Ideas about social and gender hierarchy are evident in this religious text. The Quran states that men and women are spiritually equal and equally rewarded by God. But, as he continues, he declares that "Men are the protectors and supporters of women, because God has given one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them by their means. » Men and women are said to be “spiritually equal,” but men are still considered stronger and women are expected to be “devoutly obedient” to their husbands. During the Middle Ages, women's subordination was primarily shaped by local culture, which varied by time and place. In early communities, women had more freedom, but by the mid-700s, women began to be subordinated, especially elite women. Although the Quran guarantees women more rights than the Bible, it also subordinates wives to their husbands, and women's inheritance to