Women in the Quran are important characters and subjects of discussion included in the stories and morals taught in Islam. Most of the women in the Quran are represented as either mothers or wives of leaders or prophets. They retained a certain amount of autonomy from men in some respects; for example, the Quran describes women who converted to Islam before their husbands or women who took an independent oath of allegiance to Muhammad.
While the Quran does not name any woman except for Virgin Mary directly, women play a role in many of its stories. These stories have been subject to manipulation and rigid interpretation in both classical commentary and popular literature from patriarchal societies.Encyclopaedia of the Quran. Leiden: Brill, 2001. Print. The cultural norms existing within a patriarchy have shaped the way that these societies approached the text and created a pervading narrative that dictated the way future generations were set up to interpret these stories and the role of women within the Quran. Throughout history, different Islamic scriptural interpreters and lawmakers constantly reinterpreted the women presented in the Quran as a result of the dominating ideology and historical context of the time. In the wake of modernity and the rise of Islamic feminism, many scholars are looking back to the original text, reexamining the accepted classical interpretations of women, and reimagining women's role within the Quran.
Hawwa Eve (Hawwa), Adam's spouse, is mentioned in Q2:30-39; 7:11-25; 15:26–42; 17:61–65; 18:50–51; 20:110–124; and in verses 38:71–85, but the name "Eve" (Arabic: , Ḥawwā') is never revealed or used in the Quran. Eve is mentioned by name only in hadith.Beyond The Exotic: Women's Histories In Islamic Societies – Page 9, Amira El Azhary Sonbol – 2005 The Quranic narrative of Adam and Eve's creation and fall differs thematically from the more fleshed-out story in the Jewish and Christian traditions. Similar to the Christian and Jewish tale, Allah created Adam and Eve and a place for them to live, Paradise. However, in the Quran, Hawwa's role is minimal, as she is the accomplice to human sin rather than the instigator. It is Adam who is forewarned by Allah that Iblis, Satan, is their natural enemy and the threat to their removal from heaven.
The literal Quranic text in many ways removes the blame that is often placed upon Eve. Instead of being portrayed as the cause of Adam's fall, Eve is merely presented as equally compliant in the sin and then later, equally compliant in the punishment and atonement.Chand, M. (1991). Adam, Eve, & Satan in the Garden of Eden. The University of Singh Arts Research Journal, 30(1), 25–35. However early critical interpretation surrounding the creation and fall story was influenced heavily by the pervading Christian and Jewish notions of Eve.Pregill, M. (2008). Isra'iliyyat, myth and pseudepigraphy: Wabb b. Munabbih and the early Islamic versions of the fall of Adam and Eve. Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam, Therefore, early medieval interpretations focus on depicting Hawwa as morally and mentally compromised. As in the Christian and Jewish tradition, Hawwa is seen as the one who tempts the prophet Adam into sin. The early work of Hadith-based scholar al-Tabari in particular showcases many passages that claim women's menstruation and the affliction of bearing children are a direct result of Hawwa's foolishness.Stowasser, B. F. (1994). Women in the Quran, Traditions, and Interpretation. New York: Oxford University Press
However, in modern times the explanation and general understanding of Hawwa have shifted and are deeply debated. Her status as the first woman in the world is relevant since she is looked upon as the model for her sex and Allah's archetype of a woman. Today both traditional and modernist thinkers look to Hawwa either to support or deny their argument regarding the equality of women in the religion. Specifically, those with a traditionalist view believe in the hadith and the interpretation that Hawwa was created from one of Adam's crooked ribs. And therefore when the Prophet explained women were created from the crooked part of the rib, "He was not blaming the woman, but was defining women's natural disposition and the preponderance of emotions over rationality."Muhammad Mutawalli al-Sha'rawi, Qadaya al-mar'a al-muslima (Cairo: Dar al-Muslim, 1982), pp. 32–33 qtd. Stowasser, B. F. (1994). Women in the Quran, traditions, and interpretation. New York: Oxford University Press. In response, more liberal interpretations cite no direct and incontestable truth that Hawwa was created from a "crooked rib"; they claim such suggestions do not stem from verifiable sources. Rather, they strive to emphasize the purpose of the creation and fall story itself. This was not to decry the human nature of either sex but act as an example of Allah's guidance, punishment and ultimate forgiveness.
Wives of Noah and Lot Oftentimes the names of these women are confused, however, the general scholarly consensus is that Noah's wife was Amzura while Lot's wife was Wā'ila. This continual reversal of the two names underscores exactly how both women have ultimately served the same purpose in Islamic scriptural interpretation. In the case of Noah's wife many theorists surmise that she died in the flood and was not allowed on the ark because of her continual insinuation that her husband was crazy.Maḥallī, Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad, Suyūṭī, & Hamza, F. (2008). Tafsīr al-jalālayn. Louisville, Ky.: Fons Vitae. In turn, Lot's wife is thought to have died alongside the people of Sodom since she betrayed her duty as a wife and conspired alongside the corrupt people. In both examples the wives of Allah's prophets were the only ones punished for their disbelief and betrayal of their husbands. This is an important distinction, since Islamic theorists highlight that this establishes the spiritual individuality of women. It is they who have the freedom to choose their religiosity, and it is they who in turn pay the price. Ultimately, the purpose of their mention in the Quran is to set an example of the consequence for active disbelief in Allah and his prophets.
