Role of Women in History

WOMEN IN HISTORY AND TODAY angel. He visits prophets: he came to Jesus and Moses.” Then, Khadijah went to another Christian called Addas. She put the same question to him, and he, too, told her that Gabriel was an angel of God, the very same who had been with Moses when God drowned the Pharaoh. He had also come to Jesus, and through him, God had helped Jesus. Then Khadijah hastened to Waraqah ibn Nawfal, a Christian convert who had translated part of the Bible into Arabic. When she finished telling him what Muhammad had seen and heard, Waraqah exclaimed, “Holy, holy! By the Master of my soul, if your report is true, O Khadijah, this must be the great spirit who spoke to Moses. This means that Muhammad must be the Prophet of this nation.” On a subsequent visit, Khadijah brought Muhammad to meet Waraqah ibn Nawfal. Muhammad related the events precisely as they had taken place, and when he had finished, Waraqah said, “By the Master of my soul, I swear that you are the same Prophet whose coming was foretold by Jesus, son of Mary.” But then Waraqah warned: “You will be denied, and you will be hurt. You will be abused, and you will be pursued.” He nevertheless immediately pledged himself to the Prophet: “If I should ever live to see that day, I should surely help you.” Thus, we can say that Islam does not hold women inferior to men. Islam considers men and women as equal in respect but different in role.