Fatwa ID: 06674

 

Answered by: Alimah Zakiratul Hoque

 

Question:

 

I know that women only get one spouse, but men will have a lot more spouses than women. Do women get in anything more than men? Like for example, if a man gets 100 wives and a woman gets 1 husband, is there any reward that a woman will get 100 from and a man one? For example, a woman gets 100 pieces of jewellery and a man only gets one. So my question is men get more spouses than women, do women get anything more? For example, a martyred man gets 72 wives and a martyred woman gets 1 husband, so already her reward is 72 times less, will she get 72 rewards than he does not? Or how a man controlling his anger gets to choose Hooris, and this reward is specific to men, do women get rewarded for controlling their anger with something men don’t get? Are we equal rewards for the same good deeds?

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

Allah is just and He will reward men and women equally according to their deeds.

 

Allah says in the Qur’an (4:40):

 

“Indeed, Allah never wrongs ˹anyone˺—even by an atom’s weight. And if it is a good deed, He will multiply it many times over and will give a great reward out of His grace.” ⁽¹⁾

 

Allah also says in the Qur’an (33:35):

 

“Surely ˹for˺ Muslim men and women, believing men and women, devout men and women, truthful men and women, patient men and women, humble men and women, charitable men and women, fasting men and women, men and women who guard their chastity, and men and women who remember Allah often—for ˹all of˺ them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.” ⁽²⁾

 

And Allah says:

 

“And do not crave what Allah has given some of you over others. Men will be rewarded according to their deeds and women ˹equally˺ according to theirs. Rather, ask Allah for His bounties. Surely Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.” (Qur’an, 4:32) ⁽³⁾

 

Regarding the status of mothers:

 

Mu’awiyah ibn Jahima reported: Jahima came to the Prophet ﷺ and he said, “O Messenger of Allah, I intend to join the expedition and I seek your counsel.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Do you have a mother?” He said yes. The Prophet said, “Stay with her, for Paradise is beneath her feet.” (Sunan al-Nasāī, 3104) ⁽⁴⁾

 

Abu Huraira reported: A man asked the Messenger of Allahﷺ “Who is most deserving of my good company?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Your mother.” The man asked, “Then who?” The Prophet ﷺ said “Your mother.” The man asked again, “Then who?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Your mother.” The man asked again, “Then who?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Your father.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 5626; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 2548) ⁽⁵⁾

 

As seen from the above, this is an aspect of a woman’s status in Islam which is different, and arguably above a man’s.

 

One of your examples is that a male martyr will be rewarded with 72 wives in Jannah. However, you should not assume it means that female martyrs will receive 72 times less by default. Men and women are inherently different (in their desires and motivations, as well as other aspects of their nature), and Allah will reward us accordingly.

 

We should trust that Allah is the most just and that He will reward us all equally and not discriminate based on gender. As seen from the above Ayahs, Allah will reward men and women equally for their good deeds. We should not be fixated on the specific numbers and amounts.

 

 

⁽¹⁾

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ وَإِن تَكُ حَسَنَةً يُضَـٰعِفْهَا وَيُؤْتِ مِن لَّدُنْهُ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

 

 

⁽²⁾

إِنَّ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ وَٱلْمُسْلِمَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ وَٱلْقَـٰنِتِينَ وَٱلْقَـٰنِتَـٰتِ وَٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ وَٱلصَّـٰدِقَـٰتِ وَٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ وَٱلصَّـٰبِرَٰتِ وَٱلْخَـٰشِعِينَ وَٱلْخَـٰشِعَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ وَٱلْمُتَصَدِّقَـٰتِ وَٱلصَّـٰٓئِمِينَ وَٱلصَّـٰٓئِمَـٰتِ وَٱلْحَـٰفِظِينَ فُرُوجَهُمْ وَٱلْحَـٰفِظَـٰتِ وَٱلذَّٰكِرِينَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَٱلذَّٰكِرَٰتِ أَعَدَّ ٱللَّهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

 

 

⁽³⁾

وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا۟ مَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا ٱكْتَسَبُوا۟ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا ٱكْتَسَبْنَ وَسْـَٔلُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مِن فَضْلِهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمًا

 

 

⁽⁴⁾

عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ جَاهِمَةَ السَّلَمِيِّ أَنَّ جَاهِمَةَ جَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَغْزُوَ وَقَدْ جِئْتُ أَسْتَشِيرُكَ فَقَالَ هَلْ لَكَ مِنْ أُمٍّ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَالْزَمْهَا فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ تَحْتَ رِجْلَيْهَا

 

 

⁽⁵⁾

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ مَنْ أَحَقُّ النَّاسِ بِحُسْنِ صَحَابَتِي قَالَ أُمُّكَ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ ثُمَّ أُمُّكَ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ ثُمَّ أُمُّكَ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ ثُمَّ أَبُوكَ

 

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Zakiratul Hoque

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham