This publication from Shaykh Al-Madkhalee deals with the issue of the rights of men and women. It arose from a seminar held by some women in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, who claimed their rights were being withheld.
The book is a response to that claim, and a description of the rights given to men and women in Islam and the loftiness of the position Islam accords them.
The Distinction It Turns On
Between what Islam grants and what a particular society delivers — which are not the same thing and are constantly confused, by critics and defenders alike.
A woman denied her inheritance, or married without her consent, or prevented from seeking knowledge, has had her rights withheld by people. Islam gave her all three. Treating cultural practice as though it were religious ruling wrongs her twice: once in the act, and again by attributing it to her religion.
The book insists on separating the two, which is the only useful way to address the complaint.
What Is Covered
The rights of women in marriage, in property and inheritance, in education, and in the conduct owed them by husbands and male relatives — alongside the corresponding obligations, since the book treats rights and duties as two sides of a single arrangement.
A Note on Position
This is a refutation as well as an exposition, written in response to a specific claim and arguing a clear position. Readers should expect that rather than a neutral survey.
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