A very interesting fatwa (#1105) from Shaykh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid:
' Those who say that Islam is the religion of equality are lying against Islam. Rather Islam is the religion of justice which means treating equally those who are equal and differentiating between those who are different.
No one who knows the religion of Islam would say that it is the religion of equality. Rather what shows you that this principle is false is the fact that most of what is mentioned in the Qur?aan denies equality' (Quoting another Shaukh, Ibn 'Uthaymeen)
'... There are matters in which men and women are treated differently in Islamic sharee?ah, such as:
1 ? Qiwaamah (being in charge of the household)
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
?Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allaah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means?
[al-Nisa? 4:34]
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
?Allaah says ?Men are the protectors and maintainers of women? meaning that the man is in charge of the woman, i.e., he is the leader and head of the household, the one who disciplines her if she goes astray.
?because Allaah has made one of them to excel the other? i.e., because men are superior to women and are better than women. Hence Prophethood was given only to men, as was the position of khaleefah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ?No people shall ever prosper who appoint a woman as their ruler.? This was narrated by al-Bukhaari from the hadeeth of ?Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Abi Bakrah from his father. The same applies to the position of qaadi (judge), etc.
?and because they spend (to support them) from their means? refers to the mahr and the spending on women?s maintenance that Allaah has enjoined upon men in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). So a man is inherently better than a woman, and he is superior to her because he spends on her. So it is appropriate that he should be in charge of her, as Allaah says, ?but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them? [al-Baqarah 2:228].
?Ali ibn Abi Talhah said, narrating from Ibn ?Abbaas: ?Men are the protectors and maintainers of women? means that men are the leaders of women and they should obey them in areas where Allaah has enjoined obedience. Obedience may mean treating his family kindly and protecting his wealth.?
And so on and so forth (it is really very circular reasoning, along the lines of 'this is how it appears to us in the full flight of our arrogance and misogyny, and therefore this is how it is') it is really a very frustrating read, I must say.
'Conclusion: [finally]
Women are like men in some aspects and they differ from them in others. Most of the rulings of Islam apply to men and women equally. In cases where a distinction is made between the sexes, the Muslim regards that as a mercy from Allaah and a sign of His knowledge of His creation, but the arrogant kaafir sees it as oppression and injustice, so he stubbornly insists on claiming that men and women are the same. So let him tell us how a man can carry a foetus and breastfeed it? He stubbornly ignores the weakness of women and how they bleed during their monthly period, and he stubbornly beat his head against the rock of reality. But the Muslim is still at peace with his faith, surrendering to the command of Allaah.'
And that is why women are killed by Muslim families for 'dishonouring' them.