The Quran does not specify specific gender roles for women. In only a few instances are circumstances men and women notably different in the Qur'an. Passages that seem to affirm male authority over women are based on the Islamic understanding that men are responsible for the financial support of women. While the Qur'an allows a Muslim man to take up to four wives, it also insists on equal treatment for all. In most Islamic practice, gender roles manifest themselves, partially because men and women are sometimes allotted different rights and different cultural expectations. Islamic Women are often expected to be obedient and loyall wives and later mothers, staying within the family environment, while men are expected to be protectors, bread winners and caretakers of the family.