Islam and Gender Complementarity: A Critique of Radical Feminism and its Impact on the Islamic Family Institution

Abstract

Islam supports gender complementarity and believes in assigning different roles to different genders based on biological differences and social considerations. Radical feminists, on the other hand, overlook biological and psychological discrepancies and criticize the gender-based division of roles. This study employs the Islamic framework of gender complementarity, supporting its stance with evidence from the Holy Quran, Hadiths, views of classical Muslim jurists, and scientific research. Additionally, the study critically evaluates the gender-equal ideas of radical feminists and seeks to demonstrate that such views are detrimental to the existence of the family, a cherished institution in Islam. Furthermore, it demonstrates that the Islamic paradigm of gender complementarity, as opposed to the radical feminist gender equality paradigm, fosters greater social justice and stability.