By now it is clear that the status of woman in Islam is unprecedentedly high and realistically suitable to her nature. Her rights and duties are equal to those of man but not necessarily or absolutely identical with them. If she is deprived of one thing in some aspect, she is fully compensated for it with more things in many other aspects. The fact that she belongs to the female sex has no bearing on her human status or independent personality, and it is no basis for justification of prejudice against her or injustice to her person. Islam gives her as much as is required of her. Her rights match beautifully with her duties. The balance between rights and duties is maintained, and no side overweighs the other. The whole status of woman is given clearly in the Qur'anic verse which may be translated as follows: 

And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable; but man have a degree (of advantage as in some cases of inheritance) over them. (2:228) 

This degree is not a title of supremacy or an authorization of dominance over her. It is to correspond with the extra responsibilities of man and give him some compensation for his unlimited liabilities. The above-mentioned verse is always interpreted in the light of another (4:34). 

It is these extra responsibilities that give man a degree over woman in some economic aspects. It is not a higher degree in humanity or in character. Nor is it a dominance of one over the other or suppression of one by the other. It is a distribution of God's abundance according to the needs of the nature, of which God is the Maker. And He knows best what is good for woman and what is good for man. God is absolutely true when He declares: 

O humankind, Reverence your Guardian–Lord, Who created you from a single person, and created of like nature his mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women. (4:1)

1. The Qur'anic injunction of inheritance has other social and psychological aspects. First, it is for all times and communities. In many communities, a daughter or sister is seen as one who takes away the family's wealth to a foreign home. As Said Nursi points out, the Qur'an's injunction is a perfect mercy for women, in addition to its being perfectly just, for a girl is delicate, vulnerable, and therefore held in great affection by her father who, thanks to the Qur'anic injunction, does not see her as a child who will cause him loss by carrying away to others half of his wealth. Her brothers feel compassion for her and protect her without feeling envious, for she is not a rival in the division of the family possessions. Thus, the affection and compassion she enjoys through her family compensate for her apparent loss in the inheritance. Islam considers many other aspects as well. On the one hand, a woman's earning capacity is less than that of a man and, on the other, her consumption of wealth is usually more. While she is living at home, her contribution to the family's income is usually much less than her brother(s). There are other finer aspects of their respective mental make-up. For example, a man always wants to spend for the sake of the woman of his choice. Taking all these points into consideration, Islam has made dower and maintenance obligatory. 

2. It is interesting that a woman's witness in certain matters is exclusive and her expertise conclusive. No man's witness is accepted and no more than one woman is needed. Furthermore, bearing witness to contracts and business transactions is not a privilege but a duty (Qur'an 2:282-83) that must be performed. If the woman's share of this duty is lightened by one half, it can hardly be called a denial of her rights. If anything, it is a favor or an exemption.