The Bible and the Quran hold different views as to the value of men and women. The Quran teaches that women are below men, both in spiritual matters and in everyday life. For example Women’s testimonies in a court of law do not equal men’s. Women get different rewards in heaven. The Quran also tells men to beat their wives if they disobey them.
The Bible teaches that men and women are both made in the image of God. They will both receive the same rewards in heaven. Men and women are equal before God. Therefore men are not superior or more valuable than women. “God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Taurat, Genesis 1:27, NLT).
Both men and women are necessary and important to the human race. God uses both of them in His service. One example is Aquila and Priscilla, a husband and wife team who helped the apostle Paul in training new believers (Injil, Acts 18:24-26).
Life for Women According to the Quran
Muslim women’s lives can only be understood by looking at the Quran and the traditions and laws as a result of the Quran. The Quran has many passages about men and women. Several explain God creating man and woman. This implies equality.
Other suras seem to point to women being equal in faith and belief: Qs 4:124 states, “And whoever does good deeds whether male or female and he (or she) is a believer– these shall enter the garden.”
Qs 16:97 says the same thing, with a slightly different emphasis: “Whoever does good whether male or female and he is a believer, We will most certainly make him live a happy life, and We will most certainly give them their reward for the best of what they did.”
This is repeated in other suras as well. In closer study, though, one finds that the Quran does not equate women equal with men in this life.
Women are Subordinate to Men
Laws about everyday life enforce women’s lower position to men. According to the Quran, women are more likely to err as witnesses. The Quran says, “two men should witness, but if not two men, then one man, and two women so that if one of the two women should err, the other will remind her” (Qs 2:282).
Women are lower than men in society. Qs 2:228 states: “The women ought also to behave towards their husbands in like manner as their husbands should behave toward them … but the men ought to have superiority over them.”
Qs 4:34 also says: “Men are in charge of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other … So good women are obedient … And those you fear may be rebellious, admonish them… and beat them; they then obey you, look not a way against them.”
Isa Al-Masih is the greatest proof that men and women are equal. Why? Because He died on the cross for both men and women. He paid exactly the same price to redeem them from sin. Please notice this holy verse: “For you (men and women) know that God paid a ransom . . .And the ransom was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (Injil, 1 Peter 1:18-19).
The great question for women (and men too) who are greatly loved by Isa Al-Masih is, “Will you receive the salvation offered to you?”
[We invite you to visit us at https://www.isaandislam.com/way-of-salvation to learn more about God’s gift of Salvation. God loves you and waits to hear from you. Isa clearly said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Injil, John 14:6) For a deeper understanding of Isa we suggest you subscribe to “Isa, Islam, and Al-Fatiha” at this link.]
SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW
We encourage our readers to comment on the article above. Comments that don’t directly relate to the topic will be removed. Please start a dialogue with us by focusing on one of the following questions:
1.) How is the word “equal” interpreted in Islam and Christianity?
2.) Why are there Quranic verses that don’t show equality?
3.) What are the hinderances that make women equal to men?
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The Quran says that men and women are not equal in their bodies. Men have more power in their hands than women, but in other things they are equal. It is clear and true that men are stronger than women as the Quran says. When it comes to mental ability, men are also stronger than women. But this does not mean women are less equal than men.
Americans want to show us women’s rights? According to an FBI report, in America a rape occurs every 2 or 3 min. America is the highest country in the number of rapes. Islam gives protection to women.
Christian men today don’t make a girl their wife but only have a girlfriend and she is just for sex.
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Justin,
Most people who only have a girlfriend just for sex are not really Christians. Not everyone in America is a Christian. My friends who are true Christians, following Isa Al-Masih and doing what He teaches, do not have sex unless they are married. The Bible clearly teaches this.
The Ten Commandments are given in Exodus 20, and one of them is, “You shall not commit adultery” (Taurat, Exodus 20:14). This verse doesn’t just mean, “don’t have sex with your friend’s spouse.” It also means that a person should only have sex with his or her spouse, which means that a person is to remain a virgin until he or she is married.
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This page is giving wrong views of Islam. Men and women were never created equal, but in the eyes of Allah, their faith and piety in Allah reaches Him.
Christians blame Eve for disobeying God. But in Islam God blames both Adam and Eve, as they both disobeyed God. And God teaches them how to repent and how to worship God alone.
Islam gives women their due rights: 1)right to an education; 2) right to inheritance 3) right to divorce – they can appeal to the Islamic court; 4)right to choose their husband; 5)right to property; 6)right to a dowry, which cannot be taken back by the husband; 7)right to be treated with love and respect; 8)right to work and keep her money – if she chooses to give it to her husband its out of her free will.
Please note in respect to the explanation of the verse you quoted about the husband hitting his wife, that the hitting is to be done with a switch and the length of the switch is shorter than a pencil. Therefore it does not encourage beating and hitting women.
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Christianity does not blame Eve for sin. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This is a premise for redemption through Christ.
According to the Biblical account, God did not just confront Eve, but Adam as well. Eve was deceived by Satan. The chain of blame came from Adam to Eve to Satan just as expected by any human who is trying to justify his actions.
We all blame others for our sin. But as the verse above says, we are to blame and no one else. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Isa Al-Masih died, paying the wage required for our sin. The only way we can be rid of our sin is through trusting in Isa as our sin-payment.
