Are women allowed to work in Islam?

Sources

• ✓ 4:34 · An-Nisaa

  4:34 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٰمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ وَبِمَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ ۚ فَٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ قَٰنِتَٰتٌ حَٰفِظَٰتٌۭ لِّلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَٱلَّٰتِى تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَٱهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِى ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ ۖ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلَا تَبْغُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلًا ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّۭا كَبِيرًۭا

  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.

• ✓ Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 4:34

  Sunni

  Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 4:34

  The Exalted says: "Men are the protectors and maintainers of women," meaning that the man is responsible for the woman; he is her head, her superior, the one in authority over her, and the one who disciplines her if she deviates. This is because Allah has favored some over others, meaning that men have been given a degree of superiority over women. Specifically, men are considered better than women in certain respects, which is why prophethood and major rulership have historically been assigned to men. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, "A people who appoint a woman to lead them will never prosper," recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakrah. Similarly, positions of judgment and others of authority have been predominantly male roles. It continues: "and because they spend from their wealth," referring to the dowries, financial support, and other obligations that Allah has prescribed upon men to provide for their wives according to His Book and the Prophet’s Sunnah. Since men are superior in their nature and have more responsibilities, it is fitting that they are maintainers of women, as Allah says elsewhere: "And men have a degree over them [women]" (Qur'an 2:228). Ali ibn Abi Talhah, reporting from Ibn 'Abbas, explains "Men are protectors and maintainers of women" to mean that men are rulers over them, and women should obey their husbands in what is commanded, which includes being good to his family and preserving his property. This view is supported by commentators like Muqatil, al-Suddi, and al-Dhahhak. Al-Hasan al-Basri recounted that a woman came to the Prophet ﷺ accusing her husband of striking her. The Prophet ﷺ said "retribution" should apply, but then Allah revealed this verse, and the woman left without retribution being enacted. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim narrate this from multiple chains, with Qatadah and others likewise reporting it. Another chain relates that a man brought his wife before the Prophet ﷺ complaining of his harsh treatment, and the Prophet ﷺ responded that such treatment was not permissible, then Allah revealed this verse emphasizing that men are to be maintainers with a form of good conduct. The Prophet ﷺ then said, "I intended one thing, but Allah intended something else." Al-Sha'bi commented that the dowry mentioned in this verse refers to the sum given to the wife, emphasizing that if a husband rejects her, she may curse him, and if a wife rejects him, she may be punished. Regarding the phrase "good women are devoutly obedient," Ibn 'Abbas and others interpret this as women obedient to their husbands, guarding their honor and property in their husband's absence. Al-Suddi and others add that this refers to preserving her husband’s interests, both of person and wealth. The phrase "by that which Allah has guarded" means that Allah has preserved these women through His protection. Ibn Jarir relates a hadith from Abu Hurayrah in which the Prophet ﷺ said: "The best among women is she who pleases you when you look at her, obeys