Jesus and the New Testament vs. Qur’an and Hadith

This page is not written out of hatred for Muslims.
Every woman and man is created in God’s image and precious to Him.

The question here is:

What kind of God do these scriptures reveal when it comes to women?
And what kind of treatment flows out of those teachings?

We’ll look at:

1. Genesis & the New Testament (Jesus and the apostles)

2. The Qur’an and key Hadith (Muhammad’s reported sayings and actions)

1. From Creation: Woman as Image-Bearer and Partner

The Bible’s story of women begins on the first pages of Scripture.

Genesis 1:27 – Equal image-bearers

“So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.”

Man and woman together bear the image of God. There is no hint that the man reflects God more than the woman.

Genesis 2:18 – A strong ally “corresponding to him”

“It is not good that the man should be alone;
I will make him a helper fit for him.”

The Hebrew phrase is ʿēzer kenegdô:

• ʿēzer – “helper,” often used of God as our help/rescuer in the Old Testament.

• kenegdô – “corresponding to him / facing him / matching him.”

The picture is not of a servant or assistant, but of a strong ally—a partner who corresponds to him and stands with him.

The New Testament reaches back to Genesis 1–2 and deepens this:

• Husband and wife are “one flesh” (Matt 19:4–6; Eph 5:31).

• Husbands are commanded to love their wives “as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Eph 5:25).

• Wives are described as “heirs with you of the grace of life” (1 Pet 3:7).

• In Christ, there is “no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28) — not erasing sex, but affirming equal standing before God.

From creation forward, the Bible presents women as equal image-bearers and covenant partners, called into life with God alongside men.

2. Jesus and Women in the New Testament

In a culture where women were often pushed to the margins, Jesus repeatedly brings them to the center.

a) The Samaritan woman at the well (John 4)

Jesus speaks alone with a Samaritan woman (ethnically and morally “outsider”), reveals her life story, and then reveals Himself as the Messiah. She becomes the first “evangelist” in John’s Gospel, bringing her town to Him.

b) Mary at His feet (Luke 10:38–42)

Mary sits at Jesus’ feet “listening to His teaching,” in the posture of a disciple. When Martha complains, Jesus defends Mary:

“Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus welcomes a woman as a serious student of God’s Word.

c) Women followers and supporters (Luke 8:1–3)

Luke names women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna) who travel with Jesus and support His ministry from their own means. They are named and honored as disciples and benefactors.

d) Healing with dignity (Mark 5:25–34)

A bleeding woman secretly touches His garment. Instead of shaming her, Jesus calls her “Daughter,” praises her faith, and restores both her body and dignity.

e) First witnesses of the resurrection (Matt 28; John 20)

In a world where women’s testimony was often discounted, the risen Jesus appears first to women and sends them to tell the apostles. The central event of the Gospel is entrusted first to women.

f) Marriage and sacrificial love (Eph 5; 1 Cor 7)

• Husbands are called to self-sacrificing love, modeling Christ’s love for the church.

• 1 Corinthians 7:3–5 describes marital intimacy as mutual, with each spouse having authority over the other’s body.

Put simply:

Jesus consistently draws women near, teaches them, honors them, heals them, and entrusts them with mission.

3. The Qur’an’s Teaching on Women

To be fair, the Qur’an also affirms important truths:

• God created humanity from a single soul and its mate, spreading many men and women from the two (Qur’an 4:1). Quran.com

• Believing men and women are repeatedly promised forgiveness and a great reward (Qur’an 33:35). Quran.com+1

However, several core verses establish a legal hierarchy in which men have authority over women.

a) Men “in charge” of women – Qur’an 4:34

Qur’an 4:34 describes men as the caretakers / protectors / maintainers (qawwāmūn) of women, because they are given preference and spend of their wealth on them. Righteous women are called “devoutly obedient.” If a husband fears “ill-conduct” from his wife, the verse commands three steps:

1. Admonish them.

2. Refuse to share their beds.

3. “Discipline/strike them” (idribuhunna). Quran.com+2My Islam+2

Classical scholars have often taken this to allow limited physical discipline of wives, even if some modern interpreters argue for non-violent readings. Either way, the structure is clear: man as guardian/disciplinarian, woman as obedient subject.

