Ayesha writes "Islam treats both, man or woman, equally in that who ever lead a pious life in accordance with divine guidance is entitled in equal measure to attain salvation and eternal success in the next life.

Who ever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, to him we will give a new life, a life that is good and pure, and we will bestow on them their reward according to the best of their actions. (Al-Nahl 16:97).

In Islam the criteria of superiority or status in the sight of Allah is one’s righteous conduct, ruling out any reference to one’s gender, nationality or whatever. The Quran makes this point in unmistakable terms: O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things. (Al-Hjurat 49:13) The holy Quran has laid a great stress on the spiritual equality of man and woman, as is evident from the following verse. Allah promises: I will not suffer the work of any of you, be he male or female, to go to waste; you are members, one of another. (Al-Imran 3:195) Islam looks at the equality and development of man and women from the standpoint of the basic purpose of their creation. The Quran says: I only created mankind and the jinn that they worship me. (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56) Both men and women are expected to obey the commandments of Allah and also establish them in their entirety in the human society.

Both man and woman aspire to gain divine empowerment through their human struggle of implementing the divine code of life. Men and women should compliment each other to fulfil their collective role and are rewarded on the basis of their deeds. Islam enables men and women to live and work for a unified purpose along the principle of peaceful co-existence. The only criteria by which the greatness of any man or woman is determined is piety and righteousness. The Quran says: Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous of you. (49:13) The Quran also states: For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women.... for them Allah has granted forgiveness and a great reward. (Al-Ahzab 33:35) "