Women in the Indian Society and Their Empowerment in the Light of Religious Teachings

By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam 15 October 2025 Abstract: Indian society is diverse and influenced by multiple religions. Women in India often face inequality and discrimination despite religious teachings promoting respect and equality. Social customs, traditions, and misinterpretations of religion have limited women’s rights in education, property, politics, and social life. All major religions — Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism — honour women and grant them dignity, equality, and moral strength. Empowering women and granting them their rights is essential for social harmony and progress. Understanding both societal traditions and religious teachings is key to ensuring women’s welfare and achieving a fair and peaceful society. Main Points: 1. Women face inequality in Indian society despite religious teachings. 2. Social customs and traditions often limit women’s rights. 3. All major religions grant women respect, dignity, and equality. 4. Empowering women is essential for social harmony and development. 5. Comparative understanding of society and religion promotes women’s welfare. ---- It is a fact that Indian society has its own unique identity in terms of its multiplicity and diversity. The existence of different religions promotes Indian civilisation and secularism. How women’s rights, problems, and their status are seen in a pluralistic society like India — and what kind of thinking and ideology is found in the development and empowerment of women in different Indian communities — is an important issue of the present time. When we reflect upon this, we find that even today, women are not given the status and powers that they deserve in our societies, regardless of the community to which they belong. It is a truth that empowering women and granting them their due rights and privileges is essential for the welfare of Indian society. In this respect, the first thing to say is that Indian society represents a combination of all religions and customs. It is important to know that whichever communities have settled in India, they tend to prefer their religious teachings when dealing with women’s issues or rights. Therefore, it becomes necessary to analyse the religious and social attitudes towards women in an objective manner. Many issues concerning women have been discussed — and continue to be — within the Muslim society of India, such as purdah (veil), triple talaq, education, political and social rights, and financial rights. When we compare the teachings and guidance of Islam with the prevailing attitudes of Muslims towards women, we find that the social attitude is often radical and restrictive, while Islam itself has granted women comprehensive rights. The question arises: how did such a mindset and ideology against women emerge in society? This certainly requires deep reflection. In this context, when we turn to Hindu society or communities of other faiths within India, we also find many similar flaws and injustices concerning women’s rights. Based on these realities, it can be said with confidence that across different communities, there exists a general sense of monotony and inequality in attitudes towards women. Even in today’s developing age, there are still places where only boys are educated while girls are not. Similarly, boys are preferred over girls, and many families treat daughters unequally merely because they are girls. It must be remembered that holding double standards in any matter concerning girls, or harbouring negative thoughts about them, is a serious obstacle to social harmony and development. Societies that grant equal rights and avoid discrimination on the basis of race or gender are those that prosper, succeed, and remain harmonious. There exists a huge contradiction between the attitude of Indian societies towards women and the teachings found within religious doctrines. Interestingly, all classes and communities tend to exploit women in the name of religion. This is indeed a serious and worrying phenomenon. We often interpret religious teachings through the lens of self-made traditions and customs. The message conveyed by such attitudes creates a negative perception of religion, because ordinary people, who are unaware of the true teachings, begin to mistake these social customs for religion itself. Consequently, social attitudes and traditions are treated as religion, leading to a growing sense of insecurity within society. This is the situation of women in Indian societies today. We are not limited by religion or divine law, but by our own customs and traditions — to the extent that we are unwilling to question them. Therefore, understanding the traditions and customs of Indian communities alongside the religious teachings concerning women — and conducting a comparative study of both — is indispensable for peaceful coexistence and social welfare. Much has already been written about women, and more will continue to be written. However, despite numerous writings and compilations on women’s issues, as far as I know, no comparative study has been undertaken on this particular subject — that is, comparing religions and Indian societies in their treatment of women. Therefore, there is a strong need to work on this topic so that we may help secure women’s rightful place and rights. When one gender is oppressed within a society, that society ultimately loses its vitality and status. Hence, it is extremely important to analyse the prevailing attitudes towards women in Indian societies and then to compare them in the light of religious teachings. Women hold a respected, honourable, and significant position in all major religions. The great religions of the world — Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism — have all regarded women as symbols of dignity, love, and moral strength. Although social customs and traditions have over time weakened the position of women, the true message of every religion is based on respect, equality, and honour for them. Islam grants women equal rights as human beings. The Holy Qur’an honours women as mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives, and bestows upon them rights to education, inheritance, property, and expression of opinion. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The best among you is the one who is best to his women.” In Christianity, women are seen as symbols of purity, love, and sacrifice. Mary (peace be upon her) holds a very high position and represents the greatness and spiritual strength of womanhood. Judaism also considers women as the foundation of the family. However, during certain periods, misinterpretations of religious law restricted women’s roles. In modern Jewish societies, however, women now play active religious and social roles. In Hinduism, women are described as Shakti — the symbol of power. Goddesses like Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati represent strength, wealth, and knowledge. Yet, in practice, caste systems and customs have often placed severe restrictions on women. Both Buddhism and Sikhism emphasise equality. Buddhism grants women the same right to attain Nirvana (enlightenment), while Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, declared: “Without woman, there would be no one at all — so why should she be considered inferior?” Conclusion In conclusion, all religions teach respect, love, and equality for women. The problem does not lie within religion itself, but in the mistaken social and cultural attitudes that have distorted its teachings. When we understand the true spirit of religion, we find that women are the foundation of humanity, the symbol of love, and the centre of social harmony. ----- Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi is an author and a New Age Islam Regular Columnist. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/women-indian-society-light-religious-teachings/d/137251 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism