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Women in Islamic Law

2024-08-18T19:25:13Z

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{{QualityScore|Lead=2|Structure=4|Content=3|Language=4|References=3}}Women are legally disadvantaged by Islamic law in several domains of life. Particularly, women are disadvantaged in matters of sexual, domestic, legal, financial, sartorial, and physical autonomy. According to Islamic legal theory, while not all of Islamic law necessarily has a perceptibly rational basis, legal restrictions on women may be due to their supposed intellectual deficiency, which was pronounced by Muhammad according to Sahih Bukhari.

The writings of Professor [[w:Kecia Ali|Kecia Ali]] are renowned regarding the historical and modern Islamic approaches to women. Before her, ''Women and Gender in Islam'' by Leila Ahmed was also regarded as a seminal book on the subject. Ali's book ''Sexual Ethics and Islam'' is particularly wide-ranging.<ref>Kecia Ali,''Sexual Ethics and Islam'', England: Oneworld Publications, 2006</ref> She argues that the Quran is androcentric in terms of almost always addressing men and privileging male sexual agency.<ref>Ibid. pp. 131-132</ref> Ali also notes in her book the "very real dissonance between the cultural assumptions undergirding the classical edifices of jurisprudence and exegesis and the modern notions influencing Muslim intellectuals and ordinary people everwhere".<ref>Ibid. Introduction p. xxvii</ref> Throughout the book she critiques feminist and modernist interpretations while noting where they may have merit, as well as apologetics that misquote, mistranslate, or side step difficult issues. She also criticises some aggressively patriarchal and indeed misogynist interpretations. While warning against blind optimism on the prospects for transformation, she suggests the importance of rejecting medieval interpretations and not taking the Quran and hadiths as a repository of regulations to be applied at all times and places.<ref>Ibid. pp. 153-157</ref>

==Genital mutilation==
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is obligatory in the Shafi'i madhab<ref>[https://www.answering-islam.org/Sharia/fem_circumcision.html Section on FGM in the standard manual of Shafi'i law]</ref> and encouraged by the remaining three madhabs, namely the Hanafi, Hanbali, and Maliki. Salafi scholars also encourage the practice. In universally conceiving of FGM as being either an obligatory or favorable practice, the schools of Islamic law agree that ''prohibiting'' FGM altogether would not be acceptable, as this would be tantamount to contravening God's laws and preferences. Views on the specific type of FGM required or permitted vary within and between the madhhabs. Some prominent modern Islamic scholars have dissented from the favorable consensus of the Islamic tradition and ruled it to be unlawful.
{{Quote|''Reliance of the Traveler'' [''Umdat al-Salik''], Section e4.3 on Circumcision|'''Obligatory (on every male and female) is circumcision.''' (And it is the cutting-off of the skin [''qat' al-jaldah''] on the glans of the male member and, '''as for the circumcision of the female, that is the cutting-off of the ''badhar'' [''qat' al-badhar'', ''badhar'' or بَظْرٌ either means the clitoris or the prepuce of the clitoris; Lane says that the precise usage was confused at some point in history<ref>[http://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/02_b/137_bZr.html Lane's Lexicon بَظْرٌ]</ref>]''' (and this is called ''khufad''))}}The Islamic legal tradition, while differing on its implementation, embraced FGM wholeheartedly, and, in the hadith literature, Muhammad is recorded as tacitly approving of the practice ({{Muslim|3|684|}}), prescribing circumcision in general without specifying the requirements thereof per gender ({{Bukhari|7|72|777|}}), and commenting generically on its implementation ({{Abu Dawud|41|5251|}}). Nowhere is Muhammad recorded prohibiting the practice.

In 2012, the Muslim Brotherhood worked to decriminalize FGM. According to Mariz Tadros (a reporter),"the Muslim Brotherhood have offered to circumcise women for a nominal fee as part of their community services, a move that threatens to reverse decades of local struggle against the harmful practice [...] Many of the Brothers (and Salafis) argue that while it is not mandatory, it is nevertheless ''mukarama'' (preferable, pleasing in the eyes of God)."<ref>Tadros, Mariz (24 May 2012). "[https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/mutilating-bodies-muslim-brotherhoods-gift-to-egyptian-women/ Mutilating bodies: the Muslim Brotherhood's gift to Egyptian women]". ''openDemocracy''</ref>

==Marriage==

===Restrictions on choice===

====Prohibition on marrying non-Muslim men====

Islamic law prohibits Muslim women from marrying disbelievers. If a Muslim woman converts to Islam, her marriage to a non-Muslim husband is nullified. If a Muslim woman's husband apostatizes, their marriage is also nullified.

This ruling, derived from verses in the Qur'an, has enjoyed legally-binding scholarly consensus (''ijma'')<ref name="IndianaLawJournal">Leeman, Alex B. (2009) "Interfaith Marriage in Islam: An Examination of the Legal Theory Behind the Traditional and Reformist Positions," Indiana Law Journal: Vol. 84 : Iss. 2 , Article 9. pp.754-759
Available at: http://ilj.law.indiana.edu/articles/84/84_2_Leeman.pdf and https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ilj/vol84/iss2/9</ref><ref>[https://www.islamawareness.net/Marriage/fatwa_11.html Verses on Interfaith Marriage: Still Binding? Archive of islamonline.net]</ref><ref>[https://archive.islamonline.net/?p=1187 Why a Muslim Woman Is Not Allowed to Marry a Non-Muslim Man]</ref>,

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|221}}|Wed not idolatresses till they believe; for lo! a believing bondwoman is better than an idolatress though she please you; '''and give not your daughters in marriage to idolaters till they believe''', for lo! a believing slave is better than an idolater though he please you. These invite unto the Fire, and Allah inviteth unto the Garden, and unto forgiveness by His grace, and expoundeth His revelations to mankind that haply they may remember.}}

In a verse about the treaty of Hudaybiyyah (before the conquest of Mecca), believing women and disbelieving men were declared unlawful for each other.

{{Quote|{{Quran|60|10}}|O ye who believe! When believing women come unto you as fugitives, examine them. Allah is Best Aware of their faith. '''Then, if ye know them for true believers, send them not back unto the disbelievers. They are not lawful for them (the disbelievers), nor are they (the disbelievers) lawful for them.''' And give them (the disbelievers) that which they have spent (upon them). And it is no sin for you to marry such women when ye have given them their dues. And hold not to the ties of disbelieving women; and ask for (the return of) that which ye have spent; and let them (the disbelievers) ask for that which they have spent. That is the judgment of Allah. He judgeth between you. Allah is Knower, Wise.}}

After the conquest of Mecca, Muslim men, by contrast, were given fewer restrictions and were permitted to marry Muslim women and people of the Book (this includes Jewish and Christian women).

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|5}}|This day are (all) good things made lawful for you. The food of those who have received the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them. '''And so are the virtuous women of the believers and the virtuous women of those who received the Scripture before you (lawful for you) when ye give them their marriage portions''' and live with them in honour, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines. Whoso denieth the faith, his work is vain and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter.}}

In recent times, some Islamic modernists have argued that the classical view does not necessarily follow from the Qur'anic verses and that Muslim women should be given more freedom, though in both the scholarly and lay communities this remains a fringe view ''vis-a-vis'' the traditional view.<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/junaid-jahangir/muslim-women-marriage_b_15472982.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer_us=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_cs=Gv3znsP7rlc9K98rQxNZAQ Muslim Women Can Marry Outside The Faith - Blog on Huffington Post by Junaid Jahangir]</ref>

====Child marriage====
{{Main|Child Marriage in Islamic Law}}
A father or guardian must ask the consent of his virgin daughter before offering her in marriage, based on a well known sahih hadith. However, according to the same hadith, if she remains silent when asked, offering no explicit acceptance, this counts as consent ({{Muslim|8|3303}}, {{Muslim|8|3305}}). As a result, while women have the decision as adults to decide whom they marry, young girls may be married off before they are physically (or, much less, mentally) capable of providing anything in the way of consent. The Quran, in providing guidelines on the procedure for divorce, states what must be done in the case of wife who has not yet reached puberty. Child marriage was practiced by Muhammad himself, who married Aisha at the age of six and copulated with her at the age of nine, while he was in his fifties.{{Quote|{{Quran|65|4}}| [speaking of the prescribed waiting period for a divorce] And those of your women as have passed the age of monthly courses, for them the 'Iddah (prescribed period), if you have doubts (about their periods), is three months, and '''for those who have no courses''' their 'Iddah (prescribed period) is three months likewise.}}{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|58|236}}; see also: {{Bukhari|7|62|64}}| Narrated Hisham's father: Khadija died three years before the Prophet departed to Medina. He stayed there for two years or so and then he married 'Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consumated that marriage when she was nine years old.}}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3311}}| 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) married her when she was seven years old, and he was taken to his house as a bride when she was nine, and her dolls were with her; and when he (the Holy Prophet) died she was eighteen years old.}}

Ayatollah Khomeini, the Iranian Shi'ite religious leader, married a ten-year-old girl when he was twenty-eight. Khomeini called marriage to a prepubescent girl "a divine blessing," and advised the faithful: "Do your best to ensure that your daughters do not see their first blood in your house."

Today, child marriages occur [[Child Marriage in the Muslim World|all over the world]], but the practice is especially common in Muslim-majority countries, particularly in those that practice Shari'a. [http://www.un.org/youthenvoy/2016/03/new-un-initiative-aims-to-protect-millions-of-girls-from-child-marriage The UN] regards child marriage as a human rights violation and aims to eradicate it by 2030. The girl is vulnerable to spousal abuse and childhood pregnancy which greatly jeopardizes her health and future.

====Polygamy (four wives per husband)====
{{Main|Polygamy in Islam|Dealing Justly with Wives and Orphans (Qur'an 4:3)}}Islamic law permits men to marry up to four wives (alongside an unlimited number of concubines), while women are restricted to a single husband and are prohibited from any other form of sexual activity. Modern Islamic scholars differ on whether or not a bride may stipulate as a condition of her marriage that her husband remain monogamous. Some argue that this is permissible while others maintain that such a restriction cannot be justified as it impedes on rights that God has given men (where accepted, this practice is implemented through what is known as a ''talaq al-tafwid'', or 'delegated divorce'). {{Quran|4|3}}, which permits Muslim men to take up to four wives, also demands that they do 'justice' to their wives. According to most Muslim scholars, this does not prohibit any sort of romantic favoritism, and serves only to make sure that those who take on multiple wives have the minimum necessary financial wherewithal to do so. Muhammad himself (who was exempt from the four-wife limit per the Quran,<ref>{{Quran|33|50}}</ref> married nearly a dozen wives (having eleven at once), and kept concubines) openly pronounced and practiced his preference for Aisha, who was his favorite and youngest wife.{{Quote|{{Quran|4|3}}|And if you fear that you cannot act equitably towards orphans, then marry such women as seem good to you, two and three and four; but if you fear that you will not do justice (between them), then (marry) only one or what your right hands possess; this is more proper, that you may not deviate from the right course.}}Muhammad also restricted his son-in-law Ali (who was also his first cousin) from engaging in polygamy and demanded that he remain monogamous with his daughter Fatima.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|62|157}}| Narrated Al-Miswar bin Makhrama:
I heard Allah's Apostle who was on the pulpit, saying, "Banu Hisham bin Al-Mughira have requested me to allow them to marry their daughter to Ali bin Abu Talib, but I don't give permission, '''and will not give permission unless 'Ali bin Abi Talib divorces my daughter in order to marry their daughter, because Fatima is a part of my body, and I hate what she hates to see, and what hurts her, hurts me."'''}}
====Autonomy of virgins vs. non-virgins====
A hadith recorded in the Muwatta of Imam Malik, one of the earliest written collections of hadiths, states that women who have already been married are entitled to greater autonomy in who they marry than virgins (who have never been married). The various schools of Islamic law have interpreted this and hadiths to a similar effect in various ways and have given women who have married at least once greater rights with respect to their marital lives than those who have not.{{Quote|{{Muwatta|28|2|4}}|Malik related to me from Abdullah ibn al-Fadl from Nafi ibn Jubayr ibn Mutim from Abdullah ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "A woman who has been previously married is more entitled to her person than her guardian, and a virgin must be asked for her consent for herself, and her consent is her silence "}}

===Mahr===
{{Main|Purpose of the Mahr|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Mahr}}Islamic scriptures describe the ''mahr,'' or primarily financial gift made by a groom to his bride upon the marital ''nikah'' (sexual intercourse) contract, as 'the recompense for your having had the right to intercourse with her'.{{quote | {{Muslim|9|3557}} |
Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saying to the invokers of curse: Your account is with Allah. One of you must be a liar. You have now no right over this woman. ''''He said: Messenger of Allah, what about my wealth (dower that I paid her at the time of marriage)? He said: You have no claim to wealth. If you tell the truth, it (dower) is the recompense for your having had the right to intercourse with her'''', and if you tell a lie against her, it is still more remote from you than she is. Zuhair said in his narration: Sufyan reported to us on the authority of 'Amr that he had heard Sa'id b Jubair saying: I heard Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) saying that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) had said it. }}The purpose of the mahr is to serve as a payment from a man to a woman for the future sexual relations (nikah) he will have with her. This is further illustrated by the requirement for a ''mahr'' in temporary ''mut'ah'' marriages, other similar statements of Muhammad, and the logic inherent in the Quranic verses which stipulate that mahr cannot be taken back in divorce (except under extenuating circumstances) once a man has had intercourse with his wife.
===Nikah===
{{Main|The Meaning of Nikah}}The Arabic word for "marriage" is "zawaj". In Islamic law, marriage is considered under the concept of ''nikah'', a legal and financial contract between a male and a female Muslim. Nikah literally means "sexual intercourse".{{Quote|Ruxton (1916: 106). Quoted by Ziba Mir-Hosseini in volume five of Voices of Islam, pp. 85-113|When a woman marries, she sells a part of her person. In the market one buys merchandise, '''in marriage the husband buys the genital ''arvum mulieris'''''. As in any other bargain and sale, only useful and ritually clean objects may be given in dower.}}{{Quote|Ronak Husni, Daniel L. Newman, Muslim women in law and society: annotated translation of al-Tahir al Haddad al-Ṭāhir Ḥaddād, p. 182|The Arabic word for marriage is zawaj or '''nikah, the latter being derived from the verb nakaha (‘to have sexual intercourse’): cf. Qur. II: 230'''. Nikah is also used to denote the marriage contract (cf. ‘aqd, ‘aqd qiran).}}{{Quote|The Risala of 'Abdullah ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani (310/922 - 386/996) A Treatise on Maliki Fiqh (Inc. commentary from ath-Thamr ad-Dani by al-Azhari) Ch. 32|[These are eight things. The first, marriage, is the root and rest are consequences. Each has a linguistic meaning and usage which we will mention in its proper place. Marriage '''(nikah) linguistically means intercourse''' and is used as a metaphor for the contract. In technical usage, it is actual for the contract and metaphorical for intercourse. It is used in custom to mean to mean intercourse as the Almighty says, "Until she marries a husband other than him," '''(2:230) and so it is known from this that nakaha is used for intercourse between any man and woman. Marriage in the sense of intercourse''' is only permitted in the Shari'a by one of two matters: the contract of marriage or ownership by the words of the Almighty, "those who guard their private parts – except from their wives or those they own as slaves, in which case they are not blameworthy." (23:5-6)}}

===Temporary ''Mut'ah'' marriages===
''Mut'ah'', in Islamic law, is a temporary arrangement whereby a man and a woman enter into a contractual arrangement to marry each other for a specified period of time. The time can be as little as one hour or as long as several years, though most Mutah contracts are for hours or a few days. The man gives the woman something of value, and in exchange he is allowed to enter into sexual relations with her, legally, without committing fornication, since they are married. As within all Islamic marriages, the woman is not allowed to refuse her husband's sexual advances or commands. At the end of the period specified in the contract, each party walks separate ways and neither is indebted to the other. The practice dates back to Arabia's pre-Islamic days, and was recorded as far back as by the Latin historian Ammianus Marcellinus in the 300's. Historians have identified the institution of Mutah as being comparable in practice to modern day prostitution.

Mutah is practiced mainly by Shi'ites today, although at one time Muhammad permitted it for all Muslims. This is one of many areas of disagreement between Sunnis and Shi'ites. Sunnis believe Muhammad abrogated Mutah, while Shi'ites disagree and still practice Mut'ah as allowed by Muhammad.

The Sunni Shafi'i scholar al-Baydawi said of Mutah, "The purpose of the contractual marriage is the mere pleasure of intercourse with a woman, and her own enjoyment in what she has given."<ref>p. 108, ''The Interpretation of the Baydawi''</ref>

The practice of Mutah is mentioned in several authentic hadiths.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|139}}| Narrated Abdullah:
We used to participate in the holy wars carried on by the Prophet and we had no women (wives) with us. So we said (to the Prophet ). "Shall we castrate ourselves?" But the Prophet forbade us to do that and thenceforth he allowed us to marry a woman (temporarily) by giving her even a garment, and then he recited: "O you who believe! Do not make unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you." {{Quran|5|87}} }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|62|52}}| Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah and Salama bin Al-Akwa':
While we were in an army, Allah's Apostle came to us and said, "You have been allowed to do the Mut'a (marriage), so do it." Salama bin Al-Akwa' said: Allah's Apostle's said, "If a man and a woman agree (to marry temporarily), their marriage should last for three nights, and if they like to continue, they can do so; and if they want to separate, they can do so." I do not know whether that was only for us or for all the people in general. Abu Abdullah (Al-Bukhari) said: 'Ali made it clear that the Prophet said, "The Mut'a marriage has been cancelled (made unlawful)."}}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3252}}|Sabra Juhanni reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) permitted temporary marriage for us. So I and another person went out and saw a woman of Bana 'Amir, who was like a young long-necked she-camel. We presented ourselves to her (for contracting temporary marriage), whereupon she said: What dower would you give me? I said: My cloak. And my companion also said: My cloak. And the cloak of-my companion was superior to my cloak, but I was younger than he. So when she looked at the cloak of my companion she liked it, and when she cast a glance at me I looked more attractive to her. She then said: Well, you and your cloak are sufficient for me. I remained with her for three nights, and then Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: He who has any such woman with whom he had contracted temporary marriage, he should let her off.}}{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3248}}|Ibn Uraij reported:

'Ati' reported that jibir b. Abdullah came to perform 'Umra, and we came to his abode, and the people asked him about different things, and then they made a mention of temporary marriage, whereupon he said: Yes, we had been benefiting ourselves by this temporary marriage during the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) and during the time of Abu Bakr and 'Umar.}}The following quotation regarding Mut'ah marriage is taken from a Shi'ite website.<ref>[http://www.answering-ansar.org/answers/mutah/en/index.php-http://www.answering-ansar.org/answers/mutah/en/index.php The Marriage of Mut'ah: Introduction: Preface] - Answering Ansar</ref>{{Quote||Whenever man sets foot on the earth the need to travel always emerges. Sometimes traveling can involve man going thousands of miles away from home, sometimes for moths, even years. Do one's sexual desires just evaporate when an individual is traveling? Sexual desire isn't like some light switch that turns off when a man leaves his wife to set off on his travels, and turns back home when he gets back! Sexual desire is something that remains permanently with a human, when it accompanies him at all times then how can he curtail such sexual feelings? When someone is traveling and accessing his wife is impossible, and he is incapable of summing her to join him, then what will a young red-blooded male do? Miles away from home, feeling sexually aroused his situation is not one wherein he can get permanently married, so what is he to do? He will feel the only way that he can relieve himself is by amalgamating himself into the society around him. Islam does not permit a person to sexually relieve himself through masturbation nor is he permitted to adopt the ways of the kufr and indulge himself in fornication, it offers him a legitimate mechanism with which to relieve himself and that is temporary marriage.

It is not just traveling, that might necessitate Mutah, there are many in society who just does not have the financial ability / standing to get permanent married, yet they still have sexual desires, again Mut'ah is there to ensure that they practice sex within the boundaries set by Allah (swt).
Islam is a religion that is suited for all nations and ages. Mut'ah is a good example of that. It is only the Deen of Islam that caters for sexual desire by permitting a legitimate method of control. For others societies the only mechanism that they see as the solution to relieving sexual feelings is through the practice of fornication. In the western world adultery and fornication are common and openly performed. Mut'ah is a way of protecting a person from committing these serious sins and vices.}}
==Domestic lives==
===Obedience===
Under Islamic law, women are obligated to obey their husbands in their domestic, social, professional, sexual and, to a limited extent, religious lives.{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Men are the maintainers of women''' because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded…}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|62|123}}|Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "It is not lawful for a lady to fast (Nawafil) without the permission of her husband when he is at home; and she should not allow anyone to enter his house except with his permission; and if she spends of his wealth (on charitable purposes) without being ordered by him, he will get half of the reward."}}

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah|14|3|14|2388}}|It was narrated from 'Amr bin Shu'aib, from his father that he delivered:
“It is not permissible for a woman to dispose of her wealth except with her husband's permission, once he has married her.” }}

{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1160}}|Talq bin Ali narrated that The Messenger of Allah said:

“When a man calls his wife to fulfill his need, then let her come, even if she is at the oven.” (Darussalam: Sahih)}}{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn Kathir - [http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=4&tid=11021 Qualities of the Righteous Wife]|[Tafsir ibn Kathir records the following hadith:] "The best woman is she who when you look at her she '''obeys you''', and when you are absent, she protects her honor and your property."}}In his book ''The Ideal Muslimah'', Dr. Muhammad Ali al-Hashimi writes:{{Quote|{{cite web|url=http://www.iupui.edu/~msaiupui/chapter4.html |title=The ideal Muslimah - Chapter 4 |publisher= |author= |date= |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20161006190029/http://www.iupui.edu/~msaiupui/chapter4.html |deadurl=no}}|The true Muslim woman devotes herself to taking care of her house and husband. She knows her husband's rights over her, and how great they are, as was confirmed by the Prophet's words:

"No human being is permitted to prostrate to another, but if this were permitted I would have ordered wives to prostrate to their husbands, because of the greatness of the rights they have over them."

A woman came to ask the Prophet (PBUH) about some matter, and when he had dealt with it, he asked her, "Do you have a husband?" She said, "Yes." He asked her, "How are you with him?" She said, "I never fall short in my duties, except for that which is beyond me." He said, "Pay attention to how you treat him, for he is your Paradise and your Hell."

How can the Muslim woman complain about taking care of her house and husband when she hears these words of Prophetic guidance? She should fulfil her household duties and take care of her husband in a spirit of joy, because she is not carrying a tiresome burden, she is doing work in her home that she knows will bring reward from Allah.

One of the most important ways in which the Muslim woman obeys her husband is by respecting his wishes with regard to the permissible pleasures of daily life, such as social visits, food, dress, speech, etc. The more she responds to his wishes in such matters, the happier and more enjoyable the couple's life becomes, and the closer it is to the spirit and teachings of Islam.

"It is not permitted for a woman who believes in Allah (SWT) to allow anyone into her husband's house whom he dislikes; or to go out when he does not want her to; or to obey anyone else against him; or to forsake his bed; or to hit him. If he is wrong, then let her come to him until he is pleased with her, and if he accepts her then all is well, Allah (SWT) will accept her deeds and make her position stronger, and there will be no sin on her."

It is a great honour for a woman to take care of her husband every morning and evening, and wherever he goes, treating him with gentleness and good manners which will fill his life with joy, tranquility and stability.

`Aisha urged women to take good care of their husbands and to recognize the rights that their husbands had over them. She saw these rights as being so great and so important that a woman was barely qualified to wipe the dust from her husband's feet with her face, as she stated: "O womenfolk, if you knew the rights that your husbands have over you, every one of you would wipe the dust from her husband's feet with her face." [...] 

Marriage in Islam is intended to protect the chastity of men and women alike, therefore it is the woman's duty to respond to her husband's requests for conjugal relations. She should not give silly excuses and try to avoid it. For this reason, several hadith urge a wife to respond to her husband's needs as much as she is able, no matter how busy she may be or whatever obstacles there may be, so long as there is no urgent or unavoidable reason not to do so.
 ... 
The issue of protecting a man's chastity and keeping him away from temptation is more important than anything else that a woman can do, because Islam wants men and women alike to live in an environment which is entirely pure and free from any motive of fitnah or haram pleasures. The flames of sexual desire and thoughts of pursuing them through haram means can only be extinguished by means of discharging that natural energy in natural and lawful ways.}}Saudi feminist Wajeha Al-Huwaider describes the lives of many Arab women as similar to a prisoner. As she puts it, "the Arab woman is a prisoner in her own home, has committed no crime, was not captured in battle, does not belong to any terrorist group."

===Punishment===
====Wife-beating====
{{Main|Wife Beating in Islamic Law|Wife Beating in the Qur'an|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Wife Beating}}[https://quranx.com/4.34 Quran 4:34] instructs Muslims men to, among other things, beat their wives if they fear disobedience from them. Muslim scholars agree on the permissibility of the practice but disagree on the conditions for and nature of the beating permitted. Some modernist Islamic scholars argue that the term "[[Wife Beating in Islamic Law|and beat them]]" speaks only metaphorically. Some other scholars, including historically, have argued that it means only a simple strike, as with hitting them with a feather or toothpick. The Islamic tradition and scriptures militate against this rereading, which, as a result, has failed to achieve widespread purchase amongst Muslim scholars.
Muhammad made attempts to limit the degree of violence, saying, "None of you should flog his wife as he flogs a slave and then have sexual intercourse with her in the last part of the day"<ref>{{Bukhari|7|62|132}}</ref>, but also declared "A man should not be asked why he beats his wife."<ref>{{Ibn Majah||3|9|1986}} (graded Hasan)</ref> Hadiths report that Muhammad hit Aisha,<ref>{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|2127}}|...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. ... 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?}}</ref> who is herself reported to have said, "I have not seen any woman suffering as much as the believing women. Look! Her skin is greener than her clothes!"<ref>"...''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!"...''" - {{Bukhari|7|72|715}}</ref>{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|Men are overseers over women, by reason of that wherewith Allah hath made one of them excel over another, and by reason of that which they expend of their substance. Wherefore righteous women are obedient, and are watchers in husbands absence by the aid and protection of Allah. And those wives whose refractoriness ye fear, exhort them, and avoid them in beds, and beat them; but if they obey you, seek not a way against them; verily Allah is ever Lofty, Grand.}}One of the earliest and arguably most important biographies on Muhammad's life, that of Ibn Ishaq, records the following:

{{Quote|Sirat Rasul Allah, ibn Ishaq, A. Guillaume, translator. Oxford University Press, 1955, page 651.|You have rights over your wives and they have rights over you. You have the right that they should not defile your bed and that they should not behave with open unseemliness. If they do, '''God allows you to put them in separate rooms and to beat them but not with severity'''. If they refrain from these things they have the right to their food and clothing with kindness.}}

Ibn Kathir, the author of one of the most relied-upon exegetical works on the Quran, elaborates what constitutes ill conduct:

{{Quote||[It is] the woman from whom you see ill conduct with her husband,''' such as when she acts as if she is above her husband, disobeys him, ignores him, dislikes him, and so forth'''. When these signs appear in a woman, her husband should advise her and remind her of Allah's torment if she disobeys him. Indeed, '''Allah ordered the wife to obey her husband''' and prohibited her from disobeying him, because of the ''enormity of his rights'' and all that he does for her.<ref>Tafsir Ibn Kathir - [http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=4&tid=11037 Dealing with the Wife's Ill-Conduct] - Tafsir.com</ref>}}

The Scholar Abdul-latif Mushtahiri states:

{{Quote||If admonishing and sexual desertion fail to bring forth results and the woman is of a cold and stubborn type, '''the Qur'an bestows on man the right to straighten her out by way of punishment and beating provided he does not break her bones nor shed blood'''. Many a wife belongs to this querulous type and requires this sort of punishment to bring her to her senses!<ref> Quoted in: [http://www.answering-islam.org/BehindVeil/btv3.html The Veil of Equality and Justice: Section 2] - Answering Islam</ref>}}
====Divine wrath====
Women who fail to obey their husbands, particularly when it comes to their husband's sexual desires, face the wrath of God and the angels.{{Quote|1={{Bukhari|7|62|121}}; see also {{Muslim|8|3366}}|2= Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "If a man invites his wife to sleep with him and she refuses to come to him, then the angels send their curses on her till morning."}}{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi|2|1|2|360}}|Abu Umamah narrated that : Allah's Messenger said: "There are three whose Salat would not rise up beyond their ears: The runaway slave until he returns, a woman who spends a night while her husband is angry with her, and a people's Imam whom they dislike."}}

===Rights===
Women are also accorded a number of rights under the ''nikah'' contract. Men are obligated to provide for their wives financially and not to be too harsh to them, although the meaning of this latter requirement is set by the marital and gender norms of 7th century Arabia, where wife-beating was commonplace and acceptable. {{Quote|{{Quran|4|19}}|O ye who believe! '''Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness'''…except where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary '''live with them on a footing of kindness and equity'''. If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|6}}|'''Lodge them where you lodge according to your means, and do not injure them''' in order that you may straiten them…}}

Women whose husbands fail to fulfill the right to maintenance may be eligible for requesting divorce, though this differs between schools of jurisprudence:

{{Quote|John L. Eposito, "Women in Muslim Family Law", 2001, p. 26|In classical Hanafi law, the wife is put at a further disadvantage economically by the fact that neither inability nor refusal to maintain is considered sufficient grounds for dissolution of a marriage. This is contrary to the principles of both the Malaki and Shafii schools. The hardships resulting from the traditional Hanafi position are numerous.}}

===Control over movement and taking additional wives===
Under Islam, a husband has a right to take up to four wives and has significant control over his wives. Under the Hanbali (but not Hanafi) school, women may stipulate conditions in the marriage contract to grant greater freedom of movement or to object to her husband taking additional wives, with a right to divorce if these are broken. In many cases such stipulations will not have been agreed ahead of the marriage, though some modern reforms of family law have sought to improve the situation. Otherwise the husband's rights are automatic.

{{Quote|John L. Eposito, "Women in Muslim Family Law", 2001, p. 22|One important right granted by the Hanbali (but not Hanafi) law school that gives women a certain amount of independence and status in marriage is her right to insert conditions that are favourable to her directly into the marriage contract. The wife's ability to make conditions, provided that they are not contrary to the object of marriage, can resolve many inequities in areas such as polygamy and divorce. For example, clauses may be added that eliminate the husband's right to take a second wife or that grant the wife greater freedom of movement. These conditions limit the husband's somewhat automatic and extensive legal control over his wife. Because these conditions can be enforced by granting the wife her husband's power of divorce if they are violated, they bestow more equal rights of divorce on the wife.}}

==Divorce==

===Requirements for divorce===
A wife can ask her husband to divorce her, and if he releases her from the marriage, she makes a payment to him of the ''mahr'' (item or sum of financial worth) she had received or some other agreed payment. This is known as [[Khul']]. If he refuses, she can try to get a divorce by judicial decree when there are grounds for which his consent is not required (such as inability or failure to fulfill his marital obligations, desertion, insanity, or cruelty).{{Quote|{{Quran-range|2|228|229}}|Divorced women shall wait concerning themselves for three monthly periods. Nor is it lawful for them to hide what Allah Hath created in their wombs…. And their husbands have the better right to take them back in that period, if they wish for reconciliation. And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them. A divorce is only permissible twice: after that, the parties should either hold Together on equitable terms, or separate with kindness. It is not lawful for you, (Men), to take back any of your gifts (from your wives), except when both parties fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allah. If ye (judges) do indeed fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allah, there is no blame on either of them if she give something for her freedom. These are the limits ordained by Allah; so do not transgress them if any do transgress the limits ordained by Allah, such persons wrong (Themselves as well as others).}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|128}}|If a wife fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part, there is no blame on them if they arrange an amicable settlement between themselves; and such settlement is best; even though men's souls are swayed by greed.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|630}}|Narrated Aisha:

Regarding the explanation of the following verse:-- "If a wife fears Cruelty or desertion On her husband's part." (4.128) A man may dislike his wife and intend to divorce her, so she says to him, "I give up my rights, so do not divorce me." The above verse was revealed concerning such a case.}}Ibn Kathir, quoting Sahih Muslim, writes:

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn Kathir, vol 1, page 633|Fear Allah regarding your women, for you have taken them by Allah's covenant and were allowed to enjoy them sexually by Allah's words. You have the right on them that they do not allow anyone you dislike to sit on your mat. If they do that, then discipline them leniently. They have the right to be spent on and to be bought clothes in what is reasonable.}}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn Kathir, vol 2, page 601|The apparent wording of the Ayah [Quran 4:128] refers to the settlement where the wife forfeits some of the rights she has over her husband, with the husband agreeing to this concession, and that this settlement is better than divorce. For instance, the Prophet kept Sawdah bint Zam'ah as his wife after she offered to forfeit her day for A'isha. By keeping her among his wives, his ''Ummah ''may follow this kind of settlement."}}The requirements for men to divorce their wives differ significantly and are far less restrictive than those imposed on the wife. Men can divorce their wives on the basis of simple dissatisfaction and can even recall their divorce thereafter a limited number of times.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|49|859}}| Narrated Aisha:
The following Verse: If a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part (i.e. '''the husband notices something unpleasant about his wife, such as old age or the like, and wants to divorce her''', but she asks him to keep her and provide for her as he wishes). Quran 4:128 "There is no blame on them if they reconcile on such basis."}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|229}}|The divorce is twice, after that either you retain her on reasonable terms or release her with kindness..}}{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged), Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri et al, translators (Riyadh: Darussalam, 2000), vol 1, p. 635.|Divorce is thrice. This honorable ayah abrogated the previous practice in the beginning of Islam, when the man had the right to take back his divorced wife even if he had divorced her a hundred times. This situation was harmful for the wife, and this is why Allah made the divorce thrice, where the husband is allowed to take back his wife after the first and the second divorce… The divorce becomes irrevocable after the third divorce.}}

===Triple-''talaq''===
If a man divorces his wife three times, his wife can remarry him only if she first marries another man, consummates the marriage with the other man, and then divorces that man. A man may issue multiple divorces at the same time, in what is known as a double- or, more often, triple-talaq (talaq meaning 'divorce' in Arabic, this can entail as little as saying the word 'divorce' two or three times). While this practice is discouraged and even illegal in Islamic law, it has been considered binding by the majority of Islamic scholars.

The ruling in Islamic law that deems multiple simultaneous divorces to be binding has proven controversial across the world and has been outlawed in countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Controversy around the law has emerged largely where men have issued triple-talaqs to absolve themselves of the financial responsibility for and maintenance of their elderly or otherwise dependent wives. The ruling has also proven controversial where couples have tried to remarry after a husband declares a triple-talaq in a fit of anger, with or without realizing the fact that the declaration is considered legally binding and irrevocable (leaving the wife in the position of having to marry and sleep with another man in order to restore her original marriage). {{Quote|{{Quran|2|230}}| So if a husband divorces his wife (irrevocably), He cannot, after that, re-marry her until after she has married another husband and He has divorced her.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|48|807}}| Narrated Aisha:
The wife of Rifa'a Al-Qurazi came to the Prophet and said, "I was Rifa'a's wife, but he divorced me and it was a final irrevocable divorce. Then I married AbdurRahman bin Az-Zubair but he is impotent." The Prophet asked her 'Do you want to remarry Rifa'a? You cannot unless you had a complete sexual relation with your present husband."}}

{{Quote|{{Muwatta|28|7|17}}|Yahya related to me from Malik … that Rifa'a ibn Simwal divorced his wife, Tamima bint Wahb, in the time of the messenger of Allah three times. She then married 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn az-Zubayr and he turned from her and could not consummate the marriage and so he parted from her. Rifa'a wanted to marry her again and it was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah, and he forbade him to marry her. He said, 'She is not ''halal'' for you until she has tasted the sweetness of intercourse.'}}

===The marriages of female converts and those with apostate husbands are nullified===
There is a consensus among classical Islamic scholars that if a woman converts to Islam and her husband fails to, their marriage is nullified.<ref>[https://islamqa.info/en/answers/3408/stories-of-women-who-became-muslim-and-left-their-non-muslim-husbands Stories of Women who Became Muslim and Left their Non-Muslim Husbands - IslamQA.info]</ref><ref name="IndianaLawJournal" /> This ruling is derived, in part, from {{Quran|60|10}}. The classical scholars also ruled that if on the other hand a husband converts to Islam, the marriage remains intact so long as his wife is a Christian or Jew. If a Muslim husband or wife leaves Islam, the marriage to his or her Muslim spouse is immediately annulled, though some held that the marriage is unaffected if only the wife leaves the religion, while others said that she becomes the husband's slave.<ref name="IndianaLawJournal" />

{{Quote|{{Quran|60|10}}|O ye who believe! When believing women come unto you as fugitives, examine them. Allah is Best Aware of their faith. Then, if ye know them for true believers, send them not back unto the disbelievers. They are not lawful for them (the disbelievers), nor are they (the disbelievers) lawful for them. And give them (the disbelievers) that which they have spent (upon them). And it is no sin for you to marry such women when ye have given them their dues. And hold not to the ties of disbelieving women; and ask for (the return of) that which ye have spent; and let them (the disbelievers) ask for that which they have spent. That is the judgment of Allah. He judgeth between you. Allah is Knower, Wise.}}

==Concubinage==
===Permissibility of female sexual slavery===
{{Main|Rape in Islamic Law|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Rape|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Al-'Azl}}
In nearly every instance where the Quran commands (men) to be chaste, it repeats that they need not be chaste with their wives and 'those whom their right hand possesses', which is universally acknowledged by historians and Islamic scholars as an Arabic euphemism which refers to one's slaves.{{Quote|{{Quran|23|6}}; see also {{Quran|4|3}} & {{Quran|4|24}}| Those who humble themselves in their prayers; Who avoid vain talk; Who are active in deeds of charity; Who abstain from sex, Except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, '''or (the captives) whom their right hands possess,'''- for (in their case) they are free from blame.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|33|50}}| O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and '''those whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war whom Allah has assigned to thee;'''}}

An entire chapter in Sahih Muslim (chapter 29) is dedicated to the topic and is entitled: 'It is permissible to have sexual intercourse with a captive [i.e. slave] woman after she is purified (of menses or delivery). In case she has a husband, her marriage is abrogated after she becomes captive.'

{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3432}}|...Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah her pleased with him) reported that at the Battle of Hanain Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) sent an army to Autas and encountered the enemy and fought with them. Having overcome them and taken them captives, the Companions of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) seemed to refrain from having intercourse with captive women because of their husbands being polytheists. Then Allah, Most High, sent down regarding that:" And women already married, except those whom your right hands possess (iv. 24)" (i. e. they were lawful for them when their 'Idda period came to an end).}}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3371}}|...Abu Sirma said to Abu Sa'id al Khadri (Allah he pleased with him): 0 Abu Sa'id, did you hear Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) mentioning al-'azl? He said: Yes, and added: We went out with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) on the expedition to the Bi'l- Mustaliq and took captive some excellent Arab women; and we desired them, for we were suffering from the absence of our wives, (but at the same time) we also desired ransom for them. So we decided to have sexual intercourse with them but by observing 'azl (Withdrawing the male sexual organ before emission of semen to avoid conception). But we said: We are doing an act whereas Allah's Messenger is amongst us; why not ask him? So we asked Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), and he said: It does not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up to the Day of Resurrection will be born.}}

Ibn Taymiyyah writes:

{{quote|''Majmoo al-Fatawa'' (''Collected Fatwas''), vol. 32, p. 7|'''"It is lawful for a Muslim to (have sex) with as many as he wishes of those whom his right hand possesses,''' … Muslims are not prohibited from having more than four concubines provided that no two sisters are among them."}}

{{quote|''Majmoo al-Fatawa'' (''Collected Fatwas''), vol. 89, p. 7|'''"Islam has made it lawful to its followers to have sex through marriage as well as with what the right hand possesses,''' while (for Jews and Christians) they may have sex through marriage only. They are not (allowed to have sex with) what their hand possesses.}}

====Permissibility of raping captives and slaves====
Rape, a crime known in [[Islamic law]] as ''zina bil-ikrah'' or ''zina bil-jabr'' (literally "[[Zina|fornication]] by force"), is generally defined by Muslim jurists as forced intercourse by a man with a [[Islam and Women|woman]] who is not his wife or [[Slavery|slave]] and without her consent. As with enslaved females, according to Islamic law, married women are required to oblige their husbands' sexual advances - raping one's wife is permissible.<ref>{{Cite journal|first=Muh Endriyo |last=Susila | year= 2013 |url=https://journal.umy.ac.id/index.php/jmh/article/download/271/234| title=Islamic Perspective on Marital Rape |issue=2|volume=20|publisher=Jurnal Media Hukum, p.328}}</ref> The concept of "rape" is thus deemed to be equally non-existent in the contexts of both marriage and slavery.
A small number of hadiths are cited to support the Islamic punishments for rape. These narrations relate to the rape of free women and of female slaves who are not owned by the perpetrator. However, the Qur'an, on numerous occasions, permits Muslim men to have sexual relations with their own female slaves (famously referred to as "what your right hand possesses"), often in conjunction with the commandment for men to keep otherwise chaste. In addition, there are hadith narrations in which female captives were raped prior to being ransomed back to their tribe.{{Quote|1={{Bukhari|3|34|432}}|2=Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: that while he was sitting with Allah's Apostle he said, "O Allah's Apostle! '''We get female captives as our share of booty, and we are interested in their prices, what is your opinion about coitus interruptus'''?" The Prophet said, "Do you really do that? It is better for you not to do it. No soul that which Allah has destined to exist, but will surely come into existence."}}

====Prohibition on male sexual slavery====
In his exegesis of the Qur'an, Abul A'la Maududi explains how and why the Islamic tradition holds that women are not allowed to have sex with male slaves and captives.
{{Quote|[[w:Abul A'la Maududi|Abul A'la Maududi]]. [http://www.englishtafsir.com/Quran/23/index.html Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an 23:1-7]. Archived at [http://www.webcitation.org/6mJ45IZ0w]. |"Most certainly those Believers have attained true success who perform their Salat with humility: who refrain from vain things. who spend their Zakat dues in appropriate ways. who guard their private parts scrupulously. except with regard to their wives and those women who are legally in their possession, for in that case they shall not be blame-worthy. but those who go beyond this (in lust for sexual desires), shall be transgressors" [...] 

7: This is a parenthesis which is meant to remove the common misunderstanding that sex desire is an evil thing in itself and satisfying it even in lawful ways is not desirable, particularly for the righteous and godly people. This misunderstanding would have been strengthened had it been only said that the Believers guard their private parts scrupulously, because it would have implied that they live unmarried lives, away from the world, like monks and hermits. [...] 

The law prescribed in the parenthesis is only applicable to men as is clear from the Text. A woman in the time of Hadrat `Umar did not understand this fine point of the language and indulged in sexual gratification with her slave. When her case was brought before the consultative body of the Companions, they gave the unanimous decision: "She misinterpreted the Book of Allah.".... The wisdom of why '''the slave has been forbidden to the woman''' is that he can only satisfy her sexual desire but cannot become guardian and governor of herself and her household, which leaves a serious flaw in the family life.}}
==Attire==
===Hijab===
{{Main|Hijab|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Hijab}}Islamic scriptures set out dress requirements for Muslim women and for Muhammad's wives. Umar bin Al-Khattab, a companion of Muhammad, wished that Muhammad would reveal verses from Allah requiring his wives to cover themselves when in public. When Muhammad did not oblige, Umar followed Muhammad's wives out at night and in the dark when they went to go to the toilet and made his presence known, later informing the prophet that he had spied his wives relieving themselves in the dark, and that had his wives been cloaked, he would not have been able to identify the women as being the prophet's wives. Having heard of this, Muhammad received the revelation that Umar had requested, and the verse of hijab was sent down from Allah stating that Muhammad's wives may be spoken to by visitors to their home only behind a screen.

Other verses set out requirements for believing women in general to wear an outer garment called the ''jilbab'' and a cloth or ''khimar'', covering the bosom. Islamic scholars differ in their interpretation of the verses prescribing female attire. All four madhabs agree by consensus that women must cover their entire body, excluding their hands and face, except for Hanafis, who also permit women to reveal their feet. These clothing requirements only apply in the presence of unrelated men (in addition to some male relations) and during prayers. Hanafis and some other scholars also require women to observe these requirements in the presence of non-Muslim women, fearing that these non-Muslim women may describe a Muslim woman's physical features to other men.

{{Quote|{{Quran|33|53}}|O you who have believed, do not enter the houses of the Prophet except when you are permitted for a meal, without awaiting its readiness. But when you are invited, then enter; and when you have eaten, disperse without seeking to remain for conversation. Indeed, that [behavior] was troubling the Prophet, and he is shy of [dismissing] you. But Allah is not shy of the truth. And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts. And it is not [conceivable or lawful] for you to harm the Messenger of Allah or to marry his wives after him, ever. Indeed, that would be in the sight of Allah an enormity.}}

{{quote |{{Quran|33|59}}|O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|31}}| And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments.}}

==Value of testimony==

===Half value of testimony in general===
Islamic scriptures dictate that, in a court setting, a woman's testimony is worth half a man's. The reasoning given in Sahih Bukhari is the deficiency of the female intellect. Islamic jurists have variously endorsed some exceptions to this rule-of-thumb, however. In legal cases relating to matters of female anatomy or specialty, a woman's testimony may be equal to a man's. On the other hand, Islamic jurists have also dictated that there are certain domains of law where a woman's testimony cannot be counted for anything at all. The diminution of female testimony in Islamic law has proven especially problematic where it has disabled women from testifying that they were raped. In some reported cases that were described as rape by the women involved and where there existed evidence of those women having had some sort of sexual encounter, the women have, at times, been prosecuted for adultery (with stoning to death) or fornication (with 100 lashes).
{{Quote|{{quran|2|282}}|[...] And call for evidence two witnesses among your men. And if not there are two men then one man and two women of whom you agree of [the] witnesses, (so) that (if) [she] errs, one of the two, then will remind one of the two the other. [...]}}{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|6|301}}|Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:
Once Allah's Apostle went out to the Musalla (to offer the prayer) of 'Id-al- Adha or Al-Fitr prayer. Then he passed by the women and said, "O women! Give alms... 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.'''}}

{{Quote|''I’laam al-Muwaqqa’een''. Part 1, p.75.|Allah has commanded the testimony of two women so as to be sure that they remember, because the mind and memory of two women takes the place of the mind and memory of one man.}}

==Segregation==
===Sex Segregation in Islam===
{{Main|Sex Segregation in Islam}}In Islamic law, unrelated women and men are not allowed to be alone together, have any sort of physical contact, engage in frivolous conversation, look at one another for any reason other than momentarily for the purpose of identification, or pray such that a woman is located in front of or adjacent to any man (women must stand behind men in prayer). Muhammad's wives are instructed in the Quran to remain at home as much as possible and in hadiths Muhammad permitted women to live and travel on significant journeys only under the supervision of a male guardian or relative. Islamic law, as a result, virtually excludes the possibility of male-female friendships. Islamic scholars have traditionally taken these specific limitations on women's presence and participation in the public sphere and have implemented them through more comprehensive policies of sex segregation. While some modern Islamic scholars have argued against broader restrictions, such as gender-segregated classrooms or other society-wide gender segregation measures, on the basis of other hadiths and because these broader restrictions are not explicitly mentioned in Islamic scriptures, the majority have embraced what they perceive as common-sense modern-day extensions of the specific rulings and attitudes found throughout Islamic scripture.
===Adult suckling permits co-mingling===
{{Main|Adult Suckling}}Adult suckling (Arabic: رَضَاعَةُ الْكَبِيرِ), or the act of breastfeeding a male adult, is an abrogated practice mentioned in several relied-upon collections of hadiths. According to five hadiths in Sahih Muslim, Muhammad at one time plainly instructed the daughter (or wife -- sources are unclear) of a companion named Suhail to suckle a "grown-up" freedman named Salim so that Salim would become the daughter's mahram, or a relation whom the daughter could no longer marry, and thus render Salim's cohabitation with the family appropriate and legal. The practice, sanctioned by a number of traditional jurists, is popularly rejected by Islamic scholars today, but was the subject of a controversial fatwa from a scholar at Azhar in 2007. A minority of Islamic scholars continue to endorse the practice.{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3425}}|'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hadhaifa, lived with him and his family in their house. She (i.e. the daughter of Suhail) came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: Salim has attained (puberty) as men attain, and he understands what they understand, and he enters our house freely, I, however, perceive that something (rankles) in the heart of Abu Hudhaifa, whereupon '''Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said to her: Suckle him and you would become unlawful for him''', and (the rankling) which Abu Hudhaifa feels in his heart will disappear. '''She returned and said: So I suckled him, and what (was there) in the heart of Abu Hudhaifa disappeared'''.}}
==Inheritance==
{{Main|Inheritance Laws|Contradictions in the Quran}}
Generally, Islam grants women half the share of inheritance available to men if they inherit from the same father. This forms part of a wider Quranic and cultural context in which men were expected to provide for women and to pay a dower for marriage. However, it is easy to imagine scenarios even in the 7th century where the beneficiaries are at different stages of their lives or marital circumstances such that no rationale would justify the allocation fixed in the Quran.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|Allah instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females. But if there are [only] daughters, two or more, for them is two thirds of one's estate. And if there is only one, for her is half. And for one's parents, to each one of them is a sixth of his estate if he left children. But if he had no children and the parents [alone] inherit from him, then for his mother is one third. And if he had brothers [or sisters], for his mother is a sixth, after any bequest he [may have] made or debt. Your parents or your children - you know not which of them are nearest to you in benefit. [These shares are] an obligation [imposed] by Allah. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|176}}|They request from you a [legal] ruling. Say, "Allah gives you a ruling concerning one having neither descendants nor ascendants [as heirs]." If a man dies, leaving no child but [only] a sister, she will have half of what he left. And he inherits from her if she [dies and] has no child. But if there are two sisters [or more], they will have two-thirds of what he left. If there are both brothers and sisters, the male will have the share of two females. Allah makes clear to you [His law], lest you go astray. And Allah is Knowing of all things.}}

==See also==

*[[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Women]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]]
[[Category:Pre-Islamic Arabia]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Sex]]
[[Category:Slavery]]
[[Category:Human rights]]
[[ar:المرأة_في_الشريعة_الإسلامية]]

Islam and Women

2024-08-18T19:05:55Z

AdrianE: Spelling

{{QualityScore|Lead=4|Structure=4|Content=3|Language=4|References=3}}Islamic scriptures generally employ the masculine pronoun in Arabic, which is used to refer to both men and women. On occasion, the scriptures diverge from this standard, inclusive usage, and comment specifically on men or women. The perspective taken by Islamic scriptures on women is of special interest in recent times due to frequent collision with modern values.

Women are legally disadvantaged by Islamic law in several domains of life. Particularly, women are disadvantaged in matters of sexual, domestic, legal, financial, sartorial, and physical autonomy. According to Islamic legal theory, while not all of Islamic law necessarily has a perceptibly rational basis, legal restrictions on women may be due to their supposed intellectual deficiency, which was pronounced by Muhammad according to a hadith collected in Sahih Bukhari.

It should also be noted that whereas the patriarchal arrangements of early Islamic society hardly deserve indictment, given their historical situation and the fact that they were in a limited sense an improvement upon pre-Islamic gender norms, the same can, perhaps, not be said about the perpetual enshrinement of those patriarchal norms - however much an improvement in 7th century Arabia - as took place in the ideas of Islamic law that finally emerged.

The writings of Professor [[w:Kecia Ali|Kecia Ali]] are renowned regarding the historical and modern Islamic approaches to women. Before her, ''Women and Gender in Islam'' by Leila Ahmed was also regarded as a seminal book on the subject. Ali's book ''Sexual Ethics and Islam'' is particularly wide-ranging.<ref>Kecia Ali,''Sexual Ethics and Islam'', England: Oneworld Publications, 2006</ref> She argues that the Quran is androcentric in terms of almost always addressing men and privileging male sexual agency.<ref>Ibid. pp. 131-132</ref> Ali also notes in her book the "very real dissonance between the cultural assumptions undergirding the classical edifices of jurisprudence and exegesis and the modern notions influencing Muslim intellectuals and ordinary people everwhere".<ref>Ibid. Introduction p. xxvii</ref> Throughout the book she critiques feminist and modernist interpretations while noting where they may have merit, as well as apologetics that misquote, mistranslate, or side step difficult issues. She also criticises some aggressively patriarchal and indeed misogynist interpretations. While warning against blind optimism on the prospects for transformation, she suggests the importance of rejecting medieval interpretations and not taking the Quran and hadiths as a repository of regulations to be applied at all times and places.<ref>Ibid. pp. 153-157</ref>

==Verses addressed to women==
Hadiths record a tradition that Umm Salamah prompted a couple of Quran verses directly addressing or about women.

{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3211}}|Narrated Umm 'Umarah Al-Ansariyyah:

that she came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: "I do not see but that everything is for the men, and I do not see anything being mentioned for the women." So this Ayah was revealed: 'Indeed the Muslim men and the Muslim women, the believing men and the believing women... (33:35)'}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|33|35}}|For Muslim men and women,- for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in Charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise,- for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward.}}

{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3023}}|Narrated 'Amr bin Dinar:

from a man among the children of Umm Salamah, from Umm Salamah that she said: "O Messenger of Allah! I have not heard Allah mentioning anything about women and emigration." So Allah, Blessed and Most High, revealed: "Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female. You are members one of another (3:195)."}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|3|195}}|And their Lord hath accepted of them, and answered them: "Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female: Ye are members, one of another: Those who have left their homes, or been driven out therefrom, or suffered harm in My Cause, or fought or been slain,- verily, I will blot out from them their iniquities, and admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing beneath;- A reward from the presence of Allah, and from His presence is the best of rewards."}}

There are a couple of similar verses:

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|97}}|Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|40|40}}|Whoever does an evil deed will not be recompensed except by the like thereof; but whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - those will enter Paradise, being given provision therein without account.}}

==Kindness and tranquility between Husbands and Wives==
{{Quote|{{Quran|30|21}}|And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|19}}|O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion. And do not make difficulties for them in order to take [back] part of what you gave them unless they commit a clear immorality. And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them - perhaps you dislike a thing and Allah makes therein much good.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|Permitted to you, on the night of the fasts, is the approach to your wives. They are your garments and ye are their garments. Allah knoweth what ye used to do secretly among yourselves; but He turned to you and forgave you; so now associate with them, and seek what Allah Hath ordained for you, and eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast Till the night appears; but do not associate with your wives while ye are in retreat in the mosques. Those are Limits (set by) Allah: Approach not nigh thereto. Thus doth Allah make clear His Signs to men: that they may learn self-restraint.}}

{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||6|46|3895}}|Narrated 'Aishah:

that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The best of you is the best to his wives, and I am the best of you to my wives, and when your companion dies, leave him alone."}}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3469}}|Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

A believing man should not hate a believing woman; if he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with another.}}

==Being good to your Mother==
{{Quote|{{Quran|4|1}}|O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|14}}|And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|46|15}}|We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says, "O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Thy favour which Thou has bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may work righteousness such as Thou mayest approve; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly have I turned to Thee and truly do I bow (to Thee) in Islam."}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|41|591}}|Narrated Al-Mughira bin Shu`ba:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah has forbidden for you, (1) to be undutiful to your mothers, (2) to bury your daughters alive, (3) to not to pay the rights of the others (e.g. charity, etc.) and (4) to beg of men (begging). And Allah has hated for you (1) vain, useless talk, or that you talk too much about others, (2) to ask too many questions, (in disputed religious matters) and (3) to waste the wealth (by extravagance).}}

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|22|2706}}|It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:

“A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: “O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), tell me, which of the people has most right to my good companionship?' He said: 'Yes, by your father, you will certainly be told.' He said: 'Your mother,' He said: 'Then who?' He said: Then your mother.' He said: 'Then who?' He said: Then your mother.' He said: 'Then who?' He said: Then your father.' He said: 'Tell me, O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about my wealth- how should I give in charity?' He said: 'Yes, by Allah (SWT) you will certainly be told. You should give in charity when you are still healthy and greedy for wealth, hoping for a long life and fearing poverty. Do not tarry until your soul reaches here and you say: “My wealth of for so-and-so,” and “My wealth of for so-and-so,” and it will be for them even though you dislike that.'”}}

==The Value of Daughters==
The Quran famously condemns the mushrikeen for feeling shame or even burying their female newborn children.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|16|57|58}}|And they attribute to Allah daughters - exalted is He - and for them is what they desire. And when one of them is informed of [the birth of] a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief. He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been informed. Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground? Unquestionably, evil is what they decide.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|42|49|50}}|To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; He creates what he wills. He gives to whom He wills female [children], and He gives to whom He wills males. Or He makes them [both] males and females, and He renders whom He wills barren. Indeed, He is Knowing and Competent.}}

==Statements about women==
===Women as a fitnah to men===
{{Main|Women (Primary Sources)}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|62|33}}|Narrated Usama bin Zaid: '''The Prophet said, "After me I have not left any trial [fitnah] more harmful to men than women."'''}}
===Women as intellectually deficient===
{{Main|Women are Deficient in Intelligence}}

Muhammad declared that the ''majority of the inhabitants of Hell are women''.<ref>{{Bukhari|1|6|301}}</ref> When asked why, he said it was because they are deficient in intelligence and religion and because they are ungrateful to their husbands. He also advanced in the same narration that their deficiency in intelligence was responsible for some of their legal disabilities.

{{quote | {{Bukhari|1|6|301}}|

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." }}{{Quote|{{Bukhari|2|24|541}}|Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:
On 'Id ul Fitr or 'Id ul Adha Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) went out to the Musalla. After finishing the prayer, he delivered the sermon and ordered the people to give alms. He said, "O people! Give alms." Then he went towards the women and said. "O women! Give alms, for I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-Fire were you (women)." The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is the reason for it?" He replied, "'''O women! You curse frequently, and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you'''. O women, some of you can lead a cautious wise man astray." Then he left.}}
Muhammad also disapproved of female heads of state in severe terms.

{{quote | {{Bukhari|9|88|219}}|

Narrated Abu Bakra:

During the battle of Al-Jamal, Allah benefited me with a Word (I heard from the Prophet). When the Prophet heard the news that the people of the Persia had made the daughter of Khosrau their Queen (ruler), he said, "Never will succeed such a nation as makes a woman their ruler."}}

===Most of Hell's inhabitants are women===
{{Quran-range|37|22|23}}, in speaking of Hell-bound wrongdoers, states that the inhabitants of Hell will have their wives enter alongside them, apparently irrespective of their guilt. While the Arabic text of the Quran uses the word ''zawj'', which can also mean 'spouses', it is clear in context that the term is referring to wives. The early pseudo-Ibn Abbas tafsir from the 8th or 9th century, along with many other classical authorities, specifically points out that this verse uses the word ''zawj'' to mean "wives".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=37&tAyahNo=22&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2 |title=Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas 37:22 |publisher= |author= |date= |archiveurl= |deadurl=no}}</ref>

Narrations in Sahih Bukhari state the majority of Hell's inhabitants will be women. The reasons given for this outcome is that women are ungrateful to their husbands.
{{Quote|{{cite web|url=http://islamawakened.com/quran/37/st22.htm#22 |title=Qur'an 37:22-23 |publisher= |author= |date= |archiveurl= |deadurl=no}}|(And it is said unto the angels): Assemble those who did wrong, together with their wives and what they used to worship instead of Allah, and lead them to the path to hell;}}
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|2|28}}; see also {{Bukhari|1|6|301}}, {{Bukhari|2|24|541}}, {{Bukhari|7|62|124}}, & {{Bukhari|7|62|126}}|Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
The Prophet said: '''"I was shown the Hell-fire and that the majority of its dwellers were women who were ungrateful."''' It was asked, "Do they disbelieve in Allah?" (or are they ungrateful to Allah?) He replied, "They are ungrateful to their husbands and are ungrateful for the favors and the good (charitable deeds) done to them.}}{{Quote|{{Bukhari|2|18|161}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Abbas:
The people say, "O Allah's Apostle! We saw you taking something from your place and then we saw you retreating." The Prophet replied, "I saw Paradise and stretched my hands towards a bunch (of its fruits) and had I taken it, you would have eaten from it as long as the world remains. '''I also saw the Hell-fire and I had never seen such a horrible sight. I saw that most of the inhabitants were women'''." The people asked, "O Allah's Apostle! Why is it so?" The Prophet replied, "Because of their ungratefulness."}}
===Women compared to prisoners===
One of the earliest and most important biographies of Muhammad, that of Ibn Ishaq, reports Muhammad to have described women as 'prisoners' during his [[Farewell Sermon]] in the valley of Arafat.{{Quote||"Lay injunctions on women kindly, '''for they are prisoners with you having no control of their persons.''' You have taken them only as a trust from God, and you have the enjoyment of their persons by the words of God, so understand (T. and listen to) my words, O men, for I have told you.<ref> ibn Ishaq, p. 651</ref>}}

This statement is found in the most widely transmitted version of the farewell sermon, as recorded also by al-Tabari, and the hadith collectors Ibn Majah and al-Tirmidhi (see [[Farewell Sermon]] for details). According to traditional exegesis of the sermon, ʿawān means prisoners, though the English translator of the sermon in al-Tabari renders it as "domestic animals" in line with classical Arabic dictionaries.

In a hadith in Sahih Bukhari, Sad bin Ar-Rabi hands over his wives in a purely transactional manner, the spirit of which was reinforced by the institution of ''mahr''.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|264}}|Narrated Ibrahim bin Sad from his father from his grand-father: Abdur Rahman bin Auf said, "When we came to Medina as emigrants, Allah's Apostle established a bond of brotherhood between me and Sad bin Ar-Rabi'. Sad bin Ar-Rabi' said (to me), 'I am the richest among the Ansar, so '''I will give you half of my wealth and you may look at my two wives and whichever of the two you may choose I will divorce her''', and when she has completed the prescribed period (before marriage) '''you may marry her'''.'}}

===Women compared to dogs and donkeys===
Most orthodox Islamic scholars consider dogs to be haram - forbidden and najis - unclean. Thus the comparison of women to dogs in these Sahih (authentic) ahadith are noteworthy:{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|9|490}}; see also {{Muslim|4|1032}} & {{Muslim|4|1034}}|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."}}{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|9|498}}; see also {{Muslim|4|1038}}|Narrated 'Aisha: It is not good that you people have made us (women) equal to dogs and donkeys.}}
===Women compared to devils===
{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|1038}}|
Jabir reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saw a woman, and so he came to his wife, zainab, as she was tanning a leather and had sexual intercourse with her. He then went to his Companions and told them: '''The woman advances and retires in the shape of a devil,''' so when one of you sees a woman, he should come to his wife, for that will repel what he feels in his heart.}}

===Women compared to a tilth===
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|223}}| Your women are a tilth for you (to cultivate) so go to your tilth as ye will, and send (good deeds) before you for your souls, and fear Allah, and know that ye will (one day) meet Him. Give glad tidings to believers, (O Muhammad).}}

{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1160}}|Talq bin Ali narrated that The Messenger of Allah said:

“When a man calls his wife to fulfill his need, then let her come, even if she is at the oven.” (Darussalam: Sahih)}}

===Menstruation as an illness===
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|222}}| They question thee (O Muhammad) concerning menstruation. Say: It is an illness, so let women alone at such times and go not in unto them till they are cleansed. And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as Allah hath enjoined upon you. Truly Allah loveth those who turn unto Him, and loveth those who have a care for cleanness.}}Whilst this meant that sex was prohibited with women on their periods,<ref>See classical commenteries on ''[https://quranx.com/tafsirs/2.222 Verse 2:222]''</ref> if Muhammad wanted to fondle his wives during this, he would according to sahih hadith narrated by Aisha,<ref>{{Bukhari|1|6|299}} ''Narrated `Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Aswad:''

''(on the authority of his father) `Aisha said: "Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) wanted to fondle anyone of us during her periods (menses), he used to order her to put on an Izar and start fondling her." `Aisha added, "None of you could control his sexual desires as the Prophet (ﷺ) could."''</ref> put on an Izaar (a fabric garment for the lower body) before doing so.

===Barren Women===
{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud||2045|Hasan}}|Narrated Ma'qil ibn Yasar:

A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: I have found a woman of rank and beauty, but she does not give birth to children. Should I marry her? He said: No. He came again to him, but he prohibited him. He came to him third time, and he (the Prophet) said: Marry women who are loving and very prolific, for I shall outnumber the peoples by you.}}

{{Quote|{{Al Nasai||4|26|3229}}|Narrated Ma'qil bin Yasar:

It was narrated that Ma'qil bin Yasar said: "A man came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'I have found a woman who is from a good family and of good status, but she does not bear children, should I marry her?' He told him not to. Then he came to him a second time and he told him not to (marry her). Then he came to him a third time and he told him not to (marry her), then he said: 'Marry the one who is fertile and loving, for I will boast of your great numbers.'"}}

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud||3911|Hasan}}|It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

"An omen is in a dwelling, a woman or a horse." Abu Dawud said: This tradition was read out to al-Harith b. Miskin and I was witness. It was said to him that Ibn Qasim told him that Malik was asked about evil omen in a horse and in a house. He replied: There are many houses in which people lived and perished and again others lived therein and they also perished. This is its explanation so far as we know. Allah knows best. '''Abu Dawud said: 'Umar (ra) said: A mat in a house better than a woman who does not give birth to a child.'''}}

=== The guile of women is great ===
Quran 12:23-12:34 relates a story following prophet Yusuf, where the wife of al-'Aziz tries to seduce him. Her husband catches her and she accuses Yusuf of being the one to try and to seduce her. However, the husband does not believe his wife due to Yusuf's shirt being ripped on the back (and not the front). When referring to the adulterous woman's behaviour, her husband states that the guile (kayd) of women is great using the female plural.
{{Quote|{{Quran|12|28}}|So when he saw his shirt torn from behind, he said: Lo! this is of the guile of you women. Lo! the guile of you is very great.}}
Yusuf himself uses the female plural a few verses later about the guile of the specific women who try to tempt him ({{Quran-range|12|33|34}}). The point of the story seems to be the victory of the prophet over temptation.

While some modern commentators emphasise this and other aspects of the story, the vast majority of classical commentators took the second part of verse 28 spoken by al-'Aziz to indicate a defining feature of women in general. Some, such as al-Zamakhshari, even contrast it with another verse about the weakness of Satan's guile. Al-Qurtubi presents this idea in the form of a hadith (with a weak chain):<ref name="Amin2023">Taira Amin (2023), [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371278020_The_Discursive_Construction_of_Women%27s_Guile_in_the_Muslim_Exegetical_Tradition The Discursive Construction of Women’s Guile in the Muslim Exegetical Tradition] in (Eds.) A. Aghdassi and A.W. Hughes, ''New Methodological Perspectives in Islamic Studies'' pp.46-72, Leiden:Brill DOI:10.1163/9789004536630_005.</ref>

{{Quote|1=Tafseer al-Qurtubi for Q 12:28 translated by Taira Amin<ref name="Amin2023" /> ([https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=1&tTafsirNo=5&tSoraNo=12&tAyahNo=27&tDisplay=yes&Page=3&Size=1&LanguageId=1 arabic])|2=It has been reported by Yahya bin Abī Kathīr from Abu Hurayrā that the messenger of God said in the Qurʾān: Indeed the deception of Satan is weak (Q 4:76) and he said: Indeed, your deception [Oh you women] is great (Q 12:28).}}
==Virgins in Paradise==
{{Main|Houri (Heavenly Virgin)}}

The Qur'anic Paradise is sensual in nature, promising Muslim men voluptuous, gigantic, and transparent-skinned virgins, but does not specify their exact number. The hadith literature complement the Qur'anic text by specifying the exact number of virgins as 72 and providing detailed descriptions of their characteristics. These narrations vary in strength from good (''hasan'') to authentic (''sahih'') and have been accepted by the Islamic tradition. There are also given details on the physical attributes given to men to sustain 72 virgins, namely, ever-erect penises that never soften and the sexual strength to satisfy 100 women. Although it is said they will receive a "great reward" and there are also hadith which refer to 72 virgins as one of the "seven blessings from Allah" to the martyr, the Qur'an does not specify these virgins are a reward exclusively for jihadists/martyrs, but rather for any Muslim male who gains admittance to Paradise.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|402}}| Narrated Abdullah bin Qais:
Allah's Apostle said, "In Paradise there is a pavilion made of a single hollow pearl sixty miles wide, in each corner of which there are wives who will not see those in the other corners; and the believers will visit and enjoy them.}}

==In Islamic law==
{{Main|Women in Islamic Law}}Women are legally disadvantaged by Islamic law in several domains of life. Particularly, women are disadvantaged in matters of sexual, domestic, legal, financial, sartorial, and physical autonomy. According to Islamic legal theory, while not all of Islamic law necessarily has a perceptibly rational basis, legal restrictions on women may be due to their supposed intellectual deficiency, which was pronounced by Muhammad according to Sahih Bukhari.
===Genital Mutilation (FGM)===
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is obligatory in the Shafi'i madhab<ref>[https://www.answering-islam.org/Sharia/fem_circumcision.html Section on FGM in the standard manual of Shafi'i law]</ref> and encouraged by the remaining three madhabs, namely the Hanafi, Hanbali, and Maliki. Salafi scholars also encourage the practice. In universally conceiving of FGM as being either an obligatory or favorable practice, the schools of Islamic law agree that ''prohibiting'' FGM altogether would not be acceptable, as this would be tantamount to contravening God's laws and preferences. Views on the specific type of FGM required or permitted vary within and between the madhhabs. Some prominent modern Islamic scholars have dissented from the favorable consensus of the Islamic tradition and ruled it to be unlawful.{{Quote|''Reliance of the Traveler'' [''Umdat al-Salik''], Section e4.3 on Circumcision|'''Obligatory (on every male and female) is circumcision.''' (And it is the cutting-off of the skin [''qat' al-jaldah''] on the glans of the male member and, '''as for the circumcision of the female, that is the cutting-off of the ''badhar'' [''qat' al-badhar'', ''badhar'' or بَظْرٌ either means the clitoris or the prepuce of the clitoris; Lane says that the precise usage was confused at some point in history<ref>[http://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/02_b/137_bZr.html Lane's Lexicon بَظْرٌ]</ref>]''' (and this is called ''khufad''))}}The Islamic legal tradition, while differing on its implementation, embraced FGM wholeheartedly, and, in the hadith literature, Muhammad is recorded as tacitly approving of the practice ({{Muslim|3|684|}}) , prescribing circumcision in general without specifying the requirements thereof per gender ({{Bukhari|7|72|777|}}), and commenting generically on its implementation ({{Abu Dawud|41|5251|}}). Nowhere is Muhammad recorded prohibiting the practice.

In 2012, the Muslim Brotherhood worked to decriminalize FGM. According to Mariz Tadros (a reporter),"the Muslim Brotherhood have offered to circumcise women for a nominal fee as part of their community services, a move that threatens to reverse decades of local struggle against the harmful practice [...] Many of the Brothers (and Salafis) argue that while it is not mandatory, it is nevertheless ''mukarama'' (preferable, pleasing in the eyes of God)."<ref>Tadros, Mariz (24 May 2012). "[https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/mutilating-bodies-muslim-brotherhoods-gift-to-egyptian-women/ Mutilating bodies: the Muslim Brotherhood's gift to Egyptian women]". ''openDemocracy''</ref>

===Marriage===
{{Main|Polygamy in Islam|Purpose of the Mahr|The Meaning of Nikah|Dealing Justly with Wives and Orphans (Qur'an 4:3)}}
Islamic law prohibits Muslim women from marrying non-Muslim men based on {{Quran|2|221}} and {{Quran|60|10}} (while Muslim men may marry Christian and Jewish women according to {{Quran|5|5}}). Islamic law permits men to marry up to four wives (alongside an unlimited number of concubines), while women are restricted to a single husband and are prohibited from any other form of sexual activity. Modern Islamic scholars differ on whether or not a bride may stipulate as a condition of her marriage that her husband remain monogamous.

Islamic scriptures describe the ''mahr,'' or primarily financial gift made by a groom to his bride upon the marital ''nikah'' (sexual intercourse) contract, as 'the recompense for your having had the right to intercourse with her'. The Arabic word for "marriage" is "zawaj". In Islamic law, marriage is considered under the concept of ''nikah'', a legal and financial contract between a male and a female Muslim. Nikah literally means "sexual intercourse".

For some time as a prophet, Muhammad permitted temporary ''mut'ah'' marriages whereby men would be permitted to engage in sexual activity with a woman for a predetermined period of time in exchange for compensation. While prohibited by Sunni scholars today, the practice is still considered legitimate by many Shi'ite scholars.

===Control over movement and taking additional wives===
Under Islam, a husband has a right to take up to four wives and has significant control over his wives. Under the Hanbali (but not Hanafi) school, women may stipulate conditions in the marriage contract to grant greater freedom of movement or to object to her husband taking additional wives, with a right to divorce if these are broken. In many cases such stipulations will not have been agreed ahead of the marriage, though some modern reforms of family law have sought to improve the situation. Otherwise the husband's rights are automatic.

{{Quote|John L. Eposito, "Women in Muslim Family Law", 2001, p. 22|One important right granted by the Hanbali (but not Hanafi) law school that gives women a certain amount of independence and status in marriage is her right to insert conditions that are favourable to her directly into the marriage contract. The wife's ability to make conditions, provided that they are not contrary to the object of marriage, can resolve many inequities in areas such as polygamy and divorce. For example, clauses may be added that eliminate the husband's right to take a second wife or that grant the wife greater freedom of movement. These conditions limit the husband's somewhat automatic and extensive legal control over his wife. Because these conditions can be enforced by granting the wife her husband's power of divorce if they are violated, they bestow more equal rights of divorce on the wife.}}

===Child marriage===
{{Main|Child Marriage in Islamic Law|Forced Marriage}}
The major schools of Islamic jurisprudence were in agreement that a pre-pubescent child could be contracted in marriage by his or her father [[Forced Marriage|and without consent]]. They based this view variously on [[Muhammad]]'s marriage to [[Aisha]], the example of his [[Sahabah|companions]], and the Quran (particularly {{Quran|65|4}}). The Maliki and Shafi'i schools even allowed a father to forcibly contract his daughter in marriage who had already reached puberty if she was still a virgin, despite hadith evidence indicating otherwise. The family were to hand over the betrothed wife for consummation of the marriage when they determined that the girl was now able to endure intercourse without physical harm rather than this being tied to any particular age (though Ibn Hanbal specified the age of nine due to the example of Aisha's marital consummation with Muhammad). Some Quranic commentators interpreted the Quran such that only females who had reached puberty can be contracted in marriage, though most thought that marriage of minors was permitted. The Byzantines around this time allowed girls to be married from the age of thirteen and the Persian Sassanids allowed marital consummation from the age of twelve.

Today, [[w:Marriageable_age|many modern Muslim countries]] have legislated to raise the minimum age of marriage, in many cases to the age of 16 or 18 for girls (though often with loopholes or with ineffective enforcement) and to prevent forced marriage, often in the face of opposition from Islamic scholars. Many Muslim campaign groups and charities have been involved in this process and continue to offer help to those at risk (see the article [[Forced Marriage]] which includes sources of help).<ref>For example [https://www.mwnuk.co.uk/Forced_Marriage_7_factsheets.php Muslim Women's Network UK] and [https://preventforcedmarriage.org/forced-marriage-overseas-pakistan/ Tahirih Justice Center Forced Marriage Initiative]</ref> In collaboration with activists, in 2019 the deputy Grand Imam of al-Azhar University in Cairo issued a fatwa calling for marriage based on mutual consent with a minimum age set as 18.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/jun/21/senior-islamic-cleric-issues-fatwa-against-child-marriage Senior Islamic cleric issues fatwa against child marriage] - Guardian.com</ref> Unicef say that the prevalence of child marriages are decreasing globally but are nevertheless common (including among non-Muslim populations in some regions of the world).

====Muhammad's encouragement to marry and fondle young virgins====
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|382}}|Narrated Jabir: "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, "Have you got married O Jabir?" I replied, "Yes." He asked "What, a virgin [bikr] or a matron [thayyib]?" I replied, "Not a virgin but a matron." He said, "Why did you not marry a young girl [jariyah] who would have fondled with you?}}
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|38|504}}| Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah:
I was accompanying the Prophet on a journey and was riding a slow camel that was lagging behind the others. ... When we approached Medina, I started going (towards my house). The Prophet said, "Where are you going?" I said, "I have married a widow." '''He said, "Why have you not married a virgin to fondle with each other?'''"}}{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|6|298}}| Narrated 'Aisha:
The Prophet and I used to take a bath from a single pot while we were Junub. During the menses, '''he used to order me to put on an Izar (dress worn below the waist) and used to fondle me.'''}}

====Silence of a virgin implies her consent to marriage====
{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3307}}|Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

A woman who has been previously married (Thayyib) has more right to her person than her guardian. And a virgin should also be consulted, and her silence implies her consent.}}

===Domestic rights and beating wives===
{{Main|Wife Beating in Islamic Law|Wife Beating in the Qur'an|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Wife Beating}}Under Islamic law, women are obligated to obey their husbands in their domestic, social, professional, sexual and, to a limited extent, religious lives. Marital rape is not considered a crime. {{Quran|4|34}} instructs Muslims men to, among other things, beat their wives if they fear nushuz (a word of unclear meaning but to be compared with similar usage in {{Quran|4|128}}). Muslim scholars agree on the permissibility of the practice but disagree on the conditions for and nature of the beating permitted. Women are also accorded a number of rights under the ''nikah'' contract. Men are obligated to provide for their wives financially and not to be too harsh to them, although the meaning of this latter requirement is set by the marital and gender norms of 7th century Arabia, where wife-beating was commonplace and acceptable. Women whose husbands fail to fulfill these rights are eligible for requesting divorce.

===Divorce===
A wife can ask her husband to divorce her, and if he releases her from the marriage, she makes a payment to him of the ''mahr'' (item or sum of financial worth) she had received or some other agreed payment. This is known as ''khula'''. If he refuses, she can try to get a divorce by judicial decree when there are grounds for which his consent is not required (such as inability or failure to fulfill his marital obligations, desertion, insanity, or cruelty).

There is a consensus among classical Islamic scholars that if a woman converts to Islam and her husband fails to, their marriage is nullified.<ref>[https://islamqa.info/en/answers/3408/stories-of-women-who-became-muslim-and-left-their-non-muslim-husbands Stories of Women who Became Muslim and Left their Non-Muslim Husbands - IslamQA.info]</ref><ref name="IndianaLawJournal">Leeman, Alex B. (2009) "Interfaith Marriage in Islam: An Examination of the Legal Theory Behind the Traditional and Reformist Positions," Indiana Law Journal: Vol. 84 : Iss. 2 , Article 9. pp.754-759 Available at: http://ilj.law.indiana.edu/articles/84/84_2_Leeman.pdf and https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ilj/vol84/iss2/9</ref> This ruling is derived, in part, from {{Quran|60|10}}. The classical scholars also ruled that if on the other hand a husband converts to Islam, the marriage remains intact so long as his wife is a Christian or Jew. If a Muslim husband or wife leaves Islam, the marriage to his or her Muslim spouse is immediately annulled, though some held that the marriage is unaffected if only the wife leaves the religion, while others said that she becomes the husband's slave.<ref name="IndianaLawJournal2">Leeman, Alex B. (2009) "Interfaith Marriage in Islam: An Examination of the Legal Theory Behind the Traditional and Reformist Positions," Indiana Law Journal: Vol. 84 : Iss. 2 , Article 9. pp.754-759 Available at: http://ilj.law.indiana.edu/articles/84/84_2_Leeman.pdf and https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ilj/vol84/iss2/9</ref>

One verse grants similar rights to men and women during the divorce period, in some sense granting the husband a degree above his wife.
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|228}}|Divorced women remain in waiting for three periods, and it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allah has created in their wombs if they believe in Allah and the Last Day. And their husbands have more right to take them back in this [period] if they want reconciliation. And due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable. But the men have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority]. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.}}

===Concubinage===
{{Main|Slavery in Islamic Law|Rape in Islamic Law|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Rape of Slaves, Prisoners, and Wives|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Slavery}}In nearly every instance where the Quran commands (men) to be chaste, it repeats that they need not be chaste with their wives and 'those whom their right hand possesses', which is universally acknowledged by historians and Islamic scholars as an Arabic euphemism which refers to one's slaves. An entire chapter in Sahih Muslim (chapter 29) is dedicated to the topic and is entitled: 'It is permissible to have sexual intercourse with a captive [i.e. slave] woman after she is purified (of menses or delivery). In case she has a husband, her marriage is abrogated after she becomes captive.'{{Quote|{{Quran|23|6}}; see also {{Quran|4|3}} & {{Quran|4|24}}| Those who humble themselves in their prayers; Who avoid vain talk; Who are active in deeds of charity; Who abstain from sex, Except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, '''or (the captives) whom their right hands possess,'''- for (in their case) they are free from blame.}}

===Iddah (Female Menstrual Waiting Period)===
{{Main|'Iddah (Female_Menstrual_Waiting_Period)}}
The 'iddah is the period of time a woman must observe after the death of her husband or after a divorce, during which she has to face numerous restrictions. These restrictions include being largely confined at home and the clothes she is allowed to wear. For a widowed woman the waiting period is 4 months and 10 days; for a pregnant woman the waiting period is up to 9 months (till the birth of the baby); and for a divorced woman the waiting period is 3 menstrual cycles.

===Inheritance===
{{Main|Inheritance Laws|Contradictions in the Quran}}
Generally, Islam grants women half the share of inheritance available to men if they inherit from the same father. This forms part of a wider Quranic and cultural context in which men are expected to provide for women and to pay a dower for marriage. However, it is easy to imagine scenarios even in the 7th century where the beneficiaries are at different stages of their lives or marital circumstances such that no rationale would justify the allocation fixed in the Quran.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|Allah instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females. But if there are [only] daughters, two or more, for them is two thirds of one's estate. And if there is only one, for her is half. And for one's parents, to each one of them is a sixth of his estate if he left children. But if he had no children and the parents [alone] inherit from him, then for his mother is one third. And if he had brothers [or sisters], for his mother is a sixth, after any bequest he [may have] made or debt. Your parents or your children - you know not which of them are nearest to you in benefit. [These shares are] an obligation [imposed] by Allah. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|176}}|They request from you a [legal] ruling. Say, "Allah gives you a ruling concerning one having neither descendants nor ascendants [as heirs]." If a man dies, leaving no child but [only] a sister, she will have half of what he left. And he inherits from her if she [dies and] has no child. But if there are two sisters [or more], they will have two-thirds of what he left. If there are both brothers and sisters, the male will have the share of two females. Allah makes clear to you [His law], lest you go astray. And Allah is Knowing of all things.}}

===Attire===
{{Main|Hijab|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Hijab}}Islamic scholars differ in their interpretation of the verses prescribing female attire. All four madhabs agree by consensus that women must cover their entire body, excluding their hands and face, except for Hanafis, who also permit women to reveal their feet. These clothing requirements only apply in the presence of unrelated men (in addition to some male relations) and during prayers. Hanafis and some other scholars also require women to observe these requirements in the presence of non-Muslim women, fearing that these non-Muslim women may describe a Muslim woman's physical features to other men. Some modern interpretations disagree with the traditional views (see main article).

===Testimony===
Islamic scriptures dictate that, in a court setting, a woman's testimony is worth half a man's. The reasoning given in {{Bukhari|1|6|301}} is the deficiency of the female intellect. Islamic jurists have variously endorsed some exceptions to this rule-of-thumb, however. In legal cases relating to matters of female anatomy or specialty, a woman's testimony may be equal to a man's. On the other hand, Islamic jurists have also dictated that there are certain domains of law where a woman's testimony cannot be counted for anything at all.

The Quran itself mentions the principle in the context of loan contracts.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|282}}|O you who have believed, when you contract a debt for a specified term [...] And bring to witness two witnesses from among your men. And if there are not two men [available], then a man and two women from those whom you accept as witnesses - so that if one of the women errs, then the other can remind her. [...]}}

===Punishment for lewdness===
The Qur'an states that women found guilty of lewdness (l-fāḥishata) should be confined to house arrest until death or mysteriously 'God ordains another way'. The next verse ({{Quran|4|16}}) on the other hand ordains (unspecified) punishment if two men are found guilty of lewdness, but who are to be left alone if they repent and amend their ways:
{{Quote|{{Quran|4|15}}|If any of your women are guilty of lewdness, Take the evidence of four (Reliable) witnesses from amongst you against them; and if they testify, confine them to houses until death do claim them, or Allah ordain for them some (other) way}}

Most scholars believe the above verse (Quran 4:15) was [[Naskh (Abrogation)|abrogated]] by the punishment of 100 lashes for both men and women who commit fornication (zina) in Quran 24:2, or stoning if either is married to someone else as set out in the hadith (such as {{Bukhari|9|92|432}}and {{Muslim|17|4194}}):
{{Quote|{{Quran|24|2}}|The [unmarried] woman or [unmarried] man found guilty of sexual intercourse - lash each one of them with a hundred lashes, and do not be taken by pity for them in the religion of Allah, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day.}}

===Gender Segregation===
{{Main|Sex Segregation in Islam}}In Islamic law, unrelated women and men are not allowed to be alone together, have any sort of physical contact, engage in frivolous conversation, look at one another for any reason other than momentarily for the purpose of identification, or pray such that a woman is located in front of or adjacent to any man (women must stand behind men in prayer). Muhammad's wives are instructed in the Quran to remain at home as much as possible and according to hadiths Muhammad did not permit women to travel on significant journeys except under the supervision of a male guardian or relative. Some medieval scholars forbade women to leave their homes at all without permission. Modernist scholars generally contest these interpretations using other hadiths and arguments.

==Muhammad and Women==

===Wives and Concubines of Muhammad===

:''Main Articles: [[List of Muhammads Wives and Concubines|List of Muhammad's Wives and Concubines]] and [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammads Wives and Concubines|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad's Wives and Concubines]] and [[Ages of Muhammads Wives at Marriage|Ages of Muhammad's Wives at Marriage]]''

According to multiple sources, Muhammad had many wives and concubines, and was known to others as a "womanizer".<ref>"....''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</ref> Muhammad consummated his marriages with thirteen women, divorced another six, and had concubines. It is reported that he used to visit eleven wives in one night:

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|5|268|}}|Narrated Qatada: Anas bin Malik said, "The Prophet used to visit all his wives in a round, during the day and night '''and they were eleven in number.'''" I asked Anas, "Had the Prophet the strength for it?" Anas replied, "We used to say that the Prophet was given the strength of thirty (men)." And Sa'id said on the authority of Qatada that Anas had told him about nine wives only (not eleven).}}

====Aisha====
{{Main|Aisha}}

''Aisha'', sometimes spelt as 'Ayesha' or 'Aysha', was the nine year old child-bride of Muhammad. She was engaged to him at the age of six, when he was in his fifties. She was also the daughter of Abu Bakr, a close friend of Muhammad. Historically, she is known as Muhammad's "favorite wife." It has also been recorded in authentic Islamic sources that Muhammad struck Aisha<ref>"''...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?...''" - {{Muslim|4|2127}}</ref> and also allowed Abu Bakr to do the same.<ref>"''....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....''" - {{Bukhari|1|7|330}}</ref> Aisha was not 'offered' to Muhammad by her father (as would have normally been the case for the marriage of so young a girl), rather it was Muhammad who approached Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr originally protested.<ref>"''....The Prophet asked Abu Bakr for 'Aisha's hand in marriage. Abu Bakr said "But I am your brother."....''" - {{Bukhari|7|62|18}}</ref> However, Muhammad justified his desire for Aisha with a divine vision from Allah.<ref>"''....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.....''" - {{Bukhari|9|87|140}}</ref>

{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3310}}|'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house when I was nine years old.}}
The age of Muhammad's child-bride Aisha has in recent times become an actively contested issue, with a few modern Islamic scholars arguing that she was in fact older than nine when married or when the marriage was consummated. The overwhelming majority of modern Islamic scholars have, however, rejected this view as contravening authentic scripture.

====Khadijah====
{{Main|Khadijah bint Khuwaylid}}

''Khadijah bint Khuwailid/Khuwaylid'' (555 – 619 AD) was the first wife of Muhammad and also a distant 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 marriage with Muhammad was a controversial one which almost sparked in bloodshed. Khadija's high social standing is often cited as evidence by some modern Islamic scholars that women were empowered by Islam.<ref>For example, take a look at [http://www.wikiislam.net/w/index.php?title=Women_are_Deficient_in_Intelligence&diff=prev&oldid=67738 this] bit of vandalism.</ref> It is important to note, however, that she was a "great independent businesswoman" ''before'' Islam, during the so-called "Period of Ignorance" (''Jahiliyah''). Indeed, after Islam, Muhammad prohibited women from taking leadership positions, along with dictating other legal disabilities for women.<ref>"''Narrated Abu Bakra: During the battle of Al-Jamal, Allah benefited me with a Word (I heard from the Prophet). When the Prophet heard the news that the people of the Persia had made the daughter of Khosrau their Queen (ruler), he said, "Never will succeed such a nation as makes a woman their ruler.''" - {{Bukhari|9|88|219}}</ref>

====Safiyah====
{{Main|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 Muhammad's followers invaded and conquered Khaibar, the opposition's 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.<ref>{{Bukhari|2|14|68}}</ref> Kinana, Safiyah's suitor or husband, was tortured and executed by Muhammad's followers in order to discover the hiding places of treasure,<ref>Ishaq. I (Author), Guillaume. A (Translator). (2002). [http://www.amazon.com/Life-Muhammad-I-Ishaq/dp/0196360331/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252901691&sr=8-1#reader ''The Life of Muhammad'']. (p. 515). Oxford University Press - Tabari vol. 8, p.123 - Muir, Sir William. (1878). [http://books.google.com/books?id=5QMMAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''The Life of Mahomet, New Edition'']. (pp. 390-391) London:Smith, Elder and Co.</ref> and one source relates that he and Safiya had been married only one day.<ref>Muir, Sir William. (1878). [http://books.google.com/books?id=5QMMAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''The Life of Mahomet, New Edition'']. (pp. 392) London:Smith, Elder and Co.</ref> She was so beautiful that the Muslims began praising her in the presence of [[Muhammad]],<ref>{{Muslim|8|3329}}</ref> 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"<ref>{{Bukhari|1|8|367}}</ref> and he selected her to be his slave rather than the slave of any of his companions.

She was held captive until their marriage, and when Muhammad decided that she would be his wife rather than his concubine, he made known to her that her manumission was her ''mahr''.

====Mariyah====
{{Main|Maria the Copt (Mariyah Al-Qibtiyyah)|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Slavery}}
''Mariyah the Copt'' was one of the prophet’s wives’ maids and bore him a son who later died, called Ibrahim. Muhammad slept with her without any ceremony, which caused uproar among his wives. It is said that the controversy was finally settled by verses {{Quran-range|66|1|6}}, allowing Muhammad to continue sleeping with her after he had placated his wives by rescinding this right.

{{Quote||Waqidi has informed us that Abu Bakr has narrated that the messenger of Allah (PBUH) had sexual intercourse with Mariyyah in the house of Hafsah. When the messenger came out of the house, Hafsa was sitting at the gate (behind the locked door). She told the prophet, O Messenger of Allah, do you do this in my house and during my turn? The messenger said, control yourself and let me go because I make her haram to me. Hafsa said, I do not accept, unless you swear for me. That Hazrat (his holiness) said, by Allah I will not contact her again. Qasim ibn Muhammad has said that this promise of the Prophet that had forbidden Mariyyah to himself is invalid – it does not become a violation (hormat).<ref>Tabaqat v. 8 p. 223 Publisher Entesharat-e Farhang va Andisheh Tehran 1382 solar h ( 2003) Translator Dr. Mohammad Mahdavi Damghani</ref>}}

===Muhammad's exemptions from sexual laws===
{{Main|Convenient Revelations}}Muhammad often received revelations from God which would absolve him from or resolve for him various personal restrictions and controversies. These revelations would form part of the Quran and hadith. Critics have suggested that such verses would scarcely merit inclusion in an eternal document of divine importance that conceives of itself as "guidance for all of mankind". According to Sahih Bukhari, Aisha, Muhammad's wife, once said to him after one such revelation, "I feel that your Lord hastens in fulfilling your wishes and desires."<ref>{{Bukhari|6|60|311|}}</ref>
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|311}}|Narrated Aisha:

I used to look down upon those ladies who had given themselves to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and I used to say, "Can a lady give herself (to a man)?" But when Allah revealed: "You (O Muhammad) can postpone (the turn of) whom you will of them (your wives), and you may receive any of them whom you will; and there is no blame on you if you invite one whose turn you have set aside (temporarily).' (33.51) I said (to the Prophet), "I feel that your Lord hastens in fulfilling your wishes and desires."}}

===Women and the Farewell Sermon===
{{Main|Farewell Sermon}}

''The Farewell Sermon'' (خطبة الوداع‎, Khuṭbatu l-Wadā') is Muhammad's last sermon before his death in 632 CE. One widely distributed modern redacted and edited version of the sermon differs significantly from the original versions found in {{Abu Dawud||1900|Hasan}}, {{Muslim|7|2803}}, al-Tabari's History, and ibn Ishaq's ''Sirat''. Muhammad's order in the sermon to men to control their women by beating them confirms and slightly moderates the Qur'anic order of wife-beating in {{Quran|4|34}}. In al-Tabari's version, Muhammad also compares women to domestic animals (ʿawān). In ibn Ishaq's version, quoted below, the translator renders the same Arabic word as prisoners, in line with traditional exegesis of the sermon.

{{Quote||"You have rights over your wives and they have rights over you. You have the right that they should not defile your bed and that they should not behave with open unseemliness. '''If they do, God allows you to put them in separate rooms and beat them but not with severity'''. If they refrain from these things they have the right to their food and clothing with kindness. Lay injunctions on women kindly, '''for they are prisoners with you having no control of their persons.''' You have taken them as a trust from God, and you have the enjoyment of their persons by the words of God, so understand…"<ref>Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah, p. 651</ref>}}
==Women in the modern Muslim world==

===Honor Violence and Islam===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Honor Killing}}
Honor killing has occurred in many cultures, and is the murder by family members, usually of females, who are perceived to have brought shame on the family. The attitude is that the honor of the family in the community can be protected or restored in this way. Common triggers for honour killing occur when young couples have unmarried relations with each other, or when a woman marries someone against the wishes of her parents.

In Islamic law, there is no punishment merely for the shame caused upon a family by their female relations, nor to restore family honor by killing them. There are, however, punishments for various types of [[w:Zina|Zina]] (unlawful sexual relations) in Islam. Zina includes both fornication (when an unmarried person has intercourse), for which the punishment is flogging, and adultery (when a married person has intercourse with someone other than their spouse), for which the punishment is death by stoning. These punishments are only to be applied by the authorities. A punishment in a private setting is mandated in {{Quran|4|34}} which tells men to beat their wives as a last resort in certain circumstances.

Honour killing has been condemned in a recent fatwa,<ref>[https://islamqa.info/en/101972 Fatwa 101972 Ruling on honour killing]</ref> which says that the punishment for fornication by the unmarried is flogging, and must be carried out by the proper authorities.

However, some statements about women and the rules to control them as outlined above in this article may contribute to the perceived social consequences of failing to exert such control and the underlying attitudes towards women and girls held by those who commit honor killing and honor violence. This includes such rules as those concerning gender segregation and zina (especially the prohibition of sexual intercourse between an unmarried couple, even the suspicion of which is a common trigger for honor violence against girls), and a woman marrying without the approval of her wali. Underlining the seriousness in which some of these are regarded, certain punishments such as stoning, flogging, and even death by being thrown off a tall building are prescribed for sexual crimes in Islamic law, though these are to be carried out by the authorities. In the modern age, there have been many reported incidents of honor violence when young women are perceived to have violated Islamic requirements about dress and adornments when using photo and video based social media. A connection between Islam and honor violence is disputed by some on the basis that honor killing in the Muslim world is largely associated with certain countries like Pakistan and in parts of the Middle East and North Africa rather than universal. The problem has also been documented in a Hindu religious context in countries such as India and Nepal, particularly involving couples of differing castes.

While Islamic law does not order honor violence, parents who murder their children are not punishable with the ''Qisas'' (retaliation) under the Sharia. The standard manual of law for the Shafi'i school sets out this exemption in plain terms.{{Quote|'Umdat al-Salik (Reliance of the Traveller), section o1.1-2|Retaliation is obligatory [...] against anyone who kills a human being purely intentionally and without right [...] The following are not subject to retaliation [...] (4) a father or mother (or their fathers or mothers) for killing their offspring.}}

Efforts in modern Muslim countries have been made to deter such killings by changing the law to enable prosecution of the perpetrators, for example Pakistan in 2016 (after a change that had left a large loophole in 2004)<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37578111</ref>, though as of 2022 the effect there has been limited.<ref>[https://thediplomat.com/2022/07/honor-killings-continue-unabated-in-pakistan/ ‘Honor Killings’ Continue Unabated in Pakistan] - The Diplomat, 2022</ref>

The United Nations Population Fund estimated in September 2000 that as many as 5,000 women and girls fall victim to such killings each year. Cases of non-fatal honor violence would likely be far higher.
===Strict enforcement of hijab===
In a few countries today (notably Iran and Afghanistan), the wearing of hijab is legally enforced, though in most Muslim-majority countries this is not the case though there may be social pressure. In the holy city of Mecca in March 2002, fifteen teenage girls perished in a fire at their school when the Saudi religious police, the muttawa'in, refused to let them out of the building, because in the female-only school environment, they had shed the outer garments that women are required to wear in the presence of men. They had not put these garments back on before trying to flee from the fire. The muttawa'in, favoring the victims' death to the transgression of Islamic law, battled police and firemen who tried to open the school's doors to save the girls.<ref>Christopher Dickey and Rod Nordland - [http://www.islamawareness.net/MiddleEast/Saudi/fire.html The Fire That Won't Die Out] - Islamawareness, 2002</ref> In 2018 Saudi Arabia rescinded its laws relating to head coverings.

===Domestic abuse===
According to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, over 90% of married women report being kicked, slapped, beaten or sexually abused when husbands were dissatisfied by their cooking or cleaning, or when the women had 'failed' to bear a child or had given birth to a girl instead of a boy.<ref>[http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA33/010/2002/en-http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA33/010/2002/en Pakistan: Violence against women: Media briefing] - Amnesty International</ref>

===Prosecution of rape cases===
{{Main|Rape in Islamic Law}}
Islamic law traditionally has required four reliable muslim male witnesses or a confession in order to convict a man for rape (as an extension of the legal treatment of [[Zina|zina]]), though some modern legal approaches have sought to reduce this evidentiary burden. In some modern jurisdictions there is even a risk that a woman alleging rape can herself by prosecuted for slander or fornication if she lacks sufficient evidence, though this is not the position of most schools of traditional jurisprudence (see main article).

In March 2007, a 19-year-old Saudi woman received a sentence of 90 lashes. A man had threatened to tell her father that they were having an affair unless she met him alone. When she did, she was kidnapped and repeatedly raped, after which her brother beat her because the rapes brought shame to the family. After this, a Saudi court sentenced her to be lashed ninety times because she had met a man alone who was not related to her. Fuziyah Al Ouni, a feminist activist, said she was outraged by the case. 'By sentencing her to 90 lashes they are sending a message that she is guilty.'<ref>[http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?section=middleeast&xfile=data/middleeast/2007/march/middleeast_march71.xml Saudi gang-rape victim faces 90 lashes] - Khaleej Times Online, March 5, 2007</ref>

In 2004, a sixteen-year old girl, Atefeh Rajabi, was hanged in a public square in Iran. Rajabi was charged with adultery, although it had likely been a case of rape. Her rapist was not executed. Rajabi told the mullah-judge, Haji Rezaii, that he ought to punish men who rape, not their victims. The judge both sentenced and personally hanged Rajabi because, in addition to her crime, he said that she had 'a sharp tongue.'<ref>Alasdair Palmer - [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2004/08/29/do2903.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/08/29/ixportal.html Death and the maiden in Iran] - The Telegraph, August 29, 2004</ref>

On November 1, 2008 a 13-year-old girl in Somalia was stoned to death after being raped by three men. She was unable to produce the required four witnesses to the rape and was therefore accused of adultery as required by Shari'a law. It was reported that the girl begged for mercy before being buried waist high in the ground and pummeled to death with stones by a crowd of some 1,000 Muslims.<ref>[http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2419716,00.html Raped girl, 13, stoned to death] news24.com,2008-11-01</ref><ref>David Williams - [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1081214/Somali-girl-pleaded-mercy-Islamists-stoned-death-raped.html?ITO=1490 Somali girl 'pleaded for mercy' before Islamists stoned her to death for being raped] - Daily Mail, November 5, 2008</ref>

===Strict segregation of genders===
In February 2008, an American businesswoman of Jordanian descent was arrested in Saudi Arabia after being found by the religious police sitting in the family area of a Starbucks with a male business associate. They had been working together at their nearby office when power was lost, and they decided to go to Starbucks to use the wireless internet. She was released from jail a day later, bruised and crying after being detained and beaten for being in the presence of another man who was not her relative.<ref>Sonia Verma - [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,329605,00.html American Woman Boasted of Saudi Freedoms To Bush Brother Before Arrest at Starbucks] - Fox News, February 7, 2008</ref>

==See Also==

*[[Women in Islamic Law]]
*[[Umm Qirfa]]
*[[Cousin Marriage in Islamic Law]]

==External Links==

*[http://www.answering-islam.org/Shamoun/women_in_islam1.htm Women in Islam]
*[http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/abulkazem/Women_in_Islam.htm Women in Islam: An exegesis]
*[http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/abulkazem/SexualityinIslam.htm Sex and sexuality in Islam]
*[https://fgmtruth.wordpress.com/2018/10/22/23-s-b-zakis-arab-women-before-and-after-islam-opening-the-door-of-pre-islamic-arabian-history/ Arab Women Before and After Islam - by S. B. Zaki]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:Human rights]]
__NOEDITSECTION__
[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]

Five Pillars of Islam

2024-08-03T12:08:31Z

AdrianE: Fixed a reference.

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The '''Five Pillars of Islam''' (أركان الإسلام الخمسة, ''arkaan ul-islaam al-khamsa'') is the term given to the five duties which are compulsory ([[Fard]]) for every Muslim. It is a set of beliefs specific to the [[Sunni]]s who belong to the mainstream, orthodox version of the religion.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+af0060) "Sunni and Shia Islam"], Library of Congress Country Studies, accessed September 4, 2011.</ref> This concept is not found in the [[Qur'an]], but within the [[Sirat Rasul Allah|sirah]] and [[hadith]], outside of which the specific formulation of the five pillars [[Qur'an Only Islam - Why it is Not Possible#Five Pillars of Islam|is absent]].

==Shahadah==

The [[Shahadah]], which means "testimony", is the name of the [[Islam|Islamic]] profession of faith. It is the most important of all Five Pillars, and its recitation in [[Arabic]] is required for a person to become a Muslim.<ref>[http://www.themodernreligion.com/convert/islam_conversion_main.htm Embracing Islam] - The Modern Religion</ref> It reads, "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." Shi'ite Muslims add "and Ali is the friend of Allah," but do not consider the additon obligatory.<ref>[http://www.mideastweb.org/Middle-East-Encyclopedia/shahada.htm Shahada] - Encyclopedia of the Middle East.</ref>

==Salah==

[[Salah]] is the practice of formal [[prayers|prayer]] in Islam. It is a ritual prayer, having prescribed conditions, procedures, and times. It consists of five daily prayers: Fajr (dawn), Zuhr (noon), Asr (afternoon), Maghrib (evening), and Isha'a (night). Muslims must wash before prayer; this washing is called [[Ablution|wudu]] ("purification").

The earliest Muslims, however, did not practice this ritual prayer. Muhammad started his religion in 610 and prayer became obligatory after Isra and Mi'raj<ref>https://islamqa.info/en/answers/145725/when-was-prayer-made-obligatory-how-did-the-muslims-pray-before-prayer-was-made-obligatory</ref> around the year 621.

==Sawm==

[[Sawm]] is the term which refers to Islamic [[fasting]]. The observance of sawm during the Islamic month of Ramadan is compulsory.<ref>Farah (1994), p.144-145</ref> Adherents usually wake up before dawn and eat and drink to prepare for the fast. During the fast, they refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in [[Sex|sexual intercourse]] from dawn (fajr) to sunset (maghrib).

The earliest Muslims, however, did not practice this ritual fast until two years after the Hijra, around the year 624:
{{Quote|[https://islamqa.info/en/answers/37649/when-was-fasting-enjoined islamqa.info: When was fasting enjoined?]|
Fasting the month of Ramadaan was enjoined in 2 AH
}}

==Zakat==

[[Zakat]] is an obligatory tax <ref name="EBZT">{{cite web|url= http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/655448/zakat|title= zakat (Islamic tax)|publisher= Encyclopedia Britannica|author= |date= accessed November 16, 2013|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2FEBchecked%2Ftopic%2F655448%2Fzakat&date=2013-11-15|deadurl=no}}</ref> required of Muslims, amounting to about 2.5% of one's wealth over the course of a year. Under the [[Caliph|caliphates]], the collection and expenditure of zakat was a function of the state (this still remains the case in countries such as Saudi Arabia).<ref name="EBZT"></ref> [[Slavery|Slaves]] and horses owned by Muslims are exempt from this taxation,<ref>"''Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "There is no Zakat either on a horse or a slave belonging to a Muslim"''" - {{Bukhari|2|24|542}}</ref><ref>"''Narrated Abu Huraira :- The Prophet said,"There is no Zakat either on a slave or on a horse belonging to a Muslim.''" - {{Bukhari|2|24|543}}</ref> and it is generally agreed that [[non-Muslims]] are not to benefit from the alms giving.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.islamicawakening.com/viewarticle.php?articleID=984|title= The way of giving Zakat al-Fitr in non-Islamic Lands|publisher= IslamicAwakening|author= Haytham bin Jawwad al-Haddad|series= Article ID: 984|date= November 20, 2002|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.islamicawakening.com/viewarticle.php?articleID=984&date=2011-05-09|deadurl=no}}</ref>

Zakat, like Sawm and Salah was not practiced by the earliest Muslims, and was only enjoined second year after hijra, around the year 624.<ref>https://www.islamweb.net/ar/fatwa/20247/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%8A-%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%A9</ref>

==Hajj==

The [[Hajj]] is a pilgrimage to the city of Mecca which every able-bodied Muslim is obliged to make at least once in their life.<ref name="Farah">Farah (1994), p.145-147</ref> The pilgrimage takes place on the 12th month of the Islamic calendar (Dhu al-Hijjah). The main rituals include walking seven times around the [[Kaaba|Ka'aba]], touching the [[Black Stone]], traveling seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina.<ref>Hoiberg (2000), p.237–238</ref>

It is not clear when hajj was enjoined, but it was after the hijra according to most scholars.<ref>https://mawdoo3.com/%D9%81%D9%8A_%D8%A3%D9%8A_%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%A9_%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%B6_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%AC</ref>

==Jihad and other pillars==

[[Jihad]] is sometimes referred to as the ''sixth pillar of Islam'',<ref>Iman al-Khashab, [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.moheet.com/show_files.aspx?fid=354098|2=2011-02-04}} "Why It Is Considered Our Sixth Pillar of Islam – Jihad Is Ordained to Establish the Word of Allah"], Moheet (Arabic), March 13, 2010 ([[Moheet: "The Purpose of Jihad Is to Establish the Word of Allah"|English translation]]).</ref> as it is also a [[Jihad as Obligation (Fard)|compulsory duty]], and Prophet [[Muhammad]] referred to it as "better than standing in prayer for sixty years"<ref>''"Standing for an hour in the ranks of battle is better than standing in prayer for sixty years."'' - Saheeh related by Ibn Ade and Ibn Asakir from Abu Hurayrah 4/6165. Sahih al Jaami as Sagheer no. 4305</ref> and second in importance only to the belief in Allah and himself.<ref>''"Allah's Apostle was asked, "What is the best deed?" He replied, "To believe in Allah and His Apostle (Muhammad). The questioner then asked, "What is the next (in goodness)? He replied, "To participate in Jihad (religious fighting) in Allah's Cause.""'' - {{Bukhari|1|2|26}}</ref> According to some [[Shiite|Shi'ite]] sects it is the seventh not sixth pillar (the first and second being ''Walayah'' with Allah, or having a personal relationship with God, and ''taharah'', or purity).<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.fact-index.com/s/si/sixth_pillar_of_islam.html|title= Sixth pillar of Islam|publisher= The Fact-Index|author= |date= accessed November 17, 2013|archiveurl= http://archive.is/5LHgp|deadurl=no}}</ref>

==See Also==

*[[Qur'an Only Islam - Why it is Not Possible#Five Pillars of Islam|Qur'an Only Islam - Why it is Not Possible]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]]
[[Category:Ritual]]

Tawheed

2024-08-03T11:57:36Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos. Fixed formatting issues.

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Tawheed (also spelled tawhid) is the Islamic monotheistic concept of god. Although the concept of [[monotheism]] is intrinsic to tawheed, tawheed encompasses more than the concept of god simply being one. It also refers to all of the implications of the existence of one god who created the universe and has very specific wishes for his creations. It stands in contrast to [[shirk]] in all of its forms.

==The word==
===Meaning===
Tawheed doesn't mean oneness. There are many ways to say "oneness" in Arabic:
{{Quote|[https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/oneness/ almaany.com: oneness]|
إتّحاد ؛ أُحَادِيّة ؛ أحَدِيّة ؛ تَجَانُس ؛ تَشَابُه ؛ تَطَابُق ؛ تَمَاثُل ؛ تَوَحّد ؛ وَحْدَة ؛ وَحْدانِيّة
}}

Oneness could be وحدانية (wahdaaniya) or توحد (tawahhud) or وحدة (wahda), but not توحيد (tawheed).

Tawheed is the masdar, that is to say verbal noun, of a form II(wazn faala وزن فعّل in Arabic) verb wahhada وحّد meaning to unify or consolidate. Form II is usually a causative or implies the transmitting of the effect of the act from the doer to the receiver. So tawheed means "causing to be one", "unifying" or "making into one". The various translations of the word tawheed outside of Islamic theology are:
{{Quote|[https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%AF/ almaany.com: tawheed]|
amalgamation ; combination ; conjunction ; consolidation ; fusion ; integration ; joining ; junction ; merger ; merging ; standardization ; unification ; union ; uniting
}}

===Occurrences in the Quran===
Although the term tawheed is central to the Islamic theology, it doesn't appear anywhere in the Quran.

==Tawheed versus monotheism==
Monotheism means that only one god exists. But tawheed has a wider scope in Islamic theology. Monotheism doesn't require theocracy. But an important part of tawheed in the classical sources is that Allah is the only legislator (Tawheed Al-Hakimiyyah), which implies supremacy of religion over secular government in states which acknowledge and enact tawheed. In the traditional sources, Muslims as a result of acknowledging Allah as the highest ruler have to obey Allah before all else:
{{Quote|{{Quran|26|108}}|
So fear Allah and obey '''me'''.
}}

In comparison to monotheistic deism (or pantheism):

*There is only one god (Deism)
*There is only one god '''and Muhammad is his messenger''' (Islam)

The god of the deists is one, but the belief in this god does not comply with tawheed, as no messenger is acknowledged to provide mankind with the direct will of god to be obeyed before all else.

==Quranic arguments==
===Against polytheism===
The Quran presented an argument against polytheism:
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|22}}|
Had there been within the heavens and earth gods besides Allah, they both would have been ruined. So exalted is Allah, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.
}}

===Against Atheism===
The Quran also argues against Atheism:
{{Quote|{{Quran|52|35}}|
Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]?
}}

===Against Trinity===
The Quran also arguesagainst the Christian Trinity:
{{Quote|{{Quran|4|171}}|
O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His messengers. Say not "Trinity": desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah: '''Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son''' (سبحانه أن يكون له ولد). To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.
}}

The Arabic says only "glory be to him (سبحانه) that (أن) exists (يكون) for him (له) a son (ولد)" which implies that the exalted position of god prohibits him from having a son.

==Proclamations of monotheism==

Islam scholars and preachers insist that people should worship only one god, Allah.

===Shahada===
The most popular statement of oneness of Allah is the first part of the shahada:
{{Quote||
لا إله إلا الله

laa ilaaha illa allah

no god but Allah
}}

It is interpreted as "There's no god but Allah." Compare the [[Shi'ism]] saying:

{{Quote||
لا سيف إلا ذو الفقار
lā sayf ʾillā Ḏū l-Fiqār.

"No sword except Zulfiqar"
}}

===Ahad===
The verse 112:1 says:
{{Quote|{{Quran|112|1}}|
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One (أحد, ''ahad''),
}}

The use of Ahad here is highly unusual, one would expect "waahid". "Ahad" though is usual in Aramaic, and has been suggested as a sign of Syriac influence on the original Qur'anic rasm.

===Waahid===
Some verses say that Allah is one with the Arabic واحد, ''waahid'':
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|133}}|
Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, "What will you worship after me?" They said, "We will worship '''your God''' and the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac - '''one''' (واحد) God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."
}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|163}}|
And '''your god''' is '''one''' (واحد) God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
}}

==Polytheism in the Quran ==
According to the traditional Islamic sources, there used to be a part of the Quran, which was later removed, about goddesses:
{{Quote|Used to be in Quran 53:19-20|
Have you thought of al-Lāt and al-‘Uzzá
and Manāt, the third, the other?

These are the exalted gharāniq, whose intercession is hoped for.
}}

Al-Lat and al-Uzza were goddesses worshiped by Arab polytheists. However, later Muhammad claimed that Satan put these verses on his tongue and therefore they were deleted from the Quran. Currently they are called "Satanic verses".

Also it is worth noticing that Allah calls himself "the best of creators" as if there were more creators (and also talks about himself in the plural):
{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then '''We''' made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, '''the best of creators'''.
}}

==Quran and the holy trinity==
Although Christianity is a monotheistic religion, it is not compatible with the Islamic doctrine of tawheed.

The Quran accuses Christians of saying "three":
{{Quote|{{Quran|4|171}}|
O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, '''"Three"''' (ثلاثة); desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.
}}
It should be noted that Christians in Arabic actually say "trinity" (ثالوث), not "three" (ثلاثة).

The Quran also claims that Christians worship Mary as a part of the trinity:
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, 'Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah ?'" He will say, "Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen.
}}
Christians actually believe that the trinity is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Mary is not a part of the trinity in any known Christian sect. Some Islamic scholars have claimed that there existed at this time in Arabia a Christian heresy which worshiped Mary as part of the trinity, but there is not much evidence for this.

The Quran actually does mention the Holy Spirit, one part of the Christian Trinity:
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|110}}|
[The Day] when Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with '''the Pure Spirit''' (روح القدس) and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel;
}}

The author of the Quran seems to think that the trinity (or "three" as the Qur'an says) means three gods, while it actually means one god in three persons in the Christian understanding.

===The holy duality: Allah and Quran===
Most Muslim today believe that the Quran is eternal (not created). This belief stems from the Mu'tazila controversy/heresy in the 2nd Islamic century (the 8th century of the common era) and closely parallels Christian debates about the nature of the Son vs God the Father (who is, like the Qur'an in Islam, the Word of God). Although Muslims claim strict monotheism, they generally ascribe many divine characteristics to the Qur'an.

==Raised index finger by terrorists==
The raised index finger with the rest of the fingers folded into a fist is the symbol of tawhid. Tawhid is not only monotheism, tawhid also means that Allah is the only legislator. This symbol has been made famous outside of the Islamic world by salafi jihadists, who often make it prior to engaging in military or terror attacks. The point of their raising the finger is that tawheed for them implies the necessity of bringing about the rule of Allah's laws on the earth, and they view their military and terrorism activities as the logical outcome of this principle.

==Ancient religiosity==
Tawheed is supposedly "the original concept of god" that was corrupted according to Islamic orthodoxy. This, however, stands in contrast to all hitherto done research on ancient and prehistoric societies:
{{Quote|Denova, R. (2019, October 17). Monotheism in the Ancient World. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/article/1454/|
However, in the ancient world, the concept of monotheism as we understand it today did not exist; '''all ancient people were polytheists'''. They may have elevated one god as higher than the others (henotheism) but nevertheless recognized the existence of divine multiplicity.
}}
Rather than the default position of mankind, history and anthropology seem to indicate that monotheism is the innovation.

==External Links==
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07qty6oFssE Is Monotheism (Tawhid) the default natural (Fitrah) belief of mankind?] ''- Hassan Radwan - YouTube video''
[[Category:Allah]]
[[Category:Salafism]]

Lut

2024-08-03T11:32:35Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos. Changed 'Lot' to 'Lut', so that the spelling is in line with the title.

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The story of '''Lut''' (لوط, Lūṭ, לוֹט‎ "Lot" in the Hebrew tradition) from the [[Taurat|Hebrew Bible]], is also to be found in the [[Qur'an]], albeit retold with a few differences. Inter alia, the Qur'anic rendition links the destruction of Sodom specifically to the homosexual activities of its inhabitants, whereas in the Hebrew original, although there is an attempted rape of the male angels sent to Lut's house by the men of the city, the main sin of Lut's people is the inhospitable conduct towards these visitors, not the fact that they wanted to engage in (forced) homosexual relations with them.

The story of Lut in the Qur'an represents its apotheosis in all of the traditions in which it is found: by the 7th century, the original story of Lut, the single righteous man of Sodom who protected his guests even at the cost of his own begotten daughters' virginity, has evolved into a tale simply demonizing homosexuality. Although the loss of the point of the original story is striking in the Qur'anic text, and the tafsirs which evolved surrounding it, which also build out the story by clarifying that the women of Sodom and Gomorrah were also homosexuals and thus also deserved to be destroyed, the transformation of the story of Lut into a condemnation of homosexuality is not without precedent: witness the English slur "sodomite", pointing like the Arabic لوطي "luti" to the sin of the people of Lut within the English-speaking Christian tradition.

==Qur'anic Claims==

The story of Lut is told in many different places in the Qur'an, which can be read [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Homosexuality|here]]. According to the Qur'an, Lut was a righteous prophet who was sent to preach the word of Allah to the sinful people of Sodom and Gomorrah. They repeatedly rejected his message and threatened him, until angels from Allah turned up at Lut's house. They bring him tidings of the destruction of the twin cities. The wicked people of Lut's cities then also show up at his house, demanding to rape the angels they believe are foreigners. Lut offers them his daughters. Quran exegetes claim this offer was in lawful Islamic marriage and that Lut meant by "my daughters" the daughters of his nation. But these claims have no basis in the Quran or the Sunnah. Whatever the nature of Lut's offer was, they rejected it. In their drunkenness and blindness Lut is able to escape, and Allah destroys the cities with brimstone. The outline of the story is in some ways similar to the biblical original, but the story has some salient points which mark its importance in Islamic theology and separate it from its biblical progenitor:

All the men of Lut became homosexual:

{{quote |{{Quran|27|55}}|Would ye really approach men in your lusts rather than women? Nay, ye are '''a people''' (grossly) ignorant!}}

Homosexuality was something that did not exist prior to the people of Lut:
{{Quote|{{Quran|7:80-81}}|And [We had sent] Lot when he said to his people, "Do you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds? Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people."}}{{quote |{{Quran|29|28-29}}|And (remember) Lut: behold, he said to his people: "Ye do commit lewdness, such as no people in Creation (ever) committed before you. Indeed, you approach men and obstruct the road and commit in your meetings [every] evil." And the answer of his people was not but they said, "Bring us the punishment of Allah, if you should be of the truthful."}}

Lut's wife was said to be complicit with his people:

{{quote |{{Quran|66|10}}|Allah sets forth, for an example to the Unbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lut: they were (respectively) under two of our righteous servants, but they were false to their (husbands), and they profited nothing before Allah on their account, but were told: "Enter ye the Fire along with (others) that enter!"}}

All were annihilated except for the family of Lut:

{{quote |{{Quran|26|173}}|We rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): and evil was the shower on those who were admonished (but heeded not)!}}

With one exception:

{{quote |{{Quran|7|83}}|But we saved him and his family, except his wife: she was of those who legged behind.}}

Lut also offered his daughters to the homosexual men:

{{quote |{{Quran|11|78}}|And his people came unto him, running towards him - and before then they used to commit abominations - He said: O my people! Here are my daughters! They are purer for you. Beware of Allah, and degrade me not in (the person of) my guests. Is there not among you any upright man?}}

==The Origins and Nature of Homosexuality: Comparison to Modern Scientific Study and Research==

The narrative of the [[Qur'an]] makes a number of objective claims about the origins and nature of homosexuality in human beings. These are however almost wholly unsupported by the findings of modern scientific study into the nature of homosexuality in human males:

===Homosexuality exists in low percentages===

Scientifically it is highly unlikely that all the men in Lut's city, Sodom, would be homosexuals, as homosexuality exists only in low percentages, from 2-7%. These numbers are based on many scientific studies:

*''ACSF Investigators (1992). AIDS and sexual behaviour in France. Nature, 360, 407–409''

*''Billy, J. O. G., Tanfer, K., Grady, W. R., & Klepinger, D. H. (1993). The sexual behavior of men in the United States. Family Planning Perspectives, 25, 52–60.''

*''Binson, D., Michaels, S., Stall, R., Coates, T. J., Gagnon, & Catania, J. A. (1995). Prevalence and social distribution of men who have sex with men: United States and its urban centers. Journal of Sex Research, 32, 245–254.''

*''Bogaert, A. F. (2004). The prevalence of male homosexuality: The effect of fraternal birth order and variation in family size. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 230, 33–37.''

