BitcoinHyper - Bitcoin Hyper finally unlocks fast and cheap Bitcoin transactions by delivering the first ever Bitcoin Layer 2 blockchain.The Laws Concerning Men and Women Across Religions and Cultures
A clear and comprehensive re-examination of inheritance, testimony, blood money, and social roles
By Dr. Pouyan Ghamari
The legal discussions surrounding men and women that generate debate today neither began with the Qur’an nor are confined to Islam. Long before Islam emerged, such laws were present in ancient Persia, Judaism, Christianity, India, China, Greece, and even among early European tribes.
In nearly all these civilizations, men received larger shares and women’s testimony was restricted. Yet the crucial, often overlooked truth is this: none of these systems were based on human worth—they were based entirely on social roles.
Men traditionally worked outside the home—in warfare, commerce, and financial provision.
Women remained at the heart of the household, safeguarding lineage and cultural continuity.
Law mirrored roles, not value.
So when roles evolve, the law must evolve as well.
This is not a modern interpretation; it is an ancient rule.
All sacred scriptures clearly affirm that laws can and should change.
One fundamental principle that explains everything
Every society creates laws according to its real conditions.
When those conditions shift, the law must likewise shift.
The Qur’an, the Torah, and the Gospel never declare that legal forms are immutable.
What remains constant is justice and human dignity.
Inheritance for men and women across religions and civilizations
The Torah
In Numbers 27, the daughters of Zelophehad protested:
“We have no brothers. What becomes of our father’s inheritance?”
God instructed Moses: “They are right.”
Change the law.
This is the earliest religious documentation of an inheritance law being amended.
In the Torah, men inherited more because they bore greater financial responsibility—
not because they held greater intrinsic value.
The Gospel
In the Gospel of Matthew, Christ states plainly:
“I have come to fulfill the Law.”
To “fulfill” is to transform.
Galatians affirms the equality of men and women.
Yet inheritance followed Roman civil law,
not a hierarchy of human worth.
Ancient Persia
In the Avesta, the son was the main heir, yet women exercised spiritual authority and internal decision-making.
Women in Persian culture symbolized fire, light, and life.
Still, inheritance law followed economic roles,
not spiritual dignity.
India
According to the Manu Smriti, men inherited more
because men oversaw the external sphere while women protected the internal.
Law responded to role, not to value.
China and Confucius
Chinese inheritance favored sons,
but women were considered the spiritual anchor of the household and guardians of tradition.
Once again—role, not value.
Europe and Greece
In Rome, the father was the legal possessor of property.
In Athens, women lacked voting and testimonial rights.
These restrictions were not rooted in the belief that women were inferior—
they simply reflected the social framework of those times.
What the Qur’an actually states
The Qur’anic inheritance system is detailed and explicit, but its reasoning is not about superiority.
It stems from the economic responsibility placed on men in that historical context.
In Surah An-Nisa, the Qur’an states:
Yūṣīkum Allāhu fī awlādikum, lil-dhakari mithlu ḥaẓẓ al-unthayayn
A son’s share is twice that of a daughter.
A few verses later it clarifies:
Ar-rijālu qawwāmūna ʿala an-nisāʾ bimā anfaqū
Men were maintainers because they provided financially—
not because they were better,
not because they were superior,
but simply because they were responsible for economic provision.
When financial responsibility shifts,
the law must shift.
This principle is embedded within the Qur’an itself.
The Qur’anic rule of legal adaptability
Surah Al-Ma’idah, verse 48 says:
Likullin jaʿalnā minkum shirʿatan wa minhājā
For every community and every era, a distinct law and path have been set.
Meaning:
Law is conditioned by context,
not fixed for eternity.
The Qur’an openly affirms that social rulings are time-sensitive.
Ethical and theological principles remain constant;
social regulations do not.
Why does the Qur’an mention two women for one man in testimony?
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:282 establishes that in financial contracts, one male witness and two female witnesses can be used.
This directive applies exclusively to commercial transactions—
not homicide,
not divorce,
not judiciary cases,
not other religious affairs.
The reason is straightforward:
Women of that era did not participate in trade.
To prevent error and reduce psychological pressure, the law was shaped accordingly.
Thus it was a social measure,
not a valuation of worth.
Blood money (Diyah) for men and women
Across ancient civilizations, the compensation for killing a man was higher
because men served as financial providers.
If a man died, the family’s economic foundation collapsed.
This distinction came from role,
not value.
Since roles have changed today,
blood money should be equal.
This is consistent with the logic of the scriptures themselves.
The equality code shared by the three Abrahamic religions
Three decisive verses summarize the entire matter:
Qur’an — Surah Al-Hujurat 49:13
Inna akramakum ʿinda Allāhi atqākum
The most honored among you is the most conscious and virtuous.
Torah — Deuteronomy 6
God created humankind in His image—
no superiority of man over woman.
Gospel — Galatians 3:28
There is neither male nor female; they are one.
In essence:
Human worth is identical.
Social law follows role.
When roles change, so must the law.
Why ancient laws cannot be applied literally today
Because today:
women are physicians,
entrepreneurs,
commanders,
CEOs,
primary financial supporters.
And men may take on caregiving or educational roles.
Roles have shifted entirely.
A role-based legal system loses coherence when the roles themselves transform.
Metaphysics and the design of nature
Man and woman represent two complementary energetic poles.
Woman embodies the energy of life.
Man embodies the energy of movement.
Strength arises from their union,
not from the dominance of one.
In the realm of energy,
equality is foundational,
balance is foundational,
capacity is foundational.
Final conclusion: the code for updating law
Law is based on functional roles.
Value is based on the soul.
The souls of men and women are equal.
Now that roles have changed,
law must change as well.
This contradicts neither the Qur’an
nor the Torah,
nor the Gospel,
nor philosophy,
nor metaphysics,
nor the natural order.
It is simply the continuation of a principle declared thousands of years ago:
Law must evolve with time
so that justice can remain alive.