{"name":"Women","slug":"islam-and-women","description":"How does Islam view women? Do women have rights in Islam? Are men and women equal in Islam? What is hijab? Explore topics around the role of women in society, modesty, inheritance laws, divorce, and other commonly-asked questions about women in Islam.","summary":"Islam affirms women’s equal dignity before God and guarantees their right to own property, keep their earnings, and seek divorce. Below are clear, sourced answers to the questions people ask most about Islam and women, including hijab and whether it is required, whether Islam oppresses women, and what it teaches about honor killings, testimony, and inheritance.","quick_facts":[{"text":"Islam grants women independent rights that hold throughout their lives. A woman keeps her own name after marriage, retains full control of her property and earnings, and may represent herself in court, testify before a judge, and give her own pledge of allegiance. She may also end a marriage through khulʿ (divorce in exchange for compensation) or tafrīq (judicial dissolution). Her male relatives are obligated to provide for her, while her own wealth remains entirely at her discretion.","source":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#what-are-the-rights-of-women-in-islam"},{"text":"Nobility before God rests on piety, not gender. Men and women stand equal in their humanity, dignity, eligibility for salvation, and the inviolability of their rights. Equality, however, is not sameness. Men and women are distinct, and some teachings reflect that difference. For example, both are obligated to pray five times a day, yet women are exempt during menstruation.","source":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#are-men-and-women-equal-in-islam"},{"text":"Islam transformed a society that held women in contempt, condemning female infanticide in the strongest terms and bringing the practice to an end. Women gained the right to refuse a marriage, own property, testify in court, seek divorce, and speak out against injustice. The Qur’an affirmed the dignity of daughters directly, and the Prophet ﷺ promised Paradise to those who raise them well.","source":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#how-did-islam-impact-women-s-role-in-society"},{"text":"Hijab is a religious obligation, grounded in the Qur’an and the practice of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions. The obligation concerns modesty of dress and character, not conformity to a single style. Its expressions vary widely across cultures, and that variation is both expected and accepted.","source":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#is-hijab-mandatory"},{"text":"Gendered disparities in inheritance law dissolve when read within Islam’s integrated system of rights and duties. Inheritance shares that seem to favor men belong to a framework in which men alone bear the cost of maintaining the family, while a wife owes nothing toward household expenses.","source":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#do-women-receive-less-inheritance-than-men"}],"url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women","mdUrl":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women.md","section_count":13,"sections":[{"question":"What are the rights of women in Islam?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#what-are-the-rights-of-women-in-islam"},{"question":"Are men and women equal in Islam?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#are-men-and-women-equal-in-islam"},{"question":"How did Islam impact women’s role in society?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#how-did-islam-impact-women-s-role-in-society"},{"question":"What is hijab?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#what-is-hijab"},{"question":"Is hijab mandatory?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#is-hijab-mandatory"},{"question":"Why do Muslim women wear hijab?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#why-do-muslim-women-wear-hijab"},{"question":"Does Islam oppress women?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#does-islam-oppress-women"},{"question":"Are honor killings allowed in Islam?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#are-honor-killings-allowed-in-islam"},{"question":"Does Islam treat men and women differently?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#does-islam-treat-men-and-women-differently"},{"question":"Does the testimony of a woman weigh less than a man’s?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#does-the-testimony-of-a-woman-weigh-less-than-a-man-s"},{"question":"Do women receive less inheritance than men?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#do-women-receive-less-inheritance-than-men"},{"question":"Can a woman divorce her husband?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#can-a-woman-divorce-her-husband"},{"question":"Are sons more valuable in Islam than daughters?","url":"https://yaqeeninstitute.org/what-islam-says-about/islam-and-women#are-sons-more-valuable-in-islam-than-daughters"}]}