*''Fay, R. E., Turner, C. F., Klassen, A. D., & Gagnon, J. H. (1989). Prevalence and patterns of same-gender sexual contact among men. Science, 243, 338–348.''

*''Johnson, A. M., Wadsworth, J., Wellings, K., Bradshaw, S., & Field, J. (1992). Sexual lifestyles and HIV risk. Nature, 360, 410–412.''

*''Laumann, E. O., Gagnon, J. H., Michael, R. T., & Michaels, S. (1994). The social organization of sexuality: Sexual practices in the United States. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.''

*''Sell, R. L., Wells, J. A., & Wypij, D. (1995). The prevalence of homosexual behavior in the United States, the United Kingdom and France: Results of national population-based samples. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 24, 235–248''

*''Wellings, K., Field, J., Johnson, A., & Wadsworth, J. (1994). Sexual behavior in Britain: The national survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyles. London, UK: Penguin Books''

These studies prove conclusively that the number of homosexuals in a society will not under normal circumstances exceed 7%. The idea that all of the men of Lut's cities were homosexuals is totally implausible.

==First to experience homosexuality==

Although confirmed by multiple Islamic scholars such as Tabari and ibn Kathir, the claim that the People of Lut were the first to experience homosexuality is completely without basis in history or biology. Homosexuality has been recorded in ancient cultures far before the time of Lut and Ibrahim (1948–2123 BC). For example the ancient Egyptians who existed 6000 years before Christ knew of the practice, as did Chinese and Indian cultures back to 7000 BCE. There are many recorded tales which portray homosexuality in the literature of these civilizations, such as the story between Seth and Horus. It is also known from biology that human male homosexuality, and to a lesser degree female homosexuality, will occur in any large enough population, so again this claim is completely without merit.

Even if one ignores all extra-Quranic sources for dating this story, this is still set long after the first humans (who appeared ~300,000 years ago)<ref>[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/essential-timeline-understanding-evolution-homo-sapiens-180976807/ An Evolutionary Timeline of Homo Sapiens] - Smithsonian Institution magazine - 2 February 2021</ref> evolved, with the town described in the story being far too advanced for a hunter-gatherer tribe society. So at the earliest the story is set after the first Agricultural Revolution in the following Neolithic period where these kind of settlements began to occur, beginning ~12,000 years ago,<ref>[https://www.history.com/topics/pre-history/neolithic-revolution Neolithic Revolution] - History.com</ref> making this extremely implausible that they were the first to commit a homosexual act.

It would more likely need to be much later than the earliest time for the remains to still be there while Muhammad was preaching, as stated in the following verses:

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|133-138}}|And indeed, Lot was among the messengers.
[So mention] when We saved him and his family, all, Then We destroyed the others. And indeed, you pass by them in the morning
And at night. Then will you not use reason?}}{{Quote|{{Quran|15|74-77}}|and We made its topmost part its nethermost, and rained on them stones of shale.
There are indeed signs in that for the percipient. Indeed it is on a standing road,
and there is indeed a sign in that for the faithful.}}

==The Story in the Tafsir==

===Lut's wife was complicit with his people===

The Qur'an says Lut's wife betrayed him. Quran exegetes explained this betrayal in two different ways: The first is that she betrayed him in religion. The second is that she used to lead the men to Lut's guests.

In the biblical original, Genesis 19:17 and 19:26, Lut's wife is destroyed because she looks back at the city being destroyed in contravention of the angels' orders.
===Killing the people of Lut===

Allah destroys Lut's people, which is seen as justified in the Islamic tradition, as homosexuality is viewed in this tradition as a sin deserving of death. This is further used to justify the penalty of death for homosexuals in [[Islamic Law]].

===Lut offers daughters to wicked men===

The detail of Lut offering up his two daughters to the crowd of rapists ({{Quran-range|15|67|71}} and {{Quran-range|11|77|79}}) is a detail from the original story (the Bible, Genesis 19:8) which has survived the Islamification of the text and story. In the original story, the angels sent by YHWH to Lut's houses are Lut's guests, and Lut as a good Middle Eastern host is required to offer them good hospitality and protection, while the wicked men of Sodom and Gomorrah accost their house demanding to rape them, which is not a very hospitable thing to do. Although to later readers and listeners the salient point of the story appeared to be the lust of the men of Sodom and Gomorrah to rape other men, in fact a close reading of the original text of Genesis appears to cast their prime sin as inhospitality to guests and foreigners: Lut offers his daughters because he is a righteous man who takes care of foreign visitors as a good guest should, even at the cost of his own daughters' precious virginity. His willingness to sacrifice his daughters to the rapist mob is proof of his good hospitality, while the mob's insistence on raping these guests while they had perfectly good virgin daughters available for rape points to their wickedness and total lack of any morals whatsoever. In the Qur'anic version, though, by which time the homosexuality of the people of Lut has evolved into their prime sin, this gesture makes little sense since purely homosexual rapists would theoretically have no interest in his daughters (and the offering up of the daughters to be raped likely appeared as strange to the first generations of Muslims as it does to modern readers). Its survival shows its salience in the original story, even if devoid of context here.

==See Also==

*[[Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures]]

[[Category:Homosexuality]]
[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Jewish tradition]]
[[Category:Previous scriptures]]
[[Category:Revelation]]
[[ar:قوم_لوط]]
[[fr:Loth]]

Islam and Homosexuality

2024-08-03T11:21:03Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

[[Category:Homosexuality]]
[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]]
[[Category:Sex]]
{{QualityScore|Lead=1|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=2|References=3}}Practicing homosexuality is considered a sin in Islam and is punishable under [[Islamic Law|Islamic law]], which is derived from the [[Qur'an|Quran]] and [[Hadith]] (accounts of [[Muhammad|Muhammad's]] life).
==In Islamic law==
The four [[Sunni]] [[Madhab|schools of jurisprudence]] all agree that practicing homosexuality is an egregious crime that earns an especially harsh [[Punishments|punishment]], although the schools vary regarding what exactly this punishment should be. In the Hanafi school, the practicing homosexual is to be beat harshly and then executed if they persist. In the Shafi'i school, the practicing homosexual is punished in the same manner as one who engages in [[Zina|illegal intercourse (''zina'')]] - that is, they are lashed 100 times if unmarried and stoned to death if married. Some scholars, referencing the practices of the four [[Rashidun Caliphs|Rightly-Guided (''Rashidun'') Caliphs]], hold that the practicing homosexual should be thrown off of a tall building.<ref>[http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503545556 Fatwa Bank: Death Fall as Punishment for Homosexuality] - Islam Online, July 22, 2002</ref> Others, referencing the Quran, maintain that the homosexual should be imprisoned until they die. Still others, also referencing the Quran, maintain that practicing homosexuals should in all cases be stoned to death.<ref>"''So when Our punishment came upon the people of Lut, We turned the city upside down and showered them with stones of baked clay, one after another.''" - {{Quran|11|82}}</ref> Yet another view is that while the passive party in the male homosexual act should be killed in all cases, the active party escapes execution if unmarried and is to be lashed 100 times.<ref>See the chapter on "hudud" in Sharaya and Sharh Lum'a also al-Khu'i, Takmilah, p. 42-44.</ref> Some scholars also suggest that homosexuals, when executed, should be beheaded rather than stoned.
==In the Muslim world==
Some modern academics have argued that the blame for the Islamic hostility towards homosexuality is due to "the adoption of European Victorian attitudes by the new Westernized elite."<ref>El-Rouayheb, 2005, p. 156</ref> For more than a thousand years, however, the Islamic tradition has drawn its views on homosexuality from the accounts of Muhammad's perspective found in the hadith, for Muhammad is described in the Quran (the word of Allah) as [[Uswa Hasana|'the perfect example' (''uswa hasana'')]] for all of humankind. Muhammad instructed, "''If you find anyone doing as Lot's people did, kill the one who does it, and the one to whom it is done.''”<ref>"''Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If you find anyone doing as Lot's people did, kill the one who does it, and the one to whom it is done.''" - {{Abudawud|38|4447}}</ref> He also condemned the mere “appearance” of homosexuality, when he cursed effeminate men and masculine women and ordered his followers to ''"Turn them out of your houses."''<ref>"''Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet cursed effeminate men (those men who are in the similitude (assume the manners of women) and those women who assume the manners of men, and he said, "Turn them out of your houses ." The Prophet turned out such-and-such man, and 'Umar turned out such-and-such woman.''" - {{Bukhari|7|72|774}}</ref> This ruling on homosexuals was naturally adopted by his later successors. The father of [[Aisha]] and Muhammad’s first successor, [[Abu Bakr Abdullah ibn Uthman|Abu Bakr]], had a homosexual burned at the stake. The fourth Rightly-Guided [[Caliph]], Muhammad’s son-in-law [[Ali ibn Abi Talib|Ali]], ordered homosexuals to be stoned, and even had one thrown from the minaret of a mosque.<ref>Serge Trifkovic - [http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=20145 Islam's Love-Hate Relationship with Homosexuality] - FrontPageMag, January 24, 2003</ref> These events pre-date any sort of Western influence on Islamic thought and have since shaped the Islamic perspective on homosexuals in religious contexts. This said, the individual and even societal perspectives of Muslims, irrespective of the views and practices of the Islamic establishment, have, of course, varied through time.

According to Saudi scholar Shaykh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid: "''The spread of homosexuality has caused man diseases which neither the east nor the west can deny exist because of them. Even if the only result of this perversion was AIDS – which attacks the immune system in humans – that would be enough.''"<ref>Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid - [http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/10050 Why does Islam forbid lesbianism and homosexuality?] - Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 10050</ref> Even among the 3% of the world's Muslims living in "more-developed regions",<ref>''"As of 2010, about three-quarters of the world’s Muslims (74.1%) live in the 49 countries in which Muslims make up a majority of the population. More than a fifth of all Muslims (23.3%) live in non-Muslim-majority countries in the developing world. About 3% of the world’s Muslims live in more-developed regions, such as Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and Japan."'' - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.pewforum.org/The-Future-of-the-Global-Muslim-Population.aspx|2=2012-12-02}} The Future of the Global Muslim Population], The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, January 27, 2011</ref> homosexuality is generally held to be unacceptable, though there is a trend towards more socially liberal views. A Gallup survey carried out in early 2009, for instance, found that British Muslims have zero tolerance for homosexuality - not a single British Muslim interviewed believed that homosexual acts were morally acceptable.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/may/07/muslims-britain-france-germany-homosexuality|2=2011-11-30}} Muslims in Britain have zero tolerance of homosexuality, says poll] - The Guardian, May 7, 2009</ref><ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.euro-islam.info/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/gallup_coexist_2009_interfaith_relations_uk_france_germany.pdf|2=2011-11-30}} The Gallup Coexist Index 2009: A Global Study of Interfaith Relations] - Section 2: Public Perceptions Toward Integration, p. 31</ref> A more liberal trend is apparent in an Ipsos-MORI review of poll data conducted in 2016. According to their analysis, while 52% of British Muslims polled thought homosexuality should be illegal in Britain, 28% of younger British Muslim respondents aged 18-24 said instead that homosexuality should be legal compared to 18% of British Muslim respondents overall.<ref>[https://barrowcadbury.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/IPSOs-Mori-Muslim-report.pdf A review of survey results on Muslims in Britain] - Ipsos-MORI - February 2018</ref>

Similarly, according to a Zogby International poll of American Muslims taken in November and December of 2001, 71% opposed "allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally."<ref>[http://www.asylumlaw.org/docs/sexualminorities/Islamic%20World100202.pdf Islamohomophobia] - WorldNetDaily, October 2, 2002</ref> However, a survey by Pew Research Centre in 2017 found that 52% of American Muslims believe society should be accepting of homosexuality, up from 39% in 2011 and 27% in 2007.<ref>[https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2017/07/26/political-and-social-views/pf_2017-06-26_muslimamericans-04new-06/ Like Americans overall, Muslims now more accepting of homosexuality] - Pew Research Centre, 25 July 2017</ref>

In Indonesia, due to growing pressure from the conservative Islamic population, some local authorities were given permission to use Islamic laws, criminalizing homosexuality.<ref>[http://www.globalgayz.com/country/Indonesia/view/IDN/gay-indonesia-news-and-reports-2#article9 Muslim Communities Thwart Indonesian Protections For Gays] - 365Gay.com, October 4, 2006</ref> Attempts to legalize homosexuality in India were stifled for some time by Islamic clerics who maintain that "Homosexuality is an offence under Sharia Law and haram (prohibited) in Islam," and that "Legalization of homosexuality is an attack on Indian religious and moral values."<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Muslim-leaders-join-Deoband-slam-gay-sex/articleshow/4723843.cms After Deoband, other Muslim leaders condemn homosexuality] - Times of India, July 1, 2009</ref> In September 2018, the Indian Supreme Court legalised homosexual intercourse, overturning a 2013 judgement which had upheld a colonial era law.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-45429664 India court legalises gay sex in landmark ruling] - BBC news, 6 September 2018</ref>

===Treatment of homosexuals===
The following are excerpts on homosexuality, taken from the Saudi Ministry of Education Textbooks for Islamic Studies:{{Quote|1=[http://www.hudson.org/files/pdf_upload/Excerpts_from_Saudi_Textbooks_715.pdf Saudi Ministry of Education Textbooks for Islamic Studies: 2007-2008 Academic Year] Center for Religious Freedom of Hudson Institute|2="Homosexuality is one of the most disgusting sins and greatest crimes.... It is a vile perversion that goes against sound nature, and is one of the most corrupting and hideous sins.... The punishment for homosexuality is death. Both the active and passive participants are to be killed whether or not they have previously had sexual intercourse in the context of a legal marriage.... Some of the companions of the Prophet stated that [the perpetrator] is to be burned with fire. It has also been said that he should be stoned, or thrown from a high place."}}Whereas the admission of LGBT rights is now mainstream in western societies, religious and governmental authorities in much of the Muslim world maintain that LGBT persons should either be executed or be subjected to harsh punishment.

Exact figures are hard to determine, due to the political turmoil in many Muslim-majority states, but as of 2009 homosexual relationships, acts or behavior are forbidden in approximately thirty-six Islamic countries including Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen, with punishments including anything from a fine up to life imprisonment.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_issues_and_Islam#Homosexuality_laws_in_Muslim_countries Homosexuality laws in Muslim countries] - Wikipedia, accessed July 29, 2009</ref><ref name="IL2">H. Tavakoli - [http://www.iranian.com/Letters/1999/September/gay.html The New Dark Ages] - The Iranian,September 20, 1999</ref> Ten of those countries out of the thirty-six impose the death penalty for homosexuals, these are: Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi-Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and some states in Malaysia.<ref>Sean Yoong - [http://www.sodomylaws.org/world/malaysia/mynews033.htm Malaysian State Legislature Passes Bill on Strict Islamic Criminal Code] - Associated Press, July 8, 2002</ref>

According to the Iranian gay and lesbian rights group Homan, the Iranian government has put to death an estimated 4,000 homosexuals since the Islamic revolution of 1979.<ref name="IL2" /> Where Muslim majority nations have legalized homosexuality, members of the LGBT community often fall victim to vigilantes who take Islamic law into their own hand. Iraq, for instance, despite not having any official laws discriminating against same-sex relationships, is at the same time host to death squads which operate throughout the country killing gays and lesbians (as well as effeminate men and masculine women suspected of homosexuality) on sight, killing, in one case, sixty-eight gay and trans-gendered men in the space of four months. These vigilante executions have often been carried out in torturous and humiliating ways, such as by having the victims' anuses glued shut, followed by induced and ultimately fatal diarrhea.<ref>Ben Lando - [http://www.iraqoilreport.com/security-conflict/iraqi-gay-community-a-target-1950/ Iraqi gay community a target] - Iraq Oil Report, July 9, 2009</ref><ref>[http://iglhrc.wordpress.com/2009/04/20/iraq-torture-cruel-inhuman-and-degrading-treatment-of-lgbt-people/ Iraq: Torture, Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment of LGBT People] - International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, April 20, 2009</ref>

In Turkey, there is widespread persecution and violence against homosexuals and non-Muslim minorities, with eleven gays being killed in the first half of 2009.<ref>[http://www.ilmediterraneo.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1657&lang=en&Itemid=7 Homosexuals in Turkey: Istanbul week for gay rights] - ANSAmed, June 24, 2009</ref> A survey released in November of 2009 found that 67% of Turks "would continue acting in accordance with their religious beliefs if the Parliament passed a law that contradicted religious laws" whereas a minority, 26%, "would obey the country’s law in this case".<ref>[http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=8216religion-loves-tolerance-but-is-not-tolerant8217-2009-11-17 'Religion loves tolerance, but is not tolerant'] - Hürriyet Daily News, November 17, 2009</ref>

==Articles==
The following are summaries of other pages discussing Islam, in relation to homosexuality:
===Islamic Writing and Homosexuality===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Homosexuality}}The Qur'an, Hadith collections and scholars have all commented extensively on homosexuality.{{quote | 1=[http://tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=4&tid=10619 The Adulteress is Confined in her House; A Command Later Abrogated] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=[وَاللَّذَانَ يَأْتِيَـنِهَا مِنكُمْ فَـَاذُوهُمَا]

(And the two persons among you who commit illegal sexual intercourse, punish them both.) Ibn `Abbas and Sa`id bin Jubayr said that this punishment includes cursing, shaming them and beating them with sandals. This was the ruling until '''Allah abrogated it with flogging or stoning,''' as we stated. Mujahid said, "It was revealed about the case of two men who do it.'' As if he was referring to the actions of the people of Lut, and Allah knows best. The collectors of Sunan recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah said,

«مَنْ رَأَيْتُمُوهُ يَعْمَلُ عَمَلَ قَوْمِ لُوطٍ، فَاقْتُلُوا الْفَاعِلَ وَالْمَفْعُولَ بِه»

('''Whoever you catch committing the act of the people of Lut (homosexuality), then kill both parties to the act.''')}}
===The People of Lot===
{{Main|Lut}}The story of ''Lot'' (لوط, Lūṭ) from the Hebrew Bible, is also to be found in the Qur'an, albeit with a few differences. Amongst other things, the Qur'anic rendition links the destruction of Sodom specifically to the homosexual activities of its inhabitants. The Qur'an also states that the People of Lot were the first to experience homosexuality. Archeological research, by contrast, has revealed that homosexuality was practiced in ancient cultures well before the time of Lot and Abraham (1948–2123 BC). The ancient Egyptians, for instance, who existed in 6000 BC, as well as the Chinese and Indian cultures which existed 7000 years BC practiced homosexuality. The story of Seth and Horus is one of many example stories appearing before the time of Lot and Abraham which describe homosexual relationships.
==External Links==

*[http://www.answering-islam.org/Authors/Arlandson/homosexual.htm Muhammad and the homosexual] ''- By James M. Arlandson''

*[http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1212925221746&pagename=Zone-English-Living_Shariah/LSELayout How Islam Views Homosexuality] ''- 15 Fatwas from Islam-Online''

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
[[Category:Human rights]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]

The Pact of Umar

2024-06-13T18:15:54Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

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[[File:Umar's_covenant.jpg|link=|right|thumb|227x227px]]
According to many Muslim historians,<ref>These include: al-Khallal (d. 923 AD), Ibn Hazm (d. 1063 AD), al-Tartushi (d. 1126 AD), Ibn Qudama (d. 1123 AD), Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1138 AD), Ibn ‘Asakir (d. 1176 AD), Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 1350 AD), Ibn Kathir, al-Hindi and ‘Ali ‘Ajin</ref> '''the Pact of Umar''' (العهدة العمرية‎, Al-'Uhda Al-'Umariyya) (637 AD) is an agreement between a subdued Christian population and the Muslim invaders led by ''Umar Ibn Al-Khattab'', the second [[Rashidun Caliphs|Rightly-guided]] [[Caliph]].

The Pact of Umar laid down many of the fundamental particulars of the [[Dhimma]]''.''<ref>Paul Halsall - [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/pact-umar.html The Status of Non-Muslims Under Muslim Rule]- Medieval Sourcebook, January, 1996</ref> The authenticity of the pact has been questioned by modern scholars, yet it it indisputable that it was often used as a source of Islamic jurisprudence on the matter of Christians and Jews living in Islamic lands. The rights and limitations placed on non-Muslims by Islam and, by extension, Umar's pact, still dictate how many revivalist and fundamentalist Muslims would like to see non-Muslims in Muslim society treated today. Despite these desires, no currently existing, internationally recognized state implements the stipulations of the pact.
==Authenticity==

In traditional, mainstream circles, this document is and continues to be almost universally accepted as genuine by Islamic scholars. This view is echoed by some of Islam's greatest scholars and historians, including al-Khallal (d. 923 AD), Ibn Hazm (d. 1063 AD), al-Tartushi (d. 1126 AD), Ibn Qudama (d. 1123 AD), Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1138 AD), Ibn ‘Asakir (d. 1176 AD), Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 1350 AD), Ibn Kathir, al-Hindi and ‘Ali ‘Ajin. The eighth-century Hanafi jurist, Abu Yusuf, further noted that the terms in the Pact dealing with dhimmis are clearly in agreement with the Qur'an and hadith literature. Therefore, the Pact "stands till the day of resurrection."

Some secular scholars, and more recently, certain influential Islamic apologists and reformers, have doubted the authenticity of this document (as they also have the [[hadith]] literature and the [[Qur'an]] itself), but what has not been disagreed about is that what is described within this document was practiced by the early Muslims. For example, the use of distinguishing marks is consistent with documentary and archaeological evidence from seventh and eighth century Iraq and Syria.<ref>Robinson, Chase F. - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/brill/sho/2005/00000048/00000003/art00003|2=2012-05-14}} Neck-Sealing in early Islam] - (BRILL) Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient, Volume 48, Number 3, 2005 , pp. 401-441(41)</ref>

{{Quote|{{citation|author=Jarbel Rodriguez|title=Muslim and Christian Contact in the Middle Ages: A Reader (Readings in Medieval Civilizations and Cultures)|publisher=University of Toronto Press|year=2015|page=2|url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Muslim_and_Christian_Contact_in_the_Midd.html?id=z3VoBgAAQBAJ|ISBN=978-1442600669}}|Some argue that the pact represents a specific treaty made between conquering Muslims and the native Christian population. On the other hand, there is strong evidence that there may have been multiple documents, all of which were called "the Pact of Umar," or that the "Pact" was simply a model treaty drawn up in early Islamic law schools.}}

==Text of Pact==

{{Quote|The Pact of Umar|In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is a document to the servant of Allah `Umar, the Leader of the faithful, from the Christians of such and such city. When you (Muslims) came to us we requested safety for ourselves, children, property and followers of our religion. We made a condition on ourselves that: 
*We will neither erect in our areas a monastery, church, or a sanctuary for a monk,
*Nor restore any place of worship that needs restoration
*Nor use any of them for the purpose of enmity against Muslims.
*We will not prevent any Muslim from resting in our churches whether they come by day or night,
*and we will open the doors [of our houses of worship] for the wayfarer and passerby.
*Those Muslims who come as guests, will enjoy boarding and food for three days.
*We will not allow a spy against Muslims into our churches and homes or hide deceit [or betrayal] against Muslims.
*We will not teach our children the Qur'an,
*Publicize practices of Shirk (polytheism),
*Invite anyone to Shirk
*or prevent any of our fellows from embracing Islam, if they choose to do so.
*We will respect Muslims,
*Move from the places we sit in if they choose to sit in them.
*We will not imitate their clothing, caps, turbans, sandals, hairstyles, speech, nicknames and title names,
*or ride on saddles,
*Hang swords on the shoulders, collect weapons of any kind or carry these weapons.
*We will not encrypt our stamps in Arabic,
*or sell liquor.
*We will have the front of our hair cut,
*Wear our customary clothes wherever we are,
*Wear belts around our waist,
*Refrain from erecting crosses on the outside of our churches
*and demonstrating them and our books in public in Muslim fairways and markets.
*We will not sound the bells in our churches, except discretely,
*or raise our voices while reciting our holy books inside our churches in the presence of Muslims,
*Nor raise our voices [with prayer] at our funerals,
*or light torches in funeral processions in the fairways of Muslims, or their markets.
*We will not bury our dead next to Muslim dead,
*or buy servants who were captured by Muslims.
*We will be guides for Muslims and refrain from breaching their privacy in their homes.'
*We will not beat any Muslim.
 These are the conditions that we set against ourselves and followers of our religion in return for safety and protection. If we break any of these promises that we set for your benefit against ourselves, then our Dhimmah (promise of protection) is broken and you are allowed to do with us what you are allowed of people of defiance and rebellion.'<ref>[http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=9&tid=20986 Tafsir ibn Kathir - Paying Jizyah is a Sign of Kufr and Disgrace]</ref>}}
==Analysis of the Pact==
{{Quote||In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is a document to the servant of Allah `Umar, the Leader of the faithful, from the Christians of such and such city. When you (Muslims) came to us we requested safety for ourselves, children, property and followers of our religion. We made a condition on ourselves that:}}At first reading, it may seem like this pact was drafted by the Christians themselves. However, the terms were dictated to them by Umar. This is standard procedure for agreements and contracts. This, along with the true purpose of some of its demands, are confirmed by Ibn Kathir in his widely accepted tafsir.

{{Quote||Allah said, (until they pay the Jizyah), if they do not choose to embrace Islam, (with willing submission), in defeat and subservience, (and feel themselves subdued.), disgraced, humiliated and belittled. Therefore, Muslims are not allowed to honor the people of Dhimmah or elevate them above Muslims, for they are miserable, disgraced and humiliated. Muslim recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said, (Do not initiate the Salam to the Jews and Christians, and if you meet any of them in a road, force them to its narrowest alley.) This is why the Leader of the faithful `Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, demanded his well-known conditions be met by the Christians, these conditions that ensured their continued humiliation, degradation and disgrace.''"<ref>[http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=9&tid=20986 Tafsir ibn Kathir - Paying Jizyah is a Sign of Kufr and Disgrace]</ref>}}

So we find that, not only many of the demands in the pact, but also the [[jizyah]] (poll tax levied against non-Muslims) which the Christians had to pay, were primarily meant to humiliate them.{{Quote||we will neither erect in our areas a monastery, church, or a sanctuary for a monk,}}We come to our first set of prohibitions, no new monasteries, no new churches, and no new sanctuaries. This prohibition still exists in various forms in many Islamic countries.<ref>There are over a million Christians in Saudi-Arabia, yet it is against the law to build churches, synagogues, and temples. Shockingly, at present there exists not a single non-Muslim place of worship in the whole of Saudi-Arabia.</ref><ref>In Indonesia, a country which is often referred to as a 'moderate' Islamic nation, it can take up to ten years to get permission to build a church, and on many occasions, only to have it retracted. - [http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=16637&size=A West Java, the construction of the Catholic church of Saint Mary blocked] - AsiaNews, October 20, 2009</ref><ref>Only two Months after President Obama's address to the Muslim world, a Cairo university professor, rather ironically, issued a fatwa stating 'building churches is a sin,' and equated them to Nightclubs, Casinos, and Pigstyes. - Mary Abdelmassih - [http://www.aina.org/news/20090831182120.htm Building a Church is a 'Sin' Against God, Says Egyptian Muslim Council] - AINA, August 31, 2009</ref> Imagine the uproar and condemnation that would rise if anything similar were to take place in the west.<ref>In regards to the prohibition against non-Muslim places of worship in Saudi-Arabia, some, including the Saudi Ambassador to the US, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, compare it to that of Vatican City. Lets examine this fallacious statement. Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano) comprises of 0.17 square kilometres of land within the city of Rome and is a minuscule area with a population of approximately [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/vt.html 800]. On the other hand, Saudi-Arabia, the largest Arab nation of the Middle East, is a country comprising of 2,240,000 square kilometres of land and an estimated population of 28 million. A fairer comparison would be that of Vatican city to the area surrounding the Ka'aba in Mecca, or Rome to the entire city of Mecca, or Italy to Saudi Arabia. You do not have to be a Catholic to visit Vatican City. In fact, the largest mosque in Europe is outside the Vatican's gates well within the Bishop of Rome's diocese, and there are no prohibitions inside concerning the display of non-Christian religious symbols, the carrying of Qur'ans etc., while non-Muslims are not even permitted to enter Mecca, in fact it is a punishable crime. And while no non-Muslim places of worship exist in the country of Saudi-Arabia, there are over 258 registered mosques in Italy which cater to a Muslim population of 1.2 million.</ref> Some may think the Syrians would have been pleased with Umar allowing them to keep their existing places of worship, and that takes us along to the next prohibition.{{Quote||nor restore any place of worship that needs restoration}}So, no new churches for the Syrians, and the ones that did exist, they had to watch as they slowly decayed and fell into ruin. As a community, there is very little that can be more humiliating for a Christian, Jew, Hindu, or Buddhist than having to watch a holy site wither away. No doubt, Umar envisioned the communities themselves (like the Jews of the Middle-East today)<ref>"...Mass murders of Jews and deaths due to political instability did however occur in North Africa throughout the centuries and especially in Morocco, Libya and Algeria where eventually Jews were forced to live in ghettos. Decrees ordering the destruction of synagogues were enacted in the Middle Ages in Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Jews were also forced to convert to Islam or face death in Yemen, Morocco and Baghdad at certain times. ...In 1945, there were between 758,000 and 866,000 Jews (see table below) living in communities throughout the Arab world. Today, there are fewer than 7,000. In some Arab states, such as Libya (which was once around 3% Jewish), the Jewish community no longer exists; in other Arab countries, only a few hundred Jews remain''..." - [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jewish_exodus_from_Arab_and_Muslim_lands&oldid=368760188 Jewish exodus from Arab and Muslim lands] - Wikipedia, June 18, 2010''</ref> would also eventually wither away and die.{{Quote||nor use any of them for the purpose of enmity against Muslims.}}This prohibition seems fair enough, although the Muslim invaders do seem to have been projecting their own self-image on others. Mosques are notorious for being breeding grounds for [[Antisemitism in Islam#Early_Islamic_Scholars|anti-Semitic]], anti-Christian, anti-women, and anti-gay sentiment.<ref>Books calling for the beheading of lapsed Muslims, ordering women to remain Indoors and forbidding interfaith marriages found in 25% of UK mosques - Security Editor, Sean O’Neill - [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article2767252.ece Lessons in hate found at leading mosques] - The Times, October 30, 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.pipelinenews.org/index.cfm?page=ukmosqueid=9.2.08%2Ehtm Moderate UK Mosque Preaches Hate, Urges Faithful To "Kill Gays"]</ref><ref>Barry Thorne and Claire Cavanagh - [http://static.rnw.nl/migratie/www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/ima061031mc-redirected Did imam's sermon incite Van Gogh murder?] radionetherlands.nl, October 31, 2006</ref> Often when Muslims riot and attack non-Muslims, it is following their Friday prayers.<ref>"''...Coptic contacts told CBN News, the Muslim mob [{{cite web|url=http://www.aina.org/news/20110304222016.htm |title=of nearly 4,000 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.aina.org/news/20110304222016.htm&date=2011-03-07 |archivedate=2011-03-07 |deadurl=no}}] that attacked the Christians did so at the urging of Mullah Ahmed Abu El-Dabah. They said during noon prayers at his mosque last Friday, March 4, the imam told attendees the “kaffirs” (infidels) had caused a lover’s dispute that led to the death of two Muslims the day before. He allegedly incited Muslims to rid the town of all Christians....''"{{cite web|url=http://blogs.cbn.com/globallane/archive/2011/03/07/update-egypt-church-attack.aspx |title=Update: Egypt Church Attack |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://blogs.cbn.com/globallane/archive/2011/03/07/update-egypt-church-attack.aspx&date=2011-03-07 |archivedate=2011-03-07 |deadurl=no}} - CBN News, March 7, 2011</ref><ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1211414/Anti-fascists-clash-right-wing-protesters-Birmingham.html Violent race riot flared after mosque chief urged Muslims to confront right-wing 'English Defence League' protesters] - The Daily Mail, September 7, 2009</ref><ref>"...''November 30, 2007 in Khartoum Sudan. Ten thousand Muslims carrying swords, knives, and sticks protest, after Friday prayers, calling for the execution of a British teacher who was convicted of insulting Islam. She had allowed her students to name a teddy bear Muhammad.''..." - [[Islam and Freedom of Speech#The_Muhammad_Teddy_Bear_Blasphemy_Case|The Muhammad Teddy Bear Blasphemy Case]]</ref><ref>"...''Sheikh Tobah, Imam of the village of Shimi 170 KM south of Giza, called during Muslim Friday prayers for Jihad against Christians living there. As a result the Christian Copts living in the village were assaulted over two consecutive days. Eleven Copts were hospitalized and many Coptic youths were arrested. The assaults begain a couple of hours after the Sheikhs incitement.''..." - [http://www.aina.org/news/20100814184359.htm Muslim Cleric Calls for Jihad, Coptic Christians Attacked in Egypt] - AINA, August 14, 2010</ref><ref>"...''[In response to a planned international LGBT conference in Surabaya] A 150-strong mob attacked the lobby of the hotel after Friday morning prayers and refused to leave until the police and hotel management would guarantee that the event was cancelled. In the evening, the mob conducted a floor-by-floor sweep of the hotel, going to the rooms of the 150 conference participants from 14 countries to make sure that they had left. An organizer told Gay City News how he was repeatedly punched by one of the agitators in the hotel lobby for refusing to turn over ILGA's list of conference participants.''..." - [http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/LI23Ae01.html Glad to be gay in Indonesia] - Megawati Wijaya, Asia Times, September 23, 2010</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/142405 |title=Anti-Jewish Demo Raises Fears for Tunisian Jews |publisher=IsraelNationalNews |author=Maayana Miskin |date=February 18, 2011 |quote=...Dozens of Islamists demonstrated outside the synagogue last Friday and shouted, “Jews wait, the army of Mohammed is coming back,” and “We'll redo the battle of Khaybar” - a reference to the slaughter of Jews in what is now Saudi Arabia at the hands of Mohammed's army...Concern for a repeat of last Friday's threats is particularly high Friday as Muslim leaders give their weekly sermons, an event extremist preachers may take advantage of to incite against Jews.... |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/142405&date=2011-02-19 |archivedate=2011-02-19 |deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/mob-destroys-four-wayang-statues/466195 |title=Mob Destroys Four Wayang Statues |publisher=Jakarta Globe |author=Yuli Krisna |date=September 19, 2011 |quote=...Television station Metro TV reported that a mob coming from a post-Idul Fitri prayer at the city’s Grand Mosque was responsible for the damage. Thousands of people descended on the Comro area of the city, where they tied ropes to the statue of puppet character Gatot Kaca before trying to pull it off of its foundation. The statue finally collapsed after the rope was tied to a moving van. The crowd then targeted the statue of Semar, another puppet character situated in the Bunder area. The mob threw rocks and pulled it to the ground before hitting it with sticks and metal rods then setting it on fire. The statue of puppet character Bima in the Ciwareng area was also targeted, as was the “Welcome” statue on Jalan Gandanegara, where the Purwakarta District office is located. Both statues were also destroyed and set on fire. The mob then moved to statues depicting the twin brothers Nakula and Sadewa. Hundreds of police and army officers were already there guarding the final two statues. The mob dispersed when it started raining... |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/mob-destroys-four-wayang-statues/466195&date=2011-09-22 |archivedate=2011-09-22 |deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aina.org/news/20110930204413.htm |title=Muslim Mob Torches Coptic Church in Egypt |publisher=AINA |date=October 1, 2011 |quote=After Friday prayers today, a mob of several thousand Muslims from the village of Elmarinab in Edfu, Aswan province, demolished and torched St. George's church, which was being renovated. The mob demolished the dome, walls and columns, then went to the church depot where the lumber to be used for construction was stored and torched it. The fire lasted 2 hours but the attack continued until 7 PM ... Muslims also torched a large depot of electrical goods owned by a Copt, a supermarket and four Coptic homes. Muslims prevented the fire brigade from entering the village. Security forces, which were present, "stood there watching," said Mr.Michael Ramzy, a social worker at the church. |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.aina.org/news/20110930204413.htm&date=2011-10-02 |archivedate=2011-10-02 |deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-01/afghans-protesting-florida-koran-burning-kill-8-un-workers-3-.html |title=Afghans Protesting Florida Koran Burning Kill 7 UN Workers |publisher=Bill Varner, Bloomberg, April 1, 2011 |quote=Afghans protesting the burning of a Koran in Florida last week stormed a United Nations compound in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif and killed four Nepalese security guards and three other workers from Norway, Romania and Sweden, the UN said. The crowd emerged from the city’s main mosque after Friday prayers and marched on the UN office where they attacked the guards with knives, seized their weapons and entered the compound, Lal Mohammad Ahmadzai, a spokesman for the northern region’s police force, said by phone. The Nepalese guards were shot or stabbed to death and a man and a woman on the UN staff were beheaded, the spokesman said. |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-01/afghans-protesting-florida-koran-burning-kill-8-un-workers-3-.html&date=2011-04-02 |archivedate=2011-04-02 |deadurl=no}}</ref> This is perhaps less surprising when one considers that in Muhammad's time, the call to prayer was also used as a call to war.<ref>“...''the Messenger of Allâh immediately summoned the prayer caller and ordered him to announce fresh hostilities against Banu Quraiza,''....” - [http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Books/SM_tsn/ch4s10.html Invading Banu Quraiza] - AR-Raheeq Al-Makhtum by Saifur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri</ref>{{Quote||We will not prevent any Muslim from resting in our churches whether they come by day or night, and we will open the doors [of our houses of worship] for the wayfarer and passerby.}}Forcing yourself into others properties, especially into religious sanctuaries is extremely rude.{{Quote||Those Muslims who come as guests, will enjoy boarding and food for three days.}}The abuse of non-Muslim property goes from tolerable to humiliating. Not only were the Muslims allowed to come and go as they pleased, the Christians were also forced to wait on them hand and foot.{{Quote||We will not allow a spy against Muslims into our churches and homes or hide deceit [or betrayal] against Muslims.}}Again, this condition would be expected from an invading army.{{Quote||We will not teach our children the Qur'an,}}Non-Muslims are considered ''najis'' (نجس‎ impure) like dogs, pigs, and faeces,<ref>(Asad) "O YOU who have attained to faith! Those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God are nothing but impure: and so they shall not approach the Inviolable House of Worship from this year onwards And should you fear poverty, then [know that] in time God will enrich you out of His bounty, if He so wills: for, verily, God is all-knowing, wise!" - Qur’an 9:28</ref><ref>The following ten things are essentially najis [impure, unclean]: 1. Urine 2. Faeces 3. Semen 4. Dead body 5. Blood 6. Dog 7. Pig 8. Kafir [unbeliever] 9. Alcoholic liquors 10. The sweat of an animal who persistently eats najasat - [http://web.archive.org/web/20100119121959/http://www.sistani.org/local.php?modules=nav&nid=2&bid=59&pid=2857 Islamic Laws : Najis things » Introduction] - Al-Sistani.org, Internet Archive capture dated January 19, 2010</ref><ref>“...And, that they [the dhimmis] should not enter the pool while a Muslim is bathing at the public baths. ...It is also incumbent upon Muslims that they should not accept from them victuals with which they had come into contact, such as distillates, which cannot be purified. If something can be purified, such as clothes, if they are dry, they can be accepted, they are clean. But if they [the dhimmis] had come into contact with those clothes in moisture they should be rinsed with water after being obtained. ...It would also be better if the ruler of the Muslims would establish that all infidels could not move out of their homes on days when it rains or snows because they would make Muslims impure...” - Muhammad Baqir Majlesi (1616 – 1698 AD) - Lightning Bolts Against the Jews</ref> so this stipulation is hardly surprising. Also recorded in the [[sahih]] [[Hadith|hadiths]], is the command to not let the [[Qur'an]] fall into enemy hands, as they may "quarrel with you over it."<ref>"''It has been narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Do not take the Qur'an on a journey with you, for I am afraid lost it should fall into the hands of the enemy. Ayyub (one of the narrators in the chain of transmitters) said: The enemy may seize it and may quarrel with you over it.''" - {{Muslim|20|4609}}</ref> Apparently early Muslims were afraid of non-Muslims scrutinizing their holy book.{{Quote||[We will not] publicize practices of Shirk,}}''Shirk'' (شرك‎) refers to taking other gods besides Allah (i.e. Polytheism), and is considered the most heinous crime against the Islamic god. Perhaps due to Muhammad's flawed understanding of the Trinity doctrine,<ref>Muhammad assumed that the Trinity consisted of the Father (God), the Mother (Virgin Mary) and the Son (Jesus).
"''And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, ‘Take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, Thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.''" {{Quran|5|116}}</ref> Muslims consider all Trinitarian Christians to be polytheists. This condition in the pact prevents Christians from proclaiming their religion publicly.{{Quote||[We will not] invite anyone to Shirk or prevent any of our fellows from embracing Islam, if they choose to do so.}}As per most Islamic nations of today, it is fine for Muslims to proselytize and gain converts, but for a non-Muslim to do the same it is strictly forbidden. According to the above, even discussing this important matter with the prospective convert would mean violating the agreement. These restrictions limited the number of Muslim apostates and (coupled with the jizyah)<ref>Non-Muslims paid jizyah while Muslims, under the empire, paid a tax called zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam, a so-called "charity tax" which all Muslims are obligated to pay even today, but instead of paying it to the state they now pay zakat to charities of their choice, it must be noted that the majority of Islamic scholars are of the view that non-Muslims [http://www.islamicawakening.com/viewarticle.php?articleID=984 should not benefit] from this alms giving. The zakat is a 2.5% tax, while the jizyah (which can vary) is about a 10% income tax (although it has been known to be as [http://www.rightsidenews.com/201001278391/editorial/the-islam-tax.html high as 50%]); as explained in the Encyclopedia Britannica entry on jizyah, "[http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article?tocId=9368576 many converted to Islam in order to escape the tax.]" This extra revenue generated by the jizyah may have also been reason enough for the Islamic authorities to avoid heavy-handed attempts at proselytization and in some cases the taxation of the non-Muslims was so profitable that the Islamic rulers went so far as to prohibit their subjects from converting to Islam.</ref> would ensure a steady decline and Islamization of the native non-Muslim population.{{Quote||We will respect Muslims,}}This perfectly exemplifies the common Islamic attitude towards others. It demands that others give Islam and its prophet respect, yet it fails to reciprocate this courtesy in its own lands.{{Quote||[We will] move from the places we sit in if they choose to sit in them.}}This brings to mind a bus, the Jim Crow laws and a certain American civil rights activist named Rosa Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005). The difference lay in the fact one rarely hears Americans defending such shameful histories by pointing to [[dhimmitude]] today in Muslim lands, or you don't hear them defending the slave-trade by pointing out that the number of innocent Africans who were taken (or died in the process of being taken) as slaves over the last fourteen centuries of Islamic [[slavery]] is estimated to be higher than 140 million<ref>[http://www.christianaction.org.za/articles_ca/2004-4-TheScourgeofSlavery.htm The Scourge of Slavery] - Christian Action, 2004 Vol 4</ref> (dwarfing the 11 million Africans who were transported across the Atlantic). Such moral relativism seems to only be accepted when applied to Islam by those defending Islam.{{Quote||We will not imitate their clothing, caps, turbans, sandals, hairstyles, speech, nicknames and title names,}}This stipulation reflects the general hatred and disdain in Islam for everything non-Muslim. These prohibitions reflect Muhammad's wishes when he said "Jews and Christians do not dye their hair so you should do the opposite of what they do,"<ref>"''Narrated Abu Huraira : The Prophet said, "Jews and Christians do not dye their hair so you should do the opposite of what they do.''" - {{Bukhari|7|72|786}}</ref> and "act differently from them".<ref>"''Narrated Ubadah ibn as-Samit: ''The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) used to stand up for a funeral until the corpse was placed in the grave. A learned Jew (once) passed him and said: This is how we do. The Prophet (peace be upon him) sat down and said: Sit down and act differently from them.''" - {{Abudawud|20|3170}}''</ref>{{Quote||or ride on saddles,}}Muslims have historically looked very fondly upon horses and such. This may be due to Muhammad claiming he rode the [[Buraq]], a mythical horse-like flying creature, on his "Night Journey". This prohibition is meant to show Islamic superiority.{{Quote||[We will not] hang swords on the shoulders, collect weapons of any kind or carry these weapons.}}Apologists often claim [[Jizyah]] was merely a tax for exemption from military service. However, this is untrue. The Qur'an itself readily admits that the jizyah is a form of humiliation,<ref>"SHAKIR: Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection." - {{Quran|9|29}}</ref> meant to display the superior status of Muslims and the subdued state of non-Muslims. And as jihad is a religious duty among Muslims, it would make little sense for a non-Muslim dhimmi to participate. There is also another reason for the exemption, and this prohibition against owning or carrying weapons demonstrates it perfectly- they did not want the conquered natives to be armed.{{Quote||We will not encrypt our stamps in Arabic,}}Despite the language's ancient, human, and very [[Pagan Origins of Islam|pagan origins]], Islam teaches a special reverence for the Arabic language that borders on its veneration for the Kaaba (which was likewise a pagan shrine) and Muhammad. This stipulation also further forces a discriminatory distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims.{{Quote||or sell liquor.}}This is in line with the Qur'an's prohibition of [[alcohol]], regardless of the feelings of the dhimmis on the matter. {{Quote||We will have the front of our hair cut, wear our customary clothes wherever we are,}}These degrading requirements were so the Christians could be easily identified, humiliatingly on sight, and set apart for further mistreatment. {{Quote||[We will] wear belts around our waist,}}The belt being referred to is the [[Zunar|zunār]], a wide belt made of cloth. The similarities between this and the 1939 Nazi requirement for all Jews to wear armbands or [[Yellow Badge|yellow stars]] are uncanny. In fact, the yellow star used by the Nazis as a badge of shame against the Jews was first introduced by a caliph in Baghdad in the 9th century, and spread to the West in medieval times.<ref>Bernard Lewis - [http://press.princeton.edu/titles/1434.html The Jews of Islam] - Princeton University Press, Jun 1, 1987, pp. 25-26.</ref> As an invention of Islam's so-called "[[Golden Age]]", this stipulation demonstrates the gulf between these civilizations and modern, liberal, enlightened societies. {{Quote||refrain from erecting crosses on the outside of our churches}}This prohibition reflects the violence opposition in Muslim religious literature to the cross and the idea of Jesus even being crucified, which many Muslims saw as the pinnacle of Christian shirk. Muhammad himself used to destroy anything in his home which bore the Christian symbol of the Cross.<ref>"''Narrated 'Aisha: ''I never used to leave in the Prophet house anything carrying images or crosses but he obliterated it.''" - {{Bukhari|7|72|836}}''</ref>{{Quote||and [refrain from] demonstrating them and our books in public in Muslim fairways and markets.}}Carrying a Bible, or wearing a cross/crucifix was strictly forbidden; only outward displays of Muslim faith like tasbih, taqiyahs (Muslim skull caps) and hijabs were allowed. {{Quote||We will not sound the bells in our churches, except discretely,}}In stark contrast to the struggles of Muslims to broadcast the ''call to prayer'' (أَذَان adhān) openly and loudly in non-Muslim countries, which continues for up to half an hour,<ref>"The beautiful waning full moon light filtering through the glistening leaves of the Maha Bodhi Tree, the soft fluttering of the leaves, the serene quiet, took me back to that time long ago when the Buddha himself had sat very near this same exact spot. Or so I thought……. The mussein’s call to prayer for the faithful of Islam, here in this most sacred location to all of Buddhism, ripped me back to modern reality. I was stunned! How could this be? Here in one of the most significant spots of Buddhism, loud speakers come on at four in the morning every day, to shock and intrude upon meditators and Buddhist practitioners using this spot for that which it has to offer in its most special way? How could this be allowed?" - [http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=26040 Islam's War Against Buddhism] - Dhamma jarat, FrontPageMagazine, April 04, 2007</ref> the Pact of Umar harshly restricts the rights of the dhimmis to broadcast their own religious rituals. {{Quote||or raise our voices while reciting our holy books inside our churches in the presence of Muslims,}}Once again the pact serves to silence and humble the dhimmis in front of their social betters. {{Quote||nor raise our voices [with prayer] at our funerals,}}Dhimmis were even compelled to mourn in silence, lest they offend the Muslim invaders.{{Quote||or light torches in funeral processions in the fairways of Muslims, or their markets.}}This, and many of the other restrictions, seem to serve only two purposes. The first, to humiliate, and the second, to make the dhimmi community(ies) invisible. The spirit of this law lives on today in many Muslim countries like Pakistan and Egypt in the way they treat their non-Muslim minorities. {{Quote||We will not bury our dead next to Muslim dead,}}According to most Islamic scholars, it is a compulsory ([[fard]]) requirement for Muslims to be buried in separate cemeteries from non-Muslims.<ref>"Praise be to Allaah. The deceased Muslims must be buried in a graveyard that is exclusively for them. It is not permissible to bury them in non-Muslim graveyards. Imaam al-Sheeraazi said in al-Muhadhdhab: “A non-Muslim should not be buried in the Muslim graveyard and a Muslim should not be buried in a non-Muslim graveyard.” Imaam al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo’: “Our companions (may Allaah have mercy on them) agreed that a Muslim should not be buried in a non-Muslim graveyard and a non-Muslim should not be buried in a Muslim graveyard.” From this it is clear that there has to be a place that is exclusively for the burial of Muslims in a graveyard of their own. And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace." - [http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/7866 Burying Muslims in a non-Muslim country - Fatwa No. 7866] - Islam Q&A</ref> Just by way of example, in Switzerland, Muslims (approximately 4.5 percent of the population) say they want to be buried “with dignity”<ref>"An umbrella group for Swiss Muslims says they should be able to be buried “with dignity” and is therefore calling for Islamic cemeteries in every Swiss canton. Farhad Afshar, president of the Coordination of Islamic Organisations in Switzerland, told the Sunday newspaper Sonntag he was preparing a legal case concerning freedom of religion. He said that following the Bernese commune of Köniz’s recent rejection of a separate burial ground for Muslims, a legal ruling was necessary so that “the next time someone says no [to an Islamic cemetery] they are violating freedom of religion”. Islamic law says Muslims should not be buried with those of a different faith – something already possible in some Swiss cities, for example Zurich, Bern, Basel and Geneva." - [http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Muslims_want_Islamic_cemeteries_in_every_canton.html?cid=8477966 Muslims want Islamic cemeteries in every canton] - Swiss Info, March 14, 2010</ref> and are therefore calling for Islamic cemeteries in every canton. This burial requirement is perhaps explained by the Islamic teachings that equate non-Muslims with pigs and feces.{{Quote||or buy servants who were captured by Muslims.}}This was most likely to prevent free dhimmis from buying enslaved co-religionists in order to set them free.{{Quote||We will be guides for Muslims and refrain from breaching their privacy in their homes.}}For a dhimmi to enter a Muslim home could mean violating the pact, but there is no like regulation against Muslims violating the privacy and property of non-Muslims. The unilateral nature of Islam's relationship with religious minorities reflected in this stipulation continues to this day in Islamic fiqh. {{Quote||We will not beat any Muslim.}}Assaulting someone would already be an offense, and, indeed, this prohibition only applied to beating someone in self-defense. The jurists ruled, though, that non-Muslims were not allowed to defend themselves or their families against unwarranted attacks. This and the previous prohibition against owning or carrying weapons made sure that dhimmis were left completely defenseless.{{Quote||These are the conditions that we set against ourselves and followers of our religion in return for safety and protection. If we break any of these promises that we set for your benefit against ourselves, then our Dhimmah (promise of protection) is broken and you are allowed to do with us what you are allowed of people of defiance and rebellion.}}The closing of the pact leaves not only the solitary law breaker, but the entire Christian community with a stern warning. The Qur'an tells us for people who rebel, there is a painful doom.<ref>"PICKTHAL: The way (of blame) is only against those who oppress mankind, and wrongfully rebel in the earth. For such there is a painful doom." - {{Quran|42|42}}</ref> Today, this same line of thinking has provided on many occasions the pretext for Muslims to viciously attack non-Muslim communities for the smallest of perceived slights.<ref>One example: In August 2009, Muslim mobs rioted against Christians in Gojra, over an alleged desecration of a Qur'an. These accusations are conveniently becoming more and more frequent and always lead to violent riots [sometimes by thousands of Muslims] against non-Muslim minorities. This one left over a hundred churches and Christian-owned homes looted and destroyed, plus many Christian men, women and children were burnt alive. - ([[Images:Pakistan|Click here for images]])</ref>

==Conclusion==
Although from the perspective of contemporary Middle Eastern regimes the strictures of the Pact of Umar were unremarkable insofar as they reflected the religious intolerance of the age, their enduring using in Islamic fiqh points to the fundamental inferiority and savageness of Islamic shari'ah vis-a-vis modern liberalism. While modern liberalism grants complete freedom of belief, the Pact of Umar enforces religious apartheid.

According to Islamic theology, Umar is one of four 'Rightly-guided' Caliphs. Therefore, he is considered by them to be a model Muslim leader.<ref>"...''Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar Al Farouq, Sayyiduna 'Uthman Ghani and Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhumul ajma'in) were the consecutive successors of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). These four Khulafaa (pl. for Caliph) are called the "Khulafaa-e-Rashidun" or the "Rightly Guided Caliphs." Together, these four Khulafaa ruled the Islamic State for about 29 years. They are called "Rightly Guided" because they ruled the people of that time exactly according to the Holy Quran and the commands of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).''..." - [http://www.sunniessentials.net/islam/introduction/Personalities_Caliphs.pdf The Four Rightly-Guided Caliphs of Islam]</ref> His actions and this pact reflect the teachings of the Qur'an, Hadith, and scholarly consensus<ref>"...''The terms in the Pact of Omar for dealing with dhimmis are clearly in agreement with the sanction of Allah [Quran 9:29] and prophetic tradition. Therefore, the Pact of Omar, wrote Abu Yusuf, the great eighth-century Hanafi jurist, ‘stands till the ay of resurrection.’ ''..." - M. A. Khan - "[http://www.amazon.co.uk/Islamic-Jihad-Conversion-Imperialism-Slavery/dp/1440118469 Islamic Jihad: A Legacy of Forced Conversion, Imperialism, and Slavery]" - p. 106, Universe Inc., New York, Bloomington</ref> (together forming Islamic sacred law, or [[Sharia]]).

While today's secular Europeans and Christians can and have denounced (and even apologized)<ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0003/12/sm.06.html Pope John Paul II Makes Unprecedented Apology For Sins of Catholic Church] - CNN, March 12, 2000</ref><ref>"...The Reconciliation Walk is an interdenominational grassroots movement of Western Christians,...retracing the route of the First Crusade, apologizing to Muslims, Jews and Eastern Christians for the atrocities of the Crusades -- foremost among them, the misuse of the name and message of Jesus..." - [http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_cru1.htm Christian apology for the Crusades: The Reconciliation Walk]</ref> for past atrocities committed by others in the name of their countries and religion, the same by and large cannot be said of Islam. Many still deny that the Islamic slave trade ever existed, or indeed still exists<ref>"Officially, slavery has long been abolished in Mauritania, but the law has never been enforced and there are an estimated 600,000 slaves, almost one in five of the country's 3.2 million people, almost 150 years since the American civil war...A Berber driver, who would only give his first name, Mohammed, defended slavery. "It is our religion and custom," he said. "Why does the international community try to stop it? The slaves are better off with their masters. This is their fate. When they leave, they starve."" - Nick Meo - [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/ghana/5805113/Half-a-million-African-slaves-are-at-the-heart-of-Mauritanias-presidential-election.html Half a million African slaves are at the heart of Mauritania's presidential election] - The Telegraph, July 12, 2009</ref> in the east, and in Turkey for instance even mentioning some of the crimes of the past Turkish regimes against its dhimmi populations is a crime.

To this day, many Muslims hold up this document with pride,<ref>{{cite web|title=The Convenant of Omar|url=http://www.thehandstand.org/archive/february-march2006/articles/abbas.htm|date=February-March 2006|publisher=The Handstand}}</ref> holding it to be a bedrock of fiqh vis-a-vis the treatment of non-Muslims in a Muslim state, and most Muslim nations still persecute and oppress non-Muslim communities.
==External Links==

*[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/thomas/pact_of_umar.html|2=2011-10-22}} The Onerous Rules & Regulations Imposed on the People of the Book]
*[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/jewish/1772-jewsinislam.html|2=2011-10-22}} Islam and the Jews: The Status of Jews and Christians in Muslim Lands, 1772 CE]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Dhimma]]
[[Category:People of the Book]]
[[Category:Human rights]]
[[bg:Пакта на Омар]]
[[ru:Пакт Умара]]
[[Category:Islamic History]]
[[Category:Rashidun Caliphs]]
[[Category:Caliphate]]
[[Category:Sahabah (companions)]]

Ages of Muhammads Wives at Marriage

2024-06-13T17:53:54Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

{{QualityScore|Lead=3|Structure=3|Content=4|Language=4|References=3}}

The prophet Muhammad had 19 or more [[Muhammad's Marriages|wives or concubines]] according to the traditional Islamic sources. [[Dawah|Islamic apologists and du'aah]] often make the claim that he married many of these women because they were widows, elderly, or otherwise destitute and in need of his aide.

The widows whom Prophet Muhammad married after Khadijah’s death do indeed fall into two distinct age-groups. But to label these two groups as “the middle-aged” and “the elderly” gives atypical definitions to these terms. The “elderly” group would refer to those brides between 28 and 40 while the “middle-aged” group would mean the teenagers.

Muhammad did indeed marry his first wife Khadijah, who was the same age as himself, when they were both young. He rejected Sawdah, who was a little younger than himself, when they were both middle-aged. All his other wives were young enough to be his daughters and several were young enough to be his granddaughters. According to the traditional Islamic sources, he divorced one woman before consummating the marriage<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:111</ref> and broke off another courtship<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:113</ref> solely because he decided that these women were “too old” for him, and he continued to pursue teenagers until the day he died.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:105</ref> Nor does he seem to have been embarrassed by his own preference.<ref>"''Nothing was dearer to the Prophet of Allah than a horse. Then he said: “O Allah! Excuse me, no! The women!” (i.e., not dearer than women).''" - [http://www.soebratie.nl/religie/hadith/IbnSad.html#Book 90.6/ Ibn Saad, ''Tabaqat'' Vol. 1 Chapter 90:6].</ref> The Islamic tradition bears witness against the idea that Muhammad was in the habit of marrying older women who were destitute and in need of his aide, and indeed shows that he rather preferred to marry women much, much younger than he.

==Introduction==

Many [[apologists]] claim that Muhammad’s wives were elderly and that he did not [[Marriage|marry]] them for physical attraction.

{{Quote|[http://www.islam4women.org/conclusions/ Islam for Women]|But all his wives were elderly ladies or widows except [Aisha and Mariyah]. If the aim had been seeking sexual pleasures, he would have done so in his youth and would have married young maidens, not aged widows.}}

{{Quote|[http://www.al-islam.org/lifeprophet/25.htm/ Al-Islam: Life of the Prophet, chapter 25]|Then he emigrated to Medina and began spreading the word of Allah. Thereafter, he married eight women, all of them widows or divorcees, all old or middle-aged.}}

Even some non-Muslim historians have repeated this claim.

{{Quote|Thomas, B. S. (1937). ''The Arabs'', pp. 65-66. New York: Doubleday, Doran and Co., Inc.|All appear to have been elderly widows except A’isha … The elderly wives were widows of companions who had fallen in the wars, and Muhammad married them to shelter them and provide them with homes.}}

What this highlights is that terms like “middle-aged” and “elderly” are subjective. They do not give precise information about how old the women were. Rather than debate what the words “middle-aged” and “elderly” ought to mean, we will consult the early Muslim sources and calculate the age of each wife on the day she married Muhammad.

===Calculating Comparative Dates===

The [[Islamic Lunar Calendar|Islamic year]] consists of twelve lunar cycles and hence it is 354 or 355 days long. This means it is quite difficult to calculate comparative dates. For example:

{{Quote|Guillaume/Ishaq 281.|The apostle came to Medina on Monday at high noon on 12 Rabi-Awwal. The apostle on that day was 53 years of age, that being 13 years after God called him.}}

{{Quote|Guillaume/Ishaq 69.|The apostle was born on Monday 12 Rabi-Awwal in the Year of the Elephant.}}

This [http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/calendar/ calendar tool] advises us that the date ''12 Rabi-Awwal 1 AH'' is equivalent to the Gregorian date ''27 September 622 AD''.<ref>If you would like to use the [http://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/calendar/ calendar converter], bear in mind that it is programmed to assume that year-numbers are integers, i.e., that each date-system includes a year 0. Of course, none of them does. The year before 1 AH is 1 BH and the year before 1 AD is 1 BC. So if, for example, you want to calculate the year ''53 BH'', you need to call it ''-52'' on this calculator.</ref> But this does not give the 53-year-old Muhammad a birthdate of 27 September 569. Because the lunar year is shorter, Muhammad’s age at the time of the ''Hijra'' was only about 51½ solar years. According to the calculator, his birthdate of 12 Rabi-Awwal 53 BH is equivalent to the Gregorian date 26 April 571.

The Gregorian calendar did not exist in Muhammad’s day, so reporting dates in Gregorian style is an anachronism. However, it will be convenient to compare Muhammad’s calendar with the Gregorian calendar, which is internationally the most widely accepted and used civil calendar.<ref>[http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/astronomical-information-center/calendars Introduction to Calendars]. United States Naval Observatory. Retrieved 15 January 2009.</ref><ref>[http://astro.nmsu.edu/~lhuber/leaphist.html Calendars] by L. E. Doggett. Section 2.</ref><ref>The international standard for the representation of dates and times, ISO 8601, uses the Gregorian calendar. Section 3.2.1.</ref>

When Muslim historians speak of “the Year of the Elephant,” they always mean the year when Muhammad was born, which fell between 15 February 571 and 3 February 572.

That Muhammad apparently arrived in [[Medina]] exactly on his birthday – 12 Rabi-Awwal which was also his death-date<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 689</ref> – suggests that his official birthday is a made-up date. In fact the early historians give numerous suggestions for birth-dates other than the 12th, which the calculator tells was in any case a Friday and not a Monday. However, since the variant birthdays for Muhammad are all in the month of Rabi-Awwal and the year “of the Elephant,” we shall assume here that Muhammad was born in April 571.

A further complication is that nobody is certain that the pre-''Hijri'' year was exactly the same as the Muslim year that was standardised after the ''Hijra''. However, Muhammad complained about the custom of adding an intercalary month, which was probably a Medinan practice introduced by the [[Jews]].<ref>See [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/3920-calendar-history-of#anchor4/ “Calendar, History of”] in Funk & Wagnalls (1906). ''Jewish Encyclopaedia''. New York: Author.</ref> The fact that he abolished intercalary months<ref>{{Quran-range|9|36|37}}.</ref> suggests that no such practice had been known in Mecca and that the old Meccan year was much the same as the later Islamic year.

==Analysis==

===Khadijah's Age===

The discussion about [[Khadijah]]’s age does today not usually arouse the type of defensiveness that surrounds the discussion of Aisha’s age. The Islamic historical tradition is quite clear that she married Muhammad at a mature age. Nevertheless, the traditional view of her age is probably wrong.

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:11; {{Tabari|39|p. 41}}.|Hakim ibn Hizam said, “The Messenger of Allah married Khadijah when she was 40 and the Messenger of Allah was 25. Khadijah was two years older than me. She was born 15 years before the Elephant and I was born 13 years before the Elephant.”}}

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:12; {{Tabari|39|p. 161}}.|Hakim ibn Hizam said, “Khadijah bint Khuwaylid died in the month of Ramadan in the tenth year of prophethood. She was 65 then.”}}

The year “65 years before the tenth year of prophethood” ran between 27 July 556 and 15 July 557, which was 15 years before the Year of the Elephant, so this is internally consistent.

Hakim was Khadijah’s nephew.<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 160</ref> Since children generally know the ages of their playmates, it is assumed that Hakim would have known the age of an aunt who was only two years older than himself. That is why his statement that she married Muhammad when she was 40 is usually accepted as true. However, there are problems with Hakim’s assertion.

====Hakim ibn Hizam====

The first problem is that according to Bukhari and Muslim Hakim claimed his own age to be 120.<ref>{{Muslim|10|3662}}; {{Tabari|39|p. 106}}.</ref> This is intrinsically questionable. To bolster his story, Hakim claimed to remember the episode when Abdulmuttalib ibn Hashim vowed to sacrifice his son Abdullah to the god Hubal but was able to ransom him for 100 camels. He says this was about five years before Muhammad was born.<ref>{{Tabari|39|pp. 41, 106}}.</ref> But Hakim’s ability to recite details that were already common knowledge does not prove he was an eyewitness to the event: he might well have heard the story from his parents.

Hakim’s remarks about Khadijah’s age might have served a similar function of supporting his personal boasts rather than relaying accurate history. If he had long ago mentioned that Khadijah was two years older than himself, he might have needed to stick to his story about her relative age and readjust her chronological age in order to keep it consistent with his claims about his own age. There is something suspicious about his remark here.

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:9|We asked Hakim ibn Hizam which of them was older, the Messenger of Allah or Khadijah? He said, “Khadijah was 15 years older than him. The prayer was unlawful for my aunt before the Messenger of Allah was born.” Hakim’s statement, “The prayer was unlawful for her,” means she menstruated, but he is speaking as the people of Islam speak.}}

The reporter is emphasizing that Hakim was only using a figure of speech to indicate Khadijah’s age and did not literally mean that she followed Islamic [[prayers|prayer]] rituals before Muhammad was even born. However, this kind of anachronism is exactly what we would expect from a person who is not ''remembering'' an event but ''inventing'' it from his imagination.

It is not impossible for a human to live 120 years but it is an exception to the general rule and in this case is almost certainly an embellishment of the tradition. So it is surprising how many early Muslims claimed to have reached this great age. Yahya ibn Mandah even wrote a book entitled ''Those of the Companions who Lived 120 Years'', in which he lists fourteen 120-year-old Muslims.<ref>Yahya ibn Mandah. ''Juz f̀ihi man 'asha miattan wa-'ishrina sanatan min al-Sahabah''.</ref> Hakim ibn Hizam is one of them. Another is Huwaytib ibn Abduluzza.

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 43}}.|Huwaytib ibn Abduluzza lived 120 years, 60 of them in the ''Jahiliya'' and 60 in Islam.}}

Huwaytib died in the year 54 AH (673-674)<ref>{{Tabari|39|p. 40}}.</ref> so he should have converted to Islam in the year 7 BH (615–616). The problem is, he openly admits that he did not convert until the conquest of Mecca in 8 AH (January 630). He gives a long list of excuses for the delay in his conversion<ref>{{Tabari|39|pp. 43-46}}.</ref> but he never checks his arithmetic. If he became a Muslim in 8 AH, this was only 46 years before his death and not 60. This makes his age at death no more than 106. Of course, even this age assumes that he really was as old as 60 at the time of his conversion, which we now have licence to doubt. Huwaytib ibn Abduluzza lived to be elderly, but he was probably not entitled to his chapter in Yahya ibn Mandah’s book.

Tabari writes that Muhammad’s poet, Hassan ibn Thabit, also claimed to be 120 years old. He said he was 60 at the time of the ''Hijra'' and that he lived another 60 years afterwards.<ref>{{Tabari|39|p. 72}}.</ref> This means he should have been born in 60 BH (seven years before Muhammad) and should have died in 61 AH (680-681). Tabari vaguely states that he died “in the caliphate of Muawiya,”<ref>{{Tabari|39|p. 72}}</ref> which was between 40 and 60 AH (February 661 - April 680). Modern historians usually give his death-date as 54 AH, which is seven years too early.<ref>[http://archive.org/details/diwanofhassantha00hassuoft/ ''The Diwan of Hassan ibn Thabit''.]</ref>

Not included in Yahya ibn Mandah’s book is the poet Abu Afak, who was said to be 120 years old in 624 when he was [[List of Killings Ordered or Supported by Muhammad|assassinated for criticising Muhammad]].<ref>Ibn Saad, ''Tabaqat'' vol. 2 p. 31.</ref> Of course, no records have survived from pre-Islamic Medina; it was only hearsay that attributed this great age to Abu Afak. Yet even his enemies were willing to go along with the hearsay.

Is it really plausible that so many persons (all of them male) lived to be 120? Assuming it is not, is it even fair to accuse them of lying about their ages? More likely, there was some culturally understood convention attached to the number 120. People who boasted that, “I was already 60 before Event X and I have survived another 60 years since,” did not expect to be taken literally. They were simply saying, “I’m really, really old.”

If Hakim ibn Hizam was not literally 120, nor is it necessarily true that Khadijah (or any other person) was the age he claimed for her.

====Abdullah ibn Abbas====

The second problem with Khadijah’s age is that there is a strong alternative tradition, one that the scholars of hadith claim originates from no less a person than Abdullah ibn Abbas. Ibn Abbas was the cousin who lived at Muhammad’s side through the final years in Medina.<ref>{{Tabari|39|p. 95}}.</ref> He was a great source of ''ahadith'' and his word would normally be accepted without question.<ref>See {{Tabari|39|pp. 54-57, 95}} for brief accolades. For a modern assessment of his contribution, see Siddiqi, M. Z. (2006). ''Hadith Literature: its origin, development, special features and criticism'', pp. 33-34. Kuala Lumpar: Islamic Book Trust.</ref> What is more, his mother was a close friend of Khadijah’s.<ref>{{Tabari|39|p. 201}}; Bewley/Saad 8:193.</ref> The only reason why Abdullah has been largely ignored on the subject of Khadijah is that he never knew her personally while Hakim ibn Hizam did.<ref>{{Tabari|39|55}}; Bewley/Saad 8:12; {{Tabari|39|p. 161}}.</ref> Abdullah ibn Abbas says:

{{Quote|[http://qurango.com/images/b/5/293.jpg/ Ibn Ishaq, cited in Al-Hakim, ''Mustadrak'' vol. 3 p. 182. Ibn Kathir, ''Al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya'' vol. 5 p. 293].|On the day Khadijah married Allah’s Messenger, she was '''28 years old'''.<ref>Hanbali, cited in Al-Irbali, ''Kashf al-Ghumma''. Majlisi, ''Bihar al-Anwar'' vol. 16 p. 12.</ref>}}

This tradition was strong enough to be accepted by Ibn Ishaq. It was not included in the recension of Ibn Hisham (who was not interested in the ages of women) or used as a source by Ibn Saad or Tabari (who followed Hakim ibn Hizam's tradition, presumably for the reasons given above). But it was included by Al-Hakim al-Naysaburi, who lived about a hundred years after Tabari.<ref>[http://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-islam-2/al-hakim-al-naysaburi-SIM_2638/ Robson, J. (2013). "Al-Ḥakim al-Naysaburi" in Bearman, P., Bianquis, T., Bosworth, C. E., van Donzel, E., & Heinrichs, W. P. (1960). ''Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd Ed.'' Leiden: Brill.]</ref> Although he was not an “early” historian, he was apparently still early enough to have direct access to the original work of Ibn Ishaq.

An independent tradition is:

{{Quote|Bayhaqi, ''Signs of Prophethood'' vol. 2 p. 71.|Some say that Khadijah died at 65, but age 50 is sounder.}}

If she was 50 at death, she was 25 at marriage. However, this is not really a third tradition about Khadijah’s age, for the context suggests that the number 50 is only an approximation. So the tradition that Khadijah was married at “about 25” is actually independent support for the tradition that she was in fact 28.

====Gynaecology====

The third problem with Khadijah’s age is the common-sense consideration that she bore Muhammad six children over a period of ten years.<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 83. Bewley/Saad 8:10.</ref> If she married him at 40, she was 50 by the time she gave birth to Fatima in 605.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:13.</ref> While this is not completely impossible, it is a sufficiently unusual achievement to cause us to pause and question the assertion.

Muhammad’s detractors in Mecca asked him why he did not perform any miracles.<ref>{{Quran|2|118}}. {{Quran|2|145}}. {{Quran|6|37}}. {{Quran|6|109}}. {{Quran|10|20}}. {{Quran|13|7}}. {{Quran|17|59}}. Guillaume/Ishaq 133ff. {{Bukhari|9|92|379}}.</ref> The only response available to him was, “The Qur’an is my miracle,”<ref>{{Quran|24|1}}. {{Quran-range|98|1|4}}.</ref> but the Islamic tradition seems not to have accepted this answer and numerous other traditions claim that he performed a variety of miracles. It is claimed that he [[Moon Split Miracle|split the moon]] and travelled to Jerusalem and back [[The Holy Qur'an: Al-Isra (The Night Journey)|in one night]]. Later tales, omitted from the earliest histories, claimed that he had multiplied food like [[Jesus]] Christ,<ref>[http://www.soebratie.nl/religie/hadith/IbnSad.html#Book 42.35/ Ibn Saad, ''Tabaqat'' 1:42:35-36]; Matthew 14:13-21.</ref> transfigured wood into iron, reminiscent of Elisha’s retrieval of the borrowed axe-head,<ref>[http://www.soebratie.nl/religie/hadith/IbnSad.html#Book 42.38/ Ibn Saad, ''Tabaqat'' 1:42:38]; II Kings 6:5-7.</ref> or cursed his enemy’s camel to sink in the sand.<ref>[http://www.soebratie.nl/religie/hadith/IbnSad.html#Book 42.40/ Ibn Saad, ''Tabaqat'' 1:42:40].</ref> The tradition never points to the fecundidity of Khadijah as a miracle, even though the biblical tradition records a similar miracle in the birth of Isaac to Abraham. He never called it a blessing similar to Sarah’s gestation of Isaac<ref>Genesis 17:15-21, 21:1-7.</ref> or Elizabeth’s of John the Baptist.<ref>Luke 1:5-25, 57-80.</ref> In fact nobody expressed even mild surprise that a woman of Khadijah’s age had produced so many children.

Perhaps that was because Khadijah’s fertility was a commonplace for a woman of her age. Perhaps she was still in her thirties when she bore Muhammad’s children. Perhaps, when her daughter Fatima was weaned in 607,<ref>{{Tabari|39|166}}; see {{Quran|2|233}} and Guillaume/Ishaq 71 for two years as the customary duration of nursing.</ref> Khadijah was still a few months short of forty – and that was why her childbearing ceased.

====Problems with the Chronology and Final Calculation====

Taken together, all of these issues around the dating of Khadijah's age at marriage are emblematic of the problems presented by the dating of the lives of figures in the Islamic tradition. If Khadijah was only two to three years older than Muhammad, this makes sense of a great deal. It explains how her sex appeal as well as her money factored in to his attraction to her. It explains how she was able to produce six children in ten years and why she then stopped childbearing. It explains why Muhammad remained attracted to Khadijah for so long when, in later life, he was to reject older women.<ref>See Bewley/Saad 8:40, 111, 113; {{Tabari|9|pp. 139, 140}}.</ref> It explains why, after twenty years of marriage, he began thinking about younger women,<ref>[http://www.answering-islam.org/Books/Muir/Life2/chap4.htm/ Muir (1861) 2:141-144]. See also [http://www.muhammadanism.org/Canon_Sell/Quran/p024.htm/ Sell, E. (1923). ''The Historical Development of the Qur'an'', 4th Ed, pp. 25-26. London: People International.]</ref> for Khadijah would have been at that time menopausal and ''first'' losing her looks.

{{Quote|Mughaltay, ''Al-Zahr al-Basim fi Sirat Abi’l-Qasim'', cited in Kister, M. J. (1993). The Sons of Khadijah. ''Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam, 16'', 59-95.|The Prophet returned with Maysara from Syria on the 14th night from the end of Dhu’l-Hijja in the 25th year from the Day of the Elephant [3 May 595] … The Prophet married Khadijah two months and 15 days after his return from Syria, at the end of Safar in the 26th year.}}

While this date, not found in the major ''hadith'' collections, might be an educated fabrication rather than literally historical, there are no rival suggestions for Muhammad and Khadijah’s wedding date. The year at least fits with all the generally accepted information about the ages of Muhammad and his children. 26 Elephant was 28 BH. A wedding date of 29 Safar that year would have fallen on 16 July 595.

If Khadijah was 28 at that time, she was born in the year between March 568 and March 569, some dozen years later than Hakim ibn Hizam claimed. Her age in solar years could have been anywhere between 26 years 4 months and 27 years 4 months. Using the median as an approximation yields the following result:

*Khadijah’s Median Age = 26 years and 10 months.
*Muhammad’s Age = 24 years and 3 months.
*Age Difference = (minus) 2 years and 7 months.

Far from being a “much older” woman, it appears that Khadijah might have been the only one of Muhammad’s wives who was close to him in age.

===Sawdah's Age===

None of the early Islamic sources gives an exact age for Sawdah. Tabari gives the date of her wedding as follows:

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 170}}.|The Prophet married Sawdah in Ramadan, in the tenth year after his prophethood. This was after Khadijah’s death and before his marriage to Aisha.}}

Ramadan fell between 13 April and 12 May 620; but as Khadijah died on 10 Ramadan<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:152. See also {{Tabari|39|pp. 4, 161}}.</ref> (22 April), Muhammad probably married Sawdah towards the end of the month. “May 620” thus works as an approximation.

Because Sawdah is described as “older” than her co-wives, this has led to extreme guesses that she was a bride of 65<ref>[http://www.islamforamal.com/contents-2/prophet-s-biography/prophets-wives/ Prophet’s Wives (Ummul Momineen)].</ref> or even 80.<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=lJe3PNVAnK4C&dq=Sawdah+became+an+old+woman&q=Sawdah#v=snippet&q=Sawdah&f=false/ Al Ghoudairy, F. Why Did Prophet Muhammed Marry Aisha; the Young Girl, p. 24. Dare to read.]</ref> However, while trying to establish Sawdah’s age, we can immediately rule out any estimates that ignore three established facts.

====Sawdah’s Father was Still Alive====

When Khawla bint Hakim brought Muhammad’s marriage proposal to Sawdah:

{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|p. 130}}.|Sawdah said, “I want you to go to my father and tell him about it.” Khawla states: he was a very old man and had stayed away from the pilgrimage. I went to him and greeted him with the pre-Islamic salutation and told him that Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdulmuttalib had sent me to ask for Sawdah’s hand in marriage. “A noble match,” he replied. “What does your friend say?” … [Muhammad] came and [Zamaa] married her to him.}}

====Sawdah Lived another 54 Years====

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:43.|Sawdah bint Zamaa died in Medina in Shawwal of 54, during the caliphate of Muawiya.}}

This date is between 11 September and 9 October 674 – more than 54 years after the day when Sawdah married Muhammad. If she had lived to be 134, or even 114, someone would have commented. But if she was only about 40 on her wedding day, she must have survived to her mid-90s, which is impressive but plausible (but once again emblematic of the problem of the Islamic tradition attributing extremely and even absurdly long lives to the companions and taabi'uun).

====Sawdah had Not Reached Menopause====

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|3451}}.|As [Sawdah] '''became old''', she had made over her day with Allah’s Messenger to Aisha. She said: “I have made over my day with you to Aisha.” So Allah’s Messenger allotted two days to Aisha, her own day and that of Sawdah.}}

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:40.|Sawdah bint Zamaa '''became old''' and the Messenger of Allah did not have much to do with her. … She became afraid that he would divorce her and she would lose her place with him. So she said, “Messenger of Allah, my day which falls for me is for Aisha and you are in the lawful in it.”}}

The texts do not say that Sawdah “was old” but that she “''became'' old”, i.e. that she was only at the beginning of the “old age” period of her life. In the modern world, this would suggest that she was 65 or 70, which may explain why modern historians have assumed she was very elderly. But this is clearly impossible in the light of the fact that she lived another fifty years.

In the culture of the medieval Arabs, when a woman’s value to society depended on her capacity to bear children, a woman only had three life-stages: childhood (before she could bear children), adulthood (childbearing age) and old age (when she was past childbearing). So an “old” woman was simply one who was too old to have children – possibly a healthy, active, sharp-minded woman as young as 40. It is practically certain that the sentence “Sawdah became old” really only means “Sawdah reached menopause.”<ref>Personal communication with native speakers of Arabic. See also [[:File:Kahla3.jpg|this]] image of an “elderly” lady (''kahla'') from Afghanistan.</ref>

When did Sawdah reach menopause? Obviously it was after Muhammad had consummated his marriage to Aisha in 623 CE. So we already know that Sawdah was pre-menopausal in 620 CE. But in fact it was even later than this, for the near-divorce episode is referred to in {{Quran|4|128}}. Ibn Kathir frankly admits:

{{Quote|Ibn Kathir, ''Tafsir'' on Q4:128.|Ibn Abbas said that the ''ayah'' refers to, “When the husband gives his wife the choice between staying with him or leaving him, as this is better than the husband preferring other wives to her.” However, the apparent wording of the ''ayah'' refers to the settlement where the wife forfeits some of the rights she has over her husband, with the husband agreeing to this concession, and that this settlement is better than divorce. For instance, the Prophet kept Sawdah bint Zam’ah as his wife after she offered to forfeit her day for A’ishah.}}

The fourth ''[[surah]]'' of the [[Qur'an]] is long and was probably not written all at once. But it all belongs to the same general period. It covers many family issues, including inheritance rights. {{Quran-range|4|7|11}} was written to answer the complaint of an Uhud widow,<ref>{{Abudawud|18|2885}}; [http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=711&Itemid=59/ Ibn Kathir, ''Tafsir'' on Q4:7]; [http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=707&Itemid=59/ Ibn Kathir, ''Tafsir'' on Q4:11].</ref> so it must date from after 22 March 625. This same incident confirmed the limitation of the number of wives to four,<ref>{{Quran|4|3}}.</ref> so it must have been written before Muhammad was given permission to take a fifth concurrent wife<ref>{{Quran|33|50}}.</ref> on 27 March 627.<ref>{{Tabari|8|pp. 1-4}}; {{Tabari|39|p. 182}}; Bewley/Saad 8:72-73, 81.</ref> The ''surah'' is also full of invectives against the Jews<ref>{{Quran-range|4|46|59}}; {{Quran-range|4|150|175}}.</ref> and “hypocrites,”<ref>{{Quran-range|4|60|68}}; {{Quran-range|4|136|149}}.</ref> who were supposedly no longer a problem after April 627 according to the tradition (although in point of fact, according to the non-Islamic sources Jews were working with the Arab invaders well into the conquest period, and Muhammad may not have died until after he had personally conquered Jerusalem).<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 466.</ref> So the episode in which Sawdah “became old” and pleaded with Muhammad to not divorce her occurred between mid-625 and early 627.

There are strong reasons to suspect it did happen during this period. Muhammad most likely considered divorcing Sawdah in December 626 or January 627 expressly because he wanted to marry a fifth woman but was trying to observe the limit of four wives.<ref>{{Quran|4|3}}.</ref> If Muhammad had not been contemplating marriage to a fifth woman, there would have been no point in divorcing Sawdah, for she was no trouble to him at home.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:40.</ref> It was only after he had decided to keep Sawdah that he needed the special dispensation to marry unlimited wives. However, the sources do not explicitly state this circumstance as the reason for the near-divorce. They only say that Sawdah “became old” and so Muhammad wanted to divorce her.

If Sawdah was menopausal in 626, or perhaps 625, this suggests she was then aged about 45, making her around 40 when she married Muhammad.

====Calculation of Sawdah's Likely Age====

When Muhammad married Sawdah in May 620, he was 49. It is possible that Sawdah was also about that age<ref>[http://www.themodernreligion.com/prophet/prophet_aisha.htm/ Ahmed, S. “Prophet Muhammad and Aisha Siddiqa.”]</ref> and that she lived to be over 100. But it is unlikely. Allowing that she was not yet menopausal and that she had a father living, she was probably closer to 40.

*Sawdah’s Probable Age = about 40 years.
*Muhammad’s Age = 49 years and 1 month.
*Age Difference = 9 years, plus or minus a few.

The age difference between Muhammad and Sawdah was not inappropriate for a middle-aged couple; but she was almost certainly the younger spouse. And we will state here that Sawdah was the oldest bride whom Muhammad ever married.

===Aisha's Age===
{{Main|Aisha's Age|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Aisha}}

If the Islamic tradition is to be trusted at all, Aisha was six years old when Muhammad married her and nine years old when Muhammad consummated the marriage.

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:44.|The Messenger of Allah married me when I was six and consummated the marriage when '''I was nine'''. I was playing on a see-saw … I used to play dolls.}}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3310}}|Allah’s Apostle married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house when '''I was nine years old.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 171}}.|The Prophet married Aisha in Shawwal in the tenth year after the prophethood [13 May - 10 June 620], three years before the ''Hijra''. He consummated the marriage in Shawwal, eight months after the ''Hijra'' [11 May - 9 April 623]. On the day he consummated the marriage with her, '''she was nine years old.'''}}

Copious documentation on hundreds of Muhammad’s companions shows that most Arabs knew their age to the nearest year. Why should Aisha, with her extraordinary memory,<ref>For a modern assessment of Aisha’s contribution to the ''hadith'' literature, see Siddiqi, M. Z. (2006). ''Hadith Literature: its origin, development, special features and criticism'', pp. 33-34. Kuala Lumpar: Islamic Book Trust.</ref> her penchant for details and her talent for arithmetic,<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:47.</ref> have been any exception? To suggest that, contrary to her clear statement, she miscalculated or fabricated her own age is not logical. The information about her death only confirms her consistency.

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 173}}.|Aisha died on Tuesday night, the 17 Ramadan 58 AH [16 July 678], and she was buried the same night after the night prayer. She was then 66 years old.}}

The year 66 years before 58 AH was once again nine years before the ''Hijra'', making Aisha nine years old at her consummation in 1 AH. While it may well be true that most Arabs only knew their age to the year and not to the day, there is some evidence that Aisha’s family had noted at least the month in which she was born.

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:55.|Aisha was born '''at the beginning of the fourth year''' of prophethood, and she married the Messenger of Allah in the tenth year, in Shawwal, when she was six.}}

If they knew that she had been born at the “beginning” and not the “middle” or the “end” of the year, it is unlikely that they would have been wrong about the year itself. “The fourth year of prophethood” was indeed the ninth year before the ''Hijra'' (25 October 613 - 13 October 614). It was the year when Muhammad first preached Islam in public;<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 117.</ref> Aisha’s parents would not have forgotten what was happening around the city at the time when their daughter was born. Abu Bakr’s accuracy is not really surprising, as he was a recognised expert on genealogy,<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 115.</ref> so a person’s month of birth was exactly the kind of detail that he would remember.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3311}}|Aisha narrated that Allah’s Apostle married her when she was seven years old, and he she was taken to his house as a bride '''when she was nine''', and her dolls were with her; and when he died she was 18 years old.}}

{{Quote|Ibn Majah 3:1877|Abdullah narrated. The Holy Prophet married Aisha while she was a seven-year-old girl and took her to his house as a bride '''when she was nine years old''' and he parted with her when she was 18 years old.}}

These two narratives offer a variant for Aisha’s age when she was legally married, but this is an uncertainty about ''the date of the contract'' (two rather than three years before the consummation). It does not reflect any uncertainty about Aisha’s date of birth, since they confirm that the marriage was consummated when she was nine. The real discrepancy can be missed by a casual reader, but it is obvious to anyone familiar with the Islamic calendar.

Aisha was married in the ''first'' year AH (19 July 622 - 7 July 623) and widowed in the ''eleventh'' (1 April 632 - 20 March 633). Since she was married at nine, she should have been 19, not 18, when Muhammad died. This is possibly just careless counting by some person other than Aisha: “Nine and a bit plus nine and a bit is still only 18.” But it could also mean that on the day when Muhammad died, Aisha had not yet passed her birthday. Muhammad died on 12 Rabi-Awwal 11 AH (i.e., in the middle of the third month) (10 June 632).<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 689</ref> If Aisha knew that she had been born on some date later in the year than 12 Rabi-Awwal, then she was still only 18 and not 19 when she was widowed.

This gives us Aisha’s date of birth to within six weeks. It might have been as early as 13 Rabi-Awwal 9 BH (4 January 614). But it is unlikely that it was any later than 29 Rabi-Thani 9 BH (19 February 614), as any date later than the fourth month would not have been “early” in the year. So we can express Aisha’s birthday as ''27 January 614, plus or minus three weeks.''

Her marriage was consummated in the tenth month of the first year AH. This fell between 11 April and 9 May (median = 25 April 623). We can now take an informed estimate of her age at consummation.

*Aisha’s Median Age at Consummation = 9 years and 3 months.
*Muhammad’s Age = 52 years and 0 months.
*Age Difference = 42 years and 9 months.

The exact age or age difference down to the day or even to the year do not matter. The real points are that (1) Aisha was a prepubescent child, and (2) Muhammad was old enough to be her grandfather.

Aisha was the youngest bride whom Muhammad married. It does not follow that she was the youngest wife in the household. Towards the end of his life, Muhammad acquired a few women whose age in years was even younger than Aisha’s.

===Hafsah's Age===

There is some discrepancy in the sources about Hafsah’s exact age but they agree concerning her approximate age.

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:56.|Hafsah was born when the Quraysh were building the House, five years before the Prophet was sent.}}

This was the year from 30 January 605 to 19 January 606, so the median birthdate for Hafsah is 26 July 605 according to the traditional sources. Muhammad’s daughter Fatima was born in the same year.<ref>{{Tabari|39|p. 166}}.</ref>

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 174}}.|Hafsah died in Shabaan AH 45 during the caliphate of Muawiya. She was then 60 years old.}}

This was the month between 20 October and 17 November 665, which is a contradiction. If Hafsah died at the age of 60 Islamic years, she would have been born in 607 (median = 4 July 607), two years later than Ibn Saad claims. However, the date “when the Quraysh were rebuilding the House” is precise, and so is the mention of Shabaan as the month of death. If both these details are correct, it is possible that “she was then 60” was only meant as an approximation.

An approximate birth year that emerges from the sources is 605; but it should be borne in mind that she might have been two years younger than this.

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 174}}.|The Prophet married Hafsah in Shabaan 30 months after [the ''Hijra''], before the battle of Uhud.}}

Shabaan 3 AH fell between 20 January and 17 February 625 (median = 3 February).

*Hafsah’s Median Age = 19 years and 7 months.
*Muhammad’s Age = 53 years and 9 months.
*Age Difference = 34 years and 2 months.

It can thus be surmised from the sources that Hafsah was between 17 and 19 years old, an adult but very young woman.

===Zaynab bint Khuzayma's Age===

Zaynab’s life is not well documented, which has led to conjecture about her age.

{{Quote|[http://www.questionsonislam.com/question/could-you-give-information-about-prophet%E2%80%99s-wives-and-his-polygamy/ Hussein (2011). “Could you give information about the Prophet’s wives and his polygamy?”] in ''Questions on Islam''.|Zainab bint Huzaima … was 60 years old … Of course, it is impossible for a marriage with a sixty-year old woman to have passion. The only aim of this marriage was to help someone who was left alone.}}

Tabari and Sa'd both report similar ages for her though:

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|164}}.|I asked, “How old was she when she died?” He said, “'''Thirty years''' or so.”}}

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:82.|[Muhammad] married [Zaynab] in Ramadan at the beginning of the 31st month of the Hijra. She remained with him for eight months and then died at the end of Rabi al-Akhir at the beginning of the 39th month.}}

According to the above sources Zaynab was therefore married on or soon after 18 February 625. She died on or just before 11 October 625. If she was “about 30” in 4 AH, she was born in October 596, plus or minus a few years.

*Zaynab’s Median Age = 28 years and 4 months.
*Muhammad’s Age = 53 years and 10 months.
*Age Difference = 25 years and 6 months.

Zaynab married five times.<ref>Ibn Hisham note 918; Bewley/Saad 8:82; {{Tabari|9|p. 138}}; {{Tabari|39|pp. 163-614}}.</ref> Her fifth choice, it seems, fell on a high-status and already-married man old enough to be her father when she was in her late 20's.

===Hind's Age===

The data about Hind (Umm Salama) is precise, and there are no variant traditions.

{{Quote| Bewley/Saad 8:61.|She died in Dhu’l-Qada 59 AH [17 August - 15 September 679].}}

{{Quote| Bewley/Saad 8:67|It is related that '''she was 84''' when she died.}}

Eighty-four years before 59 AH brings us to the year between 26 April 597 and 15 April 598 and a median birthdate of 20 October 597.

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:61.|The Messenger of Allah married her at the end of the month of Shawwal 4 AH [on or before 6 April 626].}}

*Hind’s Median Age = 28 years and 6 months.
*Muhammad’s Age = 55 years and 0 months.
*Age Difference = 26 years and 6 months.

It is very plausible that Hind was 28 when she married Muhammad, for her fourth child was then a newborn<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:63-66.</ref> while her eldest daughter was about ten years of age.<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 147.</ref>

===Zaynab bint Jahsh's Age===

There is dispute about Muhammad's biological cousin's<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:72; {{Tabari|8|p. 4}}; {{Tabari|39|p. 180}}; cf Guillaume/Ishaq 3; Maududi (1967), Tafhimul Quran, Chapter Al Ahzab</ref> exact age, but there is no doubt about her approximate age.

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:80.|I saw Umar ibn Al-Khattab pray over Zaynab bint Jahsh in 20 AH [641 CE] on a summer day, and I saw a cloth stretched over her grave.}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 182}}.|According to Umar ibn Uthman [ibn Abdullah al-Jahshi] from his father: “Zaynab bint Jahsh died at the age of 53.”}}

Note that this narrator was the grandson of Zaynab’s own nephew. If Zaynab was 53 in 20 AH, she was born in 34 BH between 23 July 589 and 11 July 590 (median = 15 January 590).

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 182}}.|The Prophet married Zaynab bint Jahsh on the first of Dhu’l-Qada 5.}}

The first of Dhu’l-Qada 5 AH was 27 March 627. However, there is a contradiction. The same nephew who said she died at age 53 also said:

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:81|Uthman ibn Abdullah al-Jahshi said, “The Messenger of Allah married Zaynab bint Jahsh at the beginning of the month of Dhu’l-Qada in 5 AH. '''She was 35''' at the time.”}}

Thirty-five years before 5 AH brings us to a birth-year of 31 BH (20 June 592 - 8 June 593), a discrepancy of three years. Probably Umar ibn Uthman was giving a round number when he said she was married at 35; to be conservative, for the sake of calculation an earlier fate can be assumed. However, we must bear in mind that Zaynab might have been some three years younger than this.

*Zaynab’s Median Age = 37 years and 2 months.
*Muhammad’s Age = 55 years and 11 months.
*Age Difference = 18 years and 9 months.

Modern commentaries claiming that Zaynab was “in late middle age”<ref>[http://www.ispi-usa.org/muhammad/appendix2.html/ Akhter, J. (2001). “The Prophet's Marriages and Wives”] in ''The Seven Phases of Prophet Muhammad's Life''. Chicago: ISPI.</ref> thus seem to be off the mark. While her contemporary community might not have considered her “a young woman,” this is relative. She was still young enough to have been Muhammad’s daughter.

===Juwayriyah's Age===

Juwayriyah’s age is only mildly disputed.

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 184}}.|According to Juwayriyah: “'''I was 20 years old''' when the Prophet married me.”}}

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:85.|Juwayriyah died in 50 AH [1 February 670 - 20 January 671] when she was 65.}}

If Juwayriyah was 65 in 50 AH, the year in which she was born would have been 16 BH, which fell between 9 January and 28 December 607. (Although there is a variant tradition that she did not die until 56 AH,<ref>{{Tabari|39|p. 184}}; Bewley/Saad 8:85.</ref> this tradition does not state her age at death, so we shall ignore it.) The year in which she was 20 would have been 5 AH. There is indeed some evidence for a wedding date of 5 AH.

{{Quote|Ibn Hisham note 918.|He married Juwayriyah bint al-Harith ibn Abi Dirar al-Khuza’iya, who was among the captives of the Mustaliq of Khuza’a tribe.}}

{{Quote|Guillaume/Ishaq 490.|[The apostle] attacked the Mustaliq branch of the Khuza’a tribe … He went out and met them at a watering-place of theirs called al-Muraysi …}}

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:81|I asked Aisha about the marriage of the Messenger of Allah to Zaynab bint Jahsh. She said, “On our return from the expedition of al-Muraysi or shortly after it.” }}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 182}}.|The Prophet married Zaynab bint Jahsh on the first of Dhu’l-Qada 5 AH.}}

This supports a date of 5 AH, though earlier than the eleventh month of Dhu’l-Qada, for the marriage to Juwayriyah.

However, this cannot be right. For a start, Ibn Ishaq disagrees.

{{Quote|Guillaume/Ishaq 490.|[The apostle] attacked the Mustaliq branch of the Khuza’a tribe in '''Shaaban 6 AH''' [19 December 627 - 16 January 628].}}

Further, it is certain that the raid at al-Muraysi and consequent marriage to Juwayriyah took place not before, but ''after'', Muhammad’s marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh. As Aisha tells the story:

{{Quote|Guillaume/Ishaq 494.|[Muhammad] cast lots between his wives which of them should accompany him. He did this on the occasion of the raid on the Mustaliq tribe, and the lot fell on me, so the apostle took me out.}}

On the way home, Aisha was temporarily lost:

{{Quote|Guillaume/Ishaq 494.|So I wrapped myself in my smock … [Safwan ibn al-Mu’attal al-Sulami] passed me … He saw my form and came and stood over me. He used to see me before the veil was prescribed for us, so when he saw me he exclaimed in astonishment, “The apostle’s wife!” while I was wrapped in my garments.}}

Muhammad had ordered his wives to be veiled at the time he married Zaynab,<ref>{{Bukhari|7|62|95}}; Bewley/Saad 8:126-127.</ref> so the raid at al-Muraysi must have been after this. After Safwan brought Aisha back to Medina, they found themselves the focus of gossip.

{{Quote|Guillaume/Ishaq 495.|The greatest offenders were … Hamna bint Jahsh, for the reason that her sister Zaynab bint Jahsh was one of the apostle’s wives and only she could rival me in his favour. As for Zaynab, Allah protected her by her religion and she spoke nothing but good. But Hamna spread the report far and wide, opposing me for the sake of her sister.}}

This makes it very clear that Muhammad was already married to Zaynab during this controversy, which arose before the warriors had even arrived home from the al-Muraysi expedition. He married Zaynab in late 5 AH, so Ibn Ishaq’s date of 6 AH for the raid seems to be the correct one. It does seem odd that Aisha would give the wrong sequence for two such dramatic events as the raid at al-Muraysi and the Prophet’s marriage to Zaynab. However, it is more likely that, when asked for a date, she accidentally named the wrong expedition than that, recalling what could be considered 'the crisis of her life', she could not remember whether she had been veiled or who had been spreading gossip about her; either that, or the traditions related here may have been fabricated by someone other than she.

If Juwayriyah was 20 years old in 6 AH, she must have been born in 15 BH (between 29 December 607 and 17 December 608). That would make her only 64, not 65, at her death in 50 AH. This is not a serious discrepancy, but it does mean that one of these ages is only an approximation. On balance, the younger age is more likely to be correct. Young people are usually accurate about their ages (“When my husband was killed, I was definitely 20, not 19 or 21”) whereas the elderly are more likely to use round numbers (“I think this will be my final illness, for I’m already in my mid-60s”).

Nevertheless, for the sake of calculation, a two-year range for Juwayriyah’s birthdate, between 9 January 607 and 17 December 608, will be used. The median is 28 December 607. She was married in Shabaan 6 AH, a median date of 2 January 628.

*Juwayriyah’s Median Age = 20 years and 0 months.
*Muhammad’s Age = 56 years and 9 months.
*Age Difference = 36 years and 9 months.

So another one of Muhammad's wives, Juwayriyah, was young enough to be his granddaughter when she married him at just around 20.

===Safiyah's Age===

[[Safiyah]] is given with unusual precision, down to the month:

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 185}}.|'''I was not even 17''', or '''I was just 17''', the night I entered the Prophet.}}

She married Muhammad at the time when Khaybar fell. The exact date of this victory is not recorded, but the general period of the siege is clear.

{{Quote|Guillaume/Ishaq 510, 511, 530|The apostle stayed in Medina during Dhu’l-Hijja and part of al-Muharram ... Then he marched against Khaybar … The apostle seized the property piece by piece and conquered the forts one by one as he came to them … The apostle took captives from them, among whom was Safiyah bint Huyayy ibn Akhtab. The apostle chose Safiyah for himself … When the apostle returned from Khaybar to Medina he stayed there from the first Rabi’ until Shawwal.}}

The Muslims therefore began the march to Khaybar in late May or early June 628 and were back in Medina before the end of July according to ibn Ishaq. So Muhammad married Safiyah early in Rabi-Awwal 7 AH (mid-July 628). Safiyah apparently knew that she had been born in Rabi'-Awwal 17 years earlier, though she did not know whether it had been late or early in the month and therefore did not know whether she had reached 17 full years on the particular night when she married Muhammad. The Rabi'-Awwal of 17 years earlier fell between 14 January and 12 February 612, giving Safiyah a birthdate of 28 January 612, plus or minus a fortnight.

*Safiyah’s Age = 16 years and 6 months.
*Muhammad’s Age = 57 years and 3 months.
*Age Difference = 40 years and 9 months.

Safiyah was yet another bride who was young enough to be Muhammad’s granddaughter, most likely still being in her teens while Muhammad was in his 50's.

===Ramlah's Age===

It is said, citing ''Sunan Nasa’i'' vol. 1 book 1 #60 p. 127, that Ramlah (Umm Habiba) was 23 years younger than Muhammad.<ref>[http://www.muslimhope.com/WhyDidMohammedGetSoManyWives.htm/ “Why Did Mohammed Get So Many Wives?”] See also [http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org/webfiles/downloads/wives/HUmmeHabiba.pdf/ “Hadrat Umm-e-Habiba (r.a)”] in ''Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Guidance for Soul Satisfaction''.</ref> Since he was born in 53 BH, this would place her birth in 30 BH. If this citation is correct, it is in broad agreement with the other sources.

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 180}}.|[Ramlah’s marriage] occurred in the year 7 AH. '''She was thirty-odd years old''' when she was brought to Medina.}}

{{Quote|[http://www.islamawareness.net/Muhammed/ibn_kathir_wives.html/ Ibn Kathir, “Umm Habiba”] in ''The Wives of the Prophet''.|[Ramlah] married the Prophet Muhammad in 1 AH, although she did not actually come to live with him in Medina until 7 AH, when the Prophet was 60 years old and '''she was 35'''.}}

Ibn Kathir makes Muhammad 25 years older than Ramlah. This is not a serious contradiction. If Muhammad was 53 in 1 AH, then he was only 59 and not 60 in 7 AH; so calling Ramlah’s age 35 rather than 36 may also be an approximation, much like Tabari’s “thirty-odd”. Since Ibn Kathir is a source far removed in time from the life of the prophet, for calculation it will be assumed that “thirty-odd” means 36 and that Ramlah was born in 30 BH.

30 BH fell between 9 June 593 and 28 May 594, giving Ramlah a median birthdate of 2 December 593. Her marriage to Muhammad was consummated upon his return from Khaybar in July 628.<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 526, 529-530.</ref>

*Ramlah’s Median Age at Consummation = 34 years and 7 months.
*Muhammad’s Age = 57 years and 3 months.
*Age Difference = 22 years and 8 months.

Ramlah was young enough to be Muhammad’s daughter, although older than many of Muhammad's other wives.

===Maymunah's Age===

The traditions about Maymunah are hard to reconcile:

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 186}}.|Maymunah died in the year 61 AH during the caliphate of Yazid ibn Muawiya. She was the last of the wives of the Prophet to die, and her age was then 80 or 81.}}

This would place her death in the year between 4 October 680 and 22 September 681 and her birth in 21 or 20 BH between 4 March 602 and 10 February 604 (median = 21 February 603).

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:94|The Messenger of Allah married Maymunah bint Al-Harith in Shawwal in 7 AH.}}

This was between 4 February and 4 March 629 (median = 18 February), indicating that her age at marriage was 26, plus or minus a year.

But in fact the death-date of 61 AH might have been a mistake. Other sources indicate that she could not have been the last survivor of Muhammad’s widows, for Aisha outlived her, and Hind, of course, outlived Aisha.

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|p. 177}}.|Zaynab was the first of the Prophet’s wives to die, and Umm Salama [Hind] was the last.}}

{{Quote|Al-Hakim al-Nishaburi, ''Mustadrak'' vol. 4 p. 32. Ibn Hajar, ''Al-Isaba'' vol. 8 p. 192.|We stood on the walls of Medina, looking out … [Aisha said]: “By Allah! Maymunah is no more! She has gone, and you are left free to do whatever you like. She was the most pious of all of us and the most devoted to her relatives.”}}

While it is possible that Aisha’s remarks on Maymunah’s death are apocryphal (the sources are not particularly early), the story lends strength to an alternative tradition that Maymunah died about a decade before 61 AH.

{{Quote|[http://www.islamawareness.net/Muhammed/ibn_kathir_wives.html/ Ibn Kathir, “Maymunah”] in ''The Wives of the Prophet''.|After the Prophet's death, Maymunah continued to live in Medina for another forty years, dying at the age of 80, in 51 AH [21 January 671 - 10 January 672], being the last but one of the Prophet's wives to die.}}

This does not seem to be correct, as not one, but four or five of Muhammad’s widows were still alive in 51 AH (Hind, Aisha, Sawdah, Safiyah and perhaps Juwayriyah) according to other sources. Ibn Kathir, writing 700 years after the event, was either trying to harmonize the conflict without considering all the facts or merely restating the words of someone else who likewise failed to consider the facts. If Ibn Kathir (or his source) guessed at which part of his original text was the error, he might also have been guessing at the year of Maymunah’s death. Thus neither 51 n''or'' 61 AH can be confidently taken as her death date. The only consistency amongst the reports is that Maymunah lived to be about 80.

While we do not really know Maymunah’s death-date, and therefore her birth-date, for the purposes of calculation Ibn Kathir’s more conservative tradition will be accepted here. According to this, she was born in 30 BH, i.e., between 9 June 593 and 28 May 594 (median = 2 December 593). This would make her about 35 when she married Muhammad in February 629, although she might have been many years younger.

*Maymunah's Median Age at Marriage = 35 years and 2 months.
*Muhammad’s Age at Marriage = 57 years and 10 months.
*Age Difference = 22 years and 8 months.

Sir William Muir’s unsourced comment that “Maymunah is said to have been at this time 51 years of age”<ref>[http://www.answering-islam.org/Books/Muir/Life4/chap22.htm/ Muir, W. (1861). ''The Life of Mahomet'' vol. 4 p. 89. London: Smith, Elder & Co.]</ref> is thus shown to be extremely doubtful. Muhammad was around 20 years older than she when they married.

===Mulaykah's Age===

Mulaykah’s exact age is not given, but there is a clue in this statement.

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|165}}.|Her clan came to the Prophet and said, “'''She is small''' and has '''no mind of her own'''; she was beguiled.”}}

If they expected Mohammed to believe that “she is too young to think for herself,” they were suggesting that she was barely an adult – someone whose body had so recently reached puberty that her mind had not yet caught up.

This makes sense in the light of the fact that Mulaykah found a new fiancé within days of her divorce from Muhammad, before she had completed her three-month waiting-period,<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:106; {{Tabari|39|p. 165}}.</ref> indicating that the marriage was likely not consummated. It looks as if this man had already been a suitor before it became politically necessary for Mulaykah to marry Muhammad. If she had been courted but not married, this also suggests that she was very young.

Since the mean age of menarche was 12½ years,<ref>[http://www.mum.org/menarage.htm/ Finley, H. (2003). “Average age at menarche in various cultures.”]</ref> this indicates that Mulaykah was about 13, plus or minus a couple of years. As for the date of the wedding:

{{Quote|{{Tabari|8|p. 187}}.|In this year [8 AH] the Messenger of God married Mulaykah ... He had killed her father the day of the conquest of Mecca [14 January 630].}}

The year 8 AH did not end until 22 April 630 CE. But in fact Muhammad must have married Mulaykah earlier than this. Her tribe lived near Mecca; they had resisted him at Mecca on 14 January; and Muhammad left Mecca on 28 January to fight the Hawazinites and Thaqifites.<ref>{{Tabari|9|pp. 2-3}}.</ref> It seems that he married Mulaykah during his fortnight of residence in the city, i.e. in the second half of January 630.

*Mulaykah’s Probable Age = about 13 years.
*Muhammad’s Age at Marriage = 58 years and 9 months.
*Age Difference = 45 years and 9 months.

While this is only an estimation, we were also only guessing about Sawdah. By the time Muhammad married Mulaykah, Aisha had become 16. Although Mulaykah was an older bride, she was almost certainly younger than Aisha.

===Asma's Age===

Asma’s age is unknown but her age-range is clearly implied in the sources.

{{Quote|{{Tabari|39|pp. 188-189}}.|“O Messenger of Allah, shall I give you in marriage the most beautiful among the Arab widows? She had been married to a relative of hers, but he died, and she lost her way…”}}

Since Asma’s family had adopted Jewish cultural norms over a century earlier,<ref>Lecker, M. (1995). Judaism among Kinda and the Ridda of Kinda. ''Journal of the American Oriental Society, 115'', 635-650.</ref> it is safe to say that she had passed puberty at the time of her first marriage.<ref>Ezekiel 16:7-8. [http://www.jewfaq.org/marriage.htm/ “Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children”] in ''Judaism 101''.</ref> Further, the text suggests that her first husband had been dead for some months or even years. When she arrived in Medina in the summer of 630,<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:103.</ref> she must have been at least 14 years old and perhaps considerably older. She displayed a dignity and sense of duty<ref>{{Tabari|39|pp. 189-190}}.</ref> that make her seem more mature than Mulaykah bint Kaab or Fatima bint Al-Dahhak. While this could tell us more about Asma’s education than her age (she was, after all, a princess), it is clear that she was no child-bride.

At the same time, Abdullah ibn Abbas suggests Asma’s upper age-limit.

{{Quote|Bewley/Saad 8:103.|Ibn Abbas said: “Asma bint An-Numan was the most beautiful and '''youthful''' of the people of her time.”}}

This kind of accolade would be absurd for a woman who was older than 20. The sources do not describe Hafsah, Juwayriyah or Safiyah as “youthful,” and Asma’s naiveté certainly suggests youth.

In conclusion, Asma was probably in her late teens; but we do not really know. To be conservative, we will say that she was 20.

*Asma’s Maximum Age = 20 years and 0 months.
*Muhammad’s Age at Marriage = 59 years and 3 months.
*Age Difference = 39 years and 3 months.

Asma was once again young enough to be Muhammad’s granddaughter.

===Amrah's Age===

Amrah’s age is not extant in any sources surveyed for this study. However, the age of her first husband is recorded. He was Muhammad’s cousin, Al-Fadl ibn Abbas.<ref>Ibn Ishaq, cited in Guillaume, A. (1960). ''New Light on the Life of Muhammad'', p. 55. Manchester: Manchester University Press.</ref> Al-Fadl’s brother Abdullah recalled: “We reached Allah’s Apostle five years after he had made ''Hijra'' and were with the Quraysh when they marched during the year in which the Battle of ''Ahzab'' [Trench] was fought [627]. I was with my brother Fadl … I was then eight years old while my brother was 13.”<ref>Tabrani/Haythami vol. 6 p. 64 reported on the chain of narrators for this hadith. Cited in Khandhlawi, M. M. Y. (1959). ''Hayatus Sahaba''. Translated by Elias, A. H. (2008). ''The Lives of the Sahabah'', vol. 1, p. 373. Farid Book Depot (Pvt.) Ltd.</ref>

If Al-Fadl was 13 in 627, he was born in late 613 or 614 – that is, he was exactly the same age as Aisha. His family emigrated to Medina three years later,<ref>{{Tabari|39|p. 202}}.</ref> and soon afterwards, Al-Fadl petitioned Muhammad to arrange a marriage for him. Muhammad found him a wife on the same day, but it was not Amrah bint Yazid. The girl whom Al-Fadl married in 630 was his cousin, Safiya bint Mahmiyah.<ref>{{Muslim|5|2347}}.</ref>

It is a little strange that such a young man would so soon afterwards take on a second wife, but it seems that he did so willingly, for Amrah was of no political importance. There is no obvious reason for this marriage beyond the documented fact that Al-Fadl was susceptible to pretty girls.<ref>See {{Bukhari|74|247}}.</ref> He was also said to be the eldest son of a very wealthy man,<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 113, 114, 309-310.</ref> so if he wanted a second wife, there was nothing to stop him from taking one. It is therefore highly unlikely that Amrah was plain or that she was older than Al-Fadl. She would have been the same age as her bridegroom or a little younger.

However, Al-Fadl divorced Amrah within a matter of months, and she was afterwards married to Muhammad. While the date of this marriage is unknown, there would scarcely have been time for all these events to have occurred before January 631. Since Muhammad fell ill and then died in early June 632,<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 689</ref> the latest possible date for his marriage to Amrah would be May 632. So the median wedding date is September 631. We do not know how old Amrah was in 631, but Al-Fadl was 17, so it is reasonable to suggest that Amrah was about 15 – a couple of years younger than Aisha.

*Amrah’s Probable Age = about 15 years, give or take 5 years.
*Muhammad’s Age at Marriage = 60 years and 5 months.
*Age Difference = around 45 years and 5 months.

There is a lot of guesswork that went into this estimation, but it is an estimate based on real data about Amrah’s life. No data remains extant for the remainder of Muhammad's wives.

==Ages Unknown==

Muhammad had other marriage contracts with several other women, but most of these unions were dissolved before consummation and thus were not true marriages according to Islamic law. The other women with whom he is known to have had a sexual relationship are the five listed below, four of whom were technically concubines (sex [[Slavery|slaves]]) rather than legal wives. The ages of these five women are unknown.

===Rayhanah bint Zayd ibn Amr===

Rayhanah was a Jewish female from the Nadir tribe in Medina. She married a Qurazi,<ref>{{Tabari|39|pp. 164-165}}.</ref> which means she must have been married before the Nadir tribe was banished from Medina in August 625.<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 437-438, 445.</ref> As a Jew, she would not have been living with her husband before she reached menarche<ref>Ezekiel 16:7-8.</ref> or before the age of 12 years.<ref>[http://www.jewfaq.org/marriage.htm/ “Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children”] in ''Judaism 101''.</ref> So her latest possible birthdate is mid-613.

{{Quote|Guillaume/Ishaq 459, 461.|In Shawwal 5 AH … [Jibreel said]: “God commands you, Muhammad, to go to the Qurayza tribe.” … He besieged them for 25 nights until they were sore pressed, and God cast terror into their hearts.}}

These details, a siege of 25 nights starting from some time in Shawwal 5 AH (26 February - 26 March 627), place the surrender of the Qurayza between 23 March and 20 April 627. Within a day or two of the surrender came the distribution of booty.

{{Quote|Guillaume/Ishaq 466.|Then the Apostle divided the property, wives and children of the Qurayza tribe among the Muslims … The apostle had chosen one of their women for himself, Rayhanah bint Amr ibn Khunafa, one of the women of the Amr clan of the Qurayza, and she remained with him until she died, in his power.}}

So Muhammad captured Rayhanah in spring 627, a date when her youngest possible age would have been 14. She might have been considerably older than this minimum. Although secondary historians have guessed that she was about 15, this is not stated in the early sources. Since her exact age is not known, we have omitted her from the calculation.

===Mariyah bint Shamoon===

Mariyah’s age is not stated anywhere. The only certain fact is that, since she bore Muhammad a son in 630, she must have been of childbearing age.<ref>{{Tabari|9|pp. 39, 137}}.</ref> Various guesses that she was 20<ref>[http://www.a2youth.com/ebooks/the_wives_of_the_prophet/Maymunah_bint_al-harith/ Thomson, H. A. (1993). “Maymunah bint Al-Harith”] in ''The Wives of the Prophet Muhammad''. London: Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd.</ref> or 17<ref>[http://www.themodernreligion.com/prophet/prophet_aisha.htm/ Ahmed, S. “Prophet Muhammad and Aisha Siddiqa.”]</ref> betray the assumptions of the secondary historians that if she attracted Muhammad, she must have been young. Given the other evidence this is likely correct, but there is no data to support this conclusion.

===Fatima ("Al-Aliya") bint Al-Dahhak===

The only objective clue to Fatima’s age is that she lived another 50 years after Muhammad divorced her.<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:100</ref> Subjectively, her behaviour seems immature and suited to a child aged 15 or 16.<ref>{{Tabari|39|pp. 187-188}}; Bewley/Saad 8:101.</ref> There is not any concrete data for calculation of her age though.

==="Al-Jariya" and Tukanah===

These two concubines were presumably selected for their looks and were presumably young. But presumption is not fact. Their ages are unknown and no data is available for calculation.

==Mean Ages==

===Muhammad’s Wives===

Based on the above sources the calculations of the ages of Muhammad's wives at marriage (including the various estimations above) are as follows:

#Khadijah’s Median Age = 26 years and 10 months.
#Sawdah’s Approximate Age = 40 years.
#Aisha’s Median Age = 9 years and 3 months.
#Hafsah’s Median Age = 19 years and 6 months.
#Zaynab bint Khuzayma’s Median Age = 28 years and 4 months.
#Hind’s Median Age = 28 years and 6 months.
#Zaynab bint Jahsh’s Median Age = 37 years and 2 months.
#Juwayriyah’s Median Age = 20 years and 0 months.
#Safiyah’s Age = 16 years and 6 months.
#Ramlah’s Median Age = 34 years and 7 months.
#Maymunah’s Median Age = 35 years and 2 months.
#Mulaykah’s Approximate Age = 13 years.
#Asma’s Maximum Age = 20 years.
#Amrah’s Approximate Age = 15 years.

*Total Years = 343 years and 10 months.
*Mean Age of Muhammad’s Brides = ''24.56 years''

The mean age of Muhammad’s brides was about ''24½ years''. To call such a woman middle-aged, even in Arabia at the time, seems uncalled for. Rather it appears that (like most rules of his stature) Muhammad preferred younger women.

===Muhammad as Bridegroom===

Based on the above data, it is also possible to calculate Muhammad's age as a bridgegroom in each other cases mentioned above. Here is his age when he consummated each of these marriages.

#Khadijah = 24 years and 3 months.
#Sawdah = 49 years and 1 month.
#Aisha = 52 years and 0 months.
#Hafsah = 53 years and 9 months.
#Zaynab bint Khuzayma = 53 years and 10 months.
#Hind = 55 years and 0 months.
#Zaynab bint Jahsh = 55 years and 11 months.
#Juwayiriyah = 56 years and 9 months.
#Safiyah = 57 years and 3 months
#Ramlah = 57 years and 3 months.
#Maymunah = 57 years and 10 months.
#Mulaykah = 58 years and 9 months.
#Asma = 59 years and 3 months (not consummated, but legalities finalised).
#Amrah = 60 years and 5 months (not consummated, but legalities finalised).

*Total Years = 751 years and 4 months.
*Mean Age of Muhammad as Bridegroom = ''53.66 years''

Muhammad’s mean age at marriage was ''53 years and 8 months''. The mean age difference between Muhammad and all his wives was over ''29 years''.

===Skewed Statistics===

Muhammad’s first marriage to Khadijah skews the mean. According to the traditional sources, she was the ''only'' wife whom Muhammad married as a young man. She was the ''only'' wife who was close to his own age, as opposed to being significantly younger. Some statisticians would exclude her as an outlier before they began the calculation.

A more serious skew of the statistics is caused by the fact that these 14 wives were not the only women whom Muhammad married. He also had four known concubines and at least one other full wife. While we do not know the ages of any of these women, we can infer a definite trend. They all seem to have been teenagers – significantly younger than the mean. If their ages could be added to the calculation, the mean age of Muhammad’s brides would be even lower, perhaps around 22 years.

Muhammad acquired these five women in the last five years of his life, so his mean age as bridegroom has to be raised. While we don’t know all of his wedding dates or the dates where he first sexually assaulted his slaves, the new figure would probably come to about 55 years – making the age difference between Muhammad and his “average wife” a grand mean of 33 years.

It should thus be kept in mind that the calculation that Muhammad’s average wife was 29 years younger than himself and that she became his bride when she was 24½ should be seen as conservative, and underrepresenting both the age gap and the youth of Muhammad's female lover in each case.

==See Also==

*[[:Category:Muhammad's wives and concubines|Muhammad's wives and concubines]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Muhammad]]
[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:Muhammad's wives and concubines]]
[[Category:Marriage]]
[[Category:Sahabah (companions)]]
[[Category:Ahl al-Bayt (People of the House)]]
{{page_title|Ages of Muhammad's Wives at Marriage}}

Portal: Muhammad’s Wives and Consorts

2024-06-13T17:11:28Z

AdrianE: Fixed some sentences.

<metadesc>Muhammad’s Wives and Consorts portal summary</metadesc>
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|image_alt=Umhat AlMu'mineen
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The wives of the prophet are described as "أمهات المؤمنين" or "mothers of the believers". As such the prophetic example is considered instructive for all Muslim households. How the prophet interacted with his wives, and how they obeyed him, is a framework for how Muslim husbands and wives ought to interact, as well as how men should interact with their own female slaves. [[Aisha]], the prophet's favorite wife, has an especially loft position in the sacred history of Islam. She was the last person the prophet interacted with before he died, and she also forms the starting point for many important [[sahih]] narrations about his life in the [[hadith]]. As such her life is considered especially instructive for Muslim women and believers in general.

