Respect for Women

There's one whole chapter dedicated to women with the title "the Women" (Chapter 4) in the Noble Quran. Apart from that a whole Chapter is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus peace and blessings of Allah be upon them both (Chapter 19). Also throughout the Quran in various places Allah tells us about being kind to parents, especially the mothers as they bore us with pain upon pain. 

Allah tells the believing men to take care of their wives and treat them with kindness, generosity and justice. 

Some verses of the Quran were revealed in defense of the mother of the believers Ayisha may Allah be pleased with her ( Chapter 24) and in clarifying a matter related to another woman who wanted to have a divorce with her husband (Chapter 58). 

Allah describes the distribution of inheritance at length in Chapter 4 An Nisa (the women) and commands the believers to give each person his or her due share (Verses 11 and 12).

As concerning the dower (Mahr) of the women, Allah says:

"And give the women (on marriage) their dower as an obligation; but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it and enjoy it with right and good cheer." Chapter 4 verse 4

In unfortunate circumstances when the marriage becomes too difficult to carry forward for a woman Allah has allowed her to seek some settlement.

In Chapter 4, verse 28, it reads:

"If a wife fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part, there is no blame on them if they arrange an amicable settlement between themselves; And such settlement is best; Even though men's souls are swayed by greed. But if ye do good and practise self restraint, Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do."

Allah is the Judge and His decisions are based on Justice. He likes His slaves to do justice to themselves as well as others. Through His Speech in the form of the Noble Quran He has commanded the believers to be the upholders of Justice at every point in life. He commands His Messenger Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him to 

Say: "My Lord hath commanded Justice; and that ye set your whole selves to Him at every time and place of prayer and call upon Him making your devotion sincere such as He created you in the beginning so shall ye return." 

This command comes in Chapter 7 Al Aaraaf (the heights) in verse 29.

If one goes through the Quran and understands its meanings then it will not be difficult to know how Allah has touched upon each matter related to women and clarified the course of action by those who deal with women whether they are parents, children, husbands, guardians, people in the society, judges, other women and the women themselves.

A good son respects his mother and reveres her to fulfill his obligation and duty as a son and most importantly to fulfill the command of his Creator. 

A good husband treats his wife with love, kindness, care and respect and gives importance to her likes and dislikes and feelings. He is not harsh on her and treats her as his own part. He fulfills his duty as a good husband and does not make his wife feel as if she is just the maid in the house. He encourages her to seek knowledge and grow her skills and creativity as an individual.

A good man who is part of the society treats, even those women who are unrelated to him, with utmost respect and does not trespass their boundaries of modesty. He considers them like his sisters who also move about in the society and want an environment of safety and freedom to go out in the world to seek knowledge and to contribute in the buiding of a healthy and prosperous society. 

When the women in the society will be treated well the society will become a better place for all.