The Faith Column

15 comments from readers

Christopher
13 August 2008 at 22:58

More lies, the Koran says hitting women is ok and don't tell us non-Muslims. Islam is a male dominant religion, as a man's testimony is worth twice as much as a women's in court. Go convince the Muslim men otherwise. This is just another attempt to get us to back off on our tough stance on Islam.

The two worlds just do not mix, and non-Muslims are sick of Muslims telling us how to live. It is time to end all Muslim immigration.

www.islaminaction08.blogspot.com

Christopher
13 August 2008 at 22:59

Your religion, culture and politics are all one and your religion calls for the dominance of me. Not going to happen....

Imam Salim Chishti
14 August 2008 at 10:22

As a matter of fact, the author is even more correct than he knows. The idea that this verse says anything about "beating" is a false interpretation promulgated by cultures in which this had been tolerated in pre-islamic times.

The correct translation of the word is "to leave" and indicates that after discussion and abstinence has been tried, that the man should leave the household for a further cooling off period. This is exactly like a "legal separation" and how much domestic violence would be avoided by all people if they would do that. For more discussion on this correct translation you can see Laleh Bakktiar's translation and discussion at http://www.sublimequran.org.

Peace and Blessings,

Imam Salim

Sharif
14 August 2008 at 13:39

Imam Chishti: your version and interpretation is telling half the story. If a woman is barred from having sex etc and the husband does not have a contact with her, may be true. But since men can have more than one wife, the wife would feel ignored. And sexually, no problem with men since they can carry on with other wives or infidel maids, which Mohammed(PBUH) allowed muslim men. And then there are other suras which determine the value of women as half of men. And an old man can marry a child of 10 years. shall I quote you some quran passages?

Tajudeen
14 August 2008 at 18:39

I don't understand why polygamy is brought into this, since polygamy is an exeception, and in fact the Quran encourages only one wife.

Polygamy, the right way

http://submission.org/polygamy.html

Peace.

Sharif
15 August 2008 at 08:18

tajudeen: Muhammad had 13 wives in his life. On an average he had 4 at a time. Many rich people marry more than one even today. If I go to a Mullah and ask to be married, he does not ask any questions and agrees to perform the Nikah ceremony. Obviously his knowledge is better than yours or mine.

lying and defending wrong of a religion can only prolong the reformation process. But obviously, not many Muslims are worried about it. It is easy to come up with lame excuses and feel happy to shut 'them' up who dare question the validity of irrelevant suras..

nawawimohamad
15 August 2008 at 11:41

Those who try to find "faults" by wrongly quoting or interpreting the holy Quran are at their own perils.

Muslims need not justify their actions to those who hate and doesn't believe in Islam, it is like washing dirty linen in the open. However, the Muslims must accept that there are many bad apples in the basket infact it seems that there are more bad apples then the good ones. Instead of trying to explain and justify, the Muslims must concentrate on cleaning their own backyard because no one else is going to do it for them.

Sharif
15 August 2008 at 13:42

nawawimohammad: I agree with you. But is anybody listening? I doubt it. I come from an Islamic country and if I uttered a single sentence to reformation, they will call me an infidel and make a short process with me. I am sure you know that. Right?

Ali Husseini
16 August 2008 at 05:46

Dear oh dear...whichever creed or doctrine you claim to follow in Islam, be it a Sufi tariqah or an ahadith-denying number sect, the main problem is the Qur'an. Islam revolves around this problematic text.

Firstly, Miss Malik, I know you are well intentioned in your devotion to the text that encapsulates Islam, but ask yourself why you would distort the facts about chapter 4, an-Nisa'? Contrary to what you assert, that 'The beating of women is not advocated in any form by the Quran' and 'the theme of the Chapter is to defend women’s rights, and countering injustice and oppression of women', this is simply not true! Objectively.

Let's look at the facts: of nearly 180 verses in this chapter (4), barely 20% relates, however tenuously to the affairs both spirtual and temporal of women. This is not unusual in the Qur'an, which often employs a key word, not necessarily the main theme of the chapter, as the title. These titles do not originate with Muhammad bin 'Abdullah and were probably conceived during the Abbasid caliphate. Indeed, some of the chapter headings vary today, depending on where you pick up your Qur'an (though since the relatively commonplace Egyptian 'edition' and the Madinah 'edition' have been distributed, the surah headings are becoming more standardised).