==Aisha==

Aisha was the youngest wife of the prophet, and also his favorite. The prophet, according to the tradition, passed away in her lap. After the expansion of Islam, she was a key figure in the criticism of the early [[Khilafah (Caliphate)|caliphate]] and also a key player in the first fitna, which saw her face off against Ali at the battle of the camel, where she was defeated and Ali took the throne of the caliphate for himself. As she was the prophet's favorite, the tradition goes to great lengths to emphasize her virginity, youth, and purity, even to the point of emphasizing that she was 6 years old when she was married to the prophet and 9 when the marriage was consummated.

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{{PortalArticle|image=Aisha.png|title=Aisha bint Abi Bakr|summary= Aisha was Muhammad's third and favorite wife, who was married to Muhammad at the age of six, and the daughter of Abu Bakr Abdullah b. Uthman, Muhammad's best friend. Aisha's status as the favorite wife of Muhammad gave her a preeminent position both in the early caliphate and in the Islamic tradition itself.|description=}}

{{PortalArticle|image=Muhammad_and_Aisha_freeing_chief%27s_daughter.jpg|title=Aisha's Age|summary=Aisha was only 6 when the prophet married her and 9 when the marriage was consummated, according to the sources which the Islamic tradition itself deems most trustworthy. This is [https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Qur%27an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Aisha#Aisha.27s_Age_at_Consummation_and_Marriage confirmed in multiple hadiths].|description=}}

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==Muhammad's Other Wives and Consorts==

Depending on the sources, Muhammad had around 19 wives and concubines, the concubines being slaves of his. Many of the marriages were conducted for political reasons, but the tradition is also quite frank that Muhammad was very fond of women and had a voracious sexual appetite; he is even imputed with the sexual powers of 30 men.

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{{PortalArticle|image=Safiyya_bint_Huyayy.png|title=Safiyah|summary=Safiyah was the beautiful wife of the Jewish leader Kinana, whom the prophet killed after conquering his people at Khaybar. Muhammad took her as a slave, but gave her freedom as her mahr for their marriage.|description=}}
{{PortalArticle|image=Khadijah.png|title=Khadijah bint Khuwaylid|summary=Khadijah was the prophet's first wife. She was considerably older than him and he benefited from her thriving trade business. She was one of the first converts to Islam.|description=}}
{{PortalArticle|image=wives of the prophet.jpg|title=Muhammad's Marriages|summary=The prophet married many women, though some of them died while he was alive so he was not married to them all at the same time.|description= }}
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{{PortalArticle|image=Muhammad and Aisha.png|title=Ages of Muhammads Wives at Marriage|summary=Muhammad married different women at different stages of their lives.|description= }}
{{PortalArticle|image=Prophet-Muhammad-wives.jpg|title=Muhammads Marriages of Political Necessity|summary=Although the tradtion is quite explicit that Muhammad was fond of women, many of his marriages also had a political dimension to them, solidifying alliances within the early Islamic community. |description=. }}
{{PortalArticle|image=Maria Al Qibtiyya.png|title=Mariyah Al-Qibtiyah (Mary the Copt)|summary=Mariyah was a beautiful girl sent to Muhammad as a sex slave by the Christian patriarch of Egypt. She bore Muhammad a son, who apparently would have been a prophet had he not died in infancy, but several anomalies in her biography lead modern scholars to question her historical existance. |description=. }}

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Maria the Copt (Mariyah Al-Qibtiyyah)

2024-06-12T20:37:03Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

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[[File:Maria Al Qibtiyya.png|220px|right|thumb|Islamic seal of Mariyah as a "mother of the believers"]]
Mary the Copt (Arabic: مارية القبطية Mariyah Al-Qibtiyah‎), also known as Maria Qubtiyya, was one of the concubines/sex slaves of the prophet Muhammad. Although she is considered an ''umm al-mu'minin'' أم ألمؤمنين (Mother of the Believers) she was never actually the wife of the prophet according to the accepted historical sources by orthodox Sunni Islam.<ref>{{Cite web| title = Maria, the Copt: Prophet Muhammad's Wife or Concubine? {{!}} ICRAA.org| author = | work = ICRAA.org| date = | access-date = 18 November 2021| url = https://www.icraa.org/maria-copt-muhammad-wife-concubine/| quote = }}</ref><ref name="seek_WasM">{{Cite web| title = Was Mariya al-Qibtiyya Ever a Wife of the Prophet Muhammad? - SeekersHub Answers| author = | work = SeekersHub Answers| date = | access-date = 3 March 2016| url = https://seekersguidance.org/answers/general-counsel/was-mariya-al-qibtiyya-ever-a-wife-of-the-prophet-muhammad/| quote = }}</ref> The Muslim academic scholar Jonathan Brown has examined in detail the evidences cited by modern writers who believe Muhammad married Mariyah, but found in each case that the source was "both extremely rare and unreliable, or it is ambiguous".<ref>Jonathan A. C. Brown, ''Slavery & Islam'', Chapter 7: Concubines and consent, London: Oneworld Publications, 2019. 
Brown writes:
{{Quote-text||The problem with this explanation is that it lacks any support whatsoever. It is a denial of history, not an interpretation of it. Aside from modern Muslim authors, there is simply no evidence that Mariya was not a slave woman of the Prophet who bore him a son."}}
In Appendix 4: Was Māriya the Wife or Concubine of the Prophet?, Brown goes through the evidence cited by those who claim Muhammad married Mariyah, but finds in each case that these are ambiguous, or both extremely rare and unreliable, for example where a purported evidence relies on an anomalous manuscript that differs from other copies of the same work.</ref> According to the [[sira]] she was sent to Muhammad as a gift from the Christian Patriarch of Egypt. According to the [[hadith]] and the [[sirah]] her beauty and Muhammad's lust for her incited the jealousy of Muhammad's wives, in particular Hafsa and [[Aisha]]. The jealousy they had of her and Muhammad's response was actually the [[Asbab al-Nuzul (Revelational Circumstances of the Quran)|cause]] of the "revelation" of several Qur'an verses according to the tradition. Although she converted to Islam and bore the prophet a son who later died, as an ''umm-walad'' she remained a slave of the prophet until he died, according to most of the traditional scholars. The traditional sources compare her concubinage to that of Hajar to Ibrahim, and the son that Mariyah bore was named Ibrahim. According to classical Islamic sources, had her son Ibrahim lived, he too would have been a prophet.

==Life Before Muhammad==

Not much is known of Mariyah's life before she was gifted to the prophet as a sex slave. According to the traditional sources, she was the son of a certain Sham'un from the town of Hafn in the region of Ansina. According to the traditional sources, she was gifted to Muhammad with her sister Shirin; but since the shari'ah prohibits a man having concurrent sexual relations with a woman and her sister, Muhammad was forced to choose between the two, and chose Mariyah for her exceeding beauty, while giving her sister to the poet Hassan bin Thabit.<ref name="Powers2011_1">{{cite book | author = David Powers | date = 15 March 2011 | title = Muhammad Is Not the Father of Any of Your Men: The Making of the Last Prophet | publisher = University of Pennsylvania Press | pages = 56| isbn = 978-0-8122-2149-7 | oclc = 1037937026 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=OUxWN1VBnBEC}}</ref>

==Gifting to Muhammad and Conversion to Islam==
According to the traditional sources, after the treaty of Hudaybiya, the prophet Muhammad sent letters to the heads of various Middle Eastern powers inviting them to convert to Islam. One of these letters went to a certain Al-Muqauqis, who is not immediately identifiable with any historical person but seems to be the Melkite Patriarch Cyril of Egypt.<ref name="Brill1954">{{cite book | date = 1954 |Öhrnberg, Kaj| title = The Encyclopaedia of Islam: Khe-Naz. Vol. 5-7 | publisher = Brill | pages = 511| isbn = 978-90-04-08112-3 | oclc = 1000117476 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=d5kQzQEACAAJ}}</ref> He did not, apparently, accept the [[Dawah|call]] to Islam but in response sent Mariyah and her sister Shirin as sex slaves to Muhammad. That a Christian patriarch in Egypt would send Christian girls as sex slaves to this strange, obscure, and previously unknown heretic in Arabia was a question that apparently never arose on any side; there is no confirmation of any part of this story in contemporary Muslim or non-Muslim accounts from the 7th century, and the narrative itself only appears in Muslim sirah, tafsir and hadith literature written over a hundred years after the fact. On the way to Medina, she converted to Islam. When she and her sister arrived in Medina, since Muhammad could not have concurrent sexual relations with both sisters as per Islamic law, Muhammad chose Mariyah for her exceeding beauty. The prophet did not wed her, but rather kept her as his jaariyah (جارية) or surriyah (سرية), that is his sex slave. The prophet was very stricken with her and gave her a house in the upper portion of Medina, which purportedly still exists to this day.<ref name="BRILL1990">{{cite book | author = BRILL | date = 1990 |F. Buhl| title = The Encyclopedia of Islam, Volume 6, Fascicules 114a: Preliminary Matter and Binder | publisher = BRILL | pages =575 | isbn = 978-90-04-09358-4 | oclc = 753138826 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=hYlytQEACAAJ}}</ref>

==Scandal with Muhammad's Wives and Quranic Revelation==

According to multiple tafsir and hadith traditions, the first 6 ayaat (verses) of surat-at-tahriim (surah 66) were revealed to Muhammad in regards to a sexual scandal within his household. According to the traditional reading, the verses admonish Muhammad's wives and command him to fulfill his desires as Allah has allowed to him:

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|66|1|6}}|
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَآ أَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ لَكَ ۖ تَبْتَغِى مَرْضَاتَ أَزْوَٰجِكَ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
قَدْ فَرَضَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ تَحِلَّةَ أَيْمَٰنِكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ مَوْلَىٰكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِلَىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَٰجِهِۦ حَدِيثًا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِۦ وَأَظْهَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُۥ وَأَعْرَضَ عَنۢ بَعْضٍ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِۦ قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنۢبَأَكَ هَٰذَا ۖ قَالَ نَبَّأَنِىَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ
إِن تَتُوبَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ۖ وَإِن تَظَٰهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَىٰهُ وَجِبْرِيلُ وَصَٰلِحُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ
عَسَىٰ رَبُّهُۥٓ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبْدِلَهُۥٓ أَزْوَٰجًا خَيْرًا مِّنكُنَّ مُسْلِمَٰتٍ مُّؤْمِنَٰتٍ قَٰنِتَٰتٍ تَٰٓئِبَٰتٍ عَٰبِدَٰتٍ سَٰٓئِحَٰتٍ ثَيِّبَٰتٍ وَأَبْكَارًا
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَٰٓئِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَّا يَعْصُونَ ٱللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ

O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Allah has already ordained for you [Muslims] the dissolution of your oaths. And Allah is your protector, and He is the Knowing, the Wise.
And [remember] when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement; and when she informed [another] of it and Allah showed it to him, he made known part of it and ignored a part. And when he informed her about it, she said, "Who told you this?" He said, "I was informed by the Knowing, the Acquainted."
If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him - then indeed Allah is his protector, and Gabriel and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants.
Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you - submitting [to Allah], believing, devoutly obedient, repentant, worshipping, and traveling - [ones] previously married and virgins.
O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded.}}

The entire scandal of Muhammad sleeping with Maria is explained in the tafsir of al-Jalalayn on surah 66 (at-tahrim) verse 1-3:

{{Quote|Tafsir of Al-Jalalayn on Qur'an 66:1-3|
يا أيّها النَّبِيّ لِمَ تُحَرِّم ما أحَلَّ اللَّه لَك﴾ مِن أمَتك مارِيَة القِبْطِيَّة لَمّا واقَعَها فِي بَيْت حَفْصَة وكانَتْ غائِبَة فَجاءَتْ وشَقَّ عَلَيْها كَوْن ذَلِكَ فِي بَيْتها وعَلى فِراشها حَيْثُ قُلْت: هِيَ حَرام عَلَيَّ ﴿تَبْتَغِي﴾ بِتَحْرِيمِها ﴿مَرْضاة أزْواجك﴾ أيْ رِضاهُنَّ ﴿واللَّه غَفُور رَحِيم﴾ غَفَرَ لَك هَذا التَّحْرِيم﴿
قَدۡ فَرَضَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ تَحِلَّةَ أَیۡمَـٰنِكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ مَوۡلَىٰكُمۡۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِیمُ ٱلۡحَكِیمُ﴾ [التحريم ٢]﴿
قَدْ فَرَضَ اللَّه﴾ شَرَعَ ﴿لَكُمْ تَحِلَّة أيْمانكُمْ﴾ تَحْلِيلها بِالكَفّارَةِ المَذْكُورَة فِي سُورَة "المائِدَة" ومِن الأَيْمان تَحْرِيم الأَمَة وهَلْ كَفَّرَ ﷺ ؟ قالَ مُقاتِل: أعْتَقَ رَقَبَة فِي تَحْرِيم مارِيَة وقالَ الحَسَن: لَمْ يُكَفِّر لِأَنَّهُ ﷺ مَغْفُور لَهُ ﴿واللَّه مَوْلاكُمْ﴾ ناصِركُمْ﴿
وَإِذۡ أَسَرَّ ٱلنَّبِیُّ إِلَىٰ بَعۡضِ أَزۡوَ ٰ⁠جِهِۦ حَدِیثࣰا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتۡ بِهِۦ وَأَظۡهَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَیۡهِ عَرَّفَ بَعۡضَهُۥ وَأَعۡرَضَ عَنۢ بَعۡضࣲۖ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِۦ قَالَتۡ مَنۡ أَنۢبَأَكَ هَـٰذَاۖ قَالَ نَبَّأَنِیَ ٱلۡعَلِیمُ ٱلۡخَبِیرُ﴾ [التحريم ٣]﴿
و﴾ اذْكُرْ ﴿إذْ أسَرَّ النَّبِيّ إلى بَعْض أزْواجه﴾ هِيَ حَفْصَة ﴿حَدِيثًا﴾ هُوَ تَحْرِيم مارِيَة وقالَ لَها لا تُفْشِيه ﴿فَلَمّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِ﴾ عائِشَة ظَنًّا مِنها أنْ لا حَرَج فِي ذَلِكَ ﴿وأَظْهَرَهُ اللَّه﴾ أطْلَعَهُ ﴿عَلَيْهِ﴾ عَلى المُنَبَّأ بِهِ ﴿عَرَّفَ بَعْضه﴾ لِحَفْصَةَ ﴿وأَعْرَضَ عَنْ بَعْض﴾ تَكَرُّمًا مِنهُ ﴿فَلَمّا نَبَّأَها بِهِ قالَتْ مَن أنْبَأَك هَذا قالَ نَبَّأَنِي العَلِيم الخَبِير﴾ أيْ اللَّه

"O Prophet! Why do you prohibit what God has made lawful for you, in terms of your Coptic handmaiden Māriya"— when he lay with her in the house of Hafsa, who had been away, but who upon returning [and finding out] became upset by the fact that this had taken place in her own house and on her own bed — by saying, ‘She is unlawful for me!’, seeking, by making her unlawful [for you], to please your wives? And God is Forgiving, Merciful, having forgiven you this prohibition.
"Allah has already ordained for you [Muslims] the dissolution of your oaths. And Allah is your protector, and He is the Knowing, the Wise."
Verily God has prescribed, He has made lawful, for you [when necessary] the absolution of your oaths, to absolve them by expiation, as mentioned in the sūrat al-Mā’ida [Q. 5:89] and the forbidding of [sexual relations with] a handmaiden counts as an oath, so did the Prophet (s) expiate? Muqātil [b. Sulaymān] said, ‘He set free a slave [in expiation] for his prohibition of Māriya’; whereas al-Hasan [al-Basrī] said, ‘He never expiated, because the Prophet (s) has been forgiven [all errors]’. And God is your Protector, your Helper, and He is the Knower, the Wise.
"And [remember] when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement; and when she informed [another] of it and Allah showed it to him, he made known part of it and ignored a part. And when he informed her about it, she said, 'Who told you this?' He said, 'I was informed by the Knowing, the Acquainted.'"
And, mention, when the Prophet confided to one of his wives, namely, Hafsa, a certain matter, which was his prohibition of Māriya, telling her: ‘Do not reveal it!’; but when she divulged it, to ‘Ā’isha, reckoning there to be no blame in [doing] such a thing, and God apprised him, He informed him, of it, of what had been divulged, he announced part of it, to Hafsa, and passed over part, out of graciousness on his part. So when he told her about it, she said, ‘Who told you this?’ He said, ‘I was told by the Knower, the Aware’, namely, God. And, mention, when the Prophet confided to one of his wives, namely, Hafsa, a certain matter, which was his prohibition of Māriya, telling her: ‘Do not reveal it!’; but when she divulged it, to ‘Ā’isha, reckoning there to be no blame in [doing] such a thing, and God apprised him, He informed him, of it, of what had been divulged, he announced part of it, to Hafsa, and passed over part, out of graciousness on his part. So when he told her about it, she said, ‘Who told you this?’ He said, ‘I was told by the Knower, the Aware’, namely, God.}}

As the above tafsir lays out, according to the story preserved over many hadith and tafsir traditions Muhammad was caught in flagrante delicto having sexual relations with Maria in the house of Hafsa. Muhammad told Hafsah he would not do this again and begged her not to tell Aishah, but she disobeyed his wish and told her anyway. Allah sent down Qur'an 66:1 in order to chastise Muhammad for forbidding himself Mariyah. Not satisfied with having allowed Muhammad to have sex with their servant in Hafsah's house, Allah further chastised his wives and threatened them with hell fire for disobeying him:

{{Quote|Tafsir Al-Jalalayn on Qur'an 66:4-5|﴿إنْ تَتُوبا﴾ أيْ حَفْصَة وعائِشَة ﴿إلى اللَّه فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبكُما﴾ مالَتْ إلى تَحْرِيم مارِيَة أيْ سَرَّكُما ذَلِكَ مَعَ كَراهَة النَّبِيّ ﷺ لَهُ وذَلِكَ ذَنْب وجَواب الشَّرْط مَحْذُوف أيْ تَقَبُّلًا وأَطْلَقَ قُلُوب عَلى قَلْبَيْنِ ولَمْ يُعَبِّر بِهِ لِاسْتِثْقالِ الجَمْع بَيْن تَثْنِيَتَيْنِ فِيما هُوَ كالكَلِمَةِ الواحِدَة ﴿وإنْ تَظاهَرا﴾ بِإدْغامِ التّاء الثّانِيَة فِي الأَصْل فِي الظّاء وفِي قِراءَة بِدُونِها تَتَعاوَنا ﴿عَلَيْهِ﴾ أيْ النَّبِيّ فِيما يَكْرَههُ ﴿فَإنَّ اللَّه هُوَ﴾ فَصْل ﴿مَوْلاهُ﴾ ناصِره ﴿وجِبْرِيل وصالِح المُؤْمِنِينَ﴾ أبُو بَكْر وعُمَر رَضِيَ اللَّه عَنْهُما مَعْطُوف عَلى مَحَلّ اسْم إنْ فَيَكُونُونَ ناصِرِيهِ ﴿والمَلائِكَة بَعْد ذَلِكَ﴾ بَعْد نَصْر اللَّه والمَذْكُورِينَ ﴿ظَهِير﴾ ظُهَراء أعْوان لَهُ فِي نَصْره عَلَيْكُما
﴿عَسَىٰ رَبُّهُۥۤ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن یُبۡدِلَهُۥۤ أَزۡوَ ٰ⁠جًا خَیۡرࣰا مِّنكُنَّ مُسۡلِمَـٰتࣲ مُّؤۡمِنَـٰتࣲ قَـٰنِتَـٰتࣲ تَـٰۤىِٕبَـٰتٍ عَـٰبِدَ ٰ⁠تࣲ سَـٰۤىِٕحَـٰتࣲ ثَیِّبَـٰتࣲ وَأَبۡكَارࣰا﴾ [التحريم ٥]
﴿عَسى رَبّه إنْ طَلَّقَكُنَّ﴾ أيْ طَلَّقَ النَّبِيّ أزْواجه ﴿أنْ يُبَدِّلهُ﴾ بِالتَّشْدِيدِ والتَّخْفِيف ﴿أزْواجًا خَيْرًا مِنكُنَّ﴾ خَبَر عَسى والجُمْلَة جَواب الشَّرْط ولَمْ يَقَع التَّبْدِيل لِعَدَمِ وُقُوع الشَّرْط ﴿مُسْلِمات﴾ مُقِرّات بِالإسْلامِ ﴿مُؤْمِنات﴾ مُخْلِصات ﴿قانِتات﴾ مُطِيعات ﴿تائِبات عابِدات سائِحات﴾ صائِمات أوْ مُهاجِرات

"If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him - then indeed Allah is his protector, and Gabriel and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants."
If the two of you, namely, Hafsa and ‘Ā’isha, repent to God … for your hearts were certainly inclined, towards the prohibition of Māriya, that is to say, your keeping this secret despite [knowing] the Prophet’s (s) dislike of it, which is itself a sin (the response to the conditional [‘if the two of you repent to God’] has been omitted, to be understood as, ‘it will be accepted of both of you’; the use of [the plural] qulūb, ‘hearts’, instead of [the dual] qalbayn, ‘both [your] hearts’, is on account of the cumbersomeness of putting two duals together in what is effectively the same word); and if you support one another (tazzāharā: the original second tā’ [of tatazāharā] has been assimilated with the zā’; a variant reading has it without [this assimilation, tazāharā]) against him, that is, the Prophet, in what he is averse to, then [know that] God, He (huwa, [a pronoun] for separation) is indeed his Protector, His supporter, and Gabriel, and the righteous among the believers, Abū Bakr and ‘Umar, may God be pleased with both of them (wa-Jibrīlu wa-sālihu’l-mu’minīna is a supplement to the [syntactical] locus of the subject of inna [sc. ‘God’]), who will [also] be his supporters, and the angels furthermore, further to the support of God and those mentioned, are his supporters, assistants of his, in supporting him [to prevail] over both of you.
"Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you - submitting [to Allah], believing, devoutly obedient, repentant, worshipping, and traveling - [ones] previously married and virgins."
It may be that, if he divorces you, that is, [if] the Prophet divorces his wives, his Lord will give him in [your] stead (read yubaddilahu or yubdilahu) wives better than you (azwājan khayran minkunna is the predicate of ‘asā, ‘it may be’, the sentence being the response to the conditional) — the replacement [of his wives by God] never took place because the condition [of his divorcing them] never arose — women submissive [to God], affirming Islam, believing, faithful, obedient, penitent, devout, given to fasting — or given to emigrating [in God’s way] — previously married and virgins.}}

Ibn Kathir also recounts how Qur'an 66:1-6 were revealed to Muhammad by Allah because, in response to Hafsa and Aisha's complaints about Muhammad sleeping with Mariyah, Muhammad cut himself off sexually from Mariyah:
{{Quote|Tafsir of ibn Kathir on Qur'an 66:1-3| أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَتْ لَهُ أَمَةٌ يَطَؤُهَا، فَلَمْ تَزَلْ بِهِ عَائِشَةُ وَحَفْصَةُ حَتَّى حَرَّمها، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكَ﴾ ؟ إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ(١) .
وَقَالَ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ...: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَصَابَ أُمَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي بَيْتِ بَعْضِ نِسَائِهِ، فَقَالَتْ: أَيْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، فِي بَيْتِي وَعَلَى فِرَاشِي؟! فَجَعَلَهَا عَلَيْهِ حَرَامًا فَقَالَتْ: أيْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، كَيْفَ يَحْرُم عَلَيْكَ الْحَلَالُ؟ فَحَلَفَ لَهَا بِاللَّهِ لَا يُصِيبُهَا. فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكَ﴾ ؟

The messenger of Allah, peace and prayer of Allah be upon him, was having sexual relations with a female slave which he had, but Aisha and Hafsa would not cease to bother him about it until he forbid himself to continue it, until Allah praised and glorious brought down a verse saying "O prophet, why do you forbid to yourself what Allah has allowed" until the end of the verse. Ibn Jarir said...The messenger of Allah, peace and prayer of Allah be upon him had sex with Um Ibrahim (Mariyah Al-Qibtiyah) in the house of some of his women. Then she (Hafsah?) said "Hey messenger of Allah! In my house and upon my bed?!" Then the prophet made it forbidden (for him to have sex with her). Then she said "Hey messenger of Allah, how will you forbid what is allowed to you?" Then he swore not to have sex with her. Then Allah revealed "Oh prophet why do you forbid what Allah has made allowable to you?"}}The slave in this case is usually said to be Mariyah. In response, according to the tradition, Allah sent down surat-at-tahreem, the surah of making things off limits. Hafsa was highly aggrieved by this and told [[Aisha]] who also rebuked the prophet for his sexual appetite and cruelty to Hafsa. {{Quote|{{Al Nasai|26|4|36|3411}}|أَخْبَرَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ يُونُسَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَرَمِيٌّ - هُوَ لَقَبُهُ - قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي قَالَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَتْ لَهُ أَمَةٌ يَطَؤُهَا فَلَمْ تَزَلْ بِهِ عَائِشَةُ وَحَفْصَةُ حَتَّى حَرَّمَهَا عَلَى نَفْسِهِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ‏{‏ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكَ ‏}‏ إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ ‏.‏

It was narrated from Anas, that the Messenger of Allah had a female slave with whom he had intercourse, but 'Aishah and Hafsah would not leave him alone until he said that she was forbidden for him. Then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed:

"O Prophet! Why do you forbid (for yourself) that which Allah has allowed to you.' until the end of the Verse.}}

As the Encyclopedia of Islam states, other narratives exist around these verses, but considering how bad the original narrative looks for Muhammad it is unlikely that any of the alternatives were the most primordial narrative; rather, the above narrative would appear to be the oldest, and the others were later fabrications meant to protect the reputation of the prophet.<ref name="Brill">{{cite book | title = The Encyclopaedia of Islam: Mahk-Mid | publisher = Brill | pages = 575 | oclc = 399624 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9lbIwAEACAAJ}}</ref>

==Scandal of Maria's Accused Fornication With Her Cousin and His Execution==
After the death of [[Khadijah bint Khuwaylid|Khadijah]], Muhammad took about 16 (+/-) wives and concubines for himself, but few of them bore him any children and none any boys. Maria, though, bore him a baby boy shortly after she was given in concubinage to Muhammad; since none of the prophet's other partners save Khadija bore him a boy and few a child, a rumor spread that it was actually Maria's male cousin Mabur, who had also been given as a slave to the prophet, who had impregnated Maria. When Muhammad heard those rumors, he ordered the killingof Mabur without any court trial, which would have been required by [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)]] in a similar case with any other person, and since this was fornication between two unmarried slaves the penalty should have been 50 lashes, not death.
{{Quote|{{Muslim|37|6676}}|Anas reported that a person (a coptic slave whose name was "Mabur" and he was the cousin of Maria al-Qibtiyya) was charged with fornication with the slavegirl of Allah's Messenger (i.e. Maria al-Qibtiyya). Thereupon Allah's Messenger said to 'Ali: Go and strike his neck. 'Ali came to him and he found him in a well making his body cool. 'Ali said to him: Come out, and as he took hold of his hand and brought him out, he found that his sexual organ had been cut. Hadrat 'Ali refrained from striking his neck. He came to Allah's Apostle and said: Allah's Messenger, he has not even the sexual organ with him}}{{Quote|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20211010105134/https://islamweb.net/ar/library/index.php?page=bookcontents&flag=1&bk_no=74&ID=6740 Al-Mustadrak 'ala al-Sahihayn (Arabic: المستدرك على الصحيحين) by Imam Hakim]|2=«عن عايشة قالت : اهديت مارية إلى رسول اللّه ومعها ابن عم لها . قالت : فوقع عليها وقعة فاستمرت حاملا . قالت : فعز لها عند ابن عمها . قالت : فقال اهل الافك والزور : «من حاجته إلى الولد ادعى ولد غيره» وكانت امّه قليلة اللبن فابتاعت له ضائنة لبون فكان يغذى بلبنها فحسن عليه لحمه . قالت عايشة : فدخل به علىّ النبى صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ذات يوم فقال : «كيف ترين»؟ فقلت : من غذى بلحم الضأن يحسن لحمه . قال : «ولا الشبه» قالت : فحملنى ما يحمل النساء من الغيرة أن قلت : ما أرى شبها . قالت : وبلغ رسول اللّه ما يقول الناس فقال لعلى ... ». Aisha said: " Maria" was presented to the prophet of Islam (as a slave woman) and her cousin (a coptic male slave) was with her. After a while Maria became pregnant. Upon that, the people started slandering that since he [the prophet of Islam] needed child, he related the son of that slave-man to himself. Since Maria, as a mother didn’t have enough breast milk, they fed him by sheep 's milk that’s why he (the son Ibrahim) was fat. 'Aisha said: Once the prophet brought him to me and asked what I thought about him, I replied, "everyone fed by sheep 's milk will get fat." The holy prophet said doesn’t he look like me? '''Aisha said, "I jealously said "No" ." and then the prophet heard of the untrue accusations of people to toward Maria. Upon that the prophet sent Ali to kill her cousin ...'''}}
Yet Muhammad persisted in his jealousy, and the angel Jibreel had to come down and confirm him that Ibrahim was indeed his child:
{{Quote|[http://al-hakawati.net/Books/BookDetails/7518/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B3--%D9%85%D8%A7-%D8%A3%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B5%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D9%88%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%B5%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%87-%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%85 Al-Badaya wa Al-Nahaya by Ibn Kathir]|عن أنس قال‏:‏ لما ولدت مارية إبراهيم كاد أن يقع في النَّبيّ صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم منه شيء حتَّى نزل جبريل عليه السلام فقال‏:‏ ‏(‏‏(‏السلام عليك يا أبا إبراهيم‏)‏‏)‏‏. Anas said, when Ibrahim was born to Maria, then Muhammad became doubtful if Ibrahim was really his son or not. Upon that angel Jibrael came to him and said: Peace be upon you, O the Father of Ibrahim (i.e. confirmed to him that Ibrahim was indeed his son).}}
In the end, since Mabur was a eunuch, he was not killed. Yet the ordering of the extra-juridical killing of Mabur was in contravention of [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)]]. In addition, the slander against Maria would be considered qadhf قذف or slander in an Islamic shari'ah court and theoretically should have been punished with lashing, as was done in the incident of Ifk with Aisha. The case thus presents interesting examples of the prophet contravening what would later be codified as Islamic law.

==Son She Birthed to the Prophet==

According to the sirah and hadith, Mariyah was an ''umm-walad'' أم ولد of the prophet, a status given to a slave-woman who bore her master a child. The son she bore him was named Ibrahim, after the prophet. The child died very young, within a year and a half of his birth, and Muhammad is said to have shed tears over his death. According to the traditional sources he died during an eclipse, which combined with the fact that he died only 5 months before his father would put his death on the 10th of Shawwal 10 AH or the 27th of January 632 CE.<ref name="Powers2011_2">{{cite book | author = David Powers | date = 15 March 2011 | title = Muhammad Is Not the Father of Any of Your Men: The Making of the Last Prophet | publisher = University of Pennsylvania Press | pages = 56| isbn = 978-0-8122-2149-7 | oclc = 1037937026 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=OUxWN1VBnBEC}}</ref> Multiple ahadith tell that he would have been a prophet had he grown to adulthood. The hadith also speak of his death being necessary due to Muhammad being خاتم النبيين"khaatam al-nabiyyin'" or the "seal of the prophets".<ref name="Powers2011_3">ibid, 57</ref> This is also in line with the famous Quranic verse surat-al-ahzab (surah 33) verse 40:

{{Quote|{{Quran|33|40}}|
مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَآ أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن رَّسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ ٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمًا

Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and last of the prophets. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing.}}

As such, according to this verse, Ibrahim could not have lived since Muhammad is not the father of any of the men of the believers.

==Influence on Islamic Law and Society==

The use of Mariyah sexually by the prophet, like every aspect of the prophet's life, provides an example for later Muslims and the religious justification for the sexual exploitation of slave women by Muslim men.<ref name="GordonHain2017_1">{{cite book | editor1 = Matthew Gordon | editor2 = Kathryn A. Hain | date = 2017 | title = Concubines and Courtesans: Women and Slavery in Islamic History | publisher = Oxford University Press | pages = 327| isbn = 978-0-19-062218-3 | oclc = 1014474115 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=F3QzDwAAQBAJ}}</ref> Her sexual exploitation by Muhammad was in continuity with the practice of the pagan Arabs and was continued by later Islamic empires and movements,<ref name="Bosworth1989">{{cite book | author = Clifford Edmund Bosworth | date = 1 January 1989 | title = The Encyclopedia of Islam, Volume 6, Fascicules 107-108 | publisher = Brill Archive | pages = 575| isbn = 978-90-04-09082-8 | oclc = 60063572 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=tPsUAAAAIAAJ}}</ref> up to the very current day with the ISIS terrorist organization taking Yazidi girls in Iraq as sex slaves on the prophetic model. Since Mariyah also bore Muhammad a son, and was an umm-walad أم ولد or mother of a boy for the prophet, her story was integral to later Islamic discourse about the place of the sons of slave women in Islamic societies (although the classical jurists of the 4 traditional Sunni madhabs do not usually invoke her example as a "proof text")<ref name="GordonHain2017_2">{{cite book | editor1 = Matthew Gordon | editor2 = Kathryn A. Hain | date = 2017 | title = Concubines and Courtesans: Women and Slavery in Islamic History | publisher = Oxford University Press | pages = 225| isbn = 978-0-19-062218-3 | oclc = 1014474115 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=F3QzDwAAQBAJ}}</ref>. Since the raiding for sexual slaves formed a large part of the wealth-building enterprise undertaken by later Islamic caliphates and empires such as the Umayyads, Abbasids and many others the number of children born to slave women quickly proliferated in Islamic society. There were so many children of concubines in Islamic society that several contenders for the throne of the caliphate ended up being the children of slave women. The rightly guided-caliphs and the early Umayyads were all free-born Arab men, but in 740 Zayd bin Ali made an unsuccessful bid for the caliphate, and he was the child of a slave woman. His opponent used his lineage as the son of a sex slave to mock and belittle him, claiming that his birth to an unfree woman disqualified him from the throne.<ref name="GordonHain2017">ibid, 238</ref> Yet by 744, Yazid III became the first caliph born of a slave mother; thereafter, the next 3 Umayyad caliphs and most of the Abbasids caliphs were the sons of concubines. Zayd bin Ali in his arguments for why the son of a slave woman such as himself should be eligible for caliph made great reference to Isma'il and Hajar. Hajar's biography bears many resemblances to Mariyah's; both were from Egypt, both were the concubines of prophets, both suffered the jealousy of the rightful wife (wives) of the prophet, both bore sons to the prophet, with the name of the son of Mariyah being the name of the husband of Hajar. Later caliphs and other sons of concubines would invoke the legacy of Mariyah and her son Ibrahim, who might have been another prophet, to justify their place in Islamic society.<ref>Ibid, 230</ref>

As Mariyah was an umm-walad of the prophet, and as the concept took on greater importance in Islamic society as the children of concubines, the example of Mariyah was used in Islamic discourse to discuss the rights, privileges and duties of an umm-walad and her offspring in Islamic societies. Although the umm-walad is elevated above the rank of the normal slave, she is still a slave. The husband has the right to avail himself of her sexually whenever he wants,<ref name="Scribner1982">{{cite book | date = 1982 | title = Dictionary of the Middle Ages: Cabala-Crimea. Vol. 3 | publisher = Scribner | pages = 527| isbn = 978-0-684-16760-2 | oclc = 929425948 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=FSN2tAEACAAJ}}</ref> as Muhammad continued to with Mariyah (and as Allah instructed him to do). There was some discussion in Islamic sources such as ibn Kathir as to whether the umm-walad must be freed.<ref name="BosworthDonzel1998_1">{{cite book | editor1 = C. E. Bosworth | editor2 = E. Van Donzel | author1 = Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen Gibb | author2 = International Union of Academies | date = 1998 | title = The Encyclopaedia of Islam: Volume X Fascicule 163-164 | publisher = BRILL | pages = 857| isbn = 978-90-04-11056-4 | oclc = 164878157 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Lc8OOQAACAAJ}}</ref> There were ahadith to the affect that Muhammad freed Mariyah after she bore him Ibrahim; the conclusion of Islamic law is that this may or may not have happened but if it did this was done out of Muhammad's special love for Mariyah and is not applicable to slave women who bear children in general. The son of an umm-walad, though, was taken to be a free man, as Ibrahim would certainly have been free had he survived to adulthood.<ref name="BosworthDonzel1998_2">ibid, 857</ref> The umm-walad can also not be sold from her master or separated from her son. The prophetic example of Muhammad and Mariyah provides an example of the umm-walad in the biography of the prophet himself, and the exalted status of their son would prove a powerful rhetorical tool in the disputes over the places of the offspring of umm-walads in Islamic societies.

==Historicity==

As noted above, the story of Mariyah is deeply reflective of the story of Abraham (Ibrahim)'s concubine Hagar (Hajar) in the Bible. Like Hajar she is Egyptian, and the tradition associates a number of sayings of the prophet to Muhammad that the Muslims should treat the Copts of Egypt well based on the prophet's love of Mariyah; similar hadith traditions exist about Hajar. Like Hajar Mariyah provided a son to the otherwise son-less Muhammad. The fact that Muhammad had so many wives but so few children in an age when it was considered a sign of god's favor for a man to have many children must have caused suspicion to arise--which is likely why the Qur'an verse above specifically mentions Muhammad by name, which is unusual in the Qur'an, and states that he is not the father of any of the men of the believers (which has led to the theory that the verse itself is perhaps an interpolation into the text after the death of the prophet). Like Hajar Mariyah became a devout believer in the message of her prophet, and like Hajar Mariyah aroused the jealousy of the prophet's household due to her youth and her fertility in bearing a son for the prophet. These parallels, as well as the convenient connection of her to some otherwise hard-to-explain verses in the Qur'an, have led some scholars to conclude that Mariyah either never existed or her story was embellished beyond recognition by elements lifted wholesale from the Hajar narrative.<ref name="GordonHain2017_4">{{cite book | editor1 = Matthew Gordon | editor2 = Kathryn A. Hain | date = 2017 | title = Concubines and Courtesans: Women and Slavery in Islamic History | publisher = Oxford University Press | pages = 228| isbn = 978-0-19-062218-3 | oclc = 1014474115 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=F3QzDwAAQBAJ}}</ref> The constant pairing of Hajar and Mariyah in later Muslim debates about the concept of "umm-walad" in Islamic law underscores the close connection between these two figures.

In addition to the biblical connections to Hajar, the tradition closely associated Muhammad with Ibrahim. In the sirah of Ibn Hisham/Ibn Ishaq, Muhammad is said to remark upon meeting Ibrahim that he is the person that most resembles himself.<ref>{{Cite web| title = When Ibrahim (AS) Met Muhammad (SAW) {{!}} About Islam| author = | work = About Islam| date = | access-date = 24 November 2021| url = https://aboutislam.net/multimedia/videos/when-ibrahim-as-met-muhammad-saw/| quote = }}</ref> In giving birth to "Ibrahim" Mariyah brings the entire circle around full in respect to the connection of her narrative to that of Ibrahim and Hajar. Even her name has antecedents--in the Shahnahmah (the epic poem describing the lives of the pre-Islamic shahs of Iran) the emperor Maurice (582-602 CE) gave his daughter Mariyah in marriage to the Persian shah Khusraw Parviz (590-628 CE). He ended up leaving her, though, for the love of his youth, Shirin. The royal antecedent for Mariyah is fitting, considering how at the time of the compilation of the Islamic narratives of the sirah and the hadith Muslim claimants to the throne of the caliph were claiming royal lineage through their slave mothers and citing the example of Mariyah.<ref name="Öhrnberg1984">{{cite book | author = Kaj Öhrnberg | date = 1984 | title = Mariya Al-qibtiyya Unveiled | publisher = Finnish Oriental Society | pages = 298 | oclc = 28522109 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=s_ZSwQEACAAJ}}</ref> In addition to all of the above, the death of young Ibrahim serves to underscore the status of Muhammad as "khaatim al-nabiyyin" خاتم النبيين or the "seal of the prophets".<ref name="Powers2011_5">{{cite book | author = David Powers | date = 15 March 2011 | title = Muhammad Is Not the Father of Any of Your Men: The Making of the Last Prophet | publisher = University of Pennsylvania Press | pages = 57| isbn = 978-0-8122-2149-7 | oclc = 1037937026 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=OUxWN1VBnBEC}}</ref> Considering the literary and biblical allusions, it is quite likely that Mariyah in fact either never existed<ref name="Öhrnberg1984_2">{{cite book | author = Kaj Öhrnberg | date = 1984 | title = Mariya Al-qibtiyya Unveiled | publisher = Finnish Oriental Society | pages = 302 | oclc = 28522109 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=s_ZSwQEACAAJ}}</ref> or that the major details of her story were literary embellishments meant to strengthen the connection of Muhammad to Ibrahim, provide a link with Muhammad to the people of Egypt, justify the norms around the "umm-walad" in the Islamic shari'ah, underline the doctrine of the seal of the prophets and reinforce the idea that Muhammad "is not the father of any of your men".

==References==
<references />
[[ar:مارية_القبطية]]

Uswa Hasana

2024-06-12T20:13:25Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

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In the mainstream theology of Sunni [[Islam]], the Prophet Muhammad is known as '''al-Insān al-Kāmil''' (the perfect human) and '''uswa hasana''' (an excellent model of conduct). This is taken to mean that his conduct in all things, from how he prayed, how he conducted himself in business and in war, his sexual relations with his wives, slaves and concubines, and even how he cleaned himself after defecation and urination is an exemplar and model for all humans to follow at all times, regardless of historical circumstance and independent of culture.

==Historical Moral Relativism vs Uswa Hasana==

Modern historians tend to approach the study of particular historical periods, governments and personages from a perspective of historical and cultural relativism. So when in the course of study it comes to light that for instance Julius Caesar sold the women and children of the Gauls he defeated into slavery and paraded his enemy, the Gaulish king/warlord Vercingetorix, like an animal through Rome before executing him (likely by strangulation), although not necessarily endorsing these actions historians will tend to offer context such as explaining that such actions were not at all unusual for other people at the time. On the other hand, when a leader such as Adolf Hitler ordered his soldiers and security forces entering the Soviet Union to specifically ignore international treaties on the treatment of prisoners of war in order to brutalize and murder as many "sub-humans" as possible or to set up industrial killing camps with the objective of physically annihilating entire ethnic groups, an idea new to the entire history of mankind, historians tend to pass judgement on these actions as being worse for breaking the contemporary norms of the times these leaders lived in, exceeding even their contemporaries' expectations of human cruelty and viciousness.

When historians turn to the historical narratives of Muhammad offered in the sira, tafsir and hadith traditions, many actions such as Muhammad massacring and enslaving the [[Banu Qurayza]], taking [[Safia]] as a slave-wife after executing her husband, or ordering the execution of Meccan poets who had written verses against him once he conquered Mecca are contextualized by noting that these actions were in keeping with the mores and expectations of warfare and statecraft in the Late Antique/early medieval Middle East. This is more often than not perfectly true--contemporary Arabs potentates, the Romans in Byzantium and the Sassanid Persians had no concept of "human rights", "freedom of speech", or "freedom of religion" inter alia and routinely committed what would today be called crimes against humanity against minority religious groups such as the Manicheans, flaying the flesh from their bones and crucifying them, killing prisoners of war when ransom was not received, and both empires were heavily dependent on slave labor, including the practice of creating eunuchs through forced castration.

It must, however, be noted that the Islamic concept of "Uswa Hasana" stands in direct contradiction to this modern historical methodology. When Muhammad married Aisha at 6 and consummated the marriage when she was 9, this was not simply the action of a man living in a pre-modern culture where women married and bore children very young to assist in their survival; this was the perfect conduct of the perfect man which is an example for all men of all time to follow. When Muhammad ordered the ancient pagan statues of Mecca smashed and all pagans across the Arabian peninsula given the choice of Islam or the sword, this was the proper and right conduct to be followed by all Muslims and their governments in regard to pagan "mushrikuun" of all times and all of their idols, including [[Islamic Law#Music and Art|the ancient Buddha statues of Afghanistan which were dynamited]] by the Taliban, and as certain Salafi groups in Egypt argue today even including the ultra-ancient pyramids and temples of the ancient Egyptian pagans.

Muhammad repeatedly told his followers to follow his [[Sunnah]] (example) and in the [[Qur'an]] we see that [[Allah]] even asserts his morality as being “sublime” ({{Quran|68|4}}), therefore according to the doctrine of Uswa Hasana Muhammad cannot be seen as simply a product of his time. To orthodox Muslim eyes, admitting to a cultural relativism vis-a-vis the prophet appears as blasphemy. Amongst other effects it would essentially invalidate the majority of Islamic [[fiqh]] which very often takes as its starting point the actions and attitudes of the prophet regarding a given question. From an orthodox Islamic perspective, this is simply unthinkable. The Qur'an itself though delivered by the prophet was created by god and is beyond the constraints of time, just as likewise the actions of the prophet were in every way divinely ordained and sanctioned. It is not simply 'inspired' but the very words of Allah, uttered through the lips of his final messenger who pleased his lord in every way. Hence, Muhammad's actions are (and always will be) morally acceptable to orthodox Muslims who hold this doctrine.

==Text from the Qur'an==

{{quote|{{qtt|33|21}}|
'''Original:''' لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرً

'''Translation:''' (It) had been for you in God's messenger a good example/model to who was hoping/expecting God, and the Day the Last/Resurrection Day, and remembered/mentioned God much. }}
{{quote|{{qtt|60|4}}|

'''Original:'''
قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُوا لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَآءُ مِنكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَاءُ أَبَدًا حَتَّىٰ تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ إِلَّا قَوْلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ وَمَا أَمْلِكُ لَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ رَّبَّنَا لَكَ وَمَا أَمْلِكُ لَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ رَّبَّنَا

'''Translation:''' A good example/model (to follow) had been for you in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their nation: "We are innocent/separating from you, and from what you worship from other than God, we disbelieved with you, and the animosity and the intense hatred appeared between us and between you (for) ever (E), until you believe with (in) God alone." Except Abraham's word/statement to his father: "I will ask for forgiveness for you, and I do not own/possess for you from God from a thing, our Lord, on You we relied depended (on) , and to You we returned/repented , and to You (is) the end/destination." }}
{{quote|{{qtt|60|6}}|

'''Original:''' لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِيهِمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيد

'''Translation:''' A good example/model (to follow) had been for you in them, to who was hoping/expecting God, and the Day the Last/Resurrection Day; and who turns away, so then God, He is the rich, the praiseworthy/commendable.}}

See related: [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Islamic Theology#Hadith_and_Sunnah|Islamic Theology/Hadith and Sunnah]]

===Lane's Lexicon===
{{quote|[http://www.studyquran.co.uk/1_ALIF.htm Lane's Lexicon - Alif Siin Waw]|
'''Alif-Siin-Waw''': to imitate any one. uswah - model, imitation, relief, consolation, pattern, example worthy of imitation.

uswah n.f. {{Quran|33|21}}, {{Quran|60|4}}, {{Quran|60|6}}}}

==The Implications of Uswa Hasana for Muslims in the Modern World==

Orthodox Muslims today are encouraged by the ulema to emulate Muhammad and his 7th century actions (as remembered by scholars writing in the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th centuries, when Islamic doctrine and supremacy was unquestioned and unchallenged in its own lands) as closely as they can, as a form of devotion to Allah. Due to this, the actions and ideas endorsed by orthodox Islamic scholars often stand in stark contrast to modern ideas of human rights, women's rights, minority rights, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion inter alia. Some examples include:

Muhammad and child marriage:
{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3310}}|A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah's Apostle (Mohammad) married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house when I was nine years old.}}
Many Muslim clerics thus argue today that the age of marriage for girls should be as low as 6, and some Muslim countries such as Pakistan follow this in their laws.

Muhammad and the murder of hundreds of prisoners of war:

{{Quote|{{citation|title=The Life of Muhammad|trans_title=Sirat Rasul Allah|ISBN=0-19-636033-1|year=1955|publisher=Oxford UP|author1=Ibn Ishaq (d. 768)|author2=Ibn Hisham (d. 833)|editor=A. Guillaume|url=https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up|page=464}} {{citation|title=سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا|author1=ابن إسحاق|author2=ابن هشام|url=https://app.turath.io/book/23833|publisher=al-Maktabah al-Shamilah|volume=vol. 2|page=240-241}}
|ثُمَّ بَعَثَ إلَيْهِمْ، فَضَرَبَ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ فِي تِلْكَ الْخَنَادِقِ، يُخْرَجُ بِهِمْ إلَيْهِ أَرْسَالًا، وَفِيهِمْ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ حُيَيُّ بْنُ أَخْطَبَ، وَكَعْبُ بْنُ أَسَدٍ، رَأْسُ الْقَوْمِ، وهم ستّ مائَة أَو سبع مائَة، وَالْمُكْثِرُ لَهُمْ يَقُولُ: كَانُوا بَين الثمان مائَة وَالتسع مائَة.

Then he (Muhammad) sent for them and struck off their heads in trenches as they were brought to him in batches. Among them was the enemy of Allah Huyyay bin Akhtab and Ka'b bin Asad their chief. There were 600 or 700 in all, though some put the figure as high as 800 or 900.}}

Islamic extremist groups have used such actions of the prophet as a pretext for murdering captured enemy soldiers, civilians, and minorities, even creating a genre of prisoner execution videos.

Muhammad and slavery:
{{Quote||These are the names of Muhammad's male slaves: Yakan Abu Sharh, Aflah, 'Ubayd, Dhakwan, Tahman, Mirwan, Hunayn, Sanad, Fadala Yamamin, Anjasha al-Hadi, Mad'am, Karkara, Abu Rafi', Thawban, Ab Kabsha, Salih, Rabah, Yara Nubyan, Fadila, Waqid, Mabur, Abu Waqid, Kasam, Abu 'Ayb, Abu Muwayhiba, Zayd Ibn Haritha, and also a black slave called Mahran, who was re-named (by Muhammad) Safina (`ship').<ref name="Zad al-Ma'ad">Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, Zad al-Ma'ad, Part 1, pp. 114-116</ref>}}

{{Quote||Muhammed's Maid Slaves "are Salma Um Rafi', Maymuna daughter of Abu Asib, Maymuna daughter of Sa'd, Khadra, Radwa, Razina, Um Damira, Rayhana, Mary the Coptic, in addition to two other maid-slaves, one of them given to him as a present by his cousin, Zaynab, and the other one captured in a war.<ref name="Zad al-Ma'ad"></ref>}}
When ISIS captured the "pagan" Yazidis of Sinjar, this conduct was used as a pretext for taking young male Yazidis and females Yazidis as slaves, including sex slaves.

Muhammad and homosexuality:
{{quote | {{Al Tirmidhi|2|3|15|1457}}|It was narrated by Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: There is nothing I fear for my ummah more than the deed of the people of Loot."}}
To this day, homosexuality remains illegal in most Muslim countries; homosexual marriage equality is not even a discussed issue in the popular discourse of most Muslim countries, and some Muslim governments and extremist groups make a point of executing people (mostly men) who engage in homosexual relationships.

Muhammad and domestic violence against women:

{{Quote|{{Muslim|4|2127}}| Aisha: 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.}}

To this day, Islamic religious scholars by and large continue to endorse the beating of disobedient wives by their husbands, and this is not seen as a crime in the laws of most Muslim countries.

In contemporary discourse modern Muslims who wish to live and practice their faith in accordance with modern norms of behavior often condemn such actions as barbaric, and often seek to invoke Muhammad's culture context to explain them. The doctrine of Uswa Hasana, however, makes this argument exceedingly difficult, especially when the argument is between Muslims who wish to follow modern mores and traditionalist Muslims who wish to hew to the classical understanding of the canonical Islamic sources. To take one example, Muhammad himself is claimed to have said: “A man will not be asked as to why he beat his wife.”<ref>Narrated Umar ibn al-Khattab - {{Abu Dawud|11|2142}}</ref>

==Challenges to Uswa Hasana from Within the Islamic Tradition==

An often mentioned counterpoint to Uswa Hasana is that the prophet himself appears to be rebuked in surah 80 and told to repent, thus proving that Muhammad was not perfect. Muhammad is rebuked in the Qur'an for turning away from a blind man, but this has not traditionally been taken as proof against the doctrine of Uswa Hasana. In Islam, prophets are ''ma'asoom'' معصوم (infallible/sinless/innocent). They may err (''Zallat'' زلات "slips"), but this is not the same as committing a sin. Sin in Islam has traditionally been seen as doing something against Allah's prescribed teachings. Muhammad did not sin because the incident involving the blind man occurred prior to Allah admonishing him. An act thus only becomes a sin after Allah ordains it as such. For example, Muhammad and the early Muslims drank [[alcohol]], but this allowance was abrogated by a later Qur'anic revelation, and the scholars have not traditionally held that Muhammad committed a sin here.
==See Also==

*[[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Islamic Theology#Hadith_and_Sunnah|Islamic Theology/ Hadith and Sunnah]]
*[[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad|Muhammad's Sunnah]]

==External Links==

*[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/396226/Muhammad/251801/The-ethical-and-spiritual-character-of-Muhammad|2=2012-12-07}} Muhammad's character, Islamic law and theology] ''- Encyclopædia Britannica Online''

'''Islamic sites'''

*[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.iqra.net/verses-muhammad/|2=2012-02-07}} Some Selected Verses From The Holy Qur'an On OUR BELOVED PROPHET MUHAMMAD]
*[{{Reference archive|1=http://web.archive.org/web/20090122054220/http://islamia.com/the_last_prophet.htm|2=2011-07-29}} The Last Prophet - Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets]

'''Videos'''

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlcgbhvGRWE&feature=player_embedded Sami Zaatari vs. David Wood: Is Muhammad a Good Role Model for Society?]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Muhammad]]
[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]]
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Sacred history]]
[[Category:Society and human nature]]
[[Category:Sirah]]
[[Category:Fiqh (legal theory)]]
[[ar:الأسوة_الحسنة]]

Islam

2024-06-12T19:54:50Z

AdrianE:

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Islam is a religion based on the teachings of [[Muhammad]], a man from the 7th century Arabia, who claimed to receive messages from Allah (god) through angel Gabriel. People who believe it are called Muslims and there are 1.5+ billion Muslims, which makes Islam the second most wide-spread religion after Christianity. The holiest text in Islam is the [[Quran|Qur'an]], which contains what Muhammad claims to be revelations made by Allah. After Muhammad received the first revelation, he kept receiving more and more revelations until [[Circumstances Surrounding Muhammad's Death|his death]]. The completion of the Qur'an took over twenty years and it was compiled into a book form many years after Muhammad's death. A great portion of the Qur'an deals with Muhammad's personal life and the early Muslim community. Muslims believe that the Qur'an is the final message from the creator of the universe and people should follow it, today, tomorrow, and forever.

==Teachings==
A great emphasis is placed upon ''"tawheed"'', which means worshiping only Allah and no other gods.<ref>''"...The man asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) What is Islam?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Islam is to worship Allah and not worship anything besides Him..."'' {{Bukhari|6|60|300}}</ref> Muslims repeat phrases like "There is no god, but Allah!" (''la ilaha illa allah'') or "Allah is the greatest!" (''Allahu Akbar'') to emphasize the rejection of other gods. Polytheists are called ''Mushrik مشرك'' and polytheism is called ''[[shirk]]'' شرك and Islam even accuses other monotheistic religions, like Christianity of committing ''shirk'' (claiming Jesus is the son of God is a type of ''shirk''). Similarly fundamental to the religion is the belief in the [[Uswa Hasana|perfection]] of Muhammad in all parts of his life. Muhammad's way of life is called the [[sunnah]], and this is studied through what was alleged to have been transmitted of Muhammad's sayings in the [[Hadith|hadiths]] and [[sira]].

Islam is considered to be one of Abrahamic religions, as the Qur'an builds on much of the content of the Bible. The Qur'an talks about Abraham, Moses and Jesus (however, Jesus is considered to be only a prophet, and not the son of God). The Qur'an refers frequently to Jewish, Christian and pagan myths which were wide-spread in 7th century Arabia.

The Qur'an contains many verses dealing with Muhammad's personal life (for instance, there is an entire chapter dedicated to stating that the creator of the universe is angry at Muhammad's uncle, Abu Lahab) and the early Muslim community. Islamic law or ''[[Sharia]]'' permits [[Jihad in Islamic Law|war]] against the [[Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam (the Abodes of War and Peace)|Dar al Harb]], and as a part of this, raiding, kidnapping and [[Slavery in Islamic Law|enslaving]] non-Muslim [[Kafir (Infidel)|unbelievers]] is also allowed.<ref>{{Citation|url=https://archive.org/details/islamabolitionof0000clar|title=Islam and the Abolition of Slavery|page=27–28|publisher=Oxford University Press|ISBN=978-0-19-522151-0|author=William Gervase Clarence-Smith|year=2006}}</ref> The Qur'an also comprises many other legal and moral commandments for Muslims, and gives direction and guidance to the Muslim polity or caliphate. These commandments are, today, of controversial nature, as many of the Qur'an's legal rulings tend to marginalize, among others, women, [[Kafir (Infidel)|non-Muslims]], homosexuals, and apostates. The political commandments are likewise controversial, as they frequently assert the need for global domination and conquest, not shying away from describing in explicit terms the great multitudes that will need to be slain in the process. Literal readings of the Qur'an's legal and political commandments constitute Islamic orthodoxy, though, in the absence of a "legitimate" caliphate, most orthodox voices suggest the political commandments need not be followed through with (legal commandments, however, are generally promoted for implementation). Islamists, on the other hand, believe that in the absence of a legitimate caliphate, the caliphate must be actively pursued. Indeed, it is the Islamists who are responsible for the great majority of Islamic extremism and Islamic terrorism.

==See Also==

*[[The Meaning of Islam]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Allah]]
[[Category:Slavery]]
[[Category:Muhammad]]
[[Category:Islamic History]]
[[Category:Sacred history]]
[[Category:Society and human nature]]
[[Category:Revelation]]
[[Category:Abrogation]]

Women's Intelligence and the Islamic Tradition

2024-06-12T19:42:45Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

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The [[Quran]] and authentic [[Hadith|Hadiths]] both directly and indirectly declare [[Islam and Women|women]] to be frivolous, unintelligent, ungrateful, and religiously and legally disabled as a result. The attitudes towards women these ideas give rise to have underpinned Islamic thinking and [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)|Islamic law]] ever since [[Muhammad]]'s time and the founding of Islam in the deeply patriarchal culture of tribal 7th-century Arabia, where and when these ideas found ample precedent.

Among the beliefs and rulings resulting from the Islamic doctrine of women being, as a rule, less intelligent and religious than men are the halved value of female testimony in a Sharia court compared to that of a man and the doctrine that the majority of Hell's inhabitants are women.

While in modern times many Islamic modernists and a few Islamic traditionalists have countered these traditional doctrines, the unusually explicit and straightforward nature of the scriptures concerned as well as their direct reference to one another has made it difficult for these new perspectives to gain much purchase beyond certain limited circles. The mainstream understanding, meanwhile, continues to remain firmly on the side of the traditional and classical authorities.

==In Islamic scriptures==

===In the Hadith===

{{quote | {{Bukhari|1|6|301}}|

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." }}

{{quote | {{Bukhari|2|24|541}}|

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri

On 'Id ul Fitr or 'Id ul Adha Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) went out to the Musalla. After finishing the prayer, he delivered the sermon and ordered the people to give alms. He said, "O people! Give alms." Then he went towards the women and said. "O women! Give alms, for I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-Fire were you (women)." The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is the reason for it?" He replied, "O women! You curse frequently, and are ungrateful to your husbands. '''I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. O women,''' some of you can lead a cautious wise man astray." Then he left. And when he reached his house, Zainab, the wife of Ibn Masud, came and asked permission to enter It was said, "O Allah's Apostle! It is Zainab." He asked, 'Which Zainab?" The reply was that she was the wife of Ibn Mas'ub. He said, "Yes, allow her to enter." And she was admitted. Then she said, "O Prophet of Allah! Today you ordered people to give alms and I had an ornament and intended to give it as alms, but Ibn Masud said that he and his children deserved it more than anybody else." The Prophet replied, "Ibn Masud had spoken the truth. Your husband and your children had more right to it than anybody else." }}

{{quote | {{Bukhari|3|48|826}}|

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri

The Prophet said, "Isn't the witness of a woman equal to half of that of a man?" The women said, "Yes." He said, "This is because of the deficiency of a woman's mind." }}

===In the Quran===

{{quote | {{Quran|2|282}}|'''Corpus:''' O you who believe[d]! When you contract with one another any debt for a term fixed then write it. And let write between you a scribe in justice. And not (should) refuse a scribe that he writes as (has) taught him Allah. So let him write and let dictate the one on whom (is) the right and let him fear Allah, his Lord, and (let him) not diminish from it anything. Then if is the one on him (is) the right, (of) limited understanding, or weak, or not capable that (can) dictate he, then let dictate his guardian with justice. And call for evidence two witnesses among your men. And if not there are two men then one man and two women of whom you agree of [the] witnesses, (so) that (if) [she] errs, one of the two, then will remind one of the two the other. And not (should) refuse the witnesses when that they are called. And not (be) weary that you write it - small or large for its term. That (is) more just near Allah, and more upright for evidence and nearer that not you (have) doubt, except that be a transaction present, you carry out among you, then not on you any sin that not you write it. And take witness when you make commercial transaction. And not (should) be harmed (the) scribe and not (the) witness, and if you do, then indeed it (is) sinful conduct for you, and fear Allah. And teaches Allah. And Allah of every thing (is) All-Knower. 
'''Pickthall:'''O ye who believe! When ye contract a debt for a fixed term, record it in writing. Let a scribe record it in writing between you in (terms of) equity. No scribe should refuse to write as Allah hath taught him, so let him write, and let him who incurreth the debt dictate, and let him observe his duty to Allah his Lord, and diminish naught thereof. But if he who oweth the debt is of low understanding, or weak, or unable himself to dictate, then let the guardian of his interests dictate in (terms of) equity. And call to witness, from among your men, two witnesses. And if two men be not (at hand) then a man and two women, of such as ye approve as witnesses, so that if the one erreth (through forgetfulness) the other will remember. And the witnesses must not refuse when they are summoned. Be not averse to writing down (the contract) whether it be small or great, with (record of) the term thereof. That is more equitable in the sight of Allah and more sure for testimony, and the best way of avoiding doubt between you; save only in the case when it is actual merchandise which ye transfer among yourselves from hand to hand. In that case it is no sin for you if ye write it not. And have witnesses when ye sell one to another, and let no harm be done to scribe or witness. If ye do (harm to them) lo! it is a sin in you. Observe your duty to Allah. Allah is teaching you. And Allah is knower of all things. 
'''Yusuf Ali:'''O ye who believe! When ye deal with each other, in transactions involving future obligations in a fixed period of time, reduce them to writing Let a scribe write down faithfully as between the parties: let not the scribe refuse to write: as Allah Has taught him, so let him write. Let him who incurs the liability dictate, but let him fear His Lord Allah, and not diminish aught of what he owes. If they party liable is mentally deficient, or weak, or unable Himself to dictate, Let his guardian dictate faithfully, and get two witnesses, out of your own men, and if there are not two men, then a man and two women, such as ye choose, for witnesses, so that if one of them errs, the other can remind her. The witnesses should not refuse when they are called on (For evidence). Disdain not to reduce to writing (your contract) for a future period, whether it be small or big: it is juster in the sight of Allah, More suitable as evidence, and more convenient to prevent doubts among yourselves but if it be a transaction which ye carry out on the spot among yourselves, there is no blame on you if ye reduce it not to writing. But take witness whenever ye make a commercial contract; and let neither scribe nor witness suffer harm. If ye do (such harm), it would be wickedness in you. So fear Allah; For it is Good that teaches you. And Allah is well acquainted with all things. If ye are on a journey, and cannot find a scribe, a pledge with possession (may serve the purpose). And if one of you deposits a thing on trust with another, let the trustee (faithfully) discharge his trust, and let him Fear his Lord conceal not evidence; for whoever conceals it, - his heart is tainted with sin. And Allah knoweth all that ye do.}}

==In the tradition==

===Al-Tabari's ''Tarikh''===

Abu Jafar Muhammad bin Jarir al-Tabari (d. 923) is recognized as one of the greatest of all Islamic scholars. He not only wrote one of the most authoritative tafsirs (commentaries) on the Qur'an but also wrote a history of the world (''tarikh'') from the Islamic worldview. Published in English as ''The History of al-Tabari'' (SUNY Press, NY) in 39 volumes, this work presents world history from the creation account up until al-Tabari's death. In this work, al-Tabari presents the Islamic view on the historical origins and nature of female menstruation.

According to the Islamic account of creation found in Tabari's work, when Allah created Adam and Eve and placed them in the garden, they were told to not eat of a certain tree. Eve was tempted by Iblis (Satan) to eat of the tree, and she then gave some to Adam to eat also. Adam and Eve thereafter tried to flee from God because of shame after their private parts were exposed. From this act of disobedience of Eve, it is said, came God's curse on women.

{{Quote|{{Tabari|1|pp. 280-281}}|His Lord called out to him: Adam, is it from Me that you are fleeing? Adam replied: No, my Lord, but I feel shame before You. When God asked what had caused his trouble, he replied: Eve, My Lord. Whereupon God said: Now it is My obligation to make her bleed once every month, as she made this tree bleed. '''I also must make her stupid, although I created her intelligent''' ''(halimah),'' and must make her suffer pregnancy. Ibn Zayd continued: '''Were it not for the affliction that affected Eve, the women of this world wound not menstruate, and they would be intelligent and, when pregnant, give birth easily.'''}}

In a lecture delivered by the well-known Saudi Islamic scholar Abd Al-Aziz Al-Fawzan, a response is made to the criticism made by 'enemies' of Islam against Muhammad's "women are deficient" statement by confirming the account found in Tabari:

{{Quote|[http://www.memri.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/350/1483.htm Husbands Should Put Up with Their Wives' Slips and Errors, Because the Twisted Nature of Women Stems from Their Very Creation] MEMRI TV, Clip No. 1483, Broadcast: June 11, 2007|The Prophet '''Muhammad said about women: "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," and so on. This hadith and others like it were misunderstood by the ignorant. Corrupt people interpreted it in a way that differs from its original intent. Because of their ignorance, their insolence, their stupidity, and because of their enmity towards Islam and Muslims, they turned this hadith into evidence that Islam disgraces women, diminishing her value, and describes her in inadequate terms. . . . 
These hadiths provide some of the most decisive evidence that Islam protects women and guarantees their rights. Islam has surrounded the woman with a fence of compassion and mercy. '''It has shown that the twisted nature of women stems from their very creation. This is how Allah wanted woman to be.''' Therefore, the husband must adapt himself to her and be patient with her. He should not giver her too many things to do, or things that she is incapable of doing. '''He should not make her do anything that is contrary to her nature, and to the way she was created by Allah'''. In addition, '''he should turn a blind eye to her mistakes, he should tolerate her slips and errors, and put up with all the silly ignorant things she might say, because this constitutes part of the nature of her creation'''. In addition, women have surging emotions, which in some cases, might overpower their minds. The weakness with which women were created is the secret behind their attractiveness and appeal to their husbands. It is the source of women's seduction of men, and one of the elements strengthening the bond between husband and wife. This is one of the wondrous miracles of Allah: The strength of a woman lies in her weakness. Her power of seduction and appeal lie in her emotions, which might overpower her mind at times. . . . 
Both husband and wife should satisfy their spouse's natural urges, and should try to gratify their desires, as long as nothing prevents this. This is why the Prophet said: "When a man calls his wife to fulfill his needs, she must go to him, even if she is busy with the oven." Imagine this: There is fire in the oven, and she wants to bake bread. But even if she's busy with this work that cannot be neglected, when he calls her, she must leave the oven and go to her husband. Another hadith says: "She must go to him, even if she is on the back of a camel." She must go to him, even if she is riding.}}

===Quran 43:16-19===
In {{Quran-range|43|16|19}}, God is recorded responding to what is perceived as the very insulting idea found with Muhammad's contemporaries that God should have daughters rather than sons and that the female should have any share in the divine. In identifying why God's having a daughter should be more insulting than the equally pagan notion that he should have a son, the Quran states that because the Arabs themselves detest having daughters rather than sons, it is unbecoming that they should attribute daughters rather than sons to God. In {{Quran|43|18}}, God goes on to specify why people may feel undesirous of daughters, and suggests that it is because they are "brought up in ornaments", "trinkets", or "outward show" and are inept in their argumentation. Rather than dissenting from this description of women, the following verse goes on to suggest that this description constitutes yet another reason why God especially should not have daughters.{{quote |{{Quran-range|43|16|19}}|'''Corpus:''' Or has He taken of what, He has created, daughters and He has chosen (for) you sons. And when is given good news, (to) one of them, of what he sets up for the Most Gracious (as) a likeness, becomes his face dark and he (is) filled with grief. '''Then (is one) who is brought up in ornaments and he in the dispute (is) not clear.''' And they made, the Angels, those who themselves (are) slaves (of) the Most Gracious, females. Did they witness their creation? Will be recorded their testimony, and they will be questioned. 
'''Yusuf Ali:''' What! has He taken daughters out of what He himself creates, and granted to you sons for choice? When news is brought to one of them of (the birth of) what he sets up as a likeness to (Allah) Most Gracious, his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief! '''Is then one brought up among trinkets, and unable to give a clear account in a dispute (to be associated with Allah)?''' And they make into females angels who themselves serve Allah. Did they witness their creation? Their evidence will be recorded, and they will be called to account! 
'''Pickthal:''' Or chooseth He daughters of all that He hath created, and honoureth He you with sons? And if one of them hath tidings of that which he likeneth to the Beneficent One, his countenance becometh black and he is full of inward rage. '''(Liken they then to Allah) that which is bred up in outward show, and in dispute cannot make itself plain?''' And they make the angels, who are the slaves of the Beneficent, females. Did they witness their creation? Their testimony will be recorded and they will be questioned. 
'''Daryabadi:''' Hath He taken for Himself from whatsoever He hath created daughters, and hath honoured you with sons. And when there is announced Unto any of them the birth of that which he likeneth Unto the Compassionate, his countenance remaineth darkened the whole day and he is wroth inwardly. '''Hath He taken to Himself that which is reared in ornaments, and is in contention not plain?''' And they make the angels who are the bondmen of the Compassionate females. Have they witnessed their creation? Their testimony will be written down, and they will be questioned.}}

==Modern revisionary perspectives==

===Muhammad was referring to that specific group of women alone (Dr. Rasha al-Disuqi)===

Dr. Rasha al-Disuqi is a professor of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) at al-Azhar University, a former lecturer at California Polytechnic State University, and holds a PhD in Islamic studies from the University of Wales.<ref>{{Citation|url=https://www.cilecenter.org/about-us/our-team/dr-rasha-al-disuqi|publisher=Research Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics|title=Dr. Rasha Al Disuqi|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.cilecenter.org/about-us/our-team/dr-rasha-al-disuqi}}</ref> Al-Disuqi has been a key proponent in recent times of the idea that Muhammad, in the relevant portions of scripture, was merely referring to the group of women in front of him during the time of his address and not all women in general. Al-Disuqi's argument, colliding with classical interpretations, has been subjected to criticism both from traditional authorities and critics.

{| align="center"
|<youtube>GYoNDgB-jDU</youtube>
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====Not a blanket statement for all women====

{{quote || That hadith was said at a specific time, during a specific situation, addressing a specific group and it was not meant to be as a blanket statement.}}

Al-Disuqi's conclusion rests in part on the argument that because while making the relevant statements Muhammad was present in a specific time, place, and situation, his statements cannot be taken to be generally applicable. This argument of al-Disuqi's upsets both traditional Islamic hermeneutical practice and what might be considered a plain reading of the scriptures concerned.

In traditional interpretive practice, Islamic scholars rely on the maxim that "the meaning [of scripture] is based on the generality of the wording and not the specificity of the circumstance" (العبرة بعموم اللفظ لا بخصوص السبب).<ref>{{Citation|title=حول قاعدة : ( العبرة بعموم اللفظ لا بخصوص السبب )|url=https://islamqa.info/ar/answers/224767/%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%88%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%81%D8%B8-%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B5-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A8|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309164943/https://islamqa.info/ar/answers/224767/%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%88%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%81%D8%B8-%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B5-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A8|publisher=Islam Q&A}}</ref> The theological idea behind this practice is that since Allah tasked Muhammad with providing laws and beliefs for humankind for all eternity while still, as a human, being bound to a specific time and place, his followers would necessarily have to extrapolate his teachings which emerged in particular circumstances into future-proof, universalized formulations. Accordingly, traditional Islamic scholars agreed that if this were the case, then Muhammad would have to explicitly declare a teaching of his to be time-limited or otherwise non-generalizable in order for it not to be extrapolated into the future - otherwise there would be no way to distinguish his general proclamations from his temporal ones.

Since the scripture diminishing women's intelligence contains no such explicit qualification which limits Muhammad's comments to the women in his presence and because the scriptures also explicitly give women's lesser intelligence as the reason for the eternal Quranic law disabling women as testifiers in court, the classical understanding of these statements has always been that women were, as a rule, less intelligent than men. Classical scholars have also pointed out that the law justified with the teaching of women's lesser intelligence is itself not qualified temporally - {{Quran|2|282}} does not say, for instance, that women's testimony will be worth half of man's for "a limited time". Thus, with an unqualified pronouncement in the hadith coupled with an unqualified legal ruling in the Quran, the classical understanding has always been that women are, as a rule, less intelligent. Other evidence that has been cited to this effect, though not explicitly linked with women's intelligence in the hadith itself, is Muhammad's teaching that women should "never" be the leaders of nations.<ref>{{Bukhari|9|88|219|}}</ref>

The same reasoning for the permanence and universality of women's intelligence is traditionally used to arrive at the permanence and universality of women's religious disability. As a works-based religion where one's fate hereafter is determined deed-for-deed, according to one's acts in this life (except for those cases where God feels like bestowing his ''fadl'', or unequal favor upon someone), Islam teaches that a person is not generally judged by their ability, but their output. In a famous hadith, Muhammad taught that some people, given wealth more than others, would through donation be able to ascend to higher awards in heaven than the impoverished could ever hope to attain, for no other reason than that God had favored them, arbitrarily, with wealth. While admittedly unjust, Muhammad concluded that "This is Allah's Grace which He gives to whom He wishes".<ref>{{Muslim|4|1239|}}</ref> Similarly it is traditionally held that women are permanently disadvantaged in their ability to perform good deeds because they have been 'cursed' with menstruation, due to Eve's transgression, and are thus unable to pray as much in their lives as men (in Islam, menstruating persons are prohibited from prayer, which is the most important and most deed-rewarding Islamic ritual).<ref>[[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Women#Women and Menstruation]]</ref> This latter idea, that women are religiously disabled due to menstruation is explicitly stated in the relevant scriptures and does not refer only to the women present in Muhammad's audience at the time. This reinforces the traditional understanding that Muhammad was referring to all women in all times and places, as that comment could not possibly have been confined to his temporal audience (and is not held to be, as Islamic law has always prohibited menstruating women from praying).

It has also been pointed out by traditional authorities and critics alike that the same scriptural quotations also record Muhammad saying that "The majority of the dwellers of Hellfire are women." This cannot possibly be referring to a limited group of women, unless that group of women were larger than all the women who have ever existed outside of it throughout history. Consequently, virtually all traditional authorities agree that this doctrinal proclamation is a general description of all women rather than of a very limited group of historical women.

====Scans of male and female brains prove it was only for that group====

{{quote ||Look at an X-RAY or MRI for that matter, you'll find that both [male and female] brains are the same; why should they be deficient in any way?

Women who are smarter, more intellectual in many fields. '''That argument''' [that Muhammad was referring to all women] '''is a failure.'''}}

Al-Disuqi also presents a second argument to buttress her conclusion that Muhammad could not possible have been referring to all women. This argument, while plausible to many Islamic authorities, has had absolutely no purchase outside of Islam. Al-Disuqi argues that because science has proven that many women are even more intelligent than men, Muhammad could not possibly have meant otherwise by his statement. This argument assumes that Muhammad must have been correct in his scientific statements and that therefore they must be interpreted so as to coincide with incontestable modern scientific fact. The form of this argument is similar to those of many modern Islamic scholars who advance the idea that the Quran's scientific statements are sound (see [[Scientific Miracles in the Quran]]). The alternative possibility, that modern science is at odds with Islamic scripture and thus proves it to be incorrect, is not considered here.

Non-Muslim participants in this discussion hold a view better represented by Al-Disuqi's subsequent statement that if Muhammad meant by his statement that all women were unintelligent, he must have been mistaken ("That argument," al-Disuqi proclaims, "is a failure."). Al-Disuqi concludes that Muhammad could not have failed in this manner and thus that he must have meant something else. Non-Muslim participants in this discussion simply conclude, rather, that Muhammad being a man living in the deeply patriarchal society of 7th-century Arabian tribesmen, could easily have been mistaken on the matter of female intelligence, and almost certainly was.

===Muhammad was using hyperbole to frighten women into donating their jewelry===
Other Islamic voices attempting to reorient the traditional understanding of the relevant portions of scripture have argued that Muhammad was being exaggerative in order to convey the magnitude of his practical advice, which was simply that women, like men, should simply be pious. Here, a story narrated by Ibn Abbas is often presented as evidence of Muhammad "being playful in his use of strong terms to impress this teaching on the listeners."<ref>See, for instance, the work of Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood, an Islamic writer in the UK.</ref> The scripture presented in this vein are {{Muslim|4|1923|}}, {{Muslim|4|1924|}}, and {{Muslim|4|1926|}}.{{quote | {{Muslim|4|1923}}|

Ibn 'Abbas reported: I participated in the Fitr prayer with the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman, and all of them observed this prayer before the Khutba, and then he (the Holy Prophet) delivered the sermon. Then the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) descended (from the pulpit) and I (perceive) as if I am seeing him as he is commanding people with his hand to sit down. He then made his way through their (assembly) till he came to the women. Bilal was with him. He then recited (this verse): O Prophet, when believing women come to thee giving thee a pledge that they will not associate aught with Allah" (lx. 12) till he finished (his address to) them and then said: Do you conform to it (what has been described in the verse)? Only one woman among them replied: Yes, Apostle of Allah, but none else replied. He (the narrator) said: It could not be ascertained who actually she was. He (the Holy Prophet) exhorted them to give alms. Bilal stretched his cloth and then said: Come forward with alms. Let my father and mother be taken as ransom for you. And they began to throw rings and ringlets in the cloth of Bilal.}}

{{quote | {{Muslim|4|1924}}|

Ibn 'Abbas reported: I bear testimony to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) offering prayer before Kutba. He (after saying prayer) delivered the Kutba, and he found that the women could not hear it, so he came to them and exhorted them and preached them and commanded them to give alms, and Bilal had stretched his cloth and the women were throwing rings, earrings and other things. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ayyub with the same chain of transmitters.}}

{{quote | {{Muslim|4|1926}}|

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: I observed prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on the 'Id day. He commenced with prayer before the sermon without Adhan and Iqama. He then stood up leaning on Bilal, and he commanded (them) to be on guard (against evil for the sake of) Allah, and he exhorted (them) on obedience to Him, and he preached to the people and admonished them. He then walked on till he came to the women and preached to them and admonished them, and asked them to give alms, for most of them are the fuel for Hell. A woman having a dark spot on the cheek stood up and said: Why is it so, Messenger of Allah? He said: For you grumble often and show ingratitude to your spouse. And then they began to give alms out of their ornaments such as their earrings and rings which they threw on to the cloth of Bilal.}}

The above scriptural quotations are sometimes presented as being descriptive of the same incident where Muhammad described women as being less intelligent and deficient in religion. Put together, it is argued that these hadiths show that Muhammad was simply calling women deficient in intelligence and religion in order to frighten them into donating their jewelry and that he did not intend those statements as other than exaggerative motivational rhetoric. Critics and traditional authorities have pointed out, however, that there is no particular reason to assume that the two sets of hadith describe the same incident, as Muhammad could well have exhorted women to generosity after prayers on two separate occasions, and that even if the two sets of hadith are accepted as describing the same incident, this does not change much.

It has also been pointed out that if the statement of women making up the majority of Hellfire was merely exaggerative rhetoric intended to frighten the women into giving up their jewelry, this does not explain the comments made by Muhammad about women's intelligence. While one might argue that the women would respond to the idea of their religious disability by performing more religious acts, in this case charity, on the spot, it is not at all clear how their intelligence could be relevant in this context.

Finally, the very idea of Muhammad making exaggerative rhetorical comments on matters of theology is considered deeply problematic by traditional Islamic theologians for a number of reasons. Foremost amongst these is that in all matters theological, Muhammad's word is taken to be final, as no one else is qualified to comment on these topics. Consequently, if one theological proclamation made by Muhammad is taken as rhetorical, then all his proclamations of this kind are suspect, and this cannot be acceptable to a Sunni orthodoxy which relies on literal readings of all scripture. The problem here emerges that if the comment on Hell's inhabitants was fundamentally fictitious, then, from a theological standpoint, Hell itself could be too.

===Deficiency is limited to financial testimony===

Some others have argued that while Muhammad did say that women were less intelligent than men, he only meant this in the very limited sense of their being less intelligent with respect to financial transactions. Islamic modernists and feminists have added to this reduction of scope the statement's time-bound nature, arguing that not only was the claim limited to women's intelligence with respect to financial dealings, but that that limitation in their intelligence was itself limited to the premodern times where one could expect that women, being home-bound for the most part, had less experience dealing with sums of money. It is important to note that this latter argument presented by modernist and feminist voices in Islam has been wholeheartedly rejected by mainstream Islamic authorities. This is because in declaring the legal disability of women to be time-bound, the entirety of the Sharia is made susceptible to revision under changing circumstances. Sunni orthodoxy is vehemently opposed to such thorough-going modern revisionism, since it deems the Sharia to be eternal, perfect, and unchanging, and thus does not consider this modernist and feminist perspective to have any theological legitimacy.

While non-Muslim participants in this discussion have welcomed these otherwise incredible revisionist perspectives for humanitarian reasons, the interpretation the revisionists rely on have strained credulity. The biggest problem facing these new interpretations is that {{Quran|2|282}} itself gives a reason for why two women testifiers are required in lieu of one. The verse states that the reason for this requirement is so that if one woman forgets something, the other may remind her. Such a stipulation is, by contrast, not made for male testifiers, and the implication is that women are more likely to forget. This, it appears, is what Muhammad is alluding to when he links women's deficiency in intelligence to their legal disability rather than lack of familiarity. What results, leaving little room for interpretive maneuvers, is that the hadith about women's deficiency in intelligence directly cites the verse about their legal disability, and the verse about women's legal disability directly cites the idea that women are somehow mentally deficient.

Also important is the fact that classical authorities did not usually interpret {{Quran|2|282}} as limiting women's legal disability as testifiers to financial transactions only. While the verse gives a particular example of a case where two women are required in lieu of one, the hadith on women's intelligence sees Muhammad generalizing this disability to all legal contexts. While classical authorities typically made exceptions for accepting the testimony of women in cases relating directly to women, such as those involving facts of menstruation, pregnancy, and the like, the common assumption was that, notwithstanding these exceptions, two women would be required to testify in the place of one man. Modern Islamic voices, including most modernist and many traditionalist figures, have only very recently shifted heavily in favor of restricting women's legal disability to financial cases alone. While this development has been welcomed for its humanitarian qualities, it cannot be said to alter historical facts about the Islamic tradition. What remains the case is that, for the longest time, Islamic authorities interpreted Muhammad's restriction on female testimony as being a general one with few exceptions, and that they held, without apology, that the reason for this restriction was, in Muhammad's own words, "the deficiency in her intelligence."

===Muhammad was joking===

Still others have, in recent times, suggested that the hadiths about women's mental deficiency, religious deficiency, and majority share in Hell be read sarcastically or satirically. The idea here, it appears, is that Muhammad, being very familiar with the women in his community, would have understood that in saying what he did, he would not be taken seriously. While sarcasm can be infamously challenging to detect in historical texts, particularly where cultural mores and expectations have changed dramatically with time, there is little in the relevant portions of scripture to suggest Muhammad was being anything but serious in his statements. Traditionalists are incensed by the insinuation that Muhammad could have been making light of such a theologically important matter as the inhabitants of hell or that he could have cited the Quran and Sharia to buttress what was only meant as a joke. Traditionalists encountering this interpretation also worry that by dismissing these hadiths and even verses as being satirical or sarcastic in nature, there is a risk that much else in the scriptures could come to be similarly dismissed, severely undermining traditional authority. Non-Muslim participants in this discussion have found this argument similarly incredible, albeit for non-theological reasons alone.

===Reinterpreting Quran 43:18===
Some modern Muslim scholars have shifted to interpreting {{Quran|43|18}} as a simple description of pagan attitudes towards women rather than an affirmation of those attitudes.<ref>{{Citation|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518193855/http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=10&ID=12885&CATE=88|url=http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=10&ID=12885&CATE=88|title=Tafseer Quran 43:18: does this verse view women negatively?|author=Shaykh Sohail Hanif|publisher=SunniPath}}</ref> However, the following verse ({{Quran|43|19}}) uses the same interrogative and exclamatory device found earlier in the passage -- a statement of what the pagans believed followed by an ''alif'' (translated "What!") -- and then Allah's rebuttal ("did they witness their creation?") which expresses incredulity and outrage. Thus it seems more likely that in {{Quran|43|18}} Allah is making what he thinks is a factual counter-argument (i.e. that women are frivolous and unintelligent) to contradict the pagan belief in the daughters of Allah.
==See also==
{{Hub4|Creation|Creation}}

==External links==

*[http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1930.htm Muslim Cleric Presents "Scientific" Proof that Women Cannot Talk and Remember Simultaneously] (MEMRI video featuring Abd Al-Majid Al-Zindani)

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Biology]]

Shari'ah (Islamic Law)

2024-06-12T19:24:52Z

AdrianE: Fixed typos.

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==Definition==

'''Islamic Laws''' are made up of Shariah|Shari'ah ('‎شريعة Šarīʿah) and ''Islamic jurisprudence'' (فقه‎ [[Fiqh]]). Shari'ah is seen as sacred and constitutes the [[Qur'an]] and [[Muhammad]]'s [[Sunnah]] (way), which is found in the [[Hadith]] and [[Sira]]. Islamic jurisprudence is a complimentary expansion and explanation of the former by Islamic jurists and scholars, and the term Shari'ah is also often applied to its body of law.

==Shari'ah==

Shari'ah not only governs public life, but also many facets of ones personal life. It has laws covering Muslim interactions with non-Muslims, sexuality, food, rituals, leisure activities, dress, hygiene etc. This is due to Muhammad's pivotal role in both the practice of Islam and the formation of Islamic law. He is considered by all Muslims, in Islamic theology, as the [[Uswa Hasana|uswa hasana]] (perfect example). Since both the practice of Islam and its laws are based on the same source, they are inseparable from one another.

{{Quote|1=[http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1123996016202&pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam/AskAboutIslamE/AskAboutIslamE The Importance of Shari`ah] Salem Al-Hasi, May 26, 2004|2=...Shari`ah is life for the Muslims’ souls and a way of life for them. 

...Shari`ah, conceptually, refers to a set of rules, regulations, teachings, and values governing the lives of Muslims. However, these rules and regulations, contrary to how they are often described by many non-Muslims, cover every aspect of life. Shari`ah embraces worship, morals and conduct, as well as it embraces the political, social and economic, as well as other spheres.}}

===Shari'ah and Human Rights===

Many respected bodies, including the [[European Court of Human Rights on Shariah Law|European Court of Human Rights]], have concluded that Shari'ah is incompatible with accepted modern standards of [[Portal: Islam and Human Rights|human rights]].

{{Quote|1=[{{Reference archive|1=http://encyclopedia.stateuniversity.com/pages/7197/European-Court-Human-Rights-ECHR.html|2=2011-11-01}} European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)] Cambridge Encyclopedia, Vol. 24|2=In 2003 and 2004, the court [European Court of Human Rights] ruled that "that sharia is incompatible with the fundamental principles of democracy" (13/02/2003) ., because the sharia rules on inheritance, women rights and religious freedom violate human rights as established in the European Convention on Human Rights. }}

{{Quote|1=[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/23/religion-islam|2=2011-11-01}} Sharia law incompatible with human rights legislation, Lords say] Afua Hirsch, legal affairs correspondent, The Guardian, October 23, 2008|2=The House of Lords today drew stark attention to the conflict between sharia and UK law, calling the Islamic legal code "wholly incompatible" with human rights legislation. The remarks came as the Lords considered the case of a woman who, if she was sent back to Lebanon, would be obliged under sharia law to hand over custody of her 12-year-old son to a man who beat her, threw her off a balcony and, on one occasion, attempted to strangle her.}}

The Islamic laws on human rights (and their laws in general) are based on the views and actions of (or attributed to) Muhammad. While other systems of law have adapted and changed with the passage of time, the basis of Shari'ah is largely defined by the Qur'an and Hadiths. For traditionalists, to reform it would be to replace or rid of it and Islam along with it. To them, Shari'ah (in terms of the Qur'an and Sunnah) are seen as Allah's unalterable holy laws. To attempt to change it would be considered blasphemous, as it constitutes [[Bid'ah]] (innovation in matters of religion), something which was forbidden by Muhammad himself.<ref>"''A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.''" - {{Muslim|18|4266}}</ref><ref>"''Narrated Aisha: Allah's Apostle said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected.''" - {{Bukhari|3|49|861}}</ref> What can be altered is Islamic jurisprudence, but as that is extracted from, and cannot contradict,<ref>Khalid Baig - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.albalagh.net/general/bidah.shtml|2=2011-11-01}} Sunnah and Bid'ah] - Albalagh, May 5, 2001</ref><ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.alahazrat.net/islam/concept-of-bidah-in-islam.php|2=2011-11-01}} Concept of Bidah in Islam] - Alahazrat International Islamic Web</ref> For neo-traditionalists, room for reinterpretation of shari'ah is rather limited. Islamic modernists, however, argue that medieval jurisprudence, the traditional authenticity of certain hadiths, and medieval interpretations of the Qur'an can reasonably be questioned and rejected today, particularly with the aid of modern academic methods.

The following is an excerpt taken from a popular fatwa website in objection to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

{{Quote|1=[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/97827|2=2011-11-01}} Western human rights organizations and the ruling on referring to them for judgement] Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 97827|2=....These so called rights and freedoms which they call for all people to enjoy regardless of religion make the monotheist and the polytheist equally entitled to these rights and freedoms, so the slave of Allaah and the slave of the Shaytaan are placed on the same level, and every worshipper of rocks, idols or people is given the complete right and freedom to enjoy his kufr and heresy. This is contrary to the laws of Allaah in this world and the Hereafter. ''[Quotes {{Quran|68|35-36}}, {{Quran|38|28}}, & {{Quran|32|18}}]'' 

It is a call to abolish the ruling on apostasy, and to openly flaunt the principles of kufr and heresy. It is a call to open the door to everyone who wants to criticize Islam or the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and to have the freedom to criticize and express oneself with no restrictions.
These are corrupt principles. Even if they suit their lives, values and religion, they do not suit us and they are contrary to our pure sharee’ah, which brought rulings that are suited to individuals and societies, and establish noble morals, and protect minds, honour, physical well being and wealth, and show people the religion which Allaah loves and is pleased with....}}

In 1981 the Iranian representative to the United Nations declared that "the Universal Declaration of Human Rights represented a secular interpretation of the Judeo-Christian tradition, which could not be implemented by Muslims."<ref>David G. Littman - [{{Reference archive|1=http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ODkzM2Q2NGE5ODQzZWI2Y2QyMzhlYjA4NWRlOWYzMzE=|2=2011-11-01}} Human Rights and Human Wrongs] - National Review, January 19, 2003</ref> Due to this conflict between Islamic and Western, liberal notions of human rights, in 1990, the OIC (Organisation of the Islamic Conference) who represent all 57 Muslim majority nations, created the [[Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam]], using Islamic scripture as its sole source.<ref>Articles 24 and 25 of the [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.religlaw.org/interdocs/docs/cairohrislam1990.htm|2=2011-11-01}} Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam]</ref> This declaration has been severely criticized by many, including; the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), the Association for World Education (AWE) and the Association of World Citizens (AWC) for its incompatibility with human rights, women's rights, religious freedom and freedom of expression, by "imposing restrictions on nearly every human right based on Islamic Sharia law."<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.iheu.org/node/3162|2=2011-11-01}} The Cairo Declaration and the Universality of Human Rights] - International Humanist and Ethical Union, May 28, 2008</ref>

Furthermore, according to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ):

{{Quote|1=[{{Reference archive|1=http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ODkzM2Q2NGE5ODQzZWI2Y2QyMzhlYjA4NWRlOWYzMzE=|2=2011-11-01}} Feb. 1992 Joint Statement to the UNCHR] The International Commission of Jurists and the International Federation for Human Rights|2=1) It gravely threatens the inter-cultural consensus on which the international human rights instruments are based; 2) It introduces, in the name of the defence of human rights, an intolerable discrimination against both non-Muslims and women; 3) It reveals a deliberately restrictive character in regard to certain fundamental rights and freedoms, to the point that certain essential provisions are below the legal standard in effect in a number of Muslim countries; 4) It confirms under cover of the "Islamic Shari'a (Law)" the legitimacy of practices, such as corporal punishment, that attack the integrity and dignity of the human being.}}

===Separation of 'Church' and State===

It is a generally accepted that there is nothing in Islam that could be described as the "separation of 'Church' and State".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/comparison_charts/islam_judaism_christianity.htm |title=Comparison of Islam, Judaism and Christianity |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/comparison_charts/islam_judaism_christianity.htm |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - ReligionFacts</ref> At the same time, neo-traditionalists represented by the scholars (ulema) graduating from institutions like the prestigious al-Azhar University in Cairo, the Shi'i seminaries, or the Indonesian Nahdlatul Ulama, see Islam as a theological doctrine, a moral code, and spiritual source, and is not conditional on establishing political government. Loyalty and patriotism towards the modern nation-state that grants them freedom of worship is advocated and a virtue (see [[History of Islamic Thought]]). For Islamists however, Shari'ah remains inseparable from the public and the personal aspects of practicing Islam. Islam, unlike many other faiths, was implemented as a theocracy during its founder's lifetime. As the founder and head of the first Islamic state, Muhammad did not differentiate between "rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's and what is God's unto God", and this is a view reflected in the following quote.

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=559 Separation Of Church And State] Muslim scholar, Dr. Ja`far Sheikh Idris, AlJumuah Magazine, Volume 13 Issue 3|2=So how are Muslims to approach the modern trend of separation of religion and state? The basic belief in Islam is that the Qur'an is one hundred percent the word of Allah, and the Sunna was also as a result of the guidance of Allah to the Prophet sallallahu allayhe wasalam. Islam cannot be separated from the state because it guides us through every detail of running the state and our lives. Muslims have no choice but to reject secularism for it excludes the law of Allah.....

Secularists....will point out that under Islamic law, people are not all equal. No non-Muslim, for example, could become the president. Well, in response to that fact, in turn, secularism is no different. No Muslim could become president in a secular regime, for in order to pledge loyalty to the constitution, a Muslim would have to abandon part of his belief and embrace the belief of secularism — which is practically another religion. For Muslims, the word 'religion' does not only refer to a collection of beliefs and rituals, it refers to a way of life which includes all values, behaviours, and details of living.

Secularism cannot be a solution for countries with a Muslim majority or even a sizeable minority, for it requires people to replace their God-given beliefs with an entirely different set of man-made beliefs. Separation of religion and state is not an option for Muslims because is requires us to abandon Allah's decree for that of a man.}}

===Spread of Shari'ah is Obligatory===

The spread of Islam and the Shari'ah is obligatory in medieval jurisprudence. For Salafi-Jihadists in modern times, Jihad is often employed with the aim of forcing governments into implementing Shari'ah on Muslims and non-Muslims alike, thus expanding the [[Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam (the Abodes of War and Peace)|Dar al-Islam]] ('house/domain of Islam'). This, once again, is based on the Sunnah attributed to Muhammad. Following the [[The Farewell Sermon|Farewell Sermon]], according to tradition he sent messengers to foreign leaders including; Negus, Chosroes of Persia, and the Eastern Roman Emperor Heraclius, commanding them to submit to his rulership; submit to Islam.<ref>"''....I [Muhammad] invite you [Emperor Heraclius] to Islam (i.e. surrender to Allah), embrace Islam and you will be safe....''" - {{Bukhari|4|52|191}}</ref> We see the same thing happening today in the modern world (for example) in Somalia<ref>{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/02/28/somalia.sharia/index.html |title=Somali president bends to rebel demand for sharia law |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/02/28/somalia.sharia/index.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - CNN, February 28, 2009</ref> where President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, in February 2009, after two years of fighting gave in to rebel demands to impose Islamic law on the country.

{{Quote|1=Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas, Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Razzaaq ‘Afeefi, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (1/373)|2=The Muslims in a country that is not governed according to Islamic sharee’ah should do their utmost and strive as much as they can to bring about rule according to Islamic sharee’ah, and they should unite in helping the party which is known will rule in accordance with Islamic sharee’ah. As for supporting one who calls for non-implementation of Islamic sharee’ah, that is not permissible, rather it may lead a person to kufr...[See {{Quran|5|49-50}}]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/107166 |title=Ruling on democracy and elections and participating in that system |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/107166 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 107166</ref>}}

==Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars on Shari'ah==

===Qur'an===

In the Quran, the word Shari'ah or its cognates occurs twice as a noun (in {{Quran|5|48}} and {{Quran|45|18}}) meaning law or path, and twice as a verb (in {{Quran|42|13}} and {{Quran|42|21}}), meaning ordained. A number of other verses speak of the requirement to obey Allah. Hadiths mention the importance of obeying Muhammad and warn against innovation (which may reflect a slightly later period when various sects were emerging).

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|4|59|60}}|O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if ye do believe in Allah and the Last Day: That is best, and most suitable for final determination. Hast thou not turned Thy vision to those who declare that they believe in the revelations that have come to thee and to those before thee? Their (real) wish is to resort together for judgment (in their disputes) to the Evil One, though they were ordered to reject him. But Satan's wish is to lead them astray far away (from the right).}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|65}}|But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against Thy decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|105}}|We have sent down to thee the Book in truth, that thou mightest judge between men, as guided by Allah: so be not (used) as an advocate by those who betray their trust;}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|5|44|45}}|It was We who revealed the law (to Moses): therein was guidance and light. By its standard have been judged the Jews, by the prophets who bowed (as in Islam) to Allah's will, by the rabbis and the doctors of law: for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah's book, and they were witnesses thereto: therefore fear not men, but fear me, and sell not my signs for a miserable price. '''If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers.''' We ordained therein for them: "Life for life, eye for eye, nose or nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal." But if any one remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (No better than) wrong-doers.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|5|49|50}}|And this (He commands): '''Judge thou between them by what Allah hath revealed''', and follow not their vain desires, but beware of them lest they beguile thee from any of that (teaching) which Allah hath sent down to thee. And if they turn away, be assured that for some of their crime it is Allah's purpose to punish them. And truly most men are rebellious. Do they then seek after a judgment of (the days of) ignorance? But who, for a people whose faith is assured, can give better judgment than Allah?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|114}}|Say: "Shall I seek for judge other than Allah? - when He it is Who hath sent unto you the Book, explained in detail." They know full well, to whom We have given the Book, that it hath been sent down from thy Lord in truth. Never be then of those who doubt.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|24|48|49}}|When they are summoned to Allah and His messenger, in order that He may judge between them, behold some of them decline (to come). But if the right is on their side, they come to him with all submission.}}

===Hadith===

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|9|89|251}}|Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever obeys me, obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys me, disobeys Allah, and whoever obeys the ruler I appoint, obeys me, and whoever disobeys him, disobeys me.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|9|89|258}}, see also {{Bukhari|4|52|203}}|Narrated 'Abdullah: The Prophet said, "A Muslim has to listen to and obey (the order of his ruler) whether he likes it or not, as long as his orders involve not one in disobedience (to Allah), but if an act of disobedience (to Allah) is imposed one should not listen to it or obey it.}}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|18|4266}}|'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|49|861}}|Narrated Aisha:

Allah's Apostle said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected."}}

===Islamic Scholars===

Traditionalist and more so Salafi scholars are wary of innovation, while Islamic modernists are more open to reinterpretation, especially in light of modern academic insights on the meaning of the Quran, skepticism towards hadiths and towards medieval interpretations.

{{Quote|Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem, Fataawa (12/259-260)|'''One of the worst of evil deeds is referring for judgement to something other than the sharee’ah of Allaah''', namely man-made laws and human-made systems, the customs of one’s ancestors and forefathers, and the verdicts of soothsayers, magicians and astrologers, which many people do nowadays and approve of instead of the sharee’ah of Allaah with which He sent His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Undoubtedly this is the worst type of hypocrisy and among the greatest signs of kufr, wrongdoing and evil, and it is the rulings of the Jaahiliyyah, which the Qur’aan annulled and which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned against... 

...This is a stern warning from Allaah to all people against turning away from His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and referring for judgement to anything else. '''It is a clear ruling from the Lord against judging by anything other than His sharee’ah, that such a one is a kaafir, a wrongdoer and a rebellious evildoer, whose attitude is that of the hypocrites and people of Jaahiliyyah.''' So beware, O Muslims, of that which Allaah has warned against, and '''refer to His laws for judgement in all things'''. Beware of that which goes against them, and advise one another concerning that. '''Regard as an enemy the one who turns away from the sharee’ah of Allaah or belittles it or makes fun of it, and who facilitates turning to anything else for judgement, so that you may earn the honour of Allaah and be safe from the punishment of Allaah, and thus you will have done what Allaah has enjoined upon you of taking His close friends as friends, who refer to His sharee’ah for judgement and who are pleased with His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and taking as enemies His enemies who turn away from His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).'''<ref name="Fatwa No 98301">{{cite web |url=http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/98301 |title=Should he turn to the human rights organizations to get his rights? |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/98301 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 98301</ref>}}

{{Quote|1=Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Fataawa (1/271)|2=So those who refer for judgement to something other than the laws of Allaah, and think that this is permissible for them, or that it is better than referring for judgement to the laws of Allaah, undoubtedly go beyond the pale of Islam because of that, and they are kaafirs, wrongdoers and rebellious evildoers...<ref name="Fatwa No 98301"></ref>}}

{{Quote|1=Imam Ruhollah Khomeini, Veliyat ul-Faqih|2=The Sacred Legislator of Islam is the sole legislative power. No one has the right to legislate and no law may be executed except the law of the Divine Legislator. <ref>Imam Khomeini (Translated by Prof. Hamid Algar) - {{cite web |url=http://www.al-islam.org/islamicgovernment |title=Islamic Government: Governance of the Jurist |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.al-islam.org/islamicgovernment |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Published by: The Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini's Works (International Affairs Department)</ref>}}

{{Quote|1=Sheykh Abdul Rahman Adbul Khaliq, Al-Usool al 'Ilmiyyah li Da'wati s Salafiyyah|2=The right to legislate is for Allah (Subhannah wa Ta'aala) alone. Halaal (permissible) is what Allah made Halaal, Haraam (impermissible) is what Allah made Haraam, the Religion, the Law, the way to follow, the Path and the Faith to embrace, are all for Allah (Ta'aala) alone to decide. There are rulers and kings who consider what Allah made Halaal to be Haraam and what He made Haraam to be Halaal. This is an act of aggression against Allah (Ta'aala) in that they deny Him the right to legislate in His Kingdom and Domain.<ref>Shaykh 'Abdur Rahman 'Abdul Khaliq - {{cite web |url=http://islamicweb.com/beliefs/creed/Alhukm-Is-For-Allah.htm |title=Al Hukm is Only For Allah |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://islamicweb.com/beliefs/creed/Alhukm-Is-For-Allah.htm |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - IslamicWeb</ref>}}

{{Quote|1=Imam Ibn Kathir, Tafsir ul Qur'an|2=Making Legislation for the Creatures is Shirk. Allah says: (Or have they partners with Allah who have instituted for them a religion which Allah has not ordained) means, they do not follow what Allah has ordained for you of upright religion; on the contrary, they follow what their devils (Shayatin), of men and Jinn, have prescribed for them. They instituted taboos, such as the Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah or Ham. They also permitted eating flesh and blood of animals not slaughtered for consumption, gambling and other kinds of misguidance, ignorance and falsehood. These are things that they invented during Jahiliyyah, when they came up with all kinds of false rulings on what was permitted and what was forbidden, and false rites of worship and other corrupt ideas. It was recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said:(I saw `Amr bin Luhayy bin Qama`ah dragging his intestines in Hell) -- because he had been the first one to introduce the idea of the Sa'ibah. This man was one of the kings of the Khuza`ah tribe, and he was the first one to do these things. He was the one who had made the Quraysh worship idols, may the curse of Allah be upon him. Allah said:(And had it not been for a decisive Word, the matter would have been judged between them.) means, the punishment would have been hastened for them, were it not for the fact that it had already been decreed that it would be delayed until the Day of Resurrection. (And verily, for the wrongdoers there is a painful torment.) i.e., an agonizing torment in Hell, what a terrible destination. <ref>Tafsir Ibn Kathir - {{cite web |url=http://abdurrahman.org/qurantafseer/ibnkathir/ibnkathir_web/42.47127.html |title=Making Legislation for the Creatures is Shirk Allah says: |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://abdurrahman.org/qurantafseer/ibnkathir/ibnkathir_web/42.47127.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Surah No.42</ref>}}

{{Quote|1=Shaikh Muhammad Salah, Huda TV|2=Seeking judgement from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) is a must! Those who don't see the judgement of Allah and implement it, they are rejecting faith. Those who believe, need to believe in all which was brought by Allah (swt). Islam is unlike all other religions which "pick and choose" what they want to believe, but Islam is a perfect religion. Allah the Almighty said: "This is the day which I have chosen, to make Islam as the religion I have chosen. And I am pleased with Islam as your religion." (Qur'an 5:3)<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh3_pckO1Bw Abandoning the ruling of Allah!] - YouTube</ref>}}

==Islamic Laws:==

===Forbidding things which are permitted in most secular countries today===

Islamic laws criminalize or do not accept, among other things:

====Adultery====
{{Main|Adultery}}

(However, the Islamic definition differs from the secular understanding of the word)

====Apostasy (rejection of Islam)====
{{Main|Islam and Apostasy}}

In Islam, the rejection in part of any of the individual pillars or principles of Islam (i.e. apostasy via blasphemy), or discarding the faith as a whole, amounts to apostasy.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.alsunna.org/Questions-about-Apostasy-Blasphemy.html|2=2011-02-25}} Questions about Apostasy (Blasphemy)] - Al Sunna.org</ref> Under Islamic law, it is a crime punishable by death. This punishment was prescribed by Muhammad himself who had said "Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him."<ref name="atheist">"''Narrated 'Ikrima: Some Zanadiqa (atheists) were brought to 'Ali and he burnt them. The news of this event, reached Ibn 'Abbas who said, "If I had been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as Allah's Apostle forbade it, saying, 'Do not punish anybody with Allah's punishment (fire).' I would have killed them according to the statement of Allah's Apostle, 'Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.'"''" - {{Bukhari|9|84|57}}</ref> Apostasy was one of only three reasons given by him where killing a Muslim is permitted (the other two circumstances being the execution of the adulterer and murderer, as well as those who "spread corruption", presumably of the religious sort).<ref>"''Narrated 'Abdullah: Allah's Apostle said, "The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims."''" - {{Bukhari|9|83|17}}</ref> His wishes were followed by Caliph Abu Bakr, who had many apostates killed during the lengthy “Riddah (apostasy) wars” for their refusal to pay tithe. These people were not rejecting Islam as a whole but only refusing to abide by one of its five pillars ([[zakat]]). This also attests to the fact apostasy was a serious crime within early Islam and was not a later innovation. Indeed, Abu Bakr referenced one Qur’anic verse in particular (the verse of the sword - Qur'an 9:5) as the reason for his engaging in war. Various hadith record Muhammad's command being followed by his companions, with atheists,<ref name="atheist"></ref> Christians,<ref>"''Ali was informed about a group of Christians who had become Muslims and then became Christians again. Ali arrested them, summoned them before himself and enquired about the truth of the matter. They said: "We were Christians. Then we were offered the choice of remaining Christians or becoming Muslims. We chose Islam. But now it is our opinion that no religion is more excellent than our first religion. Therefore we have become Christians now." Hearing this, Ali ordered these people to be executed and their children enslaved.''" - Quoted from "{{cite web |url=http://www.answering-islam.org/Hahn/Mawdudi/index.htm |title=The Punishment of the Apostate According to Islamic Law |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.answering-islam.org/Hahn/Mawdudi/index.htm |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}", by Abul Ala Maududi</ref> and Jews<ref>"''Mu'adh asked, "Who is this (man)?" Abu Muisa said, "He was a Jew and became a Muslim and then reverted back to Judaism." Then Abu Muisa requested Mu'adh to sit down but Mu'adh said, "I will not sit down till he has been killed. This is the judgment of Allah and His Apostle (for such cases) and repeated it thrice. Then Abu Musa ordered that the man be killed, and he was killed. Abu Musa added, "Then we discussed the night prayers and one of us said, 'I pray and sleep, and I hope that Allah will reward me for my sleep as well as for my prayers.''" - {{Bukhari|9|84|58}}</ref> being put to death for leaving Islam.<ref>For further details, see: [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Apostasy]]</ref>

All four schools of Islamic jurisprudence are in agreement with the death sentence for males (who are of sound mind) guilty of apostasy, with only slight variations on whether to allow the three days grace period.<ref>Silas - {{cite web |url=http://www.answering-islam.org/Silas/apostasy.htm |title=The Punishment for Apostasy from Islam/ Jurisprudence - E. Agreement of the Leading Mujtahids (Jurists) |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.answering-islam.org/Silas/apostasy.htm |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Answering Islam</ref> The Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence believe female apostates are not to be killed, but beaten and put under confinement until death or repentance, while the remaining Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali schools all agree the verdict for the female apostate is the same as for the male.<ref>'Abdurrahmani'l-Djaziri - {{cite web |url=http://www.light-of-life.com/eng/ilaw/l5721et1.htm#p19 |title=The Penalties for Apostasy in Islam According to the Four Schools of Islamic Law |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.light-of-life.com/eng/ilaw/l5721et1.htm%23p19 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - "The Case of the Female Apostate" (Pg. 19)</ref> Islamic modernists tend to interpret the Quran to be more open to freedom of religion and reject hadiths relating to apostasy.

====Free Speech/Blasphemy====
{{Main|Islam and Freedom of Speech|List of Killings Ordered or Supported by Muhammad}}

It is a criminal offense in Islam to speak ill of the faith, its Prophet Muhammad, and its holy Scriptures (Qur'an and Hadith). To do so is considered blasphemy, and blasphemy is punishable by death. If a Muslim is doing the criticizing, their actions would constitute apostasy, therefore they too would be liable for the death penalty. For classical scholars, this was deeply rooted within Islamic scripture and the Sunnah of Muhammad, though the reliability of these is questioned by modern academic scholars. According to the sirah literature and hadiths, Muhammad himself had asked his Muslim followers to kill several individuals who were guilty of blaspheming Islam and its Prophet. Muhammad asked Muslims to kill someone named 'Abdullah bin Ubai (bin Salul) for making "evil" statements about him.<ref>"''....So, on that day, Allah's Apostle got up on the pulpit and complained about 'Abdullah bin Ubai (bin Salul) before his companions, saying, 'O you Muslims! Who will relieve me from that man who has hurt me with his evil statement about my family? By Allah, I know nothing except good about my family and they have blamed a man about whom I know nothing except good and he used never to enter my home except with me.' Sad bin Mu'adh the brother of Banu 'Abd Al-Ashhal got up and said, 'O Allah's Apostle! I will relieve you from him....''" - {{Bukhari|5|59|462}}</ref> He asked Muslims to kill Abu `Afak for making negative remarks about him and Islam.<ref>"''....The apostle said, "Who will deal with this rascal [Abu `Afak] for me?" Whereupon Salim b. Umayr, brother of B. Amr b. Auf, one of the "weepers", went forth and killed him.....''" - "Sirat Rasul Allah" by Ibn Ishaq page 675</ref> He asked Muslims to kill both Ka’b bin Ashraf<ref>"''....Allah’s Apostle said, ‘Who would kill Ka’b bin Al-Ashraf as has harmed Allah and His Apostle? Muhammad bin Maslama (got up and) said, ‘I will kill him.’....''" - {{Bukhari|3|45|687}} </ref> and Asma Bint Marwan<ref>"''....When the apostle heard what she had said he said, "Who will rid me of Marwan's daughter [Asma Bint Marwan]?" `Umayr b. `Adiy al-Khatmi who was with him heard him, and that very night he went to her house and killed her.....''" - "Sirat Rasul Allah" by Ibn Ishaq page 675, 676</ref> for writing inflammatory poetry about him and Muslims. Additionally, when Muhammad learned that one of his followers had stabbed and killed his ''umm walad'' (concubine with whom he had fathered a child) for making derogatory remarks about Muhammad, he declared that "'''no retaliation is payable for her blood.'''"<ref>"''....So I took a dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it till I killed her. Thereupon the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Oh be witness, no retaliation is payable for her blood.....''" - {{Abudawud|38|4348}}</ref> This has effectively set the precedent for all Muslims to follow with such retaliation. No higher authority than ones-self is needed for permission to kill blasphemers. The state of free speech under the reign of the prophet himself is what ultimately formulates Islamic law.

Siraj Khan writes regarding traditional Islamic jurisprudence, "Many instances from the hadith corpus are cited in support of the punishment for blasphemy", giving examples such as Abu Rafi' and Ka'b ibn Ashraf. A handful of hadith were used to qualify the specific circumstances when blasphemy was punishable, in particular those narrating Muhammad's approval (as it was usually interpreted) of a blind man who killed his umm walad (concubine who bore him children) and a man who killed a Jewish woman, in both cases for insulting Muhammad.<ref>Siraj Khan. "Blasphemy against the Prophet", in Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture (editors: Coeli Fitzpatrick and Adam Hani Walker). ISBN 978-1610691772 pp. 62-63</ref><ref>These two killings involve a repeated topos as mentioned in the section below on modern scholarship.</ref> It is common even in modern times for Islamic scholars to discuss the legitimacy of blasphemy laws by citing the killings of poets and others who had insulted Muhammad,<ref>For example Iffat khalid & Shamana Munawar, [https://jiscnet.com/journals/jisc/Vol_3_No_1_June_2015/7.pdf Blasphemy law of Islam-Misconceptions and Fallacy], Journal of Islamic Studies and Culture (2015), Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 48-57 DOI: 10.15640/jisc.v3n1a7</ref> though there are also those who urge a more critical view of the sources as well as raising issues of legal methodology.<ref>For example the al-Mawrid institute of reformist scholars in Pakistan [https://www.al-mawrid.org/Question/60a204a3923f0b12074d877f/punishment-of-blasphemy-based-on-a-hadith-narrative Punishment of blasphemy based on a hadith narrative] - al-mawrid.org, August 2020</ref> What is not in doubt, though, is that these narratives, taken together as the sirah, have traditionally formed the most authoritative biographical source available on the life of the prophet.