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This is very true. How can you can deny facts written in the Quran.
In Islam, women are at a lower stage than men. It is true. The Quran teaches that those who obey the teaching of the Quran will be rewarded with 7 beautiful virgins in the afterlife. This is really ridiculous! Is that your God? God is holy. There is no reward such as that.
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Ho Theos,
In Christianity, men and women are created in God’s own image equally (Taurat, Genesis 1:26-27). Eventhough men are destined to lead their families, however they need women to help them. Without women, they can’t do their function. Likewise, without men, women can’t either do their function. Despite of it, they are equal, and both need to each other.
Also, it’s true that God is holy and there is no place for worldly flesh on heaven. God will bring His holy men and women whose sin has been cleansed by the blood of Isa,in order to live with Him, to serve Him (Injil, Revelation 22:3) and to reign together with Isa (Injil, Revelation, 20:6; 22:5).
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Hi everyone, assalaamu’alaikum!
I really appreciate this forum for making such critics in a very polite language, unlike many others, which I therefore restrain myself from participating. Great 🙂
I would like to answer Justin’s comment. Man and women are equal, but not the same, just like in a democracy. Who is higher, the government or the people? The government is in charge, but they are responsible to the people.
Hell is full of leaders who failed to fulfill their obligations, and that includes husbands. A friend joked about how it is men who are discriminated in Islam, not women.
Women have many rights in Islam: protection, wealth, house management, free choice, choice of husband (men can’t choose a married woman, but a woman can still go after a married man), and many more.
Women are told to be obedient to husbands, but husbands must not transgress Islamic laws. When they do transgress, women must not follow them.
To my knowledge, Christianity also holds similar views of “men and women are equal, but not the same.”
Peace 🙂
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Hi Fajri,
You are right that Christianity holds a view that men and women are equal, but not identical. They are equal in God’s sight as men and women are created in the image of God (Taurat, Genesis 1:27).
However, this does not mean that He made us to be identical but complementary to each other (Taurat, Genesis 2:18).
Although men and women are equally worthy, they each have different roles and responsibilities. In Christianity, men lead, whether in households or in the church. Men are responsible as the head and women are responsible as the helper.
The Apostle Paul said in his letter to the church at Corinth, “Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”
Because men were chosen as the head, women shouldn’t exercise authority over men. This does not mean that men are more powerful than women, but their functions are to lead and women are to help. The woman was created for man, not man for woman (Injil, 1 Corinthians 11:9).
This does not mean that men are to use their headship to take advantage of women and just order them around. Husbands are told to “love your wives as Christ (Isa) loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). So as the head, the husband is to love his wife, and everything he does should be out of his love for her.
Therefore, men and women’s roles cannot be separated from each other. God has given a uniqueness of divine nature to each man and woman with their strengths and weaknesses. With those strengths and weaknesses, they are both needed to cover each other. Both need each other and neither cannot replace the other.
God bless.
Y/J
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Dear Friends: We highly value all comments on our website. Yet we do have some guidelines:
1. No one may enter more than one comment at a time. Thus you may not fill multiple comment boxes.
2. Your comment should be directly related to the theme of the lead article.
3. It is best if you only put forward one or two questions at a time.
4. Use good English. If the comment is not clear, we may edit it.
5. Don’t use abbreviations.
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Men actually have no right to touch the wives. They can’t beat them. Also, husbands can’t technically tell their wives what to do, and if they try and control their wife, beat her, or harm her in anyway she has the immediate right to divorce him. This is what the quran says. Men and woman are equal, and have equal rights to money, food, education, exct.
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Dear Muslim Girl,
Thank you for you comment.
We agree that men and women should have equal rights. They are both created in the image of Allah.
However, what we read in the Quran is the opposite of what you said. Please see the verses in this article. Can you please provide verses as evidence for what you claim?
Allah created men and women to be partners. They are equal before Allah.
In the Injil, Isa shows respect to women and treats them fairly. Isa teaches a man should love his wife: “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” (Injil, Collosians 3:19). “…husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” (Injil, Ephesians 5:28).
If you want to know more about Isa’s teachings, please email us.
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The idea that Christianity somehow confers equality between men and women compared to Islam (or any other faith) is laughable.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife…or anything which belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21) – Christians consider women as property.
Unmarried women who are raped are forced to be married to their rapist as long as the father approves with a certain price (Deuteronomy 22:28-29; Exodus 22:16-17).
In Christianity, women are to submit to their husbands, they have no property rights, etc etc. Selective reading much?
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Dear I hate bias,
It’s important to read the Bible as a whole and not to take the verses out of their context. The Bible has actually never viewed a woman as property. A husband and a wife are to respect and submit to each other in love (Ephesians 5:25-28). When a man and a woman marry, their bodies no longer belong to themselves but to each other. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 5:21 prohibit a man to covet anything that doesn’t belong to him.
Moreover，the punishment for mistreating women is severe. If a man rapes a woman, he should die (Deuteronomy 22:25). If a man and a woman commit fornication, then they should marry (Deuteronomy 22:28-29 and Exodus 22:16-17).
If you read the Bible carefully and thoroughly, you will discover that women are equally valued by God. You will also find the truth and the way to eternal life (John 14:6).