Islam and Women
From WikiIslam
One of the most hotly debated issues in regards to Islam, is its views and laws concerning women. This page contains easy-to-read summaries of articles discussing Islam, in relation to women.
[edit] Primary Articles Exploring Islam's Relationship with Women
[edit] A General Look at Women in Islam
To hear groups like the Council of American-Islamic Relations or the Islamic Society of North America, Islam holds women in high regard. Indeed, Souad Saleh, a female professor at Al-Ahzar University in Cairo and a vocal proponent of women's rights in Egypt, recently stated, "Islam is pure and simple, and it holds women in high esteem."[1] If women are treated equally in Islam, is there justification for it in the sacred writings of Islam, or is this 'equal treatment' in conflict with sacred directives? What does the Qur'an say about women? What does Muhammad say about women as recorded in the hadith, and what kind of example did he set in the way he treated women that were part of his life? Do the reports we hear of women being oppressed accord with sacred scripture, or are they rather anomalies having no foundation in Islam? What have women from an Islamic background actually experienced – what are their stories? These are some of the issues this article addresses.
[edit] Islamic Writing and Women
Islamic scriptures and scholars have much to say in regards to Women and their role in Islam.
[edit] Women are Deficient in Intelligence
Muhammad's dislike for women caused him to declare that the majority of the inhabitants of Hell are women.[2] When asked why he said it was because they are deficient in intelligence and religion and because they are ungrateful to their husbands. Although Muslim apologists and female Muslims use a lot of creative arguments to explain away Muhammad's declarations about women, they don't stand up to scrutiny. This article will present evidence showing Muhammad's belief that all women are less intelligent than their male counterparts; as well as examine and refute the common Muslim claims about the ahadith in question.
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:
Once Allah's Apostle went out to the Musalla (to offer the prayer) o 'Id-al-Adha or Al-Fitr prayer. Then he passed by the women and said, "O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women)." They asked, "Why is it so, O Allah's Apostle ?" He replied, "You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could be led astray by some of you." The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?" He said, "Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?" They replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Isn't it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?" The women replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her religion."[edit] The Real Reason Why Women Have to Wear the Hijab
If you ask a Muslim why Muslim females wears the Hijab (veil) the reason given is usually one of two (or a mixture of both):
- They are showing obeying a command from Allah as given in the Quran; it is a matter of piety.
- They are protecting their modesty by dressing this way instead of showing their body off for everyone to see.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The real reason that Muslim women wear the hijab today is not a spiritual one, nor a matter of piety. Covering the hair/face cannot be considered an act of modesty because Muslim men are not required to cover theirs. The sole reason they do it is because Umar bin Al-Khattab, a companion of Muhammad, wished that Muhammad would reveal verses from Allah requiring women to wear it. when Muhammad did not oblige, Umar did not bother praying to Allah for assistance. Umar knew he had to make it personal for Muhammad himself in order to bring the revelation down. He followed Muhammad's wives out when they went to go to the toilet and made his presence known. When Muhammad heard of this, the revelation that Umar had so wanted was sent down from Allah. Umar knew where these revelations were really coming from, which is why he pestered Muhammad and bothered his wives instead of asking Allah.
[edit] The True Purpose of the Mahr (Dowry)
The apologetic claim made for provision of a mahr is that it is a token of goodwill given by the husband to the wife as a demonstration that he will be able to support her financially throughout the marriage. However the Quran and ahadith make it clear that this is not its true purpose.
The purpose of the mahr as explained by the Islamic texts is clear - it is a payment from the man to his wife; payment in full for future sexual relations he will have with her. This is illustrated by the requirement for a mahr in temporary marriages, the statements of Muhammad, and the fact that a mahr cannot be taken back (except under extenuating circumstances) because the man has availed himself of the service for which it was payment. The apologetic claim that it is simply a demonstrative token of his ability to financially support his wife does not hold up to scrutiny once all of the evidence is examined. Even the Quran alone makes it clear this is incorrect.
[edit] The Rape of Women is Permitted in Islam
There is no equivalent term for ‘rape’ in the Qur'an. Likewise, there is not a single verse in the Qur'an which even remotely discourages forced sex. In contrast, there are several verses in this book which give the green light to rape and other sexual crimes against women.
Qur'an chapter 4 verse 24 discusses lawful and forbidden women for pious Muslims.
What we see in the beginning of this verse as “forbidden” refers to sexual intercourse. The Qur'an dictates, women already married are forbidden for Muslims except those whom their right hands possess (sex slaves). It is obvious from this verse, a Muslim can have sexual relations with his slave-woman. This (along with other verses, apologetic objections, marital rape Qur'an 2:223) are discussed in detail.
