Are women less equal in the eyes of Allah?

Although there are several arguments that can be constructed in defence of the challenge of this title-to indicate that Women and Men are equal (but different). However these verses indicate that Allah does think of Men being preferred over Women: 53. Surah An-Najm Ve19-22 Have you then considered Al-Lat, and Al-'Uzza (two idols of the pagan Arabs) And Manat (another idol of the pagan Arabs), the other third? Is it for you the males and for Him the females? That indeed is a division most unfair!

Dear Sister/ Brother

We appreciate you for your eager to understand Islam and thank you for placing trust in Ask a Question to Us.

First of all, the best way to comprehend the meanings of the Quranic verses and lighten the misconceptions and doubts about them is to search the meaning in commentaries. Actually when we learn more about Quran and get deeper in the tafseer of verses, we comprehend that any matter that is misunderstood through prejudice is in fact so different and actually clear and far from all misconceptions.

As to the 21.th verse of Surah al Najm which says “Are yours the males and His the females?”;

As we get from the interpretations that we quoted some below “preference of men over women” is not a choice of Allah (swt), but it is what the people of Macca used to do. In many ayahs and history books, you can read the debasement and maltreat that women were subjected in Arabia before Islam.  Women were subjected to a peculiar degradation amongst Arabs and led the most tragic life. Female sex was so maltreated that birth of a daughter was nothing but disgrace and shame that they had to be buried. Women were nothing but a matter of merchandise. So, they were pleased to have boys for themselves. However, despite their aversion to female sex, disbelievers attributed God to have “daughters”, what they hated and were ashamed of for themselves. Attributing partners and children to Allah swt is an absolute blasphemy, however, even in their blasphemy, they were demonstrating their hatred and disrespect to belief in God by attribution of what they disgrace and underestimate to Allah swt.

Reading the following commentaries of the 19 to 21 verses of Surah al Najm, we hope you will get that, what is expressed in the ayah is rejection of the disrespect and blasphemy of the disbelievers that they demonstrate in their acts of attributing what they dislike to Allah (swt).   

 “Have you considered al-Lāt and al-‘Uzzā,and Manāt, the third, of the preceding two, the other?” These were stone idols which the idolaters worshipped and which they claimed interceded for them with God. The meaning then is, ‘Inform Me: do these idols have the power over anything, such that you worship them besides God Who has the power over all that has been mentioned?’ And because of their assertion also that the angels were God’s daughters, despite their aversion to daughters, the following was revealed: (Tafsir al- Jalalayn)

 “Is it for you the males and for Him the females?”

Allah asked the idolators, `do you choose female offspring for Allah and give preference to yourselves with the males If you made this division between yourselves and the created, it would be, division most unfair! meaning, it would be an unfair and unjust division. `How is it then that you make this division between you and Allah, even though this would be foolish and unjust, if you made it between yourselves and others?' (Ibn Katheer)

“Are yours the males) O people of Mecca, whom you are pleased to have for yourselves (and His the females) despite the fact that you dislike them and will not be pleased to have them for yourselves?”( Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs)

‘That is, "You held these goddesses as daughters of Allah, Lord of the worlds, and did not consider while inventing this absurd creed that as for yourselves you regarded the birth of a daughter as disgraceful, and desired to have only male children, but as for Allah you assign  Him only daughters!"’ (Tafhim al- Quran)

Dear Sister/ Brother

If you have any further to ask about this issue or any other, please feel free.

Best Regards!

Ask a Question to Us Team