Christianity's Negative View of Women through Eve and the More Positive Views of the Koran

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Christianity's Negative View of Women through Eve and the More Positive Views of the Koran

There has been much disagreement over whether the Koran sub-standardizes the status of women, therefore causing inferiority to men. Most of those who follow this school of thought belong to other religions, particularly Judaism and Christianity. However, by Muslims, it is contended that the Koran actually creates equality among men and women and establishes more respect for women than Judaism and Christianity. This essay will examine mainly Christianity's negative view of women through Eve, her legacy, the birth of daughters, and female education and compare those views to the more positive views of the Koran.

All three religions, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, agree on one basic fact, with regards to men and women: both were created by God. However, after that fact, disagreement begins soon after the creation of Adam and Eve.

The Judeo-Christian idea of the creation of the first man and woman is recounted in detail in Genesis 2:4-3:24. It states that God prohibited both Adam and Eve from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The serpent seduces Eve to eat the fruit and Eve in turn seduces Adam to eat the forbidden fruit. In Genesis is says that when God rebuked Adam for eating the fruit, Adam placed the cause of his disobedience on Eve saying, "It was the woman you gave to be with me who gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it"(Gen.3:12). As a result of Adam's statement God says to Eve, "I shall give you great labor in childbearing; with labor you will bear children. You will desire your husband, but he will be your master"(Gen.3:16). God then goes on to agree with Adam's assertion of Eve's sedu...

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... her to be silent and she is under no obligation to consider her husband the only source of information on matters of law and religion.

By comparing the Koran to Judeo-Christian ideas about women, it is clear that the Koran does not belittle nor make women inferior, rather it speaks of the equality of man and woman. Aside from the four issues discussed, the Koran sets provisions for the proper treatment of women in affairs like finances. The guidelines given there further attest to the idea of non-inferiority, as it grants woman equal rights to contract, enterprise, independent earnings and possession, and shares in inheritances. Her life, property, and honor are as sacred as a man's. The Koran's purpose with regards to women was never to belittle them, rather the reproach of those who believe women are inferior to men.

Bibliography:

The Koran

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