[edit] Coitus Interruptus
Al-'Azl, (العزل) also known as coitus interruptus, is the practice of having sexual intercourse with a woman but withdrawing the penis before ejaculation. Apparently this was a pretty important topic for Muhammad and his companions as is evidenced by the abundance of Hadith material on the subject.
According to Muhammad, when having sex with (i.e. raping) a captive, it's better if you do not pull out the penis at the end.
[edit] Domestic Violence Against Women is Permitted in Islam
- Main Article: Beat your wives or "separate from them"? See also: Wife Beating in Islam and Beating your Wives is Allowed
This article was written by non-Muslim Arabs in response to the mysterious translation of the verb darb (meaning "hit" "beat" or "strike") that has been presented on a few sites which claim to have "modern" translations of the Qur'an. These Islamic sites are directed at non-Arabic speakers, as anyone who has an adequate command of the Arabic language will find the claim being presented to be ridiculous.
They claim that the following verse (4:34) does not mean "to beat them," but rather to "separate from them" or to "strike them out."
Beat them and leave/separate/abandon them are different phrases in Arabic. The arabic word idribohunna driven from the root word Darab does not have any other meaning than Beat when it comes to mean "Yadreb Ahadan" = Hit someone. Idriboohunna (أضربوهن) means beat them (for female plural). Adriboo Anhunna (اضربوا عنهن) is the one that means abandon or leave them. According to the Arabic lexicon.[4]:
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ضرب | Zarb | Beat |
| أضربوهن (used in 4:34) | Idriboohunna | Beat them |
| اضربوا عنهن | Adriboo Anhunna | abandon them, leave them |
Quran 4:34 says Idriboohunna أضربوهن, not Adribu Anhunna اضربوا عنهن. These two phrases have different meanings. All the verses that contain darb against a human are understood to mean "beat" or "strike" that human, by their context, and this is agreed upon by these obscure Islamic pseudo-scholars. Why then do they consider verse 4:34 to be a special case and translate "darb" to mean "separate from them"?
[edit] Polygamy in Islam
Muhammad was a polygamist, and Islam allows a man to marry up to four wives at any one time:
It is also interesting to note that a Muslim male does not require the permission of his first wife before marrying a second. This article analyses the various arguments used by Muslims to defend this practice and the actions of Muhammad.
[edit] 'Justice' for Women in Islam
- Main Articles: Dealing Justly with Wives and Orphans and Unjust treatment of wives
A common Muslim explanation for 4:3 is to give a partial quote of the verse and explain that a Muslim man may marry up to four women. However, if he cannot deal justly with each of the wives then he is forbidden to marry that many; and can marry only one wife, to prevent treating women unfairly. Muslims explain that the use of the word "Justice" or "Justly" (depending on which translation is being used) refers to the man's ability to treat each of his wives exactly the same in every regard: not just materially (ie. food, clothing, shelter, time, money, etc..) but also that he must be able to love them all exactly the same. He must be able to feel the same amount of affection and love for each of his wives. If he cannot do this, then, according to the Qur'an he cannot marry more than one wife. In reality, Qur'an 4:3 has nothing to do with treating your wives equally, its about the orphan's and their Mahr. Injustice in this verse is talking about financial equality regarding bride price (for orphans) and financial viability of having that many wives, not equality between them.
[edit] 'Adultery' is Permitted in Islam
- Main Articles: Adultery, Adultery is permitted in Islam and The Punishment for Zina
Zina (Arabic: الزنا ) is the Arabic word for "unlawful sexual relations." It is used to refer to both adultery and fornication.
The Islamic definition of adultery differs from the modern/secular definition as well as the Biblical definition. The meaning also differs in relation to gender. Adultery is a serious offense in Islam warranting death to offenders. However, according to the most widely accepted definitions of the term, Islam in fact allows adultery. Both the Bible and modern, secular definitions of adultery condemn actions that are condoned in the Qur'an, Hadith, and Tafsir. Not only may a Muslim man have sex with a married woman, but he may also sell her as a slave to another man.
