IMPACT: International Journal of Research in

Humanities, Arts and Literature (IMPACT: IJRHAL)

ISSN (P): 2347-4564; ISSN (E): 2321-8878
Vol. 6, Issue 8, Aug 2018, 365-372
© Impact Journals

A PEEP INTO THE CONCEPT OF GENDER EQUALITY IN ISLAM

Afroz Ahmad Bisati

Senior Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Islamic University of Science and Technology,
Awantipora Pulwama, Kashmir, India

Received: 11 Aug 2018 Accepted: 16 Aug 2018 Published: 22 Aug 2018

ABSTRACT

The gender has been a ceaseless talk all through mankind’s history. For in the principal formation of Adam and
Eve the contention surfaced. Some translated the formation of Adam (male) as prevalent for being made before Eve
(Hawa) while others deciphered Eve’s second creation as optional. The later talk, pretty much, advanced round a similar
structure. The later hypotheses and methods of insight either anticipated male predominance for manliness and mediocrity
of ladies for womanliness. Some undertaking outright fairness between the sexual orientations while others competed for
impartiality. Islam has its own particular stance on the gender orientation and this stance has offered to ascend to different
points of view inside the Islamic idea. The present paper aims to identify the distinctive features of gender from an Islamic
point of view with reference to the relevant verses (ayaat) of the Qur’an.

KEYWORDS: Gender, Adam and Eve, Male Superiority, the Qur’an, Islamic Perspective

INTRODUCTION

The issues identified with sexual orientation dependably had fluctuated translations and clarifications, prompting
changed theories. The premise of contrast has been the distinction between the idea and reasoning of moving toward the
sex.A few methods of insight approach the sexual orientation on unadulterated natural premise, offering perpetual quality
to the organic varieties. Others approach sex based on unadulterated and conceptual uniformity in this way pushing
complete equality among the sexual orientations. While as some approach it from a perspective of equity implying that
sexual orientation must be managed based on individual qualities and shortcomings. Let us go in some detail to highlight
the Islamic idea of sexual orientation, its subtleties and the purposes of departure from the contemporary western ideas and
theories.

DERIVATION OF GENDER

The English word sex originates from the Middle English sex (additionally gendere, gendir gendyr, gendre),
a loanword from Anglo-Norman and Middle French gender. This, thus, originated from Latin class. The two words signify
“kind”, “type”, or “sort”. They get at last from a broadly authenticated Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root gen-which is
likewise the wellspring of kinfolk, kind, ruler, and numerous other English words. It shows up in Modern French in the
word class (type, kind, additionally sort sexual) and is identified with the Greek root gen-(to deliver), showing up in
quality, beginning, and oxygen.

Impact Factor(JCC): 3.7985 - This article can be downloaded from www.impactjournals.us

 366 Afroz Ahmad Bisati

Lexicon Importance and Use

As indicated by the Oxford Dictionary the sexual orientation implies, 1. Both of the two genders (male and
female), particularly when considered with reference to social and social contrasts as opposed to natural ones.
The term is additionally utilized all the more comprehensively to mean a scope of characters that don't compare to set up
thoughts of male and female, e.g., ‘a condition that influences individuals of the two sexes’;

It additionally implies Members of a specific sexual orientation considered as a gathering, e. g., ‘social
communication between the sexual orientations’.

The word sex has been utilized since the fourteenth century as a linguistic term, alluding to classes of thing
assigned as manly, ladylike, or fix in a few dialects. The sense indicating organic sex has additionally been utilized since
the fourteenth century, yet this did not wind up normal until the mid-twentieth century. In spite of the fact that the words
sexual orientation and sex are regularly utilized conversely, they have somewhat extraordinary undertones;
sex has a tendency to allude to natural contrasts, while sex all the more frequently alludes to social and social contrasts and
once in a while includes a more extensive scope of characters than the parallel of male and female.

WESTERN AND RELIGIOUS METHODS OF INSIGHT ON GENDER

Before examining the qualification of the idea of sexual orientation in Islam it is beneficial to exhibit some cutting
edge delegate ideas and rationalities regarding the matter. One needs to look at the changed side of the open deliberation
with a specific end goal to frame an adjusted appraisal.