Umar bin Al-Khattab's placed the following restrictions on expression and speech:
{{Quote|1=[http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=9&tid=20986 Paying Jizyah is a Sign of Kufr and Disgrace] - Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=The scholars of Hadith narrated from `Abdur-Rahman bin Ghanm Al-Ash`ari that he said, "I recorded for `Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, the terms of the treaty of peace he conducted with the Christians of Ash-Sham:
:''`In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is a document to the servant of Allah `Umar, the Leader of the faithful, from the Christians of such and such city. When you (Muslims) came to us we requested safety for ourselves, children, property and followers of our religion. We made a condition on ourselves that we will neither erect in our areas a monastery, church, or a sanctuary for a monk, nor restore any place of worship that needs restoration nor use any of them for the purpose of enmity against Muslims. We will not prevent any Muslim from resting in our churches whether they come by day or night, and we will open the doors [of our houses of worship] for the wayfarer and passerby. Those Muslims who come as guests, will enjoy boarding and food for three days. We will not allow a spy against Muslims into our churches and homes or hide deceit [or betrayal] against Muslims. We will not teach our children the Qur'an, publicize practices of Shirk, invite anyone to Shirk or prevent any of our fellows from embracing Islam, if they choose to do so. We will respect Muslims, move from the places we sit in if they choose to sit in them. We will not imitate their clothing, caps, turbans, sandals, hairstyles, speech, nicknames and title names, or ride on saddles, hang swords on the shoulders, collect weapons of any kind or carry these weapons. We will not encrypt our stamps in Arabic, or sell liquor. We will have the front of our hair cut, wear our customary clothes wherever we are, wear belts around our waist, refrain from erecting crosses on the outside of our churches and demonstrating them and our books in public in Muslim fairways and markets. We will not sound the bells in our churches, except discretely, or raise our voices while reciting our holy books inside our churches in the presence of Muslims, nor raise our voices [with prayer] at our funerals, or light torches in funeral processions in the fairways of Muslims, or their markets. We will not bury our dead next to Muslim dead, or buy servants who were captured by Muslims. We will be guides for Muslims and refrain from breaching their privacy in their homes.' ''
When I gave this document to `Umar, he added to it,
:'' 'We will not beat any Muslim. These are the conditions that we set against ourselves and followers of our religion in return for safety and protection. If we break any of these promises that we set for your benefit against ourselves, then our Dhimmah (promise of protection) is broken and you are allowed to do with us what you are allowed of people of defiance and rebellion.'"''}}

In the modern-world, harsh punishments for blasphemy (including death) are still applied in many Islamic nations including; Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Accusations of blasphemy are becoming more and more frequent in the East, and almost always lead to mob-violence (sometimes by thousands of Muslims) against non-Muslim minorities. For example, this was seen in the August 2009 riots against Christians in Gojra, over an alleged desecration of a Qur'an. Many Christian men, women and even children were burnt alive.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15943&size=A |title=Eight Christians burned alive in Punjab |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15943&size=A |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Asia News, August 2, 2009</ref> In addition to this, Bibles were burnt and more than a hundred churches and Christian-owned homes were looted and destroyed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15941&size=A |title=Muslims burn 75 Christian homes and 2 churches in Punjab |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15941&size=A |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Asia News, August 1, 2009</ref><ref>[http://jubileecampaign.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/50-more-homes-burned-in-gojra/ 50 More Homes Burned in Gojra] - Jubilee Campaign, August 5, 2009 </ref> While there are [[Islam and Freedom of Speech#Practical_Application_in_Islamic_Countries|numerous examples]] of individuals being sentenced by Islamic courts to death or imprisonment for blasphemy, they are rarely publicised by Western media outlets. There are, however, more well known examples like the Jyllands-Posten Danish cartoons and the [[Islam and Freedom of Speech#The_Muhammad_Cartoons_Controversy|resulting uproar]]. These cartoons, once again, sparked violence and murder against the minority Christians in the East.<ref>"[http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=24&art_id=vn20060208033427794C349514 Murder of priest 'religious revenge']". Independent Online. 2006-02-08 </ref> By the end of February 2006 more than 40 people had died<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/25734739/JOURNALISM-FOR-INTEGRATION-THE-MUHAMMAD-CARTOONS |title=JOURNALISM FOR INTEGRATION - THE MUHAMMAD CARTOONS |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/25734739/JOURNALISM-FOR-INTEGRATION-THE-MUHAMMAD-CARTOONS |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Encyclopedia Britannica</ref> as a result of the angry reaction from Muslims, and its continued republication has resulted in more than 200 deaths and hundreds of injuries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,547572,00.html |title=Yale Removes Cartoons of Prophet Muhammad From Forthcoming Book, Citing Fears of Violence |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,547572,00.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Fox News, September 08, 2009</ref> The November 2007 "[[Islam and Freedom of Speech#The_Muhammad_Teddy_Bear_Blasphemy_Case|Muhammad Teddy bear]]" blasphemy case likewise led to a protest in Khartoum, Sudan. A protest where ten thousand Muslims<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-498689/Teddy-teacher-Lawyer-expects-pardoned-visit-British-Muslim-peers.html |title=Teddy teacher: Lawyer expects her to be pardoned after visit from British Muslim peers |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-498689/Teddy-teacher-Lawyer-expects-pardoned-visit-British-Muslim-peers.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Mail Online, December 01, 2007</ref><ref name="teddy bear protest">{{cite web |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/nov/30/uk.schoolsworldwide |title=Jailed teddy row teacher appeals for tolerance |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120801/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/nov/30/uk.schoolsworldwide |archivedate=2012-08-01 |accessdate=2012-08-01}} - Allegra Stratton - Guardian, November 30, 2007</ref> carrying swords, knives, and sticks, after Friday prayers, called for the execution<ref name="Calls in Sudan for Execution">{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/01/world/africa/01sudan.html |title=Calls in Sudan for Execution of British Teacher |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/01/world/africa/01sudan.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - The New York Times, November 30, 2007</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newser.com/story/12982/armed-mob-wants-british-teacher-dead.html |title=Armed Mob Wants British Teacher Dead |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.newser.com/story/12982/armed-mob-wants-british-teacher-dead.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Sam Gale Rosen - Newser, November 30, 2007</ref><ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071130/ap_on_re_af/sudan_british_teacher Calls in Sudan for execution of Briton] - Mohamed Osman - Associated Press, November 30, 2007 </ref><ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071130/wl_uk_afp/sudanbritainreligiondiplomacydemo Khartoum demo calls for teacher to be shot] - Charles Onians - Agence France Press, 30 November 2007 </ref> of a British teacher for allowing her students to name a teddy bear 'Muhammad.' And also the "[[Islam and Freedom of Speech#The_Satanic_Verses_Controversy|Satanic Verses]]" controversy, which led to thirty-eight deaths<ref>Dr. Koenraad Elst - {{cite web |url=http://koenraadelst.voiceofdharma.com/articles/misc/rushdie.html |title=Afterword: The Rushdie Affair's Legacy |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120710/http://koenraadelst.voiceofdharma.com/articles/misc/rushdie.html |archivedate=2012-07-10 |accessdate=2012-07-10}}</ref> and nationwide bombings of book-stores in the U.K.<ref>Pipes, (1990) p.169-171</ref> and U.S.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/09/arts/riverdale-press-to-be-honored.html |title=Riverdale Press To Be Honored |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/09/arts/riverdale-press-to-be-honored.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - New York Times - Tuesday, May 9, 1989</ref>

====Sexual relations between unmarried consenting adults====
{{Main|Zina|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Stoning}}

==== Homosexual activity====
{{Main|Islam and Homosexuality}}

Practising homosexuality under Islamic law is a punishable crime. How it is dealt with differs between the four mainline schools of Sunni jurisprudence, but what they all agree upon is that homosexual acts are worthy of a severe penalty. In the Hanafi school of thought, the homosexual is first punished through harsh beating, and if they repeat the act, the death penalty is to be applied. As for the Shafi`i school of thought, the homosexual receives the same punishment as adultery (if they are married) or fornication (if not married). This means, that if the homosexual is married, they are stoned to death, while if single, they are whipped 100 times. Hence, the Shafi`i compares the punishment applied in the case of homosexuality with that of adultery and fornication, while the Hanafi differentiates between the two acts because in homosexuality, anal sex [something that is prohibited, regardless of orientation] may also be involved, while in adultery [and fornication], the penis/vagina (which are reproductive parts) are involved. Some scholars [based on the Qur'an and various ahadith] hold the opinion that the homosexual should be thrown from a high building or stoned to death<ref>”So when Our punishment came upon the people of Lut, We turned the city upside down and showered them with stones of baked clay, one after another.{{Quran|11|82}}</ref> as a punishment for their 'crime', but other scholars maintain that they should be imprisoned until death. <ref>[http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503545556 IslamOnline.net - Death Fall as Punishment for Homosexuality] </ref> Another view is that between two males, the active partner is to be lashed a hundred times if he is unmarried, and killed if he is married; whereas the passive partner is to be killed regardless of his marital status.<ref>See the chapter on "hudud" in Sharaya and Sharh Lum'a also al-Khu'i, Takmilah, p. 42-44.</ref> Within the context of Islamic thought, hostility towards homosexuality originated from the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Muhammad had stated, ''“If you find anyone doing as Lot's people did, kill the one who does it, and the one to whom it is done.”''<ref>{{Abudawud|38|4447}}</ref> He even went so far as to condemn the “appearance” of homosexuality, when he cursed effeminate men and masculine women and ordered his followers to ''"Turn them out of your houses."''<ref>{{Bukhari|7|72|774}}</ref> This ruling on homosexuals was adopted by his successors. The father of Aisha and Muhammad’s first successor, Abu Bakr, had a homosexual burned at the stake. The fourth caliph, Muhammad’s son-in-law Ali, ordered homosexuals to be stoned, and even had one thrown from the minaret of a mosque.<ref>[http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=20145 Islam's Love-Hate Relationship with Homosexuality] - Serge Trifkovic - FrontPageMag, January 24, 2003 </ref>

Exact figures are hard to determine, due to the political turmoil in many of the Islamic states, but homosexual relationships, acts or behaviour are currently forbidden in approximately thirty-six Islamic countries including Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Sharia areas of Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen, with punishments including anything from a fine up to life imprisonment.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_issues_and_Islam#Homosexuality_laws_in_Muslim_countries WikiPedia - Homosexuality laws in Muslim countries]</ref><ref name="IL">{{cite web |url=http://www.iranian.com/Letters/1999/September/gay.html |title=The Iranian Letters - The New Dark Ages |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.iranian.com/Letters/1999/September/gay.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref> Ten of those countries out of the thirty-six impose the death penalty for homosexuals. They are Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi-Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and some states in Malaysia.<ref> [http://www.sodomylaws.org/world/malaysia/mynews033.htm Malaysian State Legislature Passes Bill on Strict Islamic Criminal Code] </ref> According to the Iranian gay and lesbian rights group Homan, the Iranian government alone has put to death an estimated 4,000 homosexuals since the Islamic revolution of 1979.<ref name="IL" /> In the 'secular' nation of Turkey, persecution and violence against homosexuals [along with Persecution of Non-Muslims|non-Muslim minorities] is on the rise, with eleven gays being killed within the first half of 2009.<ref>[http://www.ansamed.info/en/news/ME03.@AM49457.html homosexuals in turkey: istanbul week for gay rights] </ref>

====Interfaith Marriage====
{{Main|Women in Islamic Law}}
The Quran forbids believers from marrying those who associate partners with Allah (mushrikun), though after the conquest of Mecca believing men were permitted to marry believing women or women from the People of the Book (Jews and Christians). There is no similar verse explicitly permitting the same for believing women, and they had been explicitly forbidden to marry disbelieving men (kuffar) in a verse about the treaty of Hudaybiyyah. These verses led scholars to conclude that Muslim women may only marry Muslim men. The relevant verses are {{Quran|2|221}}, {{Quran|60|10}}, and {{Quran|5|5}}. Another justification given by scholars was that a non-Muslim husband may compell his believing wife to compromise her faith or their children's faith. The prominent reformist scholar, Dr. Abou El Fadl, a professor of law at the University of California, Los Angeles, notes, “I am not aware of a single dissenting opinion on this, which is rather unusual for Islamic jurisprudence because Muslim jurists often disagreed on many issues, but this is not one of them". Today, there are some dissenting opinions among Islamic modernists, arguing that there is some ambiguity in the relevant verses and using arguments such as that women have greater legal protections in the modern world, though this is very much a minority view. Such marriages are considered void under Islamic law. Moreover, if in a married non-Muslim couple the wife but not the husband converts to Islam, the marriage in annulled. It is also annulled if the husband becomes Muslim but the wife is neither Christian nor Jew. If a Muslim husband abandons his faith, his marriage to his Muslim wife is similarly annulled, and perhaps vice versa.<ref>Alex B. Leeman [https://ilj.law.indiana.edu/articles/84/84_2_Leeman.pdf Interfaith Marriage in Islam: An Examination of the Legal
Theory Behind the Traditional and Reformist Positions] Islamic Law Journal, Vol. 85, pp. 756-759</ref>

====Intoxicants and Recreational Games====

Intoxicants such as [[alcohol]], marijuana, etc.<ref>"''....The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) replied: "Every intoxicant is khamr, and every khamr is haram."....“Khamr is what befogs the mind.” These are the words spoken by 'Umar ibn al-Khattab from the pulpit of the Prophet (PBUH),....Drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opium, and the like are definitely included in the prohibited category of khamr. It is well known that the use of such drugs affects the sensory perceptions, making what is near seem distant and what is distant seem near; that their use produces illusions and hallucinations, so that the real seems to disappear and what is imaginary appears to be real; and that drug usage in general impairs the faculty of reasoning and decision-making....''" - [Alcohol and Intoxicants in Islam] - Muslim Bridges</ref> and recreational games of chance, such as board games<ref>"''....the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever plays games of dice has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger."....''" - {{Muwatta|52|2|6|}}, See also {{Muwatta|52|2|7|}}</ref> (including chess),<ref name="chess">"''....Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: He who played chess is like one who dyed his hand with the flesh and blood of swine....''" - {{Muslim|28|5612}}, See also {{Muwatta|52|2|7|}}</ref> card games and other forms of gambling are forbidden under Islamic law. Surprisingly, this was not always the case. There was not an outright ban on intoxicants (namely, alcohol) during the earliest phase of Muhammad's career. The Qur'an was allegedly revealed over a period of twenty-three years.<ref>Living Religions: An Encyclopaedia of the World's Faiths, Mary Pat Fisher, 1997, page 338, I.B. Tauris Publishers,</ref> As it stands, the Qur'an is arranged roughly from the longest surah (chapter) to the shortest. When read in a chronological order, there is a gradual shift in attitude towards intoxicants and such. Verses were 'revealed' as the situation in Muhammad's life demanded. In {{Quran-range|37|45|47}} wine is described as being an aspect of heaven, though non-intoxicating.<ref>"''...No bad effect is there in it, nor from it will they be intoxicated....''" - {{Quran-range|37|45|47}}</ref> A few later surahs give a mixed impression on alcohol. {{Quran|2|219}} tells us that there is some good and some bad in intoxicants and games of chance. On one occasion, followers were attending prayer at the mosque while intoxicated, so {{Quran|4|43}} was revealed warning against drunkeness before prayer. In {{Quran|13|4}}, vineyards are praised.<ref>"''....and gardens of vines and fields sown with corn, and palm trees.... Behold, verily in these things there are signs for those who understand!....''" - {{Quran|13|4}}</ref> The hadith record that Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib, in a drunken state, mutilated two camels, chopping of their humps and taking out their livers.<ref>"''....the humps of my two she-camels cut off and their flanks cut open and some portion of their livers was taken out. When I saw that state of my two she-camels, I could not help weeping. I asked, "Who has done this?" The people replied, "Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib....''" - {{Bukhari|4|53|324}}</ref> When rebuked by Muhammad, he insulted him to his face, saying "Aren't you but the slaves of my father?"<ref>"''....Hamza looked at Allah's Apostle and then he raised his eyes, looking at his knees, then he raised up his eyes looking at his umbilicus, and again he raised up his eyes look in at his face. Hamza then said, "Aren't you but the slaves of my father?" Allah's Apostle realized that he was drunk, so Allah's Apostle retreated....''" - {{Bukhari|4|53|324}}</ref> Muhammad then banned the consumption of intoxicants. Even going so far as to refer to alcohol and games of chance as "Satan's handwork" in {{Quran-range|5|90|91}}, one of the last surahs, chronologically. Commenting on chess, he said "He who played chess is like one who dyed his hand with the flesh and blood of swine."<ref name="chess"></ref> After this revelation, Muhammad ordered beatings<ref>"''....Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) gave a beating with palm branches and shoes [for drinking wine],....''" - {{Muslim|17|4226}}</ref> and flogging<ref>"''....Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him). He gave him forty stripes with two lashes.....''" - {{Muslim|17|4226}}</ref> for anyone who broke these laws. Repeat offenders were ordered by him to be put to death.<ref>"''....The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If he is intoxicated, flog him; again if he is intoxicated, flog him; again if he is intoxicated, flog him if he does it again a fourth time, kill him....''" - {{Abudawud|38|4469}}</ref> Later, Umar (the second 'rightly guided' Caliph) would order eighty stripes as the mildest punishment.<ref>"''....Thereupon Abd al-Rahman b. Auf said: My opinion is that you fix it as the mildest punishment. Then 'Umar inflicted eighty stripes.....''" - {{Muslim|17|4228}}</ref>

In modern times, these laws still stand. There are out-right bans or severe restrictions put on the sale, purchase, and drinking of alcohol by adults in many Islamic majority countries, including: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/08/20/malaysian-model-seeks-public-flogging-drinking.html |title=Malaysian model seeks public flogging for drinking |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/08/20/malaysian-model-seeks-public-flogging-drinking.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - The Associated Press, August 20, 2009</ref> The Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, and The United Arab Emirates.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Prohibition&oldid=332586583 Prohibition]</ref> Punishments vary according to country, but many are consistent with the Sunnah of Muhammad. They range from weeks to months of imprisonment, public flogging, and (in the case of Iran) the death penalty. This prohibition, in many cases, does not exclude the non-Muslim. For example; in June 2009, Catholic chef Sapon D Costa was jailed in Dhaka, Bangladesh, for possession of alcohol.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15493&size=A |title=Catholic chef has a “really rough time in Dhaka’s central jail” |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15493&size=A |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Asia News, June 11, 2009</ref>

====Lack of hijab/un-Islamic dress====
{{Main|hijab}}
The Quran refers to the ''jilbab'' (overgarment or cloak) and the ''khimar'' (piece of cloth that covers the head), and the term hijab came to be applied to both, though today is often applied only to a head covering. The word hijab occurs in {{Quran|33|53}} as a screen or barrier shielding the gaze of vistors from Muhammad's wives at his home. The Sunni and Shi'a schools of jurisprudence agree that a Muslim woman's head must be covered, and her body except for her hands and face in the presence of non-Mahrams, with some disagreement of detail such as whether believing slave women are similarly to be covered. Men are required to cover from the navel to the knees. This is based on their interpretation of certain Quran verses, with details provided by hadiths. Some modern interpretations argue that hijab was only for Muhammad's wives and not applicable to Muslim women today, though verses which mention the jilbab ({{Quran|33|59}}) and khimar ({{Quran|24|31}}) mention the believing women in general.

Adherence is voluntary in western countries as there are no laws enforcing hijab (though community and family pressure, especially on adolescents living with their parents, often has a similar effect). However, in some Muslim majority countries (such as Iran) hijab in one form or another is legally enforced.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=2d2_1186358824|title=Iranian morals police arrest 230 in raid on 'satanist' rave|publisher=Live Leak|date=August 6, 2007 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=2d2_1186358824 |archivedate=2012-09-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weeklyblitz.net/568/women-detained-for-not-wearing-veil-in-bangladesh |title=Women detained for not wearing veil in Bangladesh |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.weeklyblitz.net/568/women-detained-for-not-wearing-veil-in-bangladesh |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Special Correspondent - Weekly Blitz, March 3, 2010</ref> In the late 2010s Saudi Arabia loosened some restrictions on the attire of women.

====Mingling of unrelated men and women====
{{Main|Sex Segregation in Islam}}

The traditional view of most Islamic scholars, past and present, prohibits free-mixing between men and women. Some modernists (similarly as with hijab) argue that the Quranic verse relating to segregation {{Quran|33|53}} applied only to Muhammad's wives and that hadiths which expand this to Muslims in general cannot be trusted as authentic. Gender segregation in Saudi Arabia is particularly well-publicised.

In 2010, a Saudi woman who filed harassment claims in Saudi Arabia without being accompanied by a male relative was sentenced to 300 lashes and 18 months in jail. Sawsan Salim lodged a series of complaints in 2007 at government offices and in court in the northern region of Qasim in which she alleged harassment by local officials, the New York-based rights group, Human Rights Watch, said. She was sentenced in January on charges of making “spurious complaints” against government officials and appearing “without a male guardian,” the group said in an e-mailed statement.<ref>[http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-03/saudi-woman-gets-300-lashes-jail-for-complaints-group-says.html Saudi Woman Gets 300 Lashes, Jail for Complaints, Group Says] - Henry Meyer - BusinessWeek, March 3, 2010 </ref>

In the 21st century gradual reforms in Saudi Arabia have loosened segregation restrictions in certain settings such as workplaces and restaurants and somewhat reduced the role of guardians.

Also in 2010, Hamas banned men in Gaza from working in women's hair salons because Islamic tradition forbids women from showing their hair to men who are not their husbands or blood relatives.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,588027,00.html |title=Hamas Bans Men From Women's Hair Salons |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,588027,00.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Associated Press - Fox News, March 4, 2010</ref>

====Pornography and Prostitution====
There is a general consensus that participating in and watching pornography is prohibited in Islam, violating Quranic injunctions regarding indecency and principles of human dignity. Prostitution is considered a form of zina (unlawful sexual activity) and {{Quran|24|33}} warns slave owners not to force their slave women into prostitution.

Somalia has lashed numerous men for watching pornography.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newstimeafrica.com/archives/9386 |title=Somali Men Get 40 Lashes For Watching Pornography |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.newstimeafrica.com/archives/9386 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Shafii Mohyaddin Abokar - Newstime Africa, December 1, 2009</ref>

==== Music and Art====
[[File:Taller Buddha of Bamiyan before and after destruction.jpg|thumb|Bamiyan Buddhas before and after destruction]]
Though views vary widely today, [[music]], and some other forms of [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Pictures and Images|art]] (including tattooing),<ref>"''....The Prophet forbade the acceptance of the price of a dog or blood, and also forbade the profession of tattooing, getting tattooed....''" - {{Bukhari|3|34|299}} See also {{Bukhari|3|34|440}}, {{Bukhari|7|72|829}}, and {{Bukhari|7|72|845}}</ref> under Islamic law are forbidden. Western music<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/05/1996913.htm?section=entertainment|title=Iran arrests 230 in raid on illegal rock concert|publisher=ABC News (Australia)|date=4 August 2007 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120717/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/05/1996913.htm?section=entertainment |archivedate=2012-07-17}}</ref> and movies in particular, have been declared as corruptive influences by Islamic clerics. The vast majority<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.themuslimwoman.com/beware/MusicisHaram.htm |title=Music is Haram |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.themuslimwoman.com/beware/MusicisHaram.htm |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - The Muslim Women</ref> of Islamic scholars and all four schools of Islamic jurisprudence<ref name="Music 2"></ref> are in agreement that listening to, or playing musical instruments, and singing is forbidden. They form this opinion from both the Qur'an and Hadith. The only exception to this rule which can be extracted from the hadith is the permissibility of singing acapella accompanied by a duff (a hand-held one-sided drum) on special occasions (i.e. on weddings, Eid, during jihad, etc.)<ref>"''....innocent singing, unaccompanied by musical instruments other than the daff(small hand drum) is permissible are specified in the Sunnah. These are: 1) Jihaad. During jihad and other struggles in the way of Allah, battle songs are of great moral and spiritual benefit to the fighters....''" - {{cite web |url=http://islamicarticles.wordpress.com/music/ |title=Music - BEATING THE DUFF |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://islamicarticles.wordpress.com/music/ |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Islamic Articles</ref> This form of song is referred to as a '''Nasheed''' (نشيد), and the striking of the duff is permitted for women only<ref>"''....What is mustahabb (recommended) is to beat on the daff [simple hand drum] at weddings. This is mustahabb for women only, in order to announce the wedding and to distinguish it from fornication....As for men, it is not permissible for them to play any kind of musical instrument, whether at weddings or on any other occasion....''" - {{cite web |url=http://islamicarticles.wordpress.com/music/ |title=Music - BEATING THE DUFF |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://islamicarticles.wordpress.com/music/ |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Islamic Articles</ref> and must not be done in the presence of men.<ref>"''....According to the Sunnah, females can sing and beat the duff on the two ‘Eids (specific Muslim celebrations) and to announce a Muslim wedding amongst themselves, and their voices shouldn’t be raised loud enough or near enough to be heard by the men.''" - {{cite web |url=http://islamicarticles.wordpress.com/music/ |title=Music - BEATING THE DUFF |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://islamicarticles.wordpress.com/music/ |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Islamic Articles</ref> There are several verses within the Qur'an which have been understood by highly respected early scholars and historians of Islam to be condemning music and singing. For example; in verse 31:6, according to the Tafseer of Ibn Kathir, "idle talks" is a reference to "singing and musical instruments."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/5000/music |title=Ruling on music, singing and dancing - Fatwa No. 5000 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/5000/music |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Islam Q&A</ref> While the Qur'anic verses on music and its prohibition may appear vague, the hadith are a lot clearer in regards to this issue. Authentic sources record Muhammad as saying "From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful..."<ref>[{{Bukhari-url-only|7|69|494}}v Sahih Bukhari 7:69:494v] </ref> and upon hearing music, Abu Bakr proclaimed "Musical instrument of Satan!"<ref name="Music 2">{{cite web |url=http://www.islamicawakening.com/viewarticle.php?articleID=312 |title=Music |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.islamicawakening.com/viewarticle.php?articleID=312 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Shariffa Carlo - Islam Awakening</ref> The mere fact that Muhammad condemned music in the same breath as other non-Islamic activities, such as illegal sexual intercourse and drinking alcohol, is extremely suggestive and the companions (including the four Caliphs) understood this to mean prohibition.<ref>"''....The companions unanimously agreed upon the prohibition of music and song but allowed particular exceptions specified by the authentic sunnah....Also, the four Khalifas, the fuqahaa among the saahabah such as Ibin Abaas, Ibin Umar, and Jaabir bin Abdullah as well as the general body of saahabah.''" - Al Qurtubi's Tafseer, vol 14, pp51-52, and Al-Aaloosi's Tafseer, Roohul Ma'aani, vol. 21, pp. 66-68)</ref> As Abu Bakr stated, unless performed under the various restrictions outlined in Muhammad's Sunnah, music is considered to be of the devil.

The Islamic prohibition on images is well known, hence the lack of imagery in Islamic religious art. Multiple authentic sources record Muhammad's thoughts on images and representations of living beings, and in several he states passionately "The people who will receive the severest punishment from Allah will be the picture makers."<ref>"''....We were with Masruq at the house of Yasar bin Numair. Masruq saw pictures on his terrace and said, "I heard 'Abdullah saying that he heard the Prophet saying, "'The people who will receive the severest punishment from Allah will be the picture makers."....''" - {{Bukhari|7|72|834}}</ref> In another he says "All the painters who make pictures would be in the fire of Hell. The soul will be breathed in every picture prepared by him and it shall punish him in the Hell."<ref>"''....I am going to narrate to you what I heard from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). I heard him say: All the painters who make pictures would be in the fire of Hell. The soul will be breathed in every picture prepared by him and it shall punish him in the Hell....''" - {{Muslim|24|5272}}</ref> Muhammad refused to enter any home which was decorated with images,<ref>"''....Fatimah said to Ali: Follow him [Muhammad] and see what turned him back. I (Ali) followed him and asked: What turned you back, Apostle of Allah? He replied: It is not fitting for me or for any Prophet to enter a house which is decorated....''" - {{Abudawud|27|3746}}</ref> and claimed angels would do the same with any home which contained pictures or dogs.<ref>"''....I came to 'A'isha and said to her: This is a news that I have received that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) had said: Angels do not enter the house in which there is a picture or a dog,....''" - {{Muslim|24|5254}}</ref> He once refused to enter the home of one of his wives (Aisha) when he noticed the decorated cushion she had purchased for him to sit on.<ref>"''....Narrated 'Aisha (the wife of the Prophet): I bought a cushion having pictures on it. When Allah's Apostle saw it, he stopped at the gate and did not enter....''" - {{Bukhari|7|72|844}}</ref> In Aisha's own words "I noticed the signs of hatred (for that) on his face!" She turned to Allah and Muhammad for repentance.<ref>"''....I noticed the signs of hatred (for that) on his face! I said, "O Allah's Apostle! I turn to Allah and His Apostle in repentance! What sin have I committed?" He said, "What about this cushion?"....''" - {{Bukhari|7|72|844}}</ref> On another occasion, Muhammad angrily tore to pieces a carpet, hung by Aisha to screen a door.<ref>"''....I took a carpet and screened the door with it. When he (the Holy Prophet) came back he saw that carpet and I perceived signs of disapproval on his face. He pulled it until it was torn or it was cut (into pieces)....''" - {{Muslim|24|5254}}</ref>

During the Taliban rule of Afghanistan between 1996 and late 2001, all forms of music and television (i.e. moving pictures) were banned. TV sets, radios, etc. were confiscated and burnt, and anyone caught with cassettes in their possession was jailed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rawa.org/music.htm |title=The censorship of music in Afghanistan |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120630/http://www.rawa.org/music.htm |archivedate=2012-06-30 |accessdate=2012-06-30}} - RAWA, April 24, 2001</ref> In early 2001, they destroyed the historic 1,400 year old giant (175 and 120 feet tall) Buddha statues which were located in the Bamyan Valleys.<ref>[http://www.hazara.net/hazara/geography/Buddha/buddha.html A Profile On Bamyan Civilization] - Ishaq Mohammadi </ref> While their actions may be called 'extreme', they were only adhering to a somewhat accurate interpretation of Islamic law based on the Sunnah of their prophet. Just as Muhammad had done before them, when he conquered Mecca and destroyed the 360 pagan idols which were housed at the Ka'aba, the Taliban were only destroying Afghanistan's offensive (to Muslims) pre-Islamic 'pagan' heritage and art. If the Taliban's actions are denounced by apologists as 'un-Islamic', then they must also denounce Muhammad's. The truth of the matter is that their actions were very Islamic.

===Permitting things which are forbidden in most secular countries today===

Islamic law permits:

====Domestic violence====
{{Main|Wife Beating in Islamic Law}}

While domestic violence against women is a serious problem all around the world, some of the most vulnerable are Muslim women. Authorities in some Muslim majority countries have been reluctant to acknowledge such issues as problems though efforts have also been made to reduce the problem. It is explicitly endorsed by the Qur'an itself. In a 2004 sermon broadcast on Qatar TV, a Muslim cleric had said the following:

{{Quote||"We must know that [wife] beating is a punishment in Islamic religious law,....No one should deny this because this was permitted by the Creator of Man, and because when you purchase an electric appliance or a car you get instructions – a catalogue, explaining how to use it. The Creator of Man has sent down this book [the Quran] in order to show man which ways he must choose....We shouldn't be ashamed before the nations of the world who are still in their days of ignorance, to admit that these [beatings] are part of our religious law,....We must remind the ignorant from among the Islamic Nation who followed the [West] that those [Westerners] acknowledge the wondrous nature of this verse,"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=40276 |title=Muslim cleric: Some wives need to be beaten |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=40276 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - WorldNetDaily, September 03, 2004</ref>}}

The verse being referred to is 4:34. According to this verse, a man may not only beat his wives in certain circumstances but also beat them simply for the ''fear'' of such.<ref>"''....and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them....''" - {{Quran|4|34}}</ref> Whilst there are a few restrictions in regards to the practice of wife-beating (beating should be "without severity"<ref>"Fear Allaah regarding women for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allaah’s word. It is a duty from you on them not to allow anyone whom you dislike to lie on your beds but if they do beat them, but not severely. You are responsible for providing them with food and clothing in a fitting manner." - [https://sunnah.com/abudawud/11/185 Sunan Abu Dawud 10:1900]</ref>, should avoid the face,<ref>"''....you should give her food when you eat, clothe her when you clothe yourself, do not strike her '''on the face'''....''" - {{Abu Dawud|11|2137}}</ref> breaking bones,<ref>"''....that you should not break her bones or leave a bruise....''" - al-Tabari, 5:68-69</ref> and husbands should not sleep with them after beating them),<ref>"''.... The Prophet said, "None of you should flog his wife as he flogs a slave and then have sexual intercourse with her in the last part of the day."''" - {{Bukhari|7|62|132}}</ref> they hardly offer comfort to a woman who is abused with the blessings of her god. The mere fact that the husband is allowed to physically abuse his wives (very often with impunity from the law) inevitably leads many to go beyond simply 'beating' them.

Wife beating has been an accepted part of Islam since its inception. In Aisha's own words "I have not seen any woman suffering as much as the believing women. Look! Her skin is greener than her clothes!"<ref>"...''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!"...''" - {{Bukhari|7|72|715}}</ref> The indifference to her words displayed by Muhammad proved its legitimacy within the laws of Islam. Muhammad reportedly declared, "A man should not be asked why he beats his wife"<ref>"It was narrated that Ash'ath bin Qais said: "I was a guest (at the home) of 'Umar one night, and in the middle of the night he went and hit his wife, and I separated them. When he went to bed he said to me: 'O Ash'ath, learn from me something that I heard from the Messenger of Allah" A man should not be asked why he beats his wife, and do not go to sleep until you have prayed the Witr."' And I forgot the third thing."" - {{Ibn Majah||3|9|1986}}</ref> Moreover, he not only allowed Abu Bakr to slap his own child-bride Aisha,<ref>"''....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....''" - {{Bukhari|1|7|330}}</ref> but he also struck her in the chest himself,<ref>"''...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?...''" - {{Muslim|4|2127}}</ref> and according to Aisha it was not something 'symbolic' or a 'gentle tap' on the body; it was painful.

The effects can be easily seen in the Islamic world. A 2009 survey carried out by the ''United Nations Development Fund for Women'' found that nearly 90% of Afghan women suffer from domestic abuse.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/09/23/afghanistan.women.abuse/index.html |title=Afghan women hiding for their lives |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/09/23/afghanistan.women.abuse/index.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - CNN</ref> According to the director of ''Women for Afghan Women'' (WAW) "Their mothers are beaten by their fathers. They're beaten by their fathers, by their brothers. It's a way of life." The Pakistan Medical Association found in a 2006 study, that 80% of Pakistani women reported being subjected to some kind of abuse within marriage, and the Progressive Women's Association (PWA) believe up to 4,000 Pakistani women are burnt each year by husbands or in-laws as 'punishment'.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stopvaw.org/PAKISTAN_Domestic_violence_endemic_but_awareness_slowly_rising.html |title=PAKISTAN: Domestic violence endemic, but awareness slowly rising |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.stopvaw.org/PAKISTAN_Domestic_violence_endemic_but_awareness_slowly_rising.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - The Advocates for Human Rights</ref> And also in 2006, the Refugee Workers Association Woman’s Group (GIK-DER) found that up to 80% of Turkish women were victims of domestic violence and sexual harassment in 'moderate' Turkey.<ref>http://www.toplumpostasi.net/index.php/cat/9/news/9633/PageName/English </ref>

====Gender disparity====
{{Main|Islam and Women}}

Gender equality in the modern sense is generally incompatible with Islamic scriptures and jurisprudence. Activists for change have often faced opposition. For example; in the Islamic Republic of Iran, some women's rights activists have criticised the laws governing women. They say women face difficulties in "getting a divorce and criticize inheritance laws they say are unjust and the fact their court testimony is worth half that of a man's", and they also "cannot run for president or become judges."<ref name="Islamic laws on women">"{{cite web |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSDAH44354320070704 |title=Don't "play" with Islamic law, Iranian women told |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSDAH44354320070704 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}", ''Reuters'', Jul 4, 2007</ref> Many female activists have been flogged and given hash jail sentences, numbering several years, for protesting such laws.<ref name="Islamic laws on women"></ref> In mid 2007 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, responded to these allegations of discrimination, with the following:

{{Quote||"We are witnessing in our country that some women activists and some men are trying to play with Islamic laws....in order to harmonize them with international conventions related to women,....This is wrong....They shouldn't see the solution in changing Islamic jurisprudence laws,"<ref name="Islamic laws on women"></ref>}}

He also indicated that "some Islamic rules regarding women could change if jurisprudence research led to a new understanding."<ref name="Islamic laws on women"></ref> As outlined earlier, Islamic jurisprudence can be revised, but as it is extracted from, and cannot contradict, Shari'a (which consists of Allah's divine laws found within the Qur'an and Hadith), the outcome cannot vary very much, and is effectively set in stone when the Qur'an and Hadith give explicit instruction on something (as is the case with wife-beating). What activists are indirectly trying to reform is not Iranian laws, but Islam itself, as each of these women's rights violations are sanctioned by Islamic scripture.

Many inheritance laws are taken straight from the Qur'an. For example, according to {{Quran|4|11}}, a male inherits twice that of a female. Its the same concerning the worth of a woman's testimony in court; we find this law in {{Quran|2|282}}. Muhammad himself had been recorded by authentic Islamic sources explaining the necessity for such gender disparity within Islamic law, calling women [[Women are Deficient in Intelligence|deficient in intelligence]]:

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|48|826}}|Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: The Prophet said, "Isn't the witness of a woman equal to half of that of a man?" The women said, "Yes." He said, "This is because of the deficiency of a woman's mind."}}

He further explains that women are not only deficient in intelligence, but also in religion,<ref>"''....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."....''" - {{Bukhari|1|6|301}}</ref> and that this has resulted in most of the dwellers of hell being women.<ref>"''....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 ?"....''" - {{Bukhari|1|6|301}}</ref> In June 2007, Saudi Cleric ''Abd Al-Aziz Al-Fawzan'', in an attempt to counter criticism aimed at these sayings of Muhammad, had said these ahadith highlight the 'fact' that women's "twisted nature" stems from their "very creation".<ref>[Islam: Women are "deficient in intelligence" (video)] - MEMRI</ref> These statements, by both Muhammad and Abd Al-Aziz Al-Fawzan, reflect the Islamic belief that Allah made Eve menstruate, suffer pregnancy and become stupid as a punishment for her transgressions in the garden, therefore all women menstruate (deficient in religion) and are created stupid (deficient in intelligence).<ref>"''His Lord called out to him: Adam, is it from Me that you are fleeing? Adam replied: No, my Lord, but I feel shame before You. When God asked what had caused his trouble, he replied: Eve, My Lord. Whereupon God said: Now it is My obligation to make her bleed once every month, as she made this tree bleed. I also must make her stupid, although I created her intelligent (halimah), and must make her suffer pregnancy. Ibn Zayd continued: Were it not for the affliction that affected Eve, the women of this world wound not menstruate, and they would be intelligent and, when pregnant, give birth easily.''" - Al-Tabari 1:280</ref> Those same authentic sources also record Muhammad condemning women in high social positions (i.e. presidents, judges, etc.), declaring "Never will succeed such a nation that makes a woman their ruler."<ref>"''....When the Prophet heard the news that the people of the Persia had made the daughter of Khosrau their Queen (ruler), he said, "Never will succeed such a nation as makes a woman their ruler."....''" - {{Bukhari|9|88|219}}</ref>

====Polygamy====
{{Main|Polygamy in Islam}}

====Child marriage====
{{Main|Child Marriage in Islamic Law}}

Today, most modern Muslim countries have introduced or raised the minimum age of marriage (though child marriages continue to occur there and in some non-Muslim countries). According to traditonal jurisprudence child marriage is permitted based on precedent set by Muhammad and his companions. This practice is also traditionally understood to be sanctioned by both the Qur'an and the Hadith (though Islamic modernists generally take a different view and are skeptical towards hadiths). In the Qur'an we find this in verse 65:4. This verse deals with the '''Iddat''' (العدة‎), which is a waiting period a female must observe before she can remarry. The stipulated waiting period for a divorced girl who has not yet menstruated is three months. The meaning of this verse has been clarified by numerous tafsirs (authoritative Qur'anic commentaries) and many sahih hadith. Muhammad himself has been recorded by authentic Islamic sources explaining the meaning of this verse as "those who never had menses, their prescribed period is three months before puberty."<ref>"''and those who never had menses, their prescribed period is three months before puberty, which indicates that giving her into marriage before puberty is permissible.''" - {{cite web |url=http://hadith.al-islam.com/display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=7644 |title=Hadith in Arabic from Al-Islam.com |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://hadith.al-islam.com/display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=7644 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref> While some (but definitely not all) Western Muslims have rejected this sanction of child marriage within their holy text, this view generally holds limited sway; it is the Islamic texts themselves which hold the power, and Islamic scholars in the modern era still widely agree that contracting in marriage pre-pubescent girls and consummating such marriages when the girl is deemed physically ready is permitted. For example; the influential Muslim scholar and thinker ''Syed Abul A'ala Maududi'' (1903 - 1979) commented on verse 65:4 and those who attempt to deny scripture:

{{quote |1=[http://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=65 Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi: Tafhim al Quran. Commentary on Quran Chapter 65:4]|2=....making mention of the waiting-period for the girls who have not yet menstruated, clearly proves that it is not only permissible to give away the girl in marriage at this age but it is also permissible for the husband to consummate marriage with her. '''Now, obviously no Muslim has the right to forbid a thing which the Quran has held as permissible'''.}}

As has already been mentioned, Muhammad committed child marriage, and even according to the most stringent clinical definition of child marriage- the DSM-IV-TR, he was a pedophile. His actions fulfilled all three requirements needed for a positive diagnosis; he had sexual urges/relations towards/with a pre-pubescent child (generally age 13 years or younger) over a period of at least six months, he acted on those sexual urges, and he was over 16 years old and at least 5 years older than the child involved. Muhammad was engaged to ''Aisha bint Abu Bakr'' when she was only six years of age and he was fifty-one, and consummated the relationship while she was still pre-pubescent, aged just 9 years old<ref>"''....the Prophet married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old...." - {{Bukhari|7|62|64}}''</ref> (the sahih hadiths also tell us she remained pre-pubescent until aged fifteen).<ref>"''....Dr Muhsin Khan in the official text published in Islamic University - Al-Medina Al-Munauwara, Saudi Arabia says in two related ahadith that Aisha had not reached puberty when she was 15 years old....''"</ref> Some have suggested that it was the 'cultural norm' and Aisha was 'offered' in marriage by her father. However, It was Muhammad who approached Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr originally protested.<ref>"''....The Prophet asked Abu Bakr for 'Aisha's hand in marriage. Abu Bakr said "But I am your brother."....''" - {{Bukhari|7|62|18}}</ref> However, even if she was offered to Muhammad, this does not alter the fact that as the 'uswa hasana' his actions are forever considered lawful and morally acceptable in Islam. Muhammad even justified his attraction to Aisha with a 'divine' vision from Allah.<ref>"''....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.....''" - {{Bukhari|9|87|140}}</ref>

The many historical endorsements of child marriage within the Islamic traditon has been known to hinder reformist efforts to prevent this common practice in some Islamic countries, particularly when Islamic scholars enter the debate:

{{Quote|1=[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7711554.stm Sheikh Hamoud Hashim al-Tharihi, general secretary of the Vice and Virtue Committee and member of the Islah Party in Yemen]|2=Because this happened to the Prophet, we cannot tell people that it is prohibited to marry at an early age.}}

In the East, girls far below the age of puberty are forcibly married to older persons (sometimes in their 50s and later) for various personal gains by the girls' guardian. Pedophilic Islamic marriages are most prevalent in Pakistan and Afghanistan, followed by other countries in the Middle East and Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=1631 |title=America Magazine: Child Marriage in Afghanistan and Pakistan, by Andrew Bushell; March 11, 2002 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=1631 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.americansforunfpa.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=630 |title=Americans For UNFPA: Virtual Slavery: The Practice of “Compensation Marriages” by Net Community of AfUNFPA; last retrieved Monday, 08 December 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.americansforunfpa.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=630 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref> This practice may also be prevalent to a lesser extent amongst other Muslim communities, and occurs on a much smaller scale among some Muslim communities in Western countries, such as the United Kingdom (where, according to 2009 government figures in the UK, forced teen marriages have seen a ten-fold rise in just four years)<ref name="Ten-fold rise in forced marriages in just four years">{{cite web |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196955/Ten-fold-rise-forced-marriages-just-years.html |title=Ten-fold rise in forced marriages in just four years |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196955/Ten-fold-rise-forced-marriages-just-years.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - The Daily Mail July 2, 2009</ref> and the United States.<ref>Christine Vendel - [http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/1557578.html?pageNum=2&mi_pluck_action=page_nav#Comments_Container Man charged with statutory rape in ‘marriage’ to 14-year-old girl] - The Kansas City Star, November 8, 2009 </ref>

====Religious discrimination====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Dhimmitude}}

==== Slavery and concubinage====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Slavery|Rape in Islamic Law}}

In the Quran, hadiths and under Islamic laws, slavery is explicitly endorsed.<ref>"''....I married a virgin woman in her veil. When I entered upon her, I found her pregnant. (I mentioned this to the Prophet). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: She will get the dower, for you made her vagina lawful for you. The child will be your slave....''" - {{Abudawud|11|2126}}</ref> Islamic scholars today generally hold that slavery is not permitted in the modern context, although not all agree. Saudi Sheikh ''Saleh Al-Fawzan'', a member of the Senior Council of Clerics had said in 2003, those who argue that slavery is abolished are "ignorant, not scholars. They are merely writers. Whoever says such things is an infidel."<ref>Shaikh Salih al-Fawzan's "affirmation of slavery" was found on page 24 of "Taming a Neo-Qutubite Fanatic Part 1" when accessed on February 17, 2007 http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/downloads/pdf/GRV07000</ref> Muhammad himself was a slaver. Muhammad owned many male<ref>{{cite web |url=http://answering-islam.org./BehindVeil/btv5.html |title=Slavery in Islam: Chapter 5 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://answering-islam.org./BehindVeil/btv5.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Answering Islam</ref><ref>"Zad al-Ma'ad" by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya Part 1, Pages 114-116</ref> and female<ref>"Zad al-Ma'ad" by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya Part 1, Pages 114-116</ref> slaves, and also sold, captured, and had raped<ref>"''....Waqidi has informed us that Abu Bakr has narrated that the messenger of Allah (PBUH) had sexual intercourse with Mariyyah [his Coptic slave] in the house of Hafsah....''" - Tabaqat v. 8 p. 223 Publisher Entesharat-e Farhang va Andisheh Tehran 1382 solar h ( 2003) Translator Dr. Mohammad Mahdavi Damghan</ref> his slaves. His wives owned slaves as well. Muhammad generally had no animosity towards slavery,<ref>"''....Allah's Apostle sent someone to a woman telling her to "Order her slave, carpenter, to prepare a wooden pulpit for him to sit on."....''" - {{Bukhari|1|8|439}}</ref> and at times even discouraged the freeing of slaves.<ref>"''...."Do you know, O Allah's Apostle, that I [Maimuna bint Al-Harith] have manumitted my slave-girl?" He said, "Have you really?" She replied in the affirmative. He said, "You would have got more reward if you had given her (i.e. the slave-girl) to one of your maternal uncles.''" - {{Bukhari|3|47|765}}</ref> He once exchanged two black slaves for one Arab.<ref>"''....Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Sell him to me. And he bought him for two black slaves,....''" - {{Muslim|10|3901}}</ref> Whatever else may be the case, Muhammad's actions played a clear role in perpetuating slavery in the Middle East and North Africa by institutionalizing it within Islam, ultimately creating one of the largest trans-continental slave trades in history. The Eastern Islamic slave trade is the longest yet least discussed of the two major trades. Many people, unfortunately are unaware that the Arab slave trade ever existed, even though it began around 650 AD (pre-dating the European slave trade by over a thousand years and, according to most estimates, involved millions more living slaves than the shorter-lived Trans-Atlantic trade - and the death count was astronomically higher as described below). It was only officially abolished (largely due to pressure from the West,<ref>Brunschvig. [http://www.brill.nl/m_catalogue_sub6_id7560.htm 'Abd; Encyclopedia of Islam] </ref> ) in the 1960's. However, the slave trade still exists in the Islamic East. As of July 2009,<ref>Nick Meo - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/ghana/5805113/Half-a-million-African-slaves-are-at-the-heart-of-Mauritanias-presidential-election.html|2=2011-04-05}} Half a million African slaves are at the heart of Mauritania's presidential election] - Telegraph, July 12, 2009</ref> there were over half a million slaves in Mauritania alone. In Pakistan, the labor minister of Punjab had said in early 2009 that there are "millions of forced laborers in 'private prisons' across the country",<ref>E. Benjamin Skinner - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1932723,00.html|2=2011-04-08}} Pakistan's Forgotten Plight: Modern-Day Slavery] - TIME, October 27, 2009</ref> and the town of Hajja, Yemen, in 2010 is home to another 300 slaves.<ref>Jamal al-Jaberi - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hqh_clC3ngbax_X84fY4c7uGQihw|2=2011-04-05}} 'Slaves' in impoverished Yemen still dream of freedom] - AFP, July 20, 2010</ref> Unlike the Europeans who were primarily interested in male slaves for use as agricultural workers, the Islamic slave marker preferred female slaves to use for sexual exploitation as concubines. Similarly unique to the Islamic slave trade were the large number of male slaves who were castrized and sold as eunuchs. Furthermore, putting aside the 1.25 million white European Christians who were captured and sold into the Muslim slave trade between the 16th and 19th century,<ref>Christian Slaves, Muslim Masters: White Slavery in the Mediterranean; the Barbary Coast and Italy 1500 - 1800, by Robert Davis, Palgrave MacMillan, 2004</ref> the number of innocent Africans who were taken (or died in the process of being taken) as slaves over the last fourteen centuries of Islamic slavery is estimated to be higher than 140 million.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.christianaction.org.za/articles_ca/2004-4-TheScourgeofSlavery.htm|2=2011-03-20}} The Scourge of Slavery] - Christian Action, 2004 Vol 4</ref> This figure dwarfs the numbers that were taken at the hands of Europeans. And unlike in the West, male slaves (blacks in particular) were commonly castrated,<ref>Islam's Black Slaves, by Ronald Segal, Farrar, New York, 2001</ref> hence the lack of surviving descendants of black slaves in the Middle-East.

====Jihad====

:''Main Article: [[Jihad]] See also: [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Jihad]]''

===Rituals===

====Islamic Fasting====

:''Main Articles: [[Adverse Effects of Islamic Fasting]] and [[The Ramadan Pole Paradox]]''

Fasting (صوم ''Sawm'') for thirty days every year during the Islamic month of Ramadan is the fourth Pillar of Islam, therefore it is compulsory (الفرض ''Fard''). Fasting lasts from dawn till dusk, and Muslims must abstain from all foods, drinks, sexual intercourse,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.haqislam.org/fasting-in-quran/ |title=Fasting and Tafsir of Ma’ariful Qur’an |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120904/http://www.haqislam.org/fasting-in-quran/ |archivedate=2012-09-04 |accessdate=2012-09-04}} - Haq Islam</ref> and even smoking. Islamic fasting (unlike medical fasting) has numerous adverse effects that have been observed using scientific studies. These include; an increase in irritability<ref>Psychosomatic Medicine 2000 Mar-Apr 62:2 280-5 ([http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/reprint/62/2/280.pdf pdf])</ref><ref name="arabnews">{{cite web |url=http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=101889&d=30&m=9&y=2007 |title=Productivity and Self-Discipline in Ramadan |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=101889&d=30&m=9&y=2007 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref> and crimes,<ref>[http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=3746 Ramadan saw rise in violent domestic crimes] - Daily News, Egypt </ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://thejakartaglobe.com/home/4-gold-shop-robbers-killed-2-caught-during-police-raids-across-the-city/326794 |title=4 Gold Shop Robbers Killed, 2 Caught During Police Raids Across the City |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://thejakartaglobe.com/home/4-gold-shop-robbers-killed-2-caught-during-police-raids-across-the-city/326794 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indonesiamatters.com/762/ramadan-crime/ |title=Ramadan Crime |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.indonesiamatters.com/762/ramadan-crime/ |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref> effects on health, such as the increased risk of diabetes,<ref>[http://www.ansamed.info/en/news/ME02.@AM60065.html Ramadan: Productivity of Arab Businesses Drops by 78%] </ref> dehydration,<ref>El-Hazmi, Al-Faleh, & Al-Mofleh, 1987; Kayikcioglu et al., 1999; Ramadan et al., 1999; Schmahl & Metzler, 1991; Sweileh et al., 1992</ref> tachycardia,<ref name="polish" /> severe headaches,<ref name="polish" /> dizziness,<ref name="polish" /> nausea,<ref name="polish" /> vomiting<ref name="polish" /> and circulatory collapse.<ref name="polish">Polish Journal of Occupational Medince 1991 4:3 219-28</ref> It can also cause problems with sleep,<ref>Ahmed BAHAMMAM/Sleep Disorders Center, Respiratory Unit, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia</ref> daytime drowsiness<ref>Therapie 54:567-72</ref> and alertness.<ref>Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 2000 44:101-7</ref> All of these factors affect the economy in Muslim majority countries during Ramadan. For example, the productivity of Arab businesses in this period drops by a staggering seventy-eight percent.<ref>"''....Survey carried out by Cairòs Institute of Social Sciences of the Arab World which was printed by 'Leaders', a Tunisian website....''" - (ANSAmed)</ref> Also, as the length of a fast is governed by the rising and the setting of the sun, this can cause a huge problem for those who live close to the North or South poles, since the closer one gets to the poles, the longer our days or nights become. They can eventually extend for up to several months each, making the fourth Pillar of Islam impossible to practice in its purest form without starving to death; this is likely due to Muhammad's ignorance of the global poles. Still, many Islamic scholars have said that even if a fast lasts for up to twenty hours a day, this is something a Muslim must accept.<ref>"''Indeed, the fasts may be twenty hours long, but this is something one will have to adhere to.''" [http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=1947&CATE=6Fasting in extreme latitudes] - Sunnipath.com Q&A </ref> Persecution of non-Muslims also rises during the month of Ramadan, with people of other faiths often being attacked in Muslim majority countries for eating or drinking in public. On August 2009, In Pakistan, two Christians were arrested and jailed for "desecrating Ramadan" by eating during daylight hours inside a hotel.<ref>[http://www.persecution.org/suffering/newssummpopup.php?newscode=10769&PHPSESSID=2e29113718bec785f2919ac3592116dc Christians Arrested for Eating During Muslim Holiday] - ICC </ref>

====The Hajj====
{{Main|Hajj}}

The Hajj (حج) is another obligatory duty, being the fifth Pillar of Islam. It is a Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, which, like the Ka'aba, the black stone, and many other aspects of Islam, has [[Pagan_Origins_of_Islam|pagan origins]]. The pilgrimage takes place in the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, from the 7th to the 13th day of Dhu al-Hijjah.

Performing the Hajj is a physically exerting exercise, and many of the weaker pilgrims have died from it. Furthermore, Since 1987, officially there has been at least 3,315 deaths and another 1,500 injuries resulting from various accidents during the pilgrimage. These figures are extremely conservative, considering (for example) the 1994 stampede in Mecca. Officially only 250 people had died as a result of the stampede, and according to ''The Saudi Press Agency'' a total of 829 pilgrims had died during the pilgrimage for a variety of reasons, which included "old age, heart attacks" and "deaths that resulted because of the heavy throngs throwing pebbles on Monday." However witnesses, doctors and a senior Asian diplomat had said the death toll for the individual stampedes alone could have been over 1,000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/25/world/at-least-250-muslims-die-in-mecca-stampede.html |title=At Least 250 Muslims Die in Mecca Stampede |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/25/world/at-least-250-muslims-die-in-mecca-stampede.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - NY Times, May 25, 1994</ref> Efforts have been made to improve safety.

==Punishments Under Islamic Law==

The various methods of punishment under Sharia law, for what it deems as crimes, are extracted from both the Qur'an and the Hadith. These punishments are prescribed by Islamic scripture, so they constitute a fundamental part of the Islamic faith.

===Amputation===
{{Main|Amputation}}

Amputation, is the removal of part or all of a body part enclosed by skin.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=12537 |title=Definition of Amputation |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=12537 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Medicine Net</ref> It is a prescribed punishment in the Qur'an, and within the context of Islamic law, it refers to the removal of the hands or feet. Today, amputation is used as punishment for theft in Saudi Arabia<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arabnews.com/?page=0&section=1&article=27038&d=5&m=6&y=2003 |title=Kingdom’s Leading Executioner Says: ‘I Lead a Normal Life’ - Mahmoud Ahmad, Arab News - June 5, 2003 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.arabnews.com/?page=0&section=1&article=27038&d=5&m=6&y=2003 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref> and Nigeria, which reintroduced shariah law in 1999<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mg.co.za/article/2005-09-19-nigerian-islamic-court-orders-amputation |title=Nigerian Islamic court orders amputation - Mail & Guardian Online - September 19, 2005 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.mg.co.za/article/2005-09-19-nigerian-islamic-court-orders-amputation |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref>, and in Somalia, a court run by an extremist Islamic group sentenced four Somali men in June of 2009 to each have a hand and a leg cut off for allegedly stealing mobile phones and guns.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,528139,00.html |title=Islamic Extremists Sentence 4 Somalis to Amputations - Associated Press, FoxNews.com - June 22, 2009 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,528139,00.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.javno.com/en-world/somali-islamists-amputate-teenagers-hands-legs_267541 |title=Somali Islamists Amputate Teenagers` Hands, Legs - JAVNO, June 25, 2009 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.javno.com/en-world/somali-islamists-amputate-teenagers-hands-legs_267541 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref> In 2008, the Islamic Republic of Iran saw five double amputations in a single week--five convicted robbers were each sentenced to have their right hands and left feet amputated.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/world/middleeast/11iran.html |title=Spate of Executions and Amputations in Iran - Nazila Fathi, The New York Times - January 11, 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120909/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/world/middleeast/11iran.html |archivedate=2012-09-09 |accessdate=2012-09-09}}</ref> When the Taliban, an Islamic militant group, took over Afghanistan in 1996, within a year, public executions, amputations and stonings were a regular Friday event in Kabul.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1600136.stm |title=Flashback: When the Taleban took Kabul - Terence White, former AFP correspondent in Kabul - BBC News - October 15, 2001 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120713/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1600136.stm |archivedate=2012-07-13 |accessdate=2012-07-13}}</ref>

===Stoning===
{{Main|Stoning}}

Stoning to death (رجم ''Rajm'') is a punishment found in hadiths but not the Quran. According to traditional interpretations of Islamic law, it is a punishment for married persons who engage in unlawful sexual relations (which include homosexual relationships). The criminals "hands are tied behind their backs and their bodies are put in a cloth sack." They are then "buried in a hole, with only the victims heads showing above the ground. If its a woman, she is buried upto her shoulders."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.apostatesofislam.com/media/stoning.htm |title=What happens in Stoning? |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.apostatesofislam.com/media/stoning.htm |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - apostatesofislam.com</ref> The stones which are to be thrown at the criminal "should not be so large that the offender dies after a few strikes, nor so small as to fail to cause serious injury."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iheu.org/node/262 |title=Should Sharia laws be reconsidered? |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.iheu.org/node/262 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - Sandhya Jain - International Humanist and Ethical Union, March 9, 2004</ref> Due to the Islamic laws on rape requiring four male eye witnesses before guilt can be ascertained, many rape victims end up being charged with 'adultery.' As was the case for a 13-year-old girl in Somalia<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7708169.stm |title=Stoning victim 'begged for mercy' |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120712/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7708169.stm |archivedate=2012-07-12 |accessdate=2012-07-12}} - BBC News, November 4, 2008</ref> who in October of 2008 was buried up to her neck and stoned to death in front of more than 1,000 people in a football stadium. She was the victim of gang-rape. Incidents of stonings have been reported in Iraq and Pakistan, and forms a part of Afghan, Iranian, Nigerian, Indonesian, Sudanise, Saudi Arabian, and United Arab Emirate law.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stop-stoning.org/faq_stoning |title=Stoning - Frequently Asked Questions about Stoning |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.stop-stoning.org/faq_stoning |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}} - stop-stoning.org</ref> The Qur'an itself does not explicitly mention the act, but there are several Sahih (authentic) Hadith which speak of Muhammad ordering people to be stoned to death. According to hadith, the Qur'anic verses of stoning were written on a piece of paper and were lost when a goat ate the paper.<ref>References: Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal. vol. 6. page 269; Sunan Ibn Majah, page 626; Ibn Qutbah, Tawil Mukhtalafi 'l-Hadith (Cairo: Maktaba al-Kulliyat al-Azhariyya. 1966) page 310; As-Suyuti, ad-Durru 'l-Manthur, vol. 2. page 13</ref>

===Crucifixion===
{{Main|Crucifixion}}

Crucifixion (صلبه ''Salb'') typically refers to the method of execution and/or torture by tying and/or nailing someone to a cross, stake or tree. It can also refer to the method of public display of a body after execution, such as the incident in Saudi Arabia when a convicted killer was beheaded and his body was "crucified".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/05/30/saudi.arabia.execution/index.html |title=Convicted killer beheaded, put on display in Saudi Arabia - CNN - May 30, 2009 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/05/30/saudi.arabia.execution/index.html |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref> Whereas Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor, abolished crucifixion in the Roman Empire in AD 337, out of veneration for [[Isa|Jesus Christ]], the most famous victim of crucifixion,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/144583/crucifixion |title="crucifixion" - Encyclopædia Britannica Online - 2009 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120729/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/144583/crucifixion |archivedate=2012-07-29 |accessdate=2012-07-29}}</ref> Muhammad perpetuated the practice by declaring it a prescribed punishment in the Qur'an ({{Quran|5|33}}). Crucifixion as a method of torture and execution has reportedly been used in Sudan and Iraq<ref>[http://www.assistnews.net/STORIES/2004/s04110038.htm Sudanese slave 'crucified' by his master not unusual in central African nation - Michael Ireland (Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service) - November 9, 2004] [http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/articles/a0000648.shtml 7 Christians mutilated & Crucified During a Series of Raids on Villages - Simon Caldwell (The Catholic Herald) - 25 September 2009] </ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=56726 |title=Christians in Iraq, including converts from Islam and people involved in mixed-faith marriages, are being crucified by Muslim terrorists, according to a Dutch member of Parliament studying the war-torn country (WorldNetDaily.com) July 17, 2007 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=56726 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref> and it is still a part of Iran's criminal code.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1108208 |title="Case Study in Iranian Criminal System" - Ehsan Zar Rokh, University of Tehran - 2008 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120915/http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1108208 |archivedate=2012-09-15 |accessdate=2012-09-15}}</ref> Hamas, the Islamic governing body of Gaza, reinstated the penalty of crucifixion in 2008.<ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/Hamas_bombs_Gaza_Israel/2009/01/09/169756.html Hamas Reinstates Crucifixions of Christians - Nicole Jansezian - January 9, 2009] </ref>

==External Links==

*[http://www.onelawforall.org.uk/ One law for all - Campaign group against theocratic laws and promoting secularism]

==References==
{{Reflist|3|refs=}}

[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]]
[[Category:Human rights]]
[[Category:Fiqh (legal theory)]]
[[Category:Ritual]]
[[Category:Allah]]
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Salah (prayer)]]
[[Category:Salaf al-Salih (Pious Predecessors)]]

Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam (the Abodes of War and Peace)

2024-06-12T18:34:53Z

AdrianE: Fixed a typo.

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Traditionally, [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)|Islamic law]] has understood the world as divided into a number of distinct domains based upon the relationship of the ruling parties to Islam and the [[Khilafah (Caliphate)|Islamic state, or Caliphate]]. Whether or not these territories have always existed or continue to exist, virtually all Islamic scholars until today agree on the existence, at least conceptually, of such a place as the ''Dar al-Harb'' or ''Dar al-Kufr'' (lit. "Abode of War", or "Infidelity") and ''Dar al-Islam'', ''Dar al-Salam'', or ''Dar al-Tawhid'' (lit. "Abode of Submission", or "Peace", or "Unity"). More controversial throughout history and experiencing varying levels of intellectual assent and much definitional debate, although growing in popularity in recent times, has been the tertiary domain of ''Dar al-Sulh,'' ''Dar al-Ahd'', or ''Dar al-Amn'' (lit. "Abode of Treaty", "Truce", or "Safety"). The purpose of these distinctions is to delineate the imperial policy of the Islamic state. Most simplistically, the regions controlled by or subservient to the Islamic state have been considered as constituting the Dar al-Islam and those not as constituting the Dar al-Harb. Scholars have differed as to whether regions with which the Islamic state has a treaty ought to be considered part of the Dar al-Harb or the tertiary category of Dar al-Sulh. Scholars have also differed as to whether, if such a place as the Dar al-Sulh exists, it can be considered permanent. This is because most classical scholars agreed that the Islamic state, destined to conquer the entire world, was not permitted by God to have everlasting treaties with non-subservient political or military entities, with many agreeing on a 10-year maximum-limit on peaceful relations with any such entity. The questions of whether or not such treaties, albeit temporary, could be again and again renewed and to whether or not multiple independent Islamic states, as have often existed throughout history and as exist today, could together constitute the Dar al-Islam as opposed to a single unified state has complexified the debate.

In addition to imperial implications, classical Islamic legal scholars agreed that the law by which individual Muslims have to live in these different territories varies. The traditionally popular perspective was that all non-Muslim residents in the Dar al-Harb were [[Kafir (Infidel)|enemies of God]] and thus could be stolen from, charged [[Riba (Usury)|interest]] (which was otherwise prohibited), [[Slavery|enslaved]], or even [['Adalah (Justice)|killed]]. The rationale behind these rulings was that, as enemies of God destined to be conquered by the Islamic state, these non-Muslims themselves and their property were in fact booty earmarked for the Muslim [[ummah]]. However, these perspectives have fallen out of favor in recent times, particularly in the West among diasporic Muslim communities.
==Definitions==

===Overview===
Dar al-Harb (دار الحرب "house of war"; also referred to as ''dar al-Garb'' "house of the West" in later Ottoman sources) is an Islamic legal term used for regions which are not under Islamic rule.

According to ''The New Encyclopedia of Islam'', the Dar al-Harb (lit. the "abode of war") is:

{{Quote|Glasse, Cyril. (2002). The New Encyclopedia of Islam: Revised Edition of the Concise Encyclopedia of Islam. (p. 111). Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.|the territories where Islam does not prevail. During colonial rule in India, the 'uluma decided that as long as the laws of Islam were not prohibited, or as long as the peculiar institution of Islam existed, the country could be considered to lie within dar al-islam ("abode of Islam"). Symbolically, the dar al-harb is the domain, even in an individual's life, where there is a struggle against or opposition to, the Will of God.}}

In context, [[jihad]] is the divine institution of warfare destined to extend Islam into the Dar al-Harb by transforming it into part of the Dar al-Islam.<ref>Glasse, Cyril. (2002). [http://books.google.com/books?id=focLrox-frUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+new+encyclopedia+of+islam#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''The New Encyclopedia of Islam: Revised Edition of the Concise Encyclopedia of Islam'']. (p.240). Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.</ref>

===History and use of Dar al-Harb===

According to Professor Gamal M. Badr, Adjunct Professor of Islamic law at New York University, in his article titled "A Survey of Islamic International Law", during the Islamic age of expansion jurists elaborated the theory that the rest of the world outside the domain of Islam was collectively Dar al-Harb, and the normal relationship between it and the Muslim state was considered to be war. Any truces could not exceed a duration of ten years (a precedent set during Muhammad's lifetime).<ref name="Religion and International Law">Janis, Mark W. & Evans, Caroline. (1999). [http://books.google.com/books?id=8CxMFjU12OUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=religion+and+international+law#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''Religion and International Law'']. (p. 95). The Hague, Netherlands: Kluwer Law International - Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.</ref>

During the age of expansion, the rationale for waging war against non-Muslims centered around the legal thought that it was justified by the mere fact of their disbelief.<ref name="Religion and International Law2">Janis, Mark W. & Evans, Caroline. (1999). [http://books.google.com/books?id=8CxMFjU12OUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=religion+and+international+law#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''Religion and International Law'']. (p. 96). The Hague, Netherlands: Kluwer Law International - Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.</ref> After over a century of rapid expansion, Islamic leaders, political and intellectual, came to the realization that carrying Islam to the four corners of the world was unattainable.<ref name="Religion and International Law"></ref> What was once a world divided exclusively into a Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb became a more complicated world divided into a Dar al-Islam, Dar al-Sulh ("territory of treaty"), and Dar al-Harb. The Dar al-Sulh was comprised of states that did not recognize Islamic rule over them but were not hostile towards Muslim states and made friendly treaties with them.<ref name="Religion and International Law2"></ref>

According to Tariq Ramadan, a prominent Muslim reformer, academic, and theologian:
{{Quote|2=The doctrinal position of the ''salafi'' literalist and their groups in the West, which are in constant communication with scholars based primarily in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, or Syria (mostly through former students of their respective educational institutions), refuses any kind of involvement in a space that is considered non-Islamic. The concepts of ''dar al-kufr'' and ''dar al-harb''36 are still operational and continue to explain the relationship of the ''salafis'' with the social environment, which is characterized primarily by isolation and by a literally applied religious practice protected from Western cultural influences.<ref>Ramadan, Tariq. (2004). [http://books.google.com/books?id=0eCu4nXJbUUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=western+muslims+and+the+future+of+islam#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''Western Muslims and the Future of Islam'']. (pp. 25-26). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.</ref>}}
{{Quote|2=[''Political literalist'' Salafism] is trenchant, politicized, radical, and opposed to any idea of involvement or collaboration with Western societies, which is seen as akin to open treason. The Hizb al-Tahrir and Al-Muhajirun movements are the best known in Europe, and they call for ''jihad'' and opposition to the West (always considered as ''dar al-harb'', the realm of war) by all means.<ref>Ramadan, Tariq. (2004). [http://books.google.com/books?id=0eCu4nXJbUUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=western+muslims+and+the+future+of+islam#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''Western Muslims and the Future of Islam'']. (p. 27). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.</ref>}}

The following excerpt is from the full-text indictment of the "Detroit Five", a Middle Eastern sleeper cell that was planning a terror attack on Disneyland:
{{Quote|2=Salafists seek to reform Islam by specifically emulating the first generation of Muslims since, according to these Salafists, later generations of Muslims have been corrupted by several centuries of religious practices and Western influences introduced by errant Muslims. Salafists reject any behavior that was not specifically supported or enjoined by the Prophet Mohammed. In almost every Sunni Muslim country, the Salafists have spawned radical fundamentalist-Islamic political movements, the goal of which is to compel the state to apply the Sharia. Many Salifists believe that the strict application of the Sharia is necessary to ensure that Muslims walk the true path of the Prophet. These radical fundamentalist-Islamic groups see the world divided in two spheres; that is, Dar-al-Islam (House of Islam or Islamic Zone), where peace reigns (Sallam), and the Dar-al-Harb (House of War or War Zone), which prevents a true Islamic state. The latter is viewed by these radical fundamentalist-Islamic groups to include all "infidel" areas that must ultimately be conquered. Global jihad is the constant effort to achieve this goal. The global jihad against Dar-al-Harb is not exclusively directed towards the outside world, but also against perceived internal threats, such as any non-Muslim presence in Dar-al-Islam.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,61565,00.html Full Text: Indictment of Detroit Five] - Fox News, August 28, 2002</ref>}}

Tariq Ramadan, by contrast, argues that the concept of Dar al-Harb is not found in the [[Qur'an]] or [[Sunnah]], but rather it was the ulama who began to classify and define the various areas in and around the places which they lived.<ref>Ramadan, Tariq. (2004). [http://books.google.com/books?id=0eCu4nXJbUUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=western+muslims+and+the+future+of+islam#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''Western Muslims and the Future of Islam'']. (p. 63). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.</ref> He asserts that it was a human attempt, at a moment in history, to describe the world and to provide the Muslim community with a geopolitical scheme that seemed appropriate to the reality of the time.<ref>Ramadan, Tariq. (2004). [http://books.google.com/books?id=0eCu4nXJbUUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=western+muslims+and+the+future+of+islam#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''Western Muslims and the Future of Islam'']. (p. 69). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.</ref> He explains that some ulama use the Shafi'i concept of Dar al-Ahd ("abode of treaty") or Dar al-Amn ("abode of safety") when discussing the situation of Muslims in the West.<ref>Ramadan, Tariq. (2004). [http://books.google.com/books?id=0eCu4nXJbUUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=western+muslims+and+the+future+of+islam#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''Western Muslims and the Future of Islam'']. (p. 72). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.</ref>

Several popular Islamic authorities use the term Dar al-Harb. Islam Q&A defines it as "every place in which the rule of kufr prevails" and explains that it is obligatory for Muslims to migrate from the Dar al-Harb to Muslim lands (also known as a ''Hijrah'') if they are unable to practice their religion openly.<ref>[http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/13363/ Can Muslims settle in kaafir countries for the sake of a better life?] - Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 13363</ref> According to Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, a former head of al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, in a fatwa on IslamOnline, the late Sheikh Muhammad Abu Zahrah mentioned two main scholarly opinions concerning the definitions of Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb. Sheikh Abu Zahrah then opts for Imam Abu Hanifah’s opinion that the question revolves around the matter of security. That is if a Muslim is safe and secure in the place he lives, then the place is Dar al-Islam, and if not, then it is Dar al-Harb. He also said that this opinion conforms well to the Islamic principles of war, described as a defense strategy.<ref>Atiyyah Saqr - [http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503544498 Concept of Dar Al-Islam and Dar Al-Harb] - IslamOnline, October 11, 2002</ref>

Khilafah.com provides a thorough definition but states near the end of its article that "it is clear that the whole world is Dar al-Kufr as no country including every single Muslim country implements Islam. We see the laws of Allah abandoned as if they were worth nothing, the Sunnah of the Prophet betrayed and the example of the Sahaba ignored by the rulers of our countries."
{{Quote|2=According to Shariah terminology, Dar al-Islam is defined as the land which is governed by the laws of Islam and whose security (Aman) is maintained by the security of Islam, i.e. by the authority and protection of Muslims inside and outside the land, even if the majority of its inhabitants are non-Muslims.

Dar al-Kufr is the land which is governed by the laws of Kufr, and whose security is not maintained by the security (Aman) of Islam, i.e. by other than the authority and security of Muslims, even if the majority of its inhabitants are Muslims.

So what matters in determining whether the land is Dar al-Islam or Dar al-Kufr is neither the land itself nor its inhabitants, rather it is the laws and the security. So if its laws are Islamic and its security is maintained by Muslims then it is Dar al-Islam. When its laws are the laws of Kufr (disbelief) and its security is not maintained by Muslims then it is Dar al-Kufr. The term Dar al-Harb (land of war) is synonymous with Dar al-Kufr as in origin the aim of Islam is to spread to all lands until the Islamic state encompasses the whole globe. However there is a difference between those nations which are considered as Dar al-Harb Fi’lan (actual land of war) like the state of Israel which occupies Islamic land and Dar al-Harb Hukman (potential land of war) which include other states which are not occupying Islamic land or engaged with a direct war against our lands. These definitions have been derived from the Islamic evidences and discussed by the Ulema (scholars) in history.<ref>[http://www.khilafah.com/index.php/the-khilafah/foreign-policy/225-clarifying-the-meaning-of-dar-al-kufr-a-dar-al-islam Clarifying the meaning of Dar al-Kufr & Dar al-Islam] - Khilafah, March 28, 2007</ref>}}

In contrast with [[Muhammad]]'s own implementation of jihad as found in Islamic scriptures as a doctrine of violent warfare, the Khilafah.com article concludes with the following statement:
{{Quote|2=The Ummah has no Imam (Khalifah) who rules by what is contained in the Quran and Sunnah, who acts as a shield to protect us and whose duty it would be to protect the Muslims of Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, Chechnya and countless other places where the Muslim blood flows. Therefore it is paramount for us to work to re-establish Dar al-Islam, the Islamic Khilafah state through emulating the non-violent methodology of the Prophet (saw) in how he transferred Dar al-Kufr to Dar al-Islam and in the pursuit of this it is inevitable that we will be tried and tested.}}

====The definition of ''harbi'', or "agent of war"====

A ''harbi'', or "agent of war" was traditionally defined as any non-Muslim living in an area not subject to Islam and thus considered part of the Dar al-Harb. According to traditional Islamic jurists, the ''harbi'' has no rights: his blood and his property are licit to any Muslim.<ref> Ye'or, Bat (Author). Kochan, Mariam & Littman, David (Translators). (2002). [http://books.google.com/books?id=n4kTdYgwQPkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''Islam and Dhimmitude: Where Civilizations Collide'']. (p. 55). Cranbury, NJ: Associated University Presses.</ref> This classical position is reflected in the statements of those many modern Islamist movements, including [[Al-Qaeda]]:

{{Quote|1=Al-Qa'ida spokesman Suleiman Abu Gheith, 2002|2=If by religious law it is permitted to punish a Muslim [for the crime he committed] - it is all the more permitted to punish a ''Harbi'' infidel [i.e. he who belongs to ''Dar Al-Harb'' 'the domain of disbelief'] in the same way he treated the Muslim.<ref>[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP38802 'Why We Fight America': Al-Qa'ida Spokesman Explains September 11 and Declares Intentions to Kill 4 Million Americans with Weapons of Mass Destruction] - MEMRI: Special Dispatch, No. 388, June 12, 2002</ref>}}

===In Islamic writings===

====Classical====
''The Reliance of the Traveller'', the traditional Shafi'i manual of Islamic law, defines the Dar al-Harb as "enemy lands" and provides Muslims with instructions and rules regarding such territory. For example, it explains that based on the Prophet's words: "There is no usury (riba) between the Muslim and the hostile non-Muslim in enemy lands (dar al-harb)," it is thus permissible (according to Abu Hanifa and Muhammad) for Muslims to take interest from non-Muslims in enemy lands, so long as it is not done through deception, because their property is lawful to Muslims in their own lands.<ref>Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Masri & Nuh Ha Mim Keller. (1997). [http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Traveller-Classic-Islamic-Al-Salik/dp/0915957728/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255736904&sr=8-1#reader ''Reliance of the Traveller: The Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law Umdat Al-Salik'']. (p. 944, w43.2). Beltsville, MD: Amana Corporation.</ref> According to this manual of [[fiqh]], Muslim authorities whose land borders enemy territory (Dar al-Harb) are obligated to undertake jihad against enemies, dividing the spoils of battle among combatants, and setting aside a fifth (the "''khums''") for deserving recipients.<ref>Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Masri & Nuh Ha Mim Keller. (1997). [http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Traveller-Classic-Islamic-Al-Salik/dp/0915957728/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255736904&sr=8-1#reader ''Reliance of the Traveller: The Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law Umdat Al-Salik'']. (p. 647, o25.9). Beltsville, MD: Amana Corporation.</ref>

====Modern====
The following is an excerpt from an essay published in September 2001, titled “The Truth of the New Crusader War," by an author under the name “The Crusader Vanquisher Salah Al-Din":
{{Quote|2=First of all, we must clarify an important issue, and this is whether America is a country of war [Bilad Harb] or a country with which we have an agreement [Bilad Ahd]… It is agreed that it is a country of war, and it is permitted for Muslims to strike a country of war with all [kinds] of blows, because the blood, money, and honor of its residents are permitted. This is what the Messenger of Allah did with the Muharibeen [those from Dar Al-Harb, i.e. from territory not yet under Islamic rule that must be conquered ]: He abducted them like he did with the Banu 'Uqail; he plundered their merchant caravans as he did with the Quraysh; he assassinated their leaders as he did with Ka'ab Ibn Al-Ashraf and Salamah bin Abi Al-Huqaiq; he burned their land as he did with Banu Al-Nadhir; he destroyed their fortifications as he did in Taif, and other things.

Perhaps someone will say that if those who died [on September 11, 2001] are innocent women, elderly, and children, who must not be harmed even if they belong to a group from Dar Al-Harb, then how are these operations permitted by religious law?

We say [in response] that the sanctity of the blood of women, children, and the elderly [from among the people of Dar Al-Harb] is not absolute. Moreover, there are certain cases in which it is permitted to kill them when they [belong] to the people of Dar Al-Harb…

The first case: It is permitted for Muslims to kill inviolable infidels [that is, children, women, and the elderly] in order to repay in kind. If the infidels target Muslim women, children, and elderly, then it is permitted for Muslims to repay them in kind and kill [their women, children and elderly] as they killed. This is because of the word of Allah the Supreme, 'Anyone who attacks you, attack him as he attacked you,' and also because of other evidence.

The second case: It is permitted for Muslims to kill inviolable infidels in the event that they [the Muslims] attack them and cannot differentiate between those with immunity and the warriors or fortifications and, accordingly, they are permitted to kill them as a result [of inability to distinguish] and not with premeditation. This is because of what the Messenger said when asked about the offspring of the infidels [whom Muslims attacked] in an ambush and [during it] harmed their women and their children and said: 'They [the children] are of them [the warriors].' This proves that it is permissible to kill women and children because of [the deeds of] their fathers when it is not possible to distinguish between them [and the infidel warriors]…

The third case: It is permissible for Muslims to kill inviolable infidels if they are aiding the fighting in deed, word, opinion, or any other way. This is because of the Prophet's order to kill Duraid ibn Al-Simma, who was 120 years old and went with the Hawazin tribe [to fight against the Muslims] to give them counsel.

The fourth case: It is permitted for Muslims to kill inviolable infidels when there is a need to burn the fortifications or the fields of the enemy in order to weaken his strength, to breach the ramparts, or to topple the country, even if the inviolable ones die as a result, such as the Prophet did in the case of Banu Al-Nadhir.

The fifth case: It is permitted for Muslims to kill inviolable infidels if they need to use heavy weapons that cannot differentiate between those who are inviolable and the warriors, as the Prophet did at Taif.

The sixth case: It is permitted for Muslims to kill inviolable infidels if the enemy uses women and children as a human shield and it is not possible to kill the warriors except by killing this shield. In such a case it is permitted to kill them all.

The seventh case: It is permitted for Muslims to kill inviolable infidels if the latter had an agreement with the Muslims and broke the agreement, and the imam had to kill the inviolable ones to make an example of them, like the Prophet did with Banu Qurayza.<ref>[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sr&ID=SR2504 Contemporary Islamist Ideology Authorizing Genocidal Murder] – MEMRI: Special Report – No. 25, January 27, 2004</ref>}}

===Islamic scholars and leaders===

{{Quote|1=Dr. Hani Al-Siba'i, the director of the Al-Maqreze Centre for Historical Studies, 2005|2="The term 'civilians' does not exist in Islamic religious law. Dr. Karmi is sitting here, and I am sitting here, and I'm familiar with religious law. There is no such term as 'civilians' in the modern Western sense. People are either of Dar Al-Harb or not [...] If Al-Qa'ida indeed carried out this act [the London Bombings], it is a great victory for it. It rubbed the noses of the world's eight most powerful countries in the mud. This victory is a blow to the economy..."<ref>[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP93205 Director of London's Al-Maqreze Centre for Historical Studies Hani Sibai: There are No 'Civilians' in Islamic Law; The Bombing is a Great Victory for Al-Qa'ida, Which ‘Rubbed the Noses of the World's 8 Most Powerful Countries in the Mud'] - MEMRI: Special Dispatch - No. 932, July 12, 2005</ref>}}

====The United States====

The following fatwa (translated from the [[Arabic]]), was posted on the Al-Muhajiroun website in Arabic, as well as in an English version. It was signed, in the Arabic version, by Muhammad bin Abdallah Al-Musa'ari "Abu Majed", Secretary General of the Committee for the Protection of Legitimate Rights (in Saudi Arabia), and appeared under the emblem of the "Shari'a Court of the UK".
{{Quote|1=Sheikh Bakri, Shari'a Court Judge in London, 2001|2='''Question:''' What do the clerics say about Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and other Islamic states allowing the U.S. to use their land, skies, ports, and military bases… while intensive preparations are underway for striking a blow at the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan [i.e., the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan]…?

'''Answer:''' There is no doubt that America attacked, and is still attacking, the Muslims in every place and is carrying out massacres against them… It is the obligation of all Muslims to be in a state of war with it. The minimal obligation is a complete boycott, by means of avoiding diplomatic relations [with the U.S.]… The only ones who claim that 'diplomatic relations' [with the U.S.] are allowed are the clerics of the treacherous sultans (i.e. the rulers of Arab and Islamic countries), most of whom are donkeys bearing books, and some are like dogs: they have renounced the verses of Allah and become like dogs, that should be left to pant, as a place is already reserved for them, surely on the lowest level of the fires of Hell.

Those people… their situation is clear and there is no need for any doubt among any of the Muslims: They are Murtaddun [who were Muslims] who left Islam for heresy, if, at all, they were Muslims to begin with. They all are involved in the war against Islam and against Muslims and therefore the sentence of Murtadd Harbi [a Murtadd who should be fought] applies to them, as follows:

1) His blood becomes permissible, and he must be killed, as an obligatory punishment, without possibility of forgiveness, because he fights against Allah and his Prophet…

2) His marriage becomes invalid, as does his guardianship of his children and relatives…

3) His property is permissible … he will not be able to bequeath [it]…

4) He cannot be buried in a Muslim cemetery, because burying Muslims is an honor that is fitting only those who are Muslims, while they, male and female alike, are Murtaddun Harbiyun [who should be fought] and are not Muslims

5) He must be treated with animosity and hatred, exactly like the Harbi heretic is treated…

6) There is no distinction between a man and a woman with respect to this verse. The blood of a woman Murtadda Harbiya who fights is permissible, exactly like that of a male Harbi – even if her fighting is limited to singing: thus acted the Prophet against the fighting women of the Quraysh tribe. He permitted their blood and ordered them killed, although he generally prohibited killing women, and was even strict about this…<ref>[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archiv/es&Area=ia&ID=IA7301 Radical Islamist Profiles (2): Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad - London] - MEMRI: Inquiry and Analysis - No. 73, October 25, 2001</ref>}}

The following year Sheikh Bakri clarified his stance regarding Dar al-Harb, and in an article posted on the Al-Muhajiroun website he appeared to dissent from the Al-Qaeda perspective on jihad against those Muslims who do not put Shari'a into practice. He asserted that it was vital for Muslims to establish the Khilafah ([[Caliph|Caliphate]]), and explained that jihad becomes a religious obligation only "when the enemy enters Muslim land, such as Palestine, Chechnya, Kosova or Kashmir." Bakri also argued that the Islamic concepts of Dar al-Islam versus Dar al-Harb no longer apply, meaning that the implicit obligation of Muslims to wage war on Dar al-Harb is no longer applicable. He argued that the concept of Dar al-Islam implies the existence of a Khilafah and that because there is no Khilafah nowadays (since the abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate in March 1924), there is no Dar al-Islam to carry out jihad aimed at imperial conquest and, consequently, no Dar al-Harb. Nevertheless, he continued, that when the kuffar (infidels) occupy Muslim land, then this occupied land becomes, to all practical purposes, Dar Al-Harb, and Muslims are required to fight for its liberation, "as in Palestine, Chechnya, Bosnia, etc." Such territories may also be defined, he suggested, as ''Dar al-Ghasab'' ("Abode of Usurpation"). Among such territories he listed Kashmir, Palestine and Northern Spain.<ref>[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP43502 Islamist Leader in London: No Universal Jihad As Long As There is No Caliphate] - MEMRI: Special Dispatch - No. 435, October 30, 2002</ref>

====Israel and Palestine====

{{Quote|1=Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradhawi, head of the European Council for Fatwa and Research, 2003|2=The martyrdom operations carried out by the Palestinian factions to resist the Zionist occupation are not in any way included in the framework of prohibited terrorism, even if the victims include some civilians [...] It has been determined by Islamic law that the blood and property of people of Dar Al-Harb [the Domain of Disbelief where the battle for the domination of Islam should be waged] is not protected.<ref>[http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Area=sd&ID=SP54203 Al-Qaradhawi Speaks In Favor of Suicide Operations at an Islamic Conference in Sweden] - MEMRI: Special Dispatch - No. 542, July 24, 2003</ref>}}

{{Quote|1=Dr. Sheikh 'Ali Gum'a, Egyptian Mufti, 2003|2=The Zionists themselves do not differentiate between civilian and military personnel. They have set the entire people to military service. The civilian settler who occupies land in a state of war is a ''Harbi'' [that is, a non-Muslim living in an area regarded as 'Dar al-Harb,' the 'domain of war,' in which Islam does not dominate and must therefore be fought until Islam dominates it]. Besides, everyone in Israel, civilians and military personnel, bear arms. That is, they are 'Ahl al-Qital' [that is, those who deserve to be fought].<ref>[http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Area=sd&ID=SP58003 The New Egyptian Mufti - Dr. Sheikh 'Ali Gum'a: Opinions About Jihad, Supporting Suicide Bombings, and Forbidding Muslims in the U.S. Military From Fighting Other Muslims] - MEMRI: Special Dispatch - No. 580, October 1, 2003</ref>}}

When asked '''"Is it permitted to kill an Israeli traveling outside the borders of his land?"''' Sheikh 'Ali Gum'a replied:
{{Quote|2=Yes, it is permitted to kill him, because he is a Harbi and the Harbi spreads corruption throughout the face of the earth.}}

In 2008, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a decree to act against Israel, which he called "an infidel that should be warred against" (Kafer-e-Harbi) because of the "slaughter of the Palestinian Muslims" and the "plunder of Islamic lands". He stated: "All Palestinian fighters and all believers in the Islamic world must help the defenseless [Palestinian] women, children, and people in Gaza. Anyone who dies in this legitimate and sacred defense is a shahid [martyr]."<ref>[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP216908 Khamenei Decrees: Israel is Kafer-e-Harbi; Iranian Martyrdom Seekers Await Khameini's Orders; Iranian Student Organizations Threaten to Take Over Egyptian, Jordanian Diplomatic Representations] - MEMRI: Special Dispatch - No. 2169, December 31, 2008</ref>

====Dagestan====

On December 13, 2006, Islamist websites posted an hour-long video from the Caucasus, produced by Nuriddin Media, entitled "Dar al-Harb of Dagestan." The video, which contained many disturbing images, compelled MEMRI to edit out certain clips.

{{Quote||The video shows the Russian military, with its heavy weaponry, tanks, and planes bombing residential areas in Dagestan, and afterwards shows mujahideen firing heavy volleys at unseen targets. Then, to a song of "I am a terrorist, I strike fear in the enemies of the religion," the video shows mujahideen butchering one captive after another.

Later in the video, to the song "Where are those who want martyrdom?" and other songs of praise to martyrs, the video shows attacks on various civilian targets, including one on a bus and another on a group of wedding guests. In addition, two suicide attackers are shown reading out their last wills while driving a car en route to their mission.

Towards the end, the video shows images of the aftermath of the November 26, 2006, Russian raid on the mujahideen safe house near Dagestan - a raid in which Abu Hafs Al-Urduni, the commander of the foreign mujahideen in the Caucasus, was killed.<ref>[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP140306 Islamist Websites Monitor No. 38 - New Video from the Caucasus: "Dar Al-Harb of Dagestan"] - MEMRI: Special Dispatch, No. 1403, December 31, 2006</ref>}}

====Afghanistan====

{{Quote|1=Gulboddin Hekmatyar, Afghan Islamist leader of a militia that joined the Taliban and Al-Qa'ida in a "holy war" against all international and peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan, 2002|2=American forces are guarding the presidential palace and foreign forces are in control of all the airports in the country. We think that it is not permissible under the shari'a to cooperate with the occupiers. It is also not permissible to join this government, because it is an agent government. Islam does not permit a Muslim to live in submission under infidels and aggressors. I think that Afghanistan is currently categorized as a 'Domain of War' [Dar Al-Harb]. All Afghans must remove the invading forces from their country. It is not possible for us to reach a dialogue now with those who supported the United States, because there will be no benefit in establishing contact and dialogue with them. They sided with the Russians in the past and received weapons and financial aid from them.<ref>[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP45503 Interview With Afghan Islamist Leader On Jihad Against U.S.] - MEMRI: Special Dispatch, No. 455, January 3, 2003</ref>}}

==See also==

*[[Dhimmitude]]
*[[Jihad in Islamic Law]]
*[[Khilafah (Caliphate)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]]
[[Category:Caliphate]]
[[Category:Society and human nature]]
[[Category:Kafir (infidel)]]
[[Category:Paganism]]
[[Category:People of the Book]]
[[Category:Dhimma]]
[[Category:Fiqh (legal theory)]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Salafism]]
[[Category:Jihad]]
[[Category:Human rights]]
[[ar:نقل_دار_الحرب_ودار_الإسلام_2]]

Ummah

2024-06-12T18:17:03Z

AdrianE: Fixed a sentence.

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'''Ummah''' (أمة‎) is an [[Arabic]] word meaning "community" or "nation".<ref>"[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ummah ummah]." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 15 Aug. 2011.</ref> In [[Islam]] the word is used to refer to the collective worldwide body of Muslim believers,<ref>"[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ummah ummah]." Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 15 Aug. 2011.</ref> including both the Muslim population of [[Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam (the Abodes of War and Peace)|Dar al-Islam]] and the Muslim population of [[Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam (the Abodes of War and Peace)|Dar al-Harb]] who are living outside the lands where Islam rules. The leader of the ummah is known as the [[caliph]], "Amir Al-Mu'minin" or "Commander of the Believers", although no widely-accepted figure has held this position since the fall of the Ottoman caliphate after the end of the World War I.

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Society and human nature]]
[[Category:Caliphate]]
[[Category:Sacred history]]
[[Category:Islamic History]]

Safiyah

2024-06-11T21:34:45Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

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'''Safiyah bint Huyayy''' (صفية بنت حيي‎, c. 610 - c. 670) (also spelled Saffiya, Safiyya, Safiya bint Huyai) was the bride of [[Kinana]] and the chief mistress of the Jewish tribes of [[Banu Qurayza|Quraizah]] and An-Nadhir. According to the [[sira|sira,]] Muhammad captured and married her after killing her husband. She is considered an أم المؤمنين or "mother of the believers". She and her husband were both captured after the victorious conclusion of Muhammad's [[conquest of Khaybar]]. The narrations agree that Muhammad chose her due to her exceeding beauty, as had been his custom in other engagements where the believers took slave women as booty, such as the conquest of the [[Banu Qurayzah]]. There was apparently some concern for his safety the night of their wedding on the part of his followers, as he had just that day murdered her husband after taking him as a prisoner of war, going so far as to torture him in order to ascertain the location of his treasure, and had earlier killed her father after the siege of the [[Banu Qurayzah]]. Modern Muslims have found the story embarrassing from the modern, liberal point of view, which supports the rights of people to not be slaves and to choose their own sexual and marriage partners. The story of Safiyah flies in the face of these norms, instead reflecting a world where powerful men like Muhammad take women as prizes in war and use them sexually to their own advantage with little regard to the women's emotional well being. Rather than admit this quite plain reading of source texts, many Muslim [[Dawah|duaah]] and apologists rather seek to use isolated narratives to recast Safiyah as a woman deeply in love with the man who had just killed her brother, husband (including torturing him in order to find his gold), and had earlier killed her father, and profoundly possessed by the conviction that he was a prophet of [[Allah (God)|Allah]].

==Story of Her Capture and Marriage to Muhammad==

When the Muslims invaded and conquered Khaybar, the fighting men were killed and Safiyah was taken captive (along with the rest of the women and children) and allotted as booty to Dihya Al-Kalbi, a Muslim.<ref>{{Bukhari|2|14|68}}</ref> Kinana, her husband, was tortured and executed by the Muslims in order to discover the hiding places of treasure,<ref>Ishaq. I (Author), Guillaume. A (Translator). (2002). [http://www.amazon.com/Life-Muhammad-I-Ishaq/dp/0196360331/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252901691&sr=8-1#reader ''The Life of Muhammad'']. (p. 515). Oxford University Press</ref><ref>The History of Al-Tabari, State University of New York Press, vol. 8 translated by Michael Fishbein, p.123</ref><ref>Muir, Sir William. (1878). [http://books.google.com/books?id=5QMMAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''The Life of Mahomet, New Edition'']. (pp. 390-391) London:Smith, Elder and Co.</ref> and one source relates that he and Safiyah had been married for only one day.<ref>Muir, Sir William. (1878). [http://books.google.com/books?id=5QMMAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''The Life of Mahomet, New Edition'']. (pp. 392) London:Smith, Elder and Co.</ref> She was so [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Beauty and Makeup|beautiful]], that the Muslims began praising her in the presence of [[Muhammad]],<ref>{{Muslim|8|3329}}</ref> and so the prophet commanded that Dihya be brought before him along with Safiyah.{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3328}}|Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Khaibar is ruined. Verily when we get down in the valley of a people, evil is the morning of the warned ones (al-Qur'an, xxxvii. 177). Allah, the Majestic and the Glorious, defeated them (the inhabitants of Khaibar), and there fell to the lot of Dihya a beautiful girl, and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got her in exchange of seven heads, and then entrusted her to Umm Sulaim so that she might embellish her and prepare her (for marriage) with him. }}

Upon seeing her, Muhammad said, "Take any slave girl other than her from the captives"<ref>{{Bukhari|1|8|367}}</ref> and he selected her for himself (as was his custom, he had done similarly with Rayhana after [[The Massacre of the Banu Qurayza]]):<ref>Ibn Sa'd, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyyah, vol.2 p.58</ref> {{Quote|2={{right|لما فتح رسول الله ص الْقَمُوصَ، حِصْنَ ابْنِ أَبِي الْحُقَيْقِ، أُتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ بِصَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ حُيَيِّ بْنِ أَخْطَبَ، وَبِأُخْرَى مَعَهَا، فَمَرَّ بِهِمَا بِلالٌ- وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَاءَ بِهِمَا- عَلَى قَتْلَى مِنْ قَتْلَى يَهُودَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُمُ الَّتِي مَعَ صَفِيَّةَ صَاحَتْ وَصَكَّتْ وَجْهَهَا، وَحَثَتِ التُّرَابَ عَلَى رَأْسِهَا، فَلَمَّا رَآهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ قَالَ: أَغْرِبُوا عَنِّي هَذِهِ الشَّيْطَانَةَ، وَأَمَرَ بِصَفِيَّةَ فَحِيزَتْ خَلْفَهُ، وَأُلْقِيَ عَلَيْهَا رِدَاؤُهُ، فَعَرَفَ المسلمون ان رسول الله ص قد اصطفاها لنفسه، فقال رسول الله ص لِبِلالٍ- فِيمَا بَلَغَنِي- حِينَ رَأَى مِنْ تِلْكَ الْيَهُودِيَّةِ مَا رَأَى أَنُزِعَتْ مِنْكَ الرَّحْمَةُ يَا بِلالُ، حَيْثُ تَمُرُّ بِامْرَأَتَيْنِ عَلَى قَتْلَى رِجَالِهِمَا

[https://shamela.ws/book/23833/1073#p2 كتاب سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا ج 2 ص 336]
}}

When the apostle had conquered al-Qamus the fort of B. Abu'l-Huqayq, Safiya d Huyayy b. Akhtab was brought to him along with another woman. Bilal who was bringing them led them past the Jews who were slain; and when the woman who was with Safiya saw them she shrieked and slapped her face and poured dust on her head. When the apostle saw her he said 'Take this she-devil away from me.' He gave orders that Safiya was to be put behind him and threw his mantle over her, so that the Muslims knew that he had chosen her for himself. I have heard that the apostle said to bilal when he saw this Jewess behaving this way, “Have you no compassion, Bilal, when you brought two women past their dead husbands?”|A. Guillaume (trans.), The Life of Muhammad: A translation of Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah (Oxford University Press, 1978), p. 515
}}

In the above passage, one might surmise that Kinana was killed in battle, but in the next passage ibn Ishaq himself confirms that he was murdered by the Muslims by torture in order to find his treasure.

The Muslims left Khaybar to return to Medina and on the way they stopped at a place called Sadd Al-Sahba; it was at this time Safiyah became clean from her menses.<ref>{{Bukhari|5|59|522}}</ref> {{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|52|143}}|Then we reached Khaibar; and when Allah enabled him to conquer the Fort (of Khaibar), the beauty of Safiya bint Huyai bin Akhtab was described to him. Her husband had been killed while she was a bride. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) selected her for himself and took her along with him till we reached a place called Sa`d-AsSahba,' where her menses were over and he took her for his wife. Haris (a kind of dish) was served on a small leather sheet. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) told me to call those who were around me. So, that was the marriage banquet of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and Safiya.}}

The prophet decided to marry her, and he considered her manumission to be an adequate [[Mahr (Marital Price)|mahr]] (dowry).<ref>{{Bukhari|5|59|512}}</ref> The "marriage banquet" consisted of Hays (a dish made of dates and butter) served on a small leather sheet and a gathering of those who were conveniently nearby.<ref>{{Bukhari|4|52|143}}</ref> Another narrator describes the banquet in this way: "...there was neither meat nor bread in that banquet, but the Prophet ordered Bilal to spread the leather mats on which dates, dried yogurt and butter were put."<ref>{{Bukhari|5|59|524}}</ref> Muhammad stayed three nights there and consummated his marriage with Safiyah.<ref>{{Bukhari|5|59|524}}</ref> According to Tabari, there was apparently some fear amongst the believers that she would kill him in revenge for her husband and father:{{Quote|The History of Al-Tabari, State University of New York Press, vol.39 translated by Ella Landau-Tasseron, p.185

[https://al-maktaba.org/book/9783/6355 تاريخ الطبري، دار التراث، ج11 ص610]
|قال ابن عمر: حَدَّثَنِي كَثِيرُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ رباح عن ابى هريرة، قال:
لما دخل رسول الله ص ‌بصفيه بات ابو ‌أيوب على باب النبي ص، فلما اصبح فراى رسول الله ص كبر، ومع ابى ‌أيوب السيف، فقال: يا رسول الله كانت جاريه حديثه عهد بعرس، وكنت قتلت أباها وأخاها وزوجها، فلم آمنها عليك فضحك رسول الله ص، وقال له خيرا

Ibn ‘Umar [al-Waqidi] – Kathir b. Zayd – al-Walid b. Rabah – Abu Hurayrah: While the Prophet was lying with Safiyah Abu Ayyub stayed the night at his door. When he saw the Prophet in the morning he said "God is the Greatest." He had a sword with him; he said to the Prophet, "O Messenger of God, this young woman had just been married, and you killed her father, her brother and her husband, so I did not trust her (not to harm) you." The Prophet laughed and said "Good".}}

Despite this banquet, and the nights he spent with her, the Muslims were still not sure whether she would be considered a wife or a right hand possession (i.e. a sex slave/concubine) until Muhammad set off and allowed her to wear a veil as she rode behind him on his camel (as slave women are not allowed to wear the [[hijab]] according to traditional [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)|shari'ah (Islamic law)]]).<ref>{{Bukhari|5|59|524}}</ref>

==Analysis==

From the information provided in the Hadith, it can be reasonably concluded that Safiyah did not have a choice in this marriage; rather she was war booty for Muhammad, a not uncommon practice at the time. There do exist passages in ibn Sa'd's "Tabaqat" that indicate that Muhammad gave Safiyah the choice between marrying him and returning to her people:{{Quote|Ibn Sa'ad Life of Muhammad, 8/123

[https://al-maktaba.org/book/1686/2749 طبقات ابن سعد، دار الكتب العلمية، ج8 ص97]|فقال: لها رسول الله: اختاري، فإن اخترت الإسلام أمسكتك لنفسي وإن اخترت اليهودية فعسى أن أعتقك فتلحقي بقومك. فقالت: يا رسول الله لقد هويت الإسلام وصدقت بك قبل أن تدعوني حيث صرت إلى رحلك وما لي في اليهودية أرب وما لي فيها والد ولا أخ، وخيرتني الكفر والإسلام فالله ورسوله أحب إلي من العتق وأن أرجع إلى قومي

... So, the Prophet said to her: ‘Make your choice, if you will choose Islam, I’ll select you for myself and if you chose Judaism, I’ll set you free and send you to your people.’ She said; ‘O Allah’s Messenger indeed I felt affection for Islam and testified for you even before you gave me this invitation when I came to you. I have no guardian among the Jews, neither father nor brother and I prefer Islam over disbelief. Allah and His Messenger are dear to me then freedom and to return to my people.

}}

This is however contradicted by numerous traditions that 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 (dowry).{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3326}}|أَنَّهُ أَعْتَقَ صَفِيَّةَ وَجَعَلَ عِتْقَهَا صَدَاقَهَا ‏.‏ وَفِي حَدِيثِ مُعَاذٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ تَزَوَّجَ صَفِيَّةَ وَأَصْدَقَهَا عِتْقَهَا.

Allah's Apostle emancipated Safiyya, and made her emancipation her wedding gifgt. And in the hadith of Muadh from his father he (Muhammad) married Safiyah and gave her as her wedding gift her manumission.

}}

Based on the sources, it seems that Muhammad took Safiyah based on her beauty. Her social status would not have mattered in this particular situation because Muhammad did not intend on maintaining amiable ties with the Jews of Khaybar, and in hand has subjected them by imposing the [[dhimma]] and [[jizyah]] upon them. In fact, he intended on forcing them into exile but was talked out of it by the Jews who agreed to cultivate the land and give half of its earnings to the Muslims.<ref>{{Bukhari|3|39|531}}</ref>

In later, non-sahih accounts, there are reports that Safiyah desired to become a Muslim; however, there is no evidence of this in sahih accounts. She was the Jewish chief mistress of two tribes who had rebelled against ''Allah and his Apostle'', so her religious piety would not have been a considering factor for Muhammad. Her wealth had been confiscated as war booty, so her wealth would not have been a considering factor either. Muhammad knew nothing about Safiyah until her capture and distribution as booty; his interest seems only to have been sparked when he heard about her beauty.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|52|143}}|Then we reached Khaibar; and when Allah enabled him to conquer the Fort (of Khaibar), the beauty of Safiya bint Huyai bin Akhtab was described to him. Her husband had been killed while she was a bride. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) selected her for himself and took her along with him till we reached a place called Sa`d-AsSahba,' where her menses were over and he took her for his wife.
}}

==Additional Narratives==

Many narratives outside of the sahih hadith tradition exist about Safiyah:

When the Muslims conquered al-Qamus (the fort of B. Abu'l-Huqayq), Bilal (one of Muhammad's companions) brought Safiyah and another woman to Muhammad. He led them past the slain Jews, and when the woman with Safiyah saw them she shrieked and slapped her face and poured dust on her head. Muhammad said, "Take this she-devil away from me." He then commanded that Safiyah be put behind him and he threw his mantle over her, indicating that he had chosen her for himself. It had been said that the apostle asked Bilal, "Had you no compassion, Bilal, when you brought two women past their dead husbands?"<ref>Ishaq. I (Author), Guillaume. A (Translator). (2002). [http://www.amazon.com/Life-Muhammad-I-Ishaq/dp/0196360331/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252901691&sr=8-1#reader ''The Life of Muhammad'']. (p. 515). Oxford University Press</ref>

The Sahih Hadith contradict this account, describing Safiyah being brought with Dihya, not another woman, for the sole purpose of satisfying Muhammad's curiosity about her beauty.

Safiyah had a mark on her face, and when Muhammad asked her about it, she told him that her husband had hit her so hard that he blacked her eye. She said she had a dream while she was married to Kinana, and in that dream the moon fell in her lap. When she described it to her husband, he said, "This simply means that you covet the king of the Hijaz, Muhammad", and then he hit her.<ref>Ishaq. I (Author), Guillaume. A (Translator). (2002). [http://www.amazon.com/Life-Muhammad-I-Ishaq/dp/0196360331/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252901691&sr=8-1#reader ''The Life of Muhammad'']. (p. 515). Oxford University Press</ref>

In another story, Safiyah was veiled after the wedding feast and Muhammad put her on his camel in order to conduct her to the bridal tent. In the morning, Muhammad heard the noise of someone rustling against the curtain of the tent. Abu Ayub was there, and he had kept watch all night with a drawn sword. When Muhammad asked his reason for being there, his friend explained that he did not trust Safiyah because Muhammad had just slain her husband the previous day. Muhammad thanked him for his vigilance and sent him away.<ref>Muir, Sir William. (1878). [http://books.google.com/books?id=5QMMAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''The Life of Mahomet, New Edition'']. (pp. 392-393) London:Smith, Elder and Co.</ref>

==Issue of Saffiyah's 'Iddah (Waiting Period)==

According to Islamic law, a woman whose husband dies must undergo her [[iddah]] or waiting period of four months and ten days:

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|234}}|And those who are taken in death among you and leave wives behind - they, [the wives, shall] wait four months and ten [days]. And when they have fulfilled their term, then there is no blame upon you for what they do with themselves in an acceptable manner. And Allah is [fully] Acquainted with what you do.}}

As such, Muhammad theoretically should have waited the allotted waiting period to marry her. The hadith narrations, though, seem to indicate that he married her soon after taking her as a slave, waiting only a few days for her to pass her first menstrual period.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|522}}|Narrated Anas bin Malik:
We arrived at Khaibar, and when Allah helped His Apostle to open the fort, the beauty of Safiya bint Huyai bin Akhtaq whose husband had been killed while she was a bride, was mentioned to Allah's Apostle. The Prophet selected her for himself, and set out with her, and when we reached a place called Sidd-as-Sahba, Safiya became clean from her menses then Allah’s Apostle married her. Hais (i.e. an ‘Arabian dish) was prepared on a small leather mat. Then the Prophet said to me, "I invite the people around you." So that was the marriage banquet of the Prophet and Safiya. Then we proceeded towards Medina, and I saw the Prophet, making for her a kind of cushion with his cloak behind him (on his camel). He then sat beside his camel and put his knee for Safiya to put her foot on, in order to ride (on the camel).}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|524}}|arrated Anas:
The Prophet stayed for three nights between Khaibar and Medina and was married to Safiya. I invited the Muslims to his marriage banquet and there was neither meat nor bread in that banquet but the Prophet ordered Bilal to spread the leather mats on which dates, dried yogurt and butter were put. The Muslims said amongst themselves, "Will she (i.e. Safiya) be one of the mothers of the believers, (i.e. one of the wives of the Prophet) or just (a lady captive) of what his right-hand possesses?" Some of them said, "If the Prophet makes her observe the veil, then she will be one of the mothers of the believers (i.e. one of the Prophet's wives), and if he does not make her observe the veil, then she will be his lady slave." So when he departed, he made a place for her behind him (on his camel) and made her observe the veil.}}

As such it would appear that Muhammad broke the rules of Islamic 'iddah in order to have sex with Safiyah so soon after he had tortured her husband to death. The issue is muddied, though, since in traditional Islamic law, capturing a married woman annules her marriage, and thus she wouldn't need to observe the 'Iddah. In order to ensure she is not pregnant, a single menstrual cycle suffices for a captured slave girl. After this single menstrual period her new owner can proceed to have sex with her. The Encyclopedia of Unanimous Islamic Rulings says: “Al-Balluti (d.355 AH) said: Scholars have unanimously agreed on the annulment of the marriage of a captured woman whose husband lives in a land of war (i.e. uncontrolled by Muslims), and that her owner can have sex with her after she menstruates for one time only.” <ref>Mawsu'at Al-Ijma' Fil-Fiqh Al-Islami, Al-Maktabah Al-Shamilah, published by Dar Al-Fadhilah, 2012, vol.6 p.255
موسوعة الإجماع في الفقه الإسلامي، دار الفضيلة الطبعة الأولى، المكتبة الشاملة، ج6 ص255
----</ref>

==Modern Perspectives==

The story of Safiyah is retold by Muslims in numerous biographies and books. Some examples are given below:

{{Quote|1=Ahmed, Dr. (Mufti) M. Mukarram. (2005) [http://books.google.com/books?id=bHLO1brCbm0C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false Encyclopaedia of Islam]. (pp 163-164). New Delhi: J.L. Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd.|2=''Marriage with the Holy Prophet'': After the Muslims victory in the battle of Khyber all the prisoners of war were assembled. A companion of the Holy Prophet, Hadrat Dehia Kalbi, requested him for a maid. The Holy Prophet allowed him to select one. Accordingly, he picked up Hadrat Safiyah. But another companion brought to the notice of the Holy Prophet that Dehia had chosen the leading lady of the Bany Nuzair and Quraiza tribes, who should have gone to the lot of the Holy Prophet. He meant that the leading woman of an Arab tribe should not be treated as an ordinary woman. The Holy Prophet therefore, allotted another woman prisoner to Hadrat Dehia as his maid. He freed Hadrat Safiyah and married her. (Bukhari) 

:According to another story when Hadrat Safiyah had been assigned to Hadrat Dehia, the Holy Prophet went round the camp inspecting the prisoners. Hadrat Safiyah represented her case to the Holy Prophet stating that she being the daughter of the chief of her tribe, deserved better treatment than accorded to her. The Holy Prophet who was moved by the implorings of Hadrat Safiya, secured her freedom from Hadrat Dehia on consideration of seven heads of cattle. Thereafter was invited to accept the true faith of Islam. Hadrat Safiyah was already inclined towards Islam and hence she readily accepted the same. The Holy Prophet then married her. (Usudul Ghaba) 

On his way to Medina the Holy Prophet halted at a place called Sahba where he held the Walima feast. While starting from Sahba, the holy Prophet got Hadrat Safiyah mounted on his own camel and covered her with his robe indicating that she had now become his wife. In happiness Hadrat Safiya forgot the tragedy that had befallen her family, thinking that now she was the most fortunate lady after marriage with the Holy Prophet of Islam.}}

This version is remarkable for the very selective reading of the sources and outright recasting of some of the material. Gone are the accounts of Safiyah being grieved at the death of her husband and the slaughter of her tribe. The idea that women should be the war booty of the men who conquer their tribe is never even questioned. The fact that she had no husband because he had been tortured to death with a fire on his chest is also conveniently omitted. This clearly shows the contemporary Muslim drive to reconcile elements of the prophet's biography which clash with contemporary liberal mores about war, slavery, and sexual consent.

The following quotes are from [http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/archives/2005/umm-ul-mukminin-Safiyah-the-jewish-wife-of-muhammad/ "Umm ul-Mukminin Safiyah: The Jewish Wife of Muhammad"] by Mohd Elfie Nieshaem Juferi, September 20, 2005:
{{Quote|2=There has been some criticism going around as to the nature of marriage of Safiyah(R), the Jewish wife of Muhammad(P). A rabid missionary hostile to the Prophet Muhammad(P) had in fact the audacity to say that: 
''Muhammad forced himself on a captured woman on the same day that he killed her father, husband and many of her relatives. He was a rapist.'' 
This statement made by this ignorant missionary is due not only to the gutter environment that he was brought up and subjected to, but also because of his inability to understand the circumstances surrounding this event. Insha’allah, our purpose here is to explain the circumstances and the nature of the marriage of Safiyah to the Prophet(P).}}

The above author clearly views a plain retelling of the facts as related by the tradition to be an attack on the character. He attacks the mere thought of their presentation in a neutral matter as "ignorant missionary" rhetoric, attacking the motive behind even questioning whether Muhammad was morally right to take a woman as war booty and then marry her after having killing her father, husband, and brother. Rather than dealing with the meaning of "rape" in such a context of slavery and pre-modern society the author instead casts aspersions.

The following quote deals with the issue through the lens of lineage, which is actually an important angle in Islamic legal thought about marriage:

{{Quote|2='''The Marriage of the Prophet(P) to Safiyah(R)''' 

Safiyah was the daughter of Huyayy ibn Akhtab, the undisputed leader of the Banu al-Nadir as well as a Jewish rabbi. Hence, she was of noble regal and rabbinical heritage. She became a captive of the Muslims when they seized al-Qamus, the fortress of Khaybar. When a Companion of the Prophet(P) heard of Safiyah’s captivity, he approached the Prophet(P) with a suggestion that since she was a lady of Banu al-Nadir, only the Prophet(P) was fit enough to marry her. The Prophet(P) agreed to this suggestion and hence granted her freedom and married her.|Muhammad Husayn Haykal, The Life of Muhammad (North American Trust Publications, 1976), p. 373}}
The issue of نسب nasab or "lineage" is an important issue in [[Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence)]] vis-a-vis marriage; in short, lineage is one of the legally allowable categories when considering suitable marriage partners and [[Mahr (Marital Price)]]. From an Islamic perspective, thus, it does make sense to take such an issue into consideration; yet this fact itself makes no appearance in the original sources, and the author makes no mention of the role played by Safiyah's beauty in the story.

Conquerors in pre-modern times generally married the daughters and wives of the kings whom they had conquered to give themselves legitimacy as the new rulers (in addition, of course, to slaking their lust with women who could not refuse their offers of marriage). Another angle often taken by pro-Islamic authors is often that of possible political motivations behind the marriage. Left out of this analysis, though, is that the feelings and dignity of the girls and women involved were the least of a conqueror's concern. In medieval England, for example, the Norman conquerors occasionally used intermarriage to claim land. The marriage to Safiyah is thus cast as having political significance as well, as it would supposedly help to reduce hostilities and cement alliances with the conquered people. John L. Esposito notes that

{{Quote|2=As was customary for Arab chiefs, many were political marriages to cement alliances. Others were marriages to the widows of his companions who had fallen in combat and were in need of protection.|John L. Esposito. Islam: The Straight Path (5 ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-063215-1. OCLC 1027626873, 2016. p.19-20}}
Esposito posits peacemaking as a goal of the marriage, yet the tribe that Safiyah hailed from was and continued to be at war with the Muslims; the people of Khaybar itself were reduced to dhimmitude and along with the rest of the Jews were eventually expelled from Arabia. In addition to this, before Muhammad heard of her beauty, he was going to allow Dihya to keep her as his slave.

{{Quote|2=As for the accusation that Safiyah was coerced into marriage or taken advantage of, as alleged by a known Islamophobic, this claim has no basis at all. It is known that Safiyah(R) remained loyal to the Prophet until he passed away.4 We have in fact the Prophet(P) making the following offer to her, as recorded by Martin Lings:
:He '''[the Prophet Muhammad - Ed.]''' then told Safiyah that he was prepared to set her free, and he offered her the choice between remaining a Jewess and returning to her people or entering Islam and becoming his wife. “I choose God and His Messenger,” she said; and they were married at the first halt on the homeward march.<ref>5. Martin Lings, Muhammad: His Life Based On The Earliest Sources (George Allen & Unwin, 1983), p. 269</ref>|[https://web.archive.org/web/20190613050745/http://noor.kalemasawaa.com/sbeelalislam/www.sbeelalislam.com/Eng/Q%26A/Proph/new_page_16.html;"Safiyah, the Wife of Muhammad" By Bassam Zawadi ]}}

Ling does not cite any source for this assertion. In contrast to Ling's assertion, we have Sahih Hadith that indicate that Safiyah was chosen for her beauty and kept captive up until her "wedding" night with Muhammad.

{{Quote|2=The other wives of the Prophet(P) used to show their jealousy of her by making slights upon her Jewish origin. But the Prophet(P) always defended her. Once Safiyah was vexed to the extreme by the taunts of all the Arab wives of the Prophet(P). She took the complaint to the Prophet(P), who felt great compassion for her. He consoled and encouraged her. He equipped her with logic by saying: “Safiyah, take courage and be bold. They are in no way superior to you. Tell them: I am a daughter of the Prophet Harun, a niece of the Prophet Musa, and a wife of the Prophet Muhammad”. This is thus an excellent example of the Prophet Muhammad(P) trying to wipe out pre-Islamic anti-Semitism amongst the Arabs.|[http://prophetlawyermtg.blogspot.com/2018/03/prophets-pbuh-marriage-with-safiya-ra.html"Prophet's (PBUH) marriage with Safiya (RA)" (in tr)]}}

"...trying to wipe out pre-Islamic anti-Semitism amongst the Arabs" is an assertion that is not supported by the primary texts we have. In fact according the traditional sources Muhammad's companions eventually expelled all of the Jews from Arabia, save the [[Banu Qurayza]] whom Muhammad slaughtered and enslaved to the last.

The following Islamic message board post attempts to take the marriage as a sign of the prophet's compassion:

{{Quote|2='''Conclusion''' 
With the evidences laid bare before us, we do not see the justification of accusing the Prophet(P) of being a “rapist”, as those anti-Islamic critics allege. That the Prophet(P) himself married Safiyah(R) so as to avoid the certainty of her being a slave of the Muslims and helped her to defend herself from the taunts of her co-wives is enough proof that the Prophet(P) was a man of exemplary conduct and remained honourable even to relatives of his most bitter foes.|[https://www.islamicboard.com/companions-of-the-prophet/1016-safiyya-bint-huyayy-radiallahu-anha.html|"Safiyya Bint Huyayy (RadiAllahu Anha)", IslamicBoard]}}

The above shows a clear apologetic bias at work; no modern person, especially given contemporary concerns about sexual consent prevalent in modern culture, would cast the marriage of a woman taken as a slave to the man who had just defeated her tribe in battle after an unprovoked surprise attack and murdered her husband, father, and brother as an example of fair and equal consent. The author above is clearly more concerned with modern perceptions of Muhammad and how they conform to contemporary mores around things like sexual consent than the plain facts of what is written in the texts.

Meraj Mohiuddin's book 2015 Revelation: The Story of Muhammad, provides only a single paragraph on the story of Safiyah's capture and betrothal to Muhammad, summarizing it as such:

{{Quote|2=While the people of Khaybar return to their homes, Kinanah's 17-year-old widow, Safiyah bint Huyay, approaches the Prophet and relates a dream in which she saw a brilliant moon over the city of Medina. The moon moved to Khaybar and then fell into her lap. The Prophet interprets her dream by giving her the choice of returning to her people or embracing Islam and joining his household as his 10th wife. Safiyah readily chooses the latter.|Meraj Mohiuddin. Revelation: The Story of Muhammad : Peace and Blessings be Upon Him. Whiteboard Press. pp. 291. ISBN 978-0-9896288-0-8. OCLC 1069569279, 2015.}}No passages are cited by ''Revelation'' to support this story but the following hadith is probably in mind here.{{Quote|2=There was a green scar in an eye of Safiyya. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked her, ‘What is this scar in your eye?’ She said, “I mentioned before my husband my dream that a moon fell into my lap upon which he slapped me and said; ‘Do you long for the King of Yathrib [the Prophet].’” She said: ‘There was none more hateful to me than the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as he had my father and husband killed. The Prophet (ﷺ), however, kept on explaining, ‘Safiya! Your father instigated the Arabs against me and did such and such.’ He kept doing so till all my harsh feelings for him vanished.|al-Tabarani, Abu al-Qasim, al-Mu’jam al-Kabir, (Cairo: Maktaba Ibn Taimiya, 1994) Vol.24, 67 Hadith 177; rated as as sahih by Albani in Silsala al-Ahadith al-Sahiha, (Riyadh: Dar al-Ma‘rif, 1996) Vol.6, Hadith 2793}}It should be noted that the tradition seems to contradict the other traditions which show that Safiyah was in great anguish at the death of her family at the hands of Muhammad and his believers. It is also notable that at least one other version of the tradition exists in the same hadith collection where it is the sun, not the moon, that falls into her lap. {{Quote|2=نَزَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَيْبَرَ وَصَفِيَّةُ عَرُوسٌ فِي مَجَاسِدِهَا، فَرَأَتْ فِي الْمَنَامِ كَأَنَّ الشَّمْسَ نَزَلَتْ حَتَّى وَقَعَتْ عَلَى صَدْرِهَا، فَقَصَّتْ ذَلِكَ عَلَى زَوْجِهَا، فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا تَمَنَّيْنَ إِلا هَذَا الْمَلِكَ الَّذِي نَزَلَ بنا، فَفَتَحَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَضَرَبَ عُنق زوجها صبرا، وتعرض من هناك من فتية النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ليتزوجها حَتَّى أَلْقَى لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَمْرًا عَلَى مُنْتَصَفٍ، فَقَالَ: «كُلُوا وَلِيمَةَ رَسُولِ اللهِ عَلَى صَفِيَّةَ»

When Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) reached Khyber while Safiya was a bride at her place. She saw in her dream that the sun came into her lap. She mentioned it before her husband. He said; ‘By Allah you do not wish for anyone except the King who has come upon us.’ Allah’s Messenger conquered Khyber and her husband was killed in captivity. The prophet offered dates to his companions and said “This is the wedding feast of the marriage of the messanger of Allah and Safiyyah."|Tabarani Kabeer, Maktabat Ibn Taymiyah, Hadith 176}}

''Revelation'' makes no mention of the numerous traditions mentioned above which indicate that Safiyah was filled with sadness at the murder of her family members by the Muslims (and the torture of her husband Kinana). Rather than dealing with the wide range of sources available on Safiyah, ''Revelation'' chooses to cherry pick a single tradition which casts her marriage to Muhammad as divinely pre-ordained and in accordance with her personal wishes, which is what modern liberal audiences would expect of a man claimed to be a good example ([[Uswa Hasana|Uswa Hasana)]]. Again, these modern Muslims seem embarrassed to admit the truth about the multiple different narrations that exist about Safiyah. And instead of presenting the tradition as it exists, they attempt to whitewash it in order to suit modern, liberal sensitivities around consent and slavery.

==See Also==

*[[Muhammad's Marriages|Muhammad's Wives]]
*[[Forced Marriage]]

==External Links==

*[https://www.answering-christianity.com/bassam_zawadi/rebuttaltoalisina10.htm "Safiyah, the Wife of Muhammad"-Rebuttal to Ali Sina] ''- Bassam Zawadi, Answering Christianity''
*[https://www.answering-islam.org/Muhammad/Inconsistent/idda_Safiyah.html Muhammad and the Law of 'Iddah] ''- Sam Shamoun, Answering Islam''
*[https://www.answeringislam.org/Responses/Osama/zawadi_Safiyah.htm Muhammad’s Marriage to Safiyah] ''- Sam Shamoun, Answering Islam''
*[https://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/zawadi_Safiyah2.htm Muhammad’s Marriage to Safiyah Revisited] ''- Sam Shamoun, Answering Islam''
*[https://www.icraa.org/two-issues-around-prophet-muhammads-marriage-with-safiyya/#_ftn14 Two Issues Around Prophet Muhammad’s Marriage With Safiyya] - ''Waqar Akbar, ICRAA.org''
*[https://atheism-vs-islam.com/index.php?view=article&id=79:safiya-bint-huyai-s-father-husband-brother-killed-by-prophet-muhammad-and-next-night-he-had-sex-with-her&catid=9\= Safiya bint Huyai's father, husband & brother killed by Prophet Muhammad] ''- Lehrasap, Atheism vs Islam''

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Muhammad]]
[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:Muhammad's wives and concubines]]
[[Category:Articles needing to be rewritten]]
[[Category:Ahl al-Bayt (People of the House)]]
[[Category:Sahabah (companions)]]
[[ar:صفية]]

Dhimma

2024-06-11T21:08:48Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos and improper use of capitals.

{{QualityScore|Lead=3|Structure=3|Content=2|Language=4|References=2}}
[[File:Broken cross.jpg|thumb|Part of the regulations placed on Christians and Jews under the Dhimma system is that they are not allowed to repair or build anew their churches and synagogues - damaged architecture must remain so.]]

The dhimma is the "pact of protection" entailing the social rights, responsibilities, and restrictions entailed by the status of being a "dhimmi". According to orthodox [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)|Islamic law]] (Shari'ah), those who are qualified for dhimmi status within the Muslim society are the free (i.e. non-slave) [[People of the Book|Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians]]. Adherents of other religions, as well as those without religion, are asked to convert to [[Islam]]; if they refuse, they are to be [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Forced Conversion|forced to convert (or face execution, ''en masse'')]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010649/http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=34770&ln=eng] - Islam Q&A (Archived), Fatwa No. 34770</ref> Jews and Christians were required to pay the [[jizyah]] while pagans were required to either accept Islam or die.<ref>{{cite web |title=Islam |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Islam |work=Encyclopedia Britannica |location=New York |date=17 August 2021|access-date=12 January 2022}}</ref> However, historically, adherents of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and other religions, have lived as dhimmis within Muslim states.<ref>{{cite book|author=Annemarie Schimmel|year=2004|page=[https://archive.org/details/empireofgreatmug00anne/page/107 107]|title=The Empire of the Great Mughals: History, Art and Culture|publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]]|isbn=978-1861891853|quote=The conqueror [[Muhammad bin Qasim|Muhammad Ibn Al Qasem]] gave both Hindus and Buddhists the same status as the Christians, Jews and Sabaeans the Middle East. They were all "dhimmi" ('protected people')|url=https://archive.org/details/empireofgreatmug00anne/page/107|author-link=Annemarie Schimmel}}</ref><ref name=bonner>{{cite book|author=Michael Bonner|author-link=Michael Bonner|title=Jihad in Islamic History: Doctrines and Practice|publisher=[[Princeton University Press]]|year=2008|page=89|isbn=9780691138381|jstor=j.ctt7sg8f}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Wael B. Hallaq|author-link=Wael Hallaq|title=Sharī'a: Theory, Practice, Transformations|year=2009|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|page=327|doi=10.1017/CBO9780511815300|isbn=9780511815300}}</ref>

In the pre-Islamic northern Arabia of the prophet's predecessors, different tribes existed in a constant state of warfare, with peace being the exception to the general rule of unending warfare.<ref name="Peters2016">{{cite book | author = Rudolph Peters | date = 2016 | title = Jihad: A History in Documents | publisher = Markus Wiener Publishers | page = 1| isbn = 978-1-55876-608-2 | oclc = 1000108084 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=q45hjwEACAAJ}}</ref> The dhimma as a whole is conceived of in the Islamic tradition as "protection" of the [[Kafir (Infidel)|non-Muslim]] from the endless state of jihad, itself a continuation of the warlike state of the Arabs before Islam. If the conquered do not wish to pay or convert, their fate may very well be slavery (under which, [[rape]] is permitted) or death. Historically, non-Muslim residents of an Islamic state who failed to pay [[Jizyah|jizya]] or who broke their contract with the state could also be enslaved.<ref>{{Citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dyZ-DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA52|title=Slavery in the Ottoman Empire and its Demise 1800-1909|author=Y. Erdem (20 November 1996)|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK|ISBN=978-0-230-37297-9|page=26}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z3VoBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA2|title=Muslim and Christian Contact in the Middle Ages: A Reader|author=Jarbel Rodriguez (2015)|publisher=University of Toronto Press|ISBN=978-1-4426-0066-9|page=2}}</ref> The Pact of Umar also declares that dhimmis are forbidden to ride horses and camels, and may only ride donkeys, and only on packsaddles, and imposes many other restrictions besides these, all of which are meant to humiliate and humble the dhimmi while rendering his religion not a threat to Islam. In return the dhimmi receives the right to live and own property in the Islamic state. As such, the Muslim jurists and scholars see it as a form of mercy and protection; in reality, though, the laws and strictures of the dhimma outlining legal discrimination against and limitations on religious minorities constitute a form of religious apartheid and second class citizenship. The limitations extend to but are not limited to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to marry the partner of one's choosing, freedom of movement, taxation without representation, the right to own and bear arms, and freedom from slavery and unpaid servitude. The implementation of these rules have varied over time, but Islamic scholars to this day continue to advocate for the implementation of the dhimma, and Islamist regimes in recent times such as the Islamic State, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan have continued to implement elements of the dhimma in the modern age.

According to the [[Qur'an]] and [[hadith]], the centerpiece of the dhimma contract is that the [[jizyah]] tax must be paid by the dhimmis as a sign of submission. Legally, the payment of this tax grants the dhimmis some legal protection in return. As established by [[The Pact of Umar|the Pact of Omar]], dhimmis usually are not allowed to carry arms to protect themselves, serve in the army or government, display symbols of their faith, build or repair places of worship, they must wear distinctive clothing which includes the zunar (a kind of belt) wherever they go (which parallels the Nazi practice of making Jews wear yellow badges), etc. Some of these laws are still enforced today in Muslim countries, like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which enforce various aspects of the Shari'ah, although the dhimma as a whole has not been enforced anywhere since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I.

==Origins==

According to Islamic sources the pact of the dhimma originated with Muhammad himself after the battle of [[Khaybar]]. Muhammad, having defeated the Jews of the oasis, destroyed their forts, killed their leader, took his wife as his own, tortured and killed various of their number in order to find their treasures, and cut down their palm trees, allowed the surviving Jews to remain there on the condition that they pay half their crop to him and the Muslims.<ref> Littman, G., 1985. The Dhimmi. 1st ed. Rutherford [N.J.]: Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. Pr., 44</ref> This was the beginning of the [[jizyah]] and the dhimma. According to his biographer ibn Sa'd, Muhammad would later write to a Christian ruler:

{{Quote|Sa’d, Kitab Al-Tabaqat Al-Kabir, vol. 1, 328-329.|I will not fight against you unless I write to you in advance. So, join the fold of Islam or pay the jizyah. Obey Allah and His Apostle and the messengers of His Apostle, honour them and dress them in nice clothes.… Provide Zayd with good clothes. If my messengers will be pleased with you, I shall also be pleased with you.… Pay three wasaq of barley to Harmalah… <Ref> Spencer, Robert. The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS (p. 42). Bombardier Books. Kindle Edition </Ref>}}

Here the beginnings of the tripartite offer can be glimpsed. The full trifecta of conversion to Islam, paying the jizyah, or death would be finalized by the masterful Muslim general Khalid bin Al-Walid, the "Sword of Allah", in his jihad against the Christians of Iraq and their Zoroastrian overlords:

{{Quote|Al-Tabari, The History of al-Tabari, vol. 11, The Challenge to the Empires, translated by Khalid Yahya Blankinship (State University of New York Press, 1993), 6|I call you to God and to Islam. If you respond to the call, then you are Muslims: You obtain the benefits they enjoy and take up the responsibilities they bear. If you refuse, then [you must pay] the jizyah. If you refuse the jizyah, I will bring against you tribes of people who are more eager for death than you are for life. We will then fight you until God decides between us and you.”
<Ref>Spencer, Robert. The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS (p. 49). Bombardier Books. Kindle Edition.</Ref>}}

This tripartite offer of death, paying the jizya and accepting the dhimma, or converting to Islam would be copied by Islamic conquerors throughout the ages, from Spain to Indonesia, and is still found today in the declarations of war and "invitation" by Islamic terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda.

==The Pact Of Umar==
{{Main|The Pact of Umar}}

The Pact of Umar is a historical document preserved by Islamic historians such as Al-Tabari which lays out the rights and responsibilities of the non-Muslims living under the Islamic rule of the 2nd [[Rashidun Caliphs|Rashidun Caliph]] [[Umar]]. According to the legend recorded by Tabari, Umar concluded the pact with the grateful Christian patriarch of Jerusalem, who led him about the city and prayed with him. In reality, Sophronius's surviving writings make no mention of Umar or even Islam as a whole, but bear witness to the terrible destruction wrought by the Arab invaders in the city. Although clearly legendary in character and subject to multiple layers of redaction, the document lays out a number of rules and stipulations for the conquered Christian population of Jerusalem. It is a document which was utilized frequently by later jurists dealing with the subject of the dhimma.<ref>G. LEVI DELLA ViDA-fM. BONNER, "Umar," in The Encyclopedia Islam, ed. Philip Mattar, 1st ed., vol. 10 (Leiden: Brill The Netherlands, 2000), 819.</ref> According to the body of the pact as preserved in later accounts, there were many rules that were placed on the newly minted Christian dhimmis of Jerusalem:

{{Quote|Pact of Umar, Quoted in Jacob Marcus, The Jew in the Medieval World: A Sourcebook, 315-1791, (New York: JPS, 1938), 13-15|In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate!

This is a writing to Umar from the Christians of such and such a city. When You [Muslims] marched against us [Christians],: we asked of you protection for ourselves, our posterity, our possessions, and our co-religionists; and we made this stipulation with you, that we will not erect in our city or the suburbs any new monastery, church, cell or hermitage; that we will not repair any of such buildings that may fall into ruins, or renew those that may be situated in the Muslim quarters of the town; that we will not refuse the Muslims entry into our churches either by night or by day; that we will open the gates wide to passengers and travellers; that we will receive any Muslim traveller into our houses and give him food and lodging for three nights; that we will not harbor any spy in our churches or houses, or conceal any enemy of the Muslims. [At least six of these laws were taken over from earlier Christian laws against infidels.]

That we will not teach our children the Qu'ran [some nationalist Arabs feared the infidels would ridicule the Qu'ran; others did not want infidels even to learn the language]; that we will not make a show of the Christian religion nor invite any one to embrace it; that we will not prevent any of our kinsmen from embracing Islam, if they so desire. That we will honor the Muslims and rise up in our assemblies when they wish to take their seats; that we will not imitate them in our dress, either in the cap, turban, sandals, or parting of the hair; that we will not make use of their expressions of speech, nor adopt their surnames [infidels must not use greetings and special phrases employed only by Muslims]; that we will not ride on saddles, or gird on swords, or take to ourselves arms or wear them, or engrave Arabic inscriptions on our rings; that we will not sell wine [forbidden to Muslims]; that we will shave the front of our heads; that we will keep to our own style of dress, wherever we may be; that we will wear girdles round our waists [infidels wore leather or cord girdles; Muslims, cloth and silk].

That we will not display the cross upon our churches or display our crosses or our sacred books in the streets of the Muslims, or in their market-places; that we will strike the clappers in our churches lightly [wooden rattles or bells summoned the people to church or synagogue]; that we will not recite our services in a loud voice when a Muslim is present; that we will not carry Palm branches [on Palm Sunday] or our images in procession in the streets; that at the burial of our dead we will not chant loudly or carry lighted candles in the streets of the Muslims or their market places; that we will not take any slaves that have already been in the possession of Muslims, nor spy into their houses; and that we will not strike any Muslim.

All this we promise to observe, on behalf of ourselves and our co-religionists, and receive protection from you in exchange; and if we violate any of the conditions of this agreement, then we forfeit your protection and you are at liberty to treat us as enemies and rebels..<ref>[http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fordham.edu%2Fhalsall%2Fjewish%2Fjews-umar.html] - Internet Jewish History Sourcebook (Archived), October 8, 2021</ref>}}

Amongst the most prominent of these rules were the restrictions on building new places of worship, the stipulations on the different clothing that the dhimmis were forced to wear, the prohibition on copying Muslims in style, and the limitations on worship which the Christians had to abide by. The pact ends with recognition of the fact that if it is broken, the dhimmis will lose their "protection" and the jihad will resume against them. Although enforcement varied throughout the ages, all of these laws found implementation at different times and different places in the modern world up until the middle of the 20th century.

==The Dhimma as Social Contract==
The law professor [[Antoine Fattal]] offered the following analysis of dhimmitude after close study of Islamic law:

{{Quote||Dhimma (or dhimmitude) ... is one of the results of the jihad or holy war. ; Connected with the notion of jihad is the distinction between dar al-harb (territory or "house" of war) and dar al-islam (house of Islam). The latter includes all territories subject to Muslim authority. It is in a state of perpetual war with the dar al-harb. The inhabitants of the dar al-harb are harbis, who are not answerable to the Islamic authority and whose persons and goods are mubah, that is, at the mercy of Believers. However, when Muslims are in a subordinate state, they can negotiate a truce with the harbis lasting no more than ten years, which they are obliged to revoke unilaterally as soon as they regain the upper hand, following the example of the Prophet after Hudaibiyya

The dhimmi, we might say, is a second-class citizen. If they [the ruling Muslims] tolerate him it is a calculated step, whether because they cherish the hope of converting him or for material reasons, because they force him to shoulder virtually the entire burden of taxation. They provide a place for him in the state, but not without reminding him continually of his inferior status. They prevent him from occupying high positions in society, and if by merit or intrigue he manages to climb to such places everything conspires to relegate him once again to obscurity. If the dhimmi acquires an independent legal status or privileges associated with his personal position, if he is permitted even his own courts, it is only because he cannot share with the Faithful the advantages of their own justice, which is essentially religious. In no case is the dhimmi the equal of a Muslim. He is condemned to social inequality and forms part of a despised caste: inequality so far as his personal rights are concerned, inequality in taxation, and inequality before the law, since his testimony is neither accepted by the Muslim courts of justice nor even, for the same minor crime, is the punishment the same ... No social relationship, no fellowship is possible between Muslims and dhimmis.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140828031846/http://www.aina.org/news/20100603122400.htm] - AINA (Archived, 8 October, 2021</ref>}}

==Scriptural Basis in the Qur'an and Sunnah==
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Dhimma}}

The fuquhaa' (Islamic jurists) call on many sources in the Islamic canon of the [[Quran]] and [[sunnah]] when dealing with the subject of the dhimma. The basis of the institution of the dhimma is found in the Qur'an:

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, '''until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.'''}}

This verse, laying out the subjugated position of the non-Muslim in the Muslim society by means of the [[jizya]], is the main verse in the [[Qur'an]] upon which the entire legal theory of the dhimma is built.

Beyond this verse, the attitude of the Qur'an, particularly as read by later [[tafsir|mufassirun]] and Islamic scholars, towards unbelievers including the so-called "[[People of the Book]]" is unremittingly negative. The main understanding (in the traditional Islamic reading) is that the Jews and Christians are cursed for rejecting the message of the prophet: {{Quote|{{Quran|5|64}}|And the Jews say: The hand of Allah is tied up! Their hands shall be shackled and '''they shall be cursed for what they say.''' Nay, both His hands are spread out, He expends as He pleases; and what has been revealed to you from your Lord will certainly make many of them increase in inordinacy and unbelief; and We have put enmity and hatred among them till the day of resurrection; whenever they kindle a fire for war Allah puts it out, and they strive to make mischief in the land; and Allah does not love the mischief-makers.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth!}}

[[Ibn Kathir]] in his tafsir explains the meaning of the Jizya verse in surah at-Tauba (Surah 9):

{{Quote|Tafsir of Ibn Kathir on Qur'an 9:29| Paying Jizyah Is a Sign of Kufr and Disgrace

Allah said, "until they pay the Jizyah," if they do not choose to embrace Islam, "with willing submission," in defeat and subservience, "and feel themselves subdued," disgraced, humiliated and belittled. Therefore, Muslims are not allowed to honor the people of Dhimmah or elevate them above Muslims, for they are miserable, disgraced, and humiliated. Muslim recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Propeht said, "Do not initiate the Salam to the Jews and the Christians, and if you meet them in a raod, force them to its narrowest alley. " This is why the Leader of the faithful `Umar b. Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, demanded his well-known conditions be met by the Christians, these conditions that ensured their continued humiliation, degradation, and disgrace. The scholars of Hadith narrated from Abdur-Rahman b. Ghanm Al-Ash'ari that he said, "I recorded for `Umar b. Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, the tems of the treaty of peace he conducted with the Christians of Ash-Sham: `In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This is a document to the servant of Allah, `Umar the Leader of the faithful, for the Christians of such and such city. When you [Muslims] came to us we requested safety for ourselves, children, property and followers of our religion. We made a condition on ourselves that we will neither erect in our areas a monastery, church, or a sanctuary for a monk, nor restore any place of worship that needs restoration nor use any of them for the purpose of enmity against Muslims. We will not prevent any Muslim from resting in our churches whether they come by day or night, and we will open the doors [of our houses of worship] for the wayfarer and passerby. Those Muslims who come as guests, will enjoy boarding and food for three days. We will not allow a spy against Muslims into our churches and homes or hide deceit [or betrayal] against Muslims. We will not teach our children the Qur'an, publicize practices of Shirk, invite anyone to Shirk or prevent any of our fellows from embracing Islam, if they choose to do so. We will respect Muslims, move from places we sit in if they choose to sit in them. We will not imitate their clothing, caps, turbans, sandals, hairstyles, speech, nicknames and title names, or ride on saddles, hang swords on the shoulders, collect weapons of any kind or carry these weapons. We will not encrypt our stamps in Arabic, or sell liquor. We will have the front of our hair cut, wear our customary clothes wherever we are, wear belts around our waist, refrain from erecting crosses on the outside of our churches and demonstrating them and our books in public in Muslim fairways and markets. We will not sound the bells of our churches, except discretely, or raise our voices while reciting our holy books inside our churches in the presence of Muslims, nor raise our voices [with prayer] at our funerals, or light torches in funeral processions in the fairways of Muslims, or in their markets. We will not bury our dead next to Muslim dead, or buy servants who were captured by Muslims. We will be guides for Muslims and refrain from breaching privacy in their homes.' When I gave this document to `Umar, he added to it, `We will not beat any Muslim. These are the conditions that we set against ourselves and followers to our religion in return for safety and Allah said, "Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. "}}

The "Aman" or peace that the Islamic state affords to the conquered people comes with many conditions according to ibn Kathir:

{{Quote|Tafsir of Ibn Kathir on Qur'an 9:29| We made a condition on ourselves that we will neither erect in our areas a monastery, church, or a sanctuary for a monk, nor restore any place of worship that needs restoration nor use any of them for the purpose of enmity against Muslims. We will not prevent any Muslim from resting in our churches whether they come by day or night, and we will open the doors [of our houses of worship] for the wayfarer and passerby. Those Muslims who come as guests, will enjoy boarding and food for three days. We will not allow a spy against Muslims into our churches and homes or hide deceit [or betrayal] against Muslims. We will not teach our children the Qur'an, publicize practices of Shirk, invite anyone to Shirk or prevent any of our fellows from embracing Islam, if they choose to do so. We will respect Muslims, move from places we sit in if they choose to sit in them. We will not imitate their clothing, caps, turbans, sandals, hairstyles, speech, nicknames and title names, or ride on saddles, hang swords on the shoulders, collect weapons of any kind or carry these weapons. We will not encrypt our stamps in Arabic, or sell liquor. We will have the front of our hair cut, wear our customary clothes wherever we are, wear belts around our waist, refrain from erecting crosses on the outside of our churches and demonstrating them and our books in public in Muslim fairways and markets. We will not sound the bells of our churches, except discretely, or raise our voices while reciting our holy books inside our churches in the presence of Muslims, nor raise our voices [with prayer] at our funerals, or light torches in funeral processions in the fairways of Muslims, or in their markets. We will not bury our dead next to Muslim dead, or buy servants who were captured by Muslims. We will be guides for Muslims and refrain from breaching privacy in their homes.' When I gave this document to `Umar, he added to it, `We will not beat any Muslim. These are the conditions that we set against ourselves and followers to our religion in return for safety and protection. If we break any of these promises that we set for your benefit against ourselves, then our Dhimmah (promise of protection) is broken and you are allowed to do with us what you are allowed of people of defiance and rebellion.}}

==Fiqh Around the Institution of the Dhimma==

The dhimma revolved around the payment of the [[jizyah]], which was both a source of income for the Muslims of the Islamic state and a source of humiliation and subjection for the conquered dhimmi people. Islamic scholar Abu Yusuf outlines the reason for this:

{{Quote|Abu Yusuf, quoted in Bat Ye'or From Jihad to Dhimmitude:The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam| The wali [governor of a province] is not allowed to exempt any Christian, Jew,
Magian [Zoroastrian], Sabean, or Samaritan from paying the tax, and no one can obtain a partial reduction. It is illegal for one to be exempted and another not, because their lives and possessions art: spared only on
account of the payment of the poll tax, which serves in lieu of the kharaj related to their possessions. [p. 189] }}

The "protection" afforded to the dhimmis was conditional upon the payment of the jizya. As such the dhimmi was required to carry the receipt of his jizya on his person at all times, lest a Muslim demand to see proof of his "protection". Abu Yusuf outlines how this was to be accomplished.

{{Quote|Abu Yusuf, quoted in Bat Ye'or From Jihad to Dhimmitude:The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam| Concerning the Costume and Appearance of the Tributaries
Furthermore, you must set a seal upon their necks when the poll tax is collected and until all have been passed in review, though these seals may later be broken at their request, as did Uthman b. Hunayf.}}

At other periods in Islamic history, the dhimmi was also allowed to carry the receipt in paper form on their person.

Abu Yusuf further outlines the strictures of the pact of the dhimma:

{{Quote|Abu Yusuf, quoted in Bat Ye'or From Jihad to Dhimmitude:The Decline of Eastern Christianity Under Islam| You have succeeded in ordering that none of them should have the freedom
to resemble a Muslim by his dress, his mount, or his appearance; that all should wear a belt <zunnar> at the waist similar to a coarse string, which each must knot in the middle; that their bonnets be quilted; that their saddles carry, instead of a pommel, a piece of wood like a pomegranate; that their footwear be furnished with double straps. That they avoid coming face to face with Muslims; that their womenfolk do not ride on padded saddles; that they do not build new synagogues or churches within the town and restrict themselves to using, as places of worship, those which existed at the time of the treaty that transformed them into tributaries, and which were left to them without having been demolished; the same applies to the funeral pyres [of the Zoroastrians]. It is tolerated for them to live in the main towns, to buy and sell in Muslim markets, but selling neither wine nor pigs, and without displaying crosses in the main towns; but their headgear should be long and coarse. Consequently, command your representatives to oblige the tributaries to respect these requirements in their appearance, as Umar}}

==Legal Theory and Framework==

The main operative theory of the dhimma derives from the concept of jihad. Until the entire world is conquered for the religion of [[Allah]], the blood and treasury of every [[infidel]] on earth is lawful to be taken by the Muslim ummah. The dhimma is a pact of "protection" between the Muslim state and the non-Muslim. In return for fay, [[jizya]] and kharaaj the Muslim state ceases the state of jihad upon the dhimmi and allows him to keep his family, safety and some of his property. The pact comes with many strings attached though: the stipulations of the dhimma entail many restrictions upon the life and freedoms of the dhimmi which are designed to protect and promote the Islamic religion.

==Jizya, Kharaj and Fay==
{{Main|Jizyah}}

The classic trifecta of options that the jihadist presents to the enemies of Islam (conversion, death, or paying the [[jizya]]), were attributed to Muhammad but first offered to infidel peoples in Iraq by the brilliant jihad general Khalid bin Al-Walid, the "Sword of God". The jizya is the operative legal condition of the dhimma; so long as the dhimmis pay it as the Qur'an says "saaghirun" (صاغرون) (surat 9, At-Tauba, verse 29), that is "subdued/in a position of submission", they are afforded the protections of the dhimmah. In order that they might feel "subdued", jurists have traditionally ruled that the tax must be rendered with the dhimmi kneeling in a submissive position, receiving ritual blows on both sides of his head, and in other ways suffering indignities meant to remind him of his lowly position.

==Slavery==
{{Main|Slavery}}The dhimmi is by definition not a slave; despite his ostensibly free status though, dhimmis were historically often subject to the collection of corvees or forced labor. In addition to this, later Islamic practices of recruitment of children from amongst the dhimmi populations such as the Turkish devshirme more or less amounted to a form of slavery. In many ways the believing slave was often superior in social position to the ostensibly free dhimmi; multiple Islamic dynasties such as the Mamluks in Egypt found their origin in Muslim slave warriors, but dhimmis were always limited in what they could accomplish and how far they could rise in Muslim states.

==Rights and Role of the Dhimmi Clergy==
The jurists established strict rules for the interactions between the Muslim ummah and the dhimmi populations, and these rules designated the clergy as the intermediary through which Muslim emirs would rule their cowed dhimmi subjects. As such Muslim authorities took great interest in the elections of Christian and Jewish clergy to their offices, often favoring one party or the other, and as a consequence many favored Christian clergy were the willing agents of the dhimma's humiliation and exploitation of their flocks.

==Historical Implementation==
Implementation varied from Muslim state to Muslim state. The weakness of Muslim and instability of Muslim states often prompted the intensification of the persecution of the dhimmis. There was often tension between the emirs of Muslim states who wished to lighten the burden of the dhimmah on their dhimmah subjects in the interest of economic objectives and later to appease the powerful European Christian states which came to dominate them, and the [[ulema]] who generally agitated for more faithful and stricter implementation of the strictures of the dhimmah.

==Dhimmitude==
Scholar Bat Ye'or sees the social rules, restrictions, and customs originating in and evolving from the dhimmah as producing a state of what she calls dhimmitude in the subject peoples. This fearful state was characterized by obedience to the dhimmis' Muslim masters, acceptance of the assumptions underlying the dhimmah (about such things as the superiority of Islam), behavior which sought to mollify and please the dhimmis' Muslim masters, and inter-dhimmi rivalry, bigotry and even bloodshed aimed at securing a more favored position vis-a-vis the Muslim ummah. In her book ''Understanding Dhimmitude'' she offers the following characteristics of dhimmitude:

{{Quote|Ye'or, Bat ''Understanding Dhimmitude'' RVP Publishers, New York, New York, USA, 2013, 95|
The main characteristics of the dhimmi condition brought by this situation are:
in the legal domain:

a) the Islamic notion of protection;
b) the notion of toleration;

in the economic domain: the notion of fay (booty); and in the social domain: the notion of vilification.}}By Islamic protection, she refers to the operative theory of [[Jihad in Islamic Law|jihad in Islamic law]]. All people of the earth live in two realms: [[Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam (the Abodes of War and Peace)]]. The residents of the Abode of War, Dar-al-Harb, are the harbis. Their blood is legal for the Muslims; that is they are allowed to kill them wherever they find them. This is natural state of the world according to the fuquha'. The dhimma, a cessation of this state, constitutes protection from this never ending jihad. Instead of their [[shirk]] being stomped out by force, their erroneous religions are allowed, graciously, to exist by the Muslims. As such, they ought in fact to be grateful for the dhimma. This "right" granted by the dhimma is the right to life, which is contingent on the payment of the [[jizyah]] poll tax. Most of the jurists agree that failure to this tax must result in the continuation of the state of jihad upon the dhimmi, that is in his death:<ref>Ye'or, Bat ''Understanding Dhimmitude'' RVP Publishers, New York, New York, USA, 2013, 95-96</ref>

{{Quote|Abu Yusuf Ya’kub, 189, Le Livre de l’Impôt Foncier (Kitab al-Kharadj), trans. and annotated by E. Fagnan (Paris: Paul Geuthner, 1921), English quotation in Ye’or, The Dhimmi, 168.|The wali [governor of a province] is not allowed to exempt any Christian, Jew, Magean, Sabaen, or Samaritan from paying the tax, and no one can obtain a partial reduction. It is illegal for one to be exempted and another not, for their lives and belongings are spared only because of payment of the poll tax. [. . .]3}}
By ''fay'' she uses the Arabic word (فيء) fay' which means the booty of war. According to the rules of jihad, the imam (leader) of the Muslims who is to keep the fay has a waqf (وقف) or collective trust of the entirety of the ummah (the community of Muslims). In accordance with these rules, the conquered people, their wealth, their women and children, their land, their property, and the fruit of their labor constitute the communal fay of the Muslim ummah or national community. The dhimma is a structured way of leveraging this communal property according to the 8th century Muslim jurist Abu Yusuf :

{{Quote|Abu Yusuf Ya’kub, 189, Le Livre de l’Impôt Foncier (Kitab al-Kharadj), trans. and annotated by E. Fagnan (Paris: Paul Geuthner, 1921), English quotation in Ye’or, The Dhimmi 165|But I thought that we had nothing more to conquer after the land of Kesra [Persia], whose riches, land, and people Allah has given us. I have divided the personal possessions among those that conquered them after having subtracted a fifth, which under my supervision was used for the purpose for which it was intended. I thought it necessary to reserve the land and its inhabitants, and levy from the latter the kharaj by virtue of their land, and the capitation [jizya] as a personal tax on every head, this poll tax making up a fay in favor of the Muslims who have fought there, of their children and of their heirs.}}

The 11th century jurist Ibn Hazm elaborates:

{{Quote|“La Guerre Sainte, selon Ibn Hazm de Cordoue,” in Etudes d’Orientalisme dédiées à la mémoire de Lévi-Provençal, Vol. II, (Paris: Maisonneuve et Larose, 1962), 457 English translation from Ye'or, Islam and Dhimmitude, 429, n. 32.|God has established the infidel's ownership of their property only for the institution of booty for Muslims.}}

The dhimmis are not to be reduced to slavery, but their economic output is to be harvested by the Muslims through the jizyah and the kharaaj and the other taxes and duties imposed on them, as well as through corvees or forced labor.

By vilification, Ye'or refers to the rituals, rules, laws, and regulations of the dhimma which are meant to humiliate the dhimmi and his religion, thus Ye'or brings the examples of the legal status of dhimmis vis-a-vis Muslims in the Islamic polity. Dhimmis were not allowed to hit or strike a Muslim, even in defense, and even in situations where their life was threatened by the Muslim; furthermore, in cases of criminal import, their testimony was inadmissible in Muslim courts;<ref> Ye'or, Bat ''Understanding Dhimmitude'' RVP Publishers, New York, New York, USA, 2013, 95</ref> in fact in such cases dhimmis were often forced to buy the testimony of Muslims for the sake of their defense.<ref> Ye'or, Bat ''The Dhimmi'' Associated University Press, Cranbury, New Jersey, USA, 1985, 56</ref> The requirement that dhimmis be struck about the neck and head when rendering the jizya were also part of this vilification. These stipulations were meant to humiliate and vilify the conquered people, thus pushing them inexorably to convert to Islam throughout the ages.

==See Also==

==External Links==

*[http://www.dhimmi.org/ Dhimmi dot org-- A Collection of Articles about Dhimmis and the Institution of the Dhimma]
*[http://www.dhimmitude.org/index.html Dhimmitude dot org-- A Collection of Articles about the idea of Dhimmitude]

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Dhimma]]
[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]]
[[Category:People of the Book]]
[[Category:Human rights]]
[[Category:Antisemitism]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Freedom of speech]]
[[Category:Islamic History]]
[[Category:Jihad]]
[[Category:Caliphate]]
[[Category:Society and human nature]]

Antisemitism in Islam

2024-06-11T18:26:14Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

{{QualityScore|Lead=4|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=4|References=4}}
[[File:Images-nazism-0022.jpg|210px|right|thumb|''Mein Kampf'' has at times sold well when published in some countries in the Muslim world and elsewhere, and is often sold along-side religious literature.<ref name="Alastair Lawson">Alastair Lawson - [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8382132.stm Mein Kampf a hit on Dhaka streets] - BBC News, November 27, 2009</ref><ref name="AFP Mar 18 2005">[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Culture/Arts/Mar/18/Hitlers-Mein-Kampf-sells-50000-copies-in-Turkey-in-three-months.ashx#axzz1mYj9kPvg|2=2012-02-16}} Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' sells 50,000 copies in Turkey in three months] - Agence France Presse, March 18, 2005</ref> Depicted above are Islamists employing the Nazi salute.]] Jews have historically suffered [[Dhimmitude|dhimmi]] status under [[Khilafah (Caliphate)|caliphates]] of the past, like all religious minorities permitted to keep to their faiths under Islamic rule. At times and places this co-existence had a quality of tolerance, sometimes of persecution. In recent times the Islamic intellectual, social, and political milieu has to a considerable extent grafted itself onto more Western notions of antisemitism, especially as expressed and ideologized by Nazi Germany. Modern '''Islamic antisemitism''' is consequently based upon a medley of Islamic scriptural citations and new-fangled Western (and especially Nazi) terminologies and tropes. In illustration of this, modern Islamic anti-Jewish polemics often feature in Arab book-fairs and bookstores alongside Arabic translations of Hitler's ''Mein Kampf'' (sometimes translated in Arabic as "My Jihad"). Some academic scholars date the modern increase in antisemitism in the Muslim world to the beginnings of the Arab-Israeli conflict, while others trace it to the 19th century and possible influence from Arab Christians.

According to [[Islam and Scripture|Islamic scripture]], the Jews, like Christians and [[Christians Jews and Muslims in Heaven|other pre-Islamic religious groups]] considered "[[People of the Book]]", were given guidance from [[Allah|God]] (in this case the [[Taurah (the Torah According to the Qur'an)|Torah, or Taurat]]) which, being corrupted by those amongst them entrusted with safeguarding it, lost its original message and thereafter led them astray. In addition to this general accusation of [[Corruption of Previous Scriptures|corrupted scripture]], Islamic scriptures often single out Jews as being guilty of certain sins and crimes, both historically and into perpetuity. As a result of these misdeeds, Jews are reported by Islamic scriptures to have suffered certain punishments at the hand of God (being turned into pigs and apes) and at the hand of [[Muhammad]] (being executed, expelled, [[Slavery|enslaved]], and extorted by [[Sahabah|Muhammad's companions]] in [[Medina]]).

According to many modern academic historians and modernist Islamic scholars engaged in the ''historical-critical method'', it is likely that Muhammad himself was not hostile to Medinan Jews. These historians argue that many verses in the [[Qur'an]] (which is generally considered a source contemporary to Muhammad) that directly address the fate of Muhammad's contemporary Jews are rather tolerant and that truly violent intolerance would have been unlikely to emerge from the highly cosmopolitan environment of pre-Islamic Arabia. This, they argue, contrasts sharply with the much later [[hadith]] sources which are frequently intensely vitriolic in their address of Jews and record such events as the expulsions, persecution, enslavement, and [[The Massacre of the Banu Qurayza|execution of Medinan Jews]] en masse. Historians who incline towards this line of reasoning argue that this content found in the hadith was only invented later by Muslim authorities as polemical material to employ against Jews and Judaism. Not all historians are convinced by these arguments, however, as indirect mention of the Jews in the Quran itself is often highly critical and at times straightforwardly insulting. This debate is, however, a strictly academic one, while mainstream Islamic scholars generally stand firmly by the narrative found in the hadith literature.

==Islamic, Christian, and modern antisemitism==

Any notion of Islamic antisemitism must be distinguished, through both comparison and contrast, from the form of antisemitism which has, and in a few places continues to, oppress Jews in the (usually Christian) West. The English term of antisemitism is usually used to refer to the Western hatred of Jews by Christians which, at least historically, was deeply rooted in Christian religious beliefs about the status of Jews as a people responsible for the murder (deicide) of God in the form of Jesus Christ. There was also the idea of the failure of the Jews to embrace the New Testament and the new covenant with God advanced by Christians. These two ideas, coupled with historical allusions to the religious failures of early Jews according the Old Testament and stereotypes about Jews (such as their financial cunning and exaggerated physique) which accreted in the centuries after Jesus' demise, worked together to constitute a uniquely acute and religious hatred of the Jewish people which in some ways, if not formally than practically, almost amounted to a Christian religious doctrine.

What can be termed "Islamic antisemitism" is in part similar and in part different from the legacy of antisemitism found in the West. Islamic antisemitism shares in common with its Christian counterpart a vague reliance on the religious failures of the ancient Hebrews as recorded in the Old Testament (and later the Quran) as well as on the failure of Jews to convert, en masse, to the follow-up religion (in this case Islam). Islam, however, lacks such an acute and and loaded accusation against the post-Islamic Jews as the Christian charge of deicide. Consequently, the Jews are perceived as having historically disappointed God but not as being uniquely sinful to an extent as extreme as deicide. Still, some would argue that where Islam lacks this sort of calamitous accusation against the Jews, it more than compensates in its depiction of Muhammad singling Jews out for persecution in the hadith literature. Whereas Jesus' victimhood to the Jews was the primary motivation of Christian antisemitism, Muhammad's (perhaps mythical) victimization of the Jews can be understood as the primary motivation of Islamic antisemitism.
[[File:Kfahi.jpg|thumb|The Arabic edition of Mein Kampf among recommended books in at the Virgin Megastore located in Qatar. The store later told media that it had recommended the book to "satisfy the demand" of its "consumers".<ref>{{Citation|title=Fury as Virgin Megastore recommends Hitler's Mein Kampf|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/fury-as-virgin-megastore-recommends-hitler-s-mein-kampf-1.404552|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/fury-as-virgin-megastore-recommends-hitler-s-mein-kampf-1.404552|publisher=The National News|publication-date=December 6, 2011|author=Rory Jones}}</ref>]]
More important today than the historical origins and constitution of either form of antisemitism, however, is how they responded to the rise and fall of Nazi Germany. In the West, the manifestation and consequences of Nazi Ideology threw the incompatibility of Christian antisemitism and Enlightenment values into excruciating sharp relief. Western nations, faced with this fork in the road, decided to marshal popular spirit against Nazi ideology in the name of human rights. By contrast, much of the Muslim world, already at loggerheads with the West due to recent and ongoing struggles against colonialism, positioned itself against the Nazis enemies and thus behind the Nazis. Henceforth, what were once somewhat vaguer notions of anti-Jewish sentiment based largely in Islamic scripture now incorporated much of the pseudoscientific and rationalized nature of German antisemitism. The expression of Islamic antisemitism in the modern world, while still couched in religious terminology and religiously justified as fundamentally Islamic, often employs the symbolic and practical methods of the Nazis. In summary, the phenomenon of Nazi Germany placed both Western and Islamic antisemitism at a crossroads. And while the West decided at this point in history to overcome its past and begin a secular crusade against antisemitism and other forms of discrimination (with the Civil Rights Movement), the Islamic world found new fuel for antisemitism (in the form of translating Nazi propaganda into Arabic and incorporating the material into textbooks) that would enable it to take its antisemitism to new and previously unknown heights.

===Defining Semites===
The Arabs, Ethiopians, and Assyrians are considered as comprising the Semitic people. However, in the context of "antisemitism", it is commonly understood to refer to people who identify as Jewish. Indeed, the Princeton dictionary explicitly defines antisemitism as an "intense dislike for and prejudice against Jewish people".<ref>[http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=antisemitism Definition - Antisemitism]

Princeton University's WordNet</ref> And Merriam-Webster defines it as "hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group".<ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anti-Semitism Definition - Anti-Semitism]

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary</ref>

Recent scientific studies have also shown that Jews, unlike Muslims or Christians, are reliably identifiable as an ethnic group with unique genes, many of whom also share a common language and culture.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/04/jews-genetics-make-them-a_n_600384.html Jews' Genetics Make Them A 'Distinct Population': NYU/Yeshiva Study] - The Huffington Post, June 4, 2010</ref> As a result, the Jewish people are increasingly recognized as not only a distinct religious group, but also an ethnic minority.

==Islamic scripture and antisemitism==
===The Qur'an===

The Qur'an contains many charges and criticisms of the Jewish people which are both general and highly specific in nature. Some of the more general invectives are made against People of the Book (those who are said to have received and corrupted scripture from Allah in the past) as a group, and thus cannot be considered as attacks on Jews alone.

====Invective specific to Jews====
''Jews must believe in the Qur'an or else Allah will distort their faces and take away their fame so that they become unrecognizable, turning them backwards, or curse them.''{{Quote|1={{Quran|4|47}}|2=O ye People of the Book!* believe in what We have (now) revealed, confirming what was (already) with you, before We change the face and fame of some (of you) beyond all recognition, and turn them hindwards, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers, for the decision of Allah Must be carried out. }}

''The Jews knowing full well that Isa was a Messenger of Allah, attempted to kill him in defiance of their deity.''

{{Quote|1={{cite quran|4|156|end=159|style=ref}}|2=That they rejected Faith; that they uttered against Mary a grave false charge; That '''they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah'''";- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not:- Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise;- And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them;-}}

''Because the Jews are sinful, Allah made more rules for them than for anyone else, and they have hindered many from the way of Allah.''

{{Quote|1={{Quran|4|160}}|2=For the iniquity of the Jews We made unlawful for them certain (foods) good and wholesome which had been lawful for them;- in that they hindered many from Allah's Way;-}}

''Jews will listen to any lie.''

{{Quote|1={{Quran|5|41}}|2=O Messenger! let not those grieve thee, who race each other into unbelief: (whether it be) among those who say "We believe" with their lips but whose hearts have no faith; or it be among the Jews,- men who will listen to any lie,- will listen even to others who have never so much as come to thee. They change the words from their (right) times and places: they say, "If ye are given this, take it, but if not, beware!" If any one's trial is intended by Allah, thou hast no authority in the least for him against Allah. For such - it is not Allah's will to purify their hearts. For them there is disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a heavy punishment.}}

''The Jews were stamped with humiliation and wretchedness.''

{{Quote| {{Quran|2|61}}|And when ye said: O Moses! We are weary of one kind of food; so call upon thy Lord for us that He bring forth for us of that which the earth groweth - of its herbs and its cucumbers and its corn and its lentils and its onions. He said: Would ye exchange that which is higher for that which is lower? Go down to settled country, thus ye shall get that which ye demand. And humiliation and wretchedness were stamped upon them and they were visited with wrath from Allah. That was because they disbelieved in Allah's revelations and slew the prophets wrongfully. That was for their disobedience and transgression.}}

''Muslims must not take the Jews as friends and protectors or else Allah will not guide them.''

{{Quote|1={{Quran|5|51}}|2=O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.}}

''Jews are the most hateful towards Muslims.''

{{Quote|1={{Quran|5|82}}|2=Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, "We are Christians": because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant.}}

''The Jews say Ezra is the son of Allah which makes them perverse, and even Allah fights against them.''

{{Quote|1={{Quran|9|30}}|2=And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they!}}

''Allah turned some Jews into apes and pigs for breaking the Sabbath.''

{{Quote|1={{Quran|2|65}}|2=And well ye knew those amongst you [Children of Israel] who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected."}}

''Since the Jews have said that Allah's hand is tied up, their hands will be tied up and they will be cursed. They are obstinant, rebellious, and blasphemous, and Allah has cursed them with enmity and hatred until Judgment day. Allah halts their efforts of warfare, and they are always causing [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Mischief|mischief]].''

{{Quote|1={{Quran|5|64}}|2=The Jews say: "Allah's hand is tied up." Be their hands tied up and be they accursed for the (blasphemy) they utter. Nay, both His hands are widely outstretched: He giveth and spendeth (of His bounty) as He pleaseth. But the revelation that cometh to thee from Allah increaseth in most of them their obstinate rebellion and blasphemy. Amongst them we have placed enmity and hatred till the Day of Judgment. Every time they kindle the fire of war, Allah doth extinguish it; but they (ever) strive to do mischief on earth. And Allah loveth not those who do mischief.}}

According to some Islamic commentators, [[Iblis (Satan)|Satan (Iblis)]] too is cursed by Allah in the same way the Jews are cursed. Allah has likewise granted respite to Satan until the Day of Judgment, and, it is thus argued, there is no difference between Satan and Jews in this respect, because both are accursed.

====Invective not specific to Jews but including them====
''Jews are only satisfied if you follow Judaism.''{{Quote|1={{Quran|2|120}}|2=Never will the Jews or the Christians be satisfied with thee unless thou follow their form of religion. Say: "The Guidance of Allah,-that is the (only) Guidance." Wert thou to follow their desires after the knowledge which hath reached thee, then wouldst thou find neither Protector nor helper against Allah.}}

''Most of the Jews are faithless, perverted transgressors.''

{{Quote|1={{Quran|3|110}}|2=Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah. If only the People of the Book had faith, it were best for them: among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors.}}

''Muslims must fight the Jews, until they submit in shame and pay the [[Jizyah]].''

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute [Jizya] readily, being brought low.}}

===The Hadith===

Muhammad is central to Islam. As the [[Uswa Hasana|uswa hasana]] (perfect example), every action on his part (as recorded in the [[hadith]]) is foundational to the [[Islamic Law|laws]] and doctrine of Islam. Emulating Muhammad's [[sunnah]], or "way", is considered the most pious of endeavors. Many if not most of the following hadiths, while considered authentic and canonical to orthodox Islam, have been cast into doubt by source-critical historians who argue that these traditions may have emerged when later Muslims sought justification for their hatred of Jews by projecting their views back to Muhammad in the form of mythical anecdotes from his life.

''Muhammad's dying words included a curse on Jews for building their place of worship at their prophets' graves.''

{{Quote|1={{Bukhari|1|8|427}}|2=Narrated 'Aisha and 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas: When the last moment of the life of Allah's Apostle came he started putting his 'Khamisa' on his face and when he felt hot and short of breath he took it off his face and said, "May Allah curse the Jews and Christians for they built the places of worship at the graves of their Prophets." The Prophet was warning (Muslims) of what those had done.}}

''Muhammad said that during his "Night Journey" (al-Isra wal-Miraj) to heaven on the mythical flying [[Buraq]], Moses wept because there would be more Muslims in heaven than Jews.''

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|58|227}}|When I went (over the sixth heaven), there I saw Moses. Gabriel said (to me),' This is Moses; pay him your greeting. So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' When I left him (i.e. Moses) he wept. Someone asked him, 'What makes you weep?' Moses said, 'I weep because after me there has been sent (as Prophet) a young man whose followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers.'}}

''Jews earn Allah's anger.''

{{Quote|1={{Bukhari|1|12|749}}|2=Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "Say Amen' when the Imam says "Ghair-il-maghdubi 'alaihim wala-ddal-lin; not the path of those who earn Your Anger (such as Jews) nor of those who go astray (such as Christians); all the past sins of the person whose saying (of Amin) coincides with that of the angels, will be forgiven.}}

''Muslims must not greet Jews before the Jews greet them, and they should force Jews to go to the narrowest part of the road.''

The latter teaching, among other things, became enshrined as a part of shariah laws regulating the social presence of dhimmis.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|26|5389}}|Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Do not greet the Jews and the Christians before they greet you and when you meet any one of them on the roads force him to go to the narrowest part of it.}}

''The Final Hour will not come until Muslims slaughter Jews, and even the rocks and trees will betray the Jews hiding behind them, save one tree from the land of Israel.''

This event, considered the ultimate victory of Islam, is often recalled in sermons preceding weekly Friday Islamic prayers.

{{Quote|1={{Muslim|41|6985}}, see also {{Muslim|41|6981}}, {{Muslim|41|6982}}, {{Muslim|41|6983}}, {{Muslim|41|6984}}, and {{Bukhari|4|56|791}}|2=Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.}}

''Muslims will be spared hell-fire by Allah on the Day of Resurrection by making Jews take their place and be thrown into hell.''

{{Quote|{{Muslim|37|6665}}, See also: {{Muslim|37|6666}}, {{Muslim|37|6667}}, and {{Muslim|37|6668}}|Abu Musa' reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: When it will be the Day of Resurrection Allah would deliver to every Muslim a Jew or a Christian and say: That is your rescue from Hell-Fire.}}

==Islamic scholars and antisemitism==

===Early Islamic scholars===

The views expressed in early Islamic writings and authoritative Qur'anic commentaries ([[Tafsir|tafsirs]]) demonstrate that Islamic hatred of Jews is not an entirely modern phenomenon. Instead, a strong hatred of the Jewish people has been a part of the Islamic scholarly tradition from the earliest times. The changes that have taken place are more a matter of degree than species. While Islamic antisemitism is more frequent and reliant on pseudoscience than it was in the past, the religious justification for it has effectively stayed the same.

{{Quote|al-Jahiz (781 - 869 AD)|Our people [the Muslims] observing thus the occupations of the Jews and the Christians concluded that the religion of the Jews must compare unfavorably as do their professions, and that their unbelief must be the foulest of all, since they are the filthiest of all nations. Why the Christians, ugly as they are, are physically less repulsive than the Jews may be explained by the fact that the Jews, by not intermarrying, have intensified the offensiveness of their features. Exotic elements have not mingled with them; neither have males of alien races had intercourse with their women, nor have their men cohabited with females of a foreign stock. The Jewish race therefore has been denied high mental qualities, sound physique, and superior lactation. The same results obtain when horses, camels, donkeys, and pigeons are inbred.<ref>Andrew G. Bostom - [http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/39207/sec_id/39207 Understanding the Islam in Islamic Antisemitism] - NewEnglishReview, 2 June 2009</ref>}}

{{Quote|al-Tabari (838 - 923 AD), Tafsīr on 5:82|In my opinion, [the Christians] are not like the Jews who always scheme in order to murder the emissaries and the prophets, and who oppose God in his positive and negative commandments, and who corrupt His scripture which He revealed in His books.<ref>Andrew G. Bostom - [http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=32563 Why Islam’s Jew-Hating Hadith Matter] - FrontPageMagazine, October 03, 2008</ref>}}

{{Quote|Muhammad Baqir Majlesi (1616 – 1698 AD), Lightning Bolts Against the Jews|“And, that they should not enter the pool while a Muslim is bathing at the public baths. ...It is also incumbent upon Muslims that they should not accept from them victuals with which they had come into contact, such as distillates, which cannot be purified. If something can be purified, such as clothes, if they are dry, they can be accepted, they are clean. But if they had come into contact with those clothes in moisture they should be rinsed with water after being obtained. ...It would also be better if the ruler of the Muslims would establish that all infidels could not move out of their homes on days when it rains or snows because they would make Muslims impure.”}}

===Contemporary Islamic scholars===
When you look at the many antisemitic sermons and articles by Muslim scholars, the inspiration behind them is hard to miss. Without the antisemitic sentiments found within Islamic scripture and classical Muslim thinking, these attacks on the Jewish race would lose much of their meaning and impact among the Muslim listeners.{{Quote|Sayyid Qutb (D. 1966), In the Shade of the Qur'an, vol. 8: Surah 9|History witnessed repeated violations by the Jews of their treaties with the Muslim state in Madinah, as also their scheming against the Muslims. These violations led to the encounters with the Jewish tribes of Qaynuqa, al-Nadir and Qurayzah, and also the Battle of Khaybar. Their efforts to bring together all the forces hostile to Islam in an unholy affiance, with the aim of exterminating Islam altogether, are well known.

They have continued to scheme against Islam and the Muslim community ever since. They were instrumental in the chaotic events that led to the assassination of the third rightly-guided Caliph. 'Uthman ibn 'Affan and to the emergence of division in the Muslim community. They were the main culprits in the conflict that took place between 'Ali and Mu 'awiyah. They led the way in the fabrication of false statements attributed to the Prophet, historical reports and baseless interpretations of Qur'anic statements. They also paved the way to the victory of the Tartars and their conquest of Baghdad and the fall of the Islamic Caliphate.

In modern history, the Jews have been behind every calamity that has befallen the Muslim communities everywhere. They give active support to every attempt to crush the modem Islamic revival and extend their protection to every regime that suppresses such a revival.<ref>Sayyid Qutb, In the Shade of the Qur'an, vol. 8: Surah 9 (Leicestershire, UK,
2003), pp. 1 15- 16, 120-23.</ref>}}

{{Quote|Yusuf al-Qaradawi, January 30, 2009|"Throughout history, Allah has imposed upon the [Jews] people who would punish them for their corruption. The last punishment was carried out by Hitler. By means of all the things he did to them – even though they exaggerated this issue – he managed to put them in their place. This was divine punishment for them. Allah willing, the next time will be at the hand of the believers"<ref>[http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/3062.htm Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi: Allah Imposed Hitler On the Jews to Punish Them – 'Allah Willing, the Next Time Will Be at the Hand of the Believers'] - MEMRI: Special Dispatch, No. 2224, February 3, 2009</ref>}}

{{Quote|Yusuf al-Qaradawi, January 9, 2009|"Oh Allah, take your enemies, the enemies of Islam. Oh Allah, take the Jews, the treacherous aggressors. Oh Allah, take this profligate, cunning, arrogant band of people. Oh Allah, they have spread much tyranny and corruption in the land. Pour Your wrath upon them, oh our God. Lie in wait for them. Oh Allah, You annihilated the people of Thamoud at the hand of a tyrant, and You annihilated the people of 'Aad with a fierce, icy gale. Oh Allah, You annihilated the people Thamoud at the hand of a tyrant, You annihilated the people of 'Aad with a fierce, icy gale, and You destroyed the Pharaoh and his soldiers — oh Allah, take this oppressive, tyrannical band of people. Oh Allah, take this oppressive, Jewish, Zionist band of people. Oh Allah, do not spare a single one of them. Oh Allah, count their numbers, and kill them, down to the very last one."<ref>[http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1979.htm Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi Incites against Jews, Arab Regimes, and the U.S., and Calls on Muslims to Boycott Starbucks, Marks and Spencer] - MEMRI TV, Video Clip No. 1979, Al-Jazeera TV (Qatar) - January 9, 2009 - 10:44</ref>}}

{{Quote|Leading imam of the Grand mosque in Mecca, Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, April 19, 2002|Read history and you will understand that the Jews of yesterday are the evil fathers of the Jews of today, who are evil offspring, infidels, distorters of [others'] words, calf-worshippers, prophet-murderers, prophecy-deniers... the scum of the human race whom Allah cursed and turned into apes and pigs...<ref>Dr. Leah Kinberg - [http://arts.monash.edu.au/jewish-civilisation/visiting/kinberg-jews-koran.pdf Jews In The Koran And Early Islamic Traditions] - Lecture delivered in May 2003, Monash University, Melbourne</ref>}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, March 30, 2001|"There are Hadiths regarding our struggle against the Jews. And it is given: ‘The day of resurrection will not arrive until the Moslems make war against the Jews and kill them, and until a Jew hiding behind a rock and tree, and the rock and tree will say: 'Oh Moslem, oh servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him!' This Hadith clarifies to us the characteristics of the campaign between us and the Jews. The tree and the rock do not say 'Oh, Palestinian,' 'Oh Arab,' or 'Oh resident of the Middle East.' Rather they say: 'Oh, Moslem, Servant of Allah.'"<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism"></ref>}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, July 28, 2000|"We the Palestinian nation, our fate from Allah is to be the vanguard in the war against the Jews until the resurrection of the dead, as the prophet Mohammed said: 'The resurrection of the dead will not arrive until you will fight the Jews and kill them...' We the Palestinians are the vanguard in this undertaking and in this campaign, whether or not we want this..."<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism"></ref>}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, April 13, 2001, quoting the Koran - Sura 5,84|"My dear brothers, so continues the struggle between the Moslems and the Jews from the past, both near and far, in the present and in the future. And in this matter the word of Allah will be fulfilled: 'There will not be found [anyone] more hostile to the believers than the Jews and the idolaters."<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism"></ref>}}

{{Quote|Official P.A. newspaper, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, May 18, 2001|"The battle with the Jews will surely come... the decisive Moslem victory is coming without a doubt, and the prophet spoke about in more than one Hadith. And the day of resurrection will not come without the victory of the believers [the Moslems] over the descendents of the monkeys and pigs [the Jews] and with their annihilation."<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism"></ref>}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, February 16, 1999|"...The Jews are used to deceit... They fake the facts and changed the laws of Allah... The Torah was brought down with contained guidance toward the path of righteousness and light, just as every book which Allah brought down... [The Jews] switched the law of Allah and by this rebelled on His ruling and religion and way, and therefore they merit to be heretics and to be banished from the Allah's mercy... They faked the words of Allah and changed their religion and laws and they are the wicked. And whomever does not rule according to what Allah brought down, whomever rebelled against this... is in a rebellion against Allah, and is a descendant of Abelis [ghost], the descendant of the Satans, and worthy of receiving the punishment of the sinners..."<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism">Itamar Marcus - [http://www.aish.com/jw/me/48883732.html Islam's War Against the Jews: Quotes from the Palestinian Authority] - AISH</ref>}}

{{Quote|Al-Akhbar Egyptian paper, May 5, 2001|"Lies and deceit are not foreign to Jews. The best evidence that Jews go back on their word is their denial of the principles on which they signed in the Oslo Accords and the Madrid and Sharon agreements. For this reason, Allah changed their shape and made them into monkeys and pigs."<ref>[http://www.adl.org/egyptian_media/media_2002/stereotypes.asp Anti-Semitism in the Egyptian Media February 2001 - February 2002] - Anti Defamation League</ref>}}

{{Quote|Malaysian Prime Minister's speech to the Tenth Islamic Summit Conference in Putrajaya, October 16, 2003|"We [Muslims] are actually very strong, 1.3 billion people cannot be simply wiped out. The Nazis killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million [during the Holocaust]. But today the Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them. They invented socialism, communism, human rights and democracy so that persecuting them would appear to be wrong so they may enjoy equal rights with others. With these they have now gained control of the most powerful countries. And they, this tiny community, have become a world power."<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,100234,00.html Malaysian Leader: 'Jews Rule World by Proxy'] - Fox News, October 16, 2003</ref>}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, November 3, 1998|"...Their Bible [of the Jews] today has no light and no teachings. Their Bible today is just a bunch of notes that were written down by people who lie about God, his prophets and his Bible... Those who do these kinds of things are the descendants of Abelis, meaning the descendants of the satans... They fabricated a Jewish history book full of promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that He will give them the land of Palestine..."<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism"></ref>}}

{{Quote|Sheikh Abd Al-Jalil Al-Karouri: Sudanese Friday TV Sermon - June 5, 2009|"We want [Obama] to consider the reasons for the invasion of Afghanistan. Are 19 young men from the Islamic world really capable of destroying America? Can they really cause all that ruin there? Can such a thing happen, Mr. Hussein, President of America?....We call upon him to examine publications issued in America, casting doubt on whether it was the Arabs and Muslims who attacked the two Manhattan buildings. Some of these publications went as far as to state: 'No Plane Hit the Pentagon....We Want President Hussein To Be Fair And To Study The 9/11 Files....We Consider This To Be A Jewish Conspiracy"<ref>[http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6f5_1248569093&c=1 Cleric Calls On Fellow muslim Obama To Blame 9/11 On The Jews] - Live Leak</ref>}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, June 8, 2001|"Blessed is he who fights jihad in the name of Allah, blessed is he who [goes on] raids in the name of Allah, blessed is he who dons a vest of explosives on himself or on his children and goes in to the depth of the Jews and says: ‘Allahu Akbar, blessed be Allah.' Like the collapse of the building upon the heads of the Jews in their sinful dance-hall, I ask of Allah that we see the Knesset collapsing on the heads of the Jews."}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, October 13, 2000|"The Jews are the Jews. There never was among them a supporter of peace. They are all liars... the true criminals, the Jewish terrorists, that slaughtered our children, that turned our wives into widows and our children into orphans, and desecrated our holy places. They are terrorists. Therefore it is necessary to slaughter them and murder them, according to the words of Allah... it is forbidden to have mercy in your hearts for the Jews in any place and in any land. Make war on them anyplace that you find yourself. Any place that you encounter them -- kill them. Kill the Jews and those among the Americans that are like them... Have no mercy on the Jews, murder them everywhere..."<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism"></ref>}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, March 30, 2001|"Arab and Moslem rulers! The weaponry that will not be used against the enemies of Allah will rust and you will use them against one another, as happens periodically. Aim your arrows once and make war, as they war against you. Why this fear of the State [of Israel] that is surrounded by Arabs and Moslems? Why this fear? Because you do not fear Allah -- whoever fears Allah, all else will fear him."<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism"></ref>}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, March 30, 2001|"The Arab rulers and the Moslems, and our people everywhere. If we don't support Allah, He will replace us with other men... The courageous over the infidels, make war for Allah and are not afraid... This is the depiction of the army of Allah that will come at Allah's decree, from here or from there, to liberate these lands from the defilement of the Jews, for Allah was angry with them in his book and called them once 'monkeys,' once 'swine,' and once 'donkeys.'"<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism"></ref>}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, August 11, 2000|"Oh, our Arab brethren... Oh, our Moslem brethren... Don't leave the Palestinians alone in war against the Jews... Even if it has been decreed upon us to be the vanguard... Jerusalem, Palestine and Al Aksa, the land that Allah blessed and its surrounding areas will remain at the center of the struggle between truth and falsehood, between the Jews and the non-Jews on this sacred land, regardless of how many agreements are signed, regardless of how many treaties and covenants are ratified. For the truth is in the Koran, as verified by the words of the prophet Mohammed, that the decisive battle will be in Jerusalem and its environs: 'The resurrection of the dead will not occur until you make war on the Jews...'"<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism"></ref>}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, April 13, 2001|"All the members of this nation must take part in this struggle against the enemies of Allah, so that through us the saying of Allah will be fulfilled: 'You will not find people more hostile than are the Jews.'"<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism"></ref>}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, August 11, 2000|"Palestine... causes the Jews to lose sleep, causes the enemies of Allah throughout the land to lose sleep... It is a bleeding wound, and it will continue to bleed forever and ever... Jerusalem is a symbol... to the Moslems and to their war of Jihad forever and ever."<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism"></ref>}}

{{Quote|Palestinian TV, April 13, 2001|"The victory is coming, the victory is coming, the victory is coming! Allah, show us your marvels against the Jews! Show them a black day, like the day of A'ad and Tha'mud (tribes that were defeated and destroyed). Because they boasted to us of their strength! Show us the prince against them, show them a black day! Allah, transform them into the Moslems' spoils of war! Allah, transform them into our spoils of war!”<ref name="Islamic Antisemitism"></ref>}}

{{Quote|Malaysian Prime Minister's interview with The Bangkok Post, October 21, 2003|"Japanese newspapers put down my talk to me being anti-Semitic….but they pick up one sentence in which I said the Jews control the world. Well, the reaction of the world shows that they control the world. Israel is a small country. There are not many Jews in the world. But they are so arrogant they defy the whole world...many newspapers are owned by the Jews. They only see that angle and they have a powerful influence over the thinking of many people. Only their side of the picture is given now. The Muslims, we are pictured as terrorists, unreasonable people..."<ref>[http://www.adl.org/Anti_semitism/Malaysian_1.asp Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad: On the Jews] - Anti Defamation League, October 27, 2003</ref>}}

{{Quote|Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir bin Muhammad's book "The Malay Dilemma"|"The Jews for example are not merely hook-nosed, but understand money instinctively."<ref>Jeff Jacoby - [http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2003/10/23/rousing_muslim_bigotry/ Rousing Muslim bigotry] - The Boston Globe, October 23, 2003</ref>}}

==Antisemitic literature in the Islamic world==

===Adolf Hitler's ''Mein Kampf''===

Mein Kampf, written by Adolf Hitler, is a modern-day best-seller in the Arab and wider Islamic world in countries including including: Egypt, Palestine,<ref name="Mein Kampf a best-seller">Sean O'Neill and John Steele - [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1388161/Mein-Kampf-for-sale-in-Arabic.html Mein Kampf for sale, in Arabic] - The Telegraph, March 19, 2002</ref><ref>[http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/292.htm Hitler's Mein Kampf In East Jerusalem And PA Territories] - MEMRI: Special Dispatch, No. 48, October 1, 1999</ref> Turkey,<ref name="AFP Mar 18 2005" /><ref name="Antisemitism in Turkey">[http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP90005 Antisemitism in the Turkish Media] - MEMRI - April 28, 2005</ref> and had also sold well in London areas with large Arab populations.<ref name="Mein Kampf a best-seller" /> It is often sold alongside religious literature. ''Mein Kampf'' is sometimes translated as "My Jihad" in Arabic. Mein Kampf has sold as well as Dan Brown's latest novel in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where sales of the book have been reported to soar around Eid, likely due to its being bought by significant numbers as an Eid gift.<ref name="Alastair Lawson" />

===''Protocols of the Elders of Zion''===

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is a 19th century antisemitic tract that remains immensely popular in the Islamic world.<ref>[http://www.memritv.org/subject/en/363.htm The Protocols of the Elders of Zion] - MEMRI TV</ref><ref name="Antisemitism in Turkey" /> It was a forgery made in Russia for the Okhrana (secret police) and blames the Jews for the country’s ills. It was first privately printed in 1897 and was made public in 1905. Adolf Hitler later used the Protocols to help justify his attempt to exterminate Jews during World War II.<ref>Robert T. Carroll - [http://www.skepdic.com/protocols.html Protocols of the Elders of Zion] - The Skeptic's Dictionary</ref> Its popularity has led to it being adapted as a TV mini-series broadcasted in various Islamic countries.<ref>[http://www.adl.org/special_reports/protocols/protocols_recycled.asp Protocols Recycled] - Anti-Defamation League, January 9, 2004</ref>

===Saudi Ministry of Education textbooks===

As with [[Islam_and_Homosexuality#Treatment_of_Homosexuals|homophobic writing]], antisemitic literature in the Muslim world is not confined to bookstores. The following are extracts taken from 2010-11<ref>Charles Lewis - [{{Reference archive|1=http://life.nationalpost.com/2011/09/28/saudis-export-anti-christian-and-anti-jewish-textbooks-across-the-world-report/|2=2011-10-04}} Saudis export anti-Christian and anti-Jewish textbooks across the world: report] - National Post, September 28, 2011</ref> Saudi Ministry of Education Textbooks for Islamic Studies:

{{Quote||They are the people of the Sabbath, whose young people God turned into apes, and whose old people God turned into swine to punish them. As cited in Ibn Abbas: The apes are Jews, the keepers of the Sabbath; while the swine are the Christian infidels of the communion of Jesus.<ref name="Textbooks for Islamic Studies">[http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/special_report/48.pdf Saudi Arabia's Curriculum of Intolerance] - Freedom House, May 2006, pp.24-25.</ref>}}

{{Quote||Some of the people of the Sabbath were punished by being turned into apes and swine. Some of them were made to worship the devil, and not God, through consecration, sacrifice, prayer, appeals for help, and other types of worship. Some of the Jews worship the devil. Likewise, some members of this nation worship devil, and not God.<ref name="Textbooks for Islamic Studies"></ref>}}

==Islamic antisemitism in the modern world==

===Worldwide===
Antisemitic incidents around the world more than doubled in 2009 compared to the previous year, and most violent attacks in Western Europe came from people of Arab or Muslim heritage.

{{Quote||Anti-Semitic incidents around the world more than doubled in 2009 over the previous year, posting their worst year since monitoring began two decades ago, according to a new survey. . . . 

In Europe, Britain and France led with the number of incidents, according to the report. There were 374 violent incidents against Jews recorded in Britain in 2009, compared to 112 in 2008, according to the institute. France saw 195 attacks in 2009 compared to 50 the previous year. Britain and France have the highest Jewish populations in Europe, as well as the largest Muslim populations.

Only 78 incidents of anti-Semitic violence were recorded in 1989, the year that the institute began recording such incidents. In 2009, some 41 of the incidents were armed assaults directed at Jews because of their religion; 34 incidents were arson, according to the report.<ref>[http://www.jta.org/news/article/2010/04/11/1011516/report-world-anti-semitic-incidents-double Report: Anti-Semitism up] - JTA, April 11, 2010</ref>}}

{{Quote||A major annual study of worldwide anti-Semitic incidents points to a dramatic rise in anti-Semitism in 2009, with particularly steep jumps in Western Europe and Canada. . . . 

The year in the wake of Operation Cast Lead was the worst since monitoring of anti-Semitic manifestations began, in terms of both major anti-Semitic violence and the hostile atmosphere generated worldwide by the mass demonstrations and verbal and visual expressions against Israel and the Jews," the report said.

The report, considered an important bellwether of anti-Jewish sentiment worldwide, was released ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day in cooperation with the European Jewish Congress (EJC).

Among its most dramatic findings was a 102 percent increase in anti-Jewish violence worldwide, from 559 incidents in 2008 to 1,129 in 2009.

In addition, there were "many more hundreds of threats, insults, graffiti signs and slogans and demonstrations featuring virulently anti-Semitic content... sometimes resulting in violence," according to the report.

A significant part of this increase took place in the UK, where violence jumped from 112 incidents in 2008 to 374 last year; in France, where the jump was from 50 to 195, and in Canada, where incidents soared from 13 to 138.

The US, which ordinarily enjoys a very low rate of anti-Jewish violence compared to the size of its Jewish community, nonetheless saw a modest rise, from 98 to 116 incidents.

In some countries, these figures are only the latest spike in a continuing trend. The British Jewish community's monitoring system counted a three-fold increase in anti-Semitic occurrences since 1999, while Canada counted a five-fold increase since 2000.

'''Most violent attacks in Western Europe came from people of Arab or Muslim heritage, the report found'''. . . . 

In 2009, however, “white” attacks [in the UK] dropped to 48% and “Asian” or “Arab” attacks jumped to 43%.

During the month of January 2009, in the midst of Operation Cast Lead, '''“Asian” and “Arab” attackers accounted for fully 54% of incidents, although the Muslim community numbers just 4% of the general population'''.<ref>Haviv Rettig Gur - [http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=172884 Anti-Semitic violence doubled in 2009] - The Jerusalem Post, April 12, 2010</ref>}}

===Muslim Majority Nations===
{{Quote||According to the Pew Global Attitudes Project released on August 14, 2005, high percentages of the populations of six Muslim-majority countries have negative views of Jews. To a questionnaire asking respondents to give their views of members of various religions along a spectrum from "very favorable" to "very unfavorable", '''60% of Turks, 74% of Pakistanis, 76% of Indonesians, 88% of Moroccans, 99% of Lebanese Muslims and 100% of Jordanians checked either "somewhat unfavorable" or "very unfavorable" for Jews.'''<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Islam_and_antisemitism&oldid=380681249 Islam and antisemitism] - Wikipedia, accessed September 17, 2010</ref>}}

====Egypt====
{{Quote|June, 2006|Pew asked respondents to give their opinions of Christians, Muslims and Jews, and it found anti-Jewish sentiment to be "overwhelming" in the Muslim countries surveyed. It reached 98 percent in Jordan and '''97 percent in Egypt'''.<ref>MEG BORTIN - [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/23/world/23pew.html?ei=5090&en=5b361ce4828f5847&ex=1308715200&adxnnl=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1180479483-EJoZc0Poq7pWF1C9iBvPng Poll Finds Discord Between the Muslim and Western Worlds] - The New York Times, June 23, 2006</ref>}}

====Jordan====
100 percent of Jordanians view Jews unfavorably.

{{Quote|September, 2005|Jordan leads the Islamic world in its antipathy for Jews according to a new poll by the Pew Research Center.

The poll, which surveyed 17,000 people in 17 countries, said '''100 percent of Jordanians viewed Jews unfavorably.''' The majority of Jordanians are Palestinians, but the late King Hussein and his son and successor, King Abdullah have been known for their pro-American stances.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20051031063641/http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/05/front2453632.451388889.html Poll: Jordan top anti-Jew nation; Russia most pro-Christian] - World Tribune, September 19, 2005</ref>}}

===In the West===

====Netherlands====
{{Quote||In 2009, the number of anti-Semite incidents in Amsterdam doubled compared to the year before. The Jewish community feels under siege . . . 

Experience has taught him that the boys taunting him are almost always of Moroccan descent.

“Their reasoning goes something like this: Israelis are Jews, Palestinians are Arabs, so we Moroccan ‘Arabs’ in the Netherlands are going to take on Dutch Jews,” said Menno ten Brink, a rabbi for the liberal Jewish community in Amsterdam.<ref>Karel Berkhout - [http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2468489.ece/Anti-Semitism_on_the_rise_in_Amsterdam Anti-Semitism on the rise in Amsterdam] - NRC, 26 January 2010</ref>}}

====Belgium====
{{Quote||The Flemish-language newspaper De Morgen ([{{Reference archive|1=http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/989/Binnenland/article/detail/1263072/2011/05/12/Brusselse-jongeren-vaak-antisemitisch.dhtml|2=2011-05-19}} link only in Flemish]) has a major [May 12, 2011] article about a survey of Muslim students in Brussels high schools. The professor who conducted the survey concludes that '''half "can be described as antisemitic''' which is a very high rate.’’ '''Five times higher, in fact, then among Flemish-speaking Belgians''', who historically have been relatively anti-Jewish.

Incidentally, what was being measured here was '''not antagonism toward Israel but traditional anti-Jewish stereotypes'''. No doubt, the former attitude is even stronger.

The anti-Jewish '''sentiments among Muslims don't vary depending on education level or living standards'''. Obviously, they aren't getting it from Belgian society.

"The antisemitism is theologically inspired," says the sociologist, Professor Mark Elchardus. "'''There is a direct link between being Muslim and antisemitic feelings'''...<ref>Barry Rubin - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.rightsidenews.com/2011051713549/editorial/world-opinion-and-editorial/belgium-half-of-all-muslim-immigrant-children-are-antisemitic.html|2=2011-05-19}} Belgium: Half of All Muslim Immigrant Children Are Antisemitic] - Right Side News, May 17, 2011</ref>}}

====Sweden====
Among adults 39 percent of Muslim Swedes have a systematically negative view of Jews compared to 5 percent among the rest.

{{Quote|October, 2006|Quote from the summary of the study Antisemitiska Attityder och Föreställningar i Sverige by Henrik Bachner and Jonas Ring done by Forum för Levande Historia:

The results suggest that antisemitic views and ambivalent attitudes toward Jews are more common among Muslim Swedes than among Christian Swedes and non-religious Swedes. Among adults '''39 percent of Muslim Swedes have a systematically negative view of Jews compared to 5 percent among the rest'''.<ref>[http://icevikings.blogspot.com/2006/10/poll-of-muslim-as-well-as-non-muslim.html Poll of Muslim as well as non-Muslim Swedes regarding anti-Semitism] - Iceviking, October 28, 2006 ([http://intolerans.levandehistoria.se/article/article_docs/antisemitism_sammanfattning_print.pdf original non-translated study])</ref>}}

Jews left Sweden when hate crimes doubled.

{{Quote|February, 2010|When she first arrived in Sweden after her rescue from a Nazi concentration camp, Judith Popinski was treated with great kindness.

She raised a family in the city of Malmo, and for the next six decades lived happily in her adopted homeland - until last year.

In 2009, a chapel serving the city's 700-strong Jewish community was set ablaze. Jewish cemeteries were repeatedly desecrated, worshippers were abused on their way home from prayer, and "Hitler" was mockingly chanted in the streets by masked men.

"I never thought I would see this hatred again in my lifetime, not in Sweden anyway," Mrs Popinski told The Sunday Telegraph.

"'''This new hatred comes from Muslim immigrants'''. The Jewish people are afraid now."
 . . . 
The future looks so bleak that by one estimate, around '''30 Jewish families have already left for Stockholm, England or Israel''', and more are preparing to go.

With its young people planning new lives elsewhere, the remaining Jewish households, many of whom are made up of Holocaust survivors and their descendants, fear they will soon be gone altogether. Mrs Popinski, an 86-year-old widow, said she has even encountered hostility when invited to talk about the Holocaust in schools.

"Muslim schoolchildren often ignore me now when I talk about my experiences in the camps," she said. "It is because of what their parents tell them about Jews. The hatreds of the Middle East have come to Malmo. Schools in Muslim areas of the city simply won't invite Holocaust survivors to speak any more."

'''Hate crimes, mainly directed against Jews, doubled last year''' with Malmo's police recording 79 incidents and admitting that far more probably went unreported. As of yet, no direct attacks on people have been recorded but many Jews believe it is only a matter of time in the current climate.
 . . . 
After the war, just as liberal Sweden took in Jews who survived the Holocaust as a humanitarian act, it also took in new waves of refugees from tyranny and conflicts in the Middle East. Muslims are now estimated to make up about a fifth of Malmo's population of nearly 300,000.

"This new hatred from a group 40,000-strong is focused on a small group of Jews," Mrs Popinski said, speaking in a sitting room filled with paintings and Persian carpets.

"Some Swedish politicians are letting them do it, including the mayor. Of course the Muslims have more votes than the Jews."<ref>Nick Meo - [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/sweden/7278532/Jews-leave-Swedish-city-after-sharp-rise-in-anti-Semitic-hate-crimes.html Jews leave Swedish city after sharp rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes] - The Telegraph, February 21, 2010</ref>}}

{{Quote||A March 29 story in The Washington Times (“Hate Crimes Force Jews Out of Malmo”) noted that of 115 bias-crimes in Sweden’s third largest city, reported in 2009, 52 were anti-Semitic, this notwithstanding that Malmo’s Jewish population numbers fewer than 700 (half of what it was two decades ago) in a general population of 280,000.

Thus, '''Jews represent less than .0025% of the city, but account for 45% of all hate crimes'''. Could that have something to do with Malmo’s 60,000 Muslims?

Malmo Rabbi Shneur Kesselman says: “'''In the past five years I’ve been here, I think you can count on your hand how many (anti-Semitic) incidents there have been from the extreme right. In my personal experience, it’s 99% Muslim.'''” Jewish resident Marcus Eilenberg, whose survivor grandparents found shelter in Malmo in 1945, says Jews there are confronting “a degree of hate that none of us – except those who survived the Holocaust – had experienced before.”<ref>Don Feder - [http://www.grasstopsusa.com/df092010.html Society For Voluntary Jewish Extinction Fights Islamophobia Society For Voluntary Jewish Extinction Fights Islamophobia] - GrassTopsUSA, September 20, 2010</ref>}}

====United Kingdom====
About 2 out of 5 British Muslims believe Jews are "a legitimate target".

{{Quote|February, 2006|Nearly two fifths (37 per cent) [of Muslims] believe that the Jewish community in Britain is a legitimate target “as part of the ongoing struggle for justice in the Middle East”. Moreover, only 52 per cent think that the state of Israel has the right to exist, with 30 per cent disagreeing, a big minority. One in six of all Muslims questioned thinks suicide bombings can sometimes be justified in Israel, though many fewer (7 per cent) say the same about Britain. This is broadly comparable to the number justifying suicide attacks in ICM and YouGov polls of British Muslims after the July 7 attacks.<ref name="Jews UK">[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,171-2028033,00.html ] - The Times Online, February 07, 2006</ref>}}

{{Quote|February, 2007|Attacks on Britain’s Jews have risen to the highest level since records began.

A study published today shows the number of reported anti-Semitic incidents has almost tripled in 10 years, with more than half the attacks last year taking place in London.
The findings prompted the report’s authors to warn of a “wave of hatred” against Jews.
The number of incidents increased to 594 last year, up by 31 per cent on the previous year.
Violent assaults soared to 112, up by more than a third on 2005.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=433030&in_page_id=1770 'Wave of hatred' warning as attacks on Jews hits record high] - The Daily Mail, February 1, 2007</ref>}}

==Modern revisionist perspectives and challenges thereto==
Some modern and especially Western Islamic authorities make efforts to portray Muhammad in a better light vis-a-vis Jews by suggesting that he attended a Jew's funeral and forgave a Jewish woman who used to throw garbage and carrion at his doorstep.<ref>A repetitive example can be found here: [http://tablighijamaattruth.blogspot.in/search?q=jew]</ref> Traditionally these stories are considered [[Mawdu' (Fabricated Hadith)|weak or fabricated hadiths]] and are therefore not considered legitimate basis for doctrine by traditional and mainstream Islamic authorities.<ref>http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1204985</ref><ref>Bukhari 1250 is misquoted here: [http://dailyhadith.abuaminaelias.com/2011/03/30/the-prophet-stood-up-for-the-funeral-of-a-jew-out-of-respect-for-his-humanity/]. The site quotes Sahih Muslim correctly but ignores [https://sunnah.com/muslim/11/31 this] hadith from the same book, where Muhammad says the dead Jew is being punished eternally.</ref> Most often these favorable anecdotes from the prophet's life are taken from hadith and sira books that are otherwise dismissed by the same modern and western authorities as unreliable, such as [[Ibn Ishaq]], Ibn Saad and ''Al-Mustadrak alaa al-Sahihain''.<ref>http://seekershub.org/ans-blog/2011/02/11/is-it-true-that-someone-threw-trash-on-the-prophet-peace-and-blessings-of-allah-be-upon-him/</ref><ref>http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=283960</ref>

==See also==

{{Hub4|Antisemitism|Antisemitism}}

==External links==

'''Further reading'''

*[http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/antisemitism-in-quran-part-1.html Antisemitism in the Qur’an] ''- Andrew G. Bostom''

*[{{Reference archive|1=http://frontpagemag.com/2011/05/31/equating-anti-semitism-with-islamophobia/|2=2011-06-03}} Equating Anti-Semitism with ‘Islamophobia’] ''- Phyllis Chesler, FrontPageMagazine, May 31, 2011''

*[http://www.jcpa.org/JCPA/Templates/ShowPage.asp?DRIT=4&DBID=1&LNGID=1&TMID=111&FID=614&PID=0&IID=5174&TTL=The_Expulsion_of_the_Jews_from_Muslim_Countries,_1920-1970:_A_History_of_Ongoing_Cruelty_and_D The Expulsion of the Jews from Muslim Countries, 1920-1970: A History of Ongoing Cruelty and Discrimination] ''- Prof. Shmuel Trigano, The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs', November 15, 2010''

*[http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=177446 New research: One people! Jews the world over share age-old genetic ties] ''- Judy Siegel-Itzkovich, The Jerusalem Post, June 4, 2010''

*[http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/05/misunderstanding_islamic_antis.html Misunderstanding Islamic Antisemitism] ''- Andrew G. Bostom, American Thinker, May 11, 2008''

*[http://hnn.us/articles/34789.html Anti-Semitism in Islam: Israel Didn't Start the Fire] ''- Timothy R. Furnish, History News Network, February 5, 2007 ''

*[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574400532495168894.html The Mufti of Berlin: Arab-Nazi collaboration is a taboo topic in the West] ''- Daniel Schwammenthal, The Wall Street Journal, September 24, 2009''

*[http://cgis.jpost.com/Blogs/dershowitz/entry/will_hamas_s_new_culture Double Standard Watch: Will Hamas's new "Culture War" acknowledge its historic ties to Nazism?] ''- Alan M. Dershowitz, The Jerusalem Post, Jul 26, 2009''

*[http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/10242/Mischief A brief look at Moosa (peace be upon him)] ''- Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 10242''

*[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fworks.bepress.com%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D1005%26context%3Dkenneth_lasson&date=2011-03-02 Antisemitism in the Academic Voice: Confronting Bigotry under the First Amendment] ''- Kenneth Lasson, September 2010''

*[http://www.adl.org/NR/exeres/D59191EC-39AF-498C-AD2C-8F40AE5A871F,DB7611A2-02CD-43AF-8147-649E26813571,frameless.htm American Muslim Extremists: A Growing Threat to Jews] ''- ADL, August 6, 2010''

*[http://www.grasstopsusa.com/df092010.html Society For Voluntary Jewish Extinction Fights Islamophobia]'' - Don Feder, GrassTopsUSA, September 20, 2010''

*[http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/Fourteen+centuries+hatred/3655998/story.html Fourteen centuries of hatred] ''- Jonathan Kay, The National Post, October 12, 2010''

*[http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/10/forward_to_the_past.html Forward to the Past] ''- Victor Sharpe, American Thinker, October 17, 2010''

*[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-479143/The-forgotten-Holocaust-The-Armenian-massacre-inspired-Hitler.html The forgotten Holocaust: The Armenian massacre that inspired Hitler] ''- Daily Mail, October 11, 2007''

*[http://joshuapundit.blogspot.com/2006/05/quran-vs-mein-kampf.html The Qu'ran vs. Mein Kampf] ''- Joshuapundit, May 2, 2006''

'''In the news'''

*[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/Muslim+website+removes+anti+semitic+videos+following+complaint/4609714/story.html|2=2011-04-15}} Muslim website removes ‘anti-semitic’ videos following complaint] ''- Stewart Bell, National Post, April 13, 2011''

*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11960291 Government to pay for security guards at Jewish schools] ''- BBC News, December 9, 2010''

*[http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=199629 Wiesenthal Center tells Jews not to travel to Sweden] ''- Benjamin Weinthal & Gil Shefler, Jerusalem Post, December 16, 2010''

*[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3993898,00.html Hezbollah overjoyed by fire: Arab media disparages Israel over disaster] ''- Roee Nachmias, YNetNews, December 3, 2010''

*[http://savageinfidel.blogspot.com/2010/11/israeli-doctors-help-sick-in-maldives.html?spref=fb Israeli Doctors Help Sick in Maldives, Muslims Protest saying it is against Islam to have relations with Jews] ''- Savage Infidel, November 26, 2010''

*[http://www.allvoices.com/s/event-7407385/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pc3JhZWxuYXRpb25hbG5ld3MuY29tL05ld3MvRmxhc2guYXNweC8xOTg0MTk= British Muslim Schools Teach Saudi Hatred of Jews and Israelis] ''- Chana Ya'ar, All Voices, November 22 2010''

*[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1309173/Senior-Iranian-cleric-dismisses-Nazi-Holocaust-superstition-created-West.html Senior Iranian cleric dismisses Nazi Holocaust as 'superstition']'' - The Daily Mail, September 5, 2010 ''

*[http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/3292011/the-muslim-council-of-britains-disgusting-decision-to-boycott-holocaust-memorial-day.thtml The Muslim Council of Britain's disgusting decision to boycott Holocaust Memorial Day] ''- James Forsyth, Coffee House, The Spectator blog, January 26, 2009''

*[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,565365,00.html New York-Based Muslim's Web Site Calls for God to 'Kill the Jews'] ''- Joshua Rhett Miller, Fox News, October 13, 2009''

*[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125693376195819343.html Secret Mission Rescues Yemen's Jews] ''- Miriam Jordan, The Wall Street Journal, October 31, 2009''

*[http://www.ansamed.info/en/news/ME03.XAM16095.html Holocaust:Hezbollah Against 'Diary of Anne Frank' in Arabic] ''- ANSAmed, November 5, 2009''

'''From the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)'''

*[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP216508 As Gaza Fighting Continues, Egyptian Clerics Intensify Antisemitic Statements; Columbus, Ohio Muslim Scholar/Leader Dr. Salah Sultan: ''Muhammad Said That Judgment Day Will Not Come Until Muslims Fight the Jews and Kill Them; America Will Suffer Destruction''] ''- MEMRI: Special Dispatch, No. 2165, December 30, 2008''

*[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP157707 Hamas Al-Aqsa TV: A Mickey Mouse Character Teaches Children About the Islamic Rule of the World And to ‘Annihilate the Jews'] ''- MEMRI: Special Dispatch, No. 1577, May 9, 2007''

*[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sr&ID=SR3906 Iranian Leaders: Statements and Positions (Part I)] ''- MEMRI: Special Report, No. 39, January 5, 2006''

*[http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP90005 Antisemitism in the Turkish Media] ''- MEMRI: Special Dispatch, No. 900, April 28, 2005''

*[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP85505 Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial in the Iranian Media] ''- MEMRI: Special Dispatch, No. 855, January 28, 2005''

*[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sr&ID=SR2403 Palestinian Authority Sermons 2000-2003]'' - Steven Stalinsky, MEMRI: Special Dispatch, No. 24, December 26, 2003''

*[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sr&ID=SR01102 Based on Koranic Verses, Interpretations, and Traditions, Muslim Clerics State: ''The Jews Are the Descendants of Apes, Pigs, And Other Animals''] ''- Aluma Solnick, MEMRI: Special Report, No. 11, November 1, 2002''

*[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sr&ID=SR01002 Friday Sermons in Saudi Mosques: Review and Analysis] ''- MEMRI: Special Report, No. 10, September 26, 2002''

*[http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP35402 Saudi Government Daily: ''Jews Use Teenagers' Blood for 'Purim' Pastries''] ''- MEMRI: Special Dispatch, No. 354, March 12, 2002''

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Antisemitism]]
[[Category:People of the Book]]
[[Category:Race]]
[[Category:Jewish tradition]]
[[Category:Sacred history]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Society and human nature]]
[[Category:Modern movements]]
[[ar:معاداة_السامية_في_الإسلام]]

Arabic

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AdrianE: Fixed a typo. Added a link.

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'''Arabic''' ('''اللغة العربية''' ''al-luġatu l-ʿarabiyyah'' or just '''عربي''' ''arabī'') is today spoken natively by 150 million people,<ref>[http://uk.encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861689162/Arabic.html Dictionary/ Arabic] - MSN Encarta, accessed December 27, 2010</ref> making it the largest living member of the Semitic languages family in terms of speakers.

Classified as Central Semitic, it is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. Modern Arabic is classified as a macrolanguage with 27 sub-languages in ISO 639-3.

Modern Standard Arabic derives from Classical Arabic, often referred to as "[[Qur'an|Qur'anic]] Arabic", the only surviving member of the Old North Arabian dialect group, attested epigraphically since the 6th century, which has been a literary language and the liturgical language of [[Islam]] since the 7th century CE.

Arabic has lent many words to other languages of the Islamic world, akin to the role Latin has in Western European languages.

Some apologists claim that the Qur'an can only be properly understood in its original Arabic form. Thus all translations are unreliable, and all criticism of Islam is invalid unless one studies and understands Classical Arabic. There are several problems with this claim:

If it's not possible to criticize Islam unless you know Classical Arabic (because your understanding of what Islam is may be erroneous), then it logically follows that you cannot propagate Islam unless you know Classical Arabic (because your understanding of what Islam is may be erroneous). No Muslim would agree to that because most Muslims do not understand Modern Arabic, let alone Classical Arabic.

It is not possible for anyone to learn a language that cannot be translated into the only one they do know, which means those who insist that one "must learn Arabic” in order to understand the Qur’an are committing a [[Logical Fallacies|logical fallacy]]. Either the Arabic of the Qur'an is translatable (in which case there is no need to learn Arabic) or it is not (in which case it can never be learned by the non-native speaker).

The Arabic language is no different to other languages; if other languages can be translated accurately, then so can Arabic. Critics or adherents of Judaism, Christianity and Hinduism do not need to speak Hebrew, Greek or Sanskrit in order to understand these faiths, and the same applies to Islam.

Furthermore, translations were, and still are today, often "softened" or made more palatable to modern, liberal, western(ized) audiences. For a list of misleading translations, see the page [[Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)]]. An example of a misleading translation is adding the word "lightly" (originally in Arabic "not severely" or غير مبرح) to {{Quran|4|34}} by Abdullah Yusuf Ali (based off of extra-Quranic material and commentary relating to this verse), which enjoins [[Wife Beating in the Qur'an|wife beating]]. Yusuf Ali also "softened" the word 'Kill' into '[[The Meaning of Qatal|fight]]' such as in {{Quran|9|5}}.

==See Also==

*[[Arabic letters and diacritics]]
*[[Arabic pronouns and the Quran]]
*[[Glossary of Islamic Terms]]

{{Translation-links-english|[[Арабски език|Bulgarian]]}}

==External Links==

*[http://www.studyquran.co.uk/LLhome.htm Edward William Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (Download)] ''- The most revered and scholarly dictionary of the Arabic language''
*[http://kalamullah.com/Books/Hans-Wehr.pdf The Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic] ''- 40 MB Downloadable PDF file''

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Arabic]]

Qur'an

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AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

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The '''Qur'ān''' (القرآن) is the central religious text of [[Islam]]. Muslims believe the Qur'an to be the book of divine guidance and direction for mankind. They also consider the text in its original [[Arabic]], to be the literal word of [[Allah]]<ref>[{{Quran-url-only|2|23}} Qur'ān, Chapter 2, Verses 23-24]</ref> revealed by the angel Jibreel ([[Gabriel]]) to [[Muhammad]] over a period of twenty-three years<ref>''Living Religions: An Encyclopaedia of the World's Faiths,'' Mary Pat Fisher, 1997, page 338, I.B. Tauris Publishers, </ref><ref>[{{Quran-url-only|17|106}} Qur'an, Chapter 17, Verse 106]</ref>, and view the Qur'an as God's final revelation.<ref>[{{Quran-url-only|33|40}} Qur'an, Chapter 33, Verse 40]</ref><ref>Watton, Victor, (1993), ''A student's approach to world religions:Islam'', Hodder & Stoughton, pg 1. ISBN 0-340-58795-4</ref>

==Structure and content==

In length, the Qur'an is slightly shorter than the Christian New Testament (at approximately 165,000 words in English).<ref>[http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/bom/written.shtml Could Joseph Smith have written the Book of Mormon?] - The Hundredth Sheep</ref> The text is not in chronological order, but arranged roughly longest surah (chapter) to the shortest (nevertheless some surahs do deviate from this general order). Ayahs (verses) are generally written in the first person (spoken by Allah), thus they generally lack context. For context, Muslims use Hadith collections (oral traditions which record Muhammad's words and actions) and the Sirat (biography of Muhammad). With these, the surahs can be separated into two categories; Meccan and Medinan.

===Controversial Passages===

The Qur'an justifies and permits things such as; [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Homosexuality|persecution of homosexuals]], [[Child Marriage in the Qur'an|child marriage]], [[Polygamy in Islam|polygamy]], [[Antisemitism in Islam|hatred of Jews]], [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Dhimmitude|institutional religious discrimination]], [[Wife Beating in the Qur'an|legalized domestic violence]], [[slavery]] and [[rape|the rape of slaves]].

====Love and Fear====

"While there are over 300 references in the Koran to Allah and fear, there are only 49 references to love. Of these love references, 39 are negative such as the 14 negative references to love of money, power, other gods and status.

Three verses command humanity to love Allah and 2 verses are about how Allah loves a believer. There are 25 verses about how Allah does not love kafirs (unbelievers).

This leaves 5 verses about love. Of these 5, 3 are about loving kin or a Muslim brother. One verse commands a Muslim to give for the love of Allah. This leaves only one quasi-universal verse about love: give what you love to charity and even this is contaminated by dualism since Muslim charity only goes to other Muslims.<ref name="STATISTICAL ANALYSIS">Bill Warner - [http://www.faithfreedom.biz/new-page-128.htm LOVE VERSUS FEAR IN THE KORAN: A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND REFORM ACCORDING TO GOLDEN RULE] </ref>

====Non-Muslims and Punishment====

Approximately 67% of the Meccan verses deal with punishing unbelievers for disagreeing with Allah, and more than 50% of the so-called Medinan verses deal with hypocrites and jihad against [[Kafir (Infidel)|unbelievers]].<ref name="STATISTICAL ANALYSIS"></ref> Also, there are nearly 500 verses (roughly one out of every twelve) in the entire Qur'an which speak of [[Jahannam (Hell)|Hell]], and over 400 which speak negatively or encourage hatred or dislike of Jews, Christians, idolaters and infidels in general.<ref name="STATISTICAL ANALYSIS"></ref>

====Jihad====
{{Main|Jihad}}

Not including verses which deal with heavenly rewards for those who strive on the path of jihad, generic mentions of "victory", and Muhammad's negative opinions of those who do not participate in jihad, there are roughly 164 jihad verses in the Qur'an.<ref>[http://www.yoel.info/koranwarpassages.htm 164 Jihad Verses in the Koran] - Yoel Natan</ref> These speak clearly and directly of military expedition, fighting, [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad and Booty|spoils of war]], raiding, [[slavery|enslaving]] and looting [[Kafir (Infidel)|infidels]].

==See also==

*[[Qur'an]]'' - A hub page that leads to other articles related to the Qur'an''

{{Translation-links-english|[[Coran - definition|French]] and [[Korán|Czech]]}}

==External links==
* [https://wikiquote.org/wiki/Quran See wikiquote's direct quotations from the Quran]

*[http://quranx.com/ Quranx.com] - easily navigable translations and etymological background for each verse in the Quran
*[http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/Quran/index.htm Skeptic's Annotated Quran]
*[http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/denis_giron/multiple.html Qur'an: A Work of Multiple Hands?] ''- Denis Giron''

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Revelation]]
[[Category:Allah]]
[[Category:Qur'anic textual history]]
[[Category:Muhammad]]
[[Category:Supernatural beings]]

People of the Book

2024-06-11T17:43:10Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

[[Category:People of the Book]]
[[Category:Dhimma]]
[[Category:Human rights]]
[[Category:Antisemitism]]
__NOEDITSECTION__{{QualityScore|Lead=2|Structure=4|Content=3|Language=3|References=4}}In the [[Qur'an]] and [[Hadith]], the term '''People of the Book''' (أهل الكتاب‎ ′Ahl al-Kitāb) is used to refer to followers of certain [[Monotheism|monotheistic]] faiths which pre-date the advent of [[Islam]]. In particular, it refers to the Christian, Jewish, and Sabian (and Zoroastrian) faiths.<ref>"...''Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians''..." - {{Quran|2|62}}</ref> This page contains summaries of articles discussing the relationship between Islam and the People of the Book.
==Revealed Scriptures==
Revelation is the medium by which Allah claims to have communicated his words to his prophets so that they may inform the people of his will, what he wants from them and what they must do for him in order to be saved from eternal damnation.
===The Torah/Old Testament===
{{Main|Taurat}}The Qur'an talks of the '' Taurat/Tawrah '' ( توراة ) referring to the Torah - the first five books of the Jewish Bible (also known as the Pentateuch); found in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. Some Muslims and scholars believe it refers to the entire Old Testament, but this view is not widely held.
===The Psalms===
{{Main|Zabur}}The ''Zabur,'' mentioned 3 times in the Qur'an, refers to the ''Psalms'' of the Old Testament. The Qur'an asserts that the Zabur is one of the 3 Previous Revelations of Allah.
===The New Testament/Four Gospels===
{{Main|Injil}}The Qur'an talks of the ''Injil'' (إنجيل) referring to the New Testament of the Bible (usually the four Gospels), which it claims was given to Jesus, rather than being written by his followers.
===The Qur'an===
{{Main|Qur'an|Al-Fatiha}}The ''Qur'ān'' (القرآن) is the central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe the Qur'an to be the book of divine guidance and direction for mankind. The best-known chapter of the Qur'an is al-Fatiha ‘The Opening’. This surah is recited as part of all the mandatory daily prayers and repeated within each prayer. A faithful Muslim who said all their prayers would recite this surah at least seventeen times a day, and over five thousand times a year.

The hadith literature make negative references to the Jews and Christians in connection with this surah. Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan and Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali incorporate this within their translation. Ayah 6-7 thus reads; ''"Guide us to the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians)."''

It is remarkable that the daily prayers of every Muslim, part of the core of Islam, include a rejection of Christians and Jews as misguided and objects of Allah’s wrath.
==Incompatibility with Previous Revelations==
===Qur'an 2:79 and the Corruption of the Previous Scriptures===
{{Main|Corruption of Previous Scriptures|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Corruption of Previous Scriptures}}It is a common Islamic belief that the Qur'an states that the previous scriptures (the Taurat and Injil) have been physically corrupted by those who were charged with safeguarding it (the Jews and Christians). Thus, it is claimed, the Qur'an is the 'return' to the true message of the God of the Bible. The following verse (2:79) is generally advanced as evidence.{{quote | {{Quran|2|79}}|'''Shakir:''' Woe, then, to those who write the book with their hands and then say: This is from Allah, so that they may take for it a small price; therefore woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.}}The above article examines what the Qur'an says about the Taurat and Injil and examines verse 2:79 in this own context, and considers whether the doctrine of the corruption of previous scriptures is indeed found in the Qur'an.

===Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures===
{{Main|Parallels Between the Qur'an and Late Antique Judeo-Christian Literature}}The similarities between the Qur'an and previous scriptures have been noted since the advent of Islam. Modern scholarship has extended the identification of such parallels to the extra-Biblical legends and commentaries circulating in late antiquity in the centuries before Islam. The development of the stories through successive versions can be seen in some cases. Some stories were originally Rabbinic illustrations to make a point about individual words. Examples include:

{{col-begin|width=885px}}

{{col-break}}

*Flood waters boiled from an oven

*Abraham's conversion to monotheism

*Abraham & the idols.

*Mary, Jesus and the Trinity

*Jesus and the clay birds

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*Mary’s upbringing & her relationship with Zachariah

*Mary, Jesus & the palm tree

*Satan’s refusal to prostrate to Adam

*the Queen of Sheba

*the wealth of Korah

{{col-end}}
Furthermore, the claim that the Quran describes the Judeo-Christians scriptures as "corrupted" [[Corruption of Previous Scriptures|has been substantially critiqued, and is most probably untrue]].
==Biblical and Islamic Figures==
===God===
{{Main|Allah}}According to Islam, ''Allāh'' is the Creator of the Universe. Allah is commonly understood to "the God". Linguists consider its origins uncertain, though it was the name of a Nabatean pagan deity several centuries before Islam, before becoming applied to the Judeo-Christian God. It was also used in this way by the Quranic ''Mushrikeen'', where it was the name of the supreme creator god, along with lesser dieties. The goddesses; ''Allāt'' (meaning '' 'the goddess' ''),<ref>Arne A. Ambros, and Stephan Procházka - [http://jis.oxfordjournals.org/content/19/3/400.extract A Concise Dictionary of Koranic Arabic (p. 306)] - Weisbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3895004006</ref> ''Manat'', and ''al-Uzza'' were Allah's daughters.
===Jesus Christ===
{{Main|Isa al-Masih}}In [[Islam]], '''Isa al-Masih''' (عيسى المسي usually translated as ''Jesus Christ'') is believed to be a prophet, second in rank to [[Muhammad]], and not the son of God. Indeed, associating divinity with Jesus is decried as blasphemy in the Qur'an time and again.
===The Virgin Mary===
{{Main|Virgin Conception of Jesus in the Qur'an}}The Qur'anic verses 21:91 and 66:12 in conjunction with the tafsirs, tell us the angel Jibreel was sent to breathe Allah's spirit into ''Maryam'''s (مريم Mary's) vagina. {{Quran|5|116}} tells us the Trinity consists of three separate gods, which are the Father (God), the Mother (Virgin Mary) and the Son (Jesus). The Quran is generally highly critical of the Christians for their views about Jesus and Mary. According to a hadith, Mary will be one of Muhammad's wives in paradise.{{Quote|al-Siyuti (6/395)|Muhammad said, “In heaven, Mary mother of Jesus, will be one of my wives.”}}{{Quote| Tabarani|"The Messenger of God ... said, ‘God married me in paradise to Mary the daughter of 'Imran and to the wife of Pharaoh and the sister of Moses.’" <ref>(Ibn Kathir, Qisas al-Anbiya [Cairo: Dar al-Kutub, 1968/1388], p. 381- as cited in Aliah Schleifer's Mary The Blessed Virgin of Islam [Fons Vitae; ISBN: 1887752021; July 1, 1998], p. 64;</ref>}}
===The Angel Gabriel===
{{Main|Angel Jibreel|Gabriel and the Holy Spirit}}According to Islamic scriptures, ''Jibreel'' (جبريل Gabriel) is the angel who first appeared to Muhammad in the cave of Hijra and taught Muhammad the Qur'an. The initial experience frightened Muhammad, and originally thinking he was possessed by a demon, the Islamic prophet became, according to his own account, suicidal for a period of time (being prevented from jumping off a cliff multiple times by Gabriel himself).
==Under Islamic Rule==
===Dhimmitude===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Dhimmitude|Dhimmitude}}The term ''Dhimmitude'' is derived from ''Dhimmi'', which means a non-Muslim living in an Islamic country. According to orthodox Islamic law, those who are qualified for the second-class Dhimmi status within the Muslim society are the free (i.e. non-slave) Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians, who agree to pay the jizyah, a religious tax whose purpose is to "humiliate" or "subdue" non-Muslims (as stated explicitly in {{Quran|9|29}}). Adherents of other religions, as well as those without religion, are asked to convert to Islam; if they refuse, they are to be forced to convert, or face enslavement or execution. This Dhimma legal framework is not in force in modern Muslim states today as civil law is considered to have rendered it inapplicable.

According to some scholars of the Islamist mindset such as Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi (d. 1979, founder of the Jama'at-i Islami movement), jihad should be waged against Jews and Christians because they are guilty of committing shirk (one of the gravest sins in Islam), their beliefs about the Day of Judgement are not Islamic, and they do not follow the laws of Islam revealed to Muhammad.<ref>[http://www.englishtafsir.com/Quran/9/index.html#sdfootnote27sym Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an (Quran 9:29, Footnotes 26 & 27)]</ref>
===Jizyah Tax===
{{Main|Jizyah|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Jizyah}}{{Quote|Umar ibn al-Khattab during the conquest of al-Basrah (636 CE)|Summon the people to God; those who respond to your call, accept it from them, but those who refuse must pay the poll tax out of humiliation and lowliness. If they refuse this, it is the sword without leniency. Fear God with regard to what you have been entrusted.<ref>Al-Tabari, ''The History of al-Tabari (Ta'rikh al rusul wa'l-muluk)'', vol. 12: ''The Battle of Qadissiyah and the Conquest of Syria and Palestine,'' trans. Yohanan Friedman (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1992), p. 167.</ref>}}According to the Qur'an and hadith, ''Jizyah'' or ''jizya'' (جزْي) is the extra tax imposed on non-Muslims (Dhimmis) who live under Muslim rule. It is paid as a sign of submission and gives dhimmis some legal protection in return. Under dhimmitude (the status that Islamic law, the Sharia, mandates for non-Muslims) Dhimmis usually are not allowed to carry arms to protect themselves, serve in the army or government, display symbols of their faith, build or repair places of worship, etc. If the conquered do not wish to pay or convert, their fate may very well be slavery (under which, rape is permitted) or (as evidenced in the quotes above) death.
===Forced Conversion===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Forced Conversion}}This article provides information about the historical Islamic use of forced conversion and forced submission or expulsion.
===The Pact of Umar===
{{Main|The Pact of Umar|Analysis of the Pact of Umar}}Much has been said of the ''Pact of Umar'',<ref>Paul Halsall - [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/pact-umar.html The Status of Non-Muslims Under Muslim Rule]- Medieval Sourcebook, January, 1996</ref> and much of it distinctly positive. Its non-Muslim admirers gleefully compare its contents to the treatment of religious minorities in Medieval Europe, while ignoring its influence and conformity with Islamic scriptural sources which still govern the treatment of minorities in the East today. Some non-Muslim scholars of early Islam doubt the pact's authenticity, highlighting the fact that the Islamic traditions surrounding the writing of the pact are a few hundred years removed from the actual events described, and that no contemporary sources refer to it at all. ''Sophronius''' (560 - 638 AD) authentic extant writings also refer to the Muslim conquerors in a very negative way, putting further doubts on the Muslim recollections of events.<ref>Robert Hoyland, ''Seeing Islam as Others Saw It'' (Princeton, 1996) p. 69-71</ref> This article, nonetheless, analyses the rights and limitations placed on the Syrians based on this account of the Pact of Umar. It is further worth noting that, even if the pact is historically unreliable, many (if not all) of the specific stipulations found in the pact have a basis in Islamic scripture independent of the pact itself.
===The Genocide of Banu Qurayza===
{{Main|The Genocide of Banu Qurayza|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Banu Qurayza}}Hijra year 5 (627 AD), almost nine hundred Jews (including children) of a Medinan tribe named Banu Qurayza were massacred by Muslims in one day. Muhammad was the lead of the atrocity, which began early in the day, ending in torchlight. Those who escaped death were taken captive by Muslims and sold in slave markets. This genocide is known in history as the Banu Qurayza incident.
==Miscellaneous==
===What Islamic Scripture and Scholars Say about the People of the Book===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:People of the Book}}Islamic scripture and scholars have much to say in regards to Jews and Christians.{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30|}}|And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they! They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One Allah. There is no Allah save Him. Be He Glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)!}}
===Antisemitism in Islam===
{{Main|Antisemitism in Islam}}Anti-Semitism is rampant in the Muslim world, often intertwined with grievances concerning the long-running Israel-Palestine conflict. Islamic scripture is often cited in defense of these attitudes.
Hadiths portray Muhammad as stating that the Final Hour will not come until Muslims slaughter Jews, and even the rocks and trees will betray the Jews hiding behind them.{{Quote|1={{Muslim|41|6985}}, see also {{Muslim|41|6981}}, {{Muslim|41|6982}}, {{Muslim|41|6983}}, {{Muslim|41|6984}}, {{Bukhari|4|56|791}}|2=Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.}}
==External Links==

*[http://answering-islam.org/Gilchrist/muhammad.html Is Muhammad Foretold in the Bible?] ''- by John Gilchrist''

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
[[Category:Sacred history]]
[[Category:Society and human nature]]

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-06-10T22:06:16Z

AdrianE: Added a hadith about Muhammad using the f-word.

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{{Quran|15|9}} declares that the [[Qur'an]] is [[Allah|Allah's]] [[revelation]] and that he promises to preserve it and protect it from corruption. In {{Quran|16|103}}, {{Quran|44|58}} and {{Quran|54|22}}, [{{Quran-url-only|54|32}} 32], [{{Quran-url-only|54|40}} 40], it is emphasized that the Qur'an was revealed in straightforward, easy to understand, and pure Arabic. Sunni Islamic scholars agree that all that which is fundamental to Islam (particularly most of Islamic law) which is not contained in the Quran must have been preserved in the form of hadiths. However, translations of these scriptures have not always been rendered faithfully into other languages such as English, particularly in recent times and especially when the audience concerned is that of a developed, first-world variety which likely holds to modern notions of human rights and liberalism.

Some of the most prominent and officially recognized English translators of the Qur'an (like Yusuf Ali, Dr. Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Asad), in particular, have often (seemingly deliberately, given their knowledge and skill) mistranslated the most controversial and problematic verses in the Qur'an. That these inaccurate translations are most common with verses that would be considered contrary to modern liberal values in the West suggests that these mistranslations were not unintentional or due to some unique difficulty of the Arabic words used in these verses. Similar mistranslations have been observed in translations of the hadiths as well as in translations of other key Islamic texts, such as legal manuals.

==Quran==

===(4:34) Wife-beating===
{{Main|Wife Beating in the Qur'an}}
{{Quran|4|34}} famously instructs men to beat their wives and forms the basis of the Islamic legal ruling which permits as much.

This verse states that men are in charge of women with what they spend on them, and have the right to direct them in life. Also in the same verse, women are told to obey men and if they don’t, then men have the authority to admonish them, refuse to share beds and beat them. Many translators added words like "first", "next" and "last" so that beating your wife appears to be the last resort. In addition, they added the word “lightly” in brackets after “beating them”, despite the fact that this word or connotation is not found in the source text.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Saheeh International:''' Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allāh has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allāh would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - '''[first]''' advise them; '''[then if they persist]''', forsake them in bed; and '''[finally]''', strike them '''[lightly]'''. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allāh is ever Exalted and Grand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allâh has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allâh and to their husbands), and guard in the husband’s absence what Allâh orders them to guard (e.g. their chastity, their husband’s property). As to those women on whose part you see ill-conduct, admonish them '''(first)''', '''(next)''', refuse to share their beds, '''(and last)''' beat them '''(lightly, if it is useful)'''; but if they return to obedience, seek not against them means (of annoyance). Surely, Allâh is Ever Most High, Most Great.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them '''(first)''', '''(Next)''', refuse to share their beds, '''(And last)''' beat them '''(lightly)'''; but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).}}Mustafa Khattab's translation includes the aforementioned problems. Besides, he mistranslated beat (ٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ) as "discipline".{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Men are the caretakers of women, as men have been provisioned by Allah over women and tasked with supporting them financially. And righteous women are devoutly obedient and, when alone, protective of what Allah has entrusted them with. And if you sense ill-conduct from your women, advise them '''˹first˺''', '''˹if they persist,˺''' do not share their beds, '''˹but if they still persist,˺''' then '''discipline''' them '''˹gently˺'''. But if they change their ways, do not be unjust to them. Surely Allah is Most High, All-Great.}}

===(23:14) Fetal development===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran}}
{{Quran|23|14}} presents a schema regarding the development of the human fetus. The following translations are taken from Pickthall and Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Pickthal:''' Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, '''then''' clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators!}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones '''and''' clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!}}

This verse is often used as an example of how translators (in this case Yusuf Ali, who is authorized by the Saudi Islamic authority and Al-Azhar University) have often mistranslated verses in ways that appear less objectionable to liberal, Western audiences.

Yusuf Ali, in his translation, replaces the word "then" with "and". He also replaces “the best of creators” (plural) with “the best to create” (singular). The difference in the meaning is crucial because the word “then” suggests another and separate phase, while the word “and” means bones and flesh form simultaneously or during one phase, which conforms to modern science, even though this does not appear in the original Arabic text.

Likewise, the plural form of “creators” seems to affirm the existence of ''multiple'' creators (''of whom'' Allah would be the best), which appears to contradict the key Islamic doctrine of ''tawḥīd'' (توحيد) regarding the oneness of Allah, the ''only'' creator. Similar mistranslations are given by the Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Saad translations. By contrast, the Pickthal translation is more accurate in this case, conforming to the original Arabic text.

Similarly distorted translations are also presented by institutions such as al-Azhar, the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf, and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as is seen on the Al-Azhar web site. The above verse is translated as below:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamic-council.com/qurane/def1.asp Quran 23:14]|2=Then We created the nutfah (sperm-drop) into a clinging organism. Then We created the clinging organism into a bolus-like chewed-up mass of coherent body of matter. Then We created the bolus-like chewed-up mass into bones, and We dressed the bones flesh. Out of this We brought it forth as a different creation. So, blessed be Allâh, The Fairest of creators.}}

===(18:86) Sun sets in a muddy spring===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}
{{Quran|18|86}} describes the story of Dhul-Qarnayn (often identified with Alexander the Great) wherein he is said to arrive at a location where he observes the sun setting in a muddy spring.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|'''Pickthall:''' Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.}}

Modern Islamic scholars have argued that the verse describes a visual representation of what Dhul-Qarnayn saw as the sun set into the “horizon”. Such explanations are frustrated by authoritative sources, themselves represented by the likes of ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn'' (p. 251), and numerous classical authorities (which explain that the setting of the sun is in a well containing a murky mud). The same interpretation is found in al-Tabari’s commentaries (p. 339) as well as in the ''Concise Interpretation of al-Tabari'' (p. 19 of part 2) in which he remarks that the well in which the sun sets "contains lime and murky mud". The words “apparent” or “looks like” do not appear in classical explanations or commentaries. Indeed, the verse appears to reflect the [[Cosmology of the Quran|cosmological views]] [[Muhammad]] would have been expected to have in seventh century Arabia. Furthermore, since the earth is in fact round, [[Flat Earth and the Quran|not flat]] (as the Qur'an appears to suggest), Dhul-Qarnayn could never have reached some "farthest point", since no such point exists on a globe.

The al-Azhar site confronts this challenge by mistranslating this verse, specifying that the "muddy spring" is in fact the Atlantic Ocean, which ''appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn'' as a muddy spring.
The Saheeh International translation inserts a parenthetical [as if] which does not exist in the original Arabic text and is nowhere implied.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|'''Saheeh International:''' Until, when he reached the setting of the sun [i.e., the west], he found it '''[as if]''' setting in a body of dark water, and he found near it a people. We [i.e., Allāh] said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."}}

Mustafa Khattab mistranslated "he found it" (wajadaha) as "which appeared to him".

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Until he reached the setting ˹point˺ of the sun, '''which appeared to him''' to be setting in a spring of murky water, where he found some people. We said, “O Ⱬul-Qarnain! Either punish them or treat them kindly.”}}

===(86:5-7) Semen production===
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production}}
{{Quran-range|86|5|7}} states that sperm originates from an area between the breastbone and the backbone.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|5-7}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' 5. Now let man but think from what he is created! 
6. He is created from a drop emitted- 
7. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs}}

The al-Azhar site translates the origination point of sperm as from "between the pelvis and breast bone".

===(22:52) Satanic verses===
{{Main|Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident)}}
{{Quran|22|52}} is said to have been revealed after the incident with respect to the Satanic Verses. This verse absolves Muhammad of responsibility for the Satanic Verses. The verse says that Satan influenced the recitations of all previous prophets. The text literally says "when he recited Satan threw (something) into his recitation." (إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ)

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allāh abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allāh makes precise His verses. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.}}

*إِذَا (''itha'') - when
*تَمَنَّىٰٓ (''tamannaa'') - he recited
*أَلْقَى (''alqaa'') - threw
*ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ (''ashshaytanu'') - Satan
*فِىٓ (''fee'') - in
*أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ (''omniyyatihi'') - his recitation

Some translations try to cover up Satan's influencing of recitations. For example, by suggesting that Satan influenced people's understanding of the verse.

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Whenever We sent a messenger or a prophet before you ˹O Prophet˺ and he recited ˹Our revelations˺, Satan would influence ˹people’s understanding of˺ his recitation. But ˹eventually˺ Allah would eliminate Satan’s influence. Then Allah would ˹firmly˺ establish His revelations. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''T. Usmani:''' We did not send any messenger before you nor a prophet, but (he faced a situation that) when he recited (the revelation), the Satan cast (doubts in the hearts of his opponents) about what he recited. So, Allah nullifies what the Satan casts, then Allah makes His verses firm, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' We have never sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes what Satan insinuates and then God affirms His message. God is all knowing and wise:}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''M. Pickthall:''' Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise;}}

===(3:54) Allah the best of deceivers===
{{Main|Allah, the Best Deceiver (Qur'an 3:54)}}
In {{Quran|3|54}}, {{Quran|7|99}}, {{Quran|8|30}}, {{Quran|10|21}} and {{Quran|13|42}} Allah is called the best of deceivers (خير الماكرين).

{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين

'''Transliteration:''' Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena

'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and God cheated/deceived, and God (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}This has been mistranslated as the best of plotters/planners/schemers in various translations.{{Quote|{{Quran|3|54}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And '''Allāh is the best of planners.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|3|54}}|'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' And they (disbelievers) plotted to kill ‘Îsâ [(Jesus) عليه السلام], and Allâh plotted too. And '''Allâh is the Best of those who plot.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|3|54}}|'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' The [disbelievers] schemed but God also schemed; '''God is the Best of Schemers.'''}}

===(9:29) Fight people until they pay the jizya willingly while they are humbled===
{{Main|Jizyah}}
{{Quran|9|29}} tells Muslims to fight the People of the Book until they pay [[Jizyah|jizya]] with their hands (عَن يَدٖ) ('an yadin) while they are humiliated/belittled (صَٰغِرُونَ) (Saghiroon).
Several translators mistranslate 'an yadin as willingly and Saghiroon as humbled.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the tax, '''willingly submitting''', fully '''humbled'''.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|'''Saheeh International:''' Fight against those who do not believe in Allāh or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allāh and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth [i.e., Islām] from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah '''willingly''' while they are '''humbled'''.}}

===(10:5) Moon is a (reflective) light===
The Quran calls the moon a light (نُورٗا) in {{Quran|10|5}}. In reality, the moon only reflects sunlight. Some translators have tried to incorporate this in their translation, but it is not mentioned in the Arabic.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|'''Mustafa Khattab:''' He is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a '''reflected light''', with precisely ordained phases, so that you may know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people of knowledge.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|'''Saheeh International:''' It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a '''derived light''' and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allāh has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know.}}

===(4:11) Inheritance===
{{Quran|4|11}} concerns the laws of inheritance. This verse contains a linguistic mistake. It says that if there are more than two daughters (فَإِن كُنَّ نِسَآءٗ فَوۡقَ ٱثۡنَتَيۡنِ), they should get two thirds of the estate. However, the author of the Quran meant to say 'two or more daughters'. In {{Al Tirmidhi||4|27|2092}} Muhammad divides the estate after the verse of inheritance was supposedly revealed. He gives two thirds to the two daughters.
The following translations cover up the mistake.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Allah commands you regarding your children: the share of the male will be twice that of the female. If you leave only '''two ˹or more˺ females''', their share is two-thirds of the estate. [...]}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|'''Saheeh International:''' Allāh instructs you concerning your children [i.e., their portions of inheritance]: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females. But if there are [only] daughters, '''two or more''', for them is two thirds of one's estate. [...]}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' Concerning your children, God commands you that a son should have the equivalent share of two daughters. If there are only daughters, '''two or more''' should share two-thirds of the inheritance, if one, she should have half. [...]}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, '''two or more''', their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. [...]}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' Allâh commands you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females; if (there are) only daughters, '''two or more''', their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. [...]}}

=== (67:5) Shooting stars===
{{Main|Shooting Stars in the Quran}}
{{Quran|67|5}} discusses the [[jinn]] (mythical creatures that are described in Islamic scriptures as living among humans)<ref>Mawdudi, Sayyid Abul Ala, Tafhim ul Quran, Markazi Maktaba Islami, Delhi, 1995, vol. 6, p.110</ref> and stars from the "lowest heaven" which are used as missiles against any mischievous jinn that attempts to eavesdrop on conversations between angels.<ref>"...''The Jinns would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the Angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the Future which they heard from Allah. The Jinns would then inform the fortune-tellers. This is why before the time of the Prophet (saws) many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions. However, upon the Prophet's arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the Angels, and any Jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars)''..." - [http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/world.html The World of Jinn] - Invitation to Islam, Issue 4, January 1998</ref>

{{quote |{{Qtt|67|5}}|وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
 '''Transliteration:''' Walaqad zayyanna alssamaa alddunya bimasabeeha wajaAAalnaha rujooman lilshshayateeni waaAAtadna lahum AAathaba alssaAAeeri '''Literal:''' And certainly We have beautified the heaven (ٱلسَّمَآءَ, ''as-samaa'a'') nearest (ٱلدُّنْيَا, ''ad-dunyaa'') with lamps (بِمَصَٰبِيحَ, ''bi-masaabeeh'') and We have made them (as) missiles (رُجُومًا, ''rujooman'') for the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment(of) the Blaze.<ref>[http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=67&verse=5 Word-by-Word Grammar - Verse (67:5)] - The Quranic Arabic Corpus</ref>}}

*ٱلسَّمَآءَ (''as-samaa'a'') means heaven or sky.<ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1/</ref>
*ٱلدُّنْيَا (''ad-dunya'') is translated "the world" or "the lower". The world" is called "the lower", because according to Islamic cosmology the heavens appear one atop the other and the earth is the lowest in this structure.
**So ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا can be understood as "the lowest heaven", "the heaven right above this flat earth", "the sky above The Lower".
*بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (''bi-masaabeeh'') - this word means "lamps" and is still used as such in modern Arabic (see Google images for مصابيح).
*رُجُومًا (''rujooman'') - it is from the same root as رجم (''rajm''), meaning "[[Stoning in Islamic Law|stoning]]", which is the Islamic punishment for sex outside marriage (Satan, or Iblis, is known as ''al-Rajeem'' or "the stoned one" ''-'' الرجيم in Arabic).