[edit] Other Important Articles
[edit] Sex Segregation in Islam
Islam prohibits free-mixing between men and women. It is argued that direct references for this prohibition can not be found in either the Qur'an or the Sunnah of the Prophet; but this can not mean that such conduct is permissible in Islam. As a complete way of life, Islam has not failed to address the matter. Various scholars of Islam have formulated their opinions on this matter and acknowledged the practice of free-mixing as a crime punishable under Shariah laws. All of the Jurists have sourced their views from the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the prophet, using these as the basis of their argument. Under Islamic law, it is not permissible for women to freely mix or socialize with non-Mahram men (Mahram i.e. those whom marriage is prohibited in Islam, include fathers, uncles, brothers and close blood relatives) under any circumstances. Islamic scholars are unanimous on this matter.
[edit] 72 Virgins With Swollen Breasts in Paradise
In Islam, the concept of 72 virgins (houri) refers to an aspect of paradise. Relating to the mention of virgins in the Qur'an several translators like Hilali-Khan, [5] Arthur John Arberry, Edward Henry Palmer, John Medows Rodwell and George Sale have interpreted Qur'an 78:33 to refer to "swelling breasts" or "big, firm, round breasts that are not inclined to sagging.[6][7] In his tafsir, Ibn Kathir wrote that the verse describes the physical attributes of the virgins. He construed the verse as:
[edit] Forced Marriage
- Main Articles: Forced Marriage and Contemporary Pedophilic Islamic Marriages
Forced marriages are sanctioned in Islam despite what the Muslim apologists claim to the contrary. Shari'a fails to protect the most vulnerable--children. A father's consent is all that is required to marry a young girl to an adult man, and the burden is upon her (once she reaches puberty) to seek an annulment or a divorce. In the meantime, the girl is vulnerable to spousal abuse and childhood pregnancy which greatly jeopardizes her health and future. Child marriages occur all over the world, especially in Muslim countries that practice Shari'a.
[edit] Adult Suckling
In Islamic societies gender segregation is a common practice to avoid any form of adultery. Thus men and women are not advised to stay in the same room if they are alone, and any adult woman is required to wear a veil in public. Only if men and women are closely related (Mahram) or married is there no need for gender segregation and hijab. However, it is obvious that the strict application of Islamic law may cause some trouble and difficulties to daily life, particularly concerning business. However, there is a way around this....adult suckling.
Dr. Atiyya, the head of the Hadith Department in Al-Azhar University, repeatedly declared that the sources he quoted belonged to the Islamic holy texts with the highest possible authority. According to him no less than 90,000 contemporary scholars confirmed that the hadith referred to is authentic.
[edit] Muhammad and Women
[edit] Wives and Concubines of Muhammad
- Main Articles: List of Wives and Concubines of Muhammad and Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Wives and Concubines of Muhammad
According to multiple sources, Muhammad had many wives and concubines, and was known as a "womanizer".[9] Muhammad consummated his marriages with thirteen women and divorced another six. He also used to visit all his wives in one night:
[edit] Aisha
Aisha, sometimes spelt as 'Ayesha', was the nine year old child-bride of Muhammad. She was engaged to him at the age of six. She was also the daughter of Abu Bakr, a close friend of Muhammad. Historically, she is known as Muhammad's "favourite wife."
The age of Muhammad's child-bride Aisha, has only in recent times become an actively contested issue, with many Muslims (through embarrassment) falsely claiming that she was in fact older than nine when married or when the marriage was consummated. It has also been recorded in authentic Islamic sources that Muhammad struck Aisha[10] and also allowed Abu Bakr to do the same.[11] Contrary to what Muslims often claim, Aisha was not 'offered' to Muhammad by her father. It was Muhammad who approached Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr originally protested.[12] However, Muhammad justified his perversion with a 'divine' vision from Allah,[13] which also happens to destroys the apologists appeal to cultural relativism.
[edit] Khadijah
Khadijah bint Khuwailid/Khuwaylid (555 – 619 AD) was the first wife of Muhammad and also his cousin. Belonging to the Bani Asad tribe, Khadijah was the daughter of Khuwaylid bin Asad bin. ‘Abd al-‘Uzza bin Qusayy, the Grand son Qusayy. She was a wealthy woman aged forty who ran her own business, and her love affair with Muhammad was a controversial one which almost ended in bloodshed.
[edit] Safiyah
Safiyah bint Huyayy (610 - 670 AD) was the bride of Kinana and the chief mistress of the Jewish tribes of Quraiza and An-Nadir. When the Muslims invaded and conquered Khaibar, the fighting men were killed and Safiya was taken captive (along with the rest of the women and children) and allotted as booty to Dihya Al-Kalbi, a Muslim.[14] Kinana was tortured and executed by the Muslims in order to discover the hiding places of treasure,[15] and one source relates that he and Safiya had been married only one day.[16] She was so beautiful, that the Muslims began praising her in the presence of Muhammad[17], and so the prophet commanded that Dihya be brought before him along with Safiya. Upon seeing her, Muhammad said, "Take any slave girl other than her from the captives"[18] and he selected her for himself.
