How did the rise of Islam change the lives of women?

The Quran banned female infanticide, gave women the right to own property and granted them rights of inheritance. It also allowed men to have sexual relations with consenting female slaves, but any children born of these unions were free, as was the mother once her owner died.

2. As the Arab Empire grew in size, the position of women became more limited. Women started to pray at home instead of in the mosque, and veiling and seclusion of women became standard practice among the upper and ruling classes. Other signs of tightening patriarchy, such as "honor killing" of women by their male relatives for violating sexual taboos which derived from local cultures, with no sanction in the Quran or Islamic law.

3. The Sufi practice of mystical union with God allowed a greater role for women than did mainstream Islam.

4. Islamic education, either in the home or in Quranic schools, allowed some women to become literate and a few to achieve higher levels of learning.