who is inferior in islam and christianity?

[convey]

woman in islam or christianity
[4:34] Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.

From the Sunnah, specifically in the study of the Sunnah called Sahih Bukhari, we find:

[2:24:545] Narrated Amr bin Al-Harith: Zainab, the wife of Abdullah said, "I was in the Mosque and saw the Prophet (p.b.u.h) saying, O women ! Give alms even from your ornaments.' " Zainab used to provide for Abdullah and those orphans who were under her protection. So she said to Abdullah, "Will you ask Allah's Apostle whether it will be sufficient for me to spend part of the Zakat on you and the orphans who are under my protection?" He replied "Will you yourself ask Allah's Apostle ?" (Zainab added): So I went to the Prophet and I saw there an Ansari woman who was standing at the door (of the Prophet ) with a similar problem as mine. Bilal passed by us and we asked him, Ask the Prophet whether it is permissible for me to spend (the Zakat) on my husband and the orphans under my protection.’ And we requested Bilal not to inform the Prophet about us. So Bilal went inside and asked the Prophet regarding our problem. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) asked, “Who are those two?” Bilal replied that she was Zainab. The Prophet said, “Which Zainab?” Bilal said, “The wife of `Adullah (bin Masud).” The Prophet said, “Yes, (it is sufficient for her) and she will receive a double rewards (for that): One for helping relatives, and the other for giving Zakat.”

Given that husbands are obligated to provide for wives, and that marriage is a highly recommended goal of Islam, it is easy to see why women’s inheritance share is half that of men. We note also that men are obligated to provide a suitable dowry to women on marriage. In fact, it is preferable at this point to speak in terms of husbands and wives instead of men and women. Allah says in the Qur’an (translation),

[4:4] And give women their dowries as a free gift, but if they of themselves be pleased to give up to you a portion of it, then eat it with enjoyment and with wholesome result.

 

[Gerry_Hunter]

St. Paul, having called upon wives to obey their husbands, calls upon husbands to love their wives as Christ loved his Church. And in case we forget, Christ died for the salvation of those he loved.

Unfortunately whenever “equality” is discussed, it defaults to the mathematical sense of the term. A pity that it does not default more often to the musical sense, and take into account the idea of harmony. Two part harmony is lovely in music, and there’s no point saying one part predominates the other. Take either away, and you don’t have two part harmony any more. Now I don’t know if St. Paul was a musician, but he was no mathematician, and he often pointed out the parallel between the relationship between a man and a woman in marriage, and that between Christ and his bride, the Church.

So, from the Christian perspective, the concept of superiority and inferiority between husband and wife is simply nonsense, no matter what other religions, or those who depart from the teachings of the Church, may claim.

Blessings,

Gerry