Few topics generate more debate about Islam in the West than the status of women. From media portrayals to political discourse, Islam is frequently accused of oppressing women. But what does Islam actually say about women — in its scripture, in its history, and in the example of the Prophet ﷺ? The answer may surprise you.
What Islam Gave Women — 1,400 Years Ago
Before Islam, women in Arabia — and across much of the ancient world — were treated as property. Female infanticide was common. Women had no right to inherit, no right to own property, and no right to refuse marriage. Islam abolished all of this in the 7th century — centuries before the Western world would do the same.
Here is what Islam gave women when it was revealed in 610–632 CE:
- Right to own property — A Muslim woman’s wealth is entirely her own. Her husband has no legal claim over it.
- Right to inherit — Women receive a guaranteed inheritance from parents, husbands, and children. (Quran 4:7)
- Right to choose her husband — A marriage without the woman’s consent is invalid in Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said: “A previously married woman should not be married without her permission, and a virgin should not be married without her consent.” (Bukhari)
- Right to divorce — Islam gave women the right to seek divorce (Khul’) over 1,000 years before most Western legal systems did.
- Right to education — The Prophet ﷺ said: “Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.” — male and female equally.
- Right to keep her name — A Muslim woman does not take her husband’s surname upon marriage. She retains her own identity.
- Right to financial support — A husband is legally obligated to provide for his wife — even if she is wealthier than him.
Women in the Quran
The Quran addresses men and women with remarkable equality. Surah Al-Ahzab (33:35) states explicitly:
“Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women… Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.”
This verse came in direct response to a question from the female companions of the Prophet ﷺ, who asked why the Quran seemed to address men more directly. God’s answer was this verse — affirming complete spiritual equality between men and women.
Great Women in Islamic History
Far from being silent and oppressed, the women of early Islam were scholars, leaders, businesswomen, and warriors. Consider:
- Khadijah bint Khuwaylid ؓ — The Prophet’s ﷺ first wife was one of the most successful merchants in Mecca. She employed men, ran trade caravans, and was the first person to accept Islam. She proposed marriage to the Prophet ﷺ herself.
- Aisha bint Abi Bakr ؓ — One of the greatest scholars in Islamic history. Over 2,200 Hadith are narrated from her. Male companions would travel great distances to ask her questions after the Prophet’s ﷺ death. She even led an army.
- Fatimah al-Fihri — A Muslim woman who founded the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Morocco in 859 CE — widely recognized as the world’s oldest continuously operating university.
- Nusaybah bint Ka’ab ؓ — A female companion who fought in the Battle of Uhud, physically shielding the Prophet ﷺ from attackers. He praised her courage above many men.
The Hijab — Oppression or Choice?
The hijab is perhaps the most visible symbol of Muslim women in the West — and the most misunderstood. The Quran instructs both men and women to dress modestly (24:30-31). For women, this includes covering the hair and body except the face and hands in the presence of unrelated men.
Millions of Muslim women around the world wear hijab as an act of faith, dignity, and identity — not as a sign of oppression. Many converts to Islam choose to wear hijab voluntarily. The issue of women being forced to wear or remove hijab by governments or families is a cultural and political failure — not an Islamic teaching.
Islam prohibits compulsion in religion: “There is no compulsion in religion.” (Quran 2:256)
What the Prophet ﷺ Said About Women
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ revolutionized the way women were treated through both his words and his example. Some of his most powerful statements about women:
“The best of you are those who are best to their wives.” (Tirmidhi)
“Paradise lies at the feet of your mother.” (Nasai)
“A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked: ‘Who is most deserving of my good company?’ He said: ‘Your mother.’ The man asked again, ‘Then who?’ He said: ‘Your mother.’ The man asked a third time, ‘Then who?’ He said: ‘Your mother.’ Only on the fourth time did he say: ‘Your father.'” (Bukhari)
In his final sermon — the last major speech of his life — the Prophet ﷺ dedicated significant time to the rights of women. His last words on the topic were: “Treat women well.”
The Gap Between Islam and Muslim Culture
It is important to distinguish between Islamic teachings and the cultural practices of Muslim-majority countries. Honor killings, forced marriages, denial of education, and domestic abuse are cultural failures that violate Islamic law — not expressions of it. The Prophet ﷺ explicitly condemned the mistreatment of women throughout his life.
Judging Islam by the behavior of some Muslims is like judging democracy by its worst governments. The standard must be the Quran and the authentic Sunnah — not cultural practice.
Conclusion
Islam did not oppress women. It liberated them — 1,400 years ago, in a world that treated them as property. The rights that women in the West celebrate today — property rights, inheritance rights, the right to choose a spouse — were given to Muslim women by the Quran in the 7th century.
The problems that exist in some Muslim communities today are not Islamic. They are human failures — failures of culture, politics, and individual sin. Islam’s standard for the treatment of women is clear, and it has always been: dignity, justice, and love.
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Written by Hafiz Khalid Saifullah — Islamic scholar, Hafiz of the Quran, and content creator dedicated to authentic Islamic knowledge.