A couple of things to keep idiotic comments on this topic out.
Saudi Arabia has its own "idea" of Islam that is the root cause for all the evils we face today.
The Wahabi ideology (in case anyone wants to know, Mohammad Wahab's father disowned his sons ideas) is not Islam.
Now, as for the status of women..
In the Quran it says that woman is an inferior creation..
Most will use it to show that women are inferior to men.
INCORRECT!
Women are an inferior creation in the eyes of god, not inferior as a person.. but as a creation, as a process.. since in Islamic teachings women were created from the rib of the man.. a derivation.. not an entirely new creation. Therefore where the creative process it concerned, it is less of an effort as was man.
This is from gods point of view , and his point of view on his effort. Not his point of view as far as his love, his mercy is concerned.. he loves both man and woman equally.
Now from the point of view for a man??.. It is clearly stated again and again the position of the mother in Islam.
She has been given heaven at her feet..
To all men, even a young girl is a mother in waiting and therefore demands the same respect as you would give to any mother.
A mother holds 3 times preference over the father..
The laws as passed down by Mualim's.. written in books of fiqh and not from the Saudi's .. have given women more protection than ever before in any religion. Sadly only fools end up reading them and come out to enforce them.
1. A woman is asked to cover up herself in a manner that will not show off her curves and entice men .. it does not imply the burka, the abaya.. or ANY dress.. just the conditions. Does it protect her from rapists.. no.. a man in hunger of rape will do it nevertheless.
What it does is protect her from eve-teasing.. and from those that would normally not mentally undress a woman.. to keep their heads clean.
2. A woman can partake in ANY activity that men partake in...AS long as it does not detract her(when she is a wife and a mother) from her primary responsibly from raising the children.. it is not however.. farz.. a women with a jobless husband is permitted to work. but in her absence her husband must take over some of her responsibility.. and not just sit around.
Women are not preferred in combat, mainly to protect them from being abused as POW's.
Please do not take the Islam the Wahabi's.. and their semi-followers promote all over the world as genuine.
Use multiple sources.. preferably NOT the internet to gain your knowledge on Islam.
some sources will offend you.. but others will show you the marvel that Islam really is..
Not what you see on TV.. or the exploding ones(literally and metaphorically).
And to mention one more matter..
Islam has not permitted interference in Any place of worship.. no worshiper of any religion is to be ridiculed, or tormented..
It is NOT permissible to break any places of worship or idols.. UNLESS the idol is brought INSIDE A MOSQUE..
If there is a statue of Buddha 50m from a mosque it will stay there and worshipers at that place will not be harassed or bothered..
The destruction of the bamiyan Buddha's in Afghanistan was a result of this "sick" ideology that is being propagated by those that must not be named.
it is not Islam.. rather in my view .. part of the enemies of Islam which they falsely claim to protect us from.
I wish I could find a few examples of Arabic words so i can illustrate what word , used with what letter of arabic means what in this context..