Most of what does relate to the fairer sex in this chapter is framed in a male context or by deduction from what 'God' communicates to man.

The verse in question, verse 34, can be translated as follows:

Men are in charge of women because of that with which God has preferred the one over the other, and because of what they expend of their property. Therefore righteous women are obedient, guarding in the unseen because of what God has guarded. And those you fear may be rebellious, admonish them, and share not beds with them, and strike them. If they then obey you, do not seek a way against them. God is ever High, Great.

(This is the Royal Ahl ul-Bayt authorised translation available at altafsir.com, a respected and accurate modern translation)

Here is the Arabic:

ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٰمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَآ أَنْفَقُواْ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ فَٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ قَٰنِتَٰتٌ حَٰفِظَٰتٌ لِّلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ ٱللَّهُ وَٱلَّٰتِي تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَٱهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِي ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلاَ تَبْغُواْ عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلاً إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيّاً كَبِيراً }

Notice the term 'have charge over', a gloss of the Arabic word قَوَّٰمُونَ, an adjective meaning 'prized' or 'treasured' or 'valued'. Now, there are a plethora of meanings given for this particular root (قوم), but the core one is 'straightness; rigidity' coming from the expression for the body's attitude whilst standing. This particular adjective is generated from the geminated form of the root (قوَم). Gemination usually leads to causation semantically in Arabic, and so we get the verb 'to straighten; to rectify' from whence we get our adjective.

The commentators are fairly adamant that this verse was revealed in response to any one of several named women approaching Muhammad for advice after their husband 'slapped' them. 'Allah' is said to have revealed this verse to clarify a man's rights over a woman and the limits, an important concept in Islamic jurisprudence and theology, he should confine himself to.

What would worry me though, is that a deity has revealed in response to a request for justice, that men effectively are more 'valued' than women; that they are superior physically, intellectually and spiritually, which is what the text seems to be saying.

Please, Ms Malik, I'm not challenging your faith or belittling it. It is a source of joy for me that you can read positive things from a text such as this. I fully endorse any effort that is made to reform the Qur'an. Keep challenging established notions, with 'ilm, and you will arrive at the place you are seeking.

To Imam Chishti, who appears to be a devotee of the Chishtiyyah order, peace be upon you my friend. May I take the opportunity though to take you to task on your comments?

'As a matter of fact, the author is even more correct than he knows. The idea that this verse says anything about "beating" is a false interpretation promulgated by cultures in which this had been tolerated in pre-islamic times.'

Sir, further down, towards the end of verse 34, we encounter the Arabic verb ٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ meaning 'to forsake, abandon or leave'. You are right, with no direct object and taking a preposition, this is actually how we would gloss this verb in English. Unfortunately, here we have a direct object, the fem. pl. pronoun هُنَّ and no preposition. Moreover, the sense of 'leave, abandon them' is given by the previous verb ٱهْجُرُوهُنَّ. Why would Allah repeat himself here? It would seem to go against the stylistics of the rest of the Qur'an, where synonyms are used for rhetorical effect, not in law-bearing verses such as this.

An early comprehensive presentation of different opinions regarding this verse can be found in at-Tabari's Jaami'a ul-Bayaan: there is by no means a unanimous consensus over the meaning of this portion of the verse, but the majority of commentators citing the context of revelation, the syntax (concession = ف و و ف ) and the root, err towards the meaning of 'striking, chastising physically'. They overwhelmingly suggest 'striking without violence' or 'light beating' though.

'The correct translation of the word is "to leave" and indicates that after discussion and abstinence has been tried, that the man should leave the household for a further cooling off period.'

This cannot be true I'm afraid because men are the 'subject' of the verb here, not the object. Elsewhere in the Qur'an where the root is used, it always means to strike or hit. Even if we did concede the verb here meant 'leave, depart', which is contradicted by context, use of the root elsewhere and semantics, men would be the actioners of the departing and women the ones 'to depart'. This is slightly less misogynistic than 'beating' women, but it's a fantasy gloss of this verb.

'This is exactly like a "legal separation" and how much domestic violence would be avoided by all people if they would do that.'

I quite agree: mediation and reconciliation would be far better as the Qur'an recommends elsewhere, rather than physical reproval. Alas, this verse does allude to violence and no amount of terminological juggling or translation can change that.