By contrast, the New Testament never authorizes husbands to hit their wives; it commands husbands to love as Christ loved and to live with wives in an understanding, honoring way.

b) Inheritance – Qur’an 4:11

Qur’an 4:11 sets inheritance shares:

“For a male, a portion equal to that of two females.” Quran.com+1

Classical Islamic law has treated this as a general rule: in many cases, a daughter’s share is half that of a son.

c) Testimony – Qur’an 2:282

In the long verse about financial contracts, Qur’an 2:282 instructs:

• Call two men as witnesses;

• If two men are not available, then one man and two women, so that if one woman forgets, the other reminds her. Quran.com+1

Many jurists took this to mean that, in certain legal contexts, two women’s testimony equals one man’s.

So while the Qur’an affirms spiritual accountability for both sexes, its legal framework (especially as developed in classical law) consistently places women in a dependent and lesser legal position compared to men.

4. Key Hadith Influencing Women’s Status

The Hadith (reports of Muhammad’s words and actions) are central for Islamic law and daily practice. Several famous narrations significantly shape views of women.

a) “Deficient in intelligence and religion”

In Sahih al-Bukhari and other collections, Muhammad is reported as saying that he saw that the majority of the inhabitants of Hell are women, and when asked why, he mentions their ingratitude toward husbands and frequent cursing, then says he has not seen anyone more “deficient in intelligence and religion” than women, explaining this in part by reference to testimony and menstruation. Wikipedia

Whatever explanations commentators offer, this narration has fueled a long-standing sense that women are morally and intellectually “less” than men.

Jesus, by contrast:

• Never calls women “deficient.”

• Commends women’s faith repeatedly.

• Warns about Hell on the basis of unbelief and hypocrisy, not sex.

b) Angels cursing a wife who refuses sex

In Sahih Muslim and other collections, Muhammad is reported to say that if a husband calls his wife to his bed and she refuses him, and he goes to sleep angry with her, the angels curse her until morning. Classical rulings built from this treat a wife’s refusal of sex (without “valid excuse”) as sinful and emphasize her sexual availability as a duty.

The New Testament, by contrast, presents marital intimacy as mutual (1 Cor 7:3–5). Both husband and wife are to consider each other’s needs, and each has authority over the other’s body.

5. Texts and Real-World Patterns

We must be fair:

• Not every Muslim man mistreats women; many love their wives and daughters deeply and seek to act kindly.

• Some modern Muslims and scholars actively work to reinterpret or soften harsh readings.

Yet in many Muslim-majority societies, family law (marriage, divorce, custody, inheritance) still reflects classical fiqh:

• Male guardianship over women,

• Easier divorce for men than for women,

• Unequal inheritance,

• Testimony rules that can disadvantage women in court. Wikipedia

Text is not the only factor (culture and economics matter), but the legal texts and their traditional interpretation do matter, and women often feel the weight of that.

6. Why I Point Women (and Men) to Jesus

When I look at Jesus and the New Testament:

• Women and men are created as image-bearing partners (Gen 1–2).

• Jesus brings women from the margins to the center of God’s story.

• He teaches them, heals them, defends them, and entrusts them with the message of His resurrection.

• Husbands are called to love their wives with cross-shaped, sacrificial love.

• Women are called co-heirs of the grace of life, equal before God and vital in the church’s mission.

When I look at the Qur’an and Hadith as understood in mainstream classical law:

• Men are “in charge of” women and may discipline them (Q 4:34).

• Sons receive twice the inheritance of daughters (Q 4:11).

• In important financial testimony, two women can stand in place of one man (Q 2:282).

• Narrations portray women as more likely to be in Hell and “deficient in intelligence and religion,” and threaten curse on wives for refusing sex.

So I have to ask:

Which picture of God truly honors women as full image-bearers?

The Jesus who raises women up as disciples, witnesses, and co-heirs?

Or a system that permanently places women under male authority in law and everyday life?

If you are a woman reading this—or someone who loves the women in your life—I invite you:

1. Read the Gospels (Luke or John is a good place to start). Watch carefully how Jesus treats women.

2. Ask God honestly:

   “Show me who You really are,
   and whether Jesus is truly Your Son and my Lord.”

3. Consider His invitation:
   Jesus says,

   “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28)

I believe the God revealed in Scripture, and especially in Jesus Christ, offers women not second-class status, but full dignity, full forgiveness, and full membership in His family.