Gender Equality in Islam a Critical and Comparative Study of Rights and Responsibilities in the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah

Abstract

This study analyzes the Islamic approach to equality of both sexes based on the Qur'an and the sunnah with special reference to the concept of equality, dignity, justice and to the distribution of rights and duties. It explores the Islamic perspective on the creation of men and women, the principle of human equality, the role of taqwa (piety) as the criterion of moral superiority, and the complementary roles of men and women within the family and society. Women’s fundamental rights are also discussed in the study namely inheritance, marriage, economic independence, education, social participation etc. It draws upon the relevant parts of the Qur'an, Prophetic traditions, classical Islamic instruction, and contemporary literature, focusing on the connection between spiritual equality and distribution of social responsibilities in Islam. Moreover, the study juxtapposes the Islamic concept of gender justice with some of the views of Western feminism on individual autonomy, on the concept of patriarchy, and on the equality of rights. The educational approach is based on the importance of both men and women being spiritually and morally accountable, to the principles of justice and mutual respect, and to the citizens' responsibilities in attaining social harmony. The study finds that the Qur'ān and Sunnah offer an ethical and religious guidance for spreading the dignity of the human person, safeguarding the rights of females, enhancing the family ties and responding to the existing problems of gender injustice especially in the modern world.

Keywords: Gender Equality, Islam, Qur’an, Sunnah, Gender Justice, Women’s Rights, Human Dignity, Western Feminism

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23318560