Amid the old Rome, ladies did not appreciate numerous social rights. They didn’t acquire any property.
After their husbands died, ladies would be exchanged for the inheritors, as they were considered as items.
The best ambush on the ladies’ respect, their materialistic and profound rights happened in the post-Renaissance time in the
west, alluded to as ‘the civil death of woman’. A few people trust that woman’s right is the aftereffect of a characteristic
dissent against Plato’s and in addition, Aristotle’s conclusions that embarrassed ladies and prompted the social, moral,
legitimate and sexual deprecating of ladies. These conclusions addressed no difficulty for different ages: Feminism was, in
this way, a radical response to such suppositions. Aristotle and in addition Plato’s considerations proceeded up to the
post-Renaissance period. As an example a few statements from Plato and Aristotle’s thinking are thusly referred to:

As per Aristotle (427-347 BC) man appropriately assumes responsibility for the lady, since he charges prevalent
knowledge. He relates this to the connection between individuals and agreeable creatures: “It is the best for every
manageable creature to be led by people. For this is the means by which they are kept alive. Similarly, in his work Politics,
Aristotle states "as regards the sexes, the male is by nature superior and the female inferior, the male ruler and the female
subject". Also, while likening bondage to the situation of ladies Aristotle expresses: “A slave is close to ‘an apparatus of
his lord’. Together with the spouse and the bull, a male or female slave is a householder’s crucial helper animal weight.
He or she ought to be kept well — for basic monetary reasons.”

On the comparative lines, Plato (384 – 322 BC) attributes the second-rate status of ladies to a degeneration from
idealizing human instinct [Man]. “It is just men who are made specifically by the divine beings and are given souls.
The individuals who live properly come back to the stars, however the individuals who are ‘quitters or [lead wicked lives]
may with reason have changed into the idea of ladies in the second era’. This descending advancement may proceed

NAAS Rating: 3.10- Articles can be sent to editor@impactjournals.us

 A Peep Into the Concept of Gender Equality in Islam 367

through progressive resurrections unless turned around. In this circumstance, clearly it is just men who are finished
individuals and can seek after extreme satisfaction; the best a lady can seek after is to wind up a man”.

The wellsprings of Hinduism depict the status of ladies in the accompanying words: According to Rig Veda
“Indra himself hath stated, the psyche of lady rivulets not teach, her brains hath little weight.” According to Manusmrti “At
the season of counsel he ought to have expelled numbskulls, the quiet, visually impaired, or hard of hearing; creatures and
extremely old individuals; ladies, savages, and the individuals who are sick or who do not have a piece of the body.”
(Such) abominable (people), in like manner creatures and particularly ladies deceive mystery board; consequently, he
ought to be mindful among them.” The Jewish sources regarding the matter under talk consider ladies as the sole reason for
Original Sin. As indicated by Genesis, the essential sacred text of Judaism: ‘Yet in the second creation story, God-shaped
just a man: “...the LORD God framed man of the tide of the ground, and inhaled into his nostrils the breath of life; and man
turned into a living soul. Understanding that he required an assistant, God walked the greater part of the creatures past
Adam searching for a reasonable creature. Discovering none appropriate, God made Eve out of one of Adam’s ribs.”
The expression “assistant” has verifiably been deciphered as inferring a substandard part for Eve. The Jewish sources
additionally say: “No devilishness comes anyplace close to the underhandedness of a woman.....Sin started with a lady and
on account of her we all must die.”

The Christian sacred texts depict the lady as takes after: “To the lady, he (God) stated, “I will enormously build
your torments in childbearing; with torment, you will bring forth kids. Your want will be for your better half, and he will
lead over you.” To Adam he (God) stated, “On the grounds that you tune in to your significant other and ate from the tree
about which I ordered you, ‘You should not eat of it,’ “Reviled is the ground as a result of you; through excruciating work
you will eat of everything the times of your life.” Further, “I discover more unpleasant than death the lady who is a catch,
whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who satisfies God will get away from her, yet the delinquent
she will trap.”

