Questions on Islam

With regard to your last question (I'll get the rest later inshaa'Allah), IslamToday.com writes:

Al-Salâm `Alaykum wa Rahmah Allah wa Barakâtuh.

It is related from Abû Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “If it were not for the Jews, meat would not spoil, and were it not for Eve, no woman would deceive her husband.”

This hadîth is authentic and can be found in Sahîh al-Bukhârî (3330) and Sahîh Muslim (1470).

With respect to the Jews and meat, as to what it means, we refer to the commentary of Sahîh al-Bukhârî written by Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalânî. He mentions the following two views that have been advanced regarding its meaning. Neither of these views are themselves verifiable.

One explanation he mentions is that the Jews established for themselves the practice of storing meat for so long so that it would go bad. The Jews introduced this practice, and if they had not done so, then this practice of storing meat so long would not have become prevalent and meat would not be left so long that it would be allowed to go bad.

Another explanation is given by al-Qurtubî and Qatâdah who quote from unknown sources – probably drawn from Jewish or Christian traditional lore – that when the Jews were out in the desert and were sent manna and quail they were commanded not to store it up. However, they disobeyed and stored up the meat, so that they were punished by the quail flesh being spoiled. There seems to be an implication here that meat before that event did not spoil – an implication that is obviously false. Therefore, we can be sure that this is not the explanation.

In another book of traditions, Hulyah al-Awliyâ’ which was compiled by al-Asbahânî, an alternative reading of the hadîth is give, where it states: “If it were not decreed that food would spoil, the wealthy would store it up to the detriment of the poor.”

[Reference: Fath al-Bârî, commentary on Sahîh al-Bukhârî]

And Allah knows best.

With respect to the phrase “and were it not for Eve, no woman would deceive her husband.” We will again refer to Ibn Hajar’s commentary, where he says:

This is making reference to when Eve made eating from the tree seem appealing so that he ate from it. The meaning of her deception is that she accepted what Satan had made seem appealing o her and then made it seem appealing to Adam. Since she is the mother of all the daughters of Adam, they all resemble her through heredity by virtue of their descent from her. Therefore, there is almost no woman who escapes from somehow deceiving her husband by word or deed. This “deception” does not mean that she will commit some indecency – far be it from that! It means that as she has a tendency to personal desires that brought her to eat of the tree and making it seem fair-seeming to Adam – and that was her deception – likewise the women who come after her have the tendency to deception to one degree or another. This is similar to the hadîth: “Adam exhibited ingratitude, so likewise his descendants exhibit ingratitude”.

The hadîth also indicates the tendency men have to be distracted by their wives, just like Adam with his wife, and that this is simply part of their natures. So no one should go overboard in berating women for what they do unintentionally and infrequently. Also, women should not let themselves give in to such tendencies, but check themselves and strive to restrain such tendencies.

Here, Ibn Hajar explains this to mean simply that we as descendents of Adam and Eve and therefore we share the same human nature, tendencies, and characteristics of our parents. It is nothing more than that. It is no blame on either them or us that we have the nature Allah created us upon.

And Allah knows best.

As for your first question,
There are a number of distinctions women have from men in Islam. One of the major ones is the lofty status of the mother, which you have correctly observed. The woman also has a right over her husband's money (http://islamtoday.com/show_detail_se...ain_cat_id=17). Meanwhile the husband is not allowed to take from his wife's money except for that which she gives him as a gift. There is also the disticntion with regard to the dowry:
http://islamtoday.com/show_quest_sec...&sub_cat_id=86

There are also various ahadith which single out women as oppose to men.
Whoever nourishes three daughters and educates them, arranges their marriages and treats them well, he will enter paradise. (Abu Dawud)

There are many more you can read about:
http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/B...usofwomen.html
http://islamtoday.com/show_sub_secti...7&sub_cat_id=0
http://www.load-islam.com/Women/

As for your second question, please see here:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/S...AskAboutIslamE

The reasoning about two people with two different ideas of salvation being partners is not the complete answer regarding why Muslim women cannot marry non-muslim men, because as you correctly pointed out, Muslim men can marry Christian or Jewish women (although the Prophet Muhammad pbuh strongly advised Muslims to always look for piety and religion first in a potential spouse). The complete answer has to do with the difference in the roles, rights and influence of the husband and wife, as explained in the link I provided.