Equality in Islam?

Question

They say men and women are equal in Islam. Yet a Muslim man is allowed to marry a Christian or Jew girl, but a Muslim woman is not. That doesn't seem "equality" to me.

I forgot to mention all these things Steve C Spock. Thanks for reminding me!

Oh, not to mention that men have the right to control their daughters (even if they're older than 18) sisters and even their mothers.

Omer, your answer has nohing to do with my question. Except maybe the last part. Non-muslims do not control their daughters the way muslims do. Muslim fathers force their daughters to wear hijab and to marry whoever he wants and to cook and clean for him. Muslims would beat their daughters if they refuse to wear hijab or pray. That is not "protection"

Arabmuslim, why do women need protection? Do we live in the jungles? And how could hijab, Abaya, and Niqab protect women from rape and such things? do hijab and the ohter stuf lock their private parts, so no one could rape them? NO

Ana majnoon, men DO have the right to beat women (Q 4:34) Does that sound equality to you?

Answer 1

Its not equal. Men can also divorce their women by saying so, and men can marry up to four wives, and men don't have to wear those horrible burqas and cover themselves so badly. I'm not sure how anyone can call that equal. Of course, the Catholic Church doesn't treat women equally either, and suspect the problem is in the religious mind.

Answer 2

If a Muslim women marries a non-Muslim man, she will take on his last name, and there is a good possibility the children will not grow up Muslim. However, if a man marries a Christian or a Jew, it is his responsibility to make sure the kids are Muslim, and his last name is passed on to the children. Also, it is the man's job to support and provide for his family; the wife does not have to do any of this, for it is not her job. So if she does happen to make money, she gets to keep every bit of it, as she is not obliged to make money. She could stay home all day if she wanted. On the other hand, if a Muslim woman had a non-Muslim husband, he could be earning his money in unislamic ways, such as gambling, scamming, owning a haram business, etc. Men and women are indeed equal in Islam. There is much more to this, but I answered this question so many times its mind-boggling, so I'll star it instead :\ Oh, and, before making such assumptions, take a look at the Bible, and then tell me men and women are equal. Thanks.


Maggie May:

WRONG. Everything you said actually. If that was true that we Muslims are told to destroy non-Muslims, why are you answering this question and not fleeing for your life? That's not even true. Muslims are not ordered to kill non-Muslims UNLESS they attack us first. So don't go and give me some out-of-context verses frrom the Qu'ran claiming otherwise. We are told to only act in self-defense, and never take the initiative unless absolutely necessary, and NEVER to kill innocent lives at all. Meh, ignorance is everywhere, and is certainly not bliss...


Luke Skywalker:

Men are not required to grow a beard. Bu they do have a form of hijab as well. They must be covered from their navel to their knees. And yes, men can have up to four wives, which is uncommon. But the husband MUST treat all wives equally financially and emotionally and cannot favor one over another. This is why it can be very difficult, and most Muslim men do not choose to be polygamous. One man can make four women pregnant, but a women can only be pregnant once at a time, thus it would be illogical for a woman to have more than one husband.


No, a Muslim man cannot control his mother. He can look after and protect his mother and sister, but not force them to do anything, for it is Allah (God) who will judge them.

How come when a non-Muslim father "controls" his daughter, he is considered a good, caring and loving parent who is just looking out for his daughter, but when a Muslim father "controls" his daughter, it is considered abusive, forceful, and oppressive? Why is there a double standard? Ignorance and bias come well into play there.


EDIT:

Forcing women to do things was introduced by the TALIBAN, and NOT by Islam. It is unislamic in every way. And, when the Qu'ran says to beat your wife, it means to tap them. Yes, I'm not joking, it is a tap to remind them of what they are doing wrong. Unfortunately, some Muslims take this too far. But just know that what hey are doing is unislamic.

Answer 3

I've read the Qur'an and have studied Islam for the better part of the last year and here's some broad observations I've made:

Men are separated from women and children during at Masjid (Mosques).

