A Comparison of Women in the Qur’an and the Bible

Christians claim that the current equality of women now enjoyed by Christian women came from the Bible, and that Islam is cruel towards women. Below are the comparisons of issues on women between the Bible and the Qur’an I leave it to you to decide which Book is the one which truly gives freedom to women and elevate their status and which Book is the hypocritical one.

1. The Bible convicts women as the original sinners (i.e. Eve picking from the forbidden tree) (Genesis 2:4-3:24)

The Qur’an clarifies that it was both Adam and Eve at fault, equally. For example, in Sura’ al-Baqarah, Allaah says:

“fa azallaHUMAA ash-shayTaan..” meaning “And Satan caused them (DUAL) to err..”

The same is found in Qur’an 7:19-25 wherein it says:

“fa-waswasa laHUMAA ash-shayTaan..” meaning “So Satan whispered to them (DUAL)”.

Both the man and woman were equally to blame. Thus, in Islam there is equity in rights as well as blame.

2. The Bible says “the birth of a daughter is a loss”. (Ecclesiasticus 22:3)
The Qur’an says both are an equal blessing (Qur’an 42:49)

3. The Bible forbids women from speaking in church (I Corinthians 14:34-35)
The Qur’an says women can argue with the Prophet (Qur’an 58:1)

4. In the Bible, divorced Women are labeled as an adulteress, not men (Matthew 5:31-32)
The Qur’an does not have Biblical double standards (Qur’an 30:21)

5. In the Bible, widows and sisters do not inherit any property or wealth, only men do (Numbers 27:1-11)
The Qur’an abolished this male greediness (Qur’an 4:22) and God protects all.

6. The Bible allows multiple wives. (I Kings 11:3)
In the Qur’an God limits the number to 4 only under certain situations (with the wife’s permission) and prefers that you marry only one wife (Qur’an 4:3). The Qur’an gives the woman the right to choose who to marry.

NOTE: Nowhere in the Bible does it forbid polygamy, or says that the male must marry one woman. Single marriage is a Greco-Roman tradition – one of the many influences on the true teachings of Jesus. Jesus lived for 33 years among a nation that practiced polygamy and he never prohibited, nor even ever talked about it in his teachings.

7. “If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives” (Deuteronomy 22:28-30)

One must ask a simple question here, who is really punished, the man who raped the woman or the woman who was raped? According to the Bible, you have to spend the rest of your life with the man who raped you, and therefore had obviously low morals.

However, even before the marriage women in Islam are given right to choose their husband, and they can even reject if they are forced to marry somebody. In a hadith narrated by Aisha’, the Prophet said, “It is essential to have the consent of a virgin (for the marriage)”.

Other similar hadith are as follows:

Narrated Abu Hurairah r.a, that the Prophet said, “A divorcee cannot be forced to marry before she agrees, and a virgin cannot be forced to marry before her permission is obtained. The Sahaba’ asked “How can we obtain her permission?” The Prophet said, “Her permission is when she keeps quiet.” (Muslim)

Ibn Abbas reported that a girl came to the Messenger of Allah Muhammad and she reported that her father had forced her to marry without her consent. The Messenger of Allah gave her the choice (between accepting the marriage and invalidating it). (Ibn Hanbal)

Would the Christian men reading this prefer the women they know to be Christian or Muslim?

8. The Bible also asks women to wear veils as in Islam (I Corinthians 11:3-10)

9. Women were given rights to vote less than a 100 years ago in the U.S. while the Qur’an gave women voting rights almost 1400 years ago.

In a hadith narrated by Abu Huraira, the Apostle of God said, “Treat women nicely, for a women is created from a rib, and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely.” (Sahih Bukhari)

And only God knows best! A Comparison of Women in the Qur'an and the Bible 1

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3 responses to “A Comparison of Women in the Qur’an and the Bible”

  1. John Avatar
    John

    Reply to Jesus_follower:

    >> First of all, this article is a non-fair comparison because you are really picking and choosing here.

    There is nothing more tragic and funny than a Christian complaining of Muslims (or followers of another religion) picking and choosing things out of context! Because you guys have been doing the same things against any other religion that you simply do not like to see it existing.

    >> first of all, the topic is a comparison between the Quran and the Bible, not bashing on the Bible.

    OK, agreed. But shadowfear didn’t try to bash your Bible! He was just quoting some verses from it. If you think it is unfair or bashing the Bible, then your Holy Book itself is to blame – not the one who quote it. Just another sad situation wherein Christians are on the horns of a dilemma. :)

    >> Second, everything in your post is from the Old Testament. If you have a problem with that, then talk to the Jews about it, and ask them why that happened in their Torah.

