خواتین کی عبادت گاہوں تک رسائی: ابراہیمی مذاہب کا تقابلی مطالعہ

Women’s Access to Worship Places: A Comparative Study of Abrahamic Religions

Abstract

Islam, Christianity, and Judaism are considered as Abrahamic religions. Although they all share common theological foundations, their perspectives on women’s participation in sacred spaces have varied across different historical periods and socio-cultural contexts. Using a comparative and analytical methodology, the study explores the role of scriptural interpretations, religious authority, and cultural traditions in shaping women’s access to mosques, churches, and synagogues. It also examines the primary textual sources including the Qur’an, Hadith, the Bible, and the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), along with major traditional religious interpretations that have influenced legal and theological understandings of women’s participation in places of worship across the three faiths. The research highlights that limitations on women’s participation were influenced not only by religious interpretations but also by prevailing social and cultural norms. It further discusses contemporary debates regarding gender inclusion and women’s religious participation in sacred spaces. This study contributes to the fields of Religious Studies and Comparative Theology by offering a comparative understanding of women’s access to places of worship in the Abrahamic traditions and by clarifying the interaction between scriptural teachings, religious traditions, and contemporary developments.