Harmony of Male and Female Roles Bring Completion 3:36

When she gave birth to her, she said, “My Lord, indeed, I have given birth to her, a female.” And Allah is knowledgeable of what she delivered, and the male is not like the female.

The inequities in society between men and women have prevailed for centuries due to a lack of understanding of the roles Allah has given the male and female in scripture. While Allah set apart these differences very clear in The Qur’an, people interpretations are often swayed by various influences and cultures.

When the wife of Imran gave birth to Mary, she was hoping to deliver a boy to work in the Temple for the service of Allah. But when she delivered, she was dismayed and apologetic but Allah knew best what she delivered. He had special plans in which He has honored both her daughter, (Mary) and her offspring (Jesus), to forever be remembered and preserved in history.

In The Qur’an, Allah tells us that He made both male and female from one soul and the male is not like the female; however, both are given the ability to have high intellect as thinkers. He further states that He has given the male more strength than the woman and they are to support them from their means. The weakness of the female inferred is relative to the physical anatomy. It is by no means an indication of less self-worth minimizing the role of the female in society. This is evident by the work performed in society by great thinking women in leadership positions, as well as the women who leave their homes daily to provide for their children in the absence of the men. So, when she goes to work to provide for her family, she should receive equal pay for the same work.

In this, the 21st Century, there is still very often a preference for a male child over a female and women throughout the world continue to experience oppression. Many businesses and governments still operate like “good ole boys clubs”, discriminating and excluding women from leadership positions. I liken this to discriminating against one’s own mother, who bore, nursed and taught him most of what he knows. How does he justify his superiority over her other than his strong muscular physique? With more inclusion of women, perhaps we will find greater harmony because Allah has given women the gentleness to help balance the ruggedness in the male.

We must accept the role that Allah has given each of us and understand that the roles of the male and the female are harmoniously different and not competitive. Our bodies are designed to perform specific work as deemed by our Creator to build and maintain human life. We both need to continue to develop our intellect and realize that it takes both sexes to perpetuate and sustain humanity. One cannot do it without the other. However, until the awakening of a better understanding, we must make sure our females are well educated and possess necessary skills in order to combat discrimination and oppression in a world that has diminished their value.