ABSTRACT
Whilemuchismadeofsuchfamousfemalemonarchsasthequeenof ShebaandZenobiaofPahnyra,andalthoughanumberofpoetesses contributedtothegreatArabicliteraryperiodofthesixthcentury, thosewomenwhoarerecordedashavingheldhighstatusseemtobe theexceptionratherthantherule.Althoughthereissomedisagreement astothestatusofwomeninpre-IslamicArabia,itisgenerallyaccepted thattheyheldasubordinatepositionsinceuptothetimeofthe ProphetMuhammadinstitutionsdidnotexistwhichcouldprotectthe rightsofwomen.AndsincesomuchmaterialintheQur'anisrelatedto women,itwouldappearthatQur'aniclegislationconcerningthem aimedatimprovingthelowpositionwhichwomenheldatthattime.1
