A woman is a flower vase of beauty and fragrance. So smell her gently, do not wrestle with her! - Imam Ali (as)
Women are like flowers. Do not put on them responsibilities they can not bear! - Imam Ali (as)
According to Islam, being a human, woman is even superior to angels and all other living organisms. If she performs any good task or deed, she will be equally blessed as much as a man will for his good deeds.
She is the benefactor and patron of Islam, as lady Khadija (Wife of Holy Prophet [saw]).
She is a partner of prophethood, as lady Fatima (Daughter of Holy Prophet [saw]).
She is one of the greatest leaders, as lady Zainab (Daughter of Imam Ali [as])
She superior to man, as a mother.
She's respectable like a saint.
She is precious like an expensive pearl.
She is honorable like a delicate rose.
Islam emphasizes the equality of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or social status. Islam has prescribed different roles and responsibilities for men and women, with each gender complementing the other. Centuries before the modern world recognized women's rights, Islam acknowledged the equality of the two genders, and abolished the barbaric ritual of burying infant daughters alive, an outrageous crime practiced by the Arabs before the time of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).
Islam made women aware of their rights and gave them an identity, a personality, freedom, and independence. These rights, among others, include the right to inherit, to own property, to obtain a divorce, to collect a dowry, and to gain child custody. Regarding the equality of the genders, the Holy Qur'an states:
"Surely the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women and the humble men and the humble women, and the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember-Allah has prepared, for them forgiveness and a mighty reward." (33:35)
I have read a couple of books on Muhammad and the beginnings of Islam. They mention that Islam was a very egalitarian religion and most of its first converts were women, as it offered a much better way of life than pre-islamic Arabia
It used to be a practice among pre-Islamic Arabs to bury their female infants alive. The Qur'an criticized the attitude of parents who reject their female children. As in the Qur'an:
“ When news is brought to one of them, of [the birth of] a female [child], his face darkens and he is filled with inward grief! With shame does he hide himself from his people because of the bad news he had! Shall he retain her on [sufferance] and contempt, or bury her in the dust? Ah! What an evil [choice] they decide on?"
—Qur'an, 16:58-59
Similarly, according to a saying attributed to Muhammad:
“ Whosoever has a daughter and he does not bury her alive, does not insult her, and does not favour his son over her, God will enter him into Paradise."
Men and women are considered spiritually equal as the Qur'an places men and women in immediate comparison:[6]
“ Behold, men who surrender to Allah, and women who surrender, and men who believe and women who believe, and men who obey and women who obey, and men who speak the truth, and women who speak the truth, and men who persevere [in righteousness] and women who persevere, and men who are humble and women who are humble, and men who give alms and women who give alms, and men who fast, and women who fast, and men who guard their modesty and women who guard [their modesty], and men who remember Allah much and women who remember. Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward."
—Qur'an, 33:35
“ ...men shall have the benefit of what they earn and women shall have the benefit of what they earn; and ask Allah of His grace; surely Allah knows all things."
I have read a couple of books on Muhammad and the beginnings of Islam. They mention that Islam was a very egalitarian religion and most of its first converts were women, as it offered a much better way of life than pre-islamic Arabia
Women in Arabia were not treated very fairly even before Islam; but there were no specific laws to treat them as second class citizens. Islam changed many of the Arab traditions into laws.
For example some Arabs married more than one wife at a time, or some old Arabs married little girls; these traditions were not considered respectable just like these are still not considered repectable in most of the non Arab countries. Islam gave respect to many Arab traditions like these.
Faith, to my mind, is a stiffening process, a sort of mental starch.
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