Are the wife's rights over her husband equal to the husband's rights over his wife, or does the man have more rights? And what is meant by "but men have a degree over them" in the verse: "And due to them [wives] is similar to what is expected from them, according to what is reasonable. But men have a degree over them"? And what is the meaning of "by which Allah has preferred some of them over others" in the context of preferring men over women? Is the preference of men guardianship and responsibility, or a right? And what does the woman offer to the man in return for his increased responsibilities?

There is no equality between men and women in roles and functions due to differences in their nature and build. Rights and duties follow these roles, and they are a legal and social responsibility and obligation for both genders to ensure the success of the family's mission and the building of the nation.

The interpretation of the noble verse: ﴿And due to them [the wives] is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable. But the men have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority]﴾ [Al-Baqarah: 228], does not mean absolute equivalence in all circumstances, but rather in types of rights that are consistent with the nature of each and the requirements of the Sharia (definition). Each of them has duties and rights commensurate with their role. Equivalence applies in dispatching two arbitrators and in fostering and consulting regarding breastfeeding, the details of which are determined by the rulings and objectives of the Sharia.

And His saying: ﴿according to what is reasonable﴾ means what sound minds recognize and what conforms to the Sharia and the public interest. Islam has paid attention to reforming the status of women and elevating their position as half of humanity and the primary educators.

As for ﴿But the men have a degree over them﴾, it means a preference for men in some rights, such as the system of polygyny being in the man's hand and divorce being in his hand. This is due to the increase in mental and physical strength that Allah has endowed them with, and because the man is the basis for establishing the family and is usually expected to be correct. This degree is not an absolute preference for every male over every female, but rather a preference in terms of gender and the origin of the type, while individual superiority is based on piety.

Regarding the disparity in reward in Paradise with the disparity in responsibility, Paradise is not a single station; rather, ﴿They are [varying] degrees in the sight of Allah﴾ [Al 'Imran: 163], and ﴿For all are degrees from what they have done﴾ [Al-Ahqaf: 19]. This preference between men and women in some rulings is a requirement of justice, and the guardianship of the man is a guardianship of care, management, and preservation, not domination and coercion.