    BWAHahaha! What a nice answer! First of all, the Bible used by Jews is not Old Testament. The Jewish bible and Old Testament are two damn different books. Therefore, Jews are not to be interrogated.

    >> The old testament is not christian, it is simply there because it predicted the coming of Jesus, the Messaiah, so christians included it in their book.

    What a stupidity it is! If the old testament is not Christian, why did you accept the prediction of it that Jesus will come? Suppose, there was a scripture, which predicted like this:

    Oh people! There is no one to come to wash your sin especially the one named Jesus!

    Will you accept the prophecy of that scripture?!!! Don’t be such a lamer, man!!

    You have to believe in Old Testament to take its prophecy as valid and truth.

    >> we are called christians because we follow Jesus not Moses.

    Agreed! But who is Jesus? According to the Christian belief, Jesus is the God, the same God who gave scripture to Moses! That means everything in the Old Testament are the words of Jesus. How could you escape from this fact?

    Jesus said,

    “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law (the Old Testament) or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17-18

    “For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven”- (Luke 16:17 & Matthew 5:18-19)

    You see! Jesus himself is against Christians!

    >> The Bible does not allow Polygmy, and this is the biggest lie in the world. The church never ever practiced polygmy and never allowed it.

    That is why the Bible teaches the following lesson:

    But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. (I Kings 11:1-3)

    >> the Quran allows men, not only to have four wives, but to have sex with their captives which is very very shameful of a book that claims to be directly from GOD.

    This is what Qur’an says about polygamy:

    If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, Marry women of your choice, Two or three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice. (Al-Qur’an 4:3)

    Yes, Qur’an allows men to marry captives. See what Qur’an has to say about this subject:

    If any of you have not the means wherewith to wed free believing women, they may wed believing girls from among those whom your right hands possess: And Allah hath full knowledge about your faith. Ye are one from another: Wed them with the leave of their owners, and give them their dowers, according to what is reasonable: They should be chaste, not lustful, nor taking paramours: when they are taken in wedlock, if they fall into shame, their punishment is half that for free women. This (permission) is for those among you who fear sin; but it is better for you that ye practise self-restraint. And Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. (Al-Nisa’ 4-25)

    >> Also women have no security for their marraiges. Divorce is Halal (permitted by allah)

    And give the women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift; but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, Take it and enjoy it with right good cheer. (Qur’an 4:4)

    Yes, divorce is Halal. Because, if a couple could not live together in any circumstances, it is better to get them divorced. That is practical. Else, it will be a terrible life for both of them. Allah knows it better! He created all of us from nothing. So who else could know and understand us better?!!

    When ye divorce women, and they fulfil the term of their (‘Iddat), either take them back on equitable terms or set them free on equitable terms; but do not take them back to injure them.(Al-Qur’an 2:231)

    Women have the right to get a fair share of the wealth of their husband if they get divorced.

    For divorced women Maintenance (should be provided) on a reasonable (scale). This is a duty on the righteous. – 2:241

    O ye who believe! When ye marry believing women, and then divorce them before ye have touched them, no period of ‘Iddat have ye to count in respect of them: so give them a present. And set them free in a handsome manner. – 33:49

    >> and muslims take advantage of that all the time. for example, Osama Bin laden’s father married 20 wives in his life time!!

    In this whole world, this poor guy know only one ‘Muslim’ that is Osama Bin laden’s father!!

    It is not fair to call someone Muslim who did all things that Islam does not allow, as it is not fair to call someone Christian who allows his wife to gain knowledge from someone other than him. (Christianity does not allow women to gain knowledge from any other source except her husband. If her husband is a dumb, stupid person, she has no way before her!!)

    >> Next, women in Islam are “allowed to choose their husband” you said, and that is simply not true. For a very long time and still until now in many Islamic countries, the women are simply sold to their husband, and still until today. I am sure you have heard of al-maher, which is money that is given to the father of the bride for the marriage to take place. this happens in all islamic coutries. Also, the woman, in most cases, does not see her husband until the day she marries him.

    In many Christian majority countries, Christians kill people, rape women, loot people and so on. Many Christians in Africa’s poor stricken countries steal money and food. They sometimes also kill their children. In many third world countries, Christians kill their baby girls because they could not afford to bring them up.

    Tit for tat! :)

    >> In the christian countries however is where women truely get their rights.

    How many christian countries are there? I think no more than ONE! – Vatican. So your statement should be : ” In the christian majority countries however is where women truely get their rights.”

    That is true. Because those Christians do not obey, what their religion imposes on them. They flushed the Biblical laws. That is why the women in those countries get their rights. Likewise, in some Muslim majority countries, Muslims are not ready to obey the Islamic laws, so their women do not get their rights.

