Answering a question to a friend

format_quote Originally Posted by marwen

Woman and man are equal in Islam. But, they're not Identical. Each one has a certain role and a different nature. You cannot transform all women to men. We need a wider definition of "equality" to understand the divine fairness between men and women.

An example : If you have in your town many working persons : they can have different natures (Asians, Caucasians, Africans, Arabs etc.) and they have different roles (doctors, engineers, firemen, policemen, etc.). But you still consider them equal citizens, having the same rights and each one is important to the society.
It doesn't make sense to convince all these persons to have the same physiognomy and the same role : You can't make all the people doctors or make all of them white people just to be treated equally.

The same thing between men and women.

Sorry I didn't understand that, can you explain again?

format_quote Originally Posted by Saffy786

Assalaamu alaikum,

My Sikh/Hindu friend recently asked me a question just in general conversation and it must be out of curiosity or following everything else they may have heard about Islam and the question was:

"Why aren't women treated as equally to men in Islam?"

I said to her I will get back to her on that, but obviously I'm guessing she must've picked that question from everything she sees on the news these days e.g. the Taliban abusing women, lashing women, no female drivers in Saudi Arabia and there must be some other things out there which would make non-Muslims ask these questions.

I know that women can be as succesful as men in Islam e.g. Bibi Khadija ( A.S) was such a succesful businesswoman and and a succesful woman generally. There must be some other examples of succesful women in Islam and from Islamic history.

I'm sure that women can do everything a male can do in society and that they should be treated equally right? It's just that women perhaps have to take extra caution to ensure they look after their modesty and ensure they aren't doing anything which could lead to sin I guess?

So could anyone please answer her question for me? JazakAllah, wasalaam

Assalamualaikum, brother.

A question : which country that has the largest number of Muslims ?. Everyone here knows, that's Indonesia, a country where I am living.

Not every Muslim/Muslimah in Indonesia is religious, of course. So, we limit it only practicing hijabi Muslimah. Where can you find hijabi Muslimah in Indonesia ?. The answer is : everywhere.

They are exist in offices as employees, managers, or companies owners, they are exist in labs as scientists, in parliament building as politicians, in universities as lectures and even professors, like my mom's friend. And those who have cars and can drive, drive their cars.

I know personally a couple of Islamic teachers (ustadz and ustadzah). They have a car and a motorcycle. When they go usually the wife drives the car and the husband rides motorcycle. It's because drive car is safer than ride motorcycle.

Is too long if I must write about Muslimah life in Indonesia, but in short word, Muslim women and men in Indonesia are treated equally, although they still have and do their own role in families.

Why women in Afghanistan and Saudi are treated differently than women in Indonesia ?. The answer is, cultural diversity.

So, when your friend ask you "Why aren't women treated as equally to men in Islam?", tell him "Look at Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. You can see Muslim women are treated equally there".