According to their belief, men are required to grow beards as their form of hijab. Women are required to cover their heads and most of their bodies.

Men can marry, not only a Christian or Jewish woman, but also have up to 4 wives. Women can only have 1 husband.

Answer 4

Ok first the reason a Muslim man can marry a Jewish or Christan woman is if there are no Muslim women to marry and because they are people of the book. Muslim women can't marry non Muslims because they may be prevented from practicing their religion and they could be forced to leave Islam. Also the children won't be raised Muslim and the children are born Muslim and follow the religion of their father. Also it is required in Islam for women to wear hijab, Abaya, and Niqab. It is in the Qur'an and a strong Hadeeth that the believing Muslim women must cover everything except the eyes. This is from ALLAH(SWT) to protect the women because women can't protect themselves and need protection from themselves and from the world. The women are naturally physically weak and don't have the strength to protect themselves. This is also from ALLAH(SWT) because ALLAH(SWT) knows that the women are vulnerable outside if they are alone and they could be raped or killed or kidnapped. Also women are allowed to choose their own marriage parnter.

Answer 5

1st of all you don't know what you are talking about. muslim men are NOT allowed to force their daughters to marry certain men. some do because of their culture and it was like that before islam. and a muslim woman is not supposed to marry a jewish or christian man becuase the inheritance is w/ the man and the wife and children inherit fro mteh husband. and their are certain rights that a muslim woman has over a muslim man and if she isn't married to a muslim man then she doesn't have those rights. but have have to do many things for their wives. the woman doesn't really have to do anything. and there are many women who aren't muslim who were hijab. nuns do and they are equal. muslim women have more freedom than men, becasue the man has to work, support his wife and any children he may have and his parents when they get old and the woman doesn't have to do any of that. she can work if she wants but her husband can't make her use it for anything, she can do whatever she wats w/ the money. and what the hell is a burqa? i would like for one of you none muslims to tell what it is since you all know so much about it. and i am muslim and i feel very free. becuase at the masjid men can only go to one part the men's side, but women can go wherever they want and i do, but men aren't allowed on the women's side. men have less freedom in islam than women. and there are women in the middle east who wear hijab and jilbab who aren't muslim they are christian.

edit:
look i don't know what your problem is, but you don't know what you are talking about. men are NOT allowed to hit women. i know what iyah you are sighting and many people sight this and they are WRONG. because there is word in there, i can't remeber it, but some translate it as hit, but that isn't what it means in context. that is talking about keeping your wife from doing bad. but you are just hateful so i'm not going to waste anymore of my time trying to correct you and your lies

Answer 6

it's all about earning money.
in all the other religions they see the man as the one who have job so the Islam says that the money Christian or Jew men earns is not good for example by gambling or work as a butcher of pork.
so that's why Muslim woman may not marry a Christian or Jew man. or the man must convert the Islam.

Answer 7

usually, a man is the head of a household. Imagine how har dit would be for a woman trying to practise Islam (wear the hijab, pray 5 times a day, only eat halal food, etc) and he hubby doesn't want her to -- it would drive a huge wedge in the marriage and it could easily end. It can be harder for a woman to recover from a divorce as well (she usually has the kids, etc), so I think there is a wisdom in it personally.

Answer 8

that's not true, it's just the traditions. "wadrebuhonna" in Koran doesn't mean beat, it means stop giving them money when they stop doing there share of marriage life. came from "idrab": striking. also the traditions made a mistake here. if a man hit his woman she should be allowed by the judge to hit him, an eye for an eye. unfortunately many Muslims follow traditions instead of pure Islam.

Answer 9

this is just one thing muslims can not explain,when asked why your men marry jews & christians women they respond because they have holy books,when asked why do not you allow your women to marry jews & christians men their answer is because they are infidels.they always interpret things in one side according to how they could get benefits

Answer 10

Why do only Christian women get pregnant after a night out with a Christian man? That doesn't seem "equality" to me either.