Islam recognizes human beings as male or female, and does not distinguish between the concepts of sex and gender. God declares the equality of men and women in the Qur’an in their duty to worship Him, as well as in their ability to develop themselves morally and spiritually in fulfillment of that duty. In various biological, psychological, dispositional, and physiological ways, however, men and women are different by God’s intentional design. The Qur’an says, “And the male is not like the female” [Qur’an, 3:36].
Distinct, yet complementary in nature, men and women were created to be companions of one another [Qur’an, 53:45]. The Qur’an states: O mankind! Be mindful of your Lord Who created you from a single soul, and from it He created its mate, and through both He spread countless men and women [Qur’an, 4:1]. God calls upon believing men and women to take advantage of these differences and work together as allies who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong [Qur’an, 9:71].