Women's Role

What the Bible Says… 

Now I want you to release that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinrhians 11:3). 

I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; It was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. (1 Timothy 2:12-14). 

If a man sells his daughter as  servant, she is not to go free as menservants do. (Exodus 21:7). 

No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty … and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of saints… (1 Timothy 5:9,10). 




What the Qur'an Says… 

And they (women) have rights (over their husbands) similar to the rights against them, in kindness, but men have the degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allah all-Mighty, All-Wise. (Qur'an 2:228). 

Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). (Qur'an, 4:34). 

And give the women on marriage their dowry (money given by the husband to his wife) with a good heart (Qur'an, 4:4). 



Commentary… 

    The Bible and the Qur'an are in agreement on the headship of the man over the family. However, they differ in the reasons for the man's headship and the powers of this headship. 
   The Bible makes the husband the head of the wife because the man is the glory of Allah while the woman is the glory of man, and because the woman was decieved and became a sinner. According to the Bible, a woman is not allowed to teach or have authority over a man and must be silent; good women are those who wash the feet of saints; and what is more, a man can sell his daughter and she is not to go free!
    Islam treats the man and woman equally. The woman has rights similar to those of the man. However, Islam assigns to the man and the woman responsibilities which suit their physiological and psychological qualities. The man as a head of the family has a duty to earn money to provide his wife and children with all the requirements of life such as accommodation, food and clothes. The woman is assigned the task of keeping house and bringing up future generation. The woman in Islam is not responsible for any financial obligation. She is not burdened with any duties other than her house and children. 
    Since no organization can work successfully without a leader, the husband is appointed as leader of the family which is a small organization. Without a leader, the family will be in complete disorder and marriage may end in divorce. Islam appoints the husband as head of the family for two reasons stated in the above Verse: Firstly, the men's natural qualities are more suitable for this responsibility and secondly, the man bears all the financial requirements to support his family.