==== Accurate translations====

Below are the three most popular and readily available translations of the verse from Islamic sources.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Pickthal:''' And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Shakir:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}}The below translations from non-Islamic sources are also generally accepted, albeit not frequently cited in Islamic circles.{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Arberry:''' And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and made them things to stone Satans; and We have prepared for them the chastisement of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Palmer:''' And we have adorned the lower heaven with lamps; and set them to pelt the devils with; and we have prepared for them the torment of the blaze!}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''George Sale:''' Moreover We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and have appointed them to be darted at the devils, for whom We have prepared the torment of burning fire:}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''JM Rodwell:''' Moreover we have decked the lowest heaven with lights, and have placed them there to be hurled at the Satans, for whom we have prepared the torment of the flaming fire.}}A further twelve translations confirm the above translations.<ref>{{Quote||'''Abdel Haleem:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Ahmed - Samira:''' We have adorned the lowest sky with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, for whom We have prepared a torment of most intense fire.}}{{Quote||'''Qaribullah:''' We have adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and We made them a stoning for the satans, We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze for them.}}{{Quote||'''Faridul Haque:''' And indeed We have beautified the lower heaven with lamps, and have made them weapons against the devils, and have kept prepared for them the punishment of the blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Syed Vickar Ahamed:''' And indeed, We have decorated the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them (like) missiles to drive away the Satans, and have prepared for them the penalty of the blazing Fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Taqi Usmani:''' And We have decorated the nearest sky with lamps, and have made them devices to stone the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of Hell.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Sarwar:''' We have decked the lowest heavens with torches. With these torches We have stoned the devils and We have prepared for them the torment of hell.}}{{Quote||'''Hamid S. Aziz:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for Satan, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali:''' And indeed We have already adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them outcast (meteorites) for Ash-Shayatin (The ever-vicious "ones", i.e., the devils) and We have readied for them the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Ali Quli Qara'i:''' We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Abdul Majid Daryabad:''' And assuredly We have bedecked the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for satans: and for them We have gotten ready the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Sher Ali:''' And verily, WE have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and WE have made them the means of driving away satans, and WE have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}</ref>

====Mistranslations====

The following two translations distort the idea of stars being used to stone jinn by describing the missiles as being made out of/from the stars, but not being the stars themselves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):''' And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Ali Ünal:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the lowest heaven (the heaven of the world) with lamps (stars), and made (out of) them missiles to drive away devils; and for them We have prepared (in the Hereafter) the punishment of the Blaze.}}

Another two translations include their modifications without using brackets, which is even more misleading giving the impression that this text is literally part of the Arabic original:

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Aisha Bewley:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made ''some of them stones'' for the shaytans for whom We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Al-Muntakhab:''' And We decorated the lowermost heaven with lamps (or heavenly bodies), ''some of them adapted'' to be like weapons in pursuit of the evil ones for whom We have prepared torture in the blazes of Hell.}}

In two other translations, the lamps and the projectiles used against the devilish jinn are referred to as separate entities, though this disagrees with the Arabic text in which there is a pronoun used to refer to the "projectiles" whose clear antecedent is the plural word "lamps".

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Khalifa:''' We adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and guarded its borders with projectiles against the devils; we prepared for them a retribution in Hell.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Progressive Muslims:''' And We have adorned this universe with lamps, and We made it with projectiles against the devils; and We prepared for them the retribution of the blazing Fire.}}

====Reinterpretations presented as translations====

The following translations depart entirely from the classical interpretations of the verse and, it would appear, the very wording of the verse itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Maulana Ali:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Shabbir Ahmed:''' And indeed, We have beautified the sky of the world with shining lamps. And made them objects of futile guesses for the satans. (15:17), (37:6-9), (72:8). And for them We have prepared the doom of blazing flames.}}

Another three translations go a little further, asserting that the "devils/evil ones" refer to evil human cohorts and not to the jinn.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Asad:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame –}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Farook Malik:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Amatul Rahman Omar:''' We have, certainly, adorned the lowest heaven with (stars-like) lamps and We have made them as means of conjecture for the evil ones (and the astrologers who invent good or bad omens from the movement of the stars). (Remember) We have prepared for these (soothesayers) the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}

====Incorporation of modern science into translation====

The following translation attempts to incorporate modern scientific understandings of cosmology into its reading of the verse, though makes it a point to use brackets to differentiate words inserted to facilitate this understanding from the original Arabic text itself:

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Bijan Moeinian:''' God has adorned the lowest universe with the sources of light [probably a reference to the Quasars], being used as missiles against the devils [perhaps the reference is to anti-matter which will be destroyed immediately in contact with the matter] and prepared for them a blazing fire.}}

==Hadith==
=== The sun will rise "in the West" ===

A sign of the last hour that appears in numerous hadiths is often mistranslated as the sun rising "in the West". This mistranslation occurs throughout the English translation of Sahih Bukhari by Muhsin Khan and sometimes in the translation of Sahih Muslim by Abdul Hamid Sadiqqui.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|421}}|Narrated Abu Dhar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come '''and so it will rise in the west'''. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing." (36.38)}}

While the Arabic word al maghrib was commonly used to mean the West in general, in fact a much more specific form occurs in these hadiths. In every hadith narration of this prophecy, the Arabic phrase is always ''min'' ''maghribi-ha'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا), which means that the sun is told to go and rise "from its setting place", without the definite article (''al'' for 'the') and with the possessive suffix.

In one narration in Sahih Muslim (which is accurately translated), there is in addition the phrase ''min maghribi-ki'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِكِ), which means the sun is told to go and rise "from the place of your setting". Earlier in the same narration, the sun is usually commanded to rise ''min matli'iha'' (مِنْ مَطْلِعِهَا) which means "from its rising place". This uses the same word as occurs in the Dhu'l Qarnayn story (''see: [[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One]]''), in {{Quran|18|90}}, ''matli'a ash-shamsi'', "the rising place of the sun", and was not the word used throughout the Quran and hadiths to mean the East in general, which was ''al mashriq'' (ٱلْمَشْرِق).

{{Quote|{{Muslim|1|297}}|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the Sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the Sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out '''from its rising place''' and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything (unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out '''from the place of your setting''', and it will rise '''from the place of its setting'''. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}One can see the inconsistent way these terms have been translated on Quranx (and other sites) by searching for '[https://quranx.com/Search?Q=sun+place+setting&Context=hadith 'sun' 'place' 'setting']' in the hadith, compared to the {{Bukhari|4|54|421}} hadith.

===Aisha's age at consummation ===
{{Main|Aisha's Age}}
'Aisha lived with her parents before her marriage to Muhammad was consummated at the age of 9 ({{Muslim|8|3310}}). The following mistranslation is often presented as evidence that she reached puberty while she still lived there.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|465}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings...}}The word أَعْقِلْ means to use thoughts or reasoning, but the translator Muhsin Khan has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is that 'Aisha was never aware of a time when her parents were not Muslim. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion" (لَمْ أَعْقِلْ أَبَوَىَّ إِلاَّ وَهُمَا يَدِينَانِ الدِّينَ).

The same Arabic phrase is translated as follows in another hadith by the same translator:{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|73|102}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) "I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the Religion (of Islam), and our being visited by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the morning and in the evening....}}See also the two other occurrences in {{Bukhari|3|37|494}} and {{Bukhari|5|58|245}}.

The 'puberty' mistranslation also fails to achieve chronological sensibility. 'Aisha's father, Abu Bakr, was one of Muhammad's first followers. It would not have taken until puberty for 'Aisha to notice that her father followed the religion.

=== Hadith in which Aisha menstruated===
{{Main|Aisha's Age}}
A mistranslated hadith has a comment from Abu Dawud supposedly about Aisha menstruating when she was nine. This is Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam).
{{Quote|{{Abudawud||4915|hasan}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.}}

Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated". Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply".

Abu Dawud's comment is ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ), which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed". Form I can mean menstruated, but that is not the form used in the hadith.<ref>nun-fa-sin - [https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/25_n/208_nfs.html Lane's Lexicon]</ref>

===Hit women without leaving a mark===
{{Main|Wife Beating in the Qur'an}}
Muhammad's 'Farewell Sermon' appears in various hadith collections and al-Tabari's History. A short version is found in ''Sunan Ibn Majah''. The Arabic words here translated 'and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark' are a mistranslation.

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|9|1851}}|Then he said: 'I enjoin good treatment of women, for they are prisoners with you, and you have no right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear indecency. If they do that, then forsake them in their beds '''and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark.'''}}

The highlighted phrase is fadribuhunna darban ghayra mubarrih (فَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ). A literal translation is, 'then beat them, a beating without severity'. The last word is defined in Lane's Lexicon as violence/severity/sharpness/vehemence<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000219.pdf Lane's Lexicon] Book I page 182</ref>.

The same Arabic phrase appears in the other versions of the farewell sermon. The translators of Sunan Abu Dawud and al-Tabari's History both render it 'beat them, but not severely'.

{{Quote|1=[http://sunnah.com/abudawud/11/185 Abu Dawud 10:1900]|2=Fear Allaah regarding women for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allaah’s word. It is a duty from you on them not to allow anyone whom you dislike to lie on your beds but if they do '''beat them, but not severely.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|pp. 112-113}}|"Now then, O people, you have a right over your wives and they have a right over you. You have [the right] that they should not cause anyone of whom you dislike to tread on your beds; and that they should not commit any open indecency. If they do, then Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms '''and to beat them, but not severely'''. If they abstain from [evil], they have the right to their food and clothing in accordance with the custom. Treat women well, for they are [like] domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. You have taken them only as a trust from Allah, and you have made the enjoyment of their persons lawful by the word of Allah, so understand and listen to my words, O people.}}

The versions of the farewell sermon found in {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3087}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not painful', and {{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1163}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not harmful', consist of the same Arabic words as quoted above and found in other versions of the farewell sermon.

In his tafsir, al-Tabari quotes Qatada clarifying that the phrase means ''ghayr sha'in'' (that is, 'without being disgraceful/outrageous/obscene/indecent'),<ref>[https://tafsir.app/tabari/4/34 al-Tabari 4:34]</ref> while he records that Ibn Abbas explained it as 'Hitting with a siwaak and the like'. It appears that over time there were efforts to temper the abusive results of the Quranic verse. For further relevant hadiths and information see [[Wife_Beating_in_Islamic_Law#Additional_attempts_at_moderating_severe_beatings|Wife Beating in Islamic Law]].

===Abu Bakr insults a Meccan ambassador===
In a hadith found in Sahih Bukhari a Meccan ambassador at Hudaybiyyah tries to discourage Muhammad from fighting. In response Abu Bakr tells him to suck on al-Lat's clitoris (فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ). Muhammad did not rebuke Abu Bakr for this. The insult has been covered up in the English translation by Muhsin Khan. In this translation the incident is translated as 'Abu Bakr abused him'.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|50|891}}|[...] Then `Urwa said, "O Muhammad! Won't you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone." Hearing that, '''Abu Bakr abused him''' and said, "Do you say we would run and leave the Prophet (ﷺ) alone?" `Urwa said, "Who is that man?" They said, "He is Abu Bakr." `Urwa said to Abu Bakr, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not compensate, I would retort on you." [...]}}

===Muhammad uses foul language===
In the following hadith a man comes to Muhammad and confesses that he has committed adultery. Concerning the woman in question, Muhammad asks whether the man has f*cked her (أَنِكْتَهَا). The translation by Muhsin Khan does not include this foul language.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|82|813}}|Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

When Ma'iz bin Malik came to the Prophet (in order to confess), the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Probably you have only kissed (the lady), or winked, or looked at her?" He said, "No, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" '''The Prophet said, using no euphemism, "Did you have sexual intercourse with her?"''' The narrator added: At that, (i.e. after his confession) the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered that he be stoned (to death).}}

===Muhammad wears Aisha's garment/dress===
In the following hadith, Muhammad says divine inspirations do not come to him in any garment/dress (ثَوْبِ) except that of Aisha. Cross-dressing was condemned by Muhammad as can be seen in {{Abudawud||4087|hasan}}. To cover up the fact that Muhammad was cross-dressing, the word in question has been mistranslated to bed.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|47|755}}|Narrated `Urwa from `Aisha: [...]

She talked to him again when she met him on her day, but he gave no reply. When they asked her, she replied that he had given no reply. They said to her, "Talk to him till he gives you a reply." When it was her turn, she talked to him again. He then said to her, "Do not hurt me regarding Aisha, as '''the Divine Inspirations do not come to me on any of the beds except that of Aisha.'''" [...]}}

===Muhammad says his aorta is being cut from poison===
In the following hadith from Sahih Bukhari Muhammad says he feels his aorta is being cut from the poisoned food he ate at Khaybar. This strongly implies Muhammad died because of poisoning. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan the words 'as if' have been added. As a result, the English translation doesn't imply as strongly as the Arabic text that Muhammad died because of poisoning. Yet, it says Muhammad experienced a lot of pain from the poisoning shortly before his death.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|713}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) in his ailment in which he died, used to say, "O `Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel '''as if''' my aorta is being cut from that poison."}}

===Muhammad forbids imposing conditions found in the hadith===
In the following hadith Muhammad says people should not impose conditions which are not present in Allah's Book (كِتَابِ اللَّهِ), which is the Quran. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan this has been mistranslated to 'Allah's Laws' to justify imposing conditions which are found in the hadith.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|364}}|Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits." In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, "Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in '''Allah's Book (Laws)'''? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in '''Allah's Laws''', then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah's conditions are more binding and reliable."}}

===Satan lays eggs in the marketplace of Medina and hatches them===
The following hadith contains two narrations. The second of these has not been translated into English. It says that people should not be first to enter the marketplace, nor the last to leave it, because it is where Satan lays his eggs and hatches them.

{{Quote|[https://quranx.com/hadith/Saliheen/In-Book/Book-19/Hadith-1842/ Riyad As-Salihin 19:1842]|
Salman Al-Farisi (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not, if you can help, be the first to enter the market and the last to leave it because it is an arena of Satan and the standard of Satan is set there."[Muslim].There are other narrations with some variation in the wordings.}}

=== If ten Jews followed Muhammad, all Jews would embrace Islam===
In the following hadith Muhammad says that if ten Jews (عَشْرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ) followed him, all Jews would embrace Islam. The hadith has been mistranslated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui so that it says 'ten scholars of the Jews'. In Muhsin Khan's translation of a similar hadith 'amongst their chiefs' has been added in brackets.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|39|6711}}|
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

If '''ten scholars of the Jews''' would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth who would not embrace Islam.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|58|277}}|
Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Had only ten Jews '''(amongst their chiefs)''' believe me, all the Jews would definitely have believed me."}}

===Hadith is not translated ===
The following hadith from Abu Dawud was not translated. Instead, it is said that it is basically the same as the previous one.
However, in the previous hadith Muhammad makes it clear that a slave should be manumitted after being beaten by his owner, while in this hadith it is said that the narrator did not mention manumission. In addition, this hadith explicitly mentions the slave being black, while the previous one does not.

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud|41|5137}}|
The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by al-A’mash in a similar way to same way to the same effect through a different chain of narrators.}}

===Extra part of a verse is recited ===
In the following hadith Ibn Abbas recites a verse of the Quran as "‏‏وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ‏‏ '''وَرَهْطَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِين'''" (And warn your tribe of near kindred '''and your chosen group from among them''') The first part corresponds to {{Quran|26|214}}. But the second part (in bold) is not part of the Quran nowadays. This part is not included in the English translation on quranx.com or sunnah.com, but it is part of [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n2869/mode/2up Muhsin Khan's translation].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|495}}|
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

When the Verse:-- 'And warn your tribe of near kindred.' (26.214) was revealed. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out, and when he had ascended As-Safa mountain, he shouted, "O Sabahah!" The people said, [...]}}

===Muhammad's followers will continue to fight for truth===
In the following hadith Muhammad says a group of people from his ummah will continue to fight for truth/righteousness and prevail until the day of judgment. In the translation it says they will fight 'in defence of truth' to make it seem like they will fight in self-defence.
{{Quote|{{Muslim|20|4718}}|
It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to fight '''In defence of truth''' and remain triumphant until the Day of judgment.}}

===May Allah kill/curse the Jews===
In the following hadith Muhammad asks Allah to kill (قَاتَلَ) the Jews. However, this has been mistranslated as 'curse'. As a result, the hadith does not conflict with {{Quran|21|107}} which says Muhammad is a mercy to the worlds.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|438}}|Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), in the year of the Conquest of Mecca, saying, "Allah and His Apostle made illegal the trade of alcohol, dead animals, pigs and idols." The people asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What about the fat of dead animals, for it was used for greasing the boats and the hides; and people use it for lights?" He said, "No, it is illegal." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) further said, "May Allah '''curse''' the Jews, for Allah made the fat (of animals) illegal for them, yet they melted the fat and sold it and ate its price."}}

The same mistranslation occurs in {{Bukhari|1|8|428}}, {{Bukhari|3|34|426}}, {{Bukhari|3|34|427}} and {{Bukhari|6|60|157}}.

===Muhammad destroys crosses===
In the following hadith it says that Muhammad destroyed crosses in his house. It is possible that this refers to crosses that Mariyah (his concubine who was a Christian) left in the house. However, in the translation it only says Muhammad destroyed crosses if Aisha (the narrator) left them in the house.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|836}}|Narrated `Aisha:

'''I''' never used to leave in the Prophet (ﷺ) house anything carrying images or crosses but he obliterated it.}}

===Aisha watches Ethiopians who are playing===

In the following hadith Aisha narrates how she used to watch Ethiopians who were playing in the courtyard of the mosque. In Aisha's description about herself the translator added that she had not reached the age of puberty. As a result, this hadith does not conflict with the ruling that adult women should not watch football games. A relevant fatwa can be found [https://islamqa.info/en/answers/146844/is-it-permissible-to-watch-football-soccer-games-on-television here].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|62|163}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) was screening me with his Rida' (garment covering the upper part of the body) while I was looking at the Ethiopians who were playing in the courtyard of the mosque. (I continued watching) till I was satisfied. So you may deduce from this event how a little girl '''(who has not reached the age of puberty)''' who is eager to enjoy amusement should be treated in this respect.}}

===Muhammad hits Aisha===
In the following hadith it says Muhammad struck Aisha on the chest which caused her pain (فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي). On sunnah.com it says Muhammad gave Aisha a nudge on the chest which she felt. While the translations for Sahih Muslim have been provided by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n537/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:974b Sahih Muslim 4:2127]|2= [...] He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. '''He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt''', and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? [...]}}

===Muhammad has been made victorious with terror===
In the following hadith Muhammad says he has been made victorious with terror (نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ). On sunnah.com this has been changed to 'awe'. While the translations for Sahih Bukhari have been provided by Muhsin Khan, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n1629/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2977 Sahih Bukhari 4:52:220]|2= Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with '''awe''' (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them).}}

===Arabia reverts to meadows and rivers ===
In the following hadith Muhammad prophesies that Arabia becomes or reverts to (تَعُودَ) meadows and rivers. Sunnah.com uses Abdul Hamid Siddiqui's translation for Sahih Muslim which uses the word 'becomes', yet this translation has been altered such that it says 'reverts to'. The altered translation implies that Muhammad knew Arabia once was not a desert. Both translations can be used, but the translation was altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n561/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:157c Sahih Muslim 5:2208]|2=Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying:

The Last Hour will not come before wealth becomes abundant and overflowing, so much so that a man takes Zakat out of his property and cannot find anyone to accept it from him and till the land of Arabia '''reverts to''' meadows and rivers.}}

==See Also==

*[[Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture (English)]]
*[[Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths]]

==External Links==

*{{external link| url = http://www.faithfreedom.org/the-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran/| title = The Deceptive Translations of the Quran| publisher = | author = | date = | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithfreedom.org%2Fthe-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran%2F&date=2013-11-26| deadurl = no}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
<references />
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Dawah]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Modern movements]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Tafsir]]
[[Category:Modernism]]

Science and the Seven Earths

2024-06-06T20:22:11Z

AdrianE: Fixed the bold text at the end of the page. By mistake, was used instead of .

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[[File:Sunset from the ISS.JPG|right|thumb|250px|Limb view of the Earth's atmosphere. Colors roughly denote the layers of the atmosphere.]]
The [[Qur'an]] and a number of [[Sahih]] [[Hadith]] make the claim that there are seven different earths. This concept of multiple different earths or worlds is not unusual in the ancient world; by comparison, in Norse mythology there are nine world or realms counting Hel, the underworld. Some modern du'aah, though, seeking to protect the supposed scientific infallibility of the Qur'an have proposed that this description of seven earths (and also description of seven heavens) actually is a type of scientific miracle whereby the Quran and Sunnah actually predicted the findings of modern earth sciences by over one thousand years. In point of fact no exegete before the modern period ever interpreted the verses this way; such an interpretation is novel and meant to fit the Qur'an into the modern, scientific view of the universe rather than taking the Qur'an and Sunnah as texts of their time and interpreting them in line with their author's intent. Besides ignoring what the texts themselves have to say, these modern apologetic claims themselves ignore or badly mangle the actual earth sciences they are attempting to co-opt in order to justify their claims of an inerrant, scientifically accurate Qur'an and prophetic tradition.

==Qur'an and Sunnah==

The Qur'an itself makes the claim that there are 7 earths and 7 heavens:

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٍ وَمِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ ٱلْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًۢا

Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a similar number. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge.}}

The tradition of the seven earths is also found in hadith collections of Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and Tirmidhi:
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|418}}|Narrated Salim's father:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Any person who takes a piece of land unjustly will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection."}}{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|417}}|حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ أُنَاسٍ خُصُومَةٌ فِي أَرْضٍ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ فَذَكَرَ لَهَا ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَتْ يَا أَبَا سَلَمَةَ اجْتَنِبِ الأَرْضَ، فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏

"‏ مَنْ ظَلَمَ قِيدَ شِبْرٍ طُوِّقَهُ مِنْ سَبْعِ أَرَضِينَ ‏"

Narrated Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Al-Harith:

from Abu Salama bin `Abdur-Rahman who had a dispute with some people on a piece of land, and so he went to `Aisha and told her about it. She said, "O Abu Salama, avoid the land, for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Any person who takes even a span of land unjustly, his neck shall be encircled with it down seven earths.' "}}Although the number is not explicitly given, the plural of word for "earth", "أرض" is used here, أرضين meaning "earths". This is used again in conjunction with the plural of the word سماء "sky" or "heavens", سموات, meaning "heavens":{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|335}}| حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَبِيدَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ جَاءَ حَبْرٌ مِنَ الأَحْبَارِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ، إِنَّا نَجِدُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلُ السَّمَوَاتِ عَلَى إِصْبَعٍ وَالأَرَضِينَ عَلَى إِصْبَعٍ، وَالشَّجَرَ عَلَى إِصْبَعٍ، وَالْمَاءَ وَالثَّرَى عَلَى إِصْبَعٍ، وَسَائِرَ الْخَلاَئِقِ عَلَى إِصْبَعٍ، فَيَقُولُ أَنَا الْمَلِكُ‏.‏ فَضَحِكَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى بَدَتْ نَوَاجِذُهُ تَصْدِيقًا لِقَوْلِ الْحَبْرِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏{‏وَمَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ وَالأَرْضُ جَمِيعًا قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَالسَّمَوَاتُ مَطْوِيَّاتٌ بِيَمِينِهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ‏}‏‏

Narrated `Abdullah:

A (Jewish) Rabbi came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he said, "O Muhammad! We learn that Allah will put all the heavens on one finger, and the earths on one finger, and the trees on one finger, and the water and the dust on one finger, and all the other created beings on one finger. Then He will say, 'I am the King.' Thereupon the Prophet (ﷺ) smiled so that his pre-molar teeth became visible, and that was the confirmation of the Rabbi. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) recited: 'No just estimate have they made of Allah such as due to Him.' (Qur'an 39.67)}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|335}}|Muhammad b. Ibrahim said that Abu Salama reported to him that there was between him and his people dispute over a piece of land, and he came to 'A'isha and mentioned that to her, whereupon she said:

Abu Salama, abstain from getting this land, for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: He who usurps even a span of land would be made to wear around his neck seven earths.}}{{Quote|{{cite web| url=https://sunnah.com/mishkat:2960 | title=Mishkat al-Masabih 2960. In-book reference: Book 11, Hadith 195}}|He told of hearing God’s Messenger say, “If anyone wrongly takes a span of land God who is great and glorious will make him dig it till he gets to the end of seven earths, and then he will have it tied round his neck till the day of resurrection until men are judged.”

Ahmad transmitted it.}}
There is also a da'if/weak chain (graded by Darussalam) of narration hadith referring to this, and so while it may not come from Muhammad, it does show early (and more contemporary) understanding of the verses which was evidently not a mysterious or confusing concept to them:
{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3298}}|...Then he said: ‘Do you know what is under you?’ They said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.’ He said: ‘Indeed it is the earth.’ Then he said: ‘Do you know what is under that?’ They said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.’ He said: ‘Verily, below it is another earth, between the two of which is a distance of five-hundred years.’ Until he enumerated seven earths: ‘Between every two earths is a distance of five-hundred years.’ Then he said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad! If you were to send [a man] down with a rope to the lowest earth, then he would descend upon Allah.’ Then he recited: He is Al-Awwal, Al-Akhir, Az-Zahir Al-Batin, and He has knowledge over all things.”}}

==Apologetic Claims==

{{Quote||"Allah is He Who Created seven firmaments and of the earth a similar number. Through the midst of them (all) descends His command: that ye may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things In (His) Knowledge. (The Noble Quran, 65:12)"

According to Noble Verse 65:12 above, Allah Almighty created 7 Heavens for form the universe. The new scientific discovery had revealed to us that the earth that we currently live on today is also formed from seven layers. The very bottom layer contains most of the uranium and potonium ("sic") and all the materials that we need to create nuclear weapons and energy. Noble Verse 65:12 above does indeed say that the earth was created with seven layers. . . . 
The Seven "Heavens" refers to the layers of our atmosphere.

1. troposphere 2. stratosphere 3. ozone layer 4. mesosphere 5. thermosphere 6. ionosphere 7. exosphere

The Seven "Earths" refer to the layers that literally make up the Earth

1. crust 2. lithosphere 3. upper mantle 4. astenoshpere ("sic") 5. lower mantle 6. outer core 7. inner core

OR they could refer to the "7 Continents" (in the context that "al-ard" means ground)

1. North America 2. South America 3. Australia 4. Asia 5. Africa 6. Antarctica 7. Europe}}

==Analysis==

===Seven Layers of Earth's Atmosphere===

Before beginning, notice that verse 37:6 says that the stars are in the lowest heaven, and thus the seven heavens cannot mean the Earth's atmosphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

Nevertheless, let's look again at the apologetic claim:

{{Quote||
The Seven "Heavens" refers to the layers of our atmosphere.

1. troposphere 2. stratosphere 3. ozone layer 4. mesosphere 5. thermosphere 6. ionosphere 7. exosphere}}

There is only one atmosphere, but you can classify this one atmosphere by different criteria.
If you partition it by temperature, you get 5 layers. By aerodynamical state 4 layers, by radiophysical state 3 layers and by chemical processes 2 layers. There is no classification into 7 layers.

To reach the needed "seven layers" different criteria are being mixed to reach the desired number 7. For example, Earth's atmosphere is commonly divided into five main layers based on temperature. From highest to lowest, these layers are:

#Exosphere
#Thermosphere
#Mesosphere
#Stratosphere
#Troposphere

Within the five principal layers which are largely determined by temperature, several secondary layers may be distinguished by other properties:

#Ozone layer
#Ionosphere
#Homosphere and heterosphere
#Planetary boundary layer<ref>{{cite web|url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earth|title= Atmosphere of Earth|publisher= Wikipedia|author= |date= accessed January 2, 2014|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FAtmosphere_of_Earth&date=2014-01-03 |deadurl=no}}</ref>

[[Apologists]] include all five principle layers in their count, then arbitrarily add the ozone layer (which is contained within the stratosphere) and the ionosphere (which forms the inner edge of the magnetosphere) to reach the desired number 7.

If two of the secondary layers are included in the total count, there is no logically viable reason to exclude the planetary boundary layer (the part of the troposphere that is closest to Earth's surface) or the homosphere and heterosphere (which are contained within all five principle layers).

===Seven Layers of the Earth===

{{Quote||
The Seven "Earths" refer to the layers that literally make up the Earth

1. crust 2. lithosphere 3. upper mantle 4. astenoshpere ("sic") 5. lower mantle 6. outer core 7. inner core}}

Note the same dishonest approach taken to assign seven layers of the atmosphere - i.e. the ''double counting of layers''.

There is also no linguistical evidence or historical examples for 'al-ard meaning or being used for layer(s) of the planet.

'''The general scientific view is that the earth is composed of four (the dominant view)<ref>[https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/resource-library-earth-structure/ ''Earth Structure'']. Education. National Geographic. </ref>'''<ref>''[https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2019/08/26/4-layers-of-the-earth-made-easy/ 4 Layers Of The Earth Made Easy.]'' Forbes - Innovation - Science. Trevor Nace. 2019</ref> '''or five major layers depending on whether one splits the mantle or not.<ref>Lisa Gardiner - [http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/Interior_Structure/interior.html&edu=high Structure of the Interior of Earth] - Windows to the Universe, January 18, 2010</ref><ref>Eugene C. Robertson - [http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/interior/ The Interior of the Earth] - U.S. Geological Survey, May 21, 2007</ref><ref>Maggi Glasscoe - [http://scign.jpl.nasa.gov/learn/plate1.htm Structure of the Earth] - Southern California Integrated GPS Network (SCIGN), August 14, 1998</ref>'''

The five layers are as follows:

#crust
#upper mantle
#lower mantle
#outer core
#inner core

<center>[[File:Lithosphere.gif|450px]]</center>

There are two ways to classify the composition of the geosphere - chemically, into crust, mantle, and core, or functionally, in the case of the outer layers (crust and mantle) into lithosphere and asthenosphere.<ref>Dr. Michael Pidwirny - [http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10h.html Fundamentals of Physical Geography/ Structure of the Earth] - 2nd Edition, 2006</ref><ref>[http://www.palaeos.com/Earth/Geosphere/structure.htm The history of life on Earth] - Palaeos</ref>

<center>[[File:Geosphere.gif]]</center>

From the evidence above, one can see the apologetic deceit because they double-count the lithosphere/asthenosphere while they also count the crust and upper mantle. Note that this is dishonest because these are alternative classifications.<ref>''[https://www.snexplores.org/article/explainer-earth-layer-layer#:~:text=Starting%20at%20the%20center%2C%20Earth,12%20kilometers%20(7.6%20miles). Explainer: Earth — layer by layer.]'' Earth. Science News Explores. Beth Geiger. 2019.</ref> One cannot honestly count all lithosphere, asthenosphere, crust, and upper mantle together as one would be recounting the same rocks.

Recently new scientific hypotheses proposed by J. Marvin Herndon and Prof Xiaodong Song suggest the inner core may be further subdivided into four layers; the inner core, the innermost core, a sub-shell of fission material and decay products, and a subcore of uranium and plutonium forming the georeactor.<ref>D. F. Hollenbach, and J. M. Herndon - [http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/98/20/11085 Deep-Earth reactor: Nuclear fission, helium, and the geomagnetic field] - PNAS 2001 vol. 98 no. 20 pp 11085-11090</ref> If this new theory is accepted the number of layers of the earth will rise from five to eight.

Apologists sometimes depict the hydrosphere in their diagrams but are themselves inconsistent in counting/not counting it as one of their seven layers. Even on the crust, there are many layers of rocks one below the other.<ref>For example, here are the illustrated layers of [https://www.nps.gov/zion/learn/nature/images/ZionStratColumn_small_1.jpg Zion National Park], [http://www.grandcanyonguide.net/sites/default/files/geologic-cross-section-photo_1000.png Grand Canyon], [https://www.steinmann.uni-bonn.de/arbeitsgruppen/strukturgeologie/lehre/wissen-gratis/Abb.315ProfileNKA.jpg the Alps] and [http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39076000/gif/_39076834_everest_composition_inf416.gif Himalayas].</ref> Their exact number varies from place to place but they can easily number in dozens, and the diversity of these rock layers forms the very basis of geology. Why are apologists ignoring these layers ( e.g. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratum strata]) that could easily mean the Earth could be classified as having many more with a natural creation basis of classification?

===Seven Continents of the Earth===

The same apologists try to hedge their bets by claiming it is either seven layers or seven continents.

{{Quote||OR they could refer to the "7 Continents" (in the context that "al-ard" means ground) 1. North America 2. South America 3. Australia 4. Asia 5. Africa 6. Antarctica 7. Europe}}

The former explanation (seven layers) would seem more accurate as all translations refer to "earth" and not ground. Nevertheless, although the number of continents is traditionally considered seven, some geographers and scientists think there are only six as Europe and Asia are technically a single land mass (i.e. Eurasia) and on the same tectonic plate.<ref>Matt Rosenberg - [http://geography.about.com/library/misc/blcont.htm Continents] - About.com</ref> Therefore, the traditional number of seven continents is more a cultural bias than an actual geographical/geological fact stemmed in nature.

===Seven Earths===

There are some who claim that Allah created seven earths.<ref>[http://www.justread.20m.com/scientific%20truth.htm Layers of the Earth] - Justread.20m.com</ref> This is in fact the correct understanding of verse 65:12 supported by various [[hadith]]s and [[tafsir]] commentaries. However, we only know of one, our own. To get around this problem, apologists such as Maurice Bucaille claim scientists have just not discovered the other six yet.<ref>Dr. Maurice Bucaille - [http://web.archive.org/web/20030514172921/http://www.masmn.org/Books/Maurice_Bucaille/The_Bible_The_Quran_and_Science/043.htm The Bible, The Qur'an and Science/ Confrontation with the data in the Qur'an concerning the creation]</ref>

To further complicate matters for apologists, Islamic sources state the seven earths being referred to in verse 65:12 are flat islands, one under the other. For example:{{Quote|1=[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.oocities.org/tirmidhihadith/page8.html|2=2014-01-07}} Al Tirmidhi 5735]|2=Narrated AbuHurayrah:

While Allah's Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions were sitting clouds came over them and Allah's Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, "Do you know what these are?" On their replying that Allah and His Messenger knew best, he said, "These are the clouds (anan), these are the water-carriers of the Earth, which Allah drives to people who do not thank Him or call upon him." He then asked, "Do you know what is above you?" On their replying that Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) knew best, he said, "It is the firmament, a ceiling which is guarded and waves which are kept back." He then asked, "Do you know what is between you and it?" On their replying that Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) knew best, he said, "Between you and it are five hundred years." He then asked, "Do you knew what is above that?" On their replying that Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) best he said, "Two heavens with a distance of five hundred years between them." He went on speaking like that till he counted seven heavens, the distance between each pair being like between Heaven and Earth. He then asked, "Do you know what is above that?" On their replying that Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) knew best, he said, "Above that is the Throne, and the distance between it and the (seventh) heaven is the same as that between each pair of heavens." He then asked, '''"Do you know what is below you?" On their replying that Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) knew best, he said, "It is the earth." He then asked, "Do you know what is under that?" On their replying that Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) knew best, he said, "Under it there is another Earth with a journey of five hundred years between them," and so on till he had counted seven earths with a journey of five hundred years between each pair. He then said, "By Him in Whose hand Muhammad's soul is, if you were to drop a rope to the lowest earth it would not pass out of Allah's knowledge."''' He then recited, "He is the First and the Last, the Outward and the Inward, and He is omniscient." (Tirmidhi commented that Allah's Messenger's recitation of the verse indicates that it would go down within Allah's knowledge, power and authority, for Allah's knowledge, power and authority are everywhere, while He is on the Throne, as He described Himself in His Book.)}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|1|pp. 207-208}}|According to Muhammad b. Sahl b. 'Askar-Isma'il b. 'Abd al-Karim-Wahb, mentioning some of his majesty (as being described as follows): The heavens and the earth and the oceans are in the haykal, and the haykal is in the Footstool. God's feet are upon the Footstool. He carries the Footstool. It became like a sandal on His feet. When Wahb was asked: What is the haykal? He replied: Something on the heavens' extremities that surrounds the earth and the oceans like ropes that are used to fasten a tent. And when Wahb was asked how earths are (constituted), he replied: '''They are seven earths that are flat and islands'''. Between each two earths, there is an ocean. All that is surrounded by the (surrounding) ocean, and the haykal is behind the ocean.}}With many classical commentators identifying the word 'sijjinn' in verses {{Quran|83|7-8}} with the lowest Earth (or just below it in hell), or as a place where the book of bad deeds of humans is kept and devils live.<ref>[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Abbas/83.9 ''Verse 83.9.''] Tafsir Ibn Abbas - Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs. (Unknown date)</ref><ref>''[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Jalal/83.7 Tafsir Al-Jalalayn on verse 87:3.]'' Al-Jalalayn / Al-Mahalli and as-Suyuti. Published 1505.</ref><ref>''[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Kathir/83.7 Tafsir Ibn Kathir on verse 83.7.]'' Ibn Kathir. d. 1373.</ref>

===Seven Universes===
The word that in English is translated for heaven(s) in these verses is samā/سَماء, which can also be translated as sky (which is essentially it's modern meaning in Arabic).<ref>[https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english-arabic/sky ''Sky.''] Translation English to Arabic. Cambridge dictionary.</ref> This is separate to 'jannah/جَنَّة', which refers to the paradise supposedly in the afterlife for righteous Muslims - which readers may mistake as being the same given the double meaning (of heaven) in English. However, unlike paradise (jannah), the heaven(s)/skies (samā) are part of the cosmos, with the moon being described as in them ({{Quran|71|15-16}}), clouds ({{Quran|2|164}}), along with the stars ({{Quran|41|12}}) etc.

Modern astronomy and technology has allowed us to see, understand, map and even explore the wider Universe, but never found these 7 skies, nor 7 Earths, which as far as we can tell are listed only as 7 was a superstitious number in antiquity.<ref>''[https://www.britannica.com/topic/number-symbolism/7 7. Number Symbolism.]'' Britannica Entry. </ref> Another common apologetic claim is that these seven skies/heavens are actually seven universes which we are yet to discover, and that we know only our one universe so far, often referred to as the lowest/closest heaven.

This is due to the Quran stating the nearest/lowest heaven is adorned with stars which cover the known visible universe (such as {{Quran|41|12}}), rather than any philological analysis and ignoring all historical context of the word, which has always meant a 'firmament', or solid layer in the sky to Islamic scholars.<ref>[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Kathir/13.2 ''Tafsir on Verse 13:2.''] Ibn Kathir. d. 1373. </ref> Using the term 'heavens/skies' was common to refer to this in pre-Islamic Christian literature too.<ref>''[https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110794083/html?lang=en Creation and Contemplation: The Cosmology of the Qur'ān and Its Late Antique Background] (Studies in the History and Culture of the Middle East Book 47)''. Decharneux, Julien. 2023. (pp. 255 - 257). De Gruyter. </ref>

However, by looking at the [https://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=smw >200 times] they are mentioned in the Quran, there are many problems substituting this meaning as we will see below, '''with all verses using a form of the word al-samā/السماء''' (whether translated as 'the sky/skies' or the 'heaven/heavens').

====Gates and water of the universe====
The following verse contradicts such a claim since it says rain was made to fall from heaven. Certainly, rain does not come from outer space, let alone from gates at the edge of the universe which would be ~46.5 billion light years away.<ref>[https://www.mos.org/mos-at-home/pulsar/how-far-away-is-the-edge-of-the-universe#:~:text=We're%20looking%20back%20in,again%2C%20is%20what%20cosmologists%20do. ''How Far Away is the Edge of the Universe?''] Museum of Science Podcast. Janine Myszka. </ref> The word used for heaven here is ''samā'', the same as that for the seven heavens.

{{Quote|{{Quran|54|11}}|So We opened the gates of heaven, with water pouring forth. }}The gates of the heavens are mentioned elsewhere such as below, saying even if God opened a gate so the disbelievers could climb up it, they would still not believe.
{{Quote|{{Quran|15|14-15}}|And if We open for them a gate in the heavens, to ascend it through the day – Even then they would say, “Our sights have been hypnotised – in fact, a magic spell has been cast upon us.”}}God is also described as having the keys to these:
{{Quote|{{Quran|42|12}}|To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth: He expands the provision for whomever He wishes, and tightens it [for whomever He wishes]. Indeed He has knowledge of all things.’}}{{Quote|{{Quran|39|63}}|To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth, and those who disbelieve in the signs of Allah—it is they who are the losers.}}
It seems that once resurrected, it appears that righteous Muslims will ascend the cosmos to the upper heavens, which are on top of/above each other (Quran 67:3, Quran 71:15) on judgement day, for whom God will open the gates of the skies (so that they can pass the firmament - gates would not be needed if they were simply layers rather than solid objects):
{{Quote|{{Quran|78|19}}|And the heavens will be opened and become gates}}
Which likely then connect to actual paradise (jannah) as they leave the cosmos via ascension (as mentioned above in Q15:14), as paradise (jannah) is also separately described as having its own gates (e.g. {{Quran|38|50}}, {{Quran|39|73}}), a common motif in antiquity as Dr Sean W Anthony explains:
{{Quote|Anthony, Sean W., Dr.. Muhammad and the Empires of Faith: The Making of the Prophet of Islam. University of California Press. Kindle Edition. Location 1134 - 1145.|The cosmological notion of humankind being blocked from accessing Paradise by gates and, thus, the existence of a heavenly gatekeeper is quite an ancient one and by no means exclusive to Jewish, Christian, or Muslim sacred cosmology. Indeed, where “the keys to heaven” as opposed to “the keys of Paradise” motif appears first in the Islamic tradition is in the Qurʾan itself. According the Qurʾan, however, it is God alone who possesses “the keys to the Heavens and Earth [maqālīd al-samāwāt wa-l-arḍ]” (Q. Zumar 39:63, Shūrā 42:12). In the Qurʾān, the keys to the Heavens and Earth are cosmological and do not assume an explicitly eschatological function—rather the emphasis falls on God’s unrivaled sovereignty over the cosmos as its sole Creator. Yet the Qurʾan does speak of the doors of heaven in a strikingly eschatological vein. Most illustrative of this is the sole verse in which both Paradise (al-jannah) and heaven (al-samāʾ; lit., “the sky”) are mentioned together: “Truly, as for those who disbelieve and spurn our signs, the doors of heaven will not be opened for them nor will they enter Paradise until the camel passes through the eye of a needle” (Q, Aʿrāf 7:40). If a distinction is to be drawn between heaven (al-samāʾ) and Paradise (al-jannah) in qurʾānic cosmology, Paradise appears to be the felicitous abode that lies beyond the sky canopy of the heavens above the Earth.}}

====Earth created before the universe====
The Quran also has the Earth created before the heavens (universes) are created, while the heaven is 'smoke' (''see [[Quran and a Universe from Smoke]]''). Obviously the Earth cannot be created before the Universe is made:
{{Quote|{{Quran|41|9-12}}|Say: Is it that ye deny Him Who created the earth in two Days? And do ye join equals with Him? He is the Lord of (all) the Worlds. He set on the (earth), mountains standing firm, high above it, and bestowed blessings on the earth, and measure therein all things to give them nourishment in due proportion, in four Days, in accordance with (the needs of) those who seek (Sustenance).
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower.}}Nor was the universe ever smoke.

====The universe as a roof/ceiling/canopy====
The sky/heavens are also repeatedly called a roof/ceiling/canopy/building/edifice etc. in multiple verses using multiple words, which even being generous as a metaphorical interpretation does not match the description of a complex universe, with the majority in a gaseous state of almost entirely empty space, with structures like stars and planets being extremely sparse throughout the 'void' of space.<ref>''[https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a44050735/the-universe-is-mostly-empty-space/ Most of the Universe Is a Void. Here’s How That Emptiness Will Eventually Gobble Up All of Space.]'' Paul M. Sutter. 2023. Space. Popular Mechanics. A Part of Hearst Digital Media.

''P.M. Sutter is a science educator and a theoretical cosmologist at the Institute for Advanced Computational Science at Stony Brook University'' </ref>

However this description does perfectly match the antiquity view of the sky being a literal solid object, made up of 'firmaments':
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|who assigned to you the earth for a couch, and heaven for an edifice (binā) , and sent down out of heaven water, wherewith He brought forth fruits for your provision; so set not up compeers to God wittingly.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|52|5}}|And by the canopy (safq) raised ˹high˺!}}{{Quote|{{Quran|79|28}}|He raised its ceiling (samk) and proportioned it.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|40|64}}|It is Allah Who made for you the earth your resting place and the sky a building (binā), and moulded you so gave you the best shape, and gave you pure things for sustenance; such is Allah, your Lord; so Most Auspicious is Allah, the Lord Of The Creation.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|And We made the sky a protected roof (saqf), but they, from its signs, are turning away.}}

=====A raised universe=====
Raising the roof/canopy in Q52:5 and Q79:28 (above, and see also Q55:7 below) also makes no sense in the context of our modern understanding of the Universe, where there is no scientific theory that our visible Universe was 'raised'. But does match the idea of the physical sky being broken from Earth and raised.
{{Quote|{{Quran|55|7}}|He raised the heaven high and set up the balance,}}

=====The solid universe=====
Expanding on the descriptions of the sky as a solid object (and the upper skies), like a roof/canopy/ceiling etc; this concept is backed up repeatedly in descriptions from other verses, which unanimously support the solid firmament(s) view. The mostly gaseous empty state of the universe is in no way reflected in the Qur'an, with the sky(s):

*Raised without pillars that we can see - {{Quran|13|2}}

*The sky would fall otherwise - {{Quran|22|65}}
*A piece of the sky would fall otherwise - {{Quran|52|44}}, {{Quran|34|9}} or could fall - {{Quran|17|92}}
*They are strong - {{Quran|78|12}}
*And stacked above each other - {{Quran|67|3}} and {{Quran|71|15}}
*Can be split open - {{Quran|25|25}} and {{Quran|42|5}}

*And can be rolled up {{Quran|21|104}} and {{Quran|39|67}}

Which is why the debates around the sky(s) among classical mufassirūn have centred around whether the 'firmament' is flat or domed,<ref>E.g. see: [https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Kathir/13.2 ''Tafsir Ibn Kathir on Verse 13:2''] and [https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Kathir/36.37 ''verse 36:37-40'']. Ibn Kathir d. 1373</ref> not solid or gas. And none have come up with a picture of the universe like we now know based off their studying of the Qur'an.

=====The flat universe=====
As mentioned above the skies will be ''folded up'' like writing scrolls:
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|(The) Day We will fold the heaven like (the) folding (of) a scroll for records. As We began (the) first creation We will repeat it, a promise upon Us. Indeed, We - We are (the) Doers.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|39|67}}|They do not regard Allah with the regard due to Him, yet the entire earth will be in His fist on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens, scrolled, in His right hand. Immaculate is He and exalted above [having] any partners that they ascribe [to Him].}}
Both of these verses confirm not only the solidness and corporeality of the the sky/heavens, but also their 'flatness/planeness', with no hint of the majority gaseous state with occasional solids for e.g. planets and stars sparsely scattered that our universe exists in.

The Quran could simply have said the sky/heavens would be 'destroyed' or 'disappear' on judgement day to avoid this issue, rather than using words that imply and only really make sense with a flat and solid sky (''and one separate to the space in-between the heaven and the Earth as explored in sections [[Science and the Seven Earths#The Universe as a separate entity to Earth]] and [[Science and the Seven Earths#Between the Universe and the Earth]]''). These verses were taken literally by classical exegetes.<ref>For example:

''Tafsir Ibn Kathir on Verse [https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Kathir/21.104 21:104]'' and [https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Kathir/39.67 ''39:67'']. Ibn Kathir d. 1373.

''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn Verse [https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Jalal/39.67 39:67].'' Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli (d. 864 ah / 1459 ce) and his pupil Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911 ah / 1505 ce).

''Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs Verse [https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Abbas/21.104 21:104] and [https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Abbas/39.67 39:67]''. A popular medieval commentary ascribed to Ibn Abbas. Unknown date.
</ref>

With the way our spherical Earth is floating in tiny section of space it it hard to imagine a scenario in which 'rolling up' the much larger universe (approximately 1.9 X 10^22 times larger than Earth)<ref>''[https://futurism.com/earth-compared-to-the-universe Earth Compared to the Universe.]'' Futurism. Joshua Filmer. 2015.</ref> would not destroy Earth in the process, but it follows the ancient view of a flat earth with a firmament that is the literal sky being pulled away above us by God at the end of the world, for dramatic effect to frighten unbelievers on judgement day.

Also, the sky 'universe' will be ''split open'' (on judgement day) so angels can ascend to Earth (from an extremely far distance of >46 billion light years away),<ref>''[https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2020/01/21/how-far-is-it-to-the-edge-of-the-universe/ How Far Is It To The Edge Of The Universe?]'' Ethan Siegel. 2020. Forbes.</ref> furthering the flat solid image, as our current universe being mostly empty space<ref>''[https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a44050735/the-universe-is-mostly-empty-space/ Most of the Universe Is a Void. Here’s How That Emptiness Will Eventually Gobble Up All of Space.]'' Paul M. Sutter. 2023. Space. Popular Mechanics. A Part of Hearst Digital Media. ''P.M. Sutter is a science educator and a theoretical cosmologist at the Institute for Advanced Computational Science at Stony Brook University''</ref> would not need this to travel through.
{{Quote|{{Quran|25|22-26}}|The day they will see the angels, there will be no good news for the guilty on that day, and they will say, ‘Keep off [from paradise]!’
Then We shall attend to the works they have done and then turn them into scattered dust.
On that day the inhabitants of paradise will be in the best abode and an excellent resting place.
The day when the sky with its clouds will be split open, and the angels will be sent down [in a majestic] descent,
on that day true sovereignty will belong to the All-beneficent, and it will be a hard day for the faithless.}}Similarly we see:
{{Quote|{{Quran|42|5}}|The heavens are about to be rent apart from above them, while the angels celebrate the praise of their Lord and plead for forgiveness for those [faithful] who are on the earth. Indeed, Allah is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful!}}

====The universe as day and night ====
''Main page: [[Geocentrism and the Quran]]''

The Quran also states that the night and morning are said to be an attribute of the heaven (l-samāu) which God built (banāhā) and raised (rafaʿa) as a ceiling (samkahā) and ordered it (fasawwāhā) when he created the heaven and earth. The possessive hā suffix in laylahā (its night) and ḍuḥāhā (its morning light (translated as 'forenoon' below) relates night and day to the heaven - which does not apply at all to the whole universe.

In reality, the night and day we experience is a feature of the earth's rotation on its axis and is only applicable to Earth itself. There is no sense in which the earth's night and day apply across the wider cosmos as it would need to to be able to substitute the word/modern concept 'universe' with heaven/heavens (samā).
{{Quote|{{Quran|79|27-29}}|Is your creation more prodigious or that of the heaven He has built? He raised its vault and fashioned it, and darkened its night, and brought forth its forenoon.}}

====The Universe, Universes and Earth's width compared====
We are told that jannah/paradise/'the garden' is as wide as the heaven and earth. The words ʿarḍuhā kaʿarḍi ("its width is like the width") refer to the breadth, width, or side of something.<ref>[https://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume5/00000291.pdf ''See: عَرْضٌ 'ard''] - Lane's Lexicon page 2006</ref>{{Quote|{{Quran|57|21}}|Be ye foremost (in seeking) Forgiveness from your Lord, and a Garden (of Bliss), the width whereof is as the width of heaven and earth, prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers: that is the Grace of Allah, which He bestows on whom he pleases: and Allah is the Lord of Grace abounding}}

Given the huge difference in the size of the rest of our visible universe compared to the earth (as mentioned it is approximately 1.9 X 10^22 times larger than Earth),<ref>''[https://futurism.com/earth-compared-to-the-universe Earth Compared to the Universe.]'' Futurism. Joshua Filmer. 2015.</ref> this comparison makes little sense. However if one believed the heaven/sky was a firmament above Earth (whether it be a flat disk or a dome as debated in Islamic tradition), this fits far better.
This idea is reinforced in the following verse, where similarly now paradise is as wide as seven heavens and the Earth, which the space of the six other universes (as would be needed by the apologists interpretation of samā as universe), would contradict the width given in verse 57:12. This would not contradict, however, if the skies/heavens were their historical definition of simply firmaments, one above the other, over the flat earth (and no further in the limited cosmos). {{Quote|{{Quran|3|133}}|And vie with one another, hastening to forgiveness from your Lord, and to a garden whose breadth is as the heavens and earth, prepared for the godfearing}}
====The universe split from the Earth====

The ancient concept of the sky splitting from the Earth can be traced back to Mesopotamian<ref>''[https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/epic/hd_epic.htm Mesopotamian Creation Myths.]'' Ira Spar. 2009. Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. The Met Musuem. </ref> and Egyptian<ref>''[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338646511_Skyscapes_Landscapes_and_the_drama_of_Proto-Indo-European_myth Skyscapes, Landscapes, and the drama of Proto-Indo-European myth.]'' John Grigsby PhD Synthesis. 2020.

''The relevant section can be viewed [https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Egyptian-myth-of-the-creation-of-earth-and-sky-has-the-sky-Goddess-Nut-separated-from_fig4_338646511 here].''</ref> creation myths in which heaven was separated from earth. This myth which was wide-spread at the time of Islam's emergence, did not puzzle contemporary Muslims, as can be seen by the many classical tafsirs on this (and other relevant) verses.<ref>''[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Kathir/21.30 Tafsir Ibn Kathir on verse 21:30.]'' Ibn Kathir d 1373</ref><ref>''[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Jalal/21.30 Tafsir Al-Jalalayn on Verse 21:30]''. Al-Jalalayn/ al-Maḥalli and as-Suyuti. Published 1505.</ref>

There is no scientific theory in which the much larger universe, (i.e. for context our home galaxy, the Milky Way, containing at least 100 billion much larger stars, and the observable universe containing at least 100 billion galaxies)<ref>''[https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/what-is-an-exoplanet/what-is-the-universe/ What is the universe?]'' NASA’s Astrophysics Division. NASA.</ref> was pulled apart from Earth. Instead current scientific theories support the belief it was formed from when the solar system settled into its current layout about 4.5 billion years ago (billions of years after the universe was created), with Earth specifically forming when gravity pulled swirling gas and dust particles of different sizes orbited the sun at slightly different speeds, allowing them to bump into each other and stick together. Eventually, they grew from tiny dust grains into boulders, then into larger “planetesimals”, with one eventually becoming the third planet from the Sun.<ref>''[https://news.uchicago.edu/explainer/formation-earth-and-moon-explained How the Earth and moon formed, explained.]'' Explainer Series. University of Chicago News. University of Chicago.</ref><ref>''[https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/ Facts about Earth.]'' Earth facts. NASA Science. NASA</ref>

The word translated "joined together" is ratqan (رَتْقًا)<ref>[https://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000193.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1027 رَتْقًا]</ref> meaning closed up or sewn up, also used metaphorically in terms of reconciling people, but does not imply a homogenous mass or state, let alone a singularity. Mirroring this is the word fataqnāhumā<ref>[https://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000115.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2331 فتق]</ref> ("parted them"/"rent/clove them asunder"/), which means to slit, rent asunder, divide, unstitch.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?}}Some Muslim apologists ''(such as Zakir Naik, as can be see in 3:27 of this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvG-606KqwU&t=120s YouTube video] - along with a response to him)'' have even claimed that this verse shows scientific foreknowledge of the Big Bang. His claim seems to be that the verse stating the skies and Earth "joined together/ratqan" is referring to the fact that during the big bang all the mass that went on to form the rest of the universe originated from the same point of singularity. There are many issues with this interpretation. These are discussed more in-depth in the page ''[[Quran and a Universe from Smoke]]'' and the main ''[[Scientific Errors in the Quran]]'' section''.'' But some of the obvious issues are:
* If this is supposed to be the big bang itself as Naik claims (with the same mass/atoms from one singularity going on to form others) then this is does not match what actually happened, with the Earth not even existing for another 9.3 billion years after the Universe began.<ref>''[https://www.space.com/24054-how-old-is-the-universe.html How old is the universe?]'' Keith Cooper. 2023. Space.com.

''The Universe is listed as ~13.8bn years old and the Earth ~4.5bn which leaves Earth created ~9.4bn years ago.''</ref>
*Therefore to match the essence of what he is saying you would have to essentially take a metaphorical view of the verse, which there appears to be no real justification for other than trying to avoid the scientific error of its literal meaning - no major tafsir does this before modern times. If God simply meant from the same matter, surely he could have said so.
*If one holds that Q21:30 describes the big bang/substances of the heavens and Earth, the atomic particles that would later form the Earth would at the beginning would have to be separated from those that would go on to form everything else in the universe. This, however, bears no resemblance to modern scientific cosmology, wherein the material that forms the Earth passed through at least one earlier generation of stars,<ref>''[https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/the-universe/stars/a-spectacular-stellar-finale/we-are-stardust We Are Stardust.]'' Part of Hall of the Universe. American Museum of Natural History. </ref> and more recently was part of various asteroids, comets and planetesimals orbiting the sun (which could all be described as being in or part of/making up the 'heavens') that sometimes collided and merged with each other, sometimes split apart, and gradually coalesced under gravity to form the Earth and other planets.
*The language and context used, with the verse taking the word 'al-samā' (but plural ''al-samawati''), and 'al-ard' (the Earth), uses them in a way that does not match any other verses, despite having he definite 'al' particle implying they are a specific single thing. For example to say the sky can refer to the substance of the universe contradicts the verse Q79:27-29 which puts night and day as a property of the sky. The very next verse Quran 21:31 speaks of mountains being placed on the Earth, where here, 'the Earth' must mean the actual world, yet Naik is claiming 'the Earth/ 'al-ard' refers merely to atomic particles around the time of the big bang to the creation of our solar system.
*He also completely ignores that this is referring to 'skies' plural, which must mean multiple universes to match the description of stars being in the closest universe in e.g. Q41:12, which is not supported by current scientific theory. In another speech he changes the definition of al-samā again, this time to mean the atmosphere of the Earth ''(see 16:11 of this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3ewI1YXc-c&t=1229s YouTube video])'', which contradicts too many verses (and the universe definition) to name, but many can be seen throughout this article.

=====The Universe as a separate entity to Earth=====
Verses in the Quran always describe the heaven and the Earth as separate entities, such as the above verse (Q21:30) describing them as split, with the verse stating that "We clove them" (dual pronoun 'huma'), not "We clove it", thereby indicating that the Earth and skies are distinct after the cloving. Along with things like the moon being described as in them ({{Quran|71|15-16}}), the clouds ''between'' the skies and the Earth ({{Quran|2|164}}), along with the stars being in the nearest sky ({{Quran|41|12}}) etc.

The Quran never indicates that the Earth itself is simply within this lowest/nearest heaven along with the other planets, stars and heavenly objects. When in reality Earth is the 3rd planet in our Inner Solar System, of the Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is part of the Virgo Supercluster within the wider Laniakea Supercluster, itself one of many,<ref>[https://aaa.org/2022/08/01/our-cosmic-address-where-is-earth-situated-in-the-univers ''Our Cosmic Address: Where is Earth Situated in the Universe?''] - Simone Lilavois - Amateur Astronomers Association, 1 August 2022</ref> making the description odd in light off modern science, but again matching the 'firmament torn from the Earth' view of antiquity.

====Between the Universe and the Earth====

God is said to have dominion/sovereignty of the heavens and Earth and all that is ''between them (baynahum بينهم).''

There is nothing between the Earth and the rest of the universe, so substituting the 'heavens' with the modern definition of the universe does not make sense here. Yet once again matches the ancient view of the heavens as 'firmaments' in the sky with space between them. This idea is also backed up in many hadith ''(see: [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation]]),'' such as {{Bukhari|9|93|608}}, describing Muhammad's alleged night journey through the heavens.
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|18}}|Say the Jews and the Christians: "We are sons of God and beloved of Him." Say: "Why does He punish you then for your sins? No: You are only mortals, of His creation." He can punish whom He pleases and pardon whom He wills, for God's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them, and everything will go back to Him.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|And verily We created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, in six Days, and naught of weariness touched Us.}}And repeated in {{Quran|15|85}}, {{Quran|19|65}}, {{Quran|21|16}} and {{Quran|25|59}}.

Clouds are also distinctly said to be ''between'' the heavens and the Earth, again preventing the interpretation of the 'samā'/heavens/skies as our whole/visible universe.

''Note: This also separately contradicts Zakir Naik's definition of the heaven(s) as the Earths atmosphere which the clouds are also in, and not between.''{{Quote|{{Quran|2|164}}|Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, and the ships that sail at sea with profit to men, and the water that Allah sends down from the sky—with which He revives the earth after its death, and scatters therein every kind of animal—and the changing of the winds, and the clouds disposed between the sky (samā) and the earth, there are surely signs for a people who exercise their reason.}}

==See Also==

*[[Scientific Miracles in the Quran]]
{{Hub4|Harun Yahya|Harun Yahya}}{{Hub4|Cosmology|Cosmology}}

==External Links==

*[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.answering-islam.org./Quran/Science/seven_earths.html|2=2011-12-05}} Qur'an & Science Problem: The Seven Earths] ''- Answering Islam''

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Cosmology]]
[[Category:Harun Yahya]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-06-05T20:43:30Z

AdrianE: Added more examples w.r.t. 4:34 and 18:86. Also fixed some typos.

{{QualityScore|Lead=2|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=3|References=3}}
{{Quran|15|9}} declares that the [[Qur'an]] is [[Allah|Allah's]] [[revelation]] and that he promises to preserve it and protect it from corruption. In {{Quran|16|103}}, {{Quran|44|58}} and {{Quran|54|22}}, [{{Quran-url-only|54|32}} 32], [{{Quran-url-only|54|40}} 40], it is emphasized that the Qur'an was revealed in straightforward, easy to understand, and pure Arabic. Sunni Islamic scholars agree that all that which is fundamental to Islam (particularly most of Islamic law) which is not contained in the Quran must have been preserved in the form of hadiths. However, translations of these scriptures have not always been rendered faithfully into other languages such as English, particularly in recent times and especially when the audience concerned is that of a developed, first-world variety which likely holds to modern notions of human rights and liberalism.

Some of the most prominent and officially recognized English translators of the Qur'an (like Yusuf Ali, Dr. Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Asad), in particular, have often (seemingly deliberately, given their knowledge and skill) mistranslated the most controversial and problematic verses in the Qur'an. That these inaccurate translations are most common with verses that would be considered contrary to modern liberal values in the West suggests that these mistranslations were not unintentional or due to some unique difficulty of the Arabic words used in these verses. Similar mistranslations have been observed in translations of the hadiths as well as in translations of other key Islamic texts, such as legal manuals.

==Quran==

===(4:34) Wife-beating===
{{Main|Wife Beating in the Qur'an}}
{{Quran|4|34}} famously instructs men to beat their wives and forms the basis of the Islamic legal ruling which permits as much.

This verse states that men are in charge of women with what they spend on them, and have the right to direct them in life. Also in the same verse, women are told to obey men and if they don’t, then men have the authority to admonish them, refuse to share beds and beat them. Many translators added words like "first", "next" and "last" so that beating your wife appears to be the last resort. In addition, they added the word “lightly” in brackets after “beating them”, despite the fact that this word or connotation is not found in the source text.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Saheeh International:''' Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allāh has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allāh would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - '''[first]''' advise them; '''[then if they persist]''', forsake them in bed; and '''[finally]''', strike them '''[lightly]'''. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allāh is ever Exalted and Grand.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allâh has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allâh and to their husbands), and guard in the husband’s absence what Allâh orders them to guard (e.g. their chastity, their husband’s property). As to those women on whose part you see ill-conduct, admonish them '''(first)''', '''(next)''', refuse to share their beds, '''(and last)''' beat them '''(lightly, if it is useful)'''; but if they return to obedience, seek not against them means (of annoyance). Surely, Allâh is Ever Most High, Most Great.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them '''(first)''', '''(Next)''', refuse to share their beds, '''(And last)''' beat them '''(lightly)'''; but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).}}Mustafa Khattab's translation includes the aforementioned problems. Besides, he mistranslated beat (ٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ) as "discipline".{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Men are the caretakers of women, as men have been provisioned by Allah over women and tasked with supporting them financially. And righteous women are devoutly obedient and, when alone, protective of what Allah has entrusted them with. And if you sense ill-conduct from your women, advise them '''˹first˺''', '''˹if they persist,˺''' do not share their beds, '''˹but if they still persist,˺''' then '''discipline''' them '''˹gently˺'''. But if they change their ways, do not be unjust to them. Surely Allah is Most High, All-Great.}}

===(23:14) Fetal development===
{{Quran|23|14}} presents a schema regarding the development of the human fetus. The following translations are taken from Pickthall and Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Pickthal:''' Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, '''then''' clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators!}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones '''and''' clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!}}

This verse is often used as an example of how translators (in this case Yusuf Ali, who is authorized by the Saudi Islamic authority and Al-Azhar University) have often mistranslated verses in ways that appear less objectionable to liberal, Western audiences.

Yusuf Ali, in his translation, replaces the word "then" with "and". He also replaces “the best of creators” (plural) with “the best to create” (singular). The difference in the meaning is crucial because the word “then” suggests another and separate phase, while the word “and” means bones and flesh form simultaneously or during one phase, which conforms to modern science, even though this does not appear in the original Arabic text.

Likewise, the plural form of “creators” seems to affirm the existence of ''multiple'' creators (''of whom'' Allah would be the best), which appears to contradict the key Islamic doctrine of ''tawḥīd'' (توحيد) regarding the oneness of Allah, the ''only'' creator. Similar mistranslations are given by the Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Saad translations. By contrast, the Pickthal translation is more accurate in this case, conforming to the original Arabic text.

Similarly distorted translations are also presented by institutions such as al-Azhar, the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf, and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as is seen on the Al-Azhar web site. The above verse is translated as below:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamic-council.com/qurane/def1.asp Quran 23:14]|2=Then We created the nutfah (sperm-drop) into a clinging organism. Then We created the clinging organism into a bolus-like chewed-up mass of coherent body of matter. Then We created the bolus-like chewed-up mass into bones, and We dressed the bones flesh. Out of this We brought it forth as a different creation. So, blessed be Allâh, The Fairest of creators.}}

===(18:86) Sun sets in a muddy spring ===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}
{{Quran|18|86}} describes the story of Dhul-Qarnayn (often identified with Alexander the Great) wherein he is said to arrive at a location where he observes the sun setting in a muddy spring.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|'''Pickthall:''' Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.}}

Modern Islamic scholars have argued that the verse describes a visual representation of what Dhul-Qarnayn saw as the sun set into the “horizon”. Such explanations are frustrated by authoritative sources, themselves represented by the likes of ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn'' (p. 251), and numerous classical authorities (which explain that the setting of the sun is in a well containing a murky mud). The same interpretation is found in al-Tabari’s commentaries (p. 339) as well as in the ''Concise Interpretation of al-Tabari'' (p. 19 of part 2) in which he remarks that the well in which the sun sets "contains lime and murky mud". The words “apparent” or “looks like” do not appear in classical explanations or commentaries. Indeed, the verse appears to reflect the [[Cosmology of the Quran|cosmological views]] [[Muhammad]] would have been expected to have in seventh century Arabia. Furthermore, since the earth is in fact round, [[Flat Earth and the Quran|not flat]] (as the Qur'an appears to suggest), Dhul-Qarnayn could never have reached some "farthest point", since no such point exists on a globe.

The al-Azhar site confronts this challenge by mistranslating this verse, specifying that the "muddy spring" is in fact the Atlantic Ocean, which ''appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn'' as a muddy spring.
The Saheeh International translation inserts a parenthetical [as if] which does not exist in the original Arabic text and is nowhere implied.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|'''Saheeh International:''' Until, when he reached the setting of the sun [i.e., the west], he found it '''[as if]''' setting in a body of dark water, and he found near it a people. We [i.e., Allāh] said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."}}

Mustafa Khattab mistranslated "he found it" (wajadaha) as "which appeared to him".

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Until he reached the setting ˹point˺ of the sun, '''which appeared to him''' to be setting in a spring of murky water, where he found some people. We said, “O Ⱬul-Qarnain! Either punish them or treat them kindly.”}}

===(86:5-7) Semen production===
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production}}
{{Quran-range|86|5|7}} states that sperm originates from an area between the breastbone and the backbone.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|5-7}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' 5. Now let man but think from what he is created! 
6. He is created from a drop emitted- 
7. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs}}

The al-Azhar site translates the origination point of sperm as from "between the pelvis and breast bone".

===(22:52) Satanic verses ===
{{Main|Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident)}}
{{Quran|22|52}} is said to have been revealed after the incident with respect to the Satanic Verses. This verse absolves Muhammad of responsibility for the Satanic Verses. The verse says that Satan influenced the recitations of all previous prophets. The text literally says "when he recited Satan threw (something) into his recitation." (إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ)

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allāh abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allāh makes precise His verses. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.}}

*إِذَا (''itha'') - when
*تَمَنَّىٰٓ (''tamannaa'') - he recited
*أَلْقَى (''alqaa'') - threw
*ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ (''ashshaytanu'') - Satan
*فِىٓ (''fee'') - in
*أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ (''omniyyatihi'') - his recitation

Some translations try to cover up Satan's influencing of recitations. For example, by suggesting that Satan influenced people's understanding of the verse.

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Whenever We sent a messenger or a prophet before you ˹O Prophet˺ and he recited ˹Our revelations˺, Satan would influence ˹people’s understanding of˺ his recitation. But ˹eventually˺ Allah would eliminate Satan’s influence. Then Allah would ˹firmly˺ establish His revelations. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''T. Usmani:''' We did not send any messenger before you nor a prophet, but (he faced a situation that) when he recited (the revelation), the Satan cast (doubts in the hearts of his opponents) about what he recited. So, Allah nullifies what the Satan casts, then Allah makes His verses firm, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' We have never sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes what Satan insinuates and then God affirms His message. God is all knowing and wise:}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''M. Pickthall:''' Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise;}}

===(3:54) Allah the best of deceivers===
{{Main|Allah, the Best Deceiver (Qur'an 3:54)}}
In {{Quran|3|54}}, {{Quran|7|99}}, {{Quran|8|30}}, {{Quran|10|21}} and {{Quran|13|42}} Allah is called the best of deceivers (خير الماكرين).

{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين

'''Transliteration:''' Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena

'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and God cheated/deceived, and God (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}This has been mistranslated as the best of plotters/planners/schemers in various translations.{{Quote|{{Quran|3|54}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And '''Allāh is the best of planners.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|3|54}}|'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' And they (disbelievers) plotted to kill ‘Îsâ [(Jesus) عليه السلام], and Allâh plotted too. And '''Allâh is the Best of those who plot.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|3|54}}|'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' The [disbelievers] schemed but God also schemed; '''God is the Best of Schemers.'''}}

=== (9:29) Fight people until they pay the jizya willingly while they are humbled===
{{Quran|9|29}} tells Muslims to fight the People of the Book until they pay [[Jizyah|jizya]] with their hands (عَن يَدٖ) ('an yadin) while they are humiliated/belittled (صَٰغِرُونَ) (Saghiroon).
Several translators mistranslate 'an yadin as willingly and Saghiroon as humbled.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the tax, '''willingly submitting''', fully '''humbled'''.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|'''Saheeh International:''' Fight against those who do not believe in Allāh or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allāh and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth [i.e., Islām] from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah '''willingly''' while they are '''humbled'''.}}

=== (10:5) Moon is a (reflective) light===
The Quran calls the moon a light (نُورٗا) in {{Quran|10|5}}. In reality, the moon only reflects sunlight. Some translators have tried to incorporate this in their translation, but it is not mentioned in the Arabic.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|'''Mustafa Khattab:''' He is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a '''reflected light''', with precisely ordained phases, so that you may know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people of knowledge.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|'''Saheeh International:''' It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a '''derived light''' and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allāh has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know.}}

===(4:11) Inheritance===
{{Quran|4|11}} concerns the laws of inheritance. This verse contains a linguistic mistake. It says that if there are more than two daughters (فَإِن كُنَّ نِسَآءٗ فَوۡقَ ٱثۡنَتَيۡنِ), they should get two thirds of the estate. However, the author of the Quran meant to say 'two or more daughters'. In {{Al Tirmidhi||4|27|2092}} Muhammad divides the estate after the verse of inheritance was supposedly revealed. He gives two thirds to the two daughters.
The following translations cover up the mistake.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Allah commands you regarding your children: the share of the male will be twice that of the female. If you leave only '''two ˹or more˺ females''', their share is two-thirds of the estate. [...]}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|'''Saheeh International:''' Allāh instructs you concerning your children [i.e., their portions of inheritance]: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females. But if there are [only] daughters, '''two or more''', for them is two thirds of one's estate. [...]}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' Concerning your children, God commands you that a son should have the equivalent share of two daughters. If there are only daughters, '''two or more''' should share two-thirds of the inheritance, if one, she should have half. [...]}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, '''two or more''', their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. [...]}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' Allâh commands you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females; if (there are) only daughters, '''two or more''', their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. [...]}}

===(67:5) Shooting stars===
{{Main|Shooting Stars in the Quran}}
{{Quran|67|5}} discusses the [[jinn]] (mythical creatures that are described in Islamic scriptures as living among humans)<ref>Mawdudi, Sayyid Abul Ala, Tafhim ul Quran, Markazi Maktaba Islami, Delhi, 1995, vol. 6, p.110</ref> and stars from the "lowest heaven" which are used as missiles against any mischievous jinn that attempts to eavesdrop on conversations between angels.<ref>"...''The Jinns would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the Angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the Future which they heard from Allah. The Jinns would then inform the fortune-tellers. This is why before the time of the Prophet (saws) many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions. However, upon the Prophet's arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the Angels, and any Jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars)''..." - [http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/world.html The World of Jinn] - Invitation to Islam, Issue 4, January 1998</ref>

{{quote |{{Qtt|67|5}}|وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
 '''Transliteration:''' Walaqad zayyanna alssamaa alddunya bimasabeeha wajaAAalnaha rujooman lilshshayateeni waaAAtadna lahum AAathaba alssaAAeeri '''Literal:''' And certainly We have beautified the heaven (ٱلسَّمَآءَ, ''as-samaa'a'') nearest (ٱلدُّنْيَا, ''ad-dunyaa'') with lamps (بِمَصَٰبِيحَ, ''bi-masaabeeh'') and We have made them (as) missiles (رُجُومًا, ''rujooman'') for the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment(of) the Blaze.<ref>[http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=67&verse=5 Word-by-Word Grammar - Verse (67:5)] - The Quranic Arabic Corpus</ref>}}

*ٱلسَّمَآءَ (''as-samaa'a'') means heaven or sky.<ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1/</ref>
*ٱلدُّنْيَا (''ad-dunya'') is translated "the world" or "the lower". The world" is called "the lower", because according to Islamic cosmology the heavens appear one atop the other and the earth is the lowest in this structure.
**So ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا can be understood as "the lowest heaven", "the heaven right above this flat earth", "the sky above The Lower".
*بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (''bi-masaabeeh'') - this word means "lamps" and is still used as such in modern Arabic (see Google images for مصابيح).
*رُجُومًا (''rujooman'') - it is from the same root as رجم (''rajm''), meaning "[[Stoning in Islamic Law|stoning]]", which is the Islamic punishment for sex outside marriage (Satan, or Iblis, is known as ''al-Rajeem'' or "the stoned one" ''-'' الرجيم in Arabic).

====Accurate translations====

Below are the three most popular and readily available translations of the verse from Islamic sources.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Pickthal:''' And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Shakir:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}}The below translations from non-Islamic sources are also generally accepted, albeit not frequently cited in Islamic circles.{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Arberry:''' And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and made them things to stone Satans; and We have prepared for them the chastisement of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Palmer:''' And we have adorned the lower heaven with lamps; and set them to pelt the devils with; and we have prepared for them the torment of the blaze!}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''George Sale:''' Moreover We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and have appointed them to be darted at the devils, for whom We have prepared the torment of burning fire:}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''JM Rodwell:''' Moreover we have decked the lowest heaven with lights, and have placed them there to be hurled at the Satans, for whom we have prepared the torment of the flaming fire.}}A further twelve translations confirm the above translations.<ref>{{Quote||'''Abdel Haleem:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Ahmed - Samira:''' We have adorned the lowest sky with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, for whom We have prepared a torment of most intense fire.}}{{Quote||'''Qaribullah:''' We have adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and We made them a stoning for the satans, We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze for them.}}{{Quote||'''Faridul Haque:''' And indeed We have beautified the lower heaven with lamps, and have made them weapons against the devils, and have kept prepared for them the punishment of the blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Syed Vickar Ahamed:''' And indeed, We have decorated the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them (like) missiles to drive away the Satans, and have prepared for them the penalty of the blazing Fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Taqi Usmani:''' And We have decorated the nearest sky with lamps, and have made them devices to stone the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of Hell.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Sarwar:''' We have decked the lowest heavens with torches. With these torches We have stoned the devils and We have prepared for them the torment of hell.}}{{Quote||'''Hamid S. Aziz:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for Satan, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali:''' And indeed We have already adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them outcast (meteorites) for Ash-Shayatin (The ever-vicious "ones", i.e., the devils) and We have readied for them the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Ali Quli Qara'i:''' We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Abdul Majid Daryabad:''' And assuredly We have bedecked the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for satans: and for them We have gotten ready the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Sher Ali:''' And verily, WE have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and WE have made them the means of driving away satans, and WE have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}</ref>

====Mistranslations====

The following two translations distort the idea of stars being used to stone jinn by describing the missiles as being made out of/from the stars, but not being the stars themselves.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):''' And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Ali Ünal:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the lowest heaven (the heaven of the world) with lamps (stars), and made (out of) them missiles to drive away devils; and for them We have prepared (in the Hereafter) the punishment of the Blaze.}}

Another two translations include their modifications without using brackets, which is even more misleading giving the impression that this text is literally part of the Arabic original:

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Aisha Bewley:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made ''some of them stones'' for the shaytans for whom We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Al-Muntakhab:''' And We decorated the lowermost heaven with lamps (or heavenly bodies), ''some of them adapted'' to be like weapons in pursuit of the evil ones for whom We have prepared torture in the blazes of Hell.}}

In two other translations, the lamps and the projectiles used against the devilish jinn are referred to as separate entities, though this disagrees with the Arabic text in which there is a pronoun used to refer to the "projectiles" whose clear antecedent is the plural word "lamps".

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Khalifa:''' We adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and guarded its borders with projectiles against the devils; we prepared for them a retribution in Hell.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Progressive Muslims:''' And We have adorned this universe with lamps, and We made it with projectiles against the devils; and We prepared for them the retribution of the blazing Fire.}}

====Reinterpretations presented as translations====

The following translations depart entirely from the classical interpretations of the verse and, it would appear, the very wording of the verse itself.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Maulana Ali:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Shabbir Ahmed:''' And indeed, We have beautified the sky of the world with shining lamps. And made them objects of futile guesses for the satans. (15:17), (37:6-9), (72:8). And for them We have prepared the doom of blazing flames.}}

Another three translations go a little further, asserting that the "devils/evil ones" refer to evil human cohorts and not to the jinn.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Asad:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame –}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Farook Malik:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Amatul Rahman Omar:''' We have, certainly, adorned the lowest heaven with (stars-like) lamps and We have made them as means of conjecture for the evil ones (and the astrologers who invent good or bad omens from the movement of the stars). (Remember) We have prepared for these (soothesayers) the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}

==== Incorporation of modern science into translation ====

The following translation attempts to incorporate modern scientific understandings of cosmology into its reading of the verse, though makes it a point to use brackets to differentiate words inserted to facilitate this understanding from the original Arabic text itself:

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|'''Bijan Moeinian:''' God has adorned the lowest universe with the sources of light [probably a reference to the Quasars], being used as missiles against the devils [perhaps the reference is to anti-matter which will be destroyed immediately in contact with the matter] and prepared for them a blazing fire.}}

== Hadith==
===The sun will rise "in the West"===

A sign of the last hour that appears in numerous hadiths is often mistranslated as the sun rising "in the West". This mistranslation occurs throughout the English translation of Sahih Bukhari by Muhsin Khan and sometimes in the translation of Sahih Muslim by Abdul Hamid Sadiqqui.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|421}}|Narrated Abu Dhar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come '''and so it will rise in the west'''. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing." (36.38)}}

While the Arabic word al maghrib was commonly used to mean the West in general, in fact a much more specific form occurs in these hadiths. In every hadith narration of this prophecy, the Arabic phrase is always ''min'' ''maghribi-ha'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا), which means that the sun is told to go and rise "from its setting place", without the definite article (''al'' for 'the') and with the possessive suffix.

In one narration in Sahih Muslim (which is accurately translated), there is in addition the phrase ''min maghribi-ki'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِكِ), which means the sun is told to go and rise "from the place of your setting". Earlier in the same narration, the sun is usually commanded to rise ''min matli'iha'' (مِنْ مَطْلِعِهَا) which means "from its rising place". This uses the same word as occurs in the Dhu'l Qarnayn story (''see: [[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One]]''), in {{Quran|18|90}}, ''matli'a ash-shamsi'', "the rising place of the sun", and was not the word used throughout the Quran and hadiths to mean the East in general, which was ''al mashriq'' (ٱلْمَشْرِق).

{{Quote|{{Muslim|1|297}}|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the Sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the Sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out '''from its rising place''' and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything (unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out '''from the place of your setting''', and it will rise '''from the place of its setting'''. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}One can see the inconsistent way these terms have been translated on Quranx (and other sites) by searching for '[https://quranx.com/Search?Q=sun+place+setting&Context=hadith 'sun' 'place' 'setting']' in the hadith, compared to the {{Bukhari|4|54|421}} hadith.

===Aisha's age at consummation===
'Aisha lived with her parents before her marriage to Muhammad was consummated at the age of 9 ({{Muslim|8|3310}}). The following mistranslation is often presented as evidence that she reached puberty while she still lived there.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|465}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings...}}The word أَعْقِلْ means to use thoughts or reasoning, but the translator Muhsin Khan has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is that 'Aisha was never aware of a time when her parents were not Muslim. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion" (لَمْ أَعْقِلْ أَبَوَىَّ إِلاَّ وَهُمَا يَدِينَانِ الدِّينَ).

The same Arabic phrase is translated as follows in another hadith by the same translator:{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|73|102}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) "I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the Religion (of Islam), and our being visited by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the morning and in the evening....}}See also the two other occurrences in {{Bukhari|3|37|494}} and {{Bukhari|5|58|245}}.

The 'puberty' mistranslation also fails to achieve chronological sensibility. 'Aisha's father, Abu Bakr, was one of Muhammad's first followers. It would not have taken until puberty for 'Aisha to notice that her father followed the religion.

=== Hadith in which Aisha menstruated===
A mistranslated hadith has a comment from Abu Dawud supposedly about Aisha menstruating when she was nine. This is Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam).
{{Quote|{{Abudawud||4915|hasan}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.}}

Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated". Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply".

Abu Dawud's comment is ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ), which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed". Form I can mean menstruated, but that is not the form used in the hadith.<ref>nun-fa-sin - [https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/25_n/208_nfs.html Lane's Lexicon]</ref>

===Hit women without leaving a mark===
Muhammad's 'Farewell Sermon' appears in various hadith collections and al-Tabari's History. A short version is found in ''Sunan Ibn Majah''. The Arabic words here translated 'and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark' are a mistranslation.

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|9|1851}}|Then he said: 'I enjoin good treatment of women, for they are prisoners with you, and you have no right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear indecency. If they do that, then forsake them in their beds '''and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark.'''}}

The highlighted phrase is fadribuhunna darban ghayra mubarrih (فَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ). A literal translation is, 'then beat them, a beating without severity'. The last word is defined in Lane's Lexicon as violence/severity/sharpness/vehemence<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000219.pdf Lane's Lexicon] Book I page 182</ref>.

The same Arabic phrase appears in the other versions of the farewell sermon. The translators of Sunan Abu Dawud and al-Tabari's History both render it 'beat them, but not severely'.

{{Quote|1=[http://sunnah.com/abudawud/11/185 Abu Dawud 10:1900]|2=Fear Allaah regarding women for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allaah’s word. It is a duty from you on them not to allow anyone whom you dislike to lie on your beds but if they do '''beat them, but not severely.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|pp. 112-113}}|"Now then, O people, you have a right over your wives and they have a right over you. You have [the right] that they should not cause anyone of whom you dislike to tread on your beds; and that they should not commit any open indecency. If they do, then Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms '''and to beat them, but not severely'''. If they abstain from [evil], they have the right to their food and clothing in accordance with the custom. Treat women well, for they are [like] domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. You have taken them only as a trust from Allah, and you have made the enjoyment of their persons lawful by the word of Allah, so understand and listen to my words, O people.}}

The versions of the farewell sermon found in {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3087}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not painful', and {{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1163}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not harmful', consist of the same Arabic words as quoted above and found in other versions of the farewell sermon.

In his tafsir, al-Tabari quotes Qatada clarifying that the phrase means ''ghayr sha'in'' (that is, 'without being disgraceful/outrageous/obscene/indecent'),<ref>[https://tafsir.app/tabari/4/34 al-Tabari 4:34]</ref> while he records that Ibn Abbas explained it as 'Hitting with a siwaak and the like'. It appears that over time there were efforts to temper the abusive results of the Quranic verse. For further relevant hadiths and information see [[Wife_Beating_in_Islamic_Law#Additional_attempts_at_moderating_severe_beatings|Wife Beating in Islamic Law]].

===Abu Bakr insults a Meccan ambassador===
In a hadith found in Sahih Bukhari a Meccan ambassador at Hudaybiyyah tries to discourage Muhammad from fighting. In response Abu Bakr tells him to suck on al-Lat's clitoris (فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ). Muhammad did not rebuke Abu Bakr for this. The insult has been covered up in the English translation by Muhsin Khan. In this translation the incident is translated as 'Abu Bakr abused him'.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|50|891}}|[...] Then `Urwa said, "O Muhammad! Won't you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone." Hearing that, '''Abu Bakr abused him''' and said, "Do you say we would run and leave the Prophet (ﷺ) alone?" `Urwa said, "Who is that man?" They said, "He is Abu Bakr." `Urwa said to Abu Bakr, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not compensate, I would retort on you." [...]}}

===Muhammad wears Aisha's garment/dress===
In the following hadith, Muhammad says divine inspirations do not come to him in any garment/dress (ثَوْبِ) except that of Aisha. Cross-dressing was condemned by Muhammad as can be seen in {{Abudawud||4087|hasan}}. To cover up the fact that Muhammad was cross-dressing, the word in question has been mistranslated to bed.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|47|755}}|Narrated `Urwa from `Aisha: [...]

She talked to him again when she met him on her day, but he gave no reply. When they asked her, she replied that he had given no reply. They said to her, "Talk to him till he gives you a reply." When it was her turn, she talked to him again. He then said to her, "Do not hurt me regarding Aisha, as '''the Divine Inspirations do not come to me on any of the beds except that of Aisha.'''" [...]}}

===Muhammad says his aorta is being cut from poison===
In the following hadith from Sahih Bukhari Muhammad says he feels his aorta is being cut from the poisoned food he ate at Khaybar. This strongly implies Muhammad died because of poisoning. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan the words 'as if' have been added. As a result, the English translation doesn't imply as strongly as the Arabic text that Muhammad died because of poisoning. Yet, it says Muhammad experienced a lot of pain from the poisoning shortly before his death.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|713}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) in his ailment in which he died, used to say, "O `Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel '''as if''' my aorta is being cut from that poison."}}

===Muhammad forbids imposing conditions found in the hadith===
In the following hadith Muhammad says people should not impose conditions which are not present in Allah's Book (كِتَابِ اللَّهِ), which is the Quran. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan this has been mistranslated to 'Allah's Laws' to justify imposing conditions which are found in the hadith.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|364}}|Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits." In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, "Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in '''Allah's Book (Laws)'''? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in '''Allah's Laws''', then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah's conditions are more binding and reliable."}}

=== Satan lays eggs in the marketplace of Medina and hatches them===
The following hadith contains two narrations. The second of these has not been translated into English. It says that people should not be first to enter the marketplace, nor the last to leave it, because it is where Satan lays his eggs and hatches them.

{{Quote|[https://quranx.com/hadith/Saliheen/In-Book/Book-19/Hadith-1842/ Riyad As-Salihin 19:1842]|
Salman Al-Farisi (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not, if you can help, be the first to enter the market and the last to leave it because it is an arena of Satan and the standard of Satan is set there."[Muslim].There are other narrations with some variation in the wordings.}}

===If ten Jews followed Muhammad, all Jews would embrace Islam===
In the following hadith Muhammad says that if ten Jews (عَشْرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ) followed him, all Jews would embrace Islam. The hadith has been mistranslated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui so that it says 'ten scholars of the Jews'. In Muhsin Khan's translation of a similar hadith 'amongst their chiefs' has been added in brackets.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|39|6711}}|
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

If '''ten scholars of the Jews''' would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth who would not embrace Islam.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|58|277}}|
Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Had only ten Jews '''(amongst their chiefs)''' believe me, all the Jews would definitely have believed me."}}

===Hadith is not translated===
The following hadith from Abu Dawud was not translated. Instead, it is said that it is basically the same as the previous one.
However, in the previous hadith Muhammad makes it clear that a slave should be manumitted after being beaten by his owner, while in this hadith it is said that the narrator did not mention manumission. In addition, this hadith explicitly mentions the slave being black, while the previous one does not.

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud|41|5137}}|
The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by al-A’mash in a similar way to same way to the same effect through a different chain of narrators.}}

=== Extra part of a verse is recited===
In the following hadith Ibn Abbas recites a verse of the Quran as "‏‏وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ‏‏ '''وَرَهْطَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِين'''" (And warn your tribe of near kindred '''and your chosen group from among them''') The first part corresponds to {{Quran|26|214}}. But the second part (in bold) is not part of the Quran nowadays. This part is not included in the English translation on quranx.com or sunnah.com, but it is part of [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n2869/mode/2up Muhsin Khan's translation].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|495}}|
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

When the Verse:-- 'And warn your tribe of near kindred.' (26.214) was revealed. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out, and when he had ascended As-Safa mountain, he shouted, "O Sabahah!" The people said, [...]}}

===Muhammad's followers will continue to fight for truth===
In the following hadith Muhammad says a group of people from his ummah will continue to fight for truth/righteousness and prevail until the day of judgment. In the translation it says they will fight 'in defence of truth' to make it seem like they will fight in self-defence.
{{Quote|{{Muslim|20|4718}}|
It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to fight '''In defence of truth''' and remain triumphant until the Day of judgment.}}

===May Allah kill/curse the Jews===
In the following hadith Muhammad asks Allah to kill (قَاتَلَ) the Jews. However, this has been mistranslated as 'curse'. As a result, the hadith does not conflict with {{Quran|21|107}} which says Muhammad is a mercy to the worlds.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|438}}|Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), in the year of the Conquest of Mecca, saying, "Allah and His Apostle made illegal the trade of alcohol, dead animals, pigs and idols." The people asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What about the fat of dead animals, for it was used for greasing the boats and the hides; and people use it for lights?" He said, "No, it is illegal." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) further said, "May Allah '''curse''' the Jews, for Allah made the fat (of animals) illegal for them, yet they melted the fat and sold it and ate its price."}}

The same mistranslation occurs in {{Bukhari|1|8|428}}, {{Bukhari|3|34|426}}, {{Bukhari|3|34|427}} and {{Bukhari|6|60|157}}.

===Muhammad destroys crosses===
In the following hadith it says that Muhammad destroyed crosses in his house. It is possible that this refers to crosses that Mariyah (his concubine who was a Christian) left in the house. However, in the translation it only says Muhammad destroyed crosses if Aisha (the narrator) left them in the house.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|836}}|Narrated `Aisha:

'''I''' never used to leave in the Prophet (ﷺ) house anything carrying images or crosses but he obliterated it.}}

===Aisha watches Ethiopians who are playing===

In the following hadith Aisha narrates how she used to watch Ethiopians who were playing in the courtyard of the mosque. In Aisha's description about herself the translator added that she had not reached the age of puberty. As a result, this hadith does not conflict with the ruling that adult women should not watch football games. A relevant fatwa can be found [https://islamqa.info/en/answers/146844/is-it-permissible-to-watch-football-soccer-games-on-television here].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|62|163}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) was screening me with his Rida' (garment covering the upper part of the body) while I was looking at the Ethiopians who were playing in the courtyard of the mosque. (I continued watching) till I was satisfied. So you may deduce from this event how a little girl '''(who has not reached the age of puberty)''' who is eager to enjoy amusement should be treated in this respect.}}

===Muhammad hits Aisha===
In the following hadith it says Muhammad struck Aisha on the chest which caused her pain (فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي). On sunnah.com it says Muhammad gave Aisha a nudge on the chest which she felt. While the translations for Sahih Muslim have been provided by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n537/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:974b Sahih Muslim 4:2127]|2= [...] He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. '''He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt''', and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? [...]}}

===Muhammad has been made victorious with terror===
In the following hadith Muhammad says he has been made victorious with terror (نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ). On sunnah.com this has been changed to 'awe'. While the translations for Sahih Bukhari have been provided by Muhsin Khan, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n1629/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2977 Sahih Bukhari 4:52:220]|2= Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with '''awe''' (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them).}}

===Arabia reverts to meadows and rivers===
In the following hadith Muhammad prophesies that Arabia becomes or reverts to (تَعُودَ) meadows and rivers. Sunnah.com uses Abdul Hamid Siddiqui's translation for Sahih Muslim which uses the word 'becomes', yet this translation has been altered such that it says 'reverts to'. The altered translation implies that Muhammad knew Arabia once was not a desert. Both translations can be used, but the translation was altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n561/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:157c Sahih Muslim 5:2208]|2=Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying:

The Last Hour will not come before wealth becomes abundant and overflowing, so much so that a man takes Zakat out of his property and cannot find anyone to accept it from him and till the land of Arabia '''reverts to''' meadows and rivers.}}

==See Also==

*[[Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture (English)]]
*[[Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths]]

==External Links==

*{{external link| url = http://www.faithfreedom.org/the-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran/| title = The Deceptive Translations of the Quran| publisher = | author = | date = | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithfreedom.org%2Fthe-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran%2F&date=2013-11-26| deadurl = no}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
<references />
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Dawah]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Modern movements]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Tafsir]]
[[Category:Modernism]]

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-06-04T17:32:43Z

AdrianE: Fixed a reference to a hadith.

{{QualityScore|Lead=2|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=3|References=3}}
{{Quran|15|9}} declares that the [[Qur'an]] is [[Allah|Allah's]] [[revelation]] and that he promises to preserve it and protect it from corruption. In {{Quran|16|103}}, {{Quran|44|58}} and {{Quran|54|22}}, [{{Quran-url-only|54|32}} 32], [{{Quran-url-only|54|40}} 40], it is emphasized that the Qur'an was revealed in straight forward, easy to understand, and pure Arabic. Sunni Islamic scholars agree that all that which is fundamental to Islam (particularly most of Islamic law) which is not contained in the Quran must have been preserved in the form of hadiths. However, translations of these scriptures have not always been rendered faithfully into other languages such as English, particularly in recent times and especially when the audience concerned is that of a developed, first-world variety which likely holds to modern notions of human rights and liberalism.

Some of the most prominent and officially recognized English translators of the Qur'an (like Yusuf Ali, Dr. Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Asad), in particular, have often (seemingly deliberately, given their knowledge and skill) mistranslated the most controversial and problematic verses in Qur'an. That these inaccurate translations are most common with verses that would be considered contrary to modern liberal values in the West suggests that these mistranslations were not unintentional or due to some unique difficulty of the Arabic words used in these verses. Similar mistranslations have been observed in translations of the hadiths as well as in translations of other key Islamic texts, such as legal manuals.

==Quran==

===(4:34) Wife-beating===
{{Main|Wife Beating in the Qur'an}}
{{Quran|4|34}} famously instructs men to beat their wives and forms the basis of the Islamic legal ruling which permits as much. The below translation is taken from Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).}}

This verse states that men are in charge of women with what they spend on them, and have the right to direct them in life. Also in the same verse, women are told to obey men and if they don’t, then men have the authority to admonish them and if they persist in disobedience (or, read more literally, if the husband simply ''fears'' disobedience), then men may proceed to beat them. Yusuf Ali, a prominent translator of the Qur'an, adds the word “lightly” in brackets, after “beating them”, despite the fact that this word or connonation is not found in the source text.

===(23:14) Fetal development===
{{Quran|23|14}} presents a schema regarding the development of the human fetus. The following translations are taken from Pickthall an Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Pickthal:''' Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators! 

'''Yusuf Ali:''' Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!}}

This verse is often used as an example of how translators (in this case Yusuf Ali, who is authorized by the Saudi Islamic authority and Al-Azhar University) have often mistranslated verses in ways that appear less objectionable liberal, Western audiences.

Yusuf Ali, in his translation, replaces the word "then" with "and". He also replaces “the best of creators” (plural) with “the best to create” (singular). The difference in the meaning is crucial because the word “then” suggests another and separate phase, while the word “and” means bones and flesh form simultaneously or during one phase, which conforms to modern science, even though this does not appear in the original Arabic text.

Likewise, the plural form of “creators” seems to affirm the existence of ''multiple'' creators (''of whom'' Allah would be the best), which appears to contradict the key Islamic doctrine of ''tawḥīd'' (توحيد) regarding the oneness of Allah, the ''only'' creator. Similar mistranslations are given by the Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Saad translations. By contrast, the Pickthal translation is more accurate in this case, conforming to the original Arabic text.

Similarly distorted translations are also presented by institutions such as al-Azhar, the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf, and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as is seen on the Al-Azhar web site. The above verse is translated as below:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamic-council.com/qurane/def1.asp Quran 23:14]|2=Then We created the nutfah (sperm-drop) into a clinging organism. Then We created the clinging organism into a bolus-like chewed-up mass of coherent body of matter. Then We created the bolus-like chewed-up mass into bones, and We dressed the bones flesh. Out of this We brought it forth as a different creation. So, blessed be Allâh, The Fairest of creators.}}

===(18:86) Sun sets in a muddy spring===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}
{{Quran|18|86}} describes the story of Dhul-Qarnayn (Alexander the Great) wherein he is said to arrive at a location where he observes the sun setting in a muddy spring.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.}}

Modern Islamic scholars have argued that the verse describes a visual representation of what Dhul-Qarnayn saw as the sun set into the “horizon”. Such explanations are frustrated by authoritative sources, themselves represented by the likes of ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn'' (p. 251), and numerous classical authorities (which explain that the setting of the sun is in a well containing a murky mud). The same interpretation is found in al-Tabari’s commentaries (p. 339) as well as in the ''Concise Interpretation of al-Tabari'' (p. 19 of part 2) in which he remarks that the well in which the sun sets "contains lime and murky mud". The words “apparent” or “looks like” do not appear in classical explanations or commentaries. Indeed, the verse appears to reflect the [[Cosmology of the Quran|cosmological views]] [[Muhammad|Muhammad]] would have been expected to have in seventh century Arabia. Furthermore, since the earth is in fact round, [[Flat Earth and the Quran|not flat]] (as the Qur'an appears to suggest), Dhul-Qarnayn could never have reached some "farthest point", since no such point exists on a globe.

The al-Azhar site confronts this challenge by mistranslating thisverse, specifiying that the "muddy spring" is in fact the Atlantic Ocean, which ''appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn'' as a muddy spring. The Sahih International translation inserts a parenthetical [as if] which does not exist in the original Arabic text and is nowhere implied.

{{Quote|{{quran|18|86}}|Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."}}

===(86:5-7) Semen production===
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production}}
{{Quran-range|86|5|7}} states that sperm originates from an area between the breastbone and the backbone.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|5-7}}|5. Now let man but think from what he is created! 
6. He is created from a drop emitted- 
7. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs}}

The al-Azhar site translates the origination point of sperm as from "between the pelvis and breast bone".

===(22:52) Satanic verses===
{{Main|Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident)}}
{{Quran|22|52}} is said to have been revealed after the incident with respect to the Satanic Verses. This verse absolves Muhammad of responsibility for the Satanic Verses. The verse says that Satan influenced the recitations of all previous prophets. The text literally says "when he recited Satan threw (something) into his recitation." (إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ)

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allāh abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allāh makes precise His verses. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.}}

*إِذَا (''itha'') - when
* تَمَنَّىٰٓ (''tamannaa'') - he recited
*أَلْقَى (''alqaa'') - threw
*ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ (''ashshaytanu'') - Satan
*فِىٓ (''fee'') - in
*أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ (''omniyyatihi'') - his recitation

Some translations try to cover up Satan's influencing of recitations. For example, by suggesting that Satan influenced people's understanding of the verse.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Whenever We sent a messenger or a prophet before you ˹O Prophet˺ and he recited ˹Our revelations˺, Satan would influence ˹people’s understanding of˺ his recitation. But ˹eventually˺ Allah would eliminate Satan’s influence. Then Allah would ˹firmly˺ establish His revelations. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.}}

{{Quote||'''T. Usmani:''' We did not send any messenger before you nor a prophet, but (he faced a situation that) when he recited (the revelation), the Satan cast (doubts in the hearts of his opponents) about what he recited. So, Allah nullifies what the Satan casts, then Allah makes His verses firm, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' We have never sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes what Satan insinuates and then God affirms His message. God is all knowing and wise:}}

{{Quote||'''M. Pickthall:''' Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise;}}

===(3:54) Allah the best of deceivers===
{{Main|Allah, the Best Deceiver (Qur'an 3:54)}}
In {{Quran|3|54}}, {{Quran|7|99}}, {{Quran|8|30}}, {{Quran|10|21}} and {{Quran|13|42}} Allah is called the best of deceivers (خير الماكرين).

{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين

'''Transliteration:''' Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena

'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and God cheated/deceived, and God (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}This has been mistranslated as the best of plotters/planners/schemers in various translations.{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And '''Allāh is the best of planners.'''}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' And they (disbelievers) plotted to kill ‘Îsâ [(Jesus) عليه السلام], and Allâh plotted too. And '''Allâh is the Best of those who plot.'''}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' The [disbelievers] schemed but God also schemed; '''God is the Best of Schemers.'''}}

===(9:29) Fight people until they pay the jizya willingly while they are humbled===
{{Quran|9|29}} tells Muslims to fight the People of the Book until they pay [[Jizyah|jizya]] with their hands (عَن يَدٖ) ('an yadin) while they are humiliated/belittled (صَٰغِرُونَ) (Saghiroon).
Several translators mistranslate 'an yadin as willingly and Saghiroon as humbled.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the tax, '''willingly submitting''', fully '''humbled'''.}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' Fight against those who do not believe in Allāh or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allāh and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth [i.e., Islām] from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah '''willingly''' while they are '''humbled'''.}}

===(10:5) Moon is a (reflective) light===
The Quran calls the moon a light (نُورٗا) in {{Quran|10|5}}. In reality, the moon only reflects sunlight. Some translators have tried to incorporate this in their translation, but it is not mentioned in the Arabic.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' He is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a '''reflected light''', with precisely ordained phases, so that you may know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people of knowledge.}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a '''derived light''' and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allāh has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know.}}

===(4:11) Inheritance===
{{Quran|4|11}} concerns the laws of inheritance. This verse contains a linguistic mistake. It says that if there are more than two daughters (فَإِن كُنَّ نِسَآءٗ فَوۡقَ ٱثۡنَتَيۡنِ), they should get two thirds of the estate. However, the author of the Quran meant to say 'two or more daughters'. In {{Al Tirmidhi||4|27|2092}} Muhammad divides the estate after the verse of inheritance was supposedly revealed. He gives two thirds to the two daughters.
The following translations cover up the mistake.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Allah commands you regarding your children: the share of the male will be twice that of the female. If you leave only '''two ˹or more˺ females''', their share is two-thirds of the estate. [...]}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' Allāh instructs you concerning your children [i.e., their portions of inheritance]: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females. But if there are [only] daughters, '''two or more''', for them is two thirds of one's estate. [...]}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' Concerning your children, God commands you that a son should have the equivalent share of two daughters. If there are only daughters, '''two or more''' should share two-thirds of the inheritance, if one, she should have half. [...]}}

{{Quote||'''Yusuf Ali:''' Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, '''two or more''', their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. [...]}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' Allâh commands you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females; if (there are) only daughters, '''two or more''', their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. [...]}}

=== (67:5) Shooting stars===
{{Main|Shooting Stars in the Quran}}
{{Quran|67|5}} discusses the [[Jinn]] (mythical creatures that are described in Islamic scriptures as living among humans)<ref>Mawdudi, Sayyid Abul Ala, Tafhim ul Quran, Markazi Maktaba Islami, Delhi, 1995, vol. 6, p.110</ref> and stars from the "lowest heaven" which are used as missiles against any mischievous jinn that attempts to eavesdrop on conversations between angels.<ref>"...''The Jinns would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the Angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the Future which they heard from Allah. The Jinns would then inform the fortune-tellers. This is why before the time of the Prophet (saws) many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions. However, upon the Prophet's arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the Angels, and any Jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars)''..." - [http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/world.html The World of Jinn] - Invitation to Islam, Issue 4, January 1998</ref>

{{quote |{{Qtt|67|5}}|وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
 '''Transliteration:''' Walaqad zayyanna alssamaa alddunya bimasabeeha wajaAAalnaha rujooman lilshshayateeni waaAAtadna lahum AAathaba alssaAAeeri '''Literal:''' And certainly We have beautified the heaven (ٱلسَّمَآءَ, ''as-samaa'a'') nearest (ٱلدُّنْيَا, ''ad-dunyaa'') with lamps (بِمَصَٰبِيحَ, ''bi-masaabeeh'') and We have made them (as) missiles (رُجُومًا, ''rujooman'') for the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment(of) the Blaze.<ref>[http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=67&verse=5 Word-by-Word Grammar - Verse (67:5)] - The Quranic Arabic Corpus</ref>}}

*ٱلسَّمَآءَ (''as-samaa'a'') means heaven or sky.<ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1/</ref>
*ٱلدُّنْيَا (''ad-dunya'') is translated "the world" or "the lower". The world" is called "the lower", because according to Islamic cosmology the heavens appear one atop the other and the earth is the lowest in this structure.
**So ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا can be understood as "the lowest heaven", "the heaven right above this flat earth", "the sky above The Lower".
*بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (''bi-masaabeeh'') - this word means "lamps" and is still used as such in modern Arabic (see Google images for مصابيح).
*رُجُومًا (''rujooman'') - it is from the same root as رجم (''rajm''), meaning "[[Stoning in Islamic Law|stoning]]", which is the Islamic punishment for sex outside marriage (Satan, or Iblis, is known as ''al-Rajeem'' or "the stoned one" ''-'' الرجيم in Arabic).

====Accurate translations====

Below are the three most popular and readily available translations of the verse from Islamic sources.

{{Quote||'''Pickthal:''' And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Shakir:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Yusuf Ali:''' And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}}The below translations from non-Islamic sources are also generally accepted, albeit not frequently cited in Islamic circles.{{Quote||'''Arberry:''' And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and made them things to stone Satans; and We have prepared for them the chastisement of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Palmer:''' And we have adorned the lower heaven with lamps; and set them to pelt the devils with; and we have prepared for them the torment of the blaze!}}

{{Quote||'''George Sale:''' Moreover We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and have appointed them to be darted at the devils, for whom We have prepared the torment of burning fire:}}

{{Quote||'''JM Rodwell:''' Moreover we have decked the lowest heaven with lights, and have placed them there to be hurled at the Satans, for whom we have prepared the torment of the flaming fire.}}

A further twelve translations confirm the above translations.<ref>{{Quote||'''Abdel Haleem:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Ahmed - Samira:''' We have adorned the lowest sky with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, for whom We have prepared a torment of most intense fire.}}{{Quote||'''Qaribullah:''' We have adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and We made them a stoning for the satans, We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze for them.}}{{Quote||'''Faridul Haque:''' And indeed We have beautified the lower heaven with lamps, and have made them weapons against the devils, and have kept prepared for them the punishment of the blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Syed Vickar Ahamed:''' And indeed, We have decorated the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them (like) missiles to drive away the Satans, and have prepared for them the penalty of the blazing Fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Taqi Usmani:''' And We have decorated the nearest sky with lamps, and have made them devices to stone the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of Hell.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Sarwar:''' We have decked the lowest heavens with torches. With these torches We have stoned the devils and We have prepared for them the torment of hell.}}{{Quote||'''Hamid S. Aziz:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for Satan, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali:''' And indeed We have already adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them outcast (meteorites) for Ash-Shayatin (The ever-vicious "ones", i.e., the devils) and We have readied for them the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Ali Quli Qara'i:''' We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Abdul Majid Daryabad:''' And assuredly We have bedecked the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for satans: and for them We have gotten ready the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Sher Ali:''' And verily, WE have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and WE have made them the means of driving away satans, and WE have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}</ref>

====Mistranslations====

The following two translations distort the idea of stars being used to stone jinn by describing the missiles as being made out of/from the stars, but not being the stars themselves.

{{Quote||'''Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):''' And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Ali Ünal:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the lowest heaven (the heaven of the world) with lamps (stars), and made (out of) them missiles to drive away devils; and for them We have prepared (in the Hereafter) the punishment of the Blaze.}}

Another two translations include their modifications without using brackets, which is even more misleading giving the impression that this text is literally part of the Arabic original:

{{Quote||'''Aisha Bewley:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made ''some of them stones'' for the shaytans for whom We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Muntakhab:''' And We decorated the lowermost heaven with lamps (or heavenly bodies), ''some of them adapted'' to be like weapons in pursuit of the evil ones for whom We have prepared torture in the blazes of Hell.}}

In two other translations, the lamps and the projectiles used against the devilish jinn are referred to as separate entities, though this disagrees with the Arabic text in which there is a pronoun used to refer to the "projectiles" whose clear antecedent is the plural word "lamps".

{{Quote||'''Khalifa:''' We adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and guarded its borders with projectiles against the devils; we prepared for them a retribution in Hell.}}

{{Quote||'''Progressive Muslims:''' And We have adorned this universe with lamps, and We made it with projectiles against the devils; and We prepared for them the retribution of the blazing Fire.}}

====Reinterpretations presented as translations ====

The following translations depart entirely from the classical interpretations of the verse and, it would appear, the very wording of the verse itself.

{{Quote||'''Maulana Ali:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Shabbir Ahmed:''' And indeed, We have beautified the sky of the world with shining lamps. And made them objects of futile guesses for the satans. (15:17), (37:6-9), (72:8). And for them We have prepared the doom of blazing flames.}}

Another three translations go a little further, asserting that the "devils/evil ones" refer to evil human cohorts and not to the jinn.

{{Quote||'''Asad:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame –}}

{{Quote||'''Farook Malik:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Amatul Rahman Omar:''' We have, certainly, adorned the lowest heaven with (stars-like) lamps and We have made them as means of conjecture for the evil ones (and the astrologers who invent good or bad omens from the movement of the stars). (Remember) We have prepared for these (soothesayers) the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}

====Incorporation of modern science into translation====

The following translation attempts to incorporate modern scientific understandings of cosmology into its reading of the verse, though makes it a point to use brackets to differentiate words inserted to facilitate this understanding from the original Arabic text itself:

{{Quote||'''Bijan Moeinian:''' God has adorned the lowest universe with the sources of light [probably a reference to the Quasars], being used as missiles against the devils [perhaps the reference is to anti-matter which will be destroyed immediately in contact with the matter] and prepared for them a blazing fire.}}

==Hadith==
=== The sun will rise "in the West" ===

A sign of the last hour that appears in numerous hadiths is often mistranslated as the sun rising "in the West". This mistranslation occurs throughout the English translation of Sahih Bukhari by Muhsin Khan and sometimes in the translation of Sahih Muslim by Abdul Hamid Sadiqqui.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|421}}|Narrated Abu Dhar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come '''and so it will rise in the west'''. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing." (36.38)}}

While the Arabic word al maghrib was commonly used to mean the West in general, in fact a much more specific form occurs in these hadiths. In every hadith narration of this prophecy, the Arabic phrase is always ''min'' ''maghribi-ha'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا), which means that the sun is told to go and rise "from its setting place", without the definite article (''al'' for 'the') and with the possessive suffix.

In one narration in Sahih Muslim (which is accurately translated), there is in addition the phrase ''min maghribi-ki'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِكِ), which means the sun is told to go and rise "from the place of your setting". Earlier in the same narration, the sun is usually commanded to rise ''min matli'iha'' (مِنْ مَطْلِعِهَا) which means "from its rising place". This uses the same word as occurs in the Dhu'l Qarnayn story (''see: [[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One]]''), in {{Quran|18|90}}, ''matli'a ash-shamsi'', "the rising place of the sun", and was not the word used throughout the Quran and hadiths to mean the East in general, which was ''al mashriq'' (ٱلْمَشْرِق).

{{Quote|{{Muslim|1|297}}|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the Sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the Sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out '''from its rising place''' and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything (unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out '''from the place of your setting''', and it will rise '''from the place of its setting'''. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}One can see the inconsistent way these terms have been translated on Quranx (and other sites) by searching for '[https://quranx.com/Search?Q=sun+place+setting&Context=hadith 'sun' 'place' 'setting']' in the hadith, compared to the {{Bukhari|4|54|421}} hadith.

===Aisha's age at consummation===
'Aisha lived with her parents before her marriage to Muhammad was consummated at the age of 9 ({{Muslim|8|3310}}). The following mistranslation is often presented as evidence that she reached puberty while she still lived there.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|465}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings...}}The word أَعْقِلْ means to use thoughts or reasoning, but the translator Muhsin Khan has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is that 'Aisha was never aware of a time when her parents were not Muslim. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion" (لَمْ أَعْقِلْ أَبَوَىَّ إِلاَّ وَهُمَا يَدِينَانِ الدِّينَ).

The same Arabic phrase is translated as follows in another hadith by the same translator:{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|73|102}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) "I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the Religion (of Islam), and our being visited by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the morning and in the evening....}}See also the two other occurrences in {{Bukhari|3|37|494}} and {{Bukhari|5|58|245}}.

The 'puberty' mistranslation also fails to achieve chronological sensibility. 'Aisha's father, Abu Bakr, was one of Muhammad's first followers. It would not have taken until puberty for 'Aisha to notice that her father followed the religion.

=== Hadith in which Aisha menstruated===
A mistranslated hadith has a comment from Abu Dawud supposedly about Aisha menstruating when she was nine. This is Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam).
{{Quote|{{Abudawud||4915|hasan}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.}}

Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated". Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply".

Abu Dawud's comment is ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ), which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed". Form I can mean menstruated, but that is not the form used in the hadith.<ref>nun-fa-sin - [https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/25_n/208_nfs.html Lane's Lexicon]</ref>

===Hit women without leaving a mark ===
Muhammad's 'Farewell Sermon' appears in various hadith collections and al-Tabari's History. A short version is found in ''Sunan Ibn Majah''. The Arabic words here translated 'and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark' are a mistranslation.

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|9|1851}}|Then he said: 'I enjoin good treatment of women, for they are prisoners with you, and you have no right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear indecency. If they do that, then forsake them in their beds '''and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark.'''}}

The highlighted phrase is fadribuhunna darban ghayra mubarrih (فَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ). A literal translation is, 'then beat them, a beating without severity'. The last word is defined in Lane's Lexicon as violence/severity/sharpness/vehemence<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000219.pdf Lane's Lexicon] Book I page 182</ref>'.

The same Arabic phrase appears in the other versions of the farewell sermon. The translators of Sunan Abu Dawud and al-Tabari's History both renders it 'beat them, but not severely'.

{{Quote|1=[http://sunnah.com/abudawud/11/185 Abu Dawud 10:1900]|2=Fear Allaah regarding women for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allaah’s word. It is a duty from you on them not to allow anyone whom you dislike to lie on your beds but if they do '''beat them, but not severely.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|pp. 112-113}}|"Now then, O people, you have a right over your wives and they have a right over you. You have [the right] that they should not cause anyone of whom you dislike to tread on your beds; and that they should not commit any open indecency. If they do, then Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms '''and to beat them, but not severely'''. If they abstain from [evil], they have the right to their food and clothing in accordance with the custom. Treat women well, for they are [like] domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. You have taken them only as a trust from Allah, and you have made the enjoyment of their persons lawful by the word of Allah, so understand and listen to my words, O people.}}

The versions of the farewell sermon found in {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3087}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not painful', and {{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1163}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not harmful', consist of the same Arabic words as quoted above and found in other versions of the farewell sermon.

In his tafsir, al-Tabari quotes Qatada clarifying that the phrase means ''ghayr sha'in'' (that is, 'without being disgraceful/outrageous/obscene/indecent'),<ref>[https://tafsir.app/tabari/4/34 al-Tabari 4:34]</ref> while he records that Ibn Abbas explained it as 'Hitting with a siwaak and the like'. It appears that over time there were efforts to temper the abusive results of the Quranic verse. For further relevant hadiths and information see [[Wife_Beating_in_Islamic_Law#Additional_attempts_at_moderating_severe_beatings|Wife Beating in Islamic Law]].

===Abu Bakr insults a Meccan ambassador===
In a hadith found in Sahih Bukhari a Meccan ambassador at Hudaybiyyah tries to discourage Muhammad from fighting. In response Abu Bakr tells him to suck on al-Lat's clitoris (فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ). Muhammad did not rebuke Abu Bakr for this. The insult has been covered up in the English translation by Muhsin Khan. In this translation the incident is translated as 'Abu Bakr abused him'.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|50|891}}|[...] Then `Urwa said, "O Muhammad! Won't you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone." Hearing that, '''Abu Bakr abused him''' and said, "Do you say we would run and leave the Prophet (ﷺ) alone?" `Urwa said, "Who is that man?" They said, "He is Abu Bakr." `Urwa said to Abu Bakr, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not compensate, I would retort on you." [...]}}

===Muhammad wears Aisha's garment/dress===
In the following hadith, Muhammad says divine inspirations do not come to him in any garment/dress (ثَوْبِ) except that of Aisha. Cross-dressing was condemned by Muhammad as can be seen in {{Abudawud||4087|hasan}}. To cover up the fact that Muhammad was cross-dressing, the word in question has been mistranslated to bed.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|47|755}}|Narrated `Urwa from `Aisha: [...]

She talked to him again when she met him on her day, but he gave no reply. When they asked her, she replied that he had given no reply. They said to her, "Talk to him till he gives you a reply." When it was her turn, she talked to him again. He then said to her, "Do not hurt me regarding Aisha, as '''the Divine Inspirations do not come to me on any of the beds except that of Aisha.'''" [...]}}

===Muhammad says his aorta is being cut from poison===
In the following hadith from Sahih Bukhari Muhammad says he feels his aorta is being cut from the poisoned food he ate at Khaybar. This strongly implies Muhammad died because of poisoning. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan the words 'as if' have been added. As a result, the English translation doesn't imply as strongly as the Arabic text that Muhammad died because of poisoning. Yet, it says Muhammad experienced a lot of pain from the poisoning shortly before his death.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|713}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) in his ailment in which he died, used to say, "O `Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel '''as if''' my aorta is being cut from that poison."}}

=== Muhammad forbids imposing conditions found in the hadith===
In the following hadith Muhammad says people should not impose conditions which are not present in Allah's Book (كِتَابِ اللَّهِ), which is the Quran. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan this has been mistranslated to 'Allah's Laws' to justify imposing conditions which are found in the hadith.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|364}}|Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits." In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, "Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in '''Allah's Book (Laws)'''? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in '''Allah's Laws''', then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah's conditions are more binding and reliable."}}

=== Satan lays eggs in the marketplace of Medina and hatches them===
The following hadith contains two narrations. The second of these has not been translated into English. It says that people should not be first to enter the marketplace, nor the last to leave it, because it is where Satan lays his eggs and hatches them.

{{Quote|[https://quranx.com/hadith/Saliheen/In-Book/Book-19/Hadith-1842/ Riyad As-Salihin 19:1842]|
Salman Al-Farisi (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not, if you can help, be the first to enter the market and the last to leave it because it is an arena of Satan and the standard of Satan is set there."[Muslim].There are other narrations with some variation in the wordings.}}

===If ten Jews followed Muhammad, all Jews would embrace Islam===
In the following hadith Muhammads says that if ten Jews (عَشْرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ) followed him, all Jews would embrace Islam. The hadith has been mistranslated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui so that it says 'ten scholars of the Jews'. In Muhsin Khan's translation 'amongst their chiefs' has been added in brackets.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|39|6711}}|
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

If '''ten scholars of the Jews''' would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth who would not embrace Islam.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|58|277}}|
Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Had only ten Jews '''(amongst their chiefs)''' believe me, all the Jews would definitely have believed me."}}

===Hadith is not translated===
The following hadith from Abu Dawud wasn't translated. Instead, it is said that it is basically the same as the previous one.
However, in the previous hadith Muhammad makes it clear that a slave should be manumitted after being beaten by his owner, while in this hadith it is said that the narrator did not mention manumission. In addition, this hadith explicitly mentions the slave being black, while the previous one does not.

