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Why do Islamic teachings focus on a woman being a good wife to her husband, and not on her entity as an independent woman, especially with the mention of hadiths such as "women are the majority of the inhabitants of Hell"? Does this mean that Islam is biased towards men? And why is a woman asked to be patient with the harm inflicted by some men who do not fear God?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The diversity of discourse in the Holy Quran concerning women and men is natural and reasonable. The divine revelation's address to women is not limited to their role as wives or mothers; rather, it encompasses all their social roles. The verses of the Quran confirm that Allah does not waste the work of any worker, male or female, and that the reward for good deeds and entering Paradise includes believers from both genders. Islam brought goodness to both men and women equally, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, emphasized the equality of women with men by saying: "Indeed, women are the counterparts of men."

Furthermore, women participated in the life of the Prophet, peace be upon him, with independent and prominent roles, such as caring for the wounded. The Prophet used to allocate specific times for teaching and admonishing them, and he encouraged not preventing them from mosques. Umm Al-Mu'minin Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, was a model of a learned woman in jurisprudence, poetry, and medicine. As for the differentiation in rulings and addresses, it stems from the difference in religious and social roles, and it may sometimes be in favor of women, as in the hadith preferring the mother in righteousness over the father.

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

Read the full answer on Ftawy