Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

 

One of the fundamental teachings of the Qur’an – reiterated in numerous verses – is that men and women are created from a single soul, and there is no inherent superiority of one gender over another; rather they are meant to be partners and protecting friends of one another.

 

Here are a few verses to prove the above point:

 

“And [as for] the believers, both men and women they are partners and protecting friends of one another: they [all] enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and are constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and pay heed unto God and His Apostle. It is they upon whom God will bestow His grace: verily, God is almighty, wise!” (Qur’an:  9:71)

 

“And thus does their Lord answer their prayer: “I shall not lose sight of the labour of any of you who labours [in My way], be it man or woman: each of you is an issue of the other.” (Qur’an: 3:195)

“O mankind! Be conscious of your Lord, who has created you out of one single soul, and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women.” (Qur’an: 4:1)

 

And finally, here is a verse that stresses the equality of both sexes in the Islamic world view:

 

“Verily, for all men and women who have sur¬rendered themselves unto God, and all believing men and believing women, and all truly devout men and truly devout women, and all men and women who are true to their word, and all men and women who are patient in adversity, and all men and women who humble themselves [before God], and all men and women who give in charity, and all self-denying men and self-denying women, and all men and women who are mindful of their chastity,  and all men and women who remember God unceasingly: for [all of] them has God readied forgiveness of sins and a mighty reward.” (Qur’an:  33:35)

 

Therefore, I see no basis for considering women as inferior to men in any sense. However, there are certainly differences between the sexes because of the divine endowments bestowed on each because they have different functions to perform in society. Women are the mothers and nurturers, and as such, they have been endowed with certain strengths which we do not find in men. Likewise, men have certain advantages different from those of women because of their duties as providers and maintainers of the family.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.