WOMEN IN ISLAM

PRE-ISLAMIC WOMEN: 

Islam is the religion which provided women their due rights 1400 years ago. Back in history, in Babylonian civilization, when a man committed murder instead of him being punished his wife was  put to death. In Greek civilization, they had a mythological creature who was a woman named 'Pandora', she was the cause for misfortune and evil in society. When Roman civilization was at its peak, man was even permitted to kill his wife. Egyptian civilization considered women as a sign of the devil. When we read the Arab civilization before Islam, when baby girls were born they were buried alive. 

Before coming to my topic I would like to clarify a misconception. One who wants to see the status of a woman in Islam should see the authentic sources for it which are Quran and Hadith. Judging  the status of women in Islam on the bases of what Muslims do or not do to their women is wrong. Islam is second most followed religion in the world, about 2 billion people are Muslims. Some are strong followers of Islam while others are not. Their opinions may contradict while the Quranic verses will never.

WOMEN IN ISLAM VS WOMEN IN OTHER RELIGIONS:

You might have thought why I don't say 'Feminism in Islam'. I do not say it because their is no such thing in Islam. Being a Muslim is enough so I don't need to be a feminist because my religion already has given me more than enough which a feminist demands.

Coming to the topic, starting from the very beginning; Many of us think Eve was the one who made Adam disobey the god and it is also mentioned in bible (book of genesis chapter 3). But Quran held them both the responsible while in surah al-Ta Ha chapter 20 verse 121 there is mentioned that Adam disobeyed god. But there is no verse which blames Eve exclusively for their act.
According to the Bible pregnancy is a curse for a woman while Quran praise the women because of pregnancy. Surah-al-Nisa chapter 4 verse 1 " Respect the woman who born you". While in surah-al-Luqman it is mentioned that obey your parents and specially mother as she born you in pain. For Allah both men and women are equal in every aspect of life. Equality does not mean "Identicality". As men and women are different biologically, so are their roles different but it never means that Men are superior to Women. The only thing which matters and which uplifts one individual over another is "Taqwah" (fear of god).
In Islam female is economically more secured than the Western world. Islam gave female these rights 1300 years back even before the west. In Islam women, whether unmarried or married, are free to have their own property. Hazrat khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) is the best example for it. While in west there was law according to which women when get married will transfer her belongings and property to her husband until 1870. In 1870 there came an act which allowed women in west to have property of their own even after marriage. So Islam gave woman the right to own or disown property 1300 years before the westerners.

PRIVILEGES OF BEING A MUSLIMAH:

A woman is secured financially in Islam. Before marriage, her living is the duty of her father and brother. After marriage it becomes the duty of her husband and son. But if she herself wants to work, there is no verse in the Quran which prohibit her unless and until she maintains hijab and her modesty and be pious according to the will of Allah. Fatima-al-Fihri (7th CE) is the best example for working woman in Islam. She was the first person to open up a formal university which gave out degrees.

Here I realize that Islam treat woman as some royal being. She need not to work for a living because this is not her job but if she wants she can definitely go for it. Another favour for woman is that if she is earning she need not to spend it on her family. Her earnings are only hers while his earnings are for all the family. If she want to take part in finance of family she can but she is not forced to.
In Islam Mehr (marital gift) is compulsary. Even in marriage, woman is on the receiving end. Dowry is not a thing in Islam, it is only in subcontinent culture.
Women also have her share in the property of her family. The question here must be that why she inherit half of the share of her brother? Because man is the person who takes the financial burden. He inherits money or property and spend it back on his family while a woman inherits half but keeps all of it because it is not her duty to spend. So for me, taking less and not spending 90% of it on others is better! 
I hope, after reading this, I would have made you realized that Islam is not a primitive religion which subjugates women but it is the most suitable religion for human nature and the most modern one.