Status of Women in Pre-Islamic Civilizations: Analytical Study of the Dark Ages -From the Ancient Greek to the Jahiliyah

Abstract

Woman had no status and no rights in Pre-Islamic civilizations and religions. Before the advent of Islam, the women were no better than animals or chattels.They had no rights of earning livelihood, no rights of inheritance, and no rights of owning of property, no rights in marriage, dower or divorce, and even not tospeak of any politicalrights. They were treated like commercial goods, destined to be purchased and sold in open markets. In many regions of the world, theywere generally regarded as slaves or at the best as domestic servants whose chief duty was to serve the men and please them by satisfying their sexual appetite. The research paper in hand presents a brief study on the plight of woman in various leading civilizations and communities of the world, especially the Greek, the Roman, the Judaism, the Christianity, and the Jahiliyah.