Are women deficient in intelligence in Islam?
Mohamad Mostafa Nassar
Twitter:@NassarMohamadMR
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
It is incorrectly claimed that women are โdeficient in intelligence and religionโ or โlacking common senseโ according to Islam, and that for this reason restrictions are placed upon a womenโs testimony and intellectual activity. This unfortunate misconception is based upon a misinterpretation or poor translation of the following prophetic tradition:
Abu Saโid al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
ููุง ู ูุนูุดูุฑู ุงููููุณูุงุกู ุชูุตูุฏูููููู ููุฅููููู ุฃูุฑููุชูููููู ุฃูููุซูุฑู ุฃููููู ุงููููุงุฑู
O gathering of women! Give in charity, for I have seen you as a majority of people in Hellfire.
They said, โWhy is that, O Messenger of Allah?โ The Prophet said:
ุชูููุซูุฑููู ุงููููุนููู ููุชูููููุฑููู ุงููุนูุดููุฑู ู ูุง ุฑูุฃูููุชู ู ููู ููุงููุตูุงุชู ุนููููู ููุฏูููู ุฃูุฐูููุจู ููููุจูู ุงูุฑููุฌููู ุงููุญูุงุฒูู ู ู ููู ุฅูุญูุฏูุงููููู
You curse others often and you are ungrateful for your livelihood. I have not seen anyone with reductions in mind and religion more capable of removing reason from a resolute man than you.
They said, โWhat are our reductions in mind?โ The Prophet said:
ุฃูููููุณู ุดูููุงุฏูุฉู ุงููู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ู ูุซููู ููุตููู ุดูููุงุฏูุฉู ุงูุฑููุฌููู
Is not the testimony of a woman like half of a man?
They said, โOf course.โ The Prophet said:
ููุฐููููู ู ููู ููููุตูุงูู ุนูููููููุง ุฃูููููุณู ุฅูุฐูุง ุญูุงุถูุชู ููู ู ุชูุตูููู ููููู ู ุชูุตูู ู
That is the reduction in your mind. Is it not that when you menstruate you do not pray, nor fast?
They said, โOf course.โ The Prophet said:
ููุฐููููู ู ููู ููููุตูุงูู ุฏููููููุง
That is the reduction in your religion.
Source: แนขaแธฅฤซแธฅ al-Bukhฤrฤซ 298, Grade: Sahih
There are two important points that are misunderstood in this tradition: the reason why there is a majority of women in Hellfire, and the meaning of a โreductionโ in intellect and religiosity. The first misconception has beenย answered in a separate article.
The โreductionโ (nuqsan) in mind and religion is related to a womanโs legal obligations. It is not an ontological statement that women are always less intelligent or religious than men. As applied to religion, women are not obligated to pray or fast while menstruating or enduring post-natal bleeding. As applied to mind, women are not obligated to perform some functions such as testifying before a judge in a criminal case.
Some authors have mistranslated nuqsan by using derogatory terms like โdeficient in intelligence,โ or โlacking common sense.โ This rendition is inappropriate because the word in this context means a โreduction,โ as it is used in the Quran:
ุฃูููููู ู ููุฑูููุง ุฃููููุง ููุฃูุชูู ุงููุฃูุฑูุถู ูููููุตูููุง ู ููู ุฃูุทูุฑูุงููููุง
Have they not seen that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders?
Surat al-Rโad 13:41
And again:
ุฃูููููุง ููุฑููููู ุฃููููุง ููุฃูุชูู ุงููุฃูุฑูุถู ูููููุตูููุง ู ููู ุฃูุทูุฑูุงููููุง
Then do they not see that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders?
Surat al-Anbiya 21:44
The reduction for women is a manifestation of Islamโs leniency towards women, by not burdening them with the same obligations as men while they have their own particular duties and concerns.
In the case of testimony, women in early Islam did not customarily involve themselves in business contracts, debts, and other matters. They were usually doing other important work, caring for their children and elderly parents, and so on. As a result, the verse was revealed to lessen a womanโs obligation to testify in such matters.
