Woman's Rights and Duties in Islam
The man and the woman in Islam have the rights and the duties that suit each. As for religious duties, the woman has to generally perform the same duties which a man must perform. The woman has the full right to earn money and own property just as a man does.
The woman in Islam can follow any profession that suits her nature and role provided that she does not mix with men and that she gets the approval of her husband or guardian. The woman in Islam has a full control over her property. She can also inherit property as a man can although the shares differ owing to differences in financial responsibilities.
The Roles of the Married woman:
After marriage, the woman in Islam does not lose any of her rights. The married woman has her individuality and name. Her name is still her name before marriage. In fact, marriage adds to the duties of the woman because she gets new roles after marriage, i.e., being a wife and a mother.
The question that is ignored by some people is this: if a married woman is a wife, a mother, and a housewife, why should the woman seek jobs outside her house and leave some of these new roles to other woman employed as housekeepers or maids?
After marriage, the woman becomes a wife and being a wife implies additional duties. After marriage, the woman becomes a mother and being a mother implies more and more duties. After marriage, the woman becomes responsible for housekeeping, which means more duties as well. Are all these duties not enough for a woman? Islam puts high emphasis on the roles of the married woman as a wife, a mother, and a housewife.
In Islam, it is held that such roles are worthy for a woman to devote herself to and it is held that such roles are more important than her role as a secretary, a job more badly needed by unemployed men!
One Rank More for the Husband:
In Islam, the home is looked upon as a kingdom run by the husband and the wife. But in each kingdom, as we know, there is always a person with the highest authority who is entitled to have the last say when a problem arises.
This highest authority in the family life is given to the man partly because it is the man in Islam who if financially responsible for the maintenance of the family, the wife, and their children and partly because the man by nature makes a better leader than a woman.
Specialty Distribution:
As we know, physically the man is stronger than the woman. On the other hand, the woman is more affectionate than the man. Therefore, Islam goes with the nature of men and women. Let men, with their stronger physiques, face the troubles of life and the bread-winning role. And let women, with their stronger affections and emotions, face the troubles of bringing up children and managing the house.
The Woman's Unique Roles:
The division of work in Islam between the man and the woman is in line with the man's nature and the woman's nature. Further, this division of speciality between the man and the woman is in the interest of the man, the woman, children, and the family.
In addition, this division is a fair co-operation which enables the husband and the wife to shoulder the responsibilities of the family-life and the home-life. There is a house to be kept; there are children to be brought up. All married men and married women know what it means and what time and effort it takes to keep a house and look after infants and children. It is certainly unfair to a woman to load herself, or to be loaded, with more than what she can shoulder.
It is true that the basic function of the married woman in Islam is to manage the household and bring up children. Nevertheless, this does not contradict the rights of the woman to sell, buy, teach, learn, and defend her country as a man does if she has to.
The Husband's Financial Responsibility:
In Islam, the wife has to be maintained by the husband. She has no financial responsibility whatsoever to the family even if she is rich. The husband must provide for her a lodging, accommodation, and clothes and must cover all family expenses.
The Wife's Duties towards her Husband:
On the other hand, the wife in Islam must keep company with her husband. She must preserve his property from loss or waste. She must not admit to the house anyone whom he does not like. She must not spend from her husband's money without his approval. She must help him in his labor if she can and he must help her in the household duties as much as he can.
The Husband's Duties towards his Wife:
In Islam, the husband is repeatedly ordered to treat his wife kindly. The Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him {pbuh}], said, "The best of you is the best in the treatment of his wife." He also said, "Women are the trust of Allah in your hands."
No Unnecessary Intermingling of the Two Sexes:
Islam allows women to go out of houses for their needs. But Islam is against unnecessary intermingling of the two sexes because such intermingling, as we may notice in western civilization, leads to endless problems and threatens the safety of the family, which is one of the most valuable institutions in the society according to Islam.
The Women's Decent Clothes:
In Islam, when a woman goes out of her house, she must wear decent clothes. A woman in Islam must wear clothes that cover all her body except the hands and the face. This women's decency in dress has its reasons in Islam.
Firstly, the woman in Islam is a respectable human and her function is not to stimulate the sexual lust of men by uncovering her flesh wherever she goes!
Secondly, indecent clothes of women are an invitation to men or at least a source of unnecessary tension inflicted upon men and we know that nervous tension is one of the basic reasons for many infirmities such as ulcers and heart troubles. Thus, women's decent clothes take part in securing better health to men.
Thirdly, if a man covers all his body, it is more necessary that a woman coves all her body too.
Fourthly, the body of the woman in Islam is not for exhibition on streets and beaches.
Fifthly, the sexual desire is organized in Islam through marriage and through marriage only and, therefore, there is no room for any behavior that goes against this principle.
Sixthly, if the body of the woman is exciting to the man, the only person who is entitled to such excitement is the husband, according to Islam.
In Islam, prevention is better than cure. Therefore, Islam organizes things in a way that prevents problems instead of waiting for problems to happen and then looking for solutions, which might not come!
As a result, Islam disapproves of any unnecessary intermingling of men and women. The Prophet Muhammad {pbuh} said that whenever a man and a woman are alone, the devil will be the third present. In addition, Islam requires the decent dress of women in order to decrease the chances of sinning.
These two principles in Islam are necessary to protect the family and to retain the husband's affection to his wife and the wife's affection to her husband: no unnecessary intermingling of the two sexes and the decent appearance of women.