What Does Islam Teach About the Dignity and Strength of Women and Why Does It Seem Centred on Men?
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Question
Why does the most perfect religion seem to fail to comfort women and to be centered on men, appearing to disregard a woman’s emotional world while withholding rights — instant divorce, leadership, decision-making? Is this not enough to show how low Islam holds women?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate.
Your question reflects real pain, and it is important to acknowledge this before anything else. If you have seen women treated as less, their feelings ignored, or their rights denied, this is a true harm. Recognizing this is not a weakness of faith. I do not wish to argue, but to listen and respond with care. The essence is that Islam came to honor and protect women. Much of what causes pain is the result of people and cultures failing to uphold the teachings of the religion, not the religion itself.
Culture Is Not the Religion
Much of what you mention, such as emotional neglect or denying women their rights, is not from Islam but from cultural practices that go against the Sacred Law. When the Sacred Law was revealed, it restored to women rights denied by the society around them. These include the right to own and keep property, to inherit, to refuse a marriage, and to seek the end of a harmful marriage. These are signs of honor, not contempt.
How Allah Speaks of Women
The Quran does not hold women low; it raises them by name. Allah Most High makes Maryam (peace be upon her) a sign for all the worlds, and devotes an entire sura to her. He holds up the wife of Pharaoh (Allah be pleased with her) as a standing example for every believer, man and woman alike.
And He addresses men and women in a single breath of equal worth and equal reward: “Whoever works righteousness, whether man or woman, being a believer, We shall bestow them a life wondrous fair.” [Quran 16:97]
In one long verse, He names them side by side, again and again, closing: “Allah has prepared for all of them a mighty forgiveness and incomparable wage.” [Quran 33:35]
And He calls believing men and women one another’s protecting friends, not rivals [Quran 9:71].
The Women Around the Prophet, and After Him
Look at who stood closest to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace). Khadija (Allah be pleased with her), the first to believe, who steadied Revelation itself with her certainty.
Aisha (Allah be pleased with her), a jurist and teacher from whom the greatest Companions took knowledge.
Fatima (Allah be pleased with her), the mistress of the women of Paradise.
There is also Sumayya (Allah be pleased with her), the first martyr of this Umma, and Nusayba (Allah be pleased with her), who protected the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) at Uhud. Across the centuries, there have been thousands of women scholars of hadith, as Shaykh Akram Nadwi has documented in his work al-Muhaddithat. Many women taught the men of their time. This is a tradition that honored women and gave them high standing.
The Specifics Are Answerable
The questions you mention are real and deserve clear answers. Our scholars have addressed them directly. A woman has real ways to leave a marriage, even if the process is different from a man’s. This can be through khul, through judicial dissolution (faskh) when there is harm, or through a delegated right of divorce (tafwid al-talaq) included in her marriage contract. Issues of leadership and household authority concern responsibilities, not a person’s worth. Each of these topics can be discussed calmly and clearly.
A Door, Not a Verdict
The main principle is that Islam came to honor and protect women. When this honor is missing, it is because people or cultures have abandoned the religion’s teachings, not because of the religion itself. My aim is not to argue, but to keep the conversation open. If you wish, you can write back with the question that concerns you most, whether about divorce, leadership, or how a woman’s feelings are treated. We can discuss it together, gently and openly.
Allah’s mercy to His believing servants, women and men, is far greater than the mistakes of those who misrepresent Him.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani
Related Answers
- How Can I Stay Muslim When I Feel Women Are Overlooked in Islam? — Pastoral guidance for this very struggle.
- What Is the Value of Women in Islam? — How the Quran and Sunna establish the dignity of women.
- Gender Inequality in Islam? — Differences in role versus any ranking of human worth.
- What Is SeekersGuidance’s Input into the Fight for Women’s Rights? — The tradition’s framework for upholding women’s rights.
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a recognized specialist scholar in the Islamic sciences, having studied under leading scholars from around the world. He is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance.
Shaykh Faraz stands as a distinguished figure in Islamic scholarship. His journey in seeking knowledge is marked by dedication and depth. He spent ten years studying under some of the most revered scholars of our times. His initial studies took place in Damascus. He then continued in Amman, Jordan.
In Damascus, he was privileged to learn from the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas. Shaykh Adib al-Kallas was renowned as the foremost theologian of his time. Shaykh Faraz also studied under Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus. Shaykh Hassan is recognized as one of the leading Hanafi jurists of our era.
Upon completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007. His return marked a new chapter in his service to the community. He founded SeekersGuidance. The organization reflects his commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge. It aims to be reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible. This mission addresses both online and on-the-ground needs.
Shaykh Faraz is also an accomplished author. His notable work includes “Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School,” which was published by White Thread Press in 2004 and is a significant contribution to Islamic literature.
His influence extends beyond his immediate community. Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. This recognition comes from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center. It underscores his impact on the global Islamic discourse.
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s life and work embody a profound commitment to Islamic scholarship. His teachings continue to enlighten and guide seekers of knowledge worldwide.