Elsewhere, in numerous hadith, of which a provide 4 examples below, Muhammad uses and advocates violence against women:

Sahih al-Bukhari 5377 - ‘Ikrima narrated that Rifa’a divorced his wife whereupon ‘AbdurRahman bin Az-Zubair Al-Qurazi married her. ‘Aisha said that the lady (came), wearing a green veil and complained to her (Aisha) of her husband and showed her a green spot on her skin caused by beating. It was the habit of ladies to support each other, so when Allah’s Apostle came, ‘Aisha said, “I have not seen any woman suffering as much as the believing women. Look! Her skin is greener than her clothes!”When ‘AbdurRahman heard that his wife had gone to the Prophet, he came with his two sons from another wife. She said, “By Allah! I have done no wrong to him but he is impotent and is as useless to me as this,” holding and showing the fringe of her garment, ‘Abdur-Rahman said, “By Allah, O Allah’s Apostle! She has told a lie! I am very strong and can satisfy her but she is disobedient and wants to go back to Rifa’a.” Allah’s Apostle said, to her, “If that is your intention, then know that it is unlawful for you to remarry Rifa’a unless Abdur-Rahman has had sexual intercourse with you.”Then the Prophet saw two boys with ‘Abdur-Rahman and asked (him), “Are these your sons?” On that ‘AbdurRahman said, “Yes.” The Prophet said, “You claim what you claim (i.e.. that he is impotent). But by Allah, these boys resemble him as a crow resembles a crow,”

5377 - حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ ‏ ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ ‏ ‏أَخْبَرَنَا ‏ ‏أَيُّوبُ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏عِكْرِمَةَ أَنَّ ‏ ‏رِفَاعَةَ ‏ ‏طَلَّقَ ‏ ‏امْرَأَتَهُ ‏ ‏فَتَزَوَّجَهَا ‏ ‏عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ الزَّبِيرِ الْقُرَظِيُّ ‏ ‏قَالَتْ ‏ ‏عَائِشَةُ ‏ ‏وَعَلَيْهَا خِمَارٌ أَخْضَرُ فَشَكَتْ إِلَيْهَا وَأَرَتْهَا خُضْرَةً بِجِلْدِهَا فَلَمَّا جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏وَالنِّسَاءُ يَنْصُرُ بَعْضُهُنَّ بَعْضًا قَالَتْ ‏ ‏عَائِشَةُ ‏ ‏مَا رَأَيْتُ مِثْلَ مَا يَلْقَى الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ لَجِلْدُهَا أَشَدُّ خُضْرَةً مِنْ ثَوْبِهَا قَالَ وَسَمِعَ أَنَّهَا قَدْ أَتَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏فَجَاءَ وَمَعَهُ ابْنَانِ لَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِهَا قَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ مَا لِي إِلَيْهِ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ إِلَّا أَنَّ مَا مَعَهُ لَيْسَ بِأَغْنَى عَنِّي مِنْ هَذِهِ وَأَخَذَتْ ‏ ‏هُدْبَةً ‏ ‏مِنْ ثَوْبِهَا فَقَالَ كَذَبَتْ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَنْفُضُهَا نَفْضَ ‏ ‏الْأَدِيمِ ‏ ‏وَلَكِنَّهَا ‏ ‏نَاشِزٌ ‏ ‏تُرِيدُ ‏ ‏رِفَاعَةَ ‏ ‏فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏فَإِنْ كَانَ ذَلِكِ لَمْ تَحِلِّي لَهُ أَوْ لَمْ تَصْلُحِي لَهُ حَتَّى يَذُوقَ مِنْ عُسَيْلَتِكِ قَالَ وَأَبْصَرَ مَعَهُ ابْنَيْنِ لَهُ فَقَالَ بَنُوكَ هَؤُلَاءِ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ هَذَا الَّذِي تَزْعُمِينَ مَا تَزْعُمِينَ فَوَاللَّهِ لَهُمْ أَشْبَهُ بِهِ مِنْ الْغُرَابِ بِالْغُرَابِ

