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Today people think that women are liberated in the West and that the women's liberation movement began in the 20th century. Actually, the women's liberation movement was not begun by women but was revealed by God to a man in the seventh century by the name of Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), who is known as the last Prophet of Islam. The Qur-an and the Traditions of the Prophet (Hadith or Sunnah) are the sources from which every Muslim woman derives rights and duties:

1. Human Right
Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally accountable to God in glorifying and worshipping Him setting no limits on her moral progress. Also, Islam established a woman's equality in her humanity with men. 

In the Noble Qur-an, in the first verse of the chapter entitled "Women", Allah says:

"O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain has spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in whom you claim (your rights) of one another, and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (Kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you." (Qur-an, 4:1)

Since men and women both came from the same essence they are equal in their humanity. Women cannot be by their nature evil (as some religious believe) or then men would be evil also.

Similarly, neither gender can be superior because it he would be a contradiction of equality.

2. Civil Rights
In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and expression based on recognition of her individual personality. First, she is free to choose her religion. The Qur-an states:

"There is no compulsion in religion.  Right has been made distinct from error." (Qur-an, 2:256)

A Muslim woman chooses her husband and keeps her name after marriage.

A Muslim woman's testimony is valid in legal disputes; In fact, in areas in which women are more familiar their evidence is conclusive.

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