An Example of Noble Character

WOMAN AND MAN According to Islam, women and men are equally deserving of respect and dignity. In the Quran, it is stated: “I will deny no man or woman among you the reward of their labours. You are members one of another.” (3:195) In a hadith, it is reported that the Prophet of Islam was once asked a question about ritual purity concerning men. After he explained the matter, a woman asked: “If the same happens to a woman, is she also required to bathe?” He replied: “Yes, women are the counterparts of men.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith No. 236) The Arabic word used in the hadith to express the equality of women and men is “shaqa’iq”—the plural of shaqiq or shaqiqah—which means one of two equal halves split from a whole. That is why, in Arabic, a brother is called shaqiq and a sister is shaqiqah. The most accurate understanding of this hadith is that women are the other half of men. In other words, a woman is man’s essential companion in life, and likewise, a man is the life companion of a woman. Both are equal partners in their shared humanity. No single individual can possess all the desired qualities, so God has distributed human attributes between two beings. He placed nurturing and gentle qualities in women so they could be a source of comfort for men (Quran, 30:21), and placed strength and leadership qualities in men so that women could find security and trust in them (Quran, 4:34).