Is Islam in Favor of Female Education Or Against It?

Oppressed, subjugated, and inferior are the words that jolt one’s nerves when it comes to knowing the stature of women in Islam. Islam the religion of peace emphasizes keenly upon the acquisition of knowledge by abandoning gender discrimination. The daily reporting of banning women from education, casting votes, and school demolishing is a cultural perspective by some of the Islamic pseudo pundits who not at all represent Islam and Quran in many of their pursuit.

Western media has considered Taliban the epitome for Islamic representations and put every nitty-gritty detail as Quran and Allah’s commandments. These stereotypes have no concrete ground but are fluke rhymes that have associated with religion Islam by West and its media tarred every Muslim with the same brush. In sight of Allah, men and women both are equal as He says in divine Quran that elaborated the equality of males and females:

“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” [Quran 49:13]

Islam and Education for Women

Education is one important edifice on which religion Islam has raised. The religion of peace has flourished back in 7^th century because of knowledge. Allah has asked His worshippers to seek knowledge regardless of gender. There was a time of Jahiliya when women were the oppressed entity and were buried alive but Islam rejects that facade of ignorance by elevating the rituals bound to women and honored them with unprecedented rights. Islam granted them with the rights to knowledge acquisition, marrying someone of their choice, retaining their identity after marriage, rights to vote, divorce, owning property and civil/political engagements.

The Seeker and Oblivion are Not Same:

The significance and importance of education for women can be gauged from the verse of Quran in which Allah has unveiled clearly that the seeker of knowledge and the one who is oblivion are not on the same page in His sight. Pertaining to this Ayyah of Nobel Quran how can Islam ban women education or can be against of it?

“….Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding.” [Quran 39:9]

Excerpts From the Era of Muhammad (PBUH)

There are few excerpts from the era of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which shed light upon the importance of women education and refute the fake atrocities of Taliban, who are constantly rendering the image for rest of the world.

1. The first verse that had been revealed upon Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was regarding “Knowledge” which explicitly did not mean only “male knowledge.” After the death of Muhammad Hazrat Aisha (RA) was the mere source as knowledge portal. Men and women traveled in Arab peninsula to learn from her, as she was connoisseur and had information regarding all doctrines.

2. The following Hadith is the best proof that alone is suffice to perish the dogmas that mark Islam as conservative religion for females.

“Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ashari: The Prophet said, “He who has a slave-girl and teaches her good manners and improves her education and then manumits and marries her, will get a double reward; and any slave who observes Allah’s right and his master’s right will get a double reward.” [Sahih Bukhari]

3. Once the Arab women said to the Prophet (PBUH) that men are ahead of them in everything in response to which the prophet asked them to acquire knowledge as quoted in Hadith:

“Women said to the Holy Prophet (PBUH): ‘men have gone ahead of us (in terms of acquisition of knowledge). Therefore, appoint a special day for our benefit as well.’ The Holy Prophet (PBUH) fixed one day for them. He (PBUH) would meet them on that day, advise them and educate them about commandments of ALLAH Almighty. [Sahih Bukhari]

Excerpts from Modern World

Muslim society even negates all the stereotypes that has chained with religion Islam being against women education. The Taliban dominated society i.e. Afghanistan has women captain pilot who has defused the pigeonholes. The Muslim dominating society have half the population comprise of women and all are in the top fields be engineering, Arm core, medical which prevail the neutral image of Islam that Islam the only acceptable religion is in favor of women education. Women education is of high importance because she is the first institution to impart education to her kids onwards making them the best for the society.

Surmising that religion Islam has always been in favor of female education and all those who are saying that it has barricaded women from education acquisition are lurking in the lost labyrinth to which there exist no light at the end of tunnel except for contemplating the Quran teachings to revive their mindset as narrated in Hadith that:

 “Allah Almighty makes the path to paradise easier for him who walks on it for getting Education.” [Sahih Muslim]