is. In short, the Judeo-Christian concept of women has been tainted by the sinful nature of the Biblical Eve.Now, if one looks at what the Koran says about women, one sees the different concept of women from the Judeo-Christian concept: Those who submit to God and accept the true faith; who are devout, sincere, patient, humble, charitable, and chaste; who fast and ever mindful of God-on these, both men and women, God will bestow forgiveness and a rich recompense.(33:35)The true believers, both men and women, are friends to one another. They enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil; they attend regular prayers, and render alms levy and obey God and his apostle.(9:71)Their Lord answers them, saying: “I will deny no man or woman among you the reward of their labors. You are the offspring of one another.”(3:195)Here, one sees the Koran establishes equality between men and women. They are both creatures of God, who have been placed here to worship God, to do righteous acts, and avoid evil. In addition, both will be assessed by God accordingly. The Koran never makes the woman out to be a deceiver by nature nor the devil’s access to man. The Koran never makes man the image of God, for all men and women are his creatures. A woman, according to the Koran, is not limited to her worth just being childbirth and she is required to do the same amount of good acts as any man. In addition, the Koran never says that no upright women ever existed. The difference between the Biblical and Koranic attitudes towards the female sex actually begins when a female is born. The Bible in Leviticus says that the period of the childbearing mother’s impurity is twice as long for the birth of a girl than a boy. The Apocrypha says the birth of a girl is a loss and is a painful burden, for a girl is a potential source of shame for her father. However, it then goes on to praise the birth of boys, saying, “He who educates his so...
