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certain religious duties such as prayers and fasting during menstruation
and childbirth. She is also exempted from the obligatory congregational
prayer on Friday which would entail her leaving the protection of her
house which she might be unwilling
to do, however. she was perfectly
entitled to attend if she wished. Both are enjoinedto worship Allah
through these religious duties and accordingly to be submitted to the
same reward or punishment, as the Qurlan says:
And it says also -
"And their Lord hath accepted of them, and answered
them : Never will I suffer to be lost the work of
any of you. be he male or female: you are members,
one of another. " 1
"Who ever works righteousness man or woman. and has
faith, verily, to him will we give a new life, a
life that is good and pure; and we will bestow on such
their reward according to the best of their actions. * 2
Thus, there is in the Qurlan a clear understanding that religious
obligations are equally binding on either sex. This also extends to
the social restrictions laid down by Islam, concerned with behaving with
modesty in public. The rules about modesty apply equally to men and
women. About this, the Qurlan says:
"Say to the believing men that they should lower their
gaze and guard their modesty : that will make for
greater purity in them : And God is well acquainted
with all that they do. And say to the believing
woman that they should lower their gaze and guard their
modesty. " 3
In Islamic Law, both sexes are equal, the same legal penalties
being imposed on both men and women for breaking any moral or legal
laws. The Qurlan for instance , -states:
1, Q. 3.195
2. Q. 16.97
3, Q. 24,30 and 31
4, Q. 24.2
"The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication
flog each of them with a hundred stripes. Let not
compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed
by God, if ye believe in God and the last day : And let a
party of believers witness their punishment. " 4
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