and religiously equal. He tells us four times!

Also, the religious duties of men and women are the same, and each of us must strive to “race towards righteousness” as much as possible:

The submitting men, the submitting women,
the believing men, the believing women,
the obedient men, the obedient women,
the truthful men, the truthful women,
the steadfast men, the steadfast women,
the reverent men, the reverent women,
the charitable men, the charitable women,
the fasting men, the fasting women,
the chaste men, the chaste women,
and the men who commemorate God frequently,
and the commemorating women;
God has prepared for them forgiveness and a great recompense.
(Quran 33:35)

Not only does God make it very clear that men and women are spiritual and religious equals, but He specifically gives the following as examples of believers:

And God cites as an example of those who believed the wife of Pharaoh.
She said, ‘My Lord, build a home for me at You in Paradise, and save me from Pharaoh and his works; save me from the transgressing people.”

Also Mary, the Amramite. She maintained her chastity,
then we blew into her from our spirit.
She believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures;
She was obedient.
(Quran 66:11-12)

Pharaoh’s wife wanted to please God, instead of Pharaoh. She prayed that God would save her from Pharaoh and his evil works.

The example of Pharaoh’s wife is in sharp contrast to the following hadith:

Umm Salamah relates that the Holy Prophet said: if a woman dies and her husband is pleased with her she will enter Paradise. (Tirmidhi-288)

Of course, just like men, women can be disbelievers:

God cites as examples of those who disbelieved
the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot.
They were married to two of our righteous servants,
but they betrayed them and consequently,
they could not help them at all against God.
The two of them were told, “Enter the Hellfire with those who deserved it”
(Quran 66:10)

Throughout the Quran God addresses the believers “O you who believe,” not “O you believing men.” This makes it clear that all believers are covered by the commandments given in the Quran, and the promises of guidance and forgiveness too.

God also addresses us “O people,” or “O children of Adam.” We are all people, we are all children of Adam regardless of our sex.

God created us all from one person:

O people, observe your Lord; the One who created you from one being,
and created from it its mate,
then spread from the two many men and women.
You shall regard God, by whom your swear,
and regard the parents. God is watching over you.
(Quran 4:1)

All of us, male and female alike, pray each day to be guided, to be helped. All of us recite the following sura seventeen times each day during our Contact (Salat) prayers, regardless of our gender:

In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Praise be to God, Lord of the universe.
Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Master of the Day of Judgment.
You alone we worship. You alone we ask for help.
Guide us in the right path;
the path of those whom You blessed;
not of those who have deserved wrath, not of the strayers.
(Quran 1:1-7)

God made us spiritual equals and He helps and guides each one of us as individuals, whether we are male or female.

Lisa Spray