From the information provided in the Hadith, we can reasonably conclude that Safiya did not have a choice in this marriage. She was held captive up until the marriage, and when Muhammad decided that she would be a wife rather than a slave-girl, that is when he made known that her manumission was her mahr.
[edit] Mariyah
Mariyah the Copt was one of the prophet’s wives’ maids. Muhammad slept with her without any ceremony, which caused uproar among his wives and finally was settled by "divine intervention."
[edit] Muhammad and the violation of the Qur'an
- Main Article: Muhammad and the violation of the Qur'an See also: The Marriages of Muhammad: A violation of the Quran
When we diligently study the biography of Muhammad and the ahadith we find quite a few examples where Muhammad had openly transgressed the provisions of the Qur'an. Sex was an important aspect of Muhammad’s life. His unbridled indulgence in sex had, on many occasions, forced him to violate Allah’s rule overtly. To suppress his breach of the Qur’anic laws on sex and sexuality, he, as usual, concocted stories of Allah’s exemption to His dearest friend. This article exposes the hypocrisy of some Islamists who claim adamantly that Muhammad could have never violated the Qur’an. What you will find are numerous examples of how Muhammad had violated the Qur’an vis-à-vis sex.
[edit] Women and the Farewell Sermon
- Main Article: The Farewell Sermon See also: A Brief Analysis of Muhammad’s Farewell Sermon
The Farewell Sermon (خطبة الوداع, Khuṭbatu l-Wadā') is Muhammad's last sermon before his death in 632 CE. There are different versions of the sermon, but in this version Muhammed's order to beat women coincide with the quranic order of wife-beating in 4:34. In this version, he also compares women to domestic animals. A related hadith:
[edit] References
- ↑ Gamal Nkrumah - "Soaud Saleh: Time to tear down the divides" interview in Al-Ahram Weekly, online publication
- ↑ Sahih Bukhari 1:6:301
- ↑ Quran 4 the World - Quran 4:34 (Daryabadi)
- ↑ "arabic-lexicon" (page in Arabic language)
- ↑ Noble Quran, translated by Hilali-Khan
- ↑ Quran browser
- ↑ QuranSearch.com
- ↑ Ibn Kathir. Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Abridged, Volume 10 Surat At-Tagabun to the end of the Qur'an, 333-334.
- ↑ "....Layla’s people said, "’What a bad thing you have done! You are a self-respecting woman, but the Prophet is a womanizer. Seek an annulment from him.’ She went back to the Prophet and asked him to revoke the marriage and he complied with [her request]...." - al Tabari vol.9 p.139
- ↑ "...He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. He struck me on the chest which caused me pain, and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you?..." - Sahih Muslim 4:2127
- ↑ "....Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) then got up went to 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) and slapped her on the neck, and 'Umar stood up before Hafsa and slapped her saying: You ask Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) which he does not possess...." - Sahih Bukhari 1:7:330
- ↑ "....The Prophet asked Abu Bakr for 'Aisha's hand in marriage. Abu Bakr said "But I am your brother."...." - Sahih Bukhari 7:62:18
- ↑ "....You were shown to me twice (in my dream) before I married you. I saw an angel carrying you in a silken piece of cloth, and I said to him, 'Uncover (her),' and behold, it was you. I said (to myself), 'If this is from Allah, then it must happen....." - Sahih Bukhari 9:87:140
- ↑ Sahih Bukhari 2:14:68
- ↑ Ishaq. I (Author), Guillaume. A (Translator). (2002). The Life of Muhammad. (p. 515). Oxford University Press - Tabari vol. 8, p.123 - Muir, Sir William. (1878). The Life of Mahomet, New Edition. (pp. 390-391) London:Smith, Elder and Co.
- ↑ Muir, Sir William. (1878). The Life of Mahomet, New Edition. (pp. 392) London:Smith, Elder and Co.
- ↑ Sahih Muslim 8:3329
- ↑ Sahih Bukhari 1:8:367
[edit] See also
[edit] Articles
- Status of Women in Islam
- Top 10 Verses Every Woman Must See
- Islam and Women - Dr. Younis Shaikh
- The Story of Umm Qirfa
- Veil fetish
- Islamic Witch Hunts
- List Islam: Women's Rights
- Treatment of women in Islam