Allah said:
ููุง ุฃููููููุง ุงูููุฐูููู ุขู ููููุง ุฅูุฐูุง ุชูุฏูุงูููุชูู ุจูุฏููููู ุฅูููููฐ ุฃูุฌููู ู ููุณูู ููู ููุงููุชูุจูููู ููููููููุชูุจ ุจููููููููู ู ููุงุชูุจู ุจูุงููุนูุฏููู โฆ ููุงุณูุชูุดูููุฏููุง ุดููููุฏููููู ู ูู ุฑููุฌูุงููููู ู ููุฅูู ูููู ู ูููููููุง ุฑูุฌููููููู ููุฑูุฌููู ููุงู ูุฑูุฃูุชูุงูู ู ูู ููู ุชูุฑูุถููููู ู ููู ุงูุดููููุฏูุงุกู ุฃูู ุชูุถูููู ุฅูุญูุฏูุงููู ูุง ููุชูุฐููููุฑู ุฅูุญูุฏูุงููู ูุง ุงููุฃูุฎูุฑูููฐ
O you who believe, when you contract a debt for a specified term, write it down, and let a scribe write it between you in justiceโฆ and bring two witnesses from among your men. If there are not two men available, then a man and two women from those whom you accept as witnesses, so that if one of the women errs, then the other can remind her.
Surat al-Baqarah 2:282
The purpose of this rule was a practical matter to achieve justice in business by having two women support each otherโs memories in matters outside of their regular duties. It is not a universal rule that women are half as intelligent as men or that their testimony is always half of a man.
By default, men and women are equal to each other in terms of honesty and piety, but because women in this context were afraid that they might forget some details of the contract, they were told to include another woman to help one another remember. In fact, the testimony of two women outweighs the testimony of one man.
Ibn al-Qayyim writes:
ููุงููู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ุงููุนูุฏููู ููุงูุฑููุฌููู ููู ุงูุตููุฏููู ููุงููุฃูู ูุงููุฉู ููุงูุฏููููุงููุฉ ุฅูููุง ุฃููููููุง ููู ููุง ุฎูููู ุนูููููููุง ุงูุณูููููู ููุงููููุณูููุงูู ููููููุชู ุจูู ูุซูููููุง ููุฐููููู ููุฏู ููุฌูุนูููููุง ุฃูููููู ู ููู ุงูุฑููุฌููู ุงููููุงุญูุฏู ุฃููู ู ูุซููููู ููููุง ุฑูููุจ ุฃูููู ุงูุธููููู ุงููู ูุณูุชูููุงุฏู ู ููู ุดูููุงุฏูุฉู ู ูุซููู ุฃูู ูู ุงูุฏููุฑูุฏูุงุกู ููุฃูู ูู ุนูุทููููุฉู ุฃูููููู ู ููู ุงูุธููููู ุงููู ูุณูุชูููุงุฏู ู ููู ุฑูุฌููู ููุงุญูุฏู ุฏููููููู ูุง ููุฏูููู ุฃูู ูุซูุงููููู ูุง
The woman is equal to the man in truthfulness, honesty, and piety; otherwise, if it is feared that she will forget or misremember, she is strengthened with another like herself. That makes them stronger than a single man or the likes of him. There is no question that the benefit of the doubt given to the testimony of Umm Darda and Umm โAtiyyah is stronger than the benefit of the doubt given to a single man without them or the likes of them.
Source: al-แนฌuruq al-แธคukmฤซyah 1/136
The increased possibility of error, due to customary gender roles in society, necessitated the addition of another womanโs testimony. But if there is no fear of error, the testimony of men and women return to the default position of equality, because the intention of the rule is to achieve fairness between business partners and truthful witness, not to devalue womenโs intelligence.
Ibn Taymiyyah writes:
ููู ูุง ููุงูู ู ููู ุงูุดููููุงุฏูุงุชู ููุง ููุฎูุงูู ููููู ุงูุถููููุงูู ููู ุงููุนูุงุฏูุฉู ููู ู ุชููููู ููููู ุนูููู ููุตููู ุฑูุฌููู
Whatever there is among the testimonies of women, in which there is no fear of habitual error, they are not considered as half of a man.
Source: al-แนฌuruq al-แธคukmฤซyah 1/128
This dynamic can be seen in the way early jurists approached womenโs testimony. They mostly did not accept, or obligate, a woman to testify in criminal investigations, legal punishments, and other matters outside of their customary purview, but they accepted a womanโs testimony as equal in her ordinary duties.
Ibn Rushd writes:
ููุฃูู ููุง ุดูููุงุฏูุฉู ุงููููุณูุงุกู ู ูููุฑูุฏูุงุชู ุฃูุนูููู ุงููููุณูุงุกู ุฏูููู ุงูุฑููุฌูุงูู ูููููู ู ูููุจููููุฉู ุนูููุฏู ุงููุฌูู ููููุฑู ููู ุญูููููู ุงููุฃูุจูุฏูุงูู ุงูููุชูู ููุง ููุทููููุนู ุนูููููููุง ุงูุฑููุฌูุงูู ุบูุงููุจูุง ู ูุซููู ุงููููููุงุฏูุฉู ููุงููุงุณูุชูููููุงูู ููุนููููุจู ุงููููุณูุงุกู
As for the testimony of individual women, meaning women without men, it is accepted by the majority in personal rights which are usually not the purview of men, such as pregnancy, consummation, and ailments affecting women.
