Women’s rights activist says “Islam improves status of women”
They have to keep telling us, because only by constant repetition can propagandists compel people to discard the truth and embrace the lie.
The author of this piece, Saadah Khair, is described here as an “activist, International Women’s Alliance for Family and Quality Education.”
The Qur’an teaches that men are superior to women and should beat those from whom they “fear disobedience”: “Men have authority over women because Allah has made the one superior to the other, and because they spend their wealth to maintain them. Good women are obedient. They guard their unseen parts because Allah has guarded them. As for those from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them and send them to beds apart and beat them.” — Qur’an 4:34
Muhammad’s child bride, Aisha, says in a hadith that Muhammad “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 2127
The Qur’an likens a woman to a field (tilth), to be used by a man as he wills: “Your women are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth as you will” — Qur’an 2:223
It declares that a woman’s testimony is worth half that of a man: “Get two witnesses, out of your own men, and if there are not two men, then a man and two women, such as you choose, for witnesses, so that if one of them errs, the other can remind her” — Qur’an 2:282
It allows men to marry up to four wives, and have sex with slave girls also: “If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly, then only one, or one that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice” — Qur’an 4:3
It rules that a son’s inheritance should be twice the size of that of a daughter: “Allah directs you as regards your children’s inheritance: to the male, a portion equal to that of two females” — Qur’an 4:11
It allows for marriage to pre-pubescent girls, stipulating that Islamic divorce procedures “shall apply to those who have not yet menstruated” — Qur’an 65:4
Islamic law stipulates that a man’s prayer is annulled if a dog or a woman passes in front of him as he is praying. “Narrated ‘Aisha: The things which annul the prayers were mentioned before me. They said, “Prayer is annulled by a dog, a donkey and a woman (if they pass in front of the praying people).” I said, ‘You have made us (i.e. women) dogs.’ I saw the Prophet praying while I used to lie in my bed between him and the Qibla. Whenever I was in need of something, I would slip away. for I disliked to face him.” — Sahih Bukhari 1.9.490
Another hadith depicts Muhammad saying that the majority of the inhabitants of hell are women:
“I looked into Paradise and I saw that the majority of its people were the poor. And I looked into Hell and I saw that the majority of its people are women.” — Sahih Bukhari 3241; Sahih Muslim 2737
When asked about this, he explained:
“I was shown Hell and I have never seen anything more terrifying than it. And I saw that the majority of its people are women.” They said, “Why, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “Because of their ingratitude (kufr).” It was said, “Are they ungrateful to Allah?” He said, “They are ungrateful to their companions (husbands) and ungrateful for good treatment. If you are kind to one of them for a lifetime then she sees one (undesirable) thing in you, she will say, ‘I have never had anything good from you.’” — Sahih Bukhari 1052
And in another hadith:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went out to the musalla (prayer place) on the day of Eid al-Adha or Eid al-Fitr. He passed by the women and said, ‘O women! Give charity, for I have seen that you form the majority of the people of Hell.’ They asked, ‘Why is that, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religious commitment than you. A cautious sensible man could be led astray by some of you.’ The women asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is deficient in our intelligence and religious commitment?’ He said, ‘Is not the testimony of two women equal to the testimony of one man?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Is it not true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?’ The women said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘This is the deficiency in her religious commitment.’” — Sahih Bukhari 304
Another statement attributed to Muhammad: “If a husband calls his wife to his bed [i.e. to have sexual relation] and she refuses and causes him to sleep in anger, the angels will curse her till morning.” — Sahih Bukhari 4.54.460
“Islam improves status of women,” by Saadah Khair, New Straits Times, January 12, 2019:
There is much hope that this year will be better with clearer and higher goals. What happened in previous years should be a lesson to everyone, including how women are treated and children are respected.There were countless cases reported last year regarding sexual harassment, rape, incest and domestic violence.These crimes are disgusting, and the cases show no sign of decreasing. But what about those that go unreported?It’s embarrassing when most of the cases reported involved alleged Muslim perpetrators committing crimes against Muslim women and children. It is certainly heartbreaking to ask, “why Muslims?”.In Islam, women are equal to men. Both have similar rights even though they may be different.Islam improved the status of women. The Quran and Hadith contain loads of references acknowledging women’s rights and encourages being kind to women.Prophet Muhammad said many times in the Hadith: “Treat women nicely.” (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).He said: “Women are twin halves of men.” (Jami’ al-Tirmidhi). He emphasised treating women without harshness and violence.Women have been described as fragile as glass and need to be treated gently.Shaykh Mohammed Aslam, a Muslim scholar, described the importance of women in the life of the Prophet.He said, “The Prophet was born in the lap of a woman. He was delicately wrapped up and nursed by a woman. The first person to see his beautiful and illuminated smile was a woman. When his mother died in Abwa, he tearfully returned to Makkah with a woman.“When he returned from Hira, the first person who covered him was a woman and the first person he spoke to was a woman. A woman was the first to believe in him. A woman was the first to pray with him. A woman was the first to die for him.“When he delivered his khutbah (sermon), a woman was the first to build a minbar (pulpit) for him. When he left this world, he left resting his head on a woman.“His lineage continued through a woman; and his final words were, ‘I give you counsel that you be good to your women’.”So it amazes me how some still don’t know the rank of Muslim women.Each new year will come with new resolutions. This year, may we follow the Prophet’s way to respect women and act kindly towards them….
Posts
