Rights of Women in Islam (In the light of Holy Quran and Hadiths)

Women's freedom, equal rights with men and women's rights are the most propagated slogans by the National and international Women's liberation and feminist movements nowadays but 1400 years ago islamic law declared that both men and women need freedom from any kind of exploitation and injustice. In islamic law men and women have complementary roles for mutual benefit of each other. Women are equal to men in basic humanity, in religious obligations, in rewards and punishments, in financial dealings and property ownership, in education, in social responsibilities and in preservation of honor and nobility etc. Islam protects women from intimidation and molestation that is why islamic law requires modest clothing for women and prohibits intermingling of sexes. However, there are misconceptions about Muslim women and their rights in indian society specially polygyny, divorce, hijab or Purdah etc.

This paper is an attempt to propagate the rights given to women in divine principles and laws (islamic Shariah) and to root out the misconceptions widespread about them.