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud|41|5137}}|
The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by al-A’mash in a similar way to same way to the same effect through a different chain of narrators.}}

===Extra part of a verse is recited===
In the following hadith Ibn Abbas recites a verse of the Quran as "‏‏وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ‏‏ '''وَرَهْطَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِين'''" (And warn your tribe of near kindred '''and your chosen group from among them''') The first part corresponds to {{Quran|26|214}}. But the second part (in bold) is not part of the Quran nowadays. This part is not included in the English translation on quranx.com or sunnah.com, but it is part of [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n2869/mode/2up Muhsin Khan's translation].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|495}}|
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

When the Verse:-- 'And warn your tribe of near kindred.' (26.214) was revealed. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out, and when he had ascended As-Safa mountain, he shouted, "O Sabahah!" The people said, [...]}}

===Muhammad's followers will continue to fight for truth===
In the following hadith Muhammad says a group of people from his ummah will continue to fight for truth/righteousness and prevail until the day of judgment. In the translation it says they will fight 'in defence of truth' to make it seem like they will fight in self-defence.
{{Quote|{{Muslim|20|4718}}|
It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to fight '''In defence of truth''' and remain triumphant until the Day of judgment.}}

=== May Allah kill/curse the Jews ===
In the following hadith Muhammad asks Allah to kill (قَاتَلَ) the Jews. However, this has been mistranslated as 'curse'. As a result, the hadith does not conflict with {{Quran|21|107}} which says Muhammad is a mercy to the worlds.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|438}}|Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), in the year of the Conquest of Mecca, saying, "Allah and His Apostle made illegal the trade of alcohol, dead animals, pigs and idols." The people asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What about the fat of dead animals, for it was used for greasing the boats and the hides; and people use it for lights?" He said, "No, it is illegal." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) further said, "May Allah '''curse''' the Jews, for Allah made the fat (of animals) illegal for them, yet they melted the fat and sold it and ate its price."}}

The same mistranslation occurs in {{Bukhari|1|8|428}}, {{Bukhari|3|34|426}}, {{Bukhari|3|34|427}} and {{Bukhari|6|60|157}}.

===Muhammad destroys crosses===
In the following hadith it says that Muhammad destroyed crosses in his house. It is possible that this refers to crosses that Mariyah (his concubine who was a Christian) left in the house. However, in the translation it only says Muhammad destroyed crosses if Aisha (the narrator) left them in the house.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|836}}|Narrated `Aisha:

'''I''' never used to leave in the Prophet (ﷺ) house anything carrying images or crosses but he obliterated it.}}

===Aisha watches Ethiopians who are playing===

In the following hadith Aisha narrates how she used to watch Ethiopians who were playing in the courtyard of the mosque. In Aisha's description about herself the translator added that she had not reached the age of puberty. As a result, this hadith does not conflict with the ruling that adult women should not watch football games. A relevant fatwa can be found [https://islamqa.info/en/answers/146844/is-it-permissible-to-watch-football-soccer-games-on-television here].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|62|163}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) was screening me with his Rida' (garment covering the upper part of the body) while I was looking at the Ethiopians who were playing in the courtyard of the mosque. (I continued watching) till I was satisfied. So you may deduce from this event how a little girl '''(who has not reached the age of puberty)''' who is eager to enjoy amusement should be treated in this respect.}}

===Muhammad hits Aisha===
In the following hadith it says Muhammad struck Aisha on the chest which caused her pain (فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي). On sunnah.com it says Muhammad gave Aisha a nudge on the chest which she felt. While the translations for Sahih Muslim have been provided by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n537/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:974b Sahih Muslim 4:2127]|2= [...] He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. '''He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt''', and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? [...]}}

===Muhammad has been made victorious with terror===
In the following hadith Muhammad says he has been made victorious with terror (نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ). On sunnah.com this has been changed to 'awe'. While the translations for Sahih Bukhari have been provided by Muhsin Khan, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n1629/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2977 Sahih Bukhari 4:52:220]|2= Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with '''awe''' (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them).}}

===Arabia reverts to meadows and rivers===
In the following hadith Muhammad prophesies that Arabia becomes or reverts to (تَعُودَ) meadows and rivers. Sunnah.com uses Abdul Hamid Siddiqui's translation for Sahih Muslim which uses the word 'becomes', yet this translation has been altered such that it says 'reverts to'. The altered translation implies that Muhammad knew Arabia once was not a desert. Both translations can be used, but the translation was altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n561/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:157c Sahih Muslim 5:2208]|2=Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying:

The Last Hour will not come before wealth becomes abundant and overflowing, so much so that a man takes Zakat out of his property and cannot find anyone to accept it from him and till the land of Arabia '''reverts to''' meadows and rivers.}}

==See Also==

*[[Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture (English)]]
*[[Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths]]

==External Links==

*{{external link| url = http://www.faithfreedom.org/the-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran/| title = The Deceptive Translations of the Quran| publisher = | author = | date = | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithfreedom.org%2Fthe-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran%2F&date=2013-11-26| deadurl = no}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
<references />
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Dawah]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Modern movements]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Tafsir]]
[[Category:Modernism]]

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-06-04T17:25:17Z

AdrianE: Added a hadith about Muhammad cross-dressing.

{{QualityScore|Lead=2|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=3|References=3}}
{{Quran|15|9}} declares that the [[Qur'an]] is [[Allah|Allah's]] [[revelation]] and that he promises to preserve it and protect it from corruption. In {{Quran|16|103}}, {{Quran|44|58}} and {{Quran|54|22}}, [{{Quran-url-only|54|32}} 32], [{{Quran-url-only|54|40}} 40], it is emphasized that the Qur'an was revealed in straight forward, easy to understand, and pure Arabic. Sunni Islamic scholars agree that all that which is fundamental to Islam (particularly most of Islamic law) which is not contained in the Quran must have been preserved in the form of hadiths. However, translations of these scriptures have not always been rendered faithfully into other languages such as English, particularly in recent times and especially when the audience concerned is that of a developed, first-world variety which likely holds to modern notions of human rights and liberalism.

Some of the most prominent and officially recognized English translators of the Qur'an (like Yusuf Ali, Dr. Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Asad), in particular, have often (seemingly deliberately, given their knowledge and skill) mistranslated the most controversial and problematic verses in Qur'an. That these inaccurate translations are most common with verses that would be considered contrary to modern liberal values in the West suggests that these mistranslations were not unintentional or due to some unique difficulty of the Arabic words used in these verses. Similar mistranslations have been observed in translations of the hadiths as well as in translations of other key Islamic texts, such as legal manuals.

==Quran==

===(4:34) Wife-beating===
{{Main|Wife Beating in the Qur'an}}
{{Quran|4|34}} famously instructs men to beat their wives and forms the basis of the Islamic legal ruling which permits as much. The below translation is taken from Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).}}

This verse states that men are in charge of women with what they spend on them, and have the right to direct them in life. Also in the same verse, women are told to obey men and if they don’t, then men have the authority to admonish them and if they persist in disobedience (or, read more literally, if the husband simply ''fears'' disobedience), then men may proceed to beat them. Yusuf Ali, a prominent translator of the Qur'an, adds the word “lightly” in brackets, after “beating them”, despite the fact that this word or connonation is not found in the source text.

===(23:14) Fetal development===
{{Quran|23|14}} presents a schema regarding the development of the human fetus. The following translations are taken from Pickthall an Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Pickthal:''' Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators! 

'''Yusuf Ali:''' Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!}}

This verse is often used as an example of how translators (in this case Yusuf Ali, who is authorized by the Saudi Islamic authority and Al-Azhar University) have often mistranslated verses in ways that appear less objectionable liberal, Western audiences.

Yusuf Ali, in his translation, replaces the word "then" with "and". He also replaces “the best of creators” (plural) with “the best to create” (singular). The difference in the meaning is crucial because the word “then” suggests another and separate phase, while the word “and” means bones and flesh form simultaneously or during one phase, which conforms to modern science, even though this does not appear in the original Arabic text.

Likewise, the plural form of “creators” seems to affirm the existence of ''multiple'' creators (''of whom'' Allah would be the best), which appears to contradict the key Islamic doctrine of ''tawḥīd'' (توحيد) regarding the oneness of Allah, the ''only'' creator. Similar mistranslations are given by the Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Saad translations. By contrast, the Pickthal translation is more accurate in this case, conforming to the original Arabic text.

Similarly distorted translations are also presented by institutions such as al-Azhar, the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf, and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as is seen on the Al-Azhar web site. The above verse is translated as below:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamic-council.com/qurane/def1.asp Quran 23:14]|2=Then We created the nutfah (sperm-drop) into a clinging organism. Then We created the clinging organism into a bolus-like chewed-up mass of coherent body of matter. Then We created the bolus-like chewed-up mass into bones, and We dressed the bones flesh. Out of this We brought it forth as a different creation. So, blessed be Allâh, The Fairest of creators.}}

===(18:86) Sun sets in a muddy spring===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}
{{Quran|18|86}} describes the story of Dhul-Qarnayn (Alexander the Great) wherein he is said to arrive at a location where he observes the sun setting in a muddy spring.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.}}

Modern Islamic scholars have argued that the verse describes a visual representation of what Dhul-Qarnayn saw as the sun set into the “horizon”. Such explanations are frustrated by authoritative sources, themselves represented by the likes of ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn'' (p. 251), and numerous classical authorities (which explain that the setting of the sun is in a well containing a murky mud). The same interpretation is found in al-Tabari’s commentaries (p. 339) as well as in the ''Concise Interpretation of al-Tabari'' (p. 19 of part 2) in which he remarks that the well in which the sun sets "contains lime and murky mud". The words “apparent” or “looks like” do not appear in classical explanations or commentaries. Indeed, the verse appears to reflect the [[Cosmology of the Quran|cosmological views]] [[Muhammad|Muhammad]] would have been expected to have in seventh century Arabia. Furthermore, since the earth is in fact round, [[Flat Earth and the Quran|not flat]] (as the Qur'an appears to suggest), Dhul-Qarnayn could never have reached some "farthest point", since no such point exists on a globe.

The al-Azhar site confronts this challenge by mistranslating thisverse, specifiying that the "muddy spring" is in fact the Atlantic Ocean, which ''appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn'' as a muddy spring. The Sahih International translation inserts a parenthetical [as if] which does not exist in the original Arabic text and is nowhere implied.

{{Quote|{{quran|18|86}}|Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."}}

===(86:5-7) Semen production===
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production}}
{{Quran-range|86|5|7}} states that sperm originates from an area between the breastbone and the backbone.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|5-7}}|5. Now let man but think from what he is created! 
6. He is created from a drop emitted- 
7. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs}}

The al-Azhar site translates the origination point of sperm as from "between the pelvis and breast bone".

===(22:52) Satanic verses===
{{Main|Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident)}}
{{Quran|22|52}} is said to have been revealed after the incident with respect to the Satanic Verses. This verse absolves Muhammad of responsibility for the Satanic Verses. The verse says that Satan influenced the recitations of all previous prophets. The text literally says "when he recited Satan threw (something) into his recitation." (إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ)

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allāh abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allāh makes precise His verses. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.}}

*إِذَا (''itha'') - when
* تَمَنَّىٰٓ (''tamannaa'') - he recited
*أَلْقَى (''alqaa'') - threw
*ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ (''ashshaytanu'') - Satan
*فِىٓ (''fee'') - in
*أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ (''omniyyatihi'') - his recitation

Some translations try to cover up Satan's influencing of recitations. For example, by suggesting that Satan influenced people's understanding of the verse.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Whenever We sent a messenger or a prophet before you ˹O Prophet˺ and he recited ˹Our revelations˺, Satan would influence ˹people’s understanding of˺ his recitation. But ˹eventually˺ Allah would eliminate Satan’s influence. Then Allah would ˹firmly˺ establish His revelations. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.}}

{{Quote||'''T. Usmani:''' We did not send any messenger before you nor a prophet, but (he faced a situation that) when he recited (the revelation), the Satan cast (doubts in the hearts of his opponents) about what he recited. So, Allah nullifies what the Satan casts, then Allah makes His verses firm, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' We have never sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes what Satan insinuates and then God affirms His message. God is all knowing and wise:}}

{{Quote||'''M. Pickthall:''' Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise;}}

===(3:54) Allah the best of deceivers===
{{Main|Allah, the Best Deceiver (Qur'an 3:54)}}
In {{Quran|3|54}}, {{Quran|7|99}}, {{Quran|8|30}}, {{Quran|10|21}} and {{Quran|13|42}} Allah is called the best of deceivers (خير الماكرين).

{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين

'''Transliteration:''' Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena

'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and God cheated/deceived, and God (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}This has been mistranslated as the best of plotters/planners/schemers in various translations.{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And '''Allāh is the best of planners.'''}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' And they (disbelievers) plotted to kill ‘Îsâ [(Jesus) عليه السلام], and Allâh plotted too. And '''Allâh is the Best of those who plot.'''}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' The [disbelievers] schemed but God also schemed; '''God is the Best of Schemers.'''}}

===(9:29) Fight people until they pay the jizya willingly while they are humbled===
{{Quran|9|29}} tells Muslims to fight the People of the Book until they pay [[Jizyah|jizya]] with their hands (عَن يَدٖ) ('an yadin) while they are humiliated/belittled (صَٰغِرُونَ) (Saghiroon).
Several translators mistranslate 'an yadin as willingly and Saghiroon as humbled.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the tax, '''willingly submitting''', fully '''humbled'''.}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' Fight against those who do not believe in Allāh or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allāh and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth [i.e., Islām] from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah '''willingly''' while they are '''humbled'''.}}

===(10:5) Moon is a (reflective) light===
The Quran calls the moon a light (نُورٗا) in {{Quran|10|5}}. In reality, the moon only reflects sunlight. Some translators have tried to incorporate this in their translation, but it is not mentioned in the Arabic.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' He is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a '''reflected light''', with precisely ordained phases, so that you may know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people of knowledge.}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a '''derived light''' and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allāh has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know.}}

===(4:11) Inheritance===
{{Quran|4|11}} concerns the laws of inheritance. This verse contains a linguistic mistake. It says that if there are more than two daughters (فَإِن كُنَّ نِسَآءٗ فَوۡقَ ٱثۡنَتَيۡنِ), they should get two thirds of the estate. However, the author of the Quran meant to say 'two or more daughters'. In {{Al Tirmidhi||4|27|2092}} Muhammad divides the estate after the verse of inheritance was supposedly revealed. He gives two thirds to the two daughters.
The following translations cover up the mistake.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Allah commands you regarding your children: the share of the male will be twice that of the female. If you leave only '''two ˹or more˺ females''', their share is two-thirds of the estate. [...]}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' Allāh instructs you concerning your children [i.e., their portions of inheritance]: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females. But if there are [only] daughters, '''two or more''', for them is two thirds of one's estate. [...]}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' Concerning your children, God commands you that a son should have the equivalent share of two daughters. If there are only daughters, '''two or more''' should share two-thirds of the inheritance, if one, she should have half. [...]}}

{{Quote||'''Yusuf Ali:''' Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, '''two or more''', their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. [...]}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' Allâh commands you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females; if (there are) only daughters, '''two or more''', their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. [...]}}

=== (67:5) Shooting stars===
{{Main|Shooting Stars in the Quran}}
{{Quran|67|5}} discusses the [[Jinn]] (mythical creatures that are described in Islamic scriptures as living among humans)<ref>Mawdudi, Sayyid Abul Ala, Tafhim ul Quran, Markazi Maktaba Islami, Delhi, 1995, vol. 6, p.110</ref> and stars from the "lowest heaven" which are used as missiles against any mischievous jinn that attempts to eavesdrop on conversations between angels.<ref>"...''The Jinns would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the Angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the Future which they heard from Allah. The Jinns would then inform the fortune-tellers. This is why before the time of the Prophet (saws) many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions. However, upon the Prophet's arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the Angels, and any Jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars)''..." - [http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/world.html The World of Jinn] - Invitation to Islam, Issue 4, January 1998</ref>

{{quote |{{Qtt|67|5}}|وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
 '''Transliteration:''' Walaqad zayyanna alssamaa alddunya bimasabeeha wajaAAalnaha rujooman lilshshayateeni waaAAtadna lahum AAathaba alssaAAeeri '''Literal:''' And certainly We have beautified the heaven (ٱلسَّمَآءَ, ''as-samaa'a'') nearest (ٱلدُّنْيَا, ''ad-dunyaa'') with lamps (بِمَصَٰبِيحَ, ''bi-masaabeeh'') and We have made them (as) missiles (رُجُومًا, ''rujooman'') for the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment(of) the Blaze.<ref>[http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=67&verse=5 Word-by-Word Grammar - Verse (67:5)] - The Quranic Arabic Corpus</ref>}}

*ٱلسَّمَآءَ (''as-samaa'a'') means heaven or sky.<ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1/</ref>
*ٱلدُّنْيَا (''ad-dunya'') is translated "the world" or "the lower". The world" is called "the lower", because according to Islamic cosmology the heavens appear one atop the other and the earth is the lowest in this structure.
**So ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا can be understood as "the lowest heaven", "the heaven right above this flat earth", "the sky above The Lower".
*بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (''bi-masaabeeh'') - this word means "lamps" and is still used as such in modern Arabic (see Google images for مصابيح).
*رُجُومًا (''rujooman'') - it is from the same root as رجم (''rajm''), meaning "[[Stoning in Islamic Law|stoning]]", which is the Islamic punishment for sex outside marriage (Satan, or Iblis, is known as ''al-Rajeem'' or "the stoned one" ''-'' الرجيم in Arabic).

====Accurate translations====

Below are the three most popular and readily available translations of the verse from Islamic sources.

{{Quote||'''Pickthal:''' And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Shakir:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Yusuf Ali:''' And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}}The below translations from non-Islamic sources are also generally accepted, albeit not frequently cited in Islamic circles.{{Quote||'''Arberry:''' And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and made them things to stone Satans; and We have prepared for them the chastisement of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Palmer:''' And we have adorned the lower heaven with lamps; and set them to pelt the devils with; and we have prepared for them the torment of the blaze!}}

{{Quote||'''George Sale:''' Moreover We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and have appointed them to be darted at the devils, for whom We have prepared the torment of burning fire:}}

{{Quote||'''JM Rodwell:''' Moreover we have decked the lowest heaven with lights, and have placed them there to be hurled at the Satans, for whom we have prepared the torment of the flaming fire.}}

A further twelve translations confirm the above translations.<ref>{{Quote||'''Abdel Haleem:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Ahmed - Samira:''' We have adorned the lowest sky with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, for whom We have prepared a torment of most intense fire.}}{{Quote||'''Qaribullah:''' We have adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and We made them a stoning for the satans, We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze for them.}}{{Quote||'''Faridul Haque:''' And indeed We have beautified the lower heaven with lamps, and have made them weapons against the devils, and have kept prepared for them the punishment of the blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Syed Vickar Ahamed:''' And indeed, We have decorated the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them (like) missiles to drive away the Satans, and have prepared for them the penalty of the blazing Fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Taqi Usmani:''' And We have decorated the nearest sky with lamps, and have made them devices to stone the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of Hell.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Sarwar:''' We have decked the lowest heavens with torches. With these torches We have stoned the devils and We have prepared for them the torment of hell.}}{{Quote||'''Hamid S. Aziz:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for Satan, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali:''' And indeed We have already adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them outcast (meteorites) for Ash-Shayatin (The ever-vicious "ones", i.e., the devils) and We have readied for them the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Ali Quli Qara'i:''' We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Abdul Majid Daryabad:''' And assuredly We have bedecked the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for satans: and for them We have gotten ready the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Sher Ali:''' And verily, WE have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and WE have made them the means of driving away satans, and WE have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}</ref>

====Mistranslations====

The following two translations distort the idea of stars being used to stone jinn by describing the missiles as being made out of/from the stars, but not being the stars themselves.

{{Quote||'''Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):''' And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Ali Ünal:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the lowest heaven (the heaven of the world) with lamps (stars), and made (out of) them missiles to drive away devils; and for them We have prepared (in the Hereafter) the punishment of the Blaze.}}

Another two translations include their modifications without using brackets, which is even more misleading giving the impression that this text is literally part of the Arabic original:

{{Quote||'''Aisha Bewley:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made ''some of them stones'' for the shaytans for whom We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Muntakhab:''' And We decorated the lowermost heaven with lamps (or heavenly bodies), ''some of them adapted'' to be like weapons in pursuit of the evil ones for whom We have prepared torture in the blazes of Hell.}}

In two other translations, the lamps and the projectiles used against the devilish jinn are referred to as separate entities, though this disagrees with the Arabic text in which there is a pronoun used to refer to the "projectiles" whose clear antecedent is the plural word "lamps".

{{Quote||'''Khalifa:''' We adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and guarded its borders with projectiles against the devils; we prepared for them a retribution in Hell.}}

{{Quote||'''Progressive Muslims:''' And We have adorned this universe with lamps, and We made it with projectiles against the devils; and We prepared for them the retribution of the blazing Fire.}}

====Reinterpretations presented as translations ====

The following translations depart entirely from the classical interpretations of the verse and, it would appear, the very wording of the verse itself.

{{Quote||'''Maulana Ali:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Shabbir Ahmed:''' And indeed, We have beautified the sky of the world with shining lamps. And made them objects of futile guesses for the satans. (15:17), (37:6-9), (72:8). And for them We have prepared the doom of blazing flames.}}

Another three translations go a little further, asserting that the "devils/evil ones" refer to evil human cohorts and not to the jinn.

{{Quote||'''Asad:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame –}}

{{Quote||'''Farook Malik:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Amatul Rahman Omar:''' We have, certainly, adorned the lowest heaven with (stars-like) lamps and We have made them as means of conjecture for the evil ones (and the astrologers who invent good or bad omens from the movement of the stars). (Remember) We have prepared for these (soothesayers) the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}

====Incorporation of modern science into translation====

The following translation attempts to incorporate modern scientific understandings of cosmology into its reading of the verse, though makes it a point to use brackets to differentiate words inserted to facilitate this understanding from the original Arabic text itself:

{{Quote||'''Bijan Moeinian:''' God has adorned the lowest universe with the sources of light [probably a reference to the Quasars], being used as missiles against the devils [perhaps the reference is to anti-matter which will be destroyed immediately in contact with the matter] and prepared for them a blazing fire.}}

==Hadith==
=== The sun will rise "in the West" ===

A sign of the last hour that appears in numerous hadiths is often mistranslated as the sun rising "in the West". This mistranslation occurs throughout the English translation of Sahih Bukhari by Muhsin Khan and sometimes in the translation of Sahih Muslim by Abdul Hamid Sadiqqui.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|421}}|Narrated Abu Dhar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come '''and so it will rise in the west'''. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing." (36.38)}}

While the Arabic word al maghrib was commonly used to mean the West in general, in fact a much more specific form occurs in these hadiths. In every hadith narration of this prophecy, the Arabic phrase is always ''min'' ''maghribi-ha'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا), which means that the sun is told to go and rise "from its setting place", without the definite article (''al'' for 'the') and with the possessive suffix.

In one narration in Sahih Muslim (which is accurately translated), there is in addition the phrase ''min maghribi-ki'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِكِ), which means the sun is told to go and rise "from the place of your setting". Earlier in the same narration, the sun is usually commanded to rise ''min matli'iha'' (مِنْ مَطْلِعِهَا) which means "from its rising place". This uses the same word as occurs in the Dhu'l Qarnayn story (''see: [[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One]]''), in {{Quran|18|90}}, ''matli'a ash-shamsi'', "the rising place of the sun", and was not the word used throughout the Quran and hadiths to mean the East in general, which was ''al mashriq'' (ٱلْمَشْرِق).

{{Quote|{{Muslim|1|297}}|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the Sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the Sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out '''from its rising place''' and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything (unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out '''from the place of your setting''', and it will rise '''from the place of its setting'''. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}One can see the inconsistent way these terms have been translated on Quranx (and other sites) by searching for '[https://quranx.com/Search?Q=sun+place+setting&Context=hadith 'sun' 'place' 'setting']' in the hadith, compared to the {{Bukhari|4|54|421}} hadith.

===Aisha's age at consummation===
'Aisha lived with her parents before her marriage to Muhammad was consummated at the age of 9 ({{Muslim|8|3310}}). The following mistranslation is often presented as evidence that she reached puberty while she still lived there.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|465}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings...}}The word أَعْقِلْ means to use thoughts or reasoning, but the translator Muhsin Khan has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is that 'Aisha was never aware of a time when her parents were not Muslim. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion" (لَمْ أَعْقِلْ أَبَوَىَّ إِلاَّ وَهُمَا يَدِينَانِ الدِّينَ).

The same Arabic phrase is translated as follows in another hadith by the same translator:{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|73|102}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) "I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the Religion (of Islam), and our being visited by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the morning and in the evening....}}See also the two other occurrences in {{Bukhari|3|37|494}} and {{Bukhari|5|58|245}}.

The 'puberty' mistranslation also fails to achieve chronological sensibility. 'Aisha's father, Abu Bakr, was one of Muhammad's first followers. It would not have taken until puberty for 'Aisha to notice that her father followed the religion.

=== Hadith in which Aisha menstruated===
A mistranslated hadith has a comment from Abu Dawud supposedly about Aisha menstruating when she was nine. This is Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam).
{{Quote|{{Abudawud||4915|hasan}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.}}

Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated". Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply".

Abu Dawud's comment is ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ), which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed". Form I can mean menstruated, but that is not the form used in the hadith.<ref>nun-fa-sin - [https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/25_n/208_nfs.html Lane's Lexicon]</ref>

===Hit women without leaving a mark ===
Muhammad's 'Farewell Sermon' appears in various hadith collections and al-Tabari's History. A short version is found in ''Sunan Ibn Majah''. The Arabic words here translated 'and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark' are a mistranslation.

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|9|1851}}|Then he said: 'I enjoin good treatment of women, for they are prisoners with you, and you have no right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear indecency. If they do that, then forsake them in their beds '''and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark.'''}}

The highlighted phrase is fadribuhunna darban ghayra mubarrih (فَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ). A literal translation is, 'then beat them, a beating without severity'. The last word is defined in Lane's Lexicon as violence/severity/sharpness/vehemence<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000219.pdf Lane's Lexicon] Book I page 182</ref>'.

The same Arabic phrase appears in the other versions of the farewell sermon. The translators of Sunan Abu Dawud and al-Tabari's History both renders it 'beat them, but not severely'.

{{Quote|1=[http://sunnah.com/abudawud/11/185 Abu Dawud 10:1900]|2=Fear Allaah regarding women for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allaah’s word. It is a duty from you on them not to allow anyone whom you dislike to lie on your beds but if they do '''beat them, but not severely.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|pp. 112-113}}|"Now then, O people, you have a right over your wives and they have a right over you. You have [the right] that they should not cause anyone of whom you dislike to tread on your beds; and that they should not commit any open indecency. If they do, then Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms '''and to beat them, but not severely'''. If they abstain from [evil], they have the right to their food and clothing in accordance with the custom. Treat women well, for they are [like] domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. You have taken them only as a trust from Allah, and you have made the enjoyment of their persons lawful by the word of Allah, so understand and listen to my words, O people.}}

The versions of the farewell sermon found in {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3087}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not painful', and {{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1163}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not harmful', consist of the same Arabic words as quoted above and found in other versions of the farewell sermon.

In his tafsir, al-Tabari quotes Qatada clarifying that the phrase means ''ghayr sha'in'' (that is, 'without being disgraceful/outrageous/obscene/indecent'),<ref>[https://tafsir.app/tabari/4/34 al-Tabari 4:34]</ref> while he records that Ibn Abbas explained it as 'Hitting with a siwaak and the like'. It appears that over time there were efforts to temper the abusive results of the Quranic verse. For further relevant hadiths and information see [[Wife_Beating_in_Islamic_Law#Additional_attempts_at_moderating_severe_beatings|Wife Beating in Islamic Law]].

===Abu Bakr insults a Meccan ambassador===
In a hadith found in Sahih Bukhari a Meccan ambassador at Hudaybiyyah tries to discourage Muhammad from fighting. In response Abu Bakr tells him to suck on al-Lat's clitoris (فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ). Muhammad did not rebuke Abu Bakr for this. The insult has been covered up in the English translation by Muhsin Khan. In this translation the incident is translated as 'Abu Bakr abused him'.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|50|891}}|[...] Then `Urwa said, "O Muhammad! Won't you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone." Hearing that, '''Abu Bakr abused him''' and said, "Do you say we would run and leave the Prophet (ﷺ) alone?" `Urwa said, "Who is that man?" They said, "He is Abu Bakr." `Urwa said to Abu Bakr, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not compensate, I would retort on you." [...]}}

===Muhammad wears Aisha's garment===
In the following hadith, Muhammad says divine inspirations do not come to him in any garment/dress (ثَوْبِ) except that of Aisha. Cross-dressing was condemned by Muhammad as can be seen in {{Abudawud||4098|hasan}}. To cover up the fact that Muhammad was cross-dressing, the word in question has been mistranslated to bed.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|47|755}}|Narrated `Urwa from `Aisha: [...]

She talked to him again when she met him on her day, but he gave no reply. When they asked her, she replied that he had given no reply. They said to her, "Talk to him till he gives you a reply." When it was her turn, she talked to him again. He then said to her, "Do not hurt me regarding Aisha, as '''the Divine Inspirations do not come to me on any of the beds except that of Aisha.'''" [...]}}

===Muhammad says his aorta is being cut from poison===
In the following hadith from Sahih Bukhari Muhammad says he feels his aorta is being cut from the poisoned food he ate at Khaybar. This strongly implies Muhammad died because of poisoning. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan the words 'as if' have been added. As a result, the English translation doesn't imply as strongly as the Arabic text that Muhammad died because of poisoning. Yet, it says Muhammad experienced a lot of pain from the poisoning shortly before his death.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|713}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) in his ailment in which he died, used to say, "O `Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel '''as if''' my aorta is being cut from that poison."}}

=== Muhammad forbids imposing conditions found in the hadith===
In the following hadith Muhammad says people should not impose conditions which are not present in Allah's Book (كِتَابِ اللَّهِ), which is the Quran. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan this has been mistranslated to 'Allah's Laws' to justify imposing conditions which are found in the hadith.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|364}}|Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits." In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, "Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in '''Allah's Book (Laws)'''? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in '''Allah's Laws''', then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah's conditions are more binding and reliable."}}

=== Satan lays eggs in the marketplace of Medina and hatches them===
The following hadith contains two narrations. The second of these has not been translated into English. It says that people should not be first to enter the marketplace, nor the last to leave it, because it is where Satan lays his eggs and hatches them.

{{Quote|[https://quranx.com/hadith/Saliheen/In-Book/Book-19/Hadith-1842/ Riyad As-Salihin 19:1842]|
Salman Al-Farisi (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not, if you can help, be the first to enter the market and the last to leave it because it is an arena of Satan and the standard of Satan is set there."[Muslim].There are other narrations with some variation in the wordings.}}

===If ten Jews followed Muhammad, all Jews would embrace Islam===
In the following hadith Muhammads says that if ten Jews (عَشْرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ) followed him, all Jews would embrace Islam. The hadith has been mistranslated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui so that it says 'ten scholars of the Jews'. In Muhsin Khan's translation 'amongst their chiefs' has been added in brackets.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|39|6711}}|
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

If '''ten scholars of the Jews''' would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth who would not embrace Islam.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|58|277}}|
Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Had only ten Jews '''(amongst their chiefs)''' believe me, all the Jews would definitely have believed me."}}

===Hadith is not translated===
The following hadith from Abu Dawud wasn't translated. Instead, it is said that it is basically the same as the previous one.
However, in the previous hadith Muhammad makes it clear that a slave should be manumitted after being beaten by his owner, while in this hadith it is said that the narrator did not mention manumission. In addition, this hadith explicitly mentions the slave being black, while the previous one does not.

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud|41|5137}}|
The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by al-A’mash in a similar way to same way to the same effect through a different chain of narrators.}}

===Extra part of a verse is recited===
In the following hadith Ibn Abbas recites a verse of the Quran as "‏‏وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ‏‏ '''وَرَهْطَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِين'''" (And warn your tribe of near kindred '''and your chosen group from among them''') The first part corresponds to {{Quran|26|214}}. But the second part (in bold) is not part of the Quran nowadays. This part is not included in the English translation on quranx.com or sunnah.com, but it is part of [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n2869/mode/2up Muhsin Khan's translation].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|495}}|
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

When the Verse:-- 'And warn your tribe of near kindred.' (26.214) was revealed. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out, and when he had ascended As-Safa mountain, he shouted, "O Sabahah!" The people said, [...]}}

===Muhammad's followers will continue to fight for truth===
In the following hadith Muhammad says a group of people from his ummah will continue to fight for truth/righteousness and prevail until the day of judgment. In the translation it says they will fight 'in defence of truth' to make it seem like they will fight in self-defence.
{{Quote|{{Muslim|20|4718}}|
It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to fight '''In defence of truth''' and remain triumphant until the Day of judgment.}}

=== May Allah kill/curse the Jews ===
In the following hadith Muhammad asks Allah to kill (قَاتَلَ) the Jews. However, this has been mistranslated as 'curse'. As a result, the hadith does not conflict with {{Quran|21|107}} which says Muhammad is a mercy to the worlds.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|438}}|Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), in the year of the Conquest of Mecca, saying, "Allah and His Apostle made illegal the trade of alcohol, dead animals, pigs and idols." The people asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What about the fat of dead animals, for it was used for greasing the boats and the hides; and people use it for lights?" He said, "No, it is illegal." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) further said, "May Allah '''curse''' the Jews, for Allah made the fat (of animals) illegal for them, yet they melted the fat and sold it and ate its price."}}

The same mistranslation occurs in {{Bukhari|1|8|428}}, {{Bukhari|3|34|426}}, {{Bukhari|3|34|427}} and {{Bukhari|6|60|157}}.

===Muhammad destroys crosses===
In the following hadith it says that Muhammad destroyed crosses in his house. It is possible that this refers to crosses that Mariyah (his concubine who was a Christian) left in the house. However, in the translation it only says Muhammad destroyed crosses if Aisha (the narrator) left them in the house.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|836}}|Narrated `Aisha:

'''I''' never used to leave in the Prophet (ﷺ) house anything carrying images or crosses but he obliterated it.}}

===Aisha watches Ethiopians who are playing===

In the following hadith Aisha narrates how she used to watch Ethiopians who were playing in the courtyard of the mosque. In Aisha's description about herself the translator added that she had not reached the age of puberty. As a result, this hadith does not conflict with the ruling that adult women should not watch football games. A relevant fatwa can be found [https://islamqa.info/en/answers/146844/is-it-permissible-to-watch-football-soccer-games-on-television here].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|62|163}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) was screening me with his Rida' (garment covering the upper part of the body) while I was looking at the Ethiopians who were playing in the courtyard of the mosque. (I continued watching) till I was satisfied. So you may deduce from this event how a little girl '''(who has not reached the age of puberty)''' who is eager to enjoy amusement should be treated in this respect.}}

===Muhammad hits Aisha===
In the following hadith it says Muhammad struck Aisha on the chest which caused her pain (فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي). On sunnah.com it says Muhammad gave Aisha a nudge on the chest which she felt. While the translations for Sahih Muslim have been provided by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n537/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:974b Sahih Muslim 4:2127]|2= [...] He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. '''He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt''', and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? [...]}}

===Muhammad has been made victorious with terror===
In the following hadith Muhammad says he has been made victorious with terror (نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ). On sunnah.com this has been changed to 'awe'. While the translations for Sahih Bukhari have been provided by Muhsin Khan, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n1629/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2977 Sahih Bukhari 4:52:220]|2= Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with '''awe''' (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them).}}

===Arabia reverts to meadows and rivers===
In the following hadith Muhammad prophesies that Arabia becomes or reverts to (تَعُودَ) meadows and rivers. Sunnah.com uses Abdul Hamid Siddiqui's translation for Sahih Muslim which uses the word 'becomes', yet this translation has been altered such that it says 'reverts to'. The altered translation implies that Muhammad knew Arabia once was not a desert. Both translations can be used, but the translation was altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n561/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:157c Sahih Muslim 5:2208]|2=Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying:

The Last Hour will not come before wealth becomes abundant and overflowing, so much so that a man takes Zakat out of his property and cannot find anyone to accept it from him and till the land of Arabia '''reverts to''' meadows and rivers.}}

==See Also==

*[[Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture (English)]]
*[[Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths]]

==External Links==

*{{external link| url = http://www.faithfreedom.org/the-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran/| title = The Deceptive Translations of the Quran| publisher = | author = | date = | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithfreedom.org%2Fthe-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran%2F&date=2013-11-26| deadurl = no}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
<references />
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Dawah]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Modern movements]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Tafsir]]
[[Category:Modernism]]

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-06-01T14:06:11Z

AdrianE: Added one more Quran verse and three hadith.

{{QualityScore|Lead=2|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=3|References=3}}
{{Quran|15|9}} declares that the [[Qur'an]] is [[Allah|Allah's]] [[revelation]] and that he promises to preserve it and protect it from corruption. In {{Quran|16|103}}, {{Quran|44|58}} and {{Quran|54|22}}, [{{Quran-url-only|54|32}} 32], [{{Quran-url-only|54|40}} 40], it is emphasized that the Qur'an was revealed in straight forward, easy to understand, and pure Arabic. Sunni Islamic scholars agree that all that which is fundamental to Islam (particularly most of Islamic law) which is not contained in the Quran must have been preserved in the form of hadiths. However, translations of these scriptures have not always been rendered faithfully into other languages such as English, particularly in recent times and especially when the audience concerned is that of a developed, first-world variety which likely holds to modern notions of human rights and liberalism.

Some of the most prominent and officially recognized English translators of the Qur'an (like Yusuf Ali, Dr. Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Asad), in particular, have often (seemingly deliberately, given their knowledge and skill) mistranslated the most controversial and problematic verses in Qur'an. That these inaccurate translations are most common with verses that would be considered contrary to modern liberal values in the West suggests that these mistranslations were not unintentional or due to some unique difficulty of the Arabic words used in these verses. Similar mistranslations have been observed in translations of the hadiths as well as in translations of other key Islamic texts, such as legal manuals.

==Quran==

===(4:34) Wife-beating===
{{Main|Wife Beating in the Qur'an}}
{{Quran|4|34}} famously instructs men to beat their wives and forms the basis of the Islamic legal ruling which permits as much. The below translation is taken from Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).}}

This verse states that men are in charge of women with what they spend on them, and have the right to direct them in life. Also in the same verse, women are told to obey men and if they don’t, then men have the authority to admonish them and if they persist in disobedience (or, read more literally, if the husband simply ''fears'' disobedience), then men may proceed to beat them. Yusuf Ali, a prominent translator of the Qur'an, adds the word “lightly” in brackets, after “beating them”, despite the fact that this word or connonation is not found in the source text.

===(23:14) Fetal development===
{{Quran|23|14}} presents a schema regarding the development of the human fetus. The following translations are taken from Pickthall an Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Pickthal:''' Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators! 

'''Yusuf Ali:''' Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!}}

This verse is often used as an example of how translators (in this case Yusuf Ali, who is authorized by the Saudi Islamic authority and Al-Azhar University) have often mistranslated verses in ways that appear less objectionable liberal, Western audiences.

Yusuf Ali, in his translation, replaces the word "then" with "and". He also replaces “the best of creators” (plural) with “the best to create” (singular). The difference in the meaning is crucial because the word “then” suggests another and separate phase, while the word “and” means bones and flesh form simultaneously or during one phase, which conforms to modern science, even though this does not appear in the original Arabic text.

Likewise, the plural form of “creators” seems to affirm the existence of ''multiple'' creators (''of whom'' Allah would be the best), which appears to contradict the key Islamic doctrine of ''tawḥīd'' (توحيد) regarding the oneness of Allah, the ''only'' creator. Similar mistranslations are given by the Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Saad translations. By contrast, the Pickthal translation is more accurate in this case, conforming to the original Arabic text.

Similarly distorted translations are also presented by institutions such as al-Azhar, the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf, and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as is seen on the Al-Azhar web site. The above verse is translated as below:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamic-council.com/qurane/def1.asp Quran 23:14]|2=Then We created the nutfah (sperm-drop) into a clinging organism. Then We created the clinging organism into a bolus-like chewed-up mass of coherent body of matter. Then We created the bolus-like chewed-up mass into bones, and We dressed the bones flesh. Out of this We brought it forth as a different creation. So, blessed be Allâh, The Fairest of creators.}}

===(18:86) Sun sets in a muddy spring===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}
{{Quran|18|86}} describes the story of Dhul-Qarnayn (Alexander the Great) wherein he is said to arrive at a location where he observes the sun setting in a muddy spring.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.}}

Modern Islamic scholars have argued that the verse describes a visual representation of what Dhul-Qarnayn saw as the sun set into the “horizon”. Such explanations are frustrated by authoritative sources, themselves represented by the likes of ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn'' (p. 251), and numerous classical authorities (which explain that the setting of the sun is in a well containing a murky mud). The same interpretation is found in al-Tabari’s commentaries (p. 339) as well as in the ''Concise Interpretation of al-Tabari'' (p. 19 of part 2) in which he remarks that the well in which the sun sets "contains lime and murky mud". The words “apparent” or “looks like” do not appear in classical explanations or commentaries. Indeed, the verse appears to reflect the [[Cosmology of the Quran|cosmological views]] [[Muhammad|Muhammad]] would have been expected to have in seventh century Arabia. Furthermore, since the earth is in fact round, [[Flat Earth and the Quran|not flat]] (as the Qur'an appears to suggest), Dhul-Qarnayn could never have reached some "farthest point", since no such point exists on a globe.

The al-Azhar site confronts this challenge by mistranslating thisverse, specifiying that the "muddy spring" is in fact the Atlantic Ocean, which ''appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn'' as a muddy spring. The Sahih International translation inserts a parenthetical [as if] which does not exist in the original Arabic text and is nowhere implied.

{{Quote|{{quran|18|86}}|Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."}}

===(86:5-7) Semen production===
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production}}
{{Quran-range|86|5|7}} states that sperm originates from an area between the breastbone and the backbone.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|5-7}}|5. Now let man but think from what he is created! 
6. He is created from a drop emitted- 
7. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs}}

The al-Azhar site translates the origination point of sperm as from "between the pelvis and breast bone".

===(22:52) Satanic verses===
{{Main|Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident)}}
{{Quran|22|52}} is said to have been revealed after the incident with respect to the Satanic Verses. This verse absolves Muhammad of responsibility for the Satanic Verses. The verse says that Satan influenced the recitations of all previous prophets. The text literally says "when he recited Satan threw (something) into his recitation." (إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ)

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allāh abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allāh makes precise His verses. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.}}

*إِذَا (''itha'') - when
* تَمَنَّىٰٓ (''tamannaa'') - he recited
*أَلْقَى (''alqaa'') - threw
*ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ (''ashshaytanu'') - Satan
*فِىٓ (''fee'') - in
*أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ (''omniyyatihi'') - his recitation

Some translations try to cover up Satan's influencing of recitations. For example, by suggesting that Satan influenced people's understanding of the verse.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Whenever We sent a messenger or a prophet before you ˹O Prophet˺ and he recited ˹Our revelations˺, Satan would influence ˹people’s understanding of˺ his recitation. But ˹eventually˺ Allah would eliminate Satan’s influence. Then Allah would ˹firmly˺ establish His revelations. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.}}

{{Quote||'''T. Usmani:''' We did not send any messenger before you nor a prophet, but (he faced a situation that) when he recited (the revelation), the Satan cast (doubts in the hearts of his opponents) about what he recited. So, Allah nullifies what the Satan casts, then Allah makes His verses firm, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' We have never sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes what Satan insinuates and then God affirms His message. God is all knowing and wise:}}

{{Quote||'''M. Pickthall:''' Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise;}}

===(3:54) Allah the best of deceivers===
{{Main|Allah, the Best Deceiver (Qur'an 3:54)}}
In {{Quran|3|54}}, {{Quran|7|99}}, {{Quran|8|30}}, {{Quran|10|21}} and {{Quran|13|42}} Allah is called the best of deceivers (خير الماكرين).

{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين

'''Transliteration:''' Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena

'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and God cheated/deceived, and God (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}This has been mistranslated as the best of plotters/planners/schemers in various translations.{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And '''Allāh is the best of planners.'''}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' And they (disbelievers) plotted to kill ‘Îsâ [(Jesus) عليه السلام], and Allâh plotted too. And '''Allâh is the Best of those who plot.'''}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' The [disbelievers] schemed but God also schemed; '''God is the Best of Schemers.'''}}

===(9:29) Fight people until they pay the jizya willingly while they are humbled===
{{Quran|9|29}} tells Muslims to fight the People of the Book until they pay [[Jizyah|jizya]] with their hands (عَن يَدٖ) ('an yadin) while they are humiliated/belittled (صَٰغِرُونَ) (Saghiroon).
Several translators mistranslate 'an yadin as willingly and Saghiroon as humbled.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the tax, '''willingly submitting''', fully '''humbled'''.}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' Fight against those who do not believe in Allāh or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allāh and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth [i.e., Islām] from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah '''willingly''' while they are '''humbled'''.}}

===(10:5) Moon is a (reflective) light===
The Quran calls the moon a light (نُورٗا) in {{Quran|10|5}}. In reality, the moon only reflects sunlight. Some translators have tried to incorporate this in their translation, but it is not mentioned in the Arabic.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' He is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a '''reflected light''', with precisely ordained phases, so that you may know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people of knowledge.}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a '''derived light''' and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allāh has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know.}}

===(4:11) Inheritance===
{{Quran|4|11}} concerns the laws of inheritance. This verse contains a linguistic mistake. It says that if there are more than two daughters (فَإِن كُنَّ نِسَآءٗ فَوۡقَ ٱثۡنَتَيۡنِ), they should get two thirds of the estate. However, the author of the Quran meant to say 'two or more daughters'. In {{Al Tirmidhi||4|27|2092}} Muhammad divides the estate after the verse of inheritance was supposedly revealed. He gives two thirds to the two daughters.
The following translations cover up the mistake.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Allah commands you regarding your children: the share of the male will be twice that of the female. If you leave only '''two ˹or more˺ females''', their share is two-thirds of the estate. [...]}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' Allāh instructs you concerning your children [i.e., their portions of inheritance]: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females. But if there are [only] daughters, '''two or more''', for them is two thirds of one's estate. [...]}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' Concerning your children, God commands you that a son should have the equivalent share of two daughters. If there are only daughters, '''two or more''' should share two-thirds of the inheritance, if one, she should have half. [...]}}

{{Quote||'''Yusuf Ali:''' Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, '''two or more''', their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. [...]}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' Allâh commands you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females; if (there are) only daughters, '''two or more''', their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. [...]}}

=== (67:5) Shooting stars===
{{Main|Shooting Stars in the Quran}}
{{Quran|67|5}} discusses the [[Jinn]] (mythical creatures that are described in Islamic scriptures as living among humans)<ref>Mawdudi, Sayyid Abul Ala, Tafhim ul Quran, Markazi Maktaba Islami, Delhi, 1995, vol. 6, p.110</ref> and stars from the "lowest heaven" which are used as missiles against any mischievous jinn that attempts to eavesdrop on conversations between angels.<ref>"...''The Jinns would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the Angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the Future which they heard from Allah. The Jinns would then inform the fortune-tellers. This is why before the time of the Prophet (saws) many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions. However, upon the Prophet's arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the Angels, and any Jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars)''..." - [http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/world.html The World of Jinn] - Invitation to Islam, Issue 4, January 1998</ref>

{{quote |{{Qtt|67|5}}|وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
 '''Transliteration:''' Walaqad zayyanna alssamaa alddunya bimasabeeha wajaAAalnaha rujooman lilshshayateeni waaAAtadna lahum AAathaba alssaAAeeri '''Literal:''' And certainly We have beautified the heaven (ٱلسَّمَآءَ, ''as-samaa'a'') nearest (ٱلدُّنْيَا, ''ad-dunyaa'') with lamps (بِمَصَٰبِيحَ, ''bi-masaabeeh'') and We have made them (as) missiles (رُجُومًا, ''rujooman'') for the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment(of) the Blaze.<ref>[http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=67&verse=5 Word-by-Word Grammar - Verse (67:5)] - The Quranic Arabic Corpus</ref>}}

*ٱلسَّمَآءَ (''as-samaa'a'') means heaven or sky.<ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1/</ref>
*ٱلدُّنْيَا (''ad-dunya'') is translated "the world" or "the lower". The world" is called "the lower", because according to Islamic cosmology the heavens appear one atop the other and the earth is the lowest in this structure.
**So ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا can be understood as "the lowest heaven", "the heaven right above this flat earth", "the sky above The Lower".
*بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (''bi-masaabeeh'') - this word means "lamps" and is still used as such in modern Arabic (see Google images for مصابيح).
*رُجُومًا (''rujooman'') - it is from the same root as رجم (''rajm''), meaning "[[Stoning in Islamic Law|stoning]]", which is the Islamic punishment for sex outside marriage (Satan, or Iblis, is known as ''al-Rajeem'' or "the stoned one" ''-'' الرجيم in Arabic).

====Accurate translations====

Below are the three most popular and readily available translations of the verse from Islamic sources.

{{Quote||'''Pickthal:''' And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Shakir:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Yusuf Ali:''' And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}}The below translations from non-Islamic sources are also generally accepted, albeit not frequently cited in Islamic circles.{{Quote||'''Arberry:''' And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and made them things to stone Satans; and We have prepared for them the chastisement of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Palmer:''' And we have adorned the lower heaven with lamps; and set them to pelt the devils with; and we have prepared for them the torment of the blaze!}}

{{Quote||'''George Sale:''' Moreover We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and have appointed them to be darted at the devils, for whom We have prepared the torment of burning fire:}}

{{Quote||'''JM Rodwell:''' Moreover we have decked the lowest heaven with lights, and have placed them there to be hurled at the Satans, for whom we have prepared the torment of the flaming fire.}}

A further twelve translations confirm the above translations.<ref>{{Quote||'''Abdel Haleem:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Ahmed - Samira:''' We have adorned the lowest sky with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, for whom We have prepared a torment of most intense fire.}}{{Quote||'''Qaribullah:''' We have adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and We made them a stoning for the satans, We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze for them.}}{{Quote||'''Faridul Haque:''' And indeed We have beautified the lower heaven with lamps, and have made them weapons against the devils, and have kept prepared for them the punishment of the blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Syed Vickar Ahamed:''' And indeed, We have decorated the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them (like) missiles to drive away the Satans, and have prepared for them the penalty of the blazing Fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Taqi Usmani:''' And We have decorated the nearest sky with lamps, and have made them devices to stone the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of Hell.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Sarwar:''' We have decked the lowest heavens with torches. With these torches We have stoned the devils and We have prepared for them the torment of hell.}}{{Quote||'''Hamid S. Aziz:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for Satan, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali:''' And indeed We have already adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them outcast (meteorites) for Ash-Shayatin (The ever-vicious "ones", i.e., the devils) and We have readied for them the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Ali Quli Qara'i:''' We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Abdul Majid Daryabad:''' And assuredly We have bedecked the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for satans: and for them We have gotten ready the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Sher Ali:''' And verily, WE have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and WE have made them the means of driving away satans, and WE have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}</ref>

====Mistranslations====

The following two translations distort the idea of stars being used to stone jinn by describing the missiles as being made out of/from the stars, but not being the stars themselves.

{{Quote||'''Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):''' And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Ali Ünal:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the lowest heaven (the heaven of the world) with lamps (stars), and made (out of) them missiles to drive away devils; and for them We have prepared (in the Hereafter) the punishment of the Blaze.}}

Another two translations include their modifications without using brackets, which is even more misleading giving the impression that this text is literally part of the Arabic original:

{{Quote||'''Aisha Bewley:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made ''some of them stones'' for the shaytans for whom We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Muntakhab:''' And We decorated the lowermost heaven with lamps (or heavenly bodies), ''some of them adapted'' to be like weapons in pursuit of the evil ones for whom We have prepared torture in the blazes of Hell.}}

In two other translations, the lamps and the projectiles used against the devilish jinn are referred to as separate entities, though this disagrees with the Arabic text in which there is a pronoun used to refer to the "projectiles" whose clear antecedent is the plural word "lamps".

{{Quote||'''Khalifa:''' We adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and guarded its borders with projectiles against the devils; we prepared for them a retribution in Hell.}}

{{Quote||'''Progressive Muslims:''' And We have adorned this universe with lamps, and We made it with projectiles against the devils; and We prepared for them the retribution of the blazing Fire.}}

====Reinterpretations presented as translations ====

The following translations depart entirely from the classical interpretations of the verse and, it would appear, the very wording of the verse itself.

{{Quote||'''Maulana Ali:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Shabbir Ahmed:''' And indeed, We have beautified the sky of the world with shining lamps. And made them objects of futile guesses for the satans. (15:17), (37:6-9), (72:8). And for them We have prepared the doom of blazing flames.}}

Another three translations go a little further, asserting that the "devils/evil ones" refer to evil human cohorts and not to the jinn.

{{Quote||'''Asad:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame –}}

{{Quote||'''Farook Malik:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Amatul Rahman Omar:''' We have, certainly, adorned the lowest heaven with (stars-like) lamps and We have made them as means of conjecture for the evil ones (and the astrologers who invent good or bad omens from the movement of the stars). (Remember) We have prepared for these (soothesayers) the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}

====Incorporation of modern science into translation====

The following translation attempts to incorporate modern scientific understandings of cosmology into its reading of the verse, though makes it a point to use brackets to differentiate words inserted to facilitate this understanding from the original Arabic text itself:

{{Quote||'''Bijan Moeinian:''' God has adorned the lowest universe with the sources of light [probably a reference to the Quasars], being used as missiles against the devils [perhaps the reference is to anti-matter which will be destroyed immediately in contact with the matter] and prepared for them a blazing fire.}}

==Hadith==
=== The sun will rise "in the West" ===

A sign of the last hour that appears in numerous hadiths is often mistranslated as the sun rising "in the West". This mistranslation occurs throughout the English translation of Sahih Bukhari by Muhsin Khan and sometimes in the translation of Sahih Muslim by Abdul Hamid Sadiqqui.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|421}}|Narrated Abu Dhar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come '''and so it will rise in the west'''. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing." (36.38)}}

While the Arabic word al maghrib was commonly used to mean the West in general, in fact a much more specific form occurs in these hadiths. In every hadith narration of this prophecy, the Arabic phrase is always ''min'' ''maghribi-ha'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا), which means that the sun is told to go and rise "from its setting place", without the definite article (''al'' for 'the') and with the possessive suffix.

In one narration in Sahih Muslim (which is accurately translated), there is in addition the phrase ''min maghribi-ki'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِكِ), which means the sun is told to go and rise "from the place of your setting". Earlier in the same narration, the sun is usually commanded to rise ''min matli'iha'' (مِنْ مَطْلِعِهَا) which means "from its rising place". This uses the same word as occurs in the Dhu'l Qarnayn story (''see: [[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One]]''), in {{Quran|18|90}}, ''matli'a ash-shamsi'', "the rising place of the sun", and was not the word used throughout the Quran and hadiths to mean the East in general, which was ''al mashriq'' (ٱلْمَشْرِق).

{{Quote|{{Muslim|1|297}}|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the Sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the Sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out '''from its rising place''' and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything (unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out '''from the place of your setting''', and it will rise '''from the place of its setting'''. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}One can see the inconsistent way these terms have been translated on Quranx (and other sites) by searching for '[https://quranx.com/Search?Q=sun+place+setting&Context=hadith 'sun' 'place' 'setting']' in the hadith, compared to the {{Bukhari|4|54|421}} hadith.

===Aisha's age at consummation===
'Aisha lived with her parents before her marriage to Muhammad was consummated at the age of 9 ({{Muslim|8|3310}}). The following mistranslation is often presented as evidence that she reached puberty while she still lived there.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|465}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings...}}The word أَعْقِلْ means to use thoughts or reasoning, but the translator Muhsin Khan has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is that 'Aisha was never aware of a time when her parents were not Muslim. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion" (لَمْ أَعْقِلْ أَبَوَىَّ إِلاَّ وَهُمَا يَدِينَانِ الدِّينَ).

The same Arabic phrase is translated as follows in another hadith by the same translator:{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|73|102}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) "I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the Religion (of Islam), and our being visited by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the morning and in the evening....}}See also the two other occurrences in {{Bukhari|3|37|494}} and {{Bukhari|5|58|245}}.

The 'puberty' mistranslation also fails to achieve chronological sensibility. 'Aisha's father, Abu Bakr, was one of Muhammad's first followers. It would not have taken until puberty for 'Aisha to notice that her father followed the religion.

=== Hadith in which Aisha menstruated===
A mistranslated hadith has a comment from Abu Dawud supposedly about Aisha menstruating when she was nine. This is Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam).
{{Quote|{{Abudawud||4915|hasan}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.}}

Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated". Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply".

Abu Dawud's comment is ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ), which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed". Form I can mean menstruated, but that is not the form used in the hadith.<ref>nun-fa-sin - [https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/25_n/208_nfs.html Lane's Lexicon]</ref>

===Hit women without leaving a mark ===
Muhammad's 'Farewell Sermon' appears in various hadith collections and al-Tabari's History. A short version is found in ''Sunan Ibn Majah''. The Arabic words here translated 'and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark' are a mistranslation.

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|9|1851}}|Then he said: 'I enjoin good treatment of women, for they are prisoners with you, and you have no right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear indecency. If they do that, then forsake them in their beds '''and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark.'''}}

The highlighted phrase is fadribuhunna darban ghayra mubarrih (فَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ). A literal translation is, 'then beat them, a beating without severity'. The last word is defined in Lane's Lexicon as violence/severity/sharpness/vehemence<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000219.pdf Lane's Lexicon] Book I page 182</ref>'.

The same Arabic phrase appears in the other versions of the farewell sermon. The translators of Sunan Abu Dawud and al-Tabari's History both renders it 'beat them, but not severely'.

{{Quote|1=[http://sunnah.com/abudawud/11/185 Abu Dawud 10:1900]|2=Fear Allaah regarding women for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allaah’s word. It is a duty from you on them not to allow anyone whom you dislike to lie on your beds but if they do '''beat them, but not severely.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|pp. 112-113}}|"Now then, O people, you have a right over your wives and they have a right over you. You have [the right] that they should not cause anyone of whom you dislike to tread on your beds; and that they should not commit any open indecency. If they do, then Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms '''and to beat them, but not severely'''. If they abstain from [evil], they have the right to their food and clothing in accordance with the custom. Treat women well, for they are [like] domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. You have taken them only as a trust from Allah, and you have made the enjoyment of their persons lawful by the word of Allah, so understand and listen to my words, O people.}}

The versions of the farewell sermon found in {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3087}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not painful', and {{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1163}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not harmful', consist of the same Arabic words as quoted above and found in other versions of the farewell sermon.

In his tafsir, al-Tabari quotes Qatada clarifying that the phrase means ''ghayr sha'in'' (that is, 'without being disgraceful/outrageous/obscene/indecent'),<ref>[https://tafsir.app/tabari/4/34 al-Tabari 4:34]</ref> while he records that Ibn Abbas explained it as 'Hitting with a siwaak and the like'. It appears that over time there were efforts to temper the abusive results of the Quranic verse. For further relevant hadiths and information see [[Wife_Beating_in_Islamic_Law#Additional_attempts_at_moderating_severe_beatings|Wife Beating in Islamic Law]].

===Abu Bakr insults a Meccan ambassador===
In a hadith found in Sahih Bukhari a Meccan ambassador at Hudaybiyyah tries to discourage Muhammad from fighting. In response Abu Bakr tells him to suck on al-Lat's clitoris (فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ). Muhammad did not rebuke Abu Bakr for this. The insult has been covered up in the English translation by Muhsin Khan. In this translation the incident is translated as 'Abu Bakr abused him'.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|50|891}}|[...] Then `Urwa said, "O Muhammad! Won't you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone." Hearing that, '''Abu Bakr abused him''' and said, "Do you say we would run and leave the Prophet (ﷺ) alone?" `Urwa said, "Who is that man?" They said, "He is Abu Bakr." `Urwa said to Abu Bakr, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not compensate, I would retort on you." [...]}}

===Muhammad says his aorta is being cut from poison===
In the following hadith from Sahih Bukhari Muhammad says he feels his aorta is being cut from the poisoned food he ate at Khaybar. This strongly implies Muhammad died because of poisoning. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan the words 'as if' have been added. As a result, the English translation doesn't imply as strongly as the Arabic text that Muhammad died because of poisoning. Yet, it says Muhammad experienced a lot of pain from the poisoning shortly before his death.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|713}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) in his ailment in which he died, used to say, "O `Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel '''as if''' my aorta is being cut from that poison."}}

===Muhammad forbids imposing conditions found in the hadith===
In the following hadith Muhammad says people should not impose conditions which are not present in Allah's Book (كِتَابِ اللَّهِ), which is the Quran. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan this has been mistranslated to 'Allah's Laws' to justify imposing conditions which are found in the hadith.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|364}}|Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits." In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, "Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in '''Allah's Book (Laws)'''? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in '''Allah's Laws''', then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah's conditions are more binding and reliable."}}

=== Satan lays eggs in the marketplace of Medina and hatches them===
The following hadith contains two narrations. The second of these has not been translated into English. It says that people should not be first to enter the marketplace, nor the last to leave it, because it is where Satan lays his eggs and hatches them.

{{Quote|[https://quranx.com/hadith/Saliheen/In-Book/Book-19/Hadith-1842/ Riyad As-Salihin 19:1842]|
Salman Al-Farisi (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not, if you can help, be the first to enter the market and the last to leave it because it is an arena of Satan and the standard of Satan is set there."[Muslim].There are other narrations with some variation in the wordings.}}

===If ten Jews followed Muhammad, all Jews would embrace Islam===
In the following hadith Muhammads says that if ten Jews (عَشْرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ) followed him, all Jews would embrace Islam. The hadith has been mistranslated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui so that it says 'ten scholars of the Jews'. In Muhsin Khan's translation 'amongst their chiefs' has been added in brackets.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|39|6711}}|
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

If '''ten scholars of the Jews''' would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth who would not embrace Islam.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|58|277}}|
Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Had only ten Jews '''(amongst their chiefs)''' believe me, all the Jews would definitely have believed me."}}

===Hadith is not translated===
The following hadith from Abu Dawud wasn't translated. Instead, it is said that it is basically the same as the previous one.
However, in the previous hadith Muhammad makes it clear that a slave should be manumitted after being beaten by his owner, while in this hadith it is said that the narrator did not mention manumission. In addition, this hadith explicitly mentions the slave being black, while the previous one does not.

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud|41|5137}}|
The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by al-A’mash in a similar way to same way to the same effect through a different chain of narrators.}}

=== Extra part of a verse is recited===
In the following hadith Ibn Abbas recites a verse of the Quran as "‏‏وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ‏‏ '''وَرَهْطَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِين'''" (And warn your tribe of near kindred '''and your chosen group from among them''') The first part corresponds to {{Quran|26|214}}. But the second part (in bold) is not part of the Quran nowadays. This part is not included in the English translation on quranx.com or sunnah.com, but it is part of [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n2869/mode/2up Muhsin Khan's translation].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|495}}|
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

When the Verse:-- 'And warn your tribe of near kindred.' (26.214) was revealed. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out, and when he had ascended As-Safa mountain, he shouted, "O Sabahah!" The people said, [...]}}

=== Muhammad's followers will continue to fight for truth===
In the following hadith Muhammad says a group of people from his ummah will continue to fight for truth/righteousness and prevail until the day of judgment. In the translation it says they will fight 'in defence of truth' to make it seem like they will fight in self-defence.
{{Quote|{{Muslim|20|4718}}|
It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to fight '''In defence of truth''' and remain triumphant until the Day of judgment.}}

===May Allah kill/curse the Jews===
In the following hadith Muhammad asks Allah to kill (قَاتَلَ) the Jews. However, this has been mistranslated as 'curse'. As a result, the hadith does not conflict with {{Quran|21|107}} which says Muhammad is a mercy to the worlds.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|438}}|Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), in the year of the Conquest of Mecca, saying, "Allah and His Apostle made illegal the trade of alcohol, dead animals, pigs and idols." The people asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What about the fat of dead animals, for it was used for greasing the boats and the hides; and people use it for lights?" He said, "No, it is illegal." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) further said, "May Allah '''curse''' the Jews, for Allah made the fat (of animals) illegal for them, yet they melted the fat and sold it and ate its price."}}

The same mistranslation occurs in {{Bukhari|1|8|428}}, {{Bukhari|3|34|426}}, {{Bukhari|3|34|427}} and {{Bukhari|6|60|157}}.

===Muhammad destroys crosses===
In the following hadith it says that Muhammad destroyed crosses in his house. It is possible that this refers to crosses that Mariyah (his concubine who was a Christian) left in the house. However, in the translation it only says Muhammad destroyed crosses if Aisha (the narrator) left them in the house.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|836}}|Narrated `Aisha:

'''I''' never used to leave in the Prophet (ﷺ) house anything carrying images or crosses but he obliterated it.}}

===Aisha watches Ethiopians who are playing===

In the following hadith Aisha narrates how she used to watch Ethiopians who were playing in the courtyard of the mosque. In Aisha's description about herself the translator added that she had not reached the age of puberty. As a result, this hadith does not conflict with the ruling that adult women should not watch football games. A relevant fatwa can be found [https://islamqa.info/en/answers/146844/is-it-permissible-to-watch-football-soccer-games-on-television here].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|62|163}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) was screening me with his Rida' (garment covering the upper part of the body) while I was looking at the Ethiopians who were playing in the courtyard of the mosque. (I continued watching) till I was satisfied. So you may deduce from this event how a little girl '''(who has not reached the age of puberty)''' who is eager to enjoy amusement should be treated in this respect.}}

===Muhammad hits Aisha===
In the following hadith it says Muhammad struck Aisha on the chest which caused her pain (فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي). On sunnah.com it says Muhammad gave Aisha a nudge on the chest which she felt. While the translations for Sahih Muslim have been provided by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n537/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:974b Sahih Muslim 4:2127]|2= [...] He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. '''He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt''', and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? [...]}}

===Muhammad has been made victorious with terror===
In the following hadith Muhammad says he has been made victorious with terror (نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ). On sunnah.com this has been changed to 'awe'. While the translations for Sahih Bukhari have been provided by Muhsin Khan, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n1629/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2977 Sahih Bukhari 4:52:220]|2= Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with '''awe''' (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them).}}

===Arabia reverts to meadows and rivers===
In the following hadith Muhammad prophesies that Arabia becomes or reverts to (تَعُودَ) meadows and rivers. Sunnah.com uses Abdul Hamid Siddiqui's translation for Sahih Muslim which uses the word 'becomes', yet this translation has been altered such that it says 'reverts to'. The altered translation implies that Muhammad knew Arabia once was not a desert. Both translations can be used, but the translation was altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n561/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:157c Sahih Muslim 5:2208]|2=Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying:

The Last Hour will not come before wealth becomes abundant and overflowing, so much so that a man takes Zakat out of his property and cannot find anyone to accept it from him and till the land of Arabia '''reverts to''' meadows and rivers.}}

==See Also==

*[[Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture (English)]]
*[[Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths]]

==External Links==

*{{external link| url = http://www.faithfreedom.org/the-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran/| title = The Deceptive Translations of the Quran| publisher = | author = | date = | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithfreedom.org%2Fthe-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran%2F&date=2013-11-26| deadurl = no}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
<references />
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Dawah]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Modern movements]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Tafsir]]
[[Category:Modernism]]

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-06-01T09:56:40Z

AdrianE: Added 9:29.

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{{Quran|15|9}} declares that the [[Qur'an]] is [[Allah|Allah's]] [[revelation]] and that he promises to preserve it and protect it from corruption. In {{Quran|16|103}}, {{Quran|44|58}} and {{Quran|54|22}}, [{{Quran-url-only|54|32}} 32], [{{Quran-url-only|54|40}} 40], it is emphasized that the Qur'an was revealed in straight forward, easy to understand, and pure Arabic. Sunni Islamic scholars agree that all that which is fundamental to Islam (particularly most of Islamic law) which is not contained in the Quran must have been preserved in the form of hadiths. However, translations of these scriptures have not always been rendered faithfully into other languages such as English, particularly in recent times and especially when the audience concerned is that of a developed, first-world variety which likely holds to modern notions of human rights and liberalism.

Some of the most prominent and officially recognized English translators of the Qur'an (like Yusuf Ali, Dr. Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Asad), in particular, have often (seemingly deliberately, given their knowledge and skill) mistranslated the most controversial and problematic verses in Qur'an. That these inaccurate translations are most common with verses that would be considered contrary to modern liberal values in the West suggests that these mistranslations were not unintentional or due to some unique difficulty of the Arabic words used in these verses. Similar mistranslations have been observed in translations of the hadiths as well as in translations of other key Islamic texts, such as legal manuals.

==Quran==

===(4:34) Wife-beating===
{{Main|Wife Beating in the Qur'an}}
{{Quran|4|34}} famously instructs men to beat their wives and forms the basis of the Islamic legal ruling which permits as much. The below translation is taken from Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).}}

This verse states that men are in charge of women with what they spend on them, and have the right to direct them in life. Also in the same verse, women are told to obey men and if they don’t, then men have the authority to admonish them and if they persist in disobedience (or, read more literally, if the husband simply ''fears'' disobedience), then men may proceed to beat them. Yusuf Ali, a prominent translator of the Qur'an, adds the word “lightly” in brackets, after “beating them”, despite the fact that this word or connonation is not found in the source text.

===(23:14) Fetal development===
{{Quran|23|14}} presents a schema regarding the development of the human fetus. The following translations are taken from Pickthall an Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Pickthal:''' Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators! 

'''Yusuf Ali:''' Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!}}

This verse is often used as an example of how translators (in this case Yusuf Ali, who is authorized by the Saudi Islamic authority and Al-Azhar University) have often mistranslated verses in ways that appear less objectionable liberal, Western audiences.

Yusuf Ali, in his translation, replaces the word "then" with "and". He also replaces “the best of creators” (plural) with “the best to create” (singular). The difference in the meaning is crucial because the word “then” suggests another and separate phase, while the word “and” means bones and flesh form simultaneously or during one phase, which conforms to modern science, even though this does not appear in the original Arabic text.

Likewise, the plural form of “creators” seems to affirm the existence of ''multiple'' creators (''of whom'' Allah would be the best), which appears to contradict the key Islamic doctrine of ''tawḥīd'' (توحيد) regarding the oneness of Allah, the ''only'' creator. Similar mistranslations are given by the Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Saad translations. By contrast, the Pickthal translation is more accurate in this case, conforming to the original Arabic text.

Similarly distorted translations are also presented by institutions such as al-Azhar, the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf, and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as is seen on the Al-Azhar web site. The above verse is translated as below:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamic-council.com/qurane/def1.asp Quran 23:14]|2=Then We created the nutfah (sperm-drop) into a clinging organism. Then We created the clinging organism into a bolus-like chewed-up mass of coherent body of matter. Then We created the bolus-like chewed-up mass into bones, and We dressed the bones flesh. Out of this We brought it forth as a different creation. So, blessed be Allâh, The Fairest of creators.}}

===(18:86) Sun sets in a muddy spring===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}
{{Quran|18|86}} describes the story of Dhul-Qarnayn (Alexander the Great) wherein he is said to arrive at a location where he observes the sun setting in a muddy spring.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.}}

Modern Islamic scholars have argued that the verse describes a visual representation of what Dhul-Qarnayn saw as the sun set into the “horizon”. Such explanations are frustrated by authoritative sources, themselves represented by the likes of ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn'' (p. 251), and numerous classical authorities (which explain that the setting of the sun is in a well containing a murky mud). The same interpretation is found in al-Tabari’s commentaries (p. 339) as well as in the ''Concise Interpretation of al-Tabari'' (p. 19 of part 2) in which he remarks that the well in which the sun sets "contains lime and murky mud". The words “apparent” or “looks like” do not appear in classical explanations or commentaries. Indeed, the verse appears to reflect the [[Cosmology of the Quran|cosmological views]] [[Muhammad|Muhammad]] would have been expected to have in seventh century Arabia. Furthermore, since the earth is in fact round, [[Flat Earth and the Quran|not flat]] (as the Qur'an appears to suggest), Dhul-Qarnayn could never have reached some "farthest point", since no such point exists on a globe.

The al-Azhar site confronts this challenge by mistranslating thisverse, specifiying that the "muddy spring" is in fact the Atlantic Ocean, which ''appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn'' as a muddy spring. The Sahih International translation inserts a parenthetical [as if] which does not exist in the original Arabic text and is nowhere implied.

{{Quote|{{quran|18|86}}|Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."}}

===(86:5-7) Semen production===
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production}}
{{Quran-range|86|5|7}} states that sperm originates from an area between the breastbone and the backbone.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|5-7}}|5. Now let man but think from what he is created! 
6. He is created from a drop emitted- 
7. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs}}

The al-Azhar site translates the origination point of sperm as from "between the pelvis and breast bone".

===(22:52) Satanic verses===
{{Main|Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident)}}
{{Quran|22|52}} is said to have been revealed after the incident with respect to the Satanic Verses. This verse absolves Muhammad of responsibility for the Satanic Verses. The verse says that Satan influenced the recitations of all previous prophets. The text literally says "when he recited Satan threw (something) into his recitation." (إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ)

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allāh abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allāh makes precise His verses. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.}}

*إِذَا (''itha'') - when
* تَمَنَّىٰٓ (''tamannaa'') - he recited
*أَلْقَى (''alqaa'') - threw
*ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ (''ashshaytanu'') - Satan
*فِىٓ (''fee'') - in
*أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ (''omniyyatihi'') - his recitation

Some translations try to cover up Satan's influencing of recitations. For example, by suggesting that Satan influenced people's understanding of the verse.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Whenever We sent a messenger or a prophet before you ˹O Prophet˺ and he recited ˹Our revelations˺, Satan would influence ˹people’s understanding of˺ his recitation. But ˹eventually˺ Allah would eliminate Satan’s influence. Then Allah would ˹firmly˺ establish His revelations. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.}}

{{Quote||'''T. Usmani:''' We did not send any messenger before you nor a prophet, but (he faced a situation that) when he recited (the revelation), the Satan cast (doubts in the hearts of his opponents) about what he recited. So, Allah nullifies what the Satan casts, then Allah makes His verses firm, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' We have never sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes what Satan insinuates and then God affirms His message. God is all knowing and wise:}}

{{Quote||'''M. Pickthall:''' Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise;}}

===(3:54) Allah the best of deceivers===
{{Main|Allah, the Best Deceiver (Qur'an 3:54)}}
In {{Quran|3|54}}, {{Quran|7|99}}, {{Quran|8|30}}, {{Quran|10|21}} and {{Quran|13|42}} Allah is called the best of deceivers (خير الماكرين).

{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين

'''Transliteration:''' Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena

'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and God cheated/deceived, and God (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}This has been mistranslated as the best of plotters/planners/schemers in various translations.{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And '''Allāh is the best of planners.'''}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' And they (disbelievers) plotted to kill ‘Îsâ [(Jesus) عليه السلام], and Allâh plotted too. And '''Allâh is the Best of those who plot.'''}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' The [disbelievers] schemed but God also schemed; '''God is the Best of Schemers.'''}}

===(9:29) Fight people until they pay the jizya willingly while they are humbled===
{{Quran|9|29}} tells Muslims to fight the People of the Book until they pay [[Jizyah|jizya]] with their hands (عَن يَدٖ) ('an yadin) while they are humiliated/belittled (صَٰغِرُونَ) (Saghiroon).
Several translators mistranslate 'an yadin as willingly and Saghiroon as humbled.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the tax, '''willingly submitting''', fully '''humbled'''.}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' Fight against those who do not believe in Allāh or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allāh and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth [i.e., Islām] from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah '''willingly''' while they are '''humbled'''.}}

===(10:5) Moon is a (reflective) light===
The Quran calls the moon a light (نُورٗا) in {{Quran|10|5}}. In reality, the moon only reflects sunlight. Some translators have tried to incorporate this in their translation, but it is not mentioned in the Arabic.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' He is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a '''reflected light''', with precisely ordained phases, so that you may know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people of knowledge.}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a '''derived light''' and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allāh has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know.}}

===(67:5) Shooting stars===
{{Main|Shooting Stars in the Quran}}
{{Quran|67|5}} discusses the [[Jinn]] (mythical creatures that are described in Islamic scriptures as living among humans)<ref>Mawdudi, Sayyid Abul Ala, Tafhim ul Quran, Markazi Maktaba Islami, Delhi, 1995, vol. 6, p.110</ref> and stars from the "lowest heaven" which are used as missiles against any mischievous jinn that attempts to eavesdrop on conversations between angels.<ref>"...''The Jinns would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the Angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the Future which they heard from Allah. The Jinns would then inform the fortune-tellers. This is why before the time of the Prophet (saws) many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions. However, upon the Prophet's arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the Angels, and any Jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars)''..." - [http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/world.html The World of Jinn] - Invitation to Islam, Issue 4, January 1998</ref>

{{quote |{{Qtt|67|5}}|وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
 '''Transliteration:''' Walaqad zayyanna alssamaa alddunya bimasabeeha wajaAAalnaha rujooman lilshshayateeni waaAAtadna lahum AAathaba alssaAAeeri '''Literal:''' And certainly We have beautified the heaven (ٱلسَّمَآءَ, ''as-samaa'a'') nearest (ٱلدُّنْيَا, ''ad-dunyaa'') with lamps (بِمَصَٰبِيحَ, ''bi-masaabeeh'') and We have made them (as) missiles (رُجُومًا, ''rujooman'') for the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment(of) the Blaze.<ref>[http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=67&verse=5 Word-by-Word Grammar - Verse (67:5)] - The Quranic Arabic Corpus</ref>}}

*ٱلسَّمَآءَ (''as-samaa'a'') means heaven or sky.<ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1/</ref>
* ٱلدُّنْيَا (''ad-dunya'') is translated "the world" or "the lower". The world" is called "the lower", because according to Islamic cosmology the heavens appear one atop the other and the earth is the lowest in this structure.
**So ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا can be understood as "the lowest heaven", "the heaven right above this flat earth", "the sky above The Lower".
* بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (''bi-masaabeeh'') - this word means "lamps" and is still used as such in modern Arabic (see Google images for مصابيح).
*رُجُومًا (''rujooman'') - it is from the same root as رجم (''rajm''), meaning "[[Stoning in Islamic Law|stoning]]", which is the Islamic punishment for sex outside marriage (Satan, or Iblis, is known as ''al-Rajeem'' or "the stoned one" ''-'' الرجيم in Arabic).

====Accurate translations====

Below are the three most popular and readily available translations of the verse from Islamic sources.

{{Quote||'''Pickthal:''' And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Shakir:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Yusuf Ali:''' And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}}The below translations from non-Islamic sources are also generally accepted, albeit not frequently cited in Islamic circles.{{Quote||'''Arberry:''' And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and made them things to stone Satans; and We have prepared for them the chastisement of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Palmer:''' And we have adorned the lower heaven with lamps; and set them to pelt the devils with; and we have prepared for them the torment of the blaze!}}

{{Quote||'''George Sale:''' Moreover We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and have appointed them to be darted at the devils, for whom We have prepared the torment of burning fire:}}

{{Quote||'''JM Rodwell:''' Moreover we have decked the lowest heaven with lights, and have placed them there to be hurled at the Satans, for whom we have prepared the torment of the flaming fire.}}

A further twelve translations confirm the above translations.<ref>{{Quote||'''Abdel Haleem:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Ahmed - Samira:''' We have adorned the lowest sky with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, for whom We have prepared a torment of most intense fire.}}{{Quote||'''Qaribullah:''' We have adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and We made them a stoning for the satans, We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze for them.}}{{Quote||'''Faridul Haque:''' And indeed We have beautified the lower heaven with lamps, and have made them weapons against the devils, and have kept prepared for them the punishment of the blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Syed Vickar Ahamed:''' And indeed, We have decorated the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them (like) missiles to drive away the Satans, and have prepared for them the penalty of the blazing Fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Taqi Usmani:''' And We have decorated the nearest sky with lamps, and have made them devices to stone the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of Hell.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Sarwar:''' We have decked the lowest heavens with torches. With these torches We have stoned the devils and We have prepared for them the torment of hell.}}{{Quote||'''Hamid S. Aziz:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for Satan, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali:''' And indeed We have already adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them outcast (meteorites) for Ash-Shayatin (The ever-vicious "ones", i.e., the devils) and We have readied for them the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Ali Quli Qara'i:''' We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Abdul Majid Daryabad:''' And assuredly We have bedecked the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for satans: and for them We have gotten ready the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Sher Ali:''' And verily, WE have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and WE have made them the means of driving away satans, and WE have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}</ref>

==== Mistranslations====

The following two translations distort the idea of stars being used to stone jinn by describing the missiles as being made out of/from the stars, but not being the stars themselves.

{{Quote||'''Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):''' And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Ali Ünal:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the lowest heaven (the heaven of the world) with lamps (stars), and made (out of) them missiles to drive away devils; and for them We have prepared (in the Hereafter) the punishment of the Blaze.}}

Another two translations include their modifications without using brackets, which is even more misleading giving the impression that this text is literally part of the Arabic original:

{{Quote||'''Aisha Bewley:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made ''some of them stones'' for the shaytans for whom We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Muntakhab:''' And We decorated the lowermost heaven with lamps (or heavenly bodies), ''some of them adapted'' to be like weapons in pursuit of the evil ones for whom We have prepared torture in the blazes of Hell.}}

In two other translations, the lamps and the projectiles used against the devilish jinn are referred to as separate entities, though this disagrees with the Arabic text in which there is a pronoun used to refer to the "projectiles" whose clear antecedent is the plural word "lamps".

{{Quote||'''Khalifa:''' We adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and guarded its borders with projectiles against the devils; we prepared for them a retribution in Hell.}}

{{Quote||'''Progressive Muslims:''' And We have adorned this universe with lamps, and We made it with projectiles against the devils; and We prepared for them the retribution of the blazing Fire.}}

====Reinterpretations presented as translations====

The following translations depart entirely from the classical interpretations of the verse and, it would appear, the very wording of the verse itself.

{{Quote||'''Maulana Ali:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Shabbir Ahmed:''' And indeed, We have beautified the sky of the world with shining lamps. And made them objects of futile guesses for the satans. (15:17), (37:6-9), (72:8). And for them We have prepared the doom of blazing flames.}}

Another three translations go a little further, asserting that the "devils/evil ones" refer to evil human cohorts and not to the jinn.

{{Quote||'''Asad:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame –}}

{{Quote||'''Farook Malik:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Amatul Rahman Omar:''' We have, certainly, adorned the lowest heaven with (stars-like) lamps and We have made them as means of conjecture for the evil ones (and the astrologers who invent good or bad omens from the movement of the stars). (Remember) We have prepared for these (soothesayers) the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}

====Incorporation of modern science into translation====

The following translation attempts to incorporate modern scientific understandings of cosmology into its reading of the verse, though makes it a point to use brackets to differentiate words inserted to facilitate this understanding from the original Arabic text itself:

{{Quote||'''Bijan Moeinian:''' God has adorned the lowest universe with the sources of light [probably a reference to the Quasars], being used as missiles against the devils [perhaps the reference is to anti-matter which will be destroyed immediately in contact with the matter] and prepared for them a blazing fire.}}

==Hadith==
===The sun will rise "in the West"===

A sign of the last hour that appears in numerous hadiths is often mistranslated as the sun rising "in the West". This mistranslation occurs throughout the English translation of Sahih Bukhari by Muhsin Khan and sometimes in the translation of Sahih Muslim by Abdul Hamid Sadiqqui.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|421}}|Narrated Abu Dhar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come '''and so it will rise in the west'''. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing." (36.38)}}

While the Arabic word al maghrib was commonly used to mean the West in general, in fact a much more specific form occurs in these hadiths. In every hadith narration of this prophecy, the Arabic phrase is always ''min'' ''maghribi-ha'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا), which means that the sun is told to go and rise "from its setting place", without the definite article (''al'' for 'the') and with the possessive suffix.

In one narration in Sahih Muslim (which is accurately translated), there is in addition the phrase ''min maghribi-ki'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِكِ), which means the sun is told to go and rise "from the place of your setting". Earlier in the same narration, the sun is usually commanded to rise ''min matli'iha'' (مِنْ مَطْلِعِهَا) which means "from its rising place". This uses the same word as occurs in the Dhu'l Qarnayn story (''see: [[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One]]''), in {{Quran|18|90}}, ''matli'a ash-shamsi'', "the rising place of the sun", and was not the word used throughout the Quran and hadiths to mean the East in general, which was ''al mashriq'' (ٱلْمَشْرِق).

{{Quote|{{Muslim|1|297}}|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the Sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the Sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out '''from its rising place''' and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything (unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out '''from the place of your setting''', and it will rise '''from the place of its setting'''. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}One can see the inconsistent way these terms have been translated on Quranx (and other sites) by searching for '[https://quranx.com/Search?Q=sun+place+setting&Context=hadith 'sun' 'place' 'setting']' in the hadith, compared to the {{Bukhari|4|54|421}} hadith.

===Aisha's age at consummation===
'Aisha lived with her parents before her marriage to Muhammad was consummated at the age of 9 ({{Muslim|8|3310}}). The following mistranslation is often presented as evidence that she reached puberty while she still lived there.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|465}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings...}}The word أَعْقِلْ means to use thoughts or reasoning, but the translator Muhsin Khan has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is that 'Aisha was never aware of a time when her parents were not Muslim. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion" (لَمْ أَعْقِلْ أَبَوَىَّ إِلاَّ وَهُمَا يَدِينَانِ الدِّينَ).

The same Arabic phrase is translated as follows in another hadith by the same translator:{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|73|102}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) "I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the Religion (of Islam), and our being visited by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the morning and in the evening....}}See also the two other occurrences in {{Bukhari|3|37|494}} and {{Bukhari|5|58|245}}.

The 'puberty' mistranslation also fails to achieve chronological sensibility. 'Aisha's father, Abu Bakr, was one of Muhammad's first followers. It would not have taken until puberty for 'Aisha to notice that her father followed the religion.

===Hadith in which Aisha menstruated===
A mistranslated hadith has a comment from Abu Dawud supposedly about Aisha menstruating when she was nine. This is Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam).
{{Quote|{{Abudawud||4915|hasan}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.}}

Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated". Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply".

Abu Dawud's comment is ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ), which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed". Form I can mean menstruated, but that is not the form used in the hadith.<ref>nun-fa-sin - [https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/25_n/208_nfs.html Lane's Lexicon]</ref>

=== Hit women without leaving a mark===
Muhammad's 'Farewell Sermon' appears in various hadith collections and al-Tabari's History. A short version is found in ''Sunan Ibn Majah''. The Arabic words here translated 'and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark' are a mistranslation.

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|9|1851}}|Then he said: 'I enjoin good treatment of women, for they are prisoners with you, and you have no right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear indecency. If they do that, then forsake them in their beds '''and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark.'''}}

The highlighted phrase is fadribuhunna darban ghayra mubarrih (فَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ). A literal translation is, 'then beat them, a beating without severity'. The last word is defined in Lane's Lexicon as violence/severity/sharpness/vehemence<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000219.pdf Lane's Lexicon] Book I page 182</ref>'.

The same Arabic phrase appears in the other versions of the farewell sermon. The translators of Sunan Abu Dawud and al-Tabari's History both renders it 'beat them, but not severely'.

{{Quote|1=[http://sunnah.com/abudawud/11/185 Abu Dawud 10:1900]|2=Fear Allaah regarding women for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allaah’s word. It is a duty from you on them not to allow anyone whom you dislike to lie on your beds but if they do '''beat them, but not severely.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|pp. 112-113}}|"Now then, O people, you have a right over your wives and they have a right over you. You have [the right] that they should not cause anyone of whom you dislike to tread on your beds; and that they should not commit any open indecency. If they do, then Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms '''and to beat them, but not severely'''. If they abstain from [evil], they have the right to their food and clothing in accordance with the custom. Treat women well, for they are [like] domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. You have taken them only as a trust from Allah, and you have made the enjoyment of their persons lawful by the word of Allah, so understand and listen to my words, O people.}}

The versions of the farewell sermon found in {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3087}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not painful', and {{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1163}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not harmful', consist of the same Arabic words as quoted above and found in other versions of the farewell sermon.

In his tafsir, al-Tabari quotes Qatada clarifying that the phrase means ''ghayr sha'in'' (that is, 'without being disgraceful/outrageous/obscene/indecent'),<ref>[https://tafsir.app/tabari/4/34 al-Tabari 4:34]</ref> while he records that Ibn Abbas explained it as 'Hitting with a siwaak and the like'. It appears that over time there were efforts to temper the abusive results of the Quranic verse. For further relevant hadiths and information see [[Wife_Beating_in_Islamic_Law#Additional_attempts_at_moderating_severe_beatings|Wife Beating in Islamic Law]].

===Abu Bakr insults a Meccan polytheist===
In a hadith found in Sahih Bukhari a Meccan polytheist at Hudaybiyyah tries to discourage Muhammad from fighting. In response Abu Bakr tells him to suck on al-Lat's clitoris (فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ). This has been covered up in the English translation by Muhsin Khan. In this translation the incident is translated as 'Abu Bakr abused him'.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|50|891}}|[...] Then `Urwa said, "O Muhammad! Won't you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone." Hearing that, '''Abu Bakr abused him''' and said, "Do you say we would run and leave the Prophet (ﷺ) alone?" `Urwa said, "Who is that man?" They said, "He is Abu Bakr." `Urwa said to Abu Bakr, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not compensate, I would retort on you." [...]}}

=== Muhammad says his aorta is being cut from poison===
In the following hadith from Sahih Bukhari Muhammad says he feels his aorta is being cut from the poisoned food he ate at Khaybar. This strongly implies Muhammad died because of poisoning. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan the words 'as if' have been added. As a result, the English translation doesn't imply as strongly as the Arabic text that Muhammad died because of poisoning. Yet, it says Muhammad experienced a lot of pain from the poisoning shortly before his death.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|713}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) in his ailment in which he died, used to say, "O `Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel '''as if''' my aorta is being cut from that poison."}}

===Muhammad forbids imposing conditions found in the hadith===
In the following hadith Muhammad says people should not impose conditions which are not present in Allah's Book (كِتَابِ اللَّهِ), which is the Quran. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan this has been mistranslated to 'Allah's Laws' to justify imposing conditions which are found in the hadith.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|364}}|Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits." In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, "Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in '''Allah's Book (Laws)'''? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in '''Allah's Laws''', then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah's conditions are more binding and reliable."}}

===Satan lays eggs in the marketplace of Medina and hatches them===
The following hadith contains two narrations. The second of these has not been translated into English. It says that people should not be first to enter the marketplace, nor the last to leave it, because it is where Satan lays his eggs and hatches them.

{{Quote|[https://quranx.com/hadith/Saliheen/In-Book/Book-19/Hadith-1842/ Riyad As-Salihin 19:1842]|
Salman Al-Farisi (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not, if you can help, be the first to enter the market and the last to leave it because it is an arena of Satan and the standard of Satan is set there."[Muslim].There are other narrations with some variation in the wordings.}}

===If ten Jews followed Muhammad, all Jews would embrace Islam===
In the following hadith Muhammads says that if ten Jews (عَشْرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ) followed him, all Jews would embrace Islam. If ten Jews indeed followed Muhammad, this would be a false prophecy, because there are Jews who have not embraced Islam in modern times. To cover this up, the hadith has been mistranslated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui so that it says 'ten scholars of the Jews'.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|39|6711}}|
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

If '''ten scholars of the Jews''' would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth who would not embrace Islam.}}

===Hadith not translated===
The following hadith from Abu Dawud wasn't translated. Instead, it is said that it is basically the same as the previous one.
However, in the previous hadith Muhammad makes it clear that a slave should be manumitted after being beaten by his owner, while in this hadith it is said that the narrator did not mention manumission. In addition, this hadith explicitly mentions the slave being black, while the previous one does not.

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud|41|5137}}|
The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by al-A’mash in a similar way to same way to the same effect through a different chain of narrators.}}

===Extra part of a verse is recited===
In the following hadith Ibn Abbas recites a verse of the Quran as "‏‏وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ‏‏ '''وَرَهْطَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِين'''" (And warn your tribe of near kindred '''and your chosen group from among them''') The first part corresponds to {{Quran|26|214}}. But the second part (in bold) is not part of the Quran nowadays. This part is not included in the English translation on quranx.com or sunnah.com, but it is part of [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n2869/mode/2up Muhsin Khan's translation].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|495}}|
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

When the Verse:-- 'And warn your tribe of near kindred.' (26.214) was revealed. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out, and when he had ascended As-Safa mountain, he shouted, "O Sabahah!" The people said, [...]}}

===Muhammad's followers will continue to fight for truth===
In the following hadith Muhammad says a group of people from his ummah will continue to fight for truth/righteousness and prevail until the day of judgment. In the translation it says they will fight 'in defence of truth' to make it seem like they will fight in self-defence.
{{Quote|{{Muslim|20|4718}}|
It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to fight '''In defence of truth''' and remain triumphant until the Day of judgment.}}

===Muhammad hits Aisha===
In the following hadith it says Muhammad struck Aisha on the chest which caused her pain (فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي). On sunnah.com it says Muhammad gave Aisha a nudge on the chest which she felt. While the translations for Sahih Muslim have been provided by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n537/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:974b Sahih Muslim 4:2127]|2= [...] He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. '''He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt''', and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? [...]}}

===Muhammad has been made victorious with terror===
In the following hadith Muhammad says he has been made victorious with terror (نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ). On sunnah.com this has been changed to 'awe'. While the translations for Sahih Bukhari have been provided by Muhsin Khan, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n1629/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2977 Sahih Bukhari 4:52:220]|2= Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with '''awe''' (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them).}}

===Arabia reverts to meadows and rivers===
In the following hadith Muhammad prophesies that Arabia becomes or reverts to (تَعُودَ) meadows and rivers. Sunnah.com uses Abdul Hamid Siddiqui's translation for Sahih Muslim which uses the word 'becomes', yet this translation has been altered such that it says 'reverts to'. The altered translation implies that Muhammad knew Arabia once was not a desert. Both translations can be used, but the translation was altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n561/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:157c Sahih Muslim 5:2208]|2=Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying:

The Last Hour will not come before wealth becomes abundant and overflowing, so much so that a man takes Zakat out of his property and cannot find anyone to accept it from him and till the land of Arabia '''reverts to''' meadows and rivers.}}

==See Also==

*[[Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture (English)]]
*[[Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths]]

==External Links==

*{{external link| url = http://www.faithfreedom.org/the-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran/| title = The Deceptive Translations of the Quran| publisher = | author = | date = | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithfreedom.org%2Fthe-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran%2F&date=2013-11-26| deadurl = no}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
<references />
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Dawah]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Modern movements]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Tafsir]]
[[Category:Modernism]]

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-05-26T15:32:35Z

AdrianE: Added a hadith about Muhammad's followers continuing to fight for truth.

{{QualityScore|Lead=2|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=3|References=3}}
{{Quran|15|9}} declares that the [[Qur'an]] is [[Allah|Allah's]] [[revelation]] and that he promises to preserve it and protect it from corruption. In {{Quran|16|103}}, {{Quran|44|58}} and {{Quran|54|22}}, [{{Quran-url-only|54|32}} 32], [{{Quran-url-only|54|40}} 40], it is emphasized that the Qur'an was revealed in straight forward, easy to understand, and pure Arabic. Sunni Islamic scholars agree that all that which is fundamental to Islam (particularly most of Islamic law) which is not contained in the Quran must have been preserved in the form of hadiths. However, translations of these scriptures have not always been rendered faithfully into other languages such as English, particularly in recent times and especially when the audience concerned is that of a developed, first-world variety which likely holds to modern notions of human rights and liberalism.

Some of the most prominent and officially recognized English translators of the Qur'an (like Yusuf Ali, Dr. Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Asad), in particular, have often (seemingly deliberately, given their knowledge and skill) mistranslated the most controversial and problematic verses in Qur'an. That these inaccurate translations are most common with verses that would be considered contrary to modern liberal values in the West suggests that these mistranslations were not unintentional or due to some unique difficulty of the Arabic words used in these verses. Similar mistranslations have been observed in translations of the hadiths as well as in translations of other key Islamic texts, such as legal manuals.

==Quran==

===(4:34) Wife-beating===
{{Main|Wife Beating in the Qur'an}}
{{Quran|4|34}} famously instructs men to beat their wives and forms the basis of the Islamic legal ruling which permits as much. The below translation is taken from Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).}}

This verse states that men are in charge of women with what they spend on them, and have the right to direct them in life. Also in the same verse, women are told to obey men and if they don’t, then men have the authority to admonish them and if they persist in disobedience (or, read more literally, if the husband simply ''fears'' disobedience), then men may proceed to beat them. Yusuf Ali, a prominent translator of the Qur'an, adds the word “lightly” in brackets, after “beating them”, despite the fact that this word or connonation is not found in the source text.

===(23:14) Fetal development===
{{Quran|23|14}} presents a schema regarding the development of the human fetus. The following translations are taken from Pickthall an Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Pickthal:''' Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators! 

'''Yusuf Ali:''' Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!}}

This verse is often used as an example of how translators (in this case Yusuf Ali, who is authorized by the Saudi Islamic authority and Al-Azhar University) have often mistranslated verses in ways that appear less objectionable liberal, Western audiences.

Yusuf Ali, in his translation, replaces the word "then" with "and". He also replaces “the best of creators” (plural) with “the best to create” (singular). The difference in the meaning is crucial because the word “then” suggests another and separate phase, while the word “and” means bones and flesh form simultaneously or during one phase, which conforms to modern science, even though this does not appear in the original Arabic text.

Likewise, the plural form of “creators” seems to affirm the existence of ''multiple'' creators (''of whom'' Allah would be the best), which appears to contradict the key Islamic doctrine of ''tawḥīd'' (توحيد) regarding the oneness of Allah, the ''only'' creator. Similar mistranslations are given by the Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Saad translations. By contrast, the Pickthal translation is more accurate in this case, conforming to the original Arabic text.

Similarly distorted translations are also presented by institutions such as al-Azhar, the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf, and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as is seen on the Al-Azhar web site. The above verse is translated as below:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamic-council.com/qurane/def1.asp Quran 23:14]|2=Then We created the nutfah (sperm-drop) into a clinging organism. Then We created the clinging organism into a bolus-like chewed-up mass of coherent body of matter. Then We created the bolus-like chewed-up mass into bones, and We dressed the bones flesh. Out of this We brought it forth as a different creation. So, blessed be Allâh, The Fairest of creators.}}

===(18:86) Sun sets in a muddy spring===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}
{{Quran|18|86}} describes the story of Dhul-Qarnayn (Alexander the Great) wherein he is said to arrive at a location where he observes the sun setting in a muddy spring.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.}}

Modern Islamic scholars have argued that the verse describes a visual representation of what Dhul-Qarnayn saw as the sun set into the “horizon”. Such explanations are frustrated by authoritative sources, themselves represented by the likes of ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn'' (p. 251), and numerous classical authorities (which explain that the setting of the sun is in a well containing a murky mud). The same interpretation is found in al-Tabari’s commentaries (p. 339) as well as in the ''Concise Interpretation of al-Tabari'' (p. 19 of part 2) in which he remarks that the well in which the sun sets "contains lime and murky mud". The words “apparent” or “looks like” do not appear in classical explanations or commentaries. Indeed, the verse appears to reflect the [[Cosmology of the Quran|cosmological views]] [[Muhammad|Muhammad]] would have been expected to have in seventh century Arabia. Furthermore, since the earth is in fact round, [[Flat Earth and the Quran|not flat]] (as the Qur'an appears to suggest), Dhul-Qarnayn could never have reached some "farthest point", since no such point exists on a globe.

The al-Azhar site confronts this challenge by mistranslating thisverse, specifiying that the "muddy spring" is in fact the Atlantic Ocean, which ''appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn'' as a muddy spring. The Sahih International translation inserts a parenthetical [as if] which does not exist in the original Arabic text and is nowhere implied.

{{Quote|{{quran|18|86}}|Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."}}

===(86:5-7) Semen production===
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production}}
{{Quran-range|86|5|7}} states that sperm originates from an area between the breastbone and the backbone.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|5-7}}|5. Now let man but think from what he is created! 
6. He is created from a drop emitted- 
7. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs}}

The al-Azhar site translates the origination point of sperm as from "between the pelvis and breast bone".

===(22:52) Satanic verses===
{{Main|Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident)}}
{{Quran|22|52}} is said to have been revealed after the incident with respect to the Satanic Verses. This verse absolves Muhammad of responsibility for the Satanic Verses. The verse says that Satan influenced the recitations of all previous prophets. The text literally says "when he recited Satan threw (something) into his recitation." (إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ)

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allāh abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allāh makes precise His verses. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.}}

*إِذَا (''itha'') - when
* تَمَنَّىٰٓ (''tamannaa'') - he recited
*أَلْقَى (''alqaa'') - threw
*ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ (''ashshaytanu'') - Satan
*فِىٓ (''fee'') - in
*أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ (''omniyyatihi'') - his recitation

Some translations try to cover up Satan's influencing of recitations. For example, by suggesting that Satan influenced people's understanding of the verse.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Whenever We sent a messenger or a prophet before you ˹O Prophet˺ and he recited ˹Our revelations˺, Satan would influence ˹people’s understanding of˺ his recitation. But ˹eventually˺ Allah would eliminate Satan’s influence. Then Allah would ˹firmly˺ establish His revelations. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.}}

{{Quote||'''T. Usmani:''' We did not send any messenger before you nor a prophet, but (he faced a situation that) when he recited (the revelation), the Satan cast (doubts in the hearts of his opponents) about what he recited. So, Allah nullifies what the Satan casts, then Allah makes His verses firm, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' We have never sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes what Satan insinuates and then God affirms His message. God is all knowing and wise:}}

{{Quote||'''M. Pickthall:''' Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise;}}

===(3:54) Allah the best of deceivers===
{{Main|Allah, the Best Deceiver (Qur'an 3:54)}}
In {{Quran|3|54}}, {{Quran|7|99}}, {{Quran|8|30}}, {{Quran|10|21}} and {{Quran|13|42}} Allah is called the best of deceivers (خير الماكرين).

{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين

'''Transliteration:''' Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena

'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and God cheated/deceived, and God (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}This has been mistranslated as the best of plotters/planners/schemers in various translations.{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And '''Allāh is the best of planners.'''}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' And they (disbelievers) plotted to kill ‘Îsâ [(Jesus) عليه السلام], and Allâh plotted too. And '''Allâh is the Best of those who plot.'''}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' The [disbelievers] schemed but God also schemed; '''God is the Best of Schemers.'''}}

===(10:5) Moon is a (reflective) light===
The Quran calls the moon a light (نُورٗا) in {{Quran|10|5}}. In reality, the moon only reflects sunlight. Some translators have tried to incorporate this in their translation, but it is not mentioned in the Arabic.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' He is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a '''reflected light''', with precisely ordained phases, so that you may know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people of knowledge.}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a '''derived light''' and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allāh has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know.}}

===(67:5) Shooting stars===
{{Main|Shooting Stars in the Quran}}
{{Quran|67|5}} discusses the [[Jinn]] (mythical creatures that are described in Islamic scriptures as living among humans)<ref>Mawdudi, Sayyid Abul Ala, Tafhim ul Quran, Markazi Maktaba Islami, Delhi, 1995, vol. 6, p.110</ref> and stars from the "lowest heaven" which are used as missiles against any mischievous jinn that attempts to eavesdrop on conversations between angels.<ref>"...''The Jinns would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the Angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the Future which they heard from Allah. The Jinns would then inform the fortune-tellers. This is why before the time of the Prophet (saws) many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions. However, upon the Prophet's arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the Angels, and any Jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars)''..." - [http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/world.html The World of Jinn] - Invitation to Islam, Issue 4, January 1998</ref>

{{quote |{{Qtt|67|5}}|وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
 '''Transliteration:''' Walaqad zayyanna alssamaa alddunya bimasabeeha wajaAAalnaha rujooman lilshshayateeni waaAAtadna lahum AAathaba alssaAAeeri '''Literal:''' And certainly We have beautified the heaven (ٱلسَّمَآءَ, ''as-samaa'a'') nearest (ٱلدُّنْيَا, ''ad-dunyaa'') with lamps (بِمَصَٰبِيحَ, ''bi-masaabeeh'') and We have made them (as) missiles (رُجُومًا, ''rujooman'') for the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment(of) the Blaze.<ref>[http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=67&verse=5 Word-by-Word Grammar - Verse (67:5)] - The Quranic Arabic Corpus</ref>}}

*ٱلسَّمَآءَ (''as-samaa'a'') means heaven or sky.<ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1/</ref>
*ٱلدُّنْيَا (''ad-dunya'') is translated "the world" or "the lower". The world" is called "the lower", because according to Islamic cosmology the heavens appear one atop the other and the earth is the lowest in this structure.
**So ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا can be understood as "the lowest heaven", "the heaven right above this flat earth", "the sky above The Lower".
*بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (''bi-masaabeeh'') - this word means "lamps" and is still used as such in modern Arabic (see Google images for مصابيح).
*رُجُومًا (''rujooman'') - it is from the same root as رجم (''rajm''), meaning "[[Stoning in Islamic Law|stoning]]", which is the Islamic punishment for sex outside marriage (Satan, or Iblis, is known as ''al-Rajeem'' or "the stoned one" ''-'' الرجيم in Arabic).

====Accurate translations====

Below are the three most popular and readily available translations of the verse from Islamic sources.

{{Quote||'''Pickthal:''' And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Shakir:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Yusuf Ali:''' And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}}The below translations from non-Islamic sources are also generally accepted, albeit not frequently cited in Islamic circles.{{Quote||'''Arberry:''' And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and made them things to stone Satans; and We have prepared for them the chastisement of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Palmer:''' And we have adorned the lower heaven with lamps; and set them to pelt the devils with; and we have prepared for them the torment of the blaze!}}

{{Quote||'''George Sale:''' Moreover We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and have appointed them to be darted at the devils, for whom We have prepared the torment of burning fire:}}

{{Quote||'''JM Rodwell:''' Moreover we have decked the lowest heaven with lights, and have placed them there to be hurled at the Satans, for whom we have prepared the torment of the flaming fire.}}

A further twelve translations confirm the above translations.<ref>{{Quote||'''Abdel Haleem:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Ahmed - Samira:''' We have adorned the lowest sky with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, for whom We have prepared a torment of most intense fire.}}{{Quote||'''Qaribullah:''' We have adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and We made them a stoning for the satans, We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze for them.}}{{Quote||'''Faridul Haque:''' And indeed We have beautified the lower heaven with lamps, and have made them weapons against the devils, and have kept prepared for them the punishment of the blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Syed Vickar Ahamed:''' And indeed, We have decorated the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them (like) missiles to drive away the Satans, and have prepared for them the penalty of the blazing Fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Taqi Usmani:''' And We have decorated the nearest sky with lamps, and have made them devices to stone the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of Hell.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Sarwar:''' We have decked the lowest heavens with torches. With these torches We have stoned the devils and We have prepared for them the torment of hell.}}{{Quote||'''Hamid S. Aziz:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for Satan, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali:''' And indeed We have already adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them outcast (meteorites) for Ash-Shayatin (The ever-vicious "ones", i.e., the devils) and We have readied for them the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Ali Quli Qara'i:''' We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Abdul Majid Daryabad:''' And assuredly We have bedecked the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for satans: and for them We have gotten ready the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Sher Ali:''' And verily, WE have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and WE have made them the means of driving away satans, and WE have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}</ref>

====Mistranslations====

The following two translations distort the idea of stars being used to stone jinn by describing the missiles as being made out of/from the stars, but not being the stars themselves.

{{Quote||'''Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):''' And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Ali Ünal:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the lowest heaven (the heaven of the world) with lamps (stars), and made (out of) them missiles to drive away devils; and for them We have prepared (in the Hereafter) the punishment of the Blaze.}}

Another two translations include their modifications without using brackets, which is even more misleading giving the impression that this text is literally part of the Arabic original:

{{Quote||'''Aisha Bewley:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made ''some of them stones'' for the shaytans for whom We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Muntakhab:''' And We decorated the lowermost heaven with lamps (or heavenly bodies), ''some of them adapted'' to be like weapons in pursuit of the evil ones for whom We have prepared torture in the blazes of Hell.}}

In two other translations, the lamps and the projectiles used against the devilish jinn are referred to as separate entities, though this disagrees with the Arabic text in which there is a pronoun used to refer to the "projectiles" whose clear antecedent is the plural word "lamps".

{{Quote||'''Khalifa:''' We adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and guarded its borders with projectiles against the devils; we prepared for them a retribution in Hell.}}

{{Quote||'''Progressive Muslims:''' And We have adorned this universe with lamps, and We made it with projectiles against the devils; and We prepared for them the retribution of the blazing Fire.}}

====Reinterpretations presented as translations====

The following translations depart entirely from the classical interpretations of the verse and, it would appear, the very wording of the verse itself.

{{Quote||'''Maulana Ali:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Shabbir Ahmed:''' And indeed, We have beautified the sky of the world with shining lamps. And made them objects of futile guesses for the satans. (15:17), (37:6-9), (72:8). And for them We have prepared the doom of blazing flames.}}

Another three translations go a little further, asserting that the "devils/evil ones" refer to evil human cohorts and not to the jinn.

{{Quote||'''Asad:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame –}}

{{Quote||'''Farook Malik:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Amatul Rahman Omar:''' We have, certainly, adorned the lowest heaven with (stars-like) lamps and We have made them as means of conjecture for the evil ones (and the astrologers who invent good or bad omens from the movement of the stars). (Remember) We have prepared for these (soothesayers) the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}

====Incorporation of modern science into translation====

The following translation attempts to incorporate modern scientific understandings of cosmology into its reading of the verse, though makes it a point to use brackets to differentiate words inserted to facilitate this understanding from the original Arabic text itself:

{{Quote||'''Bijan Moeinian:''' God has adorned the lowest universe with the sources of light [probably a reference to the Quasars], being used as missiles against the devils [perhaps the reference is to anti-matter which will be destroyed immediately in contact with the matter] and prepared for them a blazing fire.}}

==Hadith==
=== The sun will rise "in the West"===

A sign of the last hour that appears in numerous hadiths is often mistranslated as the sun rising "in the West". This mistranslation occurs throughout the English translation of Sahih Bukhari by Muhsin Khan and sometimes in the translation of Sahih Muslim by Abdul Hamid Sadiqqui.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|421}}|Narrated Abu Dhar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come '''and so it will rise in the west'''. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing." (36.38)}}

While the Arabic word al maghrib was commonly used to mean the West in general, in fact a much more specific form occurs in these hadiths. In every hadith narration of this prophecy, the Arabic phrase is always ''min'' ''maghribi-ha'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا), which means that the sun is told to go and rise "from its setting place", without the definite article (''al'' for 'the') and with the possessive suffix.

In one narration in Sahih Muslim (which is accurately translated), there is in addition the phrase ''min maghribi-ki'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِكِ), which means the sun is told to go and rise "from the place of your setting". Earlier in the same narration, the sun is usually commanded to rise ''min matli'iha'' (مِنْ مَطْلِعِهَا) which means "from its rising place". This uses the same word as occurs in the Dhu'l Qarnayn story (''see: [[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One]]''), in {{Quran|18|90}}, ''matli'a ash-shamsi'', "the rising place of the sun", and was not the word used throughout the Quran and hadiths to mean the East in general, which was ''al mashriq'' (ٱلْمَشْرِق).

{{Quote|{{Muslim|1|297}}|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the Sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the Sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out '''from its rising place''' and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything (unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out '''from the place of your setting''', and it will rise '''from the place of its setting'''. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}One can see the inconsistent way these terms have been translated on Quranx (and other sites) by searching for '[https://quranx.com/Search?Q=sun+place+setting&Context=hadith 'sun' 'place' 'setting']' in the hadith, compared to the {{Bukhari|4|54|421}} hadith.

===Aisha's age at consummation===
'Aisha lived with her parents before her marriage to Muhammad was consummated at the age of 9 ({{Muslim|8|3310}}). The following mistranslation is often presented as evidence that she reached puberty while she still lived there.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|465}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings...}}The word أَعْقِلْ means to use thoughts or reasoning, but the translator Muhsin Khan has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is that 'Aisha was never aware of a time when her parents were not Muslim. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion" (لَمْ أَعْقِلْ أَبَوَىَّ إِلاَّ وَهُمَا يَدِينَانِ الدِّينَ).

The same Arabic phrase is translated as follows in another hadith by the same translator:{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|73|102}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) "I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the Religion (of Islam), and our being visited by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the morning and in the evening....}}See also the two other occurrences in {{Bukhari|3|37|494}} and {{Bukhari|5|58|245}}.

The 'puberty' mistranslation also fails to achieve chronological sensibility. 'Aisha's father, Abu Bakr, was one of Muhammad's first followers. It would not have taken until puberty for 'Aisha to notice that her father followed the religion.

===Hadith in which Aisha menstruated===
A mistranslated hadith has a comment from Abu Dawud supposedly about Aisha menstruating when she was nine. This is Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam).
{{Quote|{{Abudawud||4915|hasan}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.}}

Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated". Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply".

Abu Dawud's comment is ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ), which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed". Form I can mean menstruated, but that is not the form used in the hadith.<ref>nun-fa-sin - [https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/25_n/208_nfs.html Lane's Lexicon]</ref>

=== Hit women without leaving a mark===
Muhammad's 'Farewell Sermon' appears in various hadith collections and al-Tabari's History. A short version is found in ''Sunan Ibn Majah''. The Arabic words here translated 'and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark' are a mistranslation.

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|9|1851}}|Then he said: 'I enjoin good treatment of women, for they are prisoners with you, and you have no right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear indecency. If they do that, then forsake them in their beds '''and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark.'''}}

The highlighted phrase is fadribuhunna darban ghayra mubarrih (فَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ). A literal translation is, 'then beat them, a beating without severity'. The last word is defined in Lane's Lexicon as violence/severity/sharpness/vehemence<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000219.pdf Lane's Lexicon] Book I page 182</ref>'.

The same Arabic phrase appears in the other versions of the farewell sermon. The translators of Sunan Abu Dawud and al-Tabari's History both renders it 'beat them, but not severely'.

{{Quote|1=[http://sunnah.com/abudawud/11/185 Abu Dawud 10:1900]|2=Fear Allaah regarding women for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allaah’s word. It is a duty from you on them not to allow anyone whom you dislike to lie on your beds but if they do '''beat them, but not severely.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|pp. 112-113}}|"Now then, O people, you have a right over your wives and they have a right over you. You have [the right] that they should not cause anyone of whom you dislike to tread on your beds; and that they should not commit any open indecency. If they do, then Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms '''and to beat them, but not severely'''. If they abstain from [evil], they have the right to their food and clothing in accordance with the custom. Treat women well, for they are [like] domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. You have taken them only as a trust from Allah, and you have made the enjoyment of their persons lawful by the word of Allah, so understand and listen to my words, O people.}}

The versions of the farewell sermon found in {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3087}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not painful', and {{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1163}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not harmful', consist of the same Arabic words as quoted above and found in other versions of the farewell sermon.

In his tafsir, al-Tabari quotes Qatada clarifying that the phrase means ''ghayr sha'in'' (that is, 'without being disgraceful/outrageous/obscene/indecent'),<ref>[https://tafsir.app/tabari/4/34 al-Tabari 4:34]</ref> while he records that Ibn Abbas explained it as 'Hitting with a siwaak and the like'. It appears that over time there were efforts to temper the abusive results of the Quranic verse. For further relevant hadiths and information see [[Wife_Beating_in_Islamic_Law#Additional_attempts_at_moderating_severe_beatings|Wife Beating in Islamic Law]].

=== Abu Bakr insults a Meccan polytheist===
In a hadith found in Sahih Bukhari a Meccan polytheist at Hudaybiyyah tries to discourage Muhammad from fighting. In response Abu Bakr tells him to suck on al-Lat's clitoris (فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ). This has been covered up in the English translation by Muhsin Khan. In this translation the incident is translated as 'Abu Bakr abused him'.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|50|891}}|[...] Then `Urwa said, "O Muhammad! Won't you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone." Hearing that, '''Abu Bakr abused him''' and said, "Do you say we would run and leave the Prophet (ﷺ) alone?" `Urwa said, "Who is that man?" They said, "He is Abu Bakr." `Urwa said to Abu Bakr, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not compensate, I would retort on you." [...]}}

=== Muhammad says his aorta is being cut from poison===
In the following hadith from Sahih Bukhari Muhammad says he feels his aorta is being cut from the poisoned food he ate at Khaybar. This strongly implies Muhammad died because of poisoning. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan the words 'as if' have been added. As a result, the English translation doesn't imply as strongly as the Arabic text that Muhammad died because of poisoning. Yet, it says Muhammad experienced a lot of pain from the poisoning shortly before his death.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|713}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) in his ailment in which he died, used to say, "O `Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel '''as if''' my aorta is being cut from that poison."}}

===Muhammad forbids imposing conditions found in the hadith===
In the following hadith Muhammad says people should not impose conditions which are not present in Allah's Book (كِتَابِ اللَّهِ), which is the Quran. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan this has been mistranslated to 'Allah's Laws' to justify imposing conditions which are found in the hadith.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|364}}|Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits." In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, "Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in '''Allah's Book (Laws)'''? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in '''Allah's Laws''', then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah's conditions are more binding and reliable."}}

=== Satan lays eggs in the marketplace of Medina and hatches them ===
The following hadith contains two narrations. The second of these has not been translated into English. It says that people should not be first to enter the marketplace, nor the last to leave it, because it is where Satan lays his eggs and hatches them.

{{Quote|[https://quranx.com/hadith/Saliheen/In-Book/Book-19/Hadith-1842/ Riyad As-Salihin 19:1842]|
Salman Al-Farisi (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not, if you can help, be the first to enter the market and the last to leave it because it is an arena of Satan and the standard of Satan is set there."[Muslim].There are other narrations with some variation in the wordings.}}

===If ten Jews followed Muhammad, all Jews would embrace Islam===
In the following hadith Muhammads says that if ten Jews (عَشْرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ) followed him, all Jews would embrace Islam. If ten Jews indeed followed Muhammad, this would be a false prophecy, because there are Jews who have not embraced Islam in modern times. To cover this up, the hadith has been mistranslated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui so that it says 'ten scholars of the Jews'.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|39|6711}}|
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

If '''ten scholars of the Jews''' would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth who would not embrace Islam.}}

===Hadith not translated===
The following hadith from Abu Dawud wasn't translated. Instead, it is said that it is basically the same as the previous one.
However, in the previous hadith Muhammad makes it clear that a slave should be manumitted after being beaten by his owner, while in this hadith it is said that the narrator did not mention manumission. In addition, this hadith explicitly mentions the slave being black, while the previous one does not.

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud|41|5137}}|
The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by al-A’mash in a similar way to same way to the same effect through a different chain of narrators.}}

===Extra part of a verse is recited===
In the following hadith Ibn Abbas recites a verse of the Quran as "‏‏وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ‏‏ '''وَرَهْطَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِين'''" (And warn your tribe of near kindred '''and your chosen group from among them''') The first part corresponds to {{Quran|26|214}}. But the second part (in bold) is not part of the Quran nowadays. This part is not included in the English translation on quranx.com or sunnah.com, but it is part of [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n2869/mode/2up Muhsin Khan's translation].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|495}}|
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

When the Verse:-- 'And warn your tribe of near kindred.' (26.214) was revealed. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out, and when he had ascended As-Safa mountain, he shouted, "O Sabahah!" The people said, [...]}}

===Muhammad's followers will continue to fight for truth===
In the following hadith Muhammad says a group of people from his ummah will continue to fight for truth/righteousness and prevail until the day of judgment. In the translation it says they will fight 'in defence of truth' to make it seem like they will fight in self-defence.
{{Quote|{{Muslim|20|4718}}|
It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to fight '''In defence of truth''' and remain triumphant until the Day of judgment.}}

===Muhammad hits Aisha===
In the following hadith it says Muhammad struck Aisha on the chest which caused her pain (فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي). On sunnah.com it says Muhammad gave Aisha a nudge on the chest which she felt. While the translations for Sahih Muslim have been provided by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n537/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:974b Sahih Muslim 4:2127]|2= [...] He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. '''He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt''', and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? [...]}}

===Muhammad has been made victorious with terror===
In the following hadith Muhammad says he has been made victorious with terror (نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ). On sunnah.com this has been changed to 'awe'. While the translations for Sahih Bukhari have been provided by Muhsin Khan, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n1629/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2977 Sahih Bukhari 4:52:220]|2= Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with '''awe''' (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them).}}

===Arabia reverts to meadows and rivers===
In the following hadith Muhammad prophesies that Arabia becomes or reverts to (تَعُودَ) meadows and rivers. Sunnah.com uses Abdul Hamid Siddiqui's translation for Sahih Muslim which uses the word 'becomes', yet this translation has been altered such that it says 'reverts to'. The altered translation implies that Muhammad knew Arabia once was not a desert. Both translations can be used, but the translation was altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n561/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:157c Sahih Muslim 5:2208]|2=Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying:

The Last Hour will not come before wealth becomes abundant and overflowing, so much so that a man takes Zakat out of his property and cannot find anyone to accept it from him and till the land of Arabia '''reverts to''' meadows and rivers.}}

==See Also==

*[[Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture (English)]]
*[[Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths]]

==External Links==

*{{external link| url = http://www.faithfreedom.org/the-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran/| title = The Deceptive Translations of the Quran| publisher = | author = | date = | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithfreedom.org%2Fthe-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran%2F&date=2013-11-26| deadurl = no}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
<references />
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Dawah]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Modern movements]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Tafsir]]
[[Category:Modernism]]

Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Offensive Jihad

2024-05-25T18:33:57Z

AdrianE: Added three hadiths.

