Why do some prophetic hadiths, such as the hadith of the seven whom Allah will shade and the hadith of the three whom Allah loves, seem to be directed at men, raising questions about the status of women and their role in attaining great reward or emulating the characteristics mentioned therein?

The principle is that the promises and rewards mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah are directed to both males and females, even if the address is in the masculine form, as explicitly indicated by Quranic verses such as the Almighty's saying: "And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer - those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged, [even as much as] a speck on a date seed" (Quran 4:124), and the Prophet's (PBUH) saying: "Indeed, women are the counterparts of men." A Muslim woman, if she participates with a man in an act of worship, is promised the same reward that the man is promised. Allah Almighty has, however, designated certain obligations for men that He has not imposed on women, due to the nature of each, and this is from the perfection of His knowledge and wisdom. Therefore, one should not wish for what Allah has favored some over others. Allah Almighty has mentioned both men and women in Surat Al-Ahzab and promised them all forgiveness and a great reward. What is prescribed for believing men and women is to occupy themselves with what Allah has obligated upon them and to ask Him of His bounty, for Allah Almighty does not wrong [anyone], not even an atom's weight.