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How can a man be superior to a woman in the Hereafter, and how accurate is the saying that a man is more cunning than a woman, bearing in mind that a man's guardianship over a woman is a responsibility and not dominance, and that preferring a man in terms of courage and strength does not mean a woman's intellectual deficiency or that she is less intelligent?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The criterion for superiority among people is piety (taqwa), and a woman's competition in this area and her reward are the same as a man's.

Examples of this include the wife of Pharaoh and the repentance of the adulterous woman.

Scholars do not describe women as foolish or lacking intellect; they possess intellect and discernment. This is why they are entrusted with the commands of the Sharia, and their testimony and narrations are accepted. Indeed, many righteous female scholars have been found among them.

The preference of men over women mentioned in verses and hadiths refers to the general preference of the male gender over the female gender. It does not mean that every man is superior to every woman, for many women are superior to many men in wisdom, discernment, and religiosity.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy