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What are women's rights in Islam, and have they changed since the Golden Age of Islam (eighth to twelfth centuries)?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Islam has honored women as mothers, making it obligatory to be dutiful and obedient to them, to treat them kindly, placing Paradise beneath their feet, and forbidding disobedience to them. It has honored them as wives, enjoining good treatment of them and commanding kindness in their companionship. It has honored them as daughters, encouraging their upbringing and education, and granting a great reward for raising daughters. It has honored them as sisters, paternal aunts, and maternal aunts, commanding the observance of kinship ties. Islam has equalized women and men in most rulings. Women have the right to express themselves, the right to ownership, the right to a dignified life, and the right to education. This honoring was unknown to other civilizations. As for the change of these rights throughout the ages, there is no change in principle, but rather in application. Whenever religiosity weakens, a defect occurs. Nevertheless, women continue to enjoy their status in Islam.

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

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