"Prior to Islam," write the authors of Cultural Atlas of Islam, "a woman was regarded by her parents as a threat to family honor and hence worthy of burial alive at infancy. Before Islam, the birth of a female child was regarded as a great misfortune and a shame, and fathers buried them alive: "When news is brought to one of them of (the birth) of a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inner grief. With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had. ." (The Qur’an: 16:58-59). Islam made this primal injustice a case for the highest court when on the Day of Judgment "the female (infant) buried alive, will be asked for what crime she was killed." (The Qur’an: 81:8-9).

From this position of inferiority and legal incapacity, Islam raised women to a position of influence and prestige in family and society." For women, Islam is a special blessing; and the Prophet of Islam is indeed the greatest single benefactor of womenfolk. In a world where woman was no more than an object of sexual gratification for men, and at a time when the religious circles argued over whether woman was human or not, with a soul of her own, Islam proclaimed, "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female." (The Qur’an 49:13).

Islam elevated the position of woman in society and treated her on an equal footing with man. "men and women are of the same family, and as such have similar rights and duties, and their Lord promises them "Never will I waste the work of a worker among you, whether male or female, the one of you being from the other." (The Qur’an 3:195). In some cases, as a mother for instance, clearly gave her precedence over man. Thus when a man asked the Prophet (pbuh) "Who is most entitled to be treated with the best companionship by me?" the Prophet (pbuh) told him "Your mother." The man asked, "Who is next?" The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Your mother." Again the man asked, "Who is next?" The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Your mother." The man asked for a fourth time, "Who is next?" The Prophet (pbuh) said "Your father." (Bukhari). In the transformed Islamic society, to have a daughter was no longer a stigma or a matter of shame but a source of perpetual blessing and a means of winning Allah’s pleasure. The Prophet (pbuh) said: "If anyone cares for three daughters, disciplines them, marries them and is kind to them, he will go to Paradise." (Abu Dawud).

. In Islam, a woman regardless of her marital status is fully capable of owning, buying, selling and inheritance. "Unto the women of a family belongs a share of that which parents and near kindred leave whether it be a little or much, a legal share." (The Qur’an, 4:7)As a legal entity, her marriage is not possible without her consent, and where a genuine case is present she can even divorce her husband. The Muslim women were equal partners with men in all spheres of life. The most important function of the Muslim community as described in the Qur’an is "enjoining good and prohibiting evil" in which women stand side by side with men: "The believers, men and women, are protectors, one of another. They enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil. They observe regular prayers, practice regular charity and obey Allah and His messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy, for Allah is exalted in power, wise. Allah has promised to believers, men and women, Gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in Gardens of everlasting bliss." (The Qur’an 9:72) Knowledge, which is the basis of all progress and advancement, is compulsory on all Muslim men and women. So when a lady asked the Prophet (pbuh), "Messenger of Allah, men have monopoly of all of what you say. Appoint for us a day on which you may teach us of what Allah has taught you," he appointed a time and place for them separately and he would go and teach them.

"Prior to Islam," write the authors of Cultural Atlas of Islam, "a woman was regarded by her parents as a threat to family honor and hence worthy of burial alive at infancy. Before Islam, the birth of a female child was regarded as a great misfortune and a shame, and fathers buried them alive: "When news is brought to one of them of (the birth) of a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inner grief. With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had. ." (The Qur’an: 16:58-59). Islam made this primal injustice a case for the highest court when on the Day of Judgment "the female (infant) buried alive, will be asked for what crime she was killed." (The Qur’an: 81:8-9).

From this position of inferiority and legal incapacity, Islam raised women to a position of influence and prestige in family and society." For women, Islam is a special blessing; and the Prophet of Islam is indeed the greatest single benefactor of womenfolk. In a world where woman was no more than an object of sexual gratification for men, and at a time when the religious circles argued over whether woman was human or not, with a soul of her own, Islam proclaimed, "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female." (The Qur’an 49:13).

Islam elevated the position of woman in society and treated her on an equal footing with man. "men and women are of the same family, and as such have similar rights and duties, and their Lord promises them "Never will I waste the work of a worker among you, whether male or female, the one of you being from the other." (The Qur’an 3:195). In some cases, as a mother for instance, clearly gave her precedence over man. Thus when a man asked the Prophet (pbuh) "Who is most entitled to be treated with the best companionship by me?" the Prophet (pbuh) told him "Your mother." The man asked, "Who is next?" The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Your mother." Again the man asked, "Who is next?" The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Your mother." The man asked for a fourth time, "Who is next?" The Prophet (pbuh) said "Your father." (Bukhari). In the transformed Islamic society, to have a daughter was no longer a stigma or a matter of shame but a source of perpetual blessing and a means of winning Allah’s pleasure. The Prophet (pbuh) said: "If anyone cares for three daughters, disciplines them, marries them and is kind to them, he will go to Paradise." (Abu Dawud).

. In Islam, a woman regardless of her marital status is fully capable of owning, buying, selling and inheritance. "Unto the women of a family belongs a share of that which parents and near kindred leave whether it be a little or much, a legal share." (The Qur’an, 4:7)As a legal entity, her marriage is not possible without her consent, and where a genuine case is present she can even divorce her husband. The Muslim women were equal partners with men in all spheres of life. The most important function of the Muslim community as described in the Qur’an is "enjoining good and prohibiting evil" in which women stand side by side with men: "The believers, men and women, are protectors, one of another. They enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil. They observe regular prayers, practice regular charity and obey Allah and His messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy, for Allah is exalted in power, wise. Allah has promised to believers, men and women, Gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in Gardens of everlasting bliss." (The Qur’an 9:72) Knowledge, which is the basis of all progress and advancement, is compulsory on all Muslim men and women. So when a lady asked the Prophet (pbuh), "Messenger of Allah, men have monopoly of all of what you say. Appoint for us a day on which you may teach us of what Allah has taught you," he appointed a time and place for them separately and he would go and teach them.