Were woman created from a rib?

19-10-2005 | IslamWeb

Question:

Can you please clarify to me what exactly does God mean when He Says that "Women are made from the ribs of men" does it mean that we women are made out of skeletal ribs that encloses their lungs and heart is made of men? Or does it have some deep meaning? What about the women who get divorce later on? And also the girls/women who die before they get married? I would be grateful if you could clarify it all.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

Allaah mentioned that He created a woman from a man, as He Says (which means): {O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate.}[Quran 4:1]. The Prophet also clarified this as he said: "Treat women kindly. The woman has been created from a rib…" Moreover, some interpreters of the Quran reported that Ibn Abbaas narrated that Hawa' [the wife of Aadam ] is created from Aadam's left rib. This is what is meant, that Allaah created Hawa' from Aadam. This does not mean that every woman is created from her husband as some people might think. So asking "what about a woman who is divorced, and the woman and girls who die before they are married", is a question that has no meaning. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 88656.   

Allaah Knows best.