Comparison of Islamic Women's Rights and Western Feminism
Category Islamic Women's Rights
Principles - Rights and Duties:
Balances rights with duties,
emphasizing family and
community roles.
- Justice: Defined as placing
everything in its proper
place, balancing rights and
duties, not just equality.
- Divine Will: Actions and
roles are seen as fulfilling
divine commandments.
Economic Rights - Ownership: Women can
own property and engage in
trade independently.
- Financial Support: Men are
required to financially
support their families, even
if the woman has her own
income.
Social Rights - Family Structure:
Emphasizes the importance
of family, with roles defined
to support familial
harmony.
- Modesty: Encourages
modest dress and behavior
to maintain social order and
respect.
Political Rights - Consultative Governance:
Women have the right to
participate in governance
through consultation and
advice.
- Obedience to Divine Law:
Political actions and roles
should align with Islamic
teachings and divine
commandments.
Educational Rights - Mandatory Education:
Education is obligatory for
both men and women to
fulfill their roles and
responsibilities.
- Religious and Secular
Knowledge: Emphasizes
Western Feminism
- Egalitarianism: Focuses on
absolute equality, individual
rights, and personal
freedom.
- Justice: Often defined as
absolute equality and non-
discrimination.
- Secularism: Emphasizes
separation of religion from
public life.
- Workplace Equality:
Advocates for equal pay,
opportunities, and
workplace rights.
- Economic Independence:
Emphasizes financial
independence and career
advancement for women.
- Individualism: Prioritizes
individual freedom and
choice over traditional
family roles.
- Body Autonomy:
Advocates for freedom in
personal appearance and
expression.
- Political Equality: Strives
for equal representation
and participation in politics.
- Secular Governance:
Advocates for policies and
laws based on human rights
and secular principles.
- Equal Education:
Advocates for equal access
to all levels of education
and opportunities.
- Secular Focus: Primarily
focuses on secular
education and career-
 both religious education
and secular knowledge for a
well-rounded
understanding.
Legal Rights - Marriage and Divorce:
Women have specific rights
in marriage and divorce,
including consent to
marriage and the right to
seek divorce.
- Inheritance: Women have
defined shares in
inheritance, although these
may be different from men's
shares.
Philosophical Differences - Tawhid (Unity): Sees all
aspects of life, including
gender roles, as part of a
unified divine order.
- Role Complementarity:
Believes in complementary
roles for men and women
that together fulfill divine
purposes.
Cultural Critique - Resistance to Colonialism:
Views Western feminism as
a tool historically used by
colonial powers to
undermine Islamic cultures
and values.
- Emphasis on Modesty:
Hijab and modest dress are
seen as symbols of respect,
modesty, and resistance to
Western cultural
imperialism.
Historical Context - Colonial Impact:
Recognizes that Western
feminism was used to
justify colonial rule and
suppress local customs,
especially concerning
women's roles and dress.
Theological Perspective - Divine Attributes:
Recognizes both masculine
and feminine attributes of
God, with a focus on divine
mercy and justice.
oriented learning.
- Marital Equality:
Advocates for equal rights
and responsibilities in
marriage, and easy access to
divorce.
- Equal Inheritance:
Advocates for equal
inheritance rights
regardless of gender.
- Conflict Theory: Focuses
on identifying and
addressing power
imbalances and conflicts,
especially related to gender.
- Gender Deconstruction:
Challenges traditional
gender roles and seeks to
dismantle them.
- Global Feminism: Seeks to
address women's rights
issues globally, often
through the lens of Western
ideals.
- Critique of Modesty
Norms: Views modesty
norms, including the hijab,
as symbols of oppression
and patriarchy.
- Evolution of Feminism:
Acknowledges the historical
roots of feminism in
addressing inequalities and
its evolution into various
waves and branches.
- Secular Theology: Feminist
theology often challenges
traditional religious views,
advocating for
reinterpretation or
rejection of patriarchal

Oppression and Liberation - Islamic Liberation: Seeks
to address women's
oppression within the
framework of Islamic
teachings, promoting
justice, and proper
treatment as defined by
Islamic law.
- Critique of Western
Feminism: Argues that
Western feminist ideologies
can undermine the family
structure and moral values
central to Islamic teachings.
Modern Movements - Islamic Women's
Movements: Aim to
improve women's
conditions based on Islamic
principles, advocating for
justice and proper
interpretation of Islamic
law.
religious doctrines.
- Feminist Liberation:
Focuses on liberation from
patriarchal structures,
promoting autonomy and
equal rights in all aspects of
life.
- Universal Rights:
Emphasizes universal
human rights, often
challenging traditional
structures and advocating
for systemic change.
- Diverse Feminist
Movements: Includes
various branches such as
liberal feminism, radical
feminism, intersectional
feminism, each with
different focuses and
strategies.