The Status of Women in the Bible and the Quran

by Calisha Bennett, Western Australia

It’s tough being a female Muslim in this day and age. People are either telling you to go back to your country (most Australian Muslims are born in Australia!) or feeling sorry for you as you must be oppressed and uneducated. Muslim women are often judged by what the media portrays, by what so-called “experts” on Islam say and by the example of those ignorant Muslims who attribute their cultural practices to Islam. Unfortunately the Holy Book of the Muslims - the Quran - is rarely used by the media as a source to explain the status of women in Islam and so the world is unable to realise how truly liberated Muslim women are.

In this article you will find verses describing the status of women as stated in the Quran and as Christianity is one of the most predominant religions in the world today, I thought it would be interesting to use the verses of the Bible as a comparison.

Women’s Nature:

Bible:
A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. (1 Corinthians 11:7)

Quran:
Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, male or female. You are one of another. (Quran 3:195)

Women’s Original Sin

Bible:
And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. (Timothy 2:14)

Quran:
And he (Satan) swore by Allah to them both (Adam and Eve) (saying): “Verily I am one of the sincere well-wishers for you both.” So he misled them with deception. (Quran 7:21-22)

Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went astray. Then his Lord chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness, and gave him guidance. (Quran 20:121,122)

Women’s Veil

Bible:
If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head. (1 Corinthians 11:6-10)

Quran:
O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the woman of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies. That will be better, that they should be known so as not to be annoyed. (Quran 33:59)

And when you ask them (wives of the Prophet) for anything you want, ask them from behind a curtain: that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts. (Quran 33:53)

** The Bible instructs women to cover their heads to show the authority of men over them. The Quran, however instructs women to wear the veil for their protection.

Women’s Role

Bible:
Now I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of every woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinthians 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. (1Timothy 2:12-14)

If a man sells his daughter as a 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 the saints ... (1 Timothy 5:9,10)

Quran:
And they (women) have rights (over their husbands) similar to the rights against them, in kindness, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allah is All Mighty All Wise. (Quran 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). (Quran 4:34)

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

Women’s Testimony

Bible:
If a man takes a wife and, after lying with her, dislikes her and slanders her and gives her a bad name, saying, “ I married this woman but when I approached her, I did not find proof of her virginity,” then the girl’s father and mother shall bring proof that she was a virgin to the town elders at the gate...Then her parents shall display the cloth before the elders of the town...If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the girl’s virginity can be found, she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death... (Deuteronomy 22:13-21)

** Why does the wife’s testimony carry no weight?

Quran:
And for those who accuse their wives, but have no witnesses except themselves, let the testimony of one of them be four testimonies swearing by Allah that he is one of those who speak the truth. And the fifth (testimony should be) the invoking of the Curse of Allah on him if he is of those who tell a lie. But it shall avert the punishment from her, if she bears witness four times by Allah, that he is telling a lie. And the fifth should be that the Wrath of Allah be upon her if he speaks the truth. (Quran 24: 6-9)

And those who accuse chase women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them (the accusers) with eighty stripes and reject their testimonies forever. (Quran 24:4)

Verily, those who accuse chaste, believing women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity, are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter, and for them will be great torment. (Quran 24:23)

Women’s Righteousness

Bible:
...I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all. (Ecclesiastes 7:28)

Then the cover of lead was raised, and there in the basket sat a woman! He said, “This is wickedness,”... (Zechariah 5:7-8)

The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. (Proverbs 9:13)

Quran:
And Allah has set forth an example to those who believe: The wife of Pharaoh, when she said: “My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Pharaoh and his work, and save me from the people who do wrong.” And Mary, the daughter of Imran who guarded her chastity. And We breathed into (the sleeve of her garment) through Our Ruh (Gabriel), and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord, and His scriptures, and she was one of the devout servants. (Quran 66:11-12)

**The Quran uses the example of two perfect women, Mary the mother of Jesus (peace be upon him) and Pharaoh’s wife who were models of faith, righteousness and patience for the sake of Allah.

Women’s Cleanness

Bible:
When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening. Anything she lies on during her period will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean... Whoever touches anything she sits on must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until the evening. (Leviticus 15:19-22)

When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period... She will be unclean as long as she had the discharge, ... On the eighth day she must take two doves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest ... The priest is to sacrifice one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way he will make atonement for her before the Lord for the uncleanness of her discharge. (Leviticus 15:25-30)

Quran:
They ask you (O Muhammad) concerning menstruation. Say: it is Adha (harmful to the husband if he has sexual intercourse with his wife during her period), so keep away from women during menstruation and go not in unto them till they are cleansed. And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as Allah has enjoined upon you. Truly Allah loves those who turn unto Him, and loves those who keep themselves pure and clean. (Quran 2:222)

** According to the Bible, when a woman has her menses it is considered a sin for which she must repent and that everything she touches becomes impure. In Islam, the woman can go on with normal every day life except that she cannot have sexual intercourse for health reasons.

Hopefully after reading this article you have a better understanding of the true status of women in Islam and have a better appreciation and awareness of how Islam empowers and liberates women especially compared to the status of women in the Bible.

Women are precious, treasured and beautiful beings without whom none of us would have come into existence. Only individuals who truly fear God and appreciate His creation will give women the respect and appreciation that they deserve. I pray that more people in the world do.

Verses taken from:
Al-Moghamis, N. (2002) Christianity and Islam According to the Bible and Quran, Riyadh, K.S.A. : Dar-us-Salam.

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