THE SYNOPSIS OF FEMINIST THEORIES ON GENDER

Women’s liberation is a boundless gathering of social speculations on political developments and moral,
summoned fundamentally by ladies, or propelled by them. Its principally a crusade to get rid of sexual orientation
imbalances and to advance the ladies’ rights including. The word women’s liberation was first utilized by Charles Fevrier,
the nineteenth-century communist, to safeguard the ladies rights development. The word ‘femme’ alluding to women’s
liberation discovered its way into French in 1837.

The outline of the Feminist hypotheses, in view of various thoughts and presumptions, is as under:

• Most socially women’s activist developments advance ladies’ rights advantages and concerns;

• A few speculations of women’s liberation talk about maleness/femaleness as a division, dismissing the possibility
of numerous sexual orientations;

• A few speculations think about the idea of the lady as the standard and present their examinations and basic works
based on sexual orientation disparity;

Impact Factor(JCC): 3.7985 - This article can be downloaded from www.impactjournals.us

 368 Afroz Ahmad Bisati

• There are three waves of women’s activists: Early women’s activist developments call themselves ‘the main [first]
wave’; the women’s activists of 1960s are the second wave, and some more youthful women’s activists present
themselves as the third wave;

• Populist women’s activists bolster protectionism. Wendy Camiz presents different types of woman’s rights in her
book A Horrible Liberty: Women Running Away From Equality. In this book, she thinks about the libertarian
woman’s rights as the promoter of equity amongst men and ladies by giving equivalent rights to them.
Protectionist women’s activist like to focus on legitimate backings for ladies, e. g. work and separation direction,
and some of the time on restrictions forced by men, for example, a free discourse which has been denied to ladies
(or particularly, the generation and utilization of explicit illustrations, compositions, and photograph);

• There are different gatherings, speculations, and adaptations which depend on duty and contrast, for instance,
Mary Dolly’ and Marylin’ women’s liberation which calls for whole isolation of men and ladies in the general
public and in the way of life. Some other women’s activist hypotheses are considered under different headings
like Liberal Feminism, Radical Feminism, Socialist Feminism and Feminist Conflict Theory.

THE CONCEPT OF GENDER IN ISLAM

The ‘concept of gender in Islam’ (mafhum al-jinceyn fil-Islam) is one of a kind, novel and unrivaled. Islam while
keeping up a position that the status, position, and duties of ladies are equivalent to those of men yet they are not really
indistinguishable. Correspondence and equivalence are two unique things. This qualification amongst uniformity and
equality is of fundamental significance. With just this refinement in perception, Islam gives ladies a one of a kind position
and equivalent status. As we probably are aware now that numerous hypotheses that talk about balance among the sexual
orientation assume this ought to be reflected in treating two gatherings precisely the same. Be that as it may, this is plainly
not generally the best possible position. Individuals’ needs, qualities, capacities, and incapacities should be obliged,
contradicted to subjecting all to a solitary standard that may just be appropriate for a couple. Furthermore, this introduces
is based the idea of gender in Islam.

Islam makes a refinement between the shallow procedural equality and the substantive correspondence,
which is equity. It has been watched that most social orders now perceive that the essential thing isn’t to center around
shallow procedural fairness yet to give substantive balance to every one of its residents, which treats them legitimately as
indicated by their requirements and conditions. People support substantive equity over procedural equity every day since
we perceive that the previous take into consideration equity. We suit in our working environments, schools, and business
zones, those with incapacities. We perceive the requirement for social administrations to deal with the ruined in the general
public, while the rich are liable to charges. We give additional consideration and thought to those encountering
enthusiastic, mental, or physical challenges in their lives. The greater part of this is substantive fairness, value, and equity.

Islam, remembered by Muhammad (SAW), cases to treat ladies and men similarly, especially in the spiritual
domain. The Qur’an does not confine the favors and rewards of God to men alone. Actually, it means to set up a society in
which social and profound equity should prosper without the isolation of genders. In any case, Islam’s idea of equity does
not imply that every individual is equivalent as far as regular abilities and human endeavors. As God says in the Qur'an
“In reality, the educated has an edge over an uneducated and not the other way around”.

