their women.” (Tirmizi: Hasan Saheeh)

Islam has given women such a respect that if anyone makes a false charge against her, he/she will be punished with eighty stripes, and he/she will never be taken as a witness in future in any affair. Allah says: “And those who launch a charge against chaste woman, and do not produce four (eye) witnesses (to support their allegations), - flog them with eighty stripes; and do not accept their evidence (in any matter) ever after; for, such men are wicked transgressors.”   (24: 4)

Let us study those Verses of the Holy Quraan to which most of ignorant people object because of not having proper knowledge.

1)      The Holy Quraan says: “Allah directs you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females.” (4: 11)

Many people object to this Verse and say, “Islam has suppressed women’s rights.” 

Islam has not suppressed women’s rights. Islam has given both men and women their legitimate rights that they deserve. To understand the above mentioned Verse of the Holy Quraan, consider the following:

1) Islam has imposed all the financial responsibilities and liabilities of family on males, and has made females free from the same.

2) Male has to look after his parents until they die, but female is free from this responsibility too.

3) To get married, Male has to pay Mahr (dowry) to his bride, but female doesn’t have to pay anything to male. Instead, she gets Mahr (dowry) from bridegroom.

So, Islam has given male a share equal to that of two females, and thus maintained a balance between the rights and the responsibilities of both the males and the females by giving them their just shares. If woman had been given an equal share to that of man in inheritance, it would have been injustice with men.

In Islam, the rights of both men and women match beautifully with their responsibilities, liabilities and duties. But our modern world talks of equality in rights, but they forget, intentionally or unintentionally, the equality in responsibilities, liabilities and duties.

2)      The Holy Quraan says: “And (in transactions) get two witnesses out of your own men, and if there are not two men, then a man and two women, such as you choose for witness, so that if one of them errs, the other can remind her.” (2: 282)

Many people object to this Verse of the Holy Quraan and say, “Islam has suppressed women’s position against men.”

Being a witness is not a matter of proud or superiority. Witnessing includes various types of risks and threats. And woman has been found to be sensitive, delicate and very possessive of her family. Because of the risks and threats involved, woman may err in witnessing. And this will cause loss to a party. So to give morale support and to encourage and remind her, another woman has been accompanied. Moreover, a witness has to meet and communicate various types of men personally. And this may cause a single woman any harm. So if another woman is with her, the risk reduces naturally.

Dr Hammudah Abdalati has to say the following in this matter:

“It is interesting that a woman’s witness in certain matters is exclusive and her expertise conclusive. No man’s witness is accepted and no more than one woman is needed. Further more bearing witness to contracts and business transactions is not a privilege but a duty that must be performed. If the woman’s share of this duty is lightened by one half, it can hardly be called a denial of her rights; if anything, it is a favour or an exemption.” (Islam in focus pg. #: 189)

3) The Holy Quraan says: “What! Has He taken daughter out of what He Himself creates, and granted to you sons for choice?” (43: 16)

Many people object to this Verse of the Holy Quraan and say, “Here Allah considered females inferior to males as ignorant Arabs did.”

It is not right. Allah did not consider females inferior to males as ignorant Arabs did. If it had been so, Allah would not have given them the rights and status that they deserve as discussed before. The meaning of the above mentioned Verse is clearly described in other Verses of the Holy Quraan. The Holy Quraan says:

a)      “They (polytheists) attribute to Allah what they hate (for themselves).”     (16: 62)

b)     “When news is brought to one of them (polytheists) of (the birth of) a female, his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief.” (43: 17)

This clarifies that in the Verse 43: 16, Allah has teased polytheists’ emotion of hate against their daughters, and told them the truth that Allah neither begets, nor is He begotten.

Islam does not disgrace daughters. In fact, it is Islam that eradicated female infanticide. Moreover, as much Islam has honoured daughters, no other religion, culture or society has honoured them so much. Prophet Muhammed says: “whoever brings up three daughters will enter paradise.” One of his companions asked, “If someone brings up two daughters, then?” The Prophet replied, “Then too.” The companion says, “If I had asked about one, the answer would have been the same.”  (Saheeh Bukhari)

This is Islam, the Peace, for all. This is the Prophet, the mercy for all.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © NOORUL HUSSAIN K. 2004