1. WOMEN IN ISLAM

2. Contents
WOMEN PRE-ISLAM WOMEN POST-ISLAM
 Women’s Rights  Women’s Rights
Property Rights Property Rights
Divorce Divorce
 Polygamy  Polygamy
 Veiling  Veiling

3. Women Before Islam

4. Women’s Right to Property
 A daughter could inherit only if no male
heirs existed (Numbers 27:8)
 Among pagan Arabs, only males could
inherit
 Women were considered property, were
buried alive, had no rights, etc.

5. Polygamy (Pre-Islam)
 Monogamy protects men, allowing them to
"play around" without responsibility
 Many of the ancient Israelites were
polygamous , some having hundreds of
wives. King Solomon (peace be upon him)
had 700 wives and 300 concubines.

6. Veiling (Pre-Islam)
 Veil in use before Islam
 It was often a sign of class distinction
 Slaves could be punished for veiling
 Before and after Islam, where it was a
nuisance to labor, veil was not worn

7. What the Qu’uran (Koran)
Says About Women

8. Women’s Rights-Property
Woman’s Right to Property (Inheritance)
Surah 4, Ayah 7:
"From what is left by parents and those nearest
related there is a share for men and a share for
women, whether the property be small or large,
a determinate share."

9. Women’s Rights-Property cont’d
Woman’s Right to Property (Divorce)
Ayah 20:
“But if ye decide to take one wife in place of
another, even if ye had given the latter a
whole treasure for dower, take not the
least bit of it back: Would ye take it by
slander and manifest wrong?”

10. Women’s Rights-Divorce
Surah 4, Ayah 20:
“But if you decide to take one wife in place
of another, even if you had given the latter
a whole treasure for dower, take not the
least bit of it back; Would you take it by
slander and a manifest wrong?”

11. Women’s Rights-Support
Woman’s Right to Support
Surah 4, Ayah 34:
“Men are the protectors and maintainers of
women, because Allah has given the one
more (strength) than the other, and
because they support them from their
means.”

12. Polygamy
Surah 4, Ayah 3:
"If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly
with the orphans, marry women of your choice,
two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall
not be able to deal justly (with them), then only
one, or (a captive) that your right hands
possess. That will be more suitable, to prevent
you from doing injustice."

13. Veiling (For Women)
Surah 24, Ayah 31 :
“And say to the believing women that they
should lower their gaze and guard their
modesty; that they should not display their
beauty and ornaments except what (must
ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should
draw their veils over their bosoms and not
display their beauty except to [relatives]”

14. Veiling (For Men)
Surah 24, Ayah 30:
“Say to the believing men that they should
lower their gaze and guard their modesty:
that will make for greater purity for them:
and Allah is well acquainted with all that
they do.”

15. Veiling
Surah 33, Ayah 59:
“O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters
and the women of the believers to draw
their cloaks close round them (when they
go abroad). That will be better, so that
they may be recognized and not annoyed.
Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.”

16. Muslim Women Today
Questions?