NAAS Rating: 3.10- Articles can be sent to editor@impactjournals.us

 A Peep Into the Concept of Gender Equality in Islam 369

Then again the Qur’anic foundation of equity does not rely on sex rather it is established in the standard of
“Taqwa” – honorableness. Islam announces the spiritual fairness of all the genuine believers in such solid words: “Lo! Men
who surrender unto 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 preserve
(in righteousness) and women who preserve, 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 safeguard (their modesty) and
women who guard (their modesty), and men who remember Allah much and women who remember—Allah hath prepared
for them forgiveness and a vast reward”.

MEN AND WOMEN IN ISLAM

With regards to men and ladies, everybody perceives that there are intrinsic undeniable contrasts amongst men
and ladies. Thus, it doesn’t take after coherently to disregard those distinctions and promote a solitary standard in issues
where they are not the same. For instance, it would be shameful for a spouse to propose that his significant other work
similarly as hard as he does when she is pregnant. Equity is served by perceiving the weight of pregnancy and the
requirement for the spouse to modify appropriately. There are evident natural contrasts - men encounter neither menstrual
periods nor labor while ladies by and large live more and have less medical issues at an elderly age. Some logically
demonstrated actualities might be applicable, however not supreme, to the fact of the matter being awed here.
The AARP Bulletin distributed an article on 8 wellbeing contrasts amongst men and ladies: (1) The life expectancy for
men in the United States, 74.4, is somewhat more than five years shorter than for ladies, 79.8. (2) Cancer kills men at a
higher rate than it kills ladies. (3) Of those executed by coronary illness before age 65, 70 percent are men. (4) Sleep apnea,
a possibly genuine disorder that makes breathing stop and begins over and over amid rest, is more typical in men than
ladies. (5) Fourfold the number of men die by suicide, the number-eight reason for death among men. (6) Men are 50
percent more probable than ladies to create coronary illness after age 40. (7) Men have less disease-battling T-cells than
ladies. (8) By the age of 100, ladies dwarf men eight to one.

An article distributed in New York Times on Women’s wellbeing is bounteous: “rather than the women’s activist
start that ladies can do anything men can do, science is exhibiting that ladies can improve, that they have numerous natural
and psychological preferences over men. On the other hand, there are a few things that ladies don’t work out quite as well.”

As indicated by Islam, men are not better than ladies; nor are ladies better than men. Sex, race, shading,
nationality, and some other trait don’t demonstrate the predominance of a man over another. The Qur'an says: ‘O mankind,
we have created you male and female, and appointed you races and tribes, that you may know one another. Surely the
noblest among you in the sight of Allah is the most God-fearing of you. Islam perceives that while men and ladies have
some physical contrasts, profoundly they appreciate outright fairness before God. The Qur'an and Sunnah are unequivocal
in expressing that one’s sex will make little difference to their reward or discipline in the following life:

“I shall not lose sight of the labor of any of you who labors in My way, be it man or woman; you proceed one
from another…”

“If any do deeds of righteousness, - be they male or female - and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the
least injustice will be done to them.”

Impact Factor(JCC): 3.7985 - This article can be downloaded from www.impactjournals.us

 370 Afroz Ahmad Bisati

“Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a new Life, a life that is
good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.”

“He that works evil will not be required but by the like thereof: and he that works a righteous deed - whether man
or woman - and is a Believer- such will enter the Garden (of Bliss): Therein will they have abundance without measure.”

“O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may
know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with God is the most pious. Verily, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware.”

In this way, Islam transparently proclaims that men and ladies have an equivalent status and incentive before God,
and devotion alone separates one individual from another.