    Islam has historic back up in its struggle to give equal rights, giving inheritance, education and all kinds of privileges to women. Christianity has its own history of denying all of these rights of women.

    Reply
  2. Jesus_follower Avatar
    Jesus_follower

    reply to shadowofears:

    First of all, this article is a non-fair comparison because you are really picking and choosing here. if you want to see how islam really treats women then click on the THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN ISLAM link (this link is found on this very same page, I am sure you can find it) and you will see my comment on the bottom of the page on how Islam really treats women.

    To reply to shadowofears, first of all, the topic is a comparison between the Quran and the Bible, not bashing on the Bible. Second, everything in your post is from the old testament. if you have a problem with that, then talk to the Jews about it, and ask them why that happened in their Torah. The old testament is not christian, it is simply there because it predicted the coming of Jesus, the Messaiah, so christians included it in their book. I am a born christian and went to Bible studies for years when I was a kid and a grown-up, and we never ever studied the old testament because it is not christian. we are called christians because we follow Jesus not Moses.

    Now, for the article, I want to ask the author, in what islamic country women were voting 1400 years ago? the free world has just started about 100 years ago, and women were allowed to vote in it (USA, Britian, and others). How many Islamic coutnries right now do allow women to vote? or how many islamic coutnries even have voting at all? not many, and the countries that have voting are basically ruled by dictators where the votes are not really counted. examples of that is countries like Syria, Egypt. Dictators there have been ruling for over 30 years, and when voting comes around, nobody dares nominating themselves to run for presidency.

    The Bible does not allow Polygmy, and this is the biggest lie in the world. The church never ever practiced polygmy and never allowed it. Plus, where in the Quran does it say that Polygmy is allowed when the “wife allows it” as you said. I can read arabic very well, and I know that no where in the Quran it says that, so please don’t make stuff up, and please don’t lie to the people. the Quran does not say that men could practice polygmy if “women allowed it”. On the contrary, the Quran allows men, not only to have four wives, but to have sex with their captives which is very very shameful of a book that claims to be directly from GOD. Also women have no security for their marraiges. Divorce is Halal (permitted by allah), and muslims take advantage of that all the time. for example, Osama Bin laden’s father married 20 wives in his life time!!

    Next, women in Islam are “allowed to choose their husband” you said, and that is simply not true. For a very long time and still until now in many Islamic countries, the women are simply sold to their husband, and still until today. I am sure you have heard of al-maher, which is money that is given to the father of the bride for the marriage to take place. this happens in all islamic coutries. Also, the woman, in most cases, does not see her husband until the day she marries him.

    This aritcle is so far beyond reality that I should not even attempt to answer it. I can bet you anything that I can provide you with strong contrary examples to everything you are trying to give women. In the christian countries however is where women truely get their rights, and like I said, your bashing on the Bible is mostly on the Old Testament which is not christian (do you get it that the word christian comes from christ -> new testament).

    Reply
  3. shadowofears Avatar
    shadowofears

    Let us look at Song of Solomon 8:10 “Dear brothers, I’m a walled-in virgin still, but my breasts are full— And when my lover sees me, he knows he’ll soon be satisfied.”

    She is a virgin with full swelling breasts. When her lover meets her, he will be satisfied from those swelling breasts! Obviously, she is referring to licking, sucking and other pornographic things that I can’t mention here. Believe me this verse is not talking about them worshiping GOD Almighty together when they meet!! It is clearly and indisputably referring to graphic sex that involves her swelling breasts and other things such as intercourse.

    Let us look at Song of Songs 4:5 “Your two breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies.”

    Let us look at Song of Songs 1:13 “My lover is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.”

    Praising the bed that they had sex on: Let us look at Song of Songs 1:16 “How handsome you are, my lover! Oh, how charming! And our bed is verdant”

    Let us look at Song of Songs 1:2-4 “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth– for your love is more delightful than wine. Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens love you! Take me away with you–let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers. We rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love (i.e., semen) more than wine. How right they are to adore you!” I don’t think this would be appropriate for a kid under 18 to read. Also, I don’t think it is appropriate to have such open sexuality in a divine book anyway.

    His right arm sexually feeling her body: Let us look at Song of Songs 2:6 “His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.”

    Let us look at Song of Songs 3:4 “Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the room of the one who conceived me.” So in other words, she was not married to him, and when she found him, she took him back to her bed room to have illegal sex with him? If she were married to him, she wouldn’t take him to her “mother’s house”. She would take him to their house.

    Let us look at Song of Songs 3:10 “Its posts he made of silver, its base of gold. Its seat was upholstered with purple, its interior lovingly inlaid by the daughters of Jerusalem.” Why does the Bible teach young men to spend all of their time and effort to try to impress all of the girls in their town so they can possibly end in bed with them?

    Reply

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