Female Intelligence & Testimony

Someone asked for clarification about the Hadith regarding women being “deficient in intelligence” : “ناقصات عقل” and the testimony of two women being equal to one man : “فَرَجُلٌ وَامْرَأَتَانِ”

Some men use these quotes to subdue women, who in return start thinking that the Qur’an & Sunnah insults their intelligence – WHICH IS NOT TRUE.

Objection:

1- The Qur’an states, in the context of recording financial business transactions:
وَاسْتَشْهِدُوا شَهِيدَيْنِ مِن رِّجَالِكُمْ فَإِن لَّمْ يَكُونَا رَجُلَيْنِ فَرَجُلٌ وَامْرَأَتَانِ مِمَّن تَرْضَوْنَ مِنَ الشُّهَدَاءِ أَن تَضِلَّ إِحْدَاهُمَا فَتُذَكِّرَ إِحْدَاهُمَا الْأُخْرَىٰ
“Have it witnessed by two men, or, if there are not two, by one man and two women whom you approve as witnesses. If one of [the women] errs, the other will remind her. [2:282].

2- And the Prophet said: “فذلك من نقصان عقلها, i.e. that is due to her deficiency in ‘Aql.” [“Sahih Bukhari”, 304].

Response:

Both of these questions are interlinked, answering one of them will answer the other.

It is mentioned in “Tafsir al-Manar” (pictured):

تكلم المفسرون في هذا وجعلوا سببه المزاج، فقالوا: إن مزاج المرأة يعتريه البرد فيتبعه النسيان، وهذا غير متحقق، والسبب الصحيح أن المرأة ليس من شأنها الاشتغال بالمعاملات المالية ونحوها من المعاوضات، فلذلك تكون ذاكرتها فيها ضعيفة ولا تكون كذلك في الأمور المنزلية التي هي شغلها، فإنها فيها أقوى ذاكرة من الرجل، يعني أن من طبع البشر ذكرانا وإناثا أن يقوى تذكرهم للأمور التي تهمهم ويكثر اشتغالهم بها، ولا ينافي ذلك اشتغال بعض نساء الأجانب في هذا العصر بالأعمال المالية فإنه قليل لا يعول عليه، والأحكام العامة إنما تناط بالأكثر في الأشياء وبالأصل فيها.
“The reason is that women generally do not interfere with financial/business transactions. For this reason, their memory is weaker therein. However, this does not extend to matters she does get involved with, that’s why her memory in those areas is stronger than men.
It is part of human nature – and this applies to both males and females – that memory stimulates and enhances once a person gets indulged in something.
And the fact that some women in our times do get involved in these financial areas, does not negate this point, because rules are based on generalities and not on exceptions.”

[“Tafsir al-Manar”, 3/104].

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To conclude:

By nature, women are NOT less intelligent than men.
When given the opportunity, women generally outdo men in knowledge & intelligence.
Women tend to SCORE HIGHER and get better grades than men in colleges and universities, all over the world, see: https://bit.ly/3yyBCee
In many parts of the world, they are unfortunately held back from progress and development, by backward societies.
They don’t get equal opportunities.
Their intellectual progress is often slowed by men, who prevent them from getting educated and expand their cognitive horizons.
That is one of the reasons for their lack of intellectual progress, it is not their nature, nor Islam – it is the society.

And secondly:

Due to men and women having different interests, they also end up going into different fields.
This verse is talking specifically about financial business transactions (المعاملات المالية). Even up to this day, the financial business world is male-dominated. Islam has placed the financial responsibilities on the shoulders of men.
Women generally don’t get involved in some fields, hence why they are less proficient therein. It is not because they are incapable, but because they are not exposed to it, as much as men are. Similarly, men are less proficient than women, in fields they are not interested in, or don’t interfere with.
What indicates that this verse is specific to financial business transactions, is the fact that the testimony of women and men are equal in many other areas, for example when narrating Ahadith, moon-sighting, etc.

There is nothing in the Qur’an and Sunnah that insults women – if it is understood correctly.

Allahu A’alam