Source: Bidฤyat al-Mujtahid 4/248
In this regard, the classical rules were largely based upon the customary gender roles of the time and were not indicative of an universal deficiency in womenโs intelligence, testimony, or truthfulness.
In other cases, a womanโs testimony was accepted in important matters of family law without any men present at all.
Ibn al-Qayyim writes:
ููุงูู ุงููุฅูู ูุงู ู ุฃูุญูู ูุฏู ููู ุงูุฑููุฌููู ูููุตูู ููููุง ููุญูุถูุฑููู ุฅูููุง ุงููููุณูุงุกู ููุงูู ุฃูุฌููุฒู ุดูููุงุฏูุฉู ุงููููุณูุงุกู ููุธูุงููุฑู ููุฐูุง ุฃูููููู ุฃูุซูุจูุชู ุงููููุตููููุฉู ุจูุดูููุงุฏูุฉู ุงููููุณูุงุกู ุนูููู ุงููุงููููุฑูุงุฏู ุฅุฐูุง ููู ู ููุญูุถูุฑููู ุงูุฑููุฌูุงูู
Imam Ahmad said regarding a man who writes his will and none are present except women: I permit the testimony of women. Thus, this shows that he affirmed the will by the testimony of individual women even if no men were present.
Source: al-แนฌuruq al-แธคukmฤซyah 1/135
By analyzing the sources and appreciating their historical contexts, we find that the classical rules related to womenโs testimony are not a statement about her inherent intelligence or truthfulness. Perhaps the single most important fact to contradict this claim is that women excelled in narrating the traditions of the Prophet (แนฃ).
In particular, Aisha (ra) was considered to be a scholar by the righteous predecessors. Even the most senior male companions would come to her seeking religious and legal verdicts.
Abu Musa reported:
ู ูุง ุฃูุดููููู ุนูููููููุง ุฃูุตูุญูุงุจู ุฑูุณูููู ุงูููููู ุตููููู ุงูููููู ุนููููููู ููุณููููู ู ุญูุฏููุซู ููุทูู ููุณูุฃูููููุง ุนูุงุฆูุดูุฉู ุฅููููุง ููุฌูุฏูููุง ุนูููุฏูููุง ู ููููู ุนูููู ูุง
We never had a problem occur to us, the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and asked Aisha about it but that we found her knowledgeable of it.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhฤซ 3883, Grade:ย Sahih
Masruq reported: He was asked, โWas Aisha knowledgeable of the religious obligations?โ Masruq said:
ููุงูููุฐูู ููููุณูู ุจูููุฏููู ููููุฏู ุฑูุฃูููุชู ู ูุดูููุฎูุฉู ุฃูุตูุญูุงุจู ู ูุญูู ููุฏู ุตููููู ุงูููููู ุนููููููู ููุณููููู ู ุงููุฃูููุงุจูุฑู ููุณูุฃููููููููุง ุนููู ุงููููุฑูุงุฆูุถู
By the one in whose hand is my soul, I saw the learned elders among the companions of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, ask her about the religious obligations.
Source: Muแนฃannaf Ibn Abฤซ Shaybah 30387, Grade:ย Hasan
Many more women, not to mention wives of the Prophet (แนฃ), were scholars of the prophetic traditions known for their honesty and reliability. The confirmation of many practices of the Sunnah rely on the testimony of just one woman; the scholars never rejected their testimony merely because of their gender.
Al-Shawkani writes:
ููุฅููู ููููุช ุฅููู ุฐููููู ุงูููููููู ู ููู ุนูู ูุฑู ููุชูุถูู ูููู ุงูุทููุนููู ุนูููู ุฑูููุงููุฉู ููุงุทูู ูุฉู ูููููููููู ูููููููู ุงู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ููุง ููุฏูุฑูู ููุนููููููุง ุญูููุธูุชู ุฃููู ููุณูููุชู ููููุช ููุฐูุง ู ูุทูุนููู ุจูุงุทููู ุจูุฅูุฌูู ูุงุนู ุงููู ูุณูููู ูููู ููููููุทูุนู ุจูุฃูููููู ููู ู ูููููููู ุนููู ุฃูุญูุฏู ู ููู ุงููุนูููู ูุงุกู ุฃูููููู ุฑูุฏูู ุฎูุจูุฑู ุงููู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ููููููููููุง ุงู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ููููู ู ู ููู ุณููููุฉู ููุฏู ุชููููููุชูููุง ุงููุฃูู ููุฉู ุจูุงููููุจูููู ุนููู ุงู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ููุงุญูุฏูุฉู ู ููู ุงูุตููุญูุงุจูุฉู
If you say that statement from Umar contains a flaw in Fatimahโs narration of his statement because we do not know whether a woman remembers or forgets, I say this itself is flawed and false by the absolute consensus of the Muslims.
It has not been reported from any scholar that he rejected the report of a woman on the basis of her being a woman. How many prophetic traditions has the Ummah received from a single woman among the companions?
Source: Nayl al-Awแนญฤr 6/359-360
And Al-Dhahabi writes:
ูู ุง ุนูู ุช ูู ุงููุณุงุก ู ู ุงุชูู ุช ููุง ู ู ุชุฑูููุง
I do not know among women narrators anyone accused of lying, nor anyone abandoned.
Source: Mฤซzฤn al-Iโtidฤl 4/604
Al-Dhahabi then lists over one hundred and twenty women who narrated prophetic traditions.
If a womanโs testimony were always half of a man or she was always less intelligent than him, that would have applied even more so to narrating prophetic traditions.
After all, relating the words and actions of the Prophet (แนฃ) is an awesome responsibility requiring the foremost intelligence, memory, and trustworthiness, yet many women excelled in this field just as men did.
Moreover, women have unique and complementary perspectives, in their own right, that can inform men of their blind spots. For instance, the Prophet (แนฃ) once consulted his wife Umm Salamah (ra) on a serious matter, and she provided him with a key insight into his problem.
Marwan reported: After the treaty of Hudabiyyah was concluded, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to his companions:
ูููู ููุง ููุงููุญูุฑููุง ุซูู ูู ุงุญููููููุง
Get up and offer your sacrifices, then shave your hair.
None of them stood up, and the Prophet repeated his order three times. When none of them stood up, the Prophet left them and went to Umm Salamah, and he told her about their attitude. Umm Salamah said:
ููุง ููุจูููู ุงูููููู ุฃูุชูุญูุจูู ุฐููููู ุงุฎูุฑูุฌู ุซูู ูู ูุงู ุชููููููู ู ุฃูุญูุฏูุง ู ูููููู ู ููููู ูุฉู ุญูุชููู ุชูููุญูุฑู ุจูุฏููููู ููุชูุฏูุนููู ุญูุงูููููู ููููุญููููููู
O Prophet of Allah, would you like your order to be carried out? Go out and do not speak to them until you have offered your own sacrifice and have called the barber to shave your head.
Source: แนขaแธฅฤซแธฅ al-Bukhฤrฤซ 2731, Grade: Sahih
The Prophet (แนฃ) followed the advice of his wife and made his preparations to end the pilgrimage. The companions would soon follow his lead.
In this example, it was his wife whose exceptional intelligence provided him with guidance and resolution. Intelligence is not simply a linear matter of more or less. There are varieties of intelligence, such as emotional and personal intelligence, which women can excel at and benefit men with their advice.
Ibn Hajar writes:
ููุฌูููุงุฒู ู ูุดูุงููุฑูุฉู ุงููู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ุงููููุงุถูููุฉู ููููุถููู ุฃูู ูู ุณูููู ูุฉู ูููููููุฑู ุนูููููููุง ุญูุชููู ููุงูู ุฅูู ูุงู ู ุงููุญูุฑูู ููููู ููุง ููุนูููู ู ุงู ูุฑูุฃูุฉู ุฃูุดูุงุฑูุชู ุจูุฑูุฃููู ููุฃูุตูุงุจูุชู ุฅููููุง ุฃูู ูู ุณูููู ูุฉู
It is permissible to consult a meritorious woman, and the merit of Umm Salamah and her abundant intelligence were such that Imam al-Haramayn said: We do not know of a woman expressing her opinion and being correct as much as Umm Salamah.
Source: Fatแธฅ al-Bฤrฤซ 5/347
In sum, the claim that women are โdeficient in religionโ is based upon a misinterpretation or a poor translation of a prophetic statement. The โreductionโ in a womanโs intelligence is a reduction in her legal responsibilities related to it, not in her inherent intelligence itself.
The preponderance of other evidence indicates that women can be just as intelligent as men and, therefore, they should be consulted and their perspectives respected.
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
Abu Amina