Sahih Muslim 1619 - Muhammad b. Qais said (to the people): Should I not narrate to you (a hadith of the Holy Prophet) on my authority and on the authority of my mother? We thought that he meant the mother who had given him birth. He (Muhammad b. Qais) then reported that it was ‘A’isha who had narrated this: Should I not narrate to you about myself and about the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)? We said: Yes. She said: When it was my turn for Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) to spend the night with me, he turned his side, put on his mantle and took off his shoes and placed them near his feet, and spread the corner of his shawl on his bed and then lay down till he thought that I had gone to sleep. He took hold of his mantle slowly and put on the shoes slowly, and opened the door and went out and then closed it lightly. I covered my head, put on my veil and tightened my waist wrapper, and then went out following his steps till he reached Baqi’. He stood there and he stood for a long time. He then lifted his hands three times, and then returned and I also returned. He hastened his steps and I also hastened my steps. He ran and I too ran. He came (to the house) and I also came (to the house). I, however, preceded him and I entered (the house), and as I lay down in the bed, he (the Holy Prophet) entered the (house), and said: Why is it, O ‘A’isha, that you are out of breath? I said: There is nothing. He said: Tell me or the Subtle and the Aware would inform me. I said: Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be ransom for you, and then I told him (the whole story). 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? She said: Whatsoever the people conceal, Allah will know it. He said: Gabriel came to me when you saw me. He called me and he concealed it from you. I responded to his call, but I too concealed it from you (for he did not come to you), as you were not fully dressed. I thought that you had gone to sleep, and I did not like to awaken you, fearing that you may be frightened. He (Gabriel) said: Your Lord has commanded you to go to the inhabitants of Baqi’ (to those lying in the graves) and beg pardon for them. I said: Messenger of Allah, how should I pray for them (How should I beg forgiveness for them)? He said: Say, Peace be upon the inhabitants of this city (graveyard) from among the Believers and the Muslims, and may Allah have mercy on those who have gone ahead of us, and those who come later on, and we shall, God willing, join you. ‏

