How should we understand woman being created from man's rib?

The "hadith" about woman being created from man's rib is regarded as Israiliyyat in some books. Does this state show women as crooked beings that need to be educated and men as straight beings appointed to educate them? Are all slaves not in a test in the eye of Allah?

Dear Brother / Sister,

One of the facts expressed by the verses regarding the issue is as follows: Humanity is in need of an institution based on mutual love and respect, which is called family. Its establishment means salvation of humanity. The creation of Adam's wife from him is another evidence of divine power. However, what matters is giving information about Allah’s creation of Hz. Adam's wife, who completed his deficiency and eliminated his loneliness.  

Fakhruddin ar-Razi states the following:

"There are many secrets under this issue...” (1)

Enter under the command of your Lord about education and protection. Avoid opposing His order and act in accordance with public security. Beware His severe punishment. Your Lord created you from one soul, one person. Therefore, all of you are actually brothers coming from the same father; all of you are humans and creatures of one creator. Acting upon these principles, you should obey the rights of brotherhood by basing the principles related to law on the reality of humanity and the principle of education; you should avoid acting contrarily to the order of your Lord. Yes, your Lord created a soul and

"He created, of like nature, his mate." (an-Nisa, 4/1)

He granted such a bounty. He created a couple, one of them coming from the soul of the other.

"Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs all things." (Yasin, 36/36)

Therefore, it is necessary to appreciate the value and greatness of this boon and power, to know that creation and things are the work of the power of Allah, who is the creator of things, not the work of nature, to obey Him and to fear His torture. 

It is known through observation and experiment that both a male and female child can come from a father. In fact, if the creative power was in the nature of things, neither man could come from clay nor a girl could come from a man. For, if nature is not regular and harmonious, it is nothing. However, a male is not harmonious with a female nor is a female harmonious with male. 

"Allah did choose Adam above all people." (Aal-i Imran, 3/33)

“He (Allah) created him (Adam) from dust, then said to him: 'Be' and he was." (Aal-i Imran, 3/59)

As it is understood from the verses above, Hz. Adam was created from dust (soil) by being chosen. Hz. Hawwa (Eve) was created from Adam by being split from him. It is stated as follows: in hadiths:   

"Hawwa was created from one of Adam's ribs." (2)

It means being split from him. This meaning is the foundation of being spouses. The following is stated in a sound hadith:

"Woman is like a rib. She was created from a crooked rib. If you attempt to straighten it, you will break it. Her breaking means divorce." (3)

The crooked rib here indicates a splitting but it is also an example showing the difference between the nature of man and woman and including a warning that trying to make women like men means breaking them. It is also stated in hadiths that this splitting took place at the beginning of the creation in Paradise.

Footnotes:

1. Fakhru-Razi, IX/167.
2. Bukhari, Nikah 79; Muslim, Rada 65; Tirmidhi, Talaq 12; Darimi, Nikah 45; Ahmad b. Hanbal, II/428, 449, 530 and V/164.
3. Muslim, Rada 64; Nasai, Nikah 15; Ahmad b. Hanbal, II/168.

(Elmalı M. Hamdi YAZIR, Hak Dini Kur'an Dili)

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