As a mother:

The 
Qur'dn  els'ares  kindness  to  parents  and  especially  mothers
to  a  status  second  onlv  to  the  u.orship  of  Allah:  "And  your 
Lord
has  decreed  that,-t-g-u 
lot 
u,orship  escept  Hirn.  and  to  parents.
good  treatment.  whelher  one  oi  both  of them  reach  old age
[whileJ  rvith  you.  sa-\-  not to  thern 
[so  rnuch  as]. 
,,uff.,, 
fan
expression  of disappro'al  or irritarionJ  and  do  noi  repet  them
but  speak  to  thern  a  noble  r+,ord.  And  louer  to  ttrern  rhe  rving  of
humrlity  out of  me.rcl-  and  sa},. 
,,.Ilv, 
Lord,  hrn,e  merc.v  *pon
them  as  the.v  hrou.slynre  up 
lvihen  i,t  asJ  small."  (e  I  7:2l:_Zl.
See  also  3l:14.  46:15  and  iq:g)
^ 
Naturally,  Prophet  Mururnrnad  specified  this  belmr.ior  for  his
followers,  rendering  to  rnorherc 
"r, 
un*qualled  sratus  in huuran
relationships. 
"The  ftrost  \t'orthy  of kintlne,ss  is the  nother,  the
mother,  Ihe  morher  and  then  the 
Jhtrrer!', 
(Narrated  bv  ar
Bukhari)

(d) As a sister  in  faith:
icCording  to  Prophet Mulmmrnad.  "u'Qnten  are  but  sisrers
(shaqa'iq,  rtr  fir'in  ltalves)  o-f  tnen."  (Narrated  bv  Ahmad  and  at
Termdhif  This  hatleeth  is  a  profound  staternent  that  directly
relates  to  the  issue  of  hutnan equaliry*  betrveen  the  genders'  If
the  first rneaning  of shaqa 
'ir; 
is  adopted,  it  means  that  a male  is
one  lralf  (of  socieb). ruith the  female  the  other  half. Cal  "one
half,  be better or  bigger  than  the  other  halfl  Is  there a more
sirnple  but profound phr"sical  image  of  equalitv?  If  the second
meaning.  "sisters."  is  adopted-  it  implies  the  same'
Proph-et  Muhatnmad taught  kindness.  care  and respect  toward
*ornen  in  general: "l  commend 
-vou 
to  be  kind  to  women"
(Narrated  bi  al-llukhari  an,J  Muslim). It  is significant  that such
instruction  of the  Prophet  was  alnong  his  final  instructions  and
reutinds-rs  in  tlte  "faictlell  pilgrinrage" addtess  given  shottlf'
beforc  his  passing  awaY.
(e)  lVlodesty  and social  intcraction:
The paraneters  of proper  modesty  for  rnales  and  females  (dress
and  bchagior)  are  bascd  on relelator.l'  sources 
(the 
Qur'fin 
and
authentic  Sutrnolt)  and-  as  such.  are  regarded  bv believing  men
and rronren  as  diyinell'-based  injunctions  and gurdelines  with
legitinratc airns  and  divine  u{sdotn  behind  them.  They  are
neither  male-irnposed  nor sociallv imposed  restrictions  (see 
Q
24.30-31"  33:59"  33:32  and  also  the numerous  statements  by
Proptret  Muhamrnad  on  this  subject)-
Tire  Islflrlic  dress code 
(the  hiiah)  requires the  Muslim
t\'onull  [o  cover her  etttire bodt  e.rcept  the  facc  and  hands
rvhen  in  public  or  lhen  in  front  of  men  rvho  are  not
petto*etttlu  prohibited  to  her  in  marriage because  o[  a blood

and  made yoa  peoples  and  tribes  that  you  mry  know  one
another. Indeed,  the mo.st  nohle of you  in  the sight  of Ailah  is
the  most  righteoys  of  you.  Inieed,  Attah  is  Knowing  and
Acquainted"(Q  49:13)