1619 - و حَدَّثَنِي ‏ ‏هَارُونُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْأَيْلِيُّ ‏ ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ ‏ ‏أَخْبَرَنَا ‏ ‏ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ كَثِيرِ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ ‏ ‏أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ ‏ ‏مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ قَيْسٍ ‏ ‏يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ ‏ ‏عَائِشَةَ ‏ ‏تُحَدِّثُ فَقَالَتْ ‏ ‏أَلَا أُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏وَعَنِّي قُلْنَا بَلَى ‏ ‏ح ‏ ‏و حَدَّثَنِي ‏ ‏مَنْ ‏ ‏سَمِعَ ‏ ‏حَجَّاجًا الْأَعْوَرَ ‏ ‏وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ ‏ ‏قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ ‏ ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ ‏ ‏أَخْبَرَنِي ‏ ‏عَبْدُ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏رَجُلٌ مِنْ ‏ ‏قُرَيْشٍ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَيْسِ بْنِ مَخْرَمَةَ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ ‏‏أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَوْمًا أَلَا أُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنِّي وَعَنْ أُمِّي قَالَ فَظَنَنَّا أَنَّهُ يُرِيدُ أُمَّهُ الَّتِي وَلَدَتْهُ قَالَ قَالَتْ ‏ ‏عَائِشَةُ ‏ ‏أَلَا أُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنِّي وَعَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏قُلْنَا بَلَى قَالَ قَالَتْ لَمَّا كَانَتْ لَيْلَتِي الَّتِي كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏فِيهَا عِنْدِي ‏ ‏انْقَلَبَ ‏ ‏فَوَضَعَ رِدَاءَهُ وَخَلَعَ نَعْلَيْهِ فَوَضَعَهُمَا عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ وَبَسَطَ طَرَفَ إِزَارِهِ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ فَاضْطَجَعَ فَلَمْ يَلْبَثْ إِلَّا ‏ ‏رَيْثَمَا ‏ ‏ظَنَّ أَنْ قَدْ رَقَدْتُ فَأَخَذَ رِدَاءَهُ رُوَيْدًا وَانْتَعَلَ رُوَيْدًا وَفَتَحَ الْبَابَ فَخَرَجَ ثُمَّ ‏ ‏أَجَافَهُ ‏ ‏رُوَيْدًا فَجَعَلْتُ دِرْعِي فِي رَأْسِي ‏ ‏وَاخْتَمَرْتُ ‏ ‏وَتَقَنَّعْتُ ‏ ‏إِزَارِي ثُمَّ انْطَلَقْتُ عَلَى إِثْرِهِ حَتَّى جَاءَ ‏ ‏الْبَقِيعَ ‏ ‏فَقَامَ فَأَطَالَ الْقِيَامَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ انْحَرَفَ فَانْحَرَفْتُ فَأَسْرَعَ فَأَسْرَعْتُ فَهَرْوَلَ فَهَرْوَلْتُ ‏ ‏فَأَحْضَرَ ‏ ‏فَأَحْضَرْتُ ‏ ‏فَسَبَقْتُهُ فَدَخَلْتُ فَلَيْسَ إِلَّا أَنْ اضْطَجَعْتُ فَدَخَلَ فَقَالَ مَا لَكِ يَا ‏ ‏عَائِشُ ‏ ‏حَشْيَا ‏ ‏رَابِيَةً ‏ ‏قَالَتْ قُلْتُ لَا شَيْءَ قَالَ لَتُخْبِرِينِي أَوْ لَيُخْبِرَنِّي اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ قَالَ فَأَنْتِ ‏ ‏السَّوَادُ ‏ ‏الَّذِي رَأَيْتُ أَمَامِي قُلْتُ نَعَمْ ‏ ‏فَلَهَدَنِي ‏ ‏فِي صَدْرِي ‏ ‏لَهْدَةً ‏ ‏أَوْجَعَتْنِي ثُمَّ قَالَ أَظَنَنْتِ أَنْ ‏ ‏يَحِيفَ ‏ ‏اللَّهُ عَلَيْكِ وَرَسُولُهُ قَالَتْ مَهْمَا ‏ ‏يَكْتُمِ ‏ ‏النَّاسُ يَعْلَمْهُ اللَّهُ نَعَمْ قَالَ ‏ ‏فَإِنَّ ‏ ‏جِبْرِيلَ ‏ ‏أَتَانِي حِينَ رَأَيْتِ فَنَادَانِي فَأَخْفَاهُ مِنْكِ فَأَجَبْتُهُ فَأَخْفَيْتُهُ مِنْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْكِ وَقَدْ وَضَعْتِ ثِيَابَكِ وَظَنَنْتُ أَنْ قَدْ رَقَدْتِ فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أُوقِظَكِ وَخَشِيتُ أَنْ تَسْتَوْحِشِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ أَهْلَ ‏ ‏الْبَقِيعِ ‏ ‏فَتَسْتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ قَالَتْ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ أَقُولُ لَهُمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ قُولِي ‏ ‏السَّلَامُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الدِّيَارِ مِنْ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَيَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ الْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنَّا وَالْمُسْتَأْخِرِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَلَاحِقُونَ

Sunan Abi Dawood 1834 - Iyas ibn Abdullah ibn AbuDhubab reported the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) as saying: Do not beat Allah’s handmaidens, but when Umar came to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and said: Women have become emboldened towards their husbands, he (the Prophet) gave permission to beat them. Then many women came round the family of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) complaining against their husbands. So the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: Many women have gone round Muhammad’s family complaining against their husbands. They are not the best among you.

1834 - حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي خَلَفٍ ‏ ‏وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ السَّرْحِ ‏ ‏قَالَا حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏سُفْيَانُ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏الزُّهْرِيِّ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏قَالَ ‏ ‏ابْنُ السَّرْحِ ‏ ‏عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏إِيَاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي ذُبَابٍ‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏لَا تَضْرِبُوا ‏ ‏إِمَاءَ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏فَجَاءَ ‏ ‏عُمَرُ ‏ ‏إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏فَقَالَ ‏ ‏ذَئِرْنَ ‏ ‏النِّسَاءُ عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِنَّ فَرَخَّصَ فِي ضَرْبِهِنَّ فَأَطَافَ بِآلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏نِسَاءٌ كَثِيرٌ يَشْكُونَ أَزْوَاجَهُنَّ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏لَقَدْ طَافَ بِآلِ ‏ ‏مُحَمَّدٍ ‏ ‏نِسَاءٌ كَثِيرٌ يَشْكُونَ أَزْوَاجَهُنَّ لَيْسَ أُولَئِكَ بِخِيَارِكُمْ

Sunan Abi Dawood 1835 - “The Prophet said: A man will not be asked as to why he beat his wife.”

