The Social Aspect of Women in Islam:

  As a Daughter:

(1)  The Quran ended the cruel practice of female infanticide, which was before Islam.  God has said:

{And when the girl (who was) buried alive is asked, for what sin she was killed. } (Quran, 81:8-9)

(2)  The Quran went further to rebuke the unwelcoming attitude of some parents upon hearing the news of the birth of a baby girl, instead of a baby boy.  God has said:

{ And when one of them is informed of (the birth of) a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief.  He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been informed.  Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground?  Certainly, evil is what they decide.} (Quran 16:58-59)

(3)  Parents are duty-bound to support and show kindness and justice to their daughters.  The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: {Whosoever supports two daughters until they mature, he and I will come on the Day of Judgment as this (and he pointed with his fingers held together).}

(4)  A crucial aspect in the upbringing of daughters that greatly influences their future is education.  Education is not only a right but a responsibility for all males and females.  The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)  said: {Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every Muslim.}  The word “Muslim” here is inclusive of both males and females.

(5)  Islam neither requires nor encourages female circumcision.  And while it is maybe practiced by some Muslims in certain parts of Africa, it is also practiced by other peoples, including Christians, in those places, a reflection merely of the local customs and practices there.