“The study of women in Islam investigates the role of women within the religion of Islam.[1] The complex relationship between women and Islam is defined by Islamic texts, the history and culture of the Muslim world.[2] The Qur'an states that both men and women are equal,[3][4][5] but also, as in 4:34, that "Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because God has given the one more (strength) than the other and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient and guard in (the husband's) absence what God would have them guard."
Sharia (Islamic law) provides for complementarianism,[6] differences between women's and men's roles, rights, and obligations. However neither theQuran nor Hadith mention women have to be housewives.[7][8][9] Majority Muslim countries give women varying degrees of rights with regards tomarriage, divorce, civil rights, legal status, dress code, and education based on different interpretations. Scholars and other commentators vary as to whether they are just and whether they are a correct interpretation of religious imperatives.
The Qur'an expresses two main views on the role of women. It states that women are not equal to men in terms of inheritance, but men and women before God are equal in terms of their religious duties (i.e. belief in God and his messenger, praying, fasting, paying zakat (charity), making hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah/ Medina)) and places them "under" the care of men (i.e. men arelife, but not identical. Surah an-Nisa' 4:1 states that men and women are created from a single soul (nafs wahidah). One person does not come before the other, one is not superior to the other, and one is not the derivative of the other. A woman is not created for the purpose of a man. Rather, they are both created for the mutual benefit of each other.
Also, in the Qur'an it's indicated that all of mankind is made from a single soul. Also, they were equal in destiny when they were ordered by God not to eat from the forbidden tree, which resulted in their exile from heaven because of the temptations of the devil "Satan", not by the temptation of Eve.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Islam)

There is much written on women in Islam and every Muslim I have spoken with says Women are revered in Islam. Sure does sound like it from the above information and from all that Muslims have to say about women when asked by a Kafir or Non Believer (According to Oxford Dictionary of Islam the word 'Kafir' means: 'Unbeliever). If all this is true and women are so well treated then why, under Sharia Law, are they treated so badly? Contradicts what Muslims would want the Non Believers to believe does it not?

Why are there organizations dedicated to fighting for the rights of Women living in Islamic countries where Sharia Law is THE Law? Here is an example from one such organization that fights for women’s rights, (WLUML Women Living Under Muslim Laws http://www.wluml.org/node/5408)
“The Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) international solidarity network and Violence is Not Our Culture Campaign (VNC) strongly condemn the imprisonment of women and girls in Afghanistan (approximately 400 of them) for so-called “moral crimes”, including running away from home. The new study released by Human Rights Watch (HRW), “I Had to Run Away”: The Imprisonment of Women and Girls for “Moral Crimes” in Afghanistan[1] documents the phenomenon of these “crimes”, which often involve flight from early forced marriages or domestic violence. Some women and girls have been convicted of zina (sex outside of marriage) after being raped or forced into prostitution”

Does this sound like women and/or girls are revered? Not hardly! Under Sharia a woman cannot even go out by herself. Oh, at this stage of the Islamization of the United States you will see women out by themselves, but IF they get their way and institute Sharia Law in this country, women will then become second class citizens. I will relate a personal story here about a Muslim I worked for at one point. He is married, has kids, owns a business and truthfully is a nice person. His wife is a Doctor, she wears regular clothes when practicing medicine and one would think she always wore those clothes. HOWEVER! Their house was in need of a certain repair so the man I worked for asked one of our repair people if he would come to his home and take care of the matter. The repair person said sure be happy to, directions were given to the home and then the INSTRUCTIONS were given: “If I am not home when you get there you will have to wait, you are not permitted in the home to be alone with my wife.” You see, this is FORBIDDEN under Sharia, but keep in mind this family is living in the UNITED STATES now (they came here from Pakistan). When the repair person arrived at the home and was escorted inside by the husband he said the wife and a “friend” were there but were not permitted to speak to him and they were in FULL BURQA. You might say well that is their right! Well, yes it is, it is THEIR RIGHT but Islam does NOT HAVE THE RIGHT to try and enforce that on the rest of those in America, yet they are trying to. And that is just a very small example, women are STONED, BE-HEADED, BEATEN, ACID THROWN IN FACE, HUNG, BURIED ALIVE and much more for crimes as simple as talking to another man that is not their husband.
And I can tell you for a fact! When the man I worked for brought his son to the business that son treated me like I was dirt under his feet for I am a woman. I could see the hate in his eyes towards me; I will never forget that look.