1835 - ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ ‏ ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ ‏ ‏حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏أَبُو عَوَانَةَ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏دَاوُدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأَوْدِيِّ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْمُسْلِيِّ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏الْأَشْعَثِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ ‏‏عَنْ النَّبِيِّ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏قَالَ ‏ ‏لَا يُسْأَلُ الرَّجُلُ فِيمَا ضَرَبَ امْرَأَتَهُ

Sharif
16 August 2008 at 08:10

Ali Hussaini: Excellent post. I doubt if anybody can disagree with the text and translation

Ali Husseini
16 August 2008 at 10:57

Sharif. Imam Chishti makes an excellent point, often overlooked by those quick to point to evidence of misogyny in the Qur'an, as does Miss Malak. The verb that provokes the most ire is ٱضْرب, a causative verb structure based on the triliteral root ضرب. The core meaning of these letters is 'strike; land; hit', but this particular extended verb form can refer to 'leaving or departing'. It must be followed by a preposition such as في or عن though for it express this. I'm not sure whether this particular form of the verb is a modern coinage or not. Elsewhere in the Qur'an, the same extended root gives the meaning 'strike or hit'.

I first became aware of the submitters, their rejection of the hadith and Dr Rashad Khalifah while researching a paper on the 'Mysterious Letters' in the Qur'an. I admire their progressiveness and their willingness to question traditional aspects of Islam for adaptation to the modern world. Alas, because of this, they are rejected by 'orthodox' Muslims and run the risk of being subjected to violent 'punishment' for apostasy.

If more 'orthodox' Muslims were to critically examine their source texts, they would see that, not only is their clear evidence of revision (in the Qur'an and hadith) but also substantial textual borrowing from other faiths prevalent at the time, including Zoroastrianism, but they would also with a little bit of research discover that clerical heavyweights such as Ibn Khaldun, Abu Hanifah and others questioned the blind following of tradition and speculated that the text of the Qur'an (if not the revelation itself) and hadith content to contain errors.

I know many kind and gentle Muslims who would never dream of following some of the advice/exhortations in the Qur'an. Let's hope that more people can be free to question their faith and its basis, for there can be few nobler pursuits.

sweety
21 August 2008 at 06:12

Zubia I know it OK for muslims, even muslim women to lie to non believers, but sssh your secret is safe with me.

Riaz Ahmad
24 August 2008 at 00:38

There is no doubt that Islam is biased towards the male kind, the western world uses this as an effective prepoganda against Islam.

I have no disrespect for Christianity, the position of women is no different in Christianity than it is in Islam. Before the voting right was granted to women in England, their property was the property of their husbands, the women had no right as such. In the west, it is not Christianity which emancipated women from male domination, it was the long fight by the suffrogettes and the liberal idiology that gave women their rights. The liberal thought is the evolution of the ancient Greek philosophy given to the west by the Islamic civilasition. This philosophy had nothing to do with either Islam or Christianity.

The western world has managed to free woman form the subjugation enforced upon them by Christianity by the application of liberal thought, where as the Islamic world is still stuck in its religious theology.

Friendoftruth
25 August 2008 at 19:00

Dear friends,

I think all our religions had/have contents that seem rather bizarre in our xxi century Western world.

The mistreatement or belittlement of women has been encouraged in writing or fact for many centuries and not only in Islam. This is a fact.

And it is true that it's the Feminist Mouvement -not any reformation in any church- that brought about the improvement in women's rights.

The Islamic world is so vast that anybody can give examples of both correct and wrong behaviour -as measured by our xxi century Western world.

Of course the mass migrations do not help at the beginning the peaceful cohabitation of peoples, because different stages of cultural evolution are thrown together to share daily life. But they will end up helping the building up of a human world where all humans are dearest to all humans.

This depends on us, human beings having some kind of religious mind. All of those following this blog obviously belong to this kind, look at the name of the blog.

So let's work on the refinement of our own hearts for others, let's pray our divine beings whomever they might be. The divine is present among us no matter what, we will receive help in this one, the most difficult of endeavours.

Changing our hearts is the only way to overcome any scripture from any of our holy religions that might seem today inappropriate.

ANTISTATE
08 September 2008 at 19:05

For Just one example of how Islam mis treats women visit

www.eventsandissues.bravehost.com/atheistsmatters.html