Islamic Studies and Quranic Research in the Contemporary World

Islamic Studies and Quranic Research in the Contemporary World

The Status of Women in the Heavenly Books: Torah, Bible, and Quran (A Comparative Study)

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Assistant Professor Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
This article discusses the status of women based on the heavenly books and Abrahamic religions (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism), which are the proponents of monotheism. It approaches this discussion with the understanding that Christianity and Judaism have undergone distortions over time. Today, the Bible (the holy book of Christianity) is considered in its four books: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (the New Testament or the Holy Scriptures), written between 66 and 110 AD. The Jewish books, which are very extensive but are collectively referred to as the Hebrew Torah and the Samaritan Torah, are also considered.This article examines the social status and position of women in these three religions in the present era, based on the concepts of creation, family, and society. In terms of creation, there are deep differences in the approach to the creation of women and men, but these differences are essentially minor.  However, the Bible and Torah clearly and explicitly describe the components of creation or mention the temptation of Eve by the little devil (snake), and Adam, following Eve, was deceived and tempted. However, the Quran attributes this temptation to both of them simultaneously, saying: "So they ate of it, and their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to cover themselves with leaves from the garden. And Adam disobeyed his Lord and went astray" (Taha, 121).Some interpreters do not consider this preference to be based on gender, but rather on the level and degree of devotion and piety. Therefore, the differences that we witness today in Islamic societies in the presence of women are mainly a function of "jurisprudence" and not the text of the Quran. The text mentions differences in some rights. In Judaism and Christianity, the same prohibitions are mentioned as those in Islamic societies, such as the prohibition of women holding positions of authority, the prohibition of women judging, and the necessity for women to obey men in the family. Thus, patriarchy is clearly evident in Christianity and Judaism, and unfortunately, it must be said that it is also evident in Islamic societies. However, in the Quranic view, superiority is based only on piety, and gender plays no role in this superiority. Therefore, it can perhaps be said that the infiltration of Israelite elements into the culture of Islamic societies in the name of Islam and sometimes even into jurisprudence is evident.
 
Keywords

  1. Quran
  2. Torah
  3. Gospel (The Holy Book)
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Volume 2, Issue 2 - Serial Number 4
September 2023
Pages 1-18

  • Receive Date 27 May 2023
  • Accept Date 29 July 2023
  • First Publish Date 11 September 2023
  • Publish Date 11 September 2023