you when you command her, and guards you in your absence regarding herself and your wealth." The Prophet ﷺ then recited this verse. Imam Ahmad narrates from Yahya ibn Ishaq who transmitted that the Prophet ﷺ said: "If a woman observes her five daily prayers, fasts the month of Ramadan, guards her chastity, and obeys her husband, she is told: Enter Paradise through any gate you wish." On the phrase "and those who fear disobedience from them," this refers to wives whom their husbands fear may rebel or rise against them. The term 'nushuz' means to rise in opposition, neglect duties, or turn away with hostility. When signs of such rebellion appear, the husband should admonish her and warn her of Allah’s punishment, as Allah has established a right for the husband on the wife to obey him and forbidden disobedience. The Prophet ﷺ also said, "If I were to command anyone to prostrate to another, I would have commanded wives to prostrate to their husbands because of the greatness of their right over them." (Reported by al-Bukhari from Abu Hurayrah). Also, the Prophet ﷺ said, "If a man calls his wife to bed and she refuses, the angels curse her until morning." (Reported by Muslim). Hence, the command "admonish them." Next, "and forsake them in bed." Ali ibn Abi Talhah, from Ibn 'Abbas, explains that this means not having conjugal relations, turning away from her in bed, and some add refraining from talking or conversing. Ali ibn Abi Talhah also reports: first admonish her; if she complies, then good; otherwise, forsake her in bed without talking or intimacy but without divorcing her, which is a serious matter. Mujahid, al-Sha'bi, Ibrahim, Muhammad ibn Ka'b, Miqsam, and Qatadah define the forsaking as refraining from sexual relations. Abu Dawud quotes a hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ says: "If you fear disobedience from your wives, then forsake them in bed," interpreted as sexual abstinence. Mu'awiyah ibn Haydah asked the Prophet ﷺ about the rights of a wife, and he replied: "Feed her when you eat, clothe her when you clothe yourself, do not strike her face, do not insult her, and do not leave her except in the house." Finally, "and strike them" means that if a woman persists after admonition and forsaking, the husband may lightly strike her in a non-harmful way. This is confirmed through sahih reports, such as the hadith of Jabir who reported the Prophet ﷺ said during his farewell pilgrimage: "Fear Allah regarding women; they are entrusted to you. You have no right to let anyone you dislike lie with them. If they do so, you may strike them lightly but in a way that does not bring damage. They have a right to be fed and clothed in kindness." Ibn 'Abbas and others clarify that hitting must not be harmful or leave marks or break any bones. Ali ibn Abi Talhah, reporting from Ibn 'Abbas, adds that if she turns back, then one may strike lightly but not break bones and if she does not accept this, the husband may seek compensation. Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah, from al-Zuhri and others, reports from narrators that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Do not strike the female servants of Allah." Umar ibn al-Khattab came to the Prophet ﷺ complaining about women resisting their husbands, and the Prophet ﷺ permitted light striking. He later scolded the men, saying that women complaining about their husbands were not the best among you. Imam Ahmad narrates a similar transmission where a man beating his wife is not to be questioned about why, nor to complain except softly, omitting the third instruction reportedly forgotten. If the woman obeys her husband, do not seek a way against her; the husband’s rights end when she fulfills what Allah has permitted and does not obstruct him. Lastly, "Indeed Allah is Most High, Great" serves as a warning to men against abusing women without just cause. Allah is the protector and helper of women and will vindicate those wronged or oppressed by their husbands.

