This article is about gender roles in relationships between Islamic men, women, and their families. For related topics including Islamic women's clothing and juridical differences between the genders, see Women in Islam.
The Quran, the holy book of Islam, indicates that both men and women are spiritually equal. The Quran states:
"Those who do good, whether male or female, and have faith will enter Paradise and will never be wronged; even as much as the speck on a date stone."[1]
However, this notion of equality has not been reflected in several laws in Muslim-based institutions.[2]
The Quran does not specify gender roles for women,[3][4][5] but Islamic practice does. This is partially because men and women are at times allotted different rights and cultural expectations. Hadith Sahih Bukhari (9:89:252) states that a man is expected to be the "guardian of [his] family," whereas a woman is expected to be the "guardian of her husband's home and his children."[6]
In some Muslim-based countries, women are legally restricted from practicing certain rights.[7]