Pathway to Paradise — Page 32
PATH WAY TO PARADISE 32 of Allah be on him), as he himself carried out the commands of Allah and treated women with great honor, kindness and dignity. SPIRITUAL STATUS OF MUSLIM WOMEN The most important change that Islam brought for women was to raise their spiritual status. Allah has clearly declared in the Holy Qur’an that woman has a soul, that she has the same spiritual capacity as man, and that she can attain equal spiritual reward s by her own efforts. The Holy Qur’an says: “But whoso does good works, whether male or female, and is a believer, such shall enter heaven…” (4:125) The Holy Qur’an is unique amongst all scriptures in that it repeatedly emphasizes this equality by addressing both men and women in many verses. It leaves no doubt as to the spiritual level of women. It says: “Surely the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obedient men and the obedient women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the humble men and the humble women, and the almsgiving men an d the almsgiving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their chastity and the women who guard their chastity, and the men who praise God and the women who praise God, Allah has prepared for all of them forgiveness and a mi ghty reward. ” (33:36)