• ✓ Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an on 4:34

  Shia

  Majma al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an · 4:34

  Recitation: Abu Ja'far alone read (bima hafaza Allah) with the accusative, while the others read it with the nominative, and some unusual variants read (fas-salihat quwwanat), as read by Talha ibn Musarrif. Argument: The phrase (hafaza Allah) implies an omitted possessive, as if saying "the covenant of Allah" or "the religion of Allah," similar to the verse (wa in tansurullaha) meaning "help the religion of Allah." Omissions of possessives are frequent in speech. Regarding the reading (fas-salihat quwwanat), the broken plural indicates abundance, while the suffix alif and tā’ are typically markers of duality, indicating small numbers, but in some cases they serve a meaning of abundance, as in (al-muslimin wal-muslimat) and (adh-dhakirin Allah kathiran wal-dhakirat). The intended meaning generally aligns with abundance, not a limited range. Ibn Jinni noted that Abu Ali al-Farsi denied the report from al-Nabigha regarding a poem criticized by Hassan, but that report is considered fabricated, as Allah states (wahum fil-ghurafat aminun), and it is impossible that the chambers in Paradise number only from three to ten. Language: A man is called qaim, and qiyam or quwam is an intensive or pluralized form. The original meaning of qunut is enduring obedience, hence the qunut supplication in witr prayer relates to extended standing. Nashuz (disobedience) originally denotes rising up, taken from the expression "so and so is on nashz from the earth," meaning elevated. About a woman: nashazat means to rise or become rebellious. Hijr (abandonment) means leaving off something out of dislike. To say "I abandoned a man" means to avoid his company or talk. Al-hajara refers to midday, the time when work is abandoned. To hijr a camel means to tie it up to rest. Dujuu' (pl. duju') means to lie down. To say "duj'atu" means I laid someone down or caused them to lie. Parsing: The preposition bi in (bima fadala Allah) and (wabima anfaqoo) modifies quwamun and is not connected syntactically to any nominal phrase, as it is a particle. In (bima hafaza Allah), the ma may be a relative pronoun serving as a noun, indicating "that which Allah preserves," with the reading having slight grammatical variations but near identical meanings. Occasion of Revelation: Muqatil said this verse was revealed concerning Sa'd ibn al-Rabi' ibn Amr, a leader among the Ansar, and his wife Habiba bint Zayd ibn Abi Zuhayr. Because she rebelled against him, he struck her; her father reported the matter to the Prophet, who initially said to seek retribution. However, after this verse was revealed, the Prophet said, "We intended one thing but Allah intended another, and that which Allah intends is better," and the retribution was lifted. Al-Kalbi reported a similar version regarding Sa'd and his wife Khawla bint Muhammad ibn Maslama. Abu Ruq said it concerned Jamila bint Abdallah ibn Abi and her husband Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas, with a similar story. Meaning: After stating the superior rank of men over women, Allah says (al-rijal quwwamun 'ala al-nisa')—that men are protectors and maintainers over women, with authority in their management, discipline, training, and instruction. The reason is given (bima fadala Allah ba'dahum 'ala ba'd)—because Allah has bestowed some advantage upon some over others, in intellect, wisdom, determination, and knowledge, also (wabima anfaqoo min amwalahum)—because they spend from their wealth on them, e.g., dowries and maintenance. This is the rationale for their responsibility and leadership. Regarding (fas-salihat qanitat)—righteous women are obedient to Allah and their husbands, as explained by Qatadah, al-Thawri, and 'Ata: it means they guard both their private matters and uphold their duties, even in their husbands' absence. The term can also mean keeping safe their husbands' property, fulfilling their rights—either or both interpretations are valid, as they do not clash. ( bima hafaza Allah) means by what Allah has preserved for them—their dowries and that Allah obliges their husbands to provide for them, as al-Zajjaj explained. Some said it means being preserved and protected by Allah, as without Allah's protection, women would not guard their husbands in absence. Women who are feared to be rebellious (al-lati takhafoon nushuzahunna) are those who manifest signs of disobedience—nushuz meaning rebellion and opposition to the husband. Then Allah commands (fa'ithoohunna wa ahjuruhunna fil-madaji')—first admonish them with advice; if that fails, then forsake them in their beds, meaning to avoid conjugal relations. Sa'id ibn Jubayr explained this to mean avoiding sexual intercourse, confined to the bedroom where such occurs. Others said it means to desert their presence entirely during the night-time bed, signaling displeasure. If a wife cares for her husband emotionally, she cannot endure being away from him in the bed; if otherwise, she can endure it. Some narrations say the husband should turn his back to her. Al-Kalbi reported from Ibn Abbas that the admonition involves ordering the wife by the Book of Allah: "Fear Allah and return to obedience"; if not, then harshen your speech; if still no effect, then strike her with a non-injurious blow. The meaning of non-injurious is no breaking of skin or bones. Abu Ja'far even mentioned that striking with a miswak (toothstick) counts. If they obey (fa-in at'ankum), i.e., return to obedience, then do not seek a way against them (fa la tabghoo 'alayhinna sabeela), meaning do not look for false pretexts to mistreat them further. Some say "sabeela" refers to the permissible actions (like striking or desertion) allowed against rebelliousness. Others interpret it as not overburdening them with dislike or hatred, meaning if they outwardly conform, do not suspect their inner disposition. The final phrase (inna Allah kana 'aliyyan kabiira) means Allah is Most High, Great in rank, transcending wrong-making. The mention of His highness and greatness here serves to affirm His support for women and His power to assist them when oppressed. It is also interpreted as meaning that Allah, despite His exaltation, does not burden anyone beyond their capacity, so do not burden women beyond their ability.