Status of Women in Islam

In the pre Islamic era the people of entire world and those of in Arab lived a barbarian life. They had no sense of right or wrong. They used to live life as per their will and whim.The people in theArab world before the emergence of Islam did accept the fact that there is one Supreme power which governs this whole universe but they associated with him the other deities. They indulged in different evils .They used to gamble, take alcohol, fornicate, do usury, bury their daughters alive,take revenges, docircumambulation the in nude and so on.The population of Arab was divided into different tribes.There used to be frequent fights between the tribes of Arab on trivial issues.The revenge was inherited by son from his father and then by his son so on and so forth.The condition of Arab was pathetic. The law of might is right was prevailing. The poor and the destitute had no one to listen to.

When the evils reached to a climax then the Allah (SWT) sent Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a messenger of peace in order to bring those astray on the righteous path. He guided people not to venture towards evils. The people with the grace of Allah became Muslims and hence abandoned all those evils in which they were previously mired in. While disseminating the message of Allah the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) endured many tribulations. In spite of many sufferings he disseminated the message of Allah among the people.
With the emergence of Islam a new society based on piety and truthfulness came into being. Islam gave no preferences to the lineages .In the eyes of Islam; everyone is equal before Allah (SWT).
In pre Islamic era the condition of women was pathetic. They lived a miserable life. They had no rights at all.They were held as half human.They were made to face every type of trauma and torture. Whenever a girl child was born, the father used to take her in his lap and bury her alive. Such was the stone hearted father that the cries and screams of the dying child were not melting his heart.

However with the surge of Islam in the then Arabia the condition changed instantly. Those who used to perpetrate this heinous crime (burying of girl children) abstained from it.
On many occasions non-Muslims raise their finger towards the fact that why Muslim woman is subjected to be veiled. They (non-Muslims) take it as if they (Muslims) are depriving them of their freedom. But they must bear it in mind that the woman before a Muslim is a precious gift from Allah (SWT) so she should be covered as all other precious things of the world are covered.
In recent times our societies has been engulfed with another menace which is called female infanticide. The need of the hour is to eradicate this menace from our Islamic societies. We must bear it in mind that whenever Allah(SWT) gets pleased with someone He bestows him with the blessing of daughter.
May Allah protect us all .May He guide us on the right path!