In legal and functional parts of Islam, the general tenets are the same for men and ladies. Both have similar
demonstrations of loves, the same Islamic behavior, and conduct, and are liable to the same legitimate punishments.
Be that as it may, there are likewise numerous situations where the decisions are unique. Ladies are exempted from fasting
and prayer amid their period. Men are demoralized from donning gold and silk while ladies are permitted to, as it is the
ladies’ tendency to improve themselves. Friday supplications are mandatory for men yet discretionary for ladies. Men must
spend their cash on the family yet a lady’s cash is altogether her own to spend as she picks. There are contrasts in attire
necessities too since the physical appearance of men and ladies are different. The greater part of this is intelligent of the
characteristic contrasts amongst men and ladies. So in lesser jurisprudential issues, Islam treats men and ladies as indicated
by their innate contrasts according to substantive fairness and in light of a legitimate concern for equity.

TO SUM UP

In this way we watch that Islam advocates substantive correspondence on sexual orientation than procedural and
shallow. Islam insists unquestionably the otherworldly fairness of men and ladies, and relegate both an equivalent rank
before God. In jurisprudential issues, Islam advances the substantive equity of men and ladies, recognizes their one of a
kind qualities and abilities, and defines manages appropriately. God made us with various yet corresponding qualities and
capacities. Swiping of sexual orientation in any frame isn’t in light of a legitimate concern for mankind. Nature does not
consider us to be indistinguishable. The sexual orientations have not been made like each other. Present day mental
research keeps on revealing contrasts in men and ladies from the clearest in behavioral examples to those as trifling as
choosing a furious face in a group. In light of such show contrasts between the two sexes, it is unsatisfactory for men and
ladies to accept indistinguishable parts. A man does not have to wind up a lady nor the other way around keeping in mind
the end goal to be effective. That is the thing that entireties up the Concept of Gender in Islam.

REFERENCES

1. Douglas Harper, "gender" in Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved August 7, 2018.

2. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Gender

3. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/gender

4. Ibid.

NAAS Rating: 3.10- Articles can be sent to editor@impactjournals.us

A Peep Into the Concept of Gender Equality in Islam 371

5. Dr. Hojjatollah Raftari & Dr.Zabihollah Bahrami, “Gender Equality According to Islam and Feminism”.
International Conference on Social Science and Humanity, IPEDR vol.5 (2011,) IACSIT Press,
Singaporehttp://www.ipedr.com/vol5/no2/109-H10263.pdf

6. Nicholas D. Smith, (1983). "Plato and Aristotle on the Nature of Women". Journal of the History of
Philosophy. 21 (4): 467–478.

7. Thornton Lockwood. “Is Natural Slavery Beneficial?” Journal of the History of Philosophy, 45 (2007), 207–21.

8. Nicholas D. Smith. Op. cit.

9. Ibid.

10. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hinduism.

11. https://www.hinduwebsite.com/sacredscripts/hinduism/dharma/manusmriti.asp

12. John Bowker. 1997. World Religions: The Great Faiths Explored & Explained. London: Dorling Kindersley
Limited.

13. Ibid.

14. Dr. Hojjatollah Raftari & Dr. Zabihollah Bahrami, op cit.

15. Ibid.

16. Dr. Afroz Ahmad Bisati. “Place of Women in Light of the Primary Sources of Islam”. International Journal of
Multidisciplinary Research and Development. Volume 3; Issue 4; April 2016; Page No. 86-90.

17. “Concept of Gender Equality in Islam”

https://d1.islamhouse.com/data/en/ih_articles/single2/en_Concept_of_Gender_Equality_in_Islam.pdf

18. Al-Qur'an, al-Zumr, 39/9

19. Al-Qur'an, al-Ahzab, 33/36

20. “Concept of Gender Equality in Islam”. Op. cit.

21. Ibid.

22. Al-Qur'an, al-Hujarat 49/13.

23. Al-Qur’an, aal-Imran, 3/195.

24. Al-Qur’an, al-Nisa, 4/124.

25. Al-Qur’an, al-Nahl, 16/97.

26. Al-Qur’an, al-Ghafir 40/40.

27. Al-Qur’an, al-Hujarat 49/13.

Impact Factor(JCC): 3.7985 - This article can be downloaded from www.impactjournals.us