The three verses in the Quran mentioning the wives of Noah and Lot, or Nuh and Lut in Arabic, are a conjoined entry depicting the consequences and response by Allah to non-believers.
Daughters of Lot The role that Lot's daughters play in these interpretations is largely passive and an attempt to demonstrate his devotion to God. However, beyond that simple explanation, they also act as a foil to their mother who conspired with the people of Sodom by alerting them to Lot's guests. While their mother was therefore condemned to the same fate as the sinners in Sodom, Lot's daughters were spared and escaped owing to their personal atonement.
However, the people of Sodom reject Lot's offering and continue their sinful deeds. At next mention in Sura 15 (al-Hijr) Lot again offers his daughters. This time though, his actions were taken to prevent the people of Sodom from committing abominations against the guests in his house.
Sarah, Wife of Abraham In contrast to the Old Testament and the Torah, Sarah, wife of the prophet Abraham, plays a decidedly smaller role in the Quran. In both the Christian and Jewish traditions she is the mother of the chosen son, Isaac, and therefore a more important person.
In the hadith Sarah is not mentioned directly but rather alluded to in Hagar's expanded story.Trible, P., & Russell, L. M. (2006). Hagar, Sarah, and Their Children :Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives (1st ed.). Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press. Hagar's struggles, dealt with extensively in Sahih al-Bukhari, are important to the Islamic tradition since many Muslims paint her as the mother of all Arabs and one of the pre-Islamic pioneers. While this may seem to castigate Sarah as the villain in Hagar's story, she is not seen or depicted in Islamic writing as the impetus for Hagar's exile. Unlike the more traditional Jewish and Christian explanations that paint a contentious relationship between Hagar and Sarah, Islamic interpretations are largely devoid of commentary on Sarah, choosing rather to focus on the hardships and successes of Hagar.
At second time, Sarah is mentioned is Surah Al-Dhazariyat Verse#29.
Aziz's Wife (Zulaykha) and the Ladies The story of Yusuf and Zulaykha, wife of Joseph's master the Aziz, is one of the most extensive depictions of women in the Quran. She appears in Surah 12 (Yusuf) as part of Joseph's chronological narrative shortly after he is sold into slavery in Egypt. In this narrative Zulaykha attempts to seduce Joseph, at first outright and then by using guile and wit.
As Joseph rebuffed her advances, he hastily attempted to leave. However, Zulaykha chased after him, and the two found Al-Aziz at the door. She then accused Joseph of trying to rape her, but was quickly proven wrong when he saw that Joseph's garment was torn from the back (meaning she pursued him and pulled him towards her until she tore his shirt). Following this incident, the women of society began to gossip about Zulaykha's affection for Joseph. She, in turn, prepared a banquet in these women's honor. At this banquet when Joseph appeared, the women were so enamored by his beauty that they had accidentally cut their hands from the knives they were using.Quran, Sura 12 (Yusuf), ayat 31 The story continues with Zulaykha promising that if Joseph did not accept her advances, she would have him imprisoned. Upon hearing this, Joseph prayed to God that he would rather go to prison than stay in Al-Aziz's house. Sure enough, Joseph was sent to jail. Many year later, when the King inquires the women and Zulaykha of their role, they respond:
Renditions of this story outside the Quran have focused historically on and sought to establish the natural duplicitous and cunning nature of women. Especially in the works of early interpreters, Zulaykha and the ladies are not portrayed as the multi-faceted characters the Quran suggests but rather are considered only for "their unbridled sexuality and guile." This depiction is used as yet another conservative example of the inherent threat the female sex poses to men and their piety. Al-Baydawi's interpretation specifically highlights the inherent contrast between a prophet's devotion to God and the sly nature of women.al-Bayḍāwī, ʻ. A. i. ʻ.Baiḍāwī's Commentary on Sūrah 12 of the Quran. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Recently, however, the critical explanation surrounding Zulaykha has expanded to present different possible interpretations. In many instances this story is now used as an allegory depicting the ability of pious people, in this case, a prophet, to overcome the temptations of the world and adversity. In these cases, interpreters argue Zulaykha's presence in the Quran is not meant to imply the evil nature of all women, but rather the different possible distractions that society in general can present and the need to rebuff them.
Mother and sister of Moses Moses's mother is the only woman in the Quran to receive divine inspiration.Stowasser, B. F. (1994). Women in the Quran, Traditions, and Interpretation. New York: Oxford University Press, 57 God inspired her to suckle the child until she feared for his life and then to cast him into the river without sadness or fear because God would eventually restore him to her and make him one of the messengers.
When the Pharaoh's wife discovered Moses on the shore, God had to strengthen Moses's mother's heart to make her a firm believer.
Then, after Moses's sister sees that he refuses to nurse with his new nurse, she suggests that Moses's mother become his nursemaid. In a sense, they were reunited.
Wife of Moses