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{{QuranHadithScholarsIndex}}

Offensive jihad, known in Arabic as جهاد الطلب "jihad at-talab" ("the jihad of request", referring to the invitation to Islam which must be sent to the opposing infidels before hostilities may commence), is understood in the classical sources as an offensive struggle against [[Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam (the Abodes of War and Peace)|Dar Al-Harb]] (the House of War or the realm of the infidels), is a duty incumbent upon Muslims and the [[Ummah]], and as such is to be carried out in a variety of ways. Outright war and fighting is permitted, and as the prophet himself said (in agreement with many great generals and military leaders throughout history such as Sun Tzu and von Clausewitz) "war is deceit" and as such breaking treaties, oaths, and promises is permittable as a part of Jihad on the path of Allah, and likewise all other forms of misdirection as a part of jihad. Muslim scholars generally agree that the the duty of Jihad is eternal until "the religion is to Allah" yet significant differences exist between scholars about whether Jihad may be validly conducted when the presence of a caliph and commander of the faithful is lacking. This difference constitutes a major point of contention between salafi-jihadis and conservative but quietist salafi factions, with the jihadis believing that a caliph is not a necessary pre-requisite for jihad. Modernist Islamic scholars argue that the traditional interpretations are mistaken, overextend the doctrine of abrogation and were a result of the need to legitimise the emerging empire and Caliphates. They argue that the Quran does not itself sanction expansionist warfare nor reveals an evolution in the extent of its permission to fight, contrary to traditional interpretation. Although differences exist in the modern understanding of when and where jihad may be conducted, the classical sources are generally in agreement that "jihad fi sabil allah" "Jihad-warfare on the path of god" against the unbelievers [[Jihad_as_Obligation_(Fard)|is a duty]] incumbent upon all able-bodied Muslim men when Muslim lands are threatened, or a duty that must be fulfilled by a group from among them for expansionary purposes.

{{Main|Jihad in Islamic Law}}

==Jihad in the Qur'an and Sunnah==

===Qur'an===
{{Main|Jihad in Islamic Law}}

Known by some scholars as the "sword verse" in Surah at-Tawbah of the Qur'an, verse 9:29 has been interpreted by many Islamic scholars throughout history as a never-ending call for jihad against the [[Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam (the Abodes of War and Peace)|Dar-al-Harb]], abrogating a large number of earlier verses. This was not a universal view, however, and is also contested by Islamic modernist scholars today, who argue that the Quran does not sanction expansionist warfare but rather emphasises defensive fighting against aggression and religious persecution, with the expansionist-abrogationist view being linked to the early imperial-political situation (see discussion in the main article).

===='''Verse 9:29'''====
{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.}}

Here is Quran 9:29 in context, this verse is commonly known as ''the verse of the sword'' and relates to Jews and Christians.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|9|29|35}}|Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they!

They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One Allah. There is no Allah save Him. Be He Glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)!

Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah disdaineth (aught) save that He shall perfect His light, however much the disbelievers are averse.

He it is Who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religion, however much the idolaters may be averse.

O ye who believe! Lo! many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks devour the wealth of mankind wantonly and debar (men) from the way of Allah. They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom,

On the day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith (and it will be said unto them): Here is that which ye hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what ye used to hoard.}}

The classical commentator Ibn Kathir, who was of the aggressive abrogationist view, gave the following explanation of this verse.

{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url=http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2567&Itemid=/ |title= The Order to fight People of the Scriptures until They give the Jizyah|}} Tafsir ibn Kathir|(Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture,)

This honorable Ayah was revealed with the order to fight the People of the Book, after the pagans were defeated, the people entered Allah's religion in large numbers, and the Arabian Peninsula was secured under the Muslims' control. Allah commanded His Messenger to fight the People of the Scriptures, Jews and Christians, on the ninth year of Hijrah, and he prepared his army to fight the Romans and called the people to Jihad announcing his intent and destination. The Messenger sent his intent to various Arab areas around Al-Madinah to gather forces, and he collected an army of thirty thousand. Some people from Al-Madinah and some hypocrites, in and around it, lagged behind, for that year was a year of drought and intense heat. The Messenger of Allah marched, heading towards Ash-Sham to fight the Romans until he reached Tabuk, where he set camp for about twenty days next to its water resources. He then prayed to Allah for a decision and went back to Al-Madinah because it was a hard year and the people were weak, as we will mention, Allah willing.}}

===='''Quran 9:111'''====
The following verse defines fighting in the cause of Allah as killing and being killed.
{{Quote|{{Quran|9|111}}|Indeed, Allāh has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. '''They fight in the cause of Allāh, so they kill and are killed.''' [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur’ān. And who is truer to his covenant than Allāh? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.}}

===='''Quran 9:5'''====
Quran 9:5 is another verse known as ''the verse of the sword'' (like 9:29 discussed above) and considered by many classical scholars to abrogate earlier defensive verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|5}}|And when the inviolable months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakāh, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.}}

In context, the passage relates to treaty breakers among the mushrikeen.
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|9|1|8}}|Freedom from obligation (is proclaimed) from Allah and His messenger toward those of the idolaters with whom ye made a treaty.

Travel freely in the land four months, and know that ye cannot escape Allah and that Allah will confound the disbelievers (in His Guidance).

And an announcement from Allah and His Messenger, to the people (assembled) on the day of the Great Pilgrimage,- that Allah and His Messenger dissolve (treaty) obligations with the Pagans. If then, ye repent, it were best for you; but if ye turn away, know ye that ye cannot frustrate Allah. And proclaim a grievous penalty to those who reject Faith.

Excepting those of the idolaters with whom ye (Muslims) have a treaty, and who have since abated nothing of your right nor have supported anyone against you. (As for these), fulfil their treaty to them till their term. Lo! Allah loveth those who keep their duty (unto Him).

Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

And if anyone of the idolaters seeketh thy protection (O Muhammad), then protect him so that he may hear the Word of Allah, and afterward convey him to his place of safety. That is because they are a folk who know not.

How can there be a treaty with Allah and with His messenger for the idolaters save those with whom ye made a treaty at the Inviolable Place of Worship? So long as they are true to you, be true to them. Lo! Allah loveth those who keep their duty.

How (can there be any treaty for the others) when, if they have the upper hand of you, they regard not pact nor honour in respect of you? They satisfy you with their mouths the while their hearts refuse. And most of them are wrongdoers.}}

===='''Quran 9:123'''====
Another verse in the same surah is the following:
{{Quote|{{Quran|9|123}}|O you who have believed, fight against those adjacent to you of the disbelievers and let them find in you harshness. And know that Allah is with the righteous.}}

===='''Verse 8:39'''====
Quran 8:39 can also be interpreted as calling for offensive jihad.

{{Quote|{{Quran|8|39}}|And fight against them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion [i.e., worship], all of it, is for Allāh. And if they cease - then indeed, Allāh is Seeing of what they do.}}

Ibn Kathir explains this verse as follows:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=2&tid=5035 The Order to fight until there is no more Fitnah] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=Allah then commanded fighting the disbelievers when He said:

(...until there is no more Fitnah) meaning, Shirk. This is the opinion of Ibn `Abbas, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi`, Muqatil bin Hayyan, As-Suddi and Zayd bin Aslam.

Allah's statement:

(...and the religion (all and every kind of worship) is for Allah (Alone).) means, `So that the religion of Allah becomes dominant above all other religions.' It is reported in the Two Sahihs that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said: "The Prophet was asked, `O Allah's Messenger! A man fights out of bravery, and another fights to show off, which of them fights in the cause of Allah' The Prophet said:

(He who fights so that Allah's Word is superior, then he fights in Allah's cause.) In addition, it is reported in the Two Sahihs:

(I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight the people until they proclaim, `None has the right to be worshipped but Allah'. Whoever said it, then he will save his life and property from me, except for cases of the law, and their account will be with Allah.) }}

===='''Verse 2:193'''====
Then there is Quran 2:193.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|193}}|Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression except against the oppressors.}}

Another prominent classical commentary, tafsir al-Jalalayn, states the following regarding this verse:

{{Quote|[http://quran.com/2/193 Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:193] Tafsir al-Jalalayn|Fight them till there is no sedition, no idolatry, and the religion, all worship, is for God, alone and none are worshipped apart from Him; then if they desist, from idolatry, do not aggress against them. This is indicated by the following words, there shall be no enmity, no aggression through slaying or otherwise, save against evildoers. Those that desist, however, are not evildoers and should not be shown any enmity.}}

=== Hadith===

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|387}}, See also: {{Bukhari|1|2|24}}|Narrated Anas bin Malik:

Allah's Apostle said, "I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, '''then their blood and property will be sacred''' to us and we will not interfere with them except legally and their reckoning will be with Allah." Narrated Maimun ibn Siyah that he asked Anas bin Malik,

"O Abu Hamza! '''What makes the life and property of a person sacred?" He replied, "Whoever says, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah'''', faces our Qibla during the prayers, prays like us and eats our slaughtered animal, then he is a Muslim, and has got the same rights and obligations as other Muslims have."}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|435}}|
On the day of Al-Ahzab (i.e. clans) the Prophet said, (After this battle) we will go to attack them (i.e. the infidels) and they will not come to attack us."}}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|19|4294}}|
It has been reported from Sulaiman b. Buraida through his father that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) appointed anyone as leader of an army or detachment he would especially exhort him to fear Allah and to be good to the Muslims who were with him. He would say:

'''Fight in the name of Allah and in the way of Allah. Fight against those who disbelieve in Allah.''' Make a holy war, do not embezzle the spoils; do not break your pledge; and do not mutilate (the dead) bodies; do not kill the children. '''When you meet your enemies who are polytheists, invite them to three courses of action.''' If they respond to any one of these, you also accept it and withhold yourself from doing them any harm. '''Invite them to (accept) Islam'''; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them. Then invite them to migrate from their lands to the land of the Muhajireen and inform them that, if they do so, they shall have all the privileges and obligations of the Muhajireen. If they refuse to migrate, tell them that they will have the status of Bedouin Muslims and will be subjected to the Commands of Allah like other Muslims, but they will not get any share from the spoils of war or Fai' except when they actually fight with the Muslims (against the disbelievers). '''If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya.''' If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. '''If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah's help and fight them.''' When you lay siege to a fort and the besieged appeal to you for protection in the name of Allah and His Prophet, do not accord to them the guarantee of Allah and His Prophet, but accord to them your own guarantee and the guarantee of your companions for it is a lesser sin that the security given by you or your companions be disregarded than that the security granted in the name of Allah and His Prophet be violated. When you besiege a fort and the besieged want you to let them out in accordance with Allah's Command, do not let them come out in accordance with His Command, but do so at your (own) command, for you do not know whether or not you will be able to carry out Allah's behest with regard to them.}}

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud|2502}}|
Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying “He who dies without having fought or having felt fighting (against the infidels) to be his duty will die guilty of a kind of hypocrisy.”}}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|20|4718}}|
It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. 'Abdullah who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to fight In defence of truth and remain triumphant until the Day of judgment.}}

==Not Aggressing in Jihad==

===Verse===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|190}}|Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.}}

===Scholars===

This is among the peaceful/defensive verses that have been [[Abrogation|abrogated]] by verses from chapter nine according to classical scholars of the abrogationist view such as the commentators of Tafsir al-Jalalayn, as discussed above.

{{Quote|[http://quran.com/2/190 Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:190] Tafsir al-Jalalayn|this stipulation was abrogated by the verse of barā’a, ‘immunity’ [Q. 9:1], or by His saying [below]:}}

==Peace Treaties==
===Quran ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|8|61}}|And if they incline to peace, then incline to it [also] and rely upon Allah. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Knowing.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|8|72}}|Indeed, those who have believed and emigrated and fought with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allah and those who gave shelter and aided - they are allies of one another. But those who believed and did not emigrate - for you there is no guardianship of them until they emigrate. And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allah is Seeing of what you do.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|8|58}}|If thou fearest treachery from any group, throw back (their covenant) to them, (so as to be) on equal terms: for Allah loveth not the treacherous.}}

===Scholars===
As an ideological leader of the Afghan Jihad against the Soviets, 'Abdallah Yusuf 'Azzam (d. 1989) argued the importance of not relinquishing the right to Muslim lands as part of a peace treaty:
{{Quote|1=Abdallah Yusuf 'Azzam (1979) [https://islam.worldofislam.info/index.php/online-books/118-defense-of-muslim-lands/490-chapter-4-important-questions Defence of the Muslim Land, Chapter 4]|2=The scholars of Fiqh are divided as to whether or not it is permitted to make peace treaties with the Kuffar. Among them are some who permit it based on the pact of Hudaybia. Others permit it if the Muslims are extremely weak. Others still, say that we are no longer permitted to make peace treaties with the Kuffar because they say that all pacts with the Kuffar are cancelled by the Verse of the Sword. We say, it is permitted to make peace treaties, if in the treaty there is good for the Muslims, but under the condition that there is no clause within the treaty that nullifies or corrupts it.

Such as:

1) It is not permitted to include a condition in the treaty that relinquishes even a hand span of Muslim land to the Kuffar. Because, the land of Islam belongs to no one, therefore none can make negotiations over it. Such a condition nullifies the treaty because the land belongs to Allah and to Islam. It is not permitted for anyone to misuse anything in a domain not his own. Or to barter the Son of Adam that does not belong to him. With reference to the Russians, it is not permitted to negotiate with them until they retreat from every hand span of Afghani territory .With the Jews in Palestine, likewise.}}

In contrast, the 1979 Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty represented official Egyptian recognition of Israel and was endorsed by al-Azhar. Precedent for treaties in which Muslims accept unfavourable terms for the sake of a longer term benefit is often cited in the [[Treaty of Hudaybiyyah]] between Muhammad's Medinan state and the Quraysh in 628 CE, which affirmed a ten-year peace and granted Muhammad and the believers a pilgrimage to Mecca the following year, in 629 CE.

The Shafi'i jurist al-Nawawi stated in his commentary on Sahih Muslim:
{{Quote|al-Nawawi, ''al minhaj bin sharh sahih muslim'', vol. 6, part 12, p. 355|In this [Treaty of Hudaibiyya] there is evidence for the permissibility of making treaties with non-Muslims if there is an interest or benefit (maslaha) in doing so. There is a consensus on this (majma‘‘alayhi) when there is a need (haja) [...] In our opinion, this should not exceed ten years, but there is a sound view (qawl) that it is allowed without a time restriction. And Malik said there is no limit at all and it is allowed for a short time or protracted period according to the opinion of the ruler.}}

One of the most influential modern jurists, Yusuf al-Qaradawi (d. 2022) stated in his book, ''fiqh al-Jihad'', that the United Nations is a treaty that renders the world an abode of peace, and peace as the basic norm is established. The exception was Israel, which he argued is still part of Dar al-Harb (the abode of war), disagreeing with leading al-Azhar scholars Muhammad Abu Zahrah (d. 1979) and Jad al-Haqq ‘Ali Jad al-Haqq (d. 1996) who justified the 1979 Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty. Similarly, the Saudi Salafist Sheikh ‘Abd al- ‘Aziz bin Baz (d. 1999) disagreed to some extent with al-Qaradawi regarding Israel, citing {{Quran|8|61}} and {{Quran|8|72}} quoted above to argue that the Quran approves of treaties when faced with oppression.<ref>Rashad Ali and Hannah Stuart, [https://henryjacksonsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Refuting-Jihadism.pdf A Guide to Refuting Jihadism: Critiquing radical Islamist claims to theological authenticity] p. 36-37</ref>

Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1328) said regarding peace with disbelievers:
{{Quote|Ibn Taymiyya, ‘qa’ida fı qital al-kuffar’, from majmu’at rasail, (Cairo: Sunni Mohammadi, 1949), p. 125|The Prophet’s biography shows that he did not fight whoever made peace with him among the unbelievers; and the books of biography, prophetic traditions, exegesis, jurisprudence, and history are full of such acts and this is widely narrated in his biography. Thus, the Prophet did not initiate fighting with anyone, and had Allah commanded him to fight every disbeliever, then he would have initiated fighting with them.}}

==Live in Peace with the Disbelievers for a Time==

{{quote | {{cite quran|86|13|end=17|style=ref}} |
Lo! this (Qur'an) is a conclusive word, It is no pleasantry. Lo! they plot a plot (against thee, O Muhammad) And I plot a plot (against them). So give a respite to the disbelievers. Deal thou gently with them '''for a while'''.}}

==Fighting When Outnumbered==

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|8|65|67}}|O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred (steadfast) they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk without intelligence.

Now hath Allah lightened your burden, for He knoweth that there is weakness in you. So if there be of you a steadfast hundred they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a thousand (steadfast) they shall overcome two thousand by permission of Allah. Allah is with the steadfast.

It is not for any prophet to have captives until he hath made slaughter in the land. Ye desire the lure of this world and Allah desireth (for you) the Hereafter, and Allah is Mighty, Wise.}}

==Deceit in War from the Life of Muhammad==
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|52|268}}|Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle called,: "War is deceit".|See Also {{Bukhari|4|52|269}}}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|52|271}}|Narrated Jabir: The Prophet said, "Who is ready to kill Ka'b bin Ashraf (i.e. a Jew)." Muhammad bin Maslama replied, "Do you like me to kill him?" The Prophet replied in the affirmative. Muhammad bin Maslama said, '''"Then allow me to say what I like." The Prophet replied, "I do (i.e. allow you)."'''}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|369}}|Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah: Allah's Apostle said, "Who is willing to kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, "O Allah's Apostle! Would you like that I kill him?" The Prophet said, "Yes,"''' Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Kab). "The Prophet said, "You may say it."''' Then Muhammad bin Maslama went to Kab and said, "That man (i.e. Muhammad demands Sadaqa (i.e. Zakat) from us, and he has troubled us, and I have come to borrow something from you." On that, Kab said, "By Allah, you will get tired of him!"...}}

{{Quote|{{citation|title=The Life of Muhammad|trans_title=Sirat Rasul Allah|ISBN=0-19-636033-1|year=1955|publisher=Oxford UP|author1=Ibn Ishaq (d. 768)|author2=Ibn Hisham (d. 833)|editor=A. Guillaume|url=https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up|page=365}} {{citation|title=سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا|author1=ابن إسحاق|author2=ابن هشام|url=https://app.turath.io/book/23833|publisher=al-Maktabah al-Shamilah|volume=vol. 2|pages=54-55}} See Also {{Tabari|7|p. 94}}|Then he composed amatory verses of an insulting nature about the Muslim women. The apostle said--according to what 'Abdullah b. al-Mughith b. Abu Burda told me--'Who will rid me of Ibnu'I-Ashraf?' Muhammad b. Maslama, brother of the B. 'Abdu'l-Ashhal, said, 'I will deal with him for you, O apostle of God, I will kill him.' He said, 'Do so if you can: So Muhammad b. Maslama returned and waited for three days without food or drink, apart from what was absolutely necessary. When the apostle was told of this he summoned him and asked him why he had given up eating and drinking. He replied that he had given him an undertaking and he did not know whether he could fulfil it. The apostle said, 'All that is incumbent upon you is that you should try: He said, 'O apostle
of God, we shall have to tell lies.' He answered, 'Say what you like, for you are free in the matter.'}}

{{Quote|{{citation|title=The Life of Muhammad|trans_title=Sirat Rasul Allah|ISBN=0-19-636033-1|year=1955|publisher=Oxford UP|author1=Ibn Ishaq (d. 768)|author2=Ibn Hisham (d. 833)|editor=A. Guillaume|url=https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up|page=519}} {{citation|title=سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا|author1=ابن إسحاق|author2=ابن هشام|url=https://app.turath.io/book/23833|publisher=al-Maktabah al-Shamilah|volume=vol. 2|page=345}}|The Affair of Al-Hajjaj b. 'Ilat al-Sulami: 
When Khaybar had been conquered al-Hajjaj b. 'Ilat al-Sulami of the clan al-Bahz said to the apostle, 'I have money with my wife Umm Shayba d. Abu Talha--when they had lived together he had a son called Mu'rid by her--and money scattered among the Meccan merchants, so give me permission to go and get it.' Having got his permission he said, 'I must tell lies, O apostle.' He said, 'Tell them.'}}

==Women and Children==

Muhammad disapproved of the killing of women and children during expeditions (also {{Muslim|19|4319}}).

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|52|257}}|During some of the Ghazawat of the Prophet (ﷺ) a woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) disapproved the killing of women and children.}}

Although when asked, he excused the probable exposure of women and children to danger during an attack.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|52|256}}|Narrated As-Sab bin Jaththama: The Prophet passed by me at a place called Al-Abwa or Waddan, and was asked whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger. '''The Prophet replied, "They (i.e. women and children) are from them (i.e. pagans)."''' I also heard the Prophet saying, "The institution of Hima is invalid except for Allah and His Apostle."}}

A more specific hadith quotes the same narrator stating that this involved women and children who were trampled over with horses during the attack:
{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||3|19|1570}}|Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

"I was informed by As-Sa'b bin Jaththamah who said: " I said: "O Messenger of Allah our horses trampled over women and children of the idolaters." He said: "They are from their fathers.'"

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih. }}

=Scholars =

[[w:Al-Suyuti|Imam Al-Suyuti]] (c. 1445-1505 AD) was a famous Egyptian writer, religious scholar, juristic expert and teacher.

{{Quote|Suyuti, Durr al-Manthur(Beirut Edition), vol. 3, p. 228|Fight those who don't believe in God nor in the Last Day [Unless they believe in the Prophet God bless him and grant him peace] nor hold what is forbidden that which God and His emissary have forbidden [e.g., wine] nor embrace the true faith [which is firm, and abrogates other faiths, i.e., the Islamic religion] from among [for distinguishing] those who were given the Book [i.e., the Jews and Christians] unless they give the head-tax [i.e., the annual taxes imposed on them] ''(/'an yadin/)'' humbly submissive, and obedient to Islam's rule.<ref>Suyuti, ''Durr al-Manthur'' ... (Beirut, n.d.), vol. 3, p. 228, where Suyuti quotes various traditions.</ref>}}
Al Azhar University Scholar, Dr. M. Sa’id Ramadan Al-Buti:

{{Quote|Dr. M. Sa’id Ramadan Al-Buti - "Jurisprudence of Muhammad’s Biography", Pg. 135|
"The theory that our religion is a peaceful and loving religion is a wrong theory...The Holy war as it is known in Islam is basically an offensive war, and it is the duty of all Muslims of every age, when the needed military power is available, because our prophet Muhammad said that he is ordered by Allah to fight all people until they say ‘No God but Allah,’ and he is his messenger...It is meaningless to talk about the holy war as only defensive, otherwise, what did the prophet mean when he said, "from now on even if they don’t invade you, you must invade them.""}}

Leader of the Afghan Jihad, [[w:Abdullah_Yusuf_Azzam|Abdullah Yusuf Azzam]]

{{Quote|[http://www.islamicemirate.com/fiqh-jurisprudence/jihad/1544-offensive-jihad-vs-defensive-jihad.html%20IslamicEmirate.com Offensive Jihad Vs. Defensive Jihad] Sheikh Abdullah Azzam|"Jihad Against the Kuffar is of two Types: Offensive Jihad (where the enemy is attacked in his own territory) ... [and] Defensive Jihad. This is expelling the Kuffar from our land, and it is Fard Ayn [personal religious obligation on Muslim individuals], a compulsory duty upon all ...

...Where the Kuffar [infidels] are not gathering to fight the Muslims, the fighting becomes Fard Kifaya [religious obligation on Muslim society] with the minimum requirement of appointing believers to guard borders, and the sending of an army at least once a year to terrorise the enemies of Allah. It is a duty of the Imam (Caliph) to assemble and send out an army unit into the land of war once or twice every year. Moreover, it is the responsibility of the Muslim population to assist him, and if he does not send an army he is in sin.- And the Ulama have mentioned that this type of jihad is for maintaining the payment of [[Jizyah|Jizya]]. The scholars of the principles of religion have also said: " Jihad is Daw'ah [Islamic preaching] with a force, and is obligatory to perform with all available capabilities, until there remains only Muslims or people who submit to Islam."<ref>Defence of the Muslim Lands: The First Obligation After Iman - Abdullah Azzam</ref>}}

[[w:Taymiyyah|Ibn Taymiyyah]] (1263 - 1328) was one of the most famous Islamic scholars and theologians to ever live. As a member of the school founded by Ibn Hanbal, he sought the return of Islam to its sources, the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

{{Quote|Ibn Taymiyyah, ‘Governance According to Allaah’s Law in Reforming
the Ruler and his Flock’|The penalties that the ''Sharia'' has introduced for those who disobey God and his Messengers of two kinds: the punishment of those who are under the sway [of an imam], both individuals and collectivities, as has been mentioned before [in the chapter on criminal law], and, secondly, the punishment of recalcitrant groups, such as those that can only be brought under the sway of the Imam by a decisive fight. That then is the jihad against the unbelievers (kuffar), the enemies of God and His Messenger. For whoever has heard the summons of the Messenger of God, Peace be upon him, and has not responded to it must be fought, "''until there is no Fitna and the religion of God's entirely''" (K. 2:193, 8:39).<ref>Excerpted from Rudolph Peters, ''[http://hss.fullerton.edu/comparative/jihad_relmora.pdf Jihad in Classical and Modern Islam]'' (Princeton, NJ: Markus Wiener, 1996), pp. 44-54.</ref>}}

{{Quote|Ibn Taymiyyah, ‘Governance According to Allaah’s Law in Reforming
the Ruler and his Flock’|"Since lawful warfare is essentially Jihad and since its aim is that religion is entirely for Allah and the word of Allah is uppermost, therefore, according to all Muslims, those who stand in the way of this aim must be fought.<ref name="ibn Taymiyyah">Shaykh ul-Islaam Taqi ud-Deen Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah - '[http://www.fisabeelillah.org/books/manhaj/The-Religious-And-Moral-Doctrine-Of-Jihad.pdf The Religious and Moral Doctrine of Jihaad]' - p.28, © Copyright 2001 Maktabah Al Ansaar Publications, ISBN: 0-9539847-5-3 </ref>}}

Ahmad Sirhindi (d. 1624) was an Islamic scholar and a prominent Sufi. He is regarded as having rejuvenated Islam, due to which he is commonly called "Mujadid Alf Thani", meaning "reviver of the second millennium".

{{Quote||''Shariat can be fostered through the sword. 
''Kufr'' and Islam are opposed to each other. The progress of one is possible only at the expense of the other and co-existences between these two contradictory faiths in unthinkable. 
The honor of Islam lies in insulting ''kufr'' and ''kafirs''. One who respects ''kafirs'', dishonors the Muslims. To respect them does not merely mean honouring them and assigning them a seat of honor in any assembly, but it also implies keeping company with them or showing considerations to them. They should be kept at an arm's length like dogs. ... If some worldly business cannot be performed without them, in that case only a minimum of contact should be established with them but without taking them into confidence. The highest Islamic sentiment asserts that it is better to forego that worldly business and that no relationship should be established with the ''kafirs''. 
The real purpose in levying ''jizya'' on them is to humiliate them to such an extent that, on account of fear of ''jizya'', they may not be able to dress well and to live in grandeur. They should constantly remain terrified and trembling. It is intended to hold them under contempt and to uphold the honor and might of Islam. . . . 
Whenever a Jew is killed, it is for the benefit of Islam.<ref>Excerpted from Saiyid Athar Abbas Rizvi, ''Muslim Revivalist Movements in Northern India in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries'' (Agra, Lucknow: Agra University, Balkrishna Book Co., 1965), pp.247-50; and Yohanan Friedmann, ''Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi: An Outline of His Thought and a Study of His Image in the Eyes of Posterity'' (Montreal, Quebec: McGill University, Institute of Islamic Studies, 1971), pp. 73-74.</ref>}}

{{Quote| Reliance of the Traveler o9.1| Jihad is a communal obligation (def: c3.2). When enough people perform it to successfully accomplish it, it is no longer obligatory upon others (0: the evidence for which is the Prophet's saying (Allah bless him and give him peace), "He who provides the equipment for a soldier in jihad has himself performed jihad," and Allah Most High having said: "Those of the believers who are unhurt but sit behind are not equal to those who fight in Allah's path with their property and lives. Allah has preferred those who fight with their property and lives a whole degree above those who sit behind. And to each. Allah has promised great good" (Koran 4:95). If none of those concerned perform jihad, and it does not happen at all, then everyone who is aware that it is obligatory is guilty of sin, if there was a possibility of having performed it. In the time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) jihad was a communal obligation after his emigration (hijra) to Medina. As for subsequent times, there are two possible states in respect to non-Muslims. The first is when they are in their own countries, in which case jihad (def: 09.8) is a communal obligation, and this is what our author is speaking of when he says, "Jihad is a communal obligation," meaning upon the Muslims each year.}}

For further information, see: [[Qur'an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Scholars_on_Jihad|Scholars on Jihad]]

== Non-Combatants ==

Some of the expeditions which Muhammad and his men reportedly undertook involved sieges against enemy strongholds (such as the siege of Taif, in which catapults were reportedly used), or night raids, either of which put at risk the lives of women and children and not just male combatants as in a pitched battle. According to the hadith, Muhammad allowed the unintentional killing of women and children during nocturnal attacks (night raids) after some were trampled by horses.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|19|4321}}, See also: {{Bukhari|4|52|256}} and {{Al Tirmidhi||3|19|1570}}|It is reported on the authority of Sa'b b. Jaththama that the Prophet of Allah (may peace be upon him), when asked about the women and children of the polytheists being killed during the night raid, said: “They are from them”.}}

The Saudi scholar, Sheikh Al Shuaybi (d. 2001) said that Muhammad therefore (as is evident) acknowledged that non-combatants could be killed and allowed at least semi-indiscriminate killings.<ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=WC_2AtmBOpEC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false Jihad in classical and Modern Islam, Rudolph Peters, Pg.179]</ref> Another notorious cleric with similar views, Omar Bakri Mohammed also referred to this hadith to justify why killing women and children is Islamic.<ref>[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5532956235787015675# Islam - A mufti explains, why Muhammad killed Women and Children]</ref>

On the other hand, in another hadith (see the section above on [[Qur'an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Offensive_Jihad#Women_and_Children|women and children]]), Muhammad disapproved of deliberately targeting women and children ({{Bukhari|4|52|257}}), and by consensus in Islamic law this is forbidden. Nevertheless, some scholars have come to the conclusion that this was not because they were non-combatants, but because it is better to take them for slavery or exchange them for Muslim prisoners. Muhammad took the Jewish woman and children of Banu Qurayza for slavery according to tradition.

{{Quote|Ibn Taymiyyah, ‘Governance According to Allaah’s Law in Reforming
the Ruler and his Flock’|Some [jurists] are of the opinion that all of them may be killed, on the mere ground that they are unbelievers, but they make an exception for women and children since they constitute "'''property for Muslims'''".<ref name="ibn Taymiyyah"></ref>}}

In some modern contexts even more exteme views can be found among Salafi-Jihadists (though criticised by many other Muslim scholars). The following Q&A with a Lebanese Islamic scholar and Muslim Brotherhood associate is taken from the Arabic section of Islam Online.

'''"Is it permissible to kill civilians in Israel through martyrdom operations which are carried out by Palestinians in defense of their land?"'''

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-Arabic-Ask_Scholar/FatwaA/FatwaA&cid=1122528609048 Jews have killed civilians in the martyrdom operations in Palestine] Sheikh Faisal Mawlawi, Islam Online, January 23, 2002|2=
The Jews living inside the occupied territory and those who carry Israeli citizenship are all participants in the aggression against us, and it is our right to combat all of them."

Adding on "…the Prophet (PBUH) was killed by a Jewish woman from the Bani Qurayzah (a Jewish tribe from Medina). Since she was killed by a Muslim man, it became a rule that it was permissible to kill all the killers among the Jewish women in our country of Palestine, without hesitation."}}
===Islamic law regarding non-combatants===

The different schools of jurisprudence agreed that it was forbidden to kill various classes of non-combatants such as women and children, though Shafi'i alone among the major legal school founders was of the opinion that certain other categories of persons could be killed.

The state of agreement and disagreement was summarised in ''Bidayat al-Mujtahid'' (which has been translated under the English title ''The Distinguished Jurist's Primer'') by Ibn Rushd (d. 1198 CE; known in Europe as Averroes):

{{Quote|1=[https://archive.org/details/BidayatAl-mujtahidTheDistinguishedJuristsPrimer/page/n439/mode/2up ''The Distinguished Jurist's Primer''] by Ibn Rashd (transl. Imran Ahsan Khan Nyazee) pp. 458-460|2=The harm aimed at life is by killing, and there is no disagreement among the Muslim jurists that it is permitted in war to slay the male polythests, who have attained puberty and are waging war. There is, however, disagreement about execution after captivity, as we have already discussed. Similarly, there is no dispute among them that it is not permitted to slay minors or women, as long as they are not waging war. If a woman fights the shedding of her blood becomes permissible. This was established as "the Propet (God's peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited the killing of women and children, and said when he saw a slain woman, 'She was not one who would have engaged in fighting'". 
They disagreed about the case of hermits cut off from the world, the blind, the chronically ill, the old who cannot fight, the idiot, and the peasants and serfs. Malik said neither the blind nor idiots nor hermits are to be slain, and enough of their wealth is to be left to them by which they may suvive. Similarly, the old and decrepit are not to be slain, in his view, and this was also the view of Abu Hanifa and his disciples. Al-Thawri and al-Awza'i said that only the old are to be spared. Al-Awza'i added that the peasants are not to be slain either. According to al-Shafi'i's most authentic opinion, all of these categories (of people) are to be put to death. The basis for their disagreement stems from the conflict of the specificity in some traditons with general implication of (some verses of) the Qur'an, and also the generality of the authentic saying of the Prophet (God's peace and blessings be upon him), "I have been commanded to fight mankind until they say, 'There is no God but Allah.'" The words of the Exalted, "Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them", imply the slaynig of every nonbeliever whether or not he is a monk, and so does the saying of the Prophet (God's peace and blessings be upon him), "I have been commanded to fight mankind until they say, 'There is no God but Allah'".
The traditions laid down about the sparing of all these categories include the traditions related by Dawud Ibn al-Husayn from 'Ikrimah from Ibn 'Abbas "that the Prophet (God's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say while sending out his armies, 'Do not kill hermits'". There is also athe tradition related from Anas Ibn Malik from the Prophet (God's peace and blessings be upon him), "Do not slay the old and decrepit nor young children no women, and do not purloin [the booty]". It is recorded by Abu Dawud. There is also among these the traditon related by Malik from Abu Bakr that he said, "You will come acrosss a people who will claim that they have devoted themselves to Allah, so leave them and that to which they have devoted themselves", and it includes the words, "Never kill women, children, and the old weakened with age". 
It appears that the chief source of disagreement in this issue springs from the apparent conflict between the words of the Exalted, "Fight in the way of Allah aginst those who fight you, but begin not hostilities. Lo, Allah loveth not aggressors", and His words, "Then when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them". Those who held that the latter verse was abrogated the (meaning of the) words "Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you", as fighting is prescribed primarily against those who fight, said that the latter verse stands unrestricted upon its generality. On the other hand, those who maintained that the former verse is the governing verse, and that it includes all categories not involved in fighting, exempted if from the generality of the latter (in other words restricted the latter to those who do or can provide hostility, thus excluding children, old and decrepit etc). 
[...] 
The reason leading to their disagreement, on the whole, arises from their dispute about the effective underlying cause of slaying. Thus, those who maintained that the effective underlying cause for this is disbelief (''Kufr''), did not exempt anyone out of the polytheists, while those who maintained that the underying cause in it is the ability to fight, there being a prohibition about the killing of women though they be non-believers, exempted those who do not have the ability to wage war, or those who have not affiliated themselves with it, like the peasants and the serfs.}}

''Al-Hidayah'', a famous manual of Hanfafi fiqh (jurisprudence) states the following:

{{Quote|[https://archive.org/details/Hedaya_201703/page/n501/mode/2up Al-Hidayah Vol. 2 p. 293 translated by Imran Ahsan Khan Nyazee]|A woman, minor, enfeebled old man, an invalid, and a blind man are not to be killed. The reason is that permitted killing is of those persons who are capabable of hostility, and this is not realised in the case of these persons. It is for this reason that they are not killed a paralysed person, one whose right hand has been amputated, and one whose hand and leg of the opposite sides are cut. Al-Shafi'i (God bless him) goes against our opinion in the case of the enfeebled old man, the invalid, and the blind. The reason is that permitted killing in his view is based upon unbelief, but the evidence against him is what we have elaborated.}}

The views of the Shafi'i school were detailed in the famous compendium of Shafi'i fiqh (jurisprudence), ''The Reliance of the Traveller'':

{{Quote|Reliance of the Traveller o9.10 translated by Nuh Ha Mim Keller|o9.10 It is not permissible (A: in jihad) to kill women or children unless they are fighting against the Muslims. Nor is it permissible to kill animals, unless they are being ridden into battle against the Muslims, or if killing them will help defeat the enemy. It is permissible to kill old men (O: old man (shaykh meaning someone more than forty years of age) and monks.}}

[[w:Al-Ghazali|Al-Ghazali]] (1058-1111) was a Persian jurist who contributed significantly to the development of Sufism and is one of the most celebrated scholars in the history of Islamic thought. He followed the Shafi'i madhab (legal school) for most of his life.

{{Quote|Al-Ghazali, Kitab al-Wagiz fi fiqh madhab al-imam al-Safi'i|...[O]ne must go on jihad (i.e. razzias or raids) at least once a year ... one may use a catapult against them when they are in a fortress, even if among them are women and children. One may set fire to them and/or drown them. ... If a person of the ''ahl al-kitab'' [i.e. People of the Book] is enslaved, his marriage is revoked. ... One may cut down their trees. ... One must destroy their useless books. Jihadists may take as booty whatever they decide ... they may steal as much food as they need... <ref name="Al-Ghazali">Excerpted form ''[http://www.irfi.org/articles3/articles_4701_4800/why%20christians%20accepted%20greek%20natural%20philosophy,%20but%20muslims%20did%20nothtml.htm Kitab al-Wagiz fi fiqh madhab al-imam al-Safi'i]'' (Beirut, 1979), pp. 186, 190-91, 199-200, 202-203. English translation by Dr. Michael Schub.</ref>}}

===Qur'an - Fitnah is Worse Than Killing ===

'''Verse 2:217'''

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|217}}|They ask you about the sacred month - about fighting therein. Say, "Fighting therein is great [sin], but averting [people] from the way of Allah and disbelief in Him and [preventing access to] al-Masjid al-Haram and the expulsion of its people therefrom are greater [evil] in the sight of Allah. And fitnah is greater than killing." And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able. And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire, they will abide therein eternally.}}

'''Explanation of verse 2:217'''

The meaning of fitnah in the Quran is not always clear, though usually indicates a trial, tumult or oppression. In the case of this verse Ibn Kathir indicates that it was sent down to excuse the Muslims for killing a non-combatant one day before the end of the sacred month, and that fitnah here involves an element of oppression.

{{Quote|1=[http://m.qtafsir.com/Surah-Al-Baqara/The-Nakhlah-Military-Maneuvers--- The Nakhlah Military Maneuvers] Tafsir of Ibn Kathir for Quran 2:217|2=(...and Al-Fitnah is worse than killing.) means, trying to force the Muslims to revert from their religion and re-embrace Kufr after they had believed, is worse with Allah than killing.'}}

Verse 2:191 has the same phrase "fitnah is worse than killing" as a response to oppression.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|191}}|And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al- Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.}}

Ibn Kathir presents a more aggressive view that fitnah here simply meant shirk.

{{Quote|1=[http://m.qtafsir.com/Surah-Al-Baqara/Shirk-is-worse-than-Killing Shirk is worse than Killing] Tafsir Ibn Kathir for Verse 2:191|2=Since Jihad involves killing and shedding the blood of men, Allah indicated that these men (the non muslims who are killed) are committing disbelief in Allah, associating with Him (in the worship) and hindering from His path, and this is a much greater evil and more disastrous than killing. Abu Malik commented about what Allah said:

(And Al-Fitnah is worse than killing.) Meaning what you (disbelievers) are committing is much worse than killing.'' Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said that what Allah said:

(And Al-Fitnah is worse than killing.) "Shirk (polytheism) is worse than killing.}}

This verse was revealed when a non-Muslim non-combatant was killed in the events of the Nakhla Raid. It was revealed to justify the killing of the non combatant, because non-Muslims do Fitnah... this is a graver crime in the eyes of Allah...than killing the non-combatant disbelievers <ref>[http://mercytomankind.net/TheLifeOfMohamedDir/AbdullahIbnJahshRaid.html Abdullah ibn Jaish - Life of Mohamed (Sirah), Non combatants]</ref> [[Osama bin Laden]] also used this in his interviews to justify killing non-combatants.<ref>[http://www.jihadunspun.com/intheatre_internal.php?article=109033&list=/home.php Sheikh Osama bin Laden’s speech to the people of Pakistan] - Translated From Urdu By Ahmed Al-Marid, September 26, 2007</ref>

==Jihad is Perpetual==

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud|14|2526}}|Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, "There is no god but Allah" and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action; and jihad will be performed continuously since the day Allah sent me as a prophet until the day the last member of my community will fight with the Dajjal (Antichrist). The tyranny of any tyrant and the justice of any just (ruler) will not invalidate it. One must have faith in Divine decree.}}

==See Also==

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:QHS]]
[[Category:Jihad]]
[[Category:Kafir (infidel)]]

Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Offensive Jihad

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AdrianE: Restructured this page. Two hadith were placed in the wrong section. Some tafsir commentary was related to a different verse than the one being mentioned. Added some Quran verses.

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Offensive jihad, known in Arabic as جهاد الطلب "jihad at-talab" ("the jihad of request", referring to the invitation to Islam which must be sent to the opposing infidels before hostilities may commence), is understood in the classical sources as an offensive struggle against [[Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam (the Abodes of War and Peace)|Dar Al-Harb]] (the House of War or the realm of the infidels), is a duty incumbent upon Muslims and the [[Ummah]], and as such is to be carried out in a variety of ways. Outright war and fighting is permitted, and as the prophet himself said (in agreement with many great generals and military leaders throughout history such as Sun Tzu and von Clausewitz) "war is deceit" and as such breaking treaties, oaths, and promises is permittable as a part of Jihad on the path of Allah, and likewise all other forms of misdirection as a part of jihad. Muslim scholars generally agree that the the duty of Jihad is eternal until "the religion is to Allah" yet significant differences exist between scholars about whether Jihad may be validly conducted when the presence of a caliph and commander of the faithful is lacking. This difference constitutes a major point of contention between salafi-jihadis and conservative but quietist salafi factions, with the jihadis believing that a caliph is not a necessary pre-requisite for jihad. Modernist Islamic scholars argue that the traditional interpretations are mistaken, overextend the doctrine of abrogation and were a result of the need to legitimise the emerging empire and Caliphates. They argue that the Quran does not itself sanction expansionist warfare nor reveals an evolution in the extent of its permission to fight, contrary to traditional interpretation. Although differences exist in the modern understanding of when and where jihad may be conducted, the classical sources are generally in agreement that "jihad fi sabil allah" "Jihad-warfare on the path of god" against the unbelievers [[Jihad_as_Obligation_(Fard)|is a duty]] incumbent upon all able-bodied Muslim men when Muslim lands are threatened, or a duty that must be fulfilled by a group from among them for expansionary purposes.

{{Main|Jihad in Islamic Law}}

==Jihad in the Qur'an and Sunnah==

===Qur'an===
{{Main|Jihad in Islamic Law}}

Known by some scholars as the "sword verse" in Surah at-Tawbah of the Qur'an, verse 9:29 has been interpreted by many Islamic scholars throughout history as a never-ending call for jihad against the [[Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam (the Abodes of War and Peace)|Dar-al-Harb]], abrogating a large number of earlier verses. This was not a universal view, however, and is also contested by Islamic modernist scholars today, who argue that the Quran does not sanction expansionist warfare but rather emphasises defensive fighting against aggression and religious persecution, with the expansionist-abrogationist view being linked to the early imperial-political situation (see discussion in the main article).

'''Verse 9:29'''

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.}}

Here is Quran 9:29 in context, this verse is commonly known as ''the verse of the sword'' and relates to Jews and Christians.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|9|29|35}}|Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they!

They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One Allah. There is no Allah save Him. Be He Glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)!

Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah disdaineth (aught) save that He shall perfect His light, however much the disbelievers are averse.

He it is Who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religion, however much the idolaters may be averse.

O ye who believe! Lo! many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks devour the wealth of mankind wantonly and debar (men) from the way of Allah. They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom,

On the day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith (and it will be said unto them): Here is that which ye hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what ye used to hoard.}}

The classical commentator Ibn Kathir, who was of the aggressive abrogationist view, gave the following explanation of this verse.

{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url=http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2567&Itemid=/ |title= The Order to fight People of the Scriptures until They give the Jizyah|}} Tafsir ibn Kathir|(Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture,)

This honorable Ayah was revealed with the order to fight the People of the Book, after the pagans were defeated, the people entered Allah's religion in large numbers, and the Arabian Peninsula was secured under the Muslims' control. Allah commanded His Messenger to fight the People of the Scriptures, Jews and Christians, on the ninth year of Hijrah, and he prepared his army to fight the Romans and called the people to Jihad announcing his intent and destination. The Messenger sent his intent to various Arab areas around Al-Madinah to gather forces, and he collected an army of thirty thousand. Some people from Al-Madinah and some hypocrites, in and around it, lagged behind, for that year was a year of drought and intense heat. The Messenger of Allah marched, heading towards Ash-Sham to fight the Romans until he reached Tabuk, where he set camp for about twenty days next to its water resources. He then prayed to Allah for a decision and went back to Al-Madinah because it was a hard year and the people were weak, as we will mention, Allah willing.}}

'''Quran 9:111'''

The following verse defines fighting in the cause of Allah as killing and being killed.
{{Quote|{{Quran|9|111}}|Indeed, Allāh has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. '''They fight in the cause of Allāh, so they kill and are killed.''' [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur’ān. And who is truer to his covenant than Allāh? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.}}

'''Quran 9:5'''

Quran 9:5 is another verse known as ''the verse of the sword'' (like 9:29 discussed above) and considered by many classical scholars to abrogate earlier defensive verses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|5}}|And when the inviolable months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakāh, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.}}

In context, the passage relates to treaty breakers among the mushrikeen.
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|9|1|8}}|Freedom from obligation (is proclaimed) from Allah and His messenger toward those of the idolaters with whom ye made a treaty.

Travel freely in the land four months, and know that ye cannot escape Allah and that Allah will confound the disbelievers (in His Guidance).

And an announcement from Allah and His Messenger, to the people (assembled) on the day of the Great Pilgrimage,- that Allah and His Messenger dissolve (treaty) obligations with the Pagans. If then, ye repent, it were best for you; but if ye turn away, know ye that ye cannot frustrate Allah. And proclaim a grievous penalty to those who reject Faith.

Excepting those of the idolaters with whom ye (Muslims) have a treaty, and who have since abated nothing of your right nor have supported anyone against you. (As for these), fulfil their treaty to them till their term. Lo! Allah loveth those who keep their duty (unto Him).

Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

And if anyone of the idolaters seeketh thy protection (O Muhammad), then protect him so that he may hear the Word of Allah, and afterward convey him to his place of safety. That is because they are a folk who know not.

How can there be a treaty with Allah and with His messenger for the idolaters save those with whom ye made a treaty at the Inviolable Place of Worship? So long as they are true to you, be true to them. Lo! Allah loveth those who keep their duty.

How (can there be any treaty for the others) when, if they have the upper hand of you, they regard not pact nor honour in respect of you? They satisfy you with their mouths the while their hearts refuse. And most of them are wrongdoers.}}

'''Quran 9:123'''

Another verse in the same surah is the following:
{{Quote|{{Quran|9|123}}|O you who have believed, fight against those adjacent to you of the disbelievers and let them find in you harshness. And know that Allah is with the righteous.}}'''Verse 8:39'''

Quran 8:39 can also be interpreted as calling for offensive jihad.

{{Quote|{{Quran|8|39}}|And fight against them until there is no fitnah1 and [until] the religion [i.e., worship], all of it, is for Allāh. And if they cease - then indeed, Allāh is Seeing of what they do.}}

Ibn Kathir explains this verse as follows:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=2&tid=5035 The Order to fight until there is no more Fitnah] Tafsir Ibn Kathir|2=Allah then commanded fighting the disbelievers when He said:

(...until there is no more Fitnah) meaning, Shirk. This is the opinion of Ibn `Abbas, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi`, Muqatil bin Hayyan, As-Suddi and Zayd bin Aslam.

Allah's statement:

(...and the religion (all and every kind of worship) is for Allah (Alone).) means, `So that the religion of Allah becomes dominant above all other religions.' It is reported in the Two Sahihs that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said: "The Prophet was asked, `O Allah's Messenger! A man fights out of bravery, and another fights to show off, which of them fights in the cause of Allah' The Prophet said:

(He who fights so that Allah's Word is superior, then he fights in Allah's cause.) In addition, it is reported in the Two Sahihs:

(I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight the people until they proclaim, `None has the right to be worshipped but Allah'. Whoever said it, then he will save his life and property from me, except for cases of the law, and their account will be with Allah.) }}

'''Verse 2:193'''

Then there is Quran 2:193.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|193}}|Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression except against the oppressors.}}

Another prominent classical commentary, tafsir al-Jalalayn, states the following regarding this verse:

{{Quote|[http://quran.com/2/193 Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:193] Tafsir al-Jalalayn|Fight them till there is no sedition, no idolatry, and the religion, all worship, is for God, alone and none are worshipped apart from Him; then if they desist, from idolatry, do not aggress against them. This is indicated by the following words, there shall be no enmity, no aggression through slaying or otherwise, save against evildoers. Those that desist, however, are not evildoers and should not be shown any enmity.}}

===Hadith===

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|387}}, See also: {{Bukhari|1|2|24}}|Narrated Anas bin Malik:

Allah's Apostle said, "I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, '''then their blood and property will be sacred''' to us and we will not interfere with them except legally and their reckoning will be with Allah." Narrated Maimun ibn Siyah that he asked Anas bin Malik,

"O Abu Hamza! '''What makes the life and property of a person sacred?" He replied, "Whoever says, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah'''', faces our Qibla during the prayers, prays like us and eats our slaughtered animal, then he is a Muslim, and has got the same rights and obligations as other Muslims have."}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|435}}|
On the day of Al-Ahzab (i.e. clans) the Prophet said, (After this battle) we will go to attack them (i.e. the infidels) and they will not come to attack us." [https://sunnah.com/bukhari/64/153, 5:59:435] }}

==Not Aggressing in Jihad ==

=== Verse===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|190}}|Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.}}

=== Scholars===

This is among the peaceful/defensive verses that have been [[Abrogation|abrogated]] by verses from chapter nine according to classical scholars of the abrogationist view such as the commentators of Tafsir al-Jalalayn, as discussed above.

{{Quote|[http://quran.com/2/190 Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:190] Tafsir al-Jalalayn|this stipulation was abrogated by the verse of barā’a, ‘immunity’ [Q. 9:1], or by His saying [below]:}}

==Peace Treaties==
===Quran ===

{{Quote|{{Quran|8|61}}|And if they incline to peace, then incline to it [also] and rely upon Allah. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Knowing.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|8|72}}|Indeed, those who have believed and emigrated and fought with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allah and those who gave shelter and aided - they are allies of one another. But those who believed and did not emigrate - for you there is no guardianship of them until they emigrate. And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allah is Seeing of what you do.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|8|58}}|If thou fearest treachery from any group, throw back (their covenant) to them, (so as to be) on equal terms: for Allah loveth not the treacherous.}}

===Scholars ===
As an ideological leader of the Afghan Jihad against the Soviets, 'Abdallah Yusuf 'Azzam (d. 1989) argued the importance of not relinquishing the right to Muslim lands as part of a peace treaty:
{{Quote|1=Abdallah Yusuf 'Azzam (1979) [https://islam.worldofislam.info/index.php/online-books/118-defense-of-muslim-lands/490-chapter-4-important-questions Defence of the Muslim Land, Chapter 4]|2=The scholars of Fiqh are divided as to whether or not it is permitted to make peace treaties with the Kuffar. Among them are some who permit it based on the pact of Hudaybia. Others permit it if the Muslims are extremely weak. Others still, say that we are no longer permitted to make peace treaties with the Kuffar because they say that all pacts with the Kuffar are cancelled by the Verse of the Sword. We say, it is permitted to make peace treaties, if in the treaty there is good for the Muslims, but under the condition that there is no clause within the treaty that nullifies or corrupts it.

Such as:

1) It is not permitted to include a condition in the treaty that relinquishes even a hand span of Muslim land to the Kuffar. Because, the land of Islam belongs to no one, therefore none can make negotiations over it. Such a condition nullifies the treaty because the land belongs to Allah and to Islam. It is not permitted for anyone to misuse anything in a domain not his own. Or to barter the Son of Adam that does not belong to him. With reference to the Russians, it is not permitted to negotiate with them until they retreat from every hand span of Afghani territory .With the Jews in Palestine, likewise.}}

In contrast, the 1979 Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty represented official Egyptian recognition of Israel and was endorsed by al-Azhar. Precedent for treaties in which Muslims accept unfavourable terms for the sake of a longer term benefit is often cited in the [[Treaty of Hudaybiyyah]] between Muhammad's Medinan state and the Quraysh in 628 CE, which affirmed a ten-year peace and granted Muhammad and the believers a pilgrimage to Mecca the following year, in 629 CE.

The Shafi'i jurist al-Nawawi stated in his commentary on Sahih Muslim:
{{Quote|al-Nawawi, ''al minhaj bin sharh sahih muslim'', vol. 6, part 12, p. 355|In this [Treaty of Hudaibiyya] there is evidence for the permissibility of making treaties with non-Muslims if there is an interest or benefit (maslaha) in doing so. There is a consensus on this (majma‘‘alayhi) when there is a need (haja) [...] In our opinion, this should not exceed ten years, but there is a sound view (qawl) that it is allowed without a time restriction. And Malik said there is no limit at all and it is allowed for a short time or protracted period according to the opinion of the ruler.}}

One of the most influential modern jurists, Yusuf al-Qaradawi (d. 2022) stated in his book, ''fiqh al-Jihad'', that the United Nations is a treaty that renders the world an abode of peace, and peace as the basic norm is established. The exception was Israel, which he argued is still part of Dar al-Harb (the abode of war), disagreeing with leading al-Azhar scholars Muhammad Abu Zahrah (d. 1979) and Jad al-Haqq ‘Ali Jad al-Haqq (d. 1996) who justified the 1979 Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty. Similarly, the Saudi Salafist Sheikh ‘Abd al- ‘Aziz bin Baz (d. 1999) disagreed to some extent with al-Qaradawi regarding Israel, citing {{Quran|8|61}} and {{Quran|8|72}} quoted above to argue that the Quran approves of treaties when faced with oppression.<ref>Rashad Ali and Hannah Stuart, [https://henryjacksonsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Refuting-Jihadism.pdf A Guide to Refuting Jihadism: Critiquing radical Islamist claims to theological authenticity] p. 36-37</ref>

Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1328) said regarding peace with disbelievers:
{{Quote|Ibn Taymiyya, ‘qa’ida fı qital al-kuffar’, from majmu’at rasail, (Cairo: Sunni Mohammadi, 1949), p. 125|The Prophet’s biography shows that he did not fight whoever made peace with him among the unbelievers; and the books of biography, prophetic traditions, exegesis, jurisprudence, and history are full of such acts and this is widely narrated in his biography. Thus, the Prophet did not initiate fighting with anyone, and had Allah commanded him to fight every disbeliever, then he would have initiated fighting with them.}}

==Live in Peace with the Disbelievers for a Time==

{{quote | {{cite quran|86|13|end=17|style=ref}} |
Lo! this (Qur'an) is a conclusive word, It is no pleasantry. Lo! they plot a plot (against thee, O Muhammad) And I plot a plot (against them). So give a respite to the disbelievers. Deal thou gently with them '''for a while'''.}}

==Fighting When Outnumbered==

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|8|65|67}}|O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred (steadfast) they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk without intelligence.

Now hath Allah lightened your burden, for He knoweth that there is weakness in you. So if there be of you a steadfast hundred they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a thousand (steadfast) they shall overcome two thousand by permission of Allah. Allah is with the steadfast.

It is not for any prophet to have captives until he hath made slaughter in the land. Ye desire the lure of this world and Allah desireth (for you) the Hereafter, and Allah is Mighty, Wise.}}

==Deceit in War from the Life of Muhammad==
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|52|268}}|Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle called,: "War is deceit".|See Also {{Bukhari|4|52|269}}}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|52|271}}|Narrated Jabir: The Prophet said, "Who is ready to kill Ka'b bin Ashraf (i.e. a Jew)." Muhammad bin Maslama replied, "Do you like me to kill him?" The Prophet replied in the affirmative. Muhammad bin Maslama said, '''"Then allow me to say what I like." The Prophet replied, "I do (i.e. allow you)."'''}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|369}}|Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah: Allah's Apostle said, "Who is willing to kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, "O Allah's Apostle! Would you like that I kill him?" The Prophet said, "Yes,"''' Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Kab). "The Prophet said, "You may say it."''' Then Muhammad bin Maslama went to Kab and said, "That man (i.e. Muhammad demands Sadaqa (i.e. Zakat) from us, and he has troubled us, and I have come to borrow something from you." On that, Kab said, "By Allah, you will get tired of him!"...}}

{{Quote|{{citation|title=The Life of Muhammad|trans_title=Sirat Rasul Allah|ISBN=0-19-636033-1|year=1955|publisher=Oxford UP|author1=Ibn Ishaq (d. 768)|author2=Ibn Hisham (d. 833)|editor=A. Guillaume|url=https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up|page=365}} {{citation|title=سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا|author1=ابن إسحاق|author2=ابن هشام|url=https://app.turath.io/book/23833|publisher=al-Maktabah al-Shamilah|volume=vol. 2|pages=54-55}} See Also {{Tabari|7|p. 94}}|Then he composed amatory verses of an insulting nature about the Muslim women. The apostle said--according to what 'Abdullah b. al-Mughith b. Abu Burda told me--'Who will rid me of Ibnu'I-Ashraf?' Muhammad b. Maslama, brother of the B. 'Abdu'l-Ashhal, said, 'I will deal with him for you, O apostle of God, I will kill him.' He said, 'Do so if you can: So Muhammad b. Maslama returned and waited for three days without food or drink, apart from what was absolutely necessary. When the apostle was told of this he summoned him and asked him why he had given up eating and drinking. He replied that he had given him an undertaking and he did not know whether he could fulfil it. The apostle said, 'All that is incumbent upon you is that you should try: He said, 'O apostle
of God, we shall have to tell lies.' He answered, 'Say what you like, for you are free in the matter.'}}

{{Quote|{{citation|title=The Life of Muhammad|trans_title=Sirat Rasul Allah|ISBN=0-19-636033-1|year=1955|publisher=Oxford UP|author1=Ibn Ishaq (d. 768)|author2=Ibn Hisham (d. 833)|editor=A. Guillaume|url=https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up|page=519}} {{citation|title=سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا|author1=ابن إسحاق|author2=ابن هشام|url=https://app.turath.io/book/23833|publisher=al-Maktabah al-Shamilah|volume=vol. 2|page=345}}|The Affair of Al-Hajjaj b. 'Ilat al-Sulami: 
When Khaybar had been conquered al-Hajjaj b. 'Ilat al-Sulami of the clan al-Bahz said to the apostle, 'I have money with my wife Umm Shayba d. Abu Talha--when they had lived together he had a son called Mu'rid by her--and money scattered among the Meccan merchants, so give me permission to go and get it.' Having got his permission he said, 'I must tell lies, O apostle.' He said, 'Tell them.'}}

==Women and Children==

Muhammad disapproved of the killing of women and children during expeditions (also {{Muslim|19|4319}}).

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|52|257}}|During some of the Ghazawat of the Prophet (ﷺ) a woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) disapproved the killing of women and children.}}

Although when asked, he excused the probable exposure of women and children to danger during an attack.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|52|256}}|Narrated As-Sab bin Jaththama: The Prophet passed by me at a place called Al-Abwa or Waddan, and was asked whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger. '''The Prophet replied, "They (i.e. women and children) are from them (i.e. pagans)."''' I also heard the Prophet saying, "The institution of Hima is invalid except for Allah and His Apostle."}}

A more specific hadith quotes the same narrator stating that this involved women and children who were trampled over with horses during the attack:
{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||3|19|1570}}|Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

"I was informed by As-Sa'b bin Jaththamah who said: " I said: "O Messenger of Allah our horses trampled over women and children of the idolaters." He said: "They are from their fathers.'"

[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih. }}

= Scholars=

[[w:Al-Suyuti|Imam Al-Suyuti]] (c. 1445-1505 AD) was a famous Egyptian writer, religious scholar, juristic expert and teacher.

{{Quote|Suyuti, Durr al-Manthur(Beirut Edition), vol. 3, p. 228|Fight those who don't believe in God nor in the Last Day [Unless they believe in the Prophet God bless him and grant him peace] nor hold what is forbidden that which God and His emissary have forbidden [e.g., wine] nor embrace the true faith [which is firm, and abrogates other faiths, i.e., the Islamic religion] from among [for distinguishing] those who were given the Book [i.e., the Jews and Christians] unless they give the head-tax [i.e., the annual taxes imposed on them] ''(/'an yadin/)'' humbly submissive, and obedient to Islam's rule.<ref>Suyuti, ''Durr al-Manthur'' ... (Beirut, n.d.), vol. 3, p. 228, where Suyuti quotes various traditions.</ref>}}
Al Azhar University Scholar, Dr. M. Sa’id Ramadan Al-Buti:

{{Quote|Dr. M. Sa’id Ramadan Al-Buti - "Jurisprudence of Muhammad’s Biography", Pg. 135|
"The theory that our religion is a peaceful and loving religion is a wrong theory...The Holy war as it is known in Islam is basically an offensive war, and it is the duty of all Muslims of every age, when the needed military power is available, because our prophet Muhammad said that he is ordered by Allah to fight all people until they say ‘No God but Allah,’ and he is his messenger...It is meaningless to talk about the holy war as only defensive, otherwise, what did the prophet mean when he said, "from now on even if they don’t invade you, you must invade them.""}}

Leader of the Afghan Jihad, [[w:Abdullah_Yusuf_Azzam|Abdullah Yusuf Azzam]]

{{Quote|[http://www.islamicemirate.com/fiqh-jurisprudence/jihad/1544-offensive-jihad-vs-defensive-jihad.html%20IslamicEmirate.com Offensive Jihad Vs. Defensive Jihad] Sheikh Abdullah Azzam|"Jihad Against the Kuffar is of two Types: Offensive Jihad (where the enemy is attacked in his own territory) ... [and] Defensive Jihad. This is expelling the Kuffar from our land, and it is Fard Ayn [personal religious obligation on Muslim individuals], a compulsory duty upon all ...

...Where the Kuffar [infidels] are not gathering to fight the Muslims, the fighting becomes Fard Kifaya [religious obligation on Muslim society] with the minimum requirement of appointing believers to guard borders, and the sending of an army at least once a year to terrorise the enemies of Allah. It is a duty of the Imam (Caliph) to assemble and send out an army unit into the land of war once or twice every year. Moreover, it is the responsibility of the Muslim population to assist him, and if he does not send an army he is in sin.- And the Ulama have mentioned that this type of jihad is for maintaining the payment of [[Jizyah|Jizya]]. The scholars of the principles of religion have also said: " Jihad is Daw'ah [Islamic preaching] with a force, and is obligatory to perform with all available capabilities, until there remains only Muslims or people who submit to Islam."<ref>Defence of the Muslim Lands: The First Obligation After Iman - Abdullah Azzam</ref>}}

[[w:Taymiyyah|Ibn Taymiyyah]] (1263 - 1328) was one of the most famous Islamic scholars and theologians to ever live. As a member of the school founded by Ibn Hanbal, he sought the return of Islam to its sources, the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

{{Quote|Ibn Taymiyyah, ‘Governance According to Allaah’s Law in Reforming
the Ruler and his Flock’|The penalties that the ''Sharia'' has introduced for those who disobey God and his Messengers of two kinds: the punishment of those who are under the sway [of an imam], both individuals and collectivities, as has been mentioned before [in the chapter on criminal law], and, secondly, the punishment of recalcitrant groups, such as those that can only be brought under the sway of the Imam by a decisive fight. That then is the jihad against the unbelievers (kuffar), the enemies of God and His Messenger. For whoever has heard the summons of the Messenger of God, Peace be upon him, and has not responded to it must be fought, "''until there is no Fitna and the religion of God's entirely''" (K. 2:193, 8:39).<ref>Excerpted from Rudolph Peters, ''[http://hss.fullerton.edu/comparative/jihad_relmora.pdf Jihad in Classical and Modern Islam]'' (Princeton, NJ: Markus Wiener, 1996), pp. 44-54.</ref>}}

{{Quote|Ibn Taymiyyah, ‘Governance According to Allaah’s Law in Reforming
the Ruler and his Flock’|"Since lawful warfare is essentially Jihad and since its aim is that religion is entirely for Allah and the word of Allah is uppermost, therefore, according to all Muslims, those who stand in the way of this aim must be fought.<ref name="ibn Taymiyyah">Shaykh ul-Islaam Taqi ud-Deen Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah - '[http://www.fisabeelillah.org/books/manhaj/The-Religious-And-Moral-Doctrine-Of-Jihad.pdf The Religious and Moral Doctrine of Jihaad]' - p.28, © Copyright 2001 Maktabah Al Ansaar Publications, ISBN: 0-9539847-5-3 </ref>}}

Ahmad Sirhindi (d. 1624) was an Islamic scholar and a prominent Sufi. He is regarded as having rejuvenated Islam, due to which he is commonly called "Mujadid Alf Thani", meaning "reviver of the second millennium".

{{Quote||''Shariat can be fostered through the sword. 
''Kufr'' and Islam are opposed to each other. The progress of one is possible only at the expense of the other and co-existences between these two contradictory faiths in unthinkable. 
The honor of Islam lies in insulting ''kufr'' and ''kafirs''. One who respects ''kafirs'', dishonors the Muslims. To respect them does not merely mean honouring them and assigning them a seat of honor in any assembly, but it also implies keeping company with them or showing considerations to them. They should be kept at an arm's length like dogs. ... If some worldly business cannot be performed without them, in that case only a minimum of contact should be established with them but without taking them into confidence. The highest Islamic sentiment asserts that it is better to forego that worldly business and that no relationship should be established with the ''kafirs''. 
The real purpose in levying ''jizya'' on them is to humiliate them to such an extent that, on account of fear of ''jizya'', they may not be able to dress well and to live in grandeur. They should constantly remain terrified and trembling. It is intended to hold them under contempt and to uphold the honor and might of Islam. . . . 
Whenever a Jew is killed, it is for the benefit of Islam.<ref>Excerpted from Saiyid Athar Abbas Rizvi, ''Muslim Revivalist Movements in Northern India in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries'' (Agra, Lucknow: Agra University, Balkrishna Book Co., 1965), pp.247-50; and Yohanan Friedmann, ''Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi: An Outline of His Thought and a Study of His Image in the Eyes of Posterity'' (Montreal, Quebec: McGill University, Institute of Islamic Studies, 1971), pp. 73-74.</ref>}}

{{Quote| Reliance of the Traveler o9.1| Jihad is a communal obligation (def: c3.2). When enough people perform it to successfully accomplish it, it is no longer obligatory upon others (0: the evidence for which is the Prophet's saying (Allah bless him and give him peace), "He who provides the equipment for a soldier in jihad has himself performed jihad," and Allah Most High having said: "Those of the believers who are unhurt but sit behind are not equal to those who fight in Allah's path with their property and lives. Allah has preferred those who fight with their property and lives a whole degree above those who sit behind. And to each. Allah has promised great good" (Koran 4:95). If none of those concerned perform jihad, and it does not happen at all, then everyone who is aware that it is obligatory is guilty of sin, if there was a possibility of having performed it. In the time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) jihad was a communal obligation after his emigration (hijra) to Medina. As for subsequent times, there are two possible states in respect to non-Muslims. The first is when they are in their own countries, in which case jihad (def: 09.8) is a communal obligation, and this is what our author is speaking of when he says, "Jihad is a communal obligation," meaning upon the Muslims each year.}}

For further information, see: [[Qur'an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Scholars_on_Jihad|Scholars on Jihad]]

==Non-Combatants==

Some of the expeditions which Muhammad and his men reportedly undertook involved sieges against enemy strongholds (such as the siege of Taif, in which catapults were reportedly used), or night raids, either of which put at risk the lives of women and children and not just male combatants as in a pitched battle. According to the hadith, Muhammad allowed the unintentional killing of women and children during nocturnal attacks (night raids) after some were trampled by horses.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|19|4321}}, See also: {{Bukhari|4|52|256}} and {{Al Tirmidhi||3|19|1570}}|It is reported on the authority of Sa'b b. Jaththama that the Prophet of Allah (may peace be upon him), when asked about the women and children of the polytheists being killed during the night raid, said: “They are from them”.}}

The Saudi scholar, Sheikh Al Shuaybi (d. 2001) said that Muhammad therefore (as is evident) acknowledged that non-combatants could be killed and allowed at least semi-indiscriminate killings.<ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=WC_2AtmBOpEC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false Jihad in classical and Modern Islam, Rudolph Peters, Pg.179]</ref> Another notorious cleric with similar views, Omar Bakri Mohammed also referred to this hadith to justify why killing women and children is Islamic.<ref>[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5532956235787015675# Islam - A mufti explains, why Muhammad killed Women and Children]</ref>

On the other hand, in another hadith (see the section above on [[Qur'an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Offensive_Jihad#Women_and_Children|women and children]]), Muhammad disapproved of deliberately targeting women and children ({{Bukhari|4|52|257}}), and by consensus in Islamic law this is forbidden. Nevertheless, some scholars have come to the conclusion that this was not because they were non-combatants, but because it is better to take them for slavery or exchange them for Muslim prisoners. Muhammad took the Jewish woman and children of Banu Qurayza for slavery according to tradition.

{{Quote|Ibn Taymiyyah, ‘Governance According to Allaah’s Law in Reforming
the Ruler and his Flock’|Some [jurists] are of the opinion that all of them may be killed, on the mere ground that they are unbelievers, but they make an exception for women and children since they constitute "'''property for Muslims'''".<ref name="ibn Taymiyyah"></ref>}}

In some modern contexts even more exteme views can be found among Salafi-Jihadists (though criticised by many other Muslim scholars). The following Q&A with a Lebanese Islamic scholar and Muslim Brotherhood associate is taken from the Arabic section of Islam Online.

'''"Is it permissible to kill civilians in Israel through martyrdom operations which are carried out by Palestinians in defense of their land?"'''

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-Arabic-Ask_Scholar/FatwaA/FatwaA&cid=1122528609048 Jews have killed civilians in the martyrdom operations in Palestine] Sheikh Faisal Mawlawi, Islam Online, January 23, 2002|2=
The Jews living inside the occupied territory and those who carry Israeli citizenship are all participants in the aggression against us, and it is our right to combat all of them."

Adding on "…the Prophet (PBUH) was killed by a Jewish woman from the Bani Qurayzah (a Jewish tribe from Medina). Since she was killed by a Muslim man, it became a rule that it was permissible to kill all the killers among the Jewish women in our country of Palestine, without hesitation."}}
===Islamic law regarding non-combatants===

The different schools of jurisprudence agreed that it was forbidden to kill various classes of non-combatants such as women and children, though Shafi'i alone among the major legal school founders was of the opinion that certain other categories of persons could be killed.

The state of agreement and disagreement was summarised in ''Bidayat al-Mujtahid'' (which has been translated under the English title ''The Distinguished Jurist's Primer'') by Ibn Rushd (d. 1198 CE; known in Europe as Averroes):

{{Quote|1=[https://archive.org/details/BidayatAl-mujtahidTheDistinguishedJuristsPrimer/page/n439/mode/2up ''The Distinguished Jurist's Primer''] by Ibn Rashd (transl. Imran Ahsan Khan Nyazee) pp. 458-460|2=The harm aimed at life is by killing, and there is no disagreement among the Muslim jurists that it is permitted in war to slay the male polythests, who have attained puberty and are waging war. There is, however, disagreement about execution after captivity, as we have already discussed. Similarly, there is no dispute among them that it is not permitted to slay minors or women, as long as they are not waging war. If a woman fights the shedding of her blood becomes permissible. This was established as "the Propet (God's peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited the killing of women and children, and said when he saw a slain woman, 'She was not one who would have engaged in fighting'". 
They disagreed about the case of hermits cut off from the world, the blind, the chronically ill, the old who cannot fight, the idiot, and the peasants and serfs. Malik said neither the blind nor idiots nor hermits are to be slain, and enough of their wealth is to be left to them by which they may suvive. Similarly, the old and decrepit are not to be slain, in his view, and this was also the view of Abu Hanifa and his disciples. Al-Thawri and al-Awza'i said that only the old are to be spared. Al-Awza'i added that the peasants are not to be slain either. According to al-Shafi'i's most authentic opinion, all of these categories (of people) are to be put to death. The basis for their disagreement stems from the conflict of the specificity in some traditons with general implication of (some verses of) the Qur'an, and also the generality of the authentic saying of the Prophet (God's peace and blessings be upon him), "I have been commanded to fight mankind until they say, 'There is no God but Allah.'" The words of the Exalted, "Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them", imply the slaynig of every nonbeliever whether or not he is a monk, and so does the saying of the Prophet (God's peace and blessings be upon him), "I have been commanded to fight mankind until they say, 'There is no God but Allah'".
The traditions laid down about the sparing of all these categories include the traditions related by Dawud Ibn al-Husayn from 'Ikrimah from Ibn 'Abbas "that the Prophet (God's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say while sending out his armies, 'Do not kill hermits'". There is also athe tradition related from Anas Ibn Malik from the Prophet (God's peace and blessings be upon him), "Do not slay the old and decrepit nor young children no women, and do not purloin [the booty]". It is recorded by Abu Dawud. There is also among these the traditon related by Malik from Abu Bakr that he said, "You will come acrosss a people who will claim that they have devoted themselves to Allah, so leave them and that to which they have devoted themselves", and it includes the words, "Never kill women, children, and the old weakened with age". 
It appears that the chief source of disagreement in this issue springs from the apparent conflict between the words of the Exalted, "Fight in the way of Allah aginst those who fight you, but begin not hostilities. Lo, Allah loveth not aggressors", and His words, "Then when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them". Those who held that the latter verse was abrogated the (meaning of the) words "Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you", as fighting is prescribed primarily against those who fight, said that the latter verse stands unrestricted upon its generality. On the other hand, those who maintained that the former verse is the governing verse, and that it includes all categories not involved in fighting, exempted if from the generality of the latter (in other words restricted the latter to those who do or can provide hostility, thus excluding children, old and decrepit etc). 
[...] 
The reason leading to their disagreement, on the whole, arises from their dispute about the effective underlying cause of slaying. Thus, those who maintained that the effective underlying cause for this is disbelief (''Kufr''), did not exempt anyone out of the polytheists, while those who maintained that the underying cause in it is the ability to fight, there being a prohibition about the killing of women though they be non-believers, exempted those who do not have the ability to wage war, or those who have not affiliated themselves with it, like the peasants and the serfs.}}

''Al-Hidayah'', a famous manual of Hanfafi fiqh (jurisprudence) states the following:

{{Quote|[https://archive.org/details/Hedaya_201703/page/n501/mode/2up Al-Hidayah Vol. 2 p. 293 translated by Imran Ahsan Khan Nyazee]|A woman, minor, enfeebled old man, an invalid, and a blind man are not to be killed. The reason is that permitted killing is of those persons who are capabable of hostility, and this is not realised in the case of these persons. It is for this reason that they are not killed a paralysed person, one whose right hand has been amputated, and one whose hand and leg of the opposite sides are cut. Al-Shafi'i (God bless him) goes against our opinion in the case of the enfeebled old man, the invalid, and the blind. The reason is that permitted killing in his view is based upon unbelief, but the evidence against him is what we have elaborated.}}

The views of the Shafi'i school were detailed in the famous compendium of Shafi'i fiqh (jurisprudence), ''The Reliance of the Traveller'':

{{Quote|Reliance of the Traveller o9.10 translated by Nuh Ha Mim Keller|o9.10 It is not permissible (A: in jihad) to kill women or children unless they are fighting against the Muslims. Nor is it permissible to kill animals, unless they are being ridden into battle against the Muslims, or if killing them will help defeat the enemy. It is permissible to kill old men (O: old man (shaykh meaning someone more than forty years of age) and monks.}}

[[w:Al-Ghazali|Al-Ghazali]] (1058-1111) was a Persian jurist who contributed significantly to the development of Sufism and is one of the most celebrated scholars in the history of Islamic thought. He followed the Shafi'i madhab (legal school) for most of his life.

{{Quote|Al-Ghazali, Kitab al-Wagiz fi fiqh madhab al-imam al-Safi'i|...[O]ne must go on jihad (i.e. razzias or raids) at least once a year ... one may use a catapult against them when they are in a fortress, even if among them are women and children. One may set fire to them and/or drown them. ... If a person of the ''ahl al-kitab'' [i.e. People of the Book] is enslaved, his marriage is revoked. ... One may cut down their trees. ... One must destroy their useless books. Jihadists may take as booty whatever they decide ... they may steal as much food as they need... <ref name="Al-Ghazali">Excerpted form ''[http://www.irfi.org/articles3/articles_4701_4800/why%20christians%20accepted%20greek%20natural%20philosophy,%20but%20muslims%20did%20nothtml.htm Kitab al-Wagiz fi fiqh madhab al-imam al-Safi'i]'' (Beirut, 1979), pp. 186, 190-91, 199-200, 202-203. English translation by Dr. Michael Schub.</ref>}}

===Qur'an - Fitnah is Worse Than Killing===

'''Verse 2:217'''

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|217}}|They ask you about the sacred month - about fighting therein. Say, "Fighting therein is great [sin], but averting [people] from the way of Allah and disbelief in Him and [preventing access to] al-Masjid al-Haram and the expulsion of its people therefrom are greater [evil] in the sight of Allah. And fitnah is greater than killing." And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able. And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire, they will abide therein eternally.}}

'''Explanation of verse 2:217'''

The meaning of fitnah in the Quran is not always clear, though usually indicates a trial, tumult or oppression. In the case of this verse Ibn Kathir indicates that it was sent down to excuse the Muslims for killing a non-combatant one day before the end of the sacred month, and that fitnah here involves an element of oppression.

{{Quote|1=[http://m.qtafsir.com/Surah-Al-Baqara/The-Nakhlah-Military-Maneuvers--- The Nakhlah Military Maneuvers] Tafsir of Ibn Kathir for Quran 2:217|2=(...and Al-Fitnah is worse than killing.) means, trying to force the Muslims to revert from their religion and re-embrace Kufr after they had believed, is worse with Allah than killing.'}}

Verse 2:191 has the same phrase "fitnah is worse than killing" as a response to oppression.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|191}}|And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al- Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.}}

Ibn Kathir presents a more aggressive view that fitnah here simply meant shirk.

{{Quote|1=[http://m.qtafsir.com/Surah-Al-Baqara/Shirk-is-worse-than-Killing Shirk is worse than Killing] Tafsir Ibn Kathir for Verse 2:191|2=Since Jihad involves killing and shedding the blood of men, Allah indicated that these men (the non muslims who are killed) are committing disbelief in Allah, associating with Him (in the worship) and hindering from His path, and this is a much greater evil and more disastrous than killing. Abu Malik commented about what Allah said:

(And Al-Fitnah is worse than killing.) Meaning what you (disbelievers) are committing is much worse than killing.'' Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said that what Allah said:

(And Al-Fitnah is worse than killing.) "Shirk (polytheism) is worse than killing.}}

This verse was revealed when a non-Muslim non-combatant was killed in the events of the Nakhla Raid. It was revealed to justify the killing of the non combatant, because non-Muslims do Fitnah... this is a graver crime in the eyes of Allah...than killing the non-combatant disbelievers <ref>[http://mercytomankind.net/TheLifeOfMohamedDir/AbdullahIbnJahshRaid.html Abdullah ibn Jaish - Life of Mohamed (Sirah), Non combatants]</ref> [[Osama bin Laden]] also used this in his interviews to justify killing non-combatants.<ref>[http://www.jihadunspun.com/intheatre_internal.php?article=109033&list=/home.php Sheikh Osama bin Laden’s speech to the people of Pakistan] - Translated From Urdu By Ahmed Al-Marid, September 26, 2007</ref>

==Jihad is Perpetual==

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud|14|2526}}|Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, "There is no god but Allah" and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action; and jihad will be performed continuously since the day Allah sent me as a prophet until the day the last member of my community will fight with the Dajjal (Antichrist). The tyranny of any tyrant and the justice of any just (ruler) will not invalidate it. One must have faith in Divine decree.}}

==See Also==

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:QHS]]
[[Category:Jihad]]
[[Category:Kafir (infidel)]]

Battle of Badr

2024-05-25T09:03:56Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

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The battle of Badr was the first great battle in the military career of the prophet Muhammad according to the [[sira]]. Again according to the sira it took place in the month of Ramadan in the second year of the hijra (circa 624 AD). It was a watershed moment in the prophetic career, where some of the prophet's greatest enemies from Mecca were killed or humiliated. It was also interpreted as a sign of divine favor by the Muslim community in Mecca, with angels including [[Jibreel (Angel Gabriel)|Jibra'il]] reportedly taking part. The run-up to the battle, the battle itself and the aftermath were also the [[Asbab al-Nuzul (Revelational Circumstances of the Quran)|backdrop of the revelation]] for many verses in the Qur'an including the majority of surat al-anfal, the sura of war booty or voluntary gifts. The aftermath of the battle would see Muhammad put in place new rules around the division of [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad and Booty|booty]]. The defeat of the Meccans would harden their resolve to resist Muhammad as well as creating several blood fueds that the Meccans felt needed avenging, ultimately culminating in the defeat of Muhammad and the Muslims at the [[Battle of Uhud]]. For Muhammad, the battle would solidify his reputation as a commander and strengthen the faith of his community.

==Background==

After having fled with his followers from Mecca to Medina in the hijra, Muhammad had continued his preaching, growing his ranks amongst the so-called Ansar or partisans/helpers who came on board the movement, joining the ranks of the muhajirun or emigrants from Mecca. Once Muhammad had felt his position strong enough, he had embarked upon maghaazi or raids against the caravans of the Meccans, which were the life blood of the mercantile city. A raid on a Qurayshi caravan netted Muhammad and his followes a massive loot haul with no casualties. This whet the appetite of Muhammad and the Muslims for more loot. When they learned that the biggest caravan of the year was heading back to Mecca from Syria, Muhammad and his soldiers started planning their own raid. Abu Sufyan, chief amongst the Meccans, though, learned of Muhammad's plans, as Ling says "no doubt one of the hypocrites or one of the Jews" <ref> Martin Lings Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources Inner Traditions 2006, page 141 </ref> and immediately set forth sound the alarm to his countrymen. The Meccans gathered outside of their place of worship and formed a force to stop Muhammad.

An important source for early Islamic history are the letters to the Umayyad court from 'Urwa b. Zubayr (d. 94 H), a nephew of Aisha. One of his letters describes the events leading up to the battle of Badr as well as the battle itself (for a discussion of academic views on 'Urwa's letters see [[Jihad in Islamic Law]]). In his book ''Muhammad and the Empires of Faith'', Professor Sean Anthony translates these letters. His translation of the beginning of 'Urwa's third letter is given below, outlining events leading up to the battle:

{{Quote|Third letter of 'Urwa b. Zubayr to the Umayyad court<ref name="AnthonyEmpires">Sean Anthony, ''Muhammad and the Empires of Faith: The making of the Prophet of Islam'', Oakland CA: University of California, 2020, pp. 116-19</ref>|§2.1 Now to the heart of the matter. You wrote to me concerning Abū Sufyān and his expedition to ask me about how it transpired. What happened to him is that Abū Sufyān was on a return journey from Syria with riders from the clans of Quraysh, about seventy in all. They had been trading in Syria and were heading back together with wealth and traded goods. 
2 They mentioned this to the Messenger of God and his companions, for there had been a battle between them before that. Several warriors had been killed. Ibn al-Ḥaḍramī was killed in a raiding party at Nakhlah, and several captives were taken from the Quraysh, including a man from the Mughīrah clan and their client Ibn Kaysān. ʿAbdallāh ibn Jaḥsh Wāqid, a confederate of ʿAdī ibn Kaʿb, were the ones who attacked them, with a party of the companions of God's Messenger, whom he had sent out along with ʿAbdallāh ibn Jaḥsh. It was this event that provoked the war between the Messenger of God and Quraysh, and the first conflict in which they inflicted casualties on one another. That all happened before the trading expediton of Abū Sufyān and his cohort to Syria. 
3. Later, after that, Abū Sufyān and the riders from Quraysh began to head back. Returning from Syria, they followed the coastal route. When the Messenger of God heard about them, he readied his companions and told them how much wealth they carried and how few they were in number. They set out only intending to go after Abū Sufyān and the riders that accompanied him. Seeing it as nothing more than a change to plunder, they did not imagine that there might be a full-fledged battle when they met them. This is as God Almighty revealed concerning the incident, "your desire was for the party without weapons to be yours" (Q. Anfāl 8:7).}}

==Order of Battle==
In his letter, 'Urwa continues by explaining that when Abu Sufyan learned of the plan he sent a message to the Meccans, who came to his aid with men from various clans. Muhammad did not learn of these reinforcements until he arrived at Badr, on the route the caravan had been heading. The Quraysh made their way to Badr, while Abu Sufyan himself steered the caravan clear, fearing the ambush. A slave boy who had come to draw water for the Quraysh was captured and repeatedly beaten and interrogated by Muhammad's companions, who could not believe his answer that the Quraysh were close by. "The riders at the time were in fact just below them, as God Almighty declared, 'Recall when you were on the near side of the valley and they were on the far side and the riders were below you' until "a matter already preordained" (Q. 8:42)". Muhammad took and protected the boy, learning from him that there were around 700 to 1000 Quraysh. He then prepared his forces for battle.

According to other traditional sources, ansar formed the majority of Muhammad's forces with a minority of muhajirun. With Muhammad were some of his best men, including Ali. Abu Sufyan was not with the Meccans, but they had sent their best warriors. The Muslims numbered about 300 warriors, including some young boys and old men, with about 70 camels and a smaller number of horses. The Meccans counted almost 1000 men, almost all of them warriors in their prime, and twice as many pack animals as the Muslims.

==Lead Up to the Confrontation==
Muhammad had been stalking the caravan for several days when he discovered that the Meccans were coming to intercept them. He determined that the place of the battle would be Badr, and sent his forces ahead to secure the access to the water. The Meccans, discovering his camel turds, deduced that camels being fed by the dates of Medina where nearby. In the meantime, the Muslims, fearing for the lift of their prophet, built a booth for Muhammad and his animal and left an elite guard to protect his life. The Meccans advanced across a broad plain and were met by the Muslims. As was custom, the mubaarizuun or great warriors of both sides engaged each other in one-on-one combat. Three Muslims and three mushrikuun advanced to fight one another. All three polytheists fell in battle, while the Muslims suffered one wounded.

==Battle==
The duels being concluded, the general melee commenced. Two Muslims were felled by arrows before the two forces met one another. The Muslims, though outnumbered, were according to the sira far from out-gunned: the angel [[Jibreel (Angel Gabriel)|Jibra'il]] came to their aide with a host of angels. Two onlookers from a nearby mountain claimed they had seen the angels coming down from the sky to aide the Muslims, and one of them apparently died of a heart attack upon seeing it. One Muslim warrior had his arm chopped almost all the way off but continued to fight with his other hand, until the dangling, mangling appendage so vexed him that he stepped on the hand and broke it off of his body. Muhammad eventually entered the fray, and gave one warrior who had lost his sword a wooden club as a replacement, which miraculously transformed into a full scimitar. The battle raged for several hours, but in the end the Muslims and their angelic allies were victorious.

'Urwa's simpler account of the battle is quoted below and concludes his letter. Muhammad casting dust towards the Quraysh is apparently alluded to in {{Quran|8|17}} "And you did not kill them, but it was Allah who killed them. And you threw not, [O Muhammad], when you threw, but it was Allah who threw [...]". Other traditions ellaborate that a wind then blew dust in the faces of the Quraysh (perhaps this became known as "angelic" assistance, mentioned in {{Quran|8|9}} and {{Quran|8|12}} of the same surah).

{{Quote|Third letter of 'Urwa b. Zubayr to the Umayyad court<ref name="AnthonyEmpires" />|6 When the Quraysh advanced, he turned to face them and cast the dust of the earth in their direction. God defeated them. Before they had even encountered the Prophet, a rider from Abū Sufyān and his traveling party reached them to tell them, "Go back!"-and the travelling party was ordering the Quraysh to return to al Juḥfah-but they said, "By God we won't turn around until we go down to Badr and camp there for three nights so that the people of the people of the Ḥijāz can see us. No Arab who sees us and the host we've gathered will dare battle us!" They were the ones about whom God Almight revealed "those who in arrogance left their homes to be seen by the people" (Q. 8:47). 
7. They met each other in battle, the Meccans and the Prophet, and God granted His Messenger victory. He disgraced the leaders of the infidels and granted the believers' hearts the vengeance they craved.}}

==Aftermath==
The victorious Muslims took much booty. The Muslim warrior who had stayed behind to guard Muhammad felt that it was unfair to allow the warriors who had advanced against the Meccans to keep all of the booty which had fallen into his hands, and according to the sira this prompted the revelation of surat al-anfal. Many prisoners were taken though many of them were also executed. Muhammad ordered that Abu Jahl be specifically found and executed. He was found almost dead and finished off. Several of the prisoners who had been harsh against Islam or were hated by the Muslims were executed. Muhammad stayed in Badr for three days after the battle and mocked the dead, saying "O people of the pit, have you found what God threatened is true? For I have found what my Lord promised me is true."<ref name="HishāmGuillaume1967">{{cite book | editor1 = ʻAbd al-Malik Ibn Hishām | editor2 = Alfred Guillaume | author1 = ʻAbd al-Malik Ibn Hishām | author2 = I. Ishaq | author3 = Muḥammad Ibn Isḥāq | date = 1967 | title = The Life of Muhammad | edition = 8 | publisher = Oxford University Press | pages = 305 | isbn = 978-0-19-636033-1 | oclc = 1024062464 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=T1skAQAAIAAJ}}</ref> When executing a prisoner who asked who would take care of his children, Muhammad's answer was simple: "hell".<ref name="HishāmGuillaume19672">{{cite book | editor1 = ʻAbd al-Malik Ibn Hishām | editor2 = Alfred Guillaume | author1 = ʻAbd al-Malik Ibn Hishām | author2 = I. Ishaq | author3 = Muḥammad Ibn Isḥāq | date = 1967 | title = The Life of Muhammad | edition = 8 | publisher = Oxford University Press | pages = 308 | isbn = 978-0-19-636033-1 | oclc = 1024062464 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=T1skAQAAIAAJ}}</ref> Some of the prisoners were ransomed back for a lot of money to the Meccans. The Meccans were highly demoralized by the loss of so many of their great warriors. The faith of Muslims was restored thanks to the victory and the aide of the angels. His status was also raised in Medina thanks to the victory amongst the Jews and the unconverted Arabs.

==Qur'an Verses==

The battle was the "revelational circumstance" for the revelation of most of surah 8 (al-anfal).

<references />
[[Category:Jihad]]
[[Category:Sacred history]]
[[Category:Sirah]]

Muhammad ibn Abdullah

2024-05-25T08:30:49Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos and minor mistakes.

{{QualityScore|Lead=4|Structure=4|Content=3|Language=4|References=4}}
{{Infobox Person
| name = Muhammad
| other_names = Rasul Allah (Messenger of God)
| image =Maome.jpeg
| imagesize =220px
| birth_name = Muhammad ibn Abdullah
| birth_date = c. 570
| birth_place = Mecca, Hijaz, Arabia (present day Saudi Arabia)
| death_date = 8 June 632 (aged c. 62)
| death_place = Green Dome at al-Masjid an-Nabawi, Medina
| years_active =123
| notable_works = Constitution of Medina
| successor =
| spouse =Khadija bint Khuwaylid
Sawda bint Zamʿa

Aisha bint Abi Bakr

Hafsa bint Umar

Zaynab bint Khuzayma

Hind bint Abi Umayya

Zaynab bint Jahsh

Juwayriyya bint al-Harith

Ramla bint Abi Sufyan

Rayhana bint Zayd

Safiyya bint Huyayy

Maymunah bint al-Harith

Maria al-Qibtiyya
|parents=Abduallah ibn Abdul-Muttalib (father)
Aminah bint Wahb (mother)}}

'''Muhammad''' (Arabic: مُحمّد‎; pronounced [muħammad]; c. 570 – c. 8 June 632) was the founder of [[Islam]].<ref>''The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017.

<q>The Prophet of Islam was a religious, political, and social reformer who gave rise to one of the great civilizations of the world. From a modern, historical perspective, Muḥammad was the founder of Islam. From the perspective of the Islamic faith, he was God's Messenger (''rasūl Allāh''), called to be a "warner," first to the Arabs and then to all humankind.</q>

Alford T. Welch, Ahmad S. Moussalli, Gordon D. Newby (2009). "Muḥammad". In John L. Esposito. </ref> According to [[Islam and Scripture|Islamic scripture]], he was a [[Prophecies|prophe]]<nowiki/>t and [[God]]'s messenger, sent to present and confirm the monotheistic teachings preached in previous Abrahamic religions. He is viewed as the final prophet of God in the main branches of Islam.

Born to ''‘Abdu’llah ibn ‘Abdu’l-Muttalib'', his family belonged to the Banu Hashim clan, a branch of the Quraysh tribe. Given away by his mother to be raised among Bedouins<ref>Katib al Waquidi p. 20</ref> and fully orphaned at the age of six, he was brought up by his uncle Abu Talib and his wife Fatimah bint Asad.<ref>''A Restatement of the History of Islam & Muslims''. pp. 165–166.
Razwy, Sayed Ali Asgher. </ref> Muhammad initially adopted the occupation of a shepherd, later becoming a merchant, baron and eventually a religious ruler and military leader.

The name "Muhammad" (محمد) comes from the root حمد (ha meem daal) which means "praise". The derived word "Muhammad" is a passive participle of the form II version of the basic verb and it means "the praised one". A word from the same root is also used in the Islamic saying (that is also in the Quran) ''al-hamdu li-llah'' (الحمد لله, "all praise is to god").

Many claim that in his youth, Muhammad was called by the nickname ''Al-Amin'' (الامين), meaning "faithful, trustworthy" and was sought out as an impartial arbitrator.<ref>Esposito(1998), p.6 </ref> However, historian Alford Welch holds that "Al-Amin" was a common Arab name and further suggest that al-Amin might have been Muhammad's given name, a masculine form<ref>Alford Welch - cf. "Muhammad","Encyclopedia of Islam"</ref> from the same root as his mother's name, ''Āmina'' (أمينة).

Muhammad faced some opposition in his homeland from Meccan polytheists and gained very few followers initially.<ref>''The Life of Muhammad'', p. 145. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ibn Ishaq, ''Sirat Rasul Allah''. Translated by Guillaume, A. (1955).</ref> To escape ongoing persecution he left Mecca for [[Medina]] in 622. This event, the ''Hijra'', marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri Calendar. In Medina, Muhammad united the tribes under the Constitution of Medina.<ref>Serjeant, R. B. (1978). "Sunnah Jāmi'ah, pacts with the Yathrib Jews, and the Tahrīm of Yathrib: analysis and translation of the documents comprised in the so-called 'Constitution of Medina'". ''Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies''. 41 (1): 1–42. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00057761</ref> In 629, after years of intermittent wars with Meccan tribes, Muhammad invaded Mecca with 10,000 men and won the city.<ref>Akram 2007, p. 61.</ref>

Muhammad continued to report receiving revelations until his death, in the form of [[ayat]] (verses) of the [[Qur'an]]. Muslims regard the Qur'an as the literal, verbatim "Word of God", around which the religion is based. Besides the Qur'an, other canonical scriptures include Muhammad's [[Sunnah]] (life teachings), which are found in the [[hadith]] and [[sira]] (biography) literature, as written down following oral transmission some two centuries after Muhammad's [[Muhammad's Death|death]]. All three of these sources are upheld and used as sources of [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)|Shariah]] (Islamic law).<ref>"British & World English: sharia". Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 4 December 2015.</ref>

==Pre-Islam==

===Early life and childhood===
Muhammad was born to villagers of the Banu Hashim clan, a branch of the Quraysh tribe, and one of Mecca's prominent families. He was reported to have been born in "the year of the Elephant." Although some scholars disagree by one or two years.<ref name=":0">Watt (1974), p. 7.</ref> Muhammad's father died before he was born and Muhammad was given away by his mother after birth to be raised among Bedouin Arabs (allegedly a common practice at the time).<ref>''[https://books.google.com/books?id=H-k9oc9xsuAC Medieval Islamic civilization]''. '''1'''. Routledge. p. 525. <nowiki>ISBN 978-0-415-96690-0</nowiki>. Archivedfrom the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
Meri, Josef W. (2004). </ref> He was given to Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb and her husband until he reached the age of 2. At six his mother also passed away, leading Muhammad into orphanage.<ref>Watt, "Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb Archived 3 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine.",

''Encyclopaedia of Islam''.</ref> For the following two years he lived with her paternal grandfather Abdul-Muttalib until his death. He then came under the care of his uncle Abu Talib who had became the leader of the Hashim tribe.<ref name=":0" />

===First marriage===
In 595 AD, aged twenty-five, Muhammad married his first wife and employer [[Khadijah]]. She was a wealthy woman, [[Ages of Muhammads Wives at Marriage|some years older than him]], who had three children from two previous marriages. She would eventually bear him two sons (both died in childhood) and four daughters.<ref>"15 Important Muslim Women in History"

11 March 2014. </ref> Khadijah's mother was a third cousin of Muhammad's mother.<ref>Haq, S.M. ''Ibn Sa'd's Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir, vol. 1''. p. 54.</ref><ref>''The Women of Madina''.
Ta-Ha Publishers. p. 9.</ref> According to some sources, Khadijah's father, Khuwaylid bin Asad, whose sister was Muhammad's great grandmother,<ref>Muhammad ibn Saad, ''Tabaqat'' vol. 1. Translated by Haq, S. M. ''Ibn Sa'd's Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir'', p. 54. Delhi: Kitab Bhavan.</ref> was opposed to the idea of his affluent daughter marrying such an "insignificant youth". Thus, Khadijah executed a plan to get her father drunk enough to accept the marriage.<ref>LIFE OF MAHOMET. Volume II. Chapter 2,WIlliam Muir, [Smith, Elder, & Co., London, 1861], pg. 24</ref>

==Muhammad in Mecca==

===Revelation===
The beginnings of the Qur'an were conceived as Muhammad began to leave his wife and children to pray alone in a cave several weeks each year.<ref>Emory C. Bogle (1998), p. 6</ref><ref>John Henry Haaren, Addison B. Poland (1904), p. 83</ref> According to Islamic belief, when he was about forty years old (610 AD) he was visited by the angel [[Gabriel]] (جبريل ''Jibreel'') and commanded to recite verses sent by Allah.<ref>Brown (2003), pp. 72–73</ref> These verses would later become what is believed to be the first part of Sura 96.<ref>Wensinck, A.J.; Rippen, A. (2002). "Waḥy". ''Encyclopaedia of Islam''. '''11''' (2nd ed.). Brill Academic Publishers. p. 54. <nowiki>ISBN 90-04-12756-9</nowiki>.</ref> This experience frightened him, and originally thinking he was possessed by a demon, he became suicidal and repeatedly attempted to jump off of a cliff, according to [[Sahih Bukhari]].<ref>...But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while and the Prophet (Mohammad) became so sad as we have heard that he intended several times to throw himself from the tops of high mountains and every time he went up the top of a mountain in order to throw himself down, Gabriel would appear before him and say, "O Muhammad! You are indeed Allah's Apostle in truth" whereupon his heart would become quiet and he would calm down and would return home. And whenever the period of the coming of the inspiration used to become long, he would do as before, but when he used to reach the top of a mountain, Gabriel would appear before him and say to him what he had said before.

[https://quranx.com/Hadith/Bukhari/USC-MSA/Volume-9/Book-87/Hadith-111 Sahih Bukhari 9:87:111]</ref> After this first '[[revelation]]' no new ones came for a time, but then after a long period they started up again and continued at a steady rate till his death. The collection of these verses is known as the [[Qur'an]].<ref>Uri Rubin, ''Muhammad'', Encyclopedia of the Qur'an</ref>

Read in [[Chronological Order of the Qur'an|chronological order]] some scholars note over time the revelations change in style from a poetic to a more straightforward and aggressive form in the later years.<ref name=":1">Voices of Islam: Voices of tradition (2007)

Vincent J. Cornell Page 77</ref> The messages of the later revelations also changed and [[Abrogation (Naskh)|abrogated]] the earlier ones. Typically from the place of the now famous '[[Forced Conversion|no compulsion verse]]' to direction of the 'verse of the sword'. These alterations followed Muhammad's place in society. What are known as the "early revelations" were recorded in Mecca while Muhammad had only a few followers. The later "Medinan verses" were revealed once Muhammad had gained more followers and became the head of the first Islamic state in [[Medina]].<ref name=":1" />

These revelations continued until his death twenty-three years later. According to Sahih Bukhari, these divine revelations would sometimes come to him while he was having sex with his child bride, [[Aisha]].<ref>"...''He [Muhammad]went around to her and she spoke to him. He said to her, “'''Do not injure me regarding 'A'isha. The revelation does not come to me when I am in the garment of any woman except 'A'isha'''.” She said, "I repent to Allah from injuring you, Messenger of Allah.”''..." - [http://bewley.virtualave.net/bukhari20.html#gifts Sahih Bukhari 2442]</ref> Sahih Bukhari also describes how the revelations appear, describing them sometimes as the "ringing of a bell" and "sometimes the angel comes in the form of a man".<ref>Narrated 'Aisha:
(the mother of the faithful believers) Al-Harith bin Hisham asked Allah's Apostle "O Allah's Apostle! How is the Divine Inspiration revealed to you?" Allah's Apostle replied, "Sometimes it is (revealed) like the ringing of a bell, this form of Inspiration is the hardest of all and then this state passes ' off after I have grasped what is inspired. Sometimes the Angel comes in the form of a man and talks to me and I grasp whatever he says." 'Aisha added: Verily I saw the Prophet being inspired Divinely on a very cold day and noticed the Sweat dropping from his forehead (as the Inspiration was over).

[https://quranx.com/Hadith/Bukhari/USC-MSA/Volume-1/Book-1/Hadith-2 Sahih Bukhari 1:1:2]</ref>

===Preaching in Mecca===

He began preaching as a prophet in Mecca, warning of a day of judgement when all humans who have rejected his claims of prophethood would burn for eternity in Hell (جهنم ''[[Jahannam (Hell)|Jahannam]]'').<ref name="EncWorldHistory">''Encyclopedia of World History'' (1998), p. 452</ref> Even during the early days of his self-proclaimed prophethood he was often accused by the Meccans of imperfectly [[Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures|plagiarising]] the "ancients' fictitious tales".<ref>"''Such things have been promised to us and to our fathers before! they are nothing but tales of the ancients!''" - {{Quran|23|83}}</ref> This accusation was often coupled with remarks stemming from Muhammad's background as an illiterate man who had come into contact with followers of the Abrahamic faiths before his proclamation of prophethood (e.g. Zaid bin 'Amr bin Nufail).<ref>"''....Allah's Apostle said that he met Zaid bin 'Amr Nufail at a place near Baldah and this had happened before Allah's Apostle received the Divine Inspiration....''" - {{Bukhari|7|67|407}}</ref> The elites in Mecca were left unimpressed by what was preached. Eventually, Muhammad delivered verses that condemned idol worship and the Meccan forefathers who engaged in polytheism.<ref>F. E. Peters (1994), p.169</ref> Muhammad's opposition in Mecca came as a reaction to his antagonism of 'idolaters'. As Muhammad's followers remained few in numbers, he revealed verses that pleased his pagan contemporaries.<ref name=":2">Then God sent down the revelation. 'By the star when it sets! Your companion has not erred or gone astray, and does not speak from mere fancy…' [Q.53:1] When he reached God's words, "Have you seen al-Lāt and al-'Uzzā and Manāt, the third, the other?' [Q.53:19-20] Satan cast upon his tongue, because of what he had pondered in himself and longed to bring to his people, 'These are the high-flying cranes and their intercession is to be hoped for.'
When Quraysh heard that, they rejoiced. What he had said about their gods pleased and delighted them, and they gave ear to him.

[https://archive.org/stream/TabariEnglish/Tabari_Volume_06#page/n155/mode/2up The History of al-Tabari, Volume VI, Muhammad at Mecca, Translated by W. Montgomery and M. V. McDonald page 108]</ref> These verses are now considered the infamous "[[Satanic Verses]]". Muhammad, declared the existence of three Meccan goddesses and associated them as the daughters of Allah. Muhammad later retracted the verses, claiming that the verses were whispered by the devil himself.<ref name=":2" /><ref>The Cambridge Companion to Muhammad (2010), p. 35</ref><ref>The aforementioned Islamic histories recount that as Muhammad was reciting Sūra Al-Najm (Q.53), as revealed to him by the Archangel Gabriel, Satan tempted him to utter the following lines after verses 19 and 20: "Have you thought of Allāt and al-'Uzzā and Manāt the third, the other; These are the exalted Gharaniq, whose intercession is hoped for." (Allāt, al-'Uzzā and Manāt were three goddesses worshiped by the Meccans). cf Ibn Ishaq, A. Guillaume p. 166</ref><ref>Apart from this one-day lapse, which was excised from the text, the Quran is simply unrelenting, unaccommodating and outright despising of paganism." (The Cambridge Companion to Muhammad, Jonathan E. Brockopp, p. 35)</ref>

The verses Quran 53:19-23 read:

"Have ye seen Lat. and 'Uzza, And another, the third (goddess), Manat? What! for you the male sex, and for Him, the female? Behold, such would be indeed a division most unfair! These are nothing but names which ye have devised,- ye and your fathers,- for which Allah has sent down no authority (whatever). They follow nothing but conjecture and what their own souls desire!- Even though there has already come to them Guidance from their Lord!"<ref>[https://quranx.com/53.19-23 Quran 53:19-23]</ref>

Muhammad was also criticized for claiming he rode the [[Buraq]] (a mythical flying horse-like creature) on a "Night Journey" to the "nearest heaven" and then back to Mecca in a single night.<ref>"''....The Prophet said, "The animal's step (was so wide that it) reached the farthest point within the reach of the animal's sight. I was carried on it, and Gabriel set out with me till we reached the nearest heaven.....''" - {{Bukhari|5|58|227}}</ref> An event which is now celebrated as a sort of annual Islamic holy day.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article2279985.ece A Night Journey through Jerusalem] - Khadija Bradlow - Times Online, August 18, 2007</ref>

==Muhammad in Medina==
===Emigration===

After the death of his uncle Abu Talib, who, although not becoming a Muslim, had protected Muhammad throughout, in 622, Muhammad left Mecca in a journey known to Muslims as the ''Hijra'' (هِجْرَة ''Migration'').<ref name="EncWorldHistory" /> He, along with his followers, settled in Medina (then known as ''Yathrib'') a large agricultural oasis, where he was the leader of the first Islamic theocracy. He ordered his followers not to contact their relatives who were left behind in Mecca. Muhammad here commanded the severing of links between his followers and their non-Muslim relatives. This ''Hijra'' (traditionally translated into English as "flight") marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar. The Muslim calendar counts dates from the Hijra, which is why Muslim dates have the suffix AH (After Hijra).

Medina was home to a number of Jewish tribes, divided into three major clans: Banu Qainuqa, Banu Qurayza and Banu Nadir, and some minor groups.<ref name="Cambridge39">''The Cambridge History of Islam'' (1977), p. 39</ref> Among the things Muhammad did was draft a document known as the Constitution of Medina (date debated), "establishing a kind of alliance or federation" among the eight Medinan tribes and Muslim emigrants from Mecca, which specified the rights and duties of all citizens and the relationship of the different communities in Medina.<ref name="Cambridge39" />

===War with the Meccans===
[[Image:Muhammad and kaaba.jpg|thumb|160px|right|An illustration of Muhammad at the Ka'aba, by Nakkaş Osman (1595)]]
In March of 624, Muhammad led some three hundred converts in a raid on a Meccan merchant caravan. The Meccans successfully defended the caravan, but then decided to retaliate and marched against Medina. On March 15, 624 near a place called Badr, the Meccans and the Muslims clashed. Though outnumbered more than three times (one thousand to three hundred - majority of Muslim historians put the exact total at 313) in the battle, the Muslims met with success, killing at least seventy Meccans and taking seventy prisoners<ref>"''....On the day (of the battle) of Badr, the Prophet and his companions had caused the 'Pagans to lose 140 men, seventy of whom were captured and seventy were killed.....''" - {{Bukhari|4|52|276}}</ref> for ransom; only fourteen Muslims died.<ref>Glubb (2002), pp.179-186.</ref> This marked the beginning of Muslim military battles. Among the prisoners was Al Nadir, a storyteller and poet who had mocked him. He was not allowed to be ransomed by their clans and was executed on Muhammad's orders.<ref>Jake Neuman - [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=emyBulRLVjMC&pg=PT226&dq=By+God,+Muhammad+cannot+tell+a+better+story+than+I,+and+his+talk+is+only#v=onepage&q=By%20God%2C%20Muhammad%20cannot%20tell%20a%20better%20story%20than%20I%2C%20and%20his%20talk%20is%20only&f=false God of Moral Perfection; A Stark Message from God for All Mankind] - (2008) Blackwell, p. 211</ref> Muhammad also ordered twenty-four Meccans to be thrown into the well of Badr as a sign of disgrace.<ref>"''....he [Muhammad] commanded more than twenty persons, and in another hadith these are counted as twenty-four persons, from the non-believers of the Quraish to be thrown into the well of Badr.....''" - {{Muslim|40|6870}}</ref><ref>"''Narrated Ibn 'Umar: The Prophet looked at the people of the well (the well in which the bodies of the pagans killed in the Battle of Badr were thrown) and said, "Have you found true what your Lord promised you?" Somebody said to him, "You are addressing dead people.''" He replied, "You do not hear better than they but they cannot reply." - {{Bukhari|2|23|452}}</ref>

A further four years of continuous war between Muslim and Meccan forces followed, culminating later in a Muslim victory and the conquest of Mecca. The Muslims subsequently removed and destroyed everything they considered idolatrous from the [[Kaaba|Ka'aba]], while Muhammad recited verses from the Qur'an. The townspeople at this point either accepted Islam or were expelled, with few exceptions. In March 632,<ref name="EoI-Muhammad">Alford Welch, ''Muhammad'', Encyclopedia of Islam</ref> Muhammad led the pilgrimage known as the ''[[Hajj]]'' (حج).

===Spouses===

:''Main Article: [[Islam_and_Women#Muhammad_and_Women|Muhammad and Women]]''

Following the death of his (at that time) only wife Khadijah, Muhammad began to practice [[Polygamy in Islamic Law|polygamy]] and became known as a womanizer.<ref>"''....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</ref> After an initial protest from Aisha's father, Muhammad's best friend and companion Abu Bakr,<ref>"''....The Prophet asked Abu Bakr for 'Aisha's hand in marriage. Abu Bakr said "But I am your brother."....''" - {{Bukhari|7|62|18}}</ref> Muhammad, then in his 50s, married Aisha when she was 6 years old. In Medina, he married Hafsah, daughter of Umar (who would eventually become Abu Bakr's successor). Eventually he would go on to marry (and house independently) [[List of Muhammads Wives and Concubines|a total of fifteen women]]<ref>al-Tabari vol.9 p.126-127</ref>, and according to Sunni scholar Ibn al-Qayyim, [[List of Muhammads Wives and Concubines|owned numerous concubines]], including his Coptic [[Slavery|slave]], Mariyah.<ref>Mohammed had many male and female slaves. He used to buy and sell them, but he purchased more slaves than he sold, '''especially after God empowered him by His message''', as well as after his immigration from Mecca. '''He once sold one black slave for two'''. His name was Jacob al-Mudbir. His purchases of slaves were more than he sold. He was used to renting out and hiring many slaves, but he hired more slaves than he rented out.
"Zad al-Ma'ad" - part 1, page 160</ref>

===Attitude towards Jews===

A few years after his migration, having encountered rejection from the Jewish scholars in Medina, Muhammad's attitude towards the Christians and Jews changed. The Jews were skeptical of the compatibility between the Qur'an and their [[Taurat|own scriptures]], and while many in Medina converted to Islam, very few were from the large Jewish populations. This was the start of the long history of the persecution and subjugation of [[Dhimmi|Dhimmis]] (non-muslim second class citizens).<ref>The honour of Islam lies in insulting kufr and kafirs. One who respects the kafirs dishonours the Muslims… '''The real purpose of levying jiziya on them is to humiliate them to such an extent that they may not be able to dress well and to live in grandeur. They should constantly remain terrified and trembling'''. It is intended to hold them under contempt and to uphold the honour and might of Islam.
Ahmad Sirhindi (1564-1624), letter No. 163</ref>

After each major battle with the Medinans, Muhammad accused one of the Jewish tribes of treachery and attacked it.<ref>Is it not [true] that every time they took a covenant a party of them threw it away? But, [in fact], most of them do not believe.

[https://quranx.com/2.100 Quran 2:100]</ref><ref>Fred Donner - Muhammad and the Believers - (2010) Belknap Press of Harvard University Press</ref> After Badr and Uhud, the Banu Qainuqa and Banu Nadir, respectively, were expelled from Medina, and much of their possessions were confiscated by Muhammad.<ref>"''....The Banu [tribe] Qaynuqa did not have any land, as they were goldsmiths [and armor-makers]. The Messenger of God took many weapons belonging to them and the tools of their trade....''" (Tabari, vol. 7, p. 87)</ref> After the Battle of the Trench in 627, Muhammad accused the Jews of [[The Genocide of Banu Qurayza|Banu Qurayza]] of conspiring with the Meccans, then wiped them out.<ref>Esposito (1998), pp.10-11</ref> The women and young children were taken captive by Muslims to be sold in slave markets,<ref>Haykal, Muhammad Husayn (Author). Al-Faruqi, Ismail Raji (Translator). (2002). The Life of Muhammad. (p. 338). Selangor, Malaysia: Islamic Book Trust.</ref><ref>"''...Then the apostle sent for Sa'd bin Zayd al-Ansari brother of bin Abdul-Ashhal with some of the captive women of Banu Qurayza to Najd and he sold them for horses and weapons....''" - Ibn Ishaq: 693</ref> and the men and boys who had begun to grow pubic hair were beheaded.<ref>"''...Narrated Atiyyah al-Qurazi: I was among the captives of Banu Qurayzah. They (the Companions) examined us, and those who had begun to grow hair (pubes) were killed, and those who had not were not killed. I was among those who had not grown hair...''" - {{Abudawud|38|4390}}</ref> Muslim historian Ibn Ishaq describes the incident:

"Then they surrendered, and the apostle confined them in Medina in the quarter of d. al-Harith, a woman of B. al-Najjar. Then the apostle went out to the market of Medina (which is still its market today) and dug trenches in it. Then he sent for them and struck off their heads in those trenches as they were brought out to him in batches. Among them was the enemy of Allah Huyayy b. Akhtab and Ka`b b. Asad their chief. There were 600 or 700 in all, though some put the figure as high as 800 or 900. As they were being taken out in batches to the apostle they asked Ka`b what he thought would be done with them. He replied, 'Will you never understand? Don't you see that the summoner never stops and those who are taken away do not return? By Allah it is death!' This went on until the apostle made an end of them."<ref name="Guillaume463">Guillaume, Alfred, ''The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah''. Oxford University Press, 1955. ISBN 0-1963-6033-1; p. 461-464.</ref> al-Tabari VIII:35/Ishaq:464

One of the explanations given by some Arab historians and biographers for Muhammad's treatment of the Jews of Medina is that "the punishment of the Medina Jews, who were invited to convert and refused, perfectly exemplify the Qur'an's tales of what happened to those who rejected the prophets of old."<ref name="Peters77">F.E.Peters(2003), p.77</ref>

==Death==
{{main|Circumstances Surrounding Muhammad's Death}}

In the year 632, Muhammad became infirm with severe head pain and weakness. He died on June, 8th, 632 at the age of 62 or 63. Muhammad was poisoned by a Jewish woman, following the [[w:Battle of Khaybar|conquest of Khaibar]], where he took [[Safiyah]] as a sex slave and then wife, and ordered the torture and beheading of her husband [[Kinana]], the chief of the Jews at Khaibar. He spent his last day with the young [[Aisha]], who was considered to be his favorite wife. At the time of his death, Ali (who would later become the fourth caliph of Islam) reported that Muhammad's penis was erect.<ref>"''....Abulfeda mentions the exclamation of Ali, who washed his body after his death, "O prophet, thy penis is erect unto the sky!" (in Vit. Mohammed. p. 140).....''" - Edward Gibbon, [{{Reference archive|1=http://web.archive.org/web/20070417133412/http://oll.libertyfund.org/Home3/HTML.php?recordID=0214.09|2=2012-12-10}} "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire"], Vol. 9 Footnote 175</ref> He was buried in his house near the Mosque of the Prophet in [[Medina]].

==In scripture==

===In the Quran===

===In the hadith===
{{Quote|{{bukhari|4|56|762}}|Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: '''The Prophet (ﷺ) was shier than a veiled virgin girl.'''}}{{Quote|{{bukhari|4|56|749}}|Narrated Al-Bara: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was '''the handsomest of all the people, and had the best appearance'''. He was neither very tall nor short.}}{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|732}}|Narrated Jubair bin Mut`im:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "'''I have five names''': I am '''Muhammad''' and '''Ahmad'''; I am '''Al-Mahi''' through whom Allah will eliminate infidelity; I am '''Al-Hashir''' who will be the first to be resurrected, the people being resurrected there after; and I am also '''Al-`Aqib''' (i.e. There will be no prophet after me)."}}{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|56|734}}|Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "My similitude in comparison with the other prophets is that of a man who has built a house completely and excellently except for a place of one brick. When the people enter the house, they admire its beauty and say: 'But for the place of this brick (how splendid the house will be)!"}}{{Quote|{{bukhari|4|56|783}}|Narrated Ibn `Umar: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to deliver his sermons while standing beside a trunk of a datepalm. When he had the pulpit made, he used it instead. The trunk started crying and the Prophet (ﷺ) went to it, rubbing his hand over it (to stop its crying).}}

==Timeline==

<center>''This timeline lists the major events in Prophet [[Muhammad|Muhammad's]] life according to the traditional Islamic sources. All dates are approximate''</center>
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" width="100%"
! width="55px" |Date
!Event
!Description
|-
|570 AD
|Birth of Muhammad
|Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh is born in "the year of the Elephant". His father, ‘Abdu’llah ibn ‘Abdu’l-Muttalib, had died before his birth, and his mother, Amina bint Wahb, soon puts him into the care of a wet-nurse named Halimah.
|-
|575 AD
|Returned to mother
|Believing that the young Muhammad is possessed by a demon, Halima returns him to his mother.<ref>Guillaume, Alfred, ''The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah''. Oxford University Press, 1955. ISBN 0-1963-6033-1; p. 72.</ref>
|-
|577 AD
|Death of mother
|After his mother's death, Muhammad is taken in by his grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib. And after his death, his paternal uncle, Abu Talib.
|-
|595 AD
|Marriage to Khadijah
|Muhammad marries his wealthy twice-divorced distant cousin, Khadijah, who later becomes his first follower. She had already borne two sons and a daughter from her previous marriages, and the union between her and the "insignificant" Muhammad is a controversial one which almost leads to bloodshed.<ref>LIFE OF MAHOMET. Volume II. Chapter 2,WIlliam Muir, [Smith, Elder, & Co., London, 1861], pg. 15-17 23-24</ref> ([[Khadijah bint Khuwaylid|''read more'']])
|-
|610 AD
|The first “revelation”
|Muhammad receives what he comes to believe is his first otherworldly visitation, which he later identifies with the angel Jibreel and a revelation from Allah. At first, he believes he may be possessed by a demon, and attempts to commit suicide, only to be stopped by the angel.<ref>"''...But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while and the Prophet (Mohammad) became so sad as we have heard that he intended several times to throw himself from the tops of high mountains and every time he went up the top of a mountain in order to throw himself down, Jibreel would appear before him and say, "O Muhammad! You are indeed Allah's Apostle in truth" whereupon his heart would become quiet and he would calm down and would return home. And whenever the period of the coming of the inspiration used to become long, he would do as before, but when he used to reach the top of a mountain, Gabriel would appear before him and say to him what he had said before.''" - {{Bukhari|9|87|111}}</ref>
|-
|613 AD
|Islam preached publicly
|For the first time, Muhammad begins to preach Islam publicly in Mecca. His preaching is met with skepticism, and he is accused of plagiarizing the “tales of the ancients”.<ref>"''Such things have been promised to us and to our fathers before! they are nothing but tales of the ancients!''" - {{Quran|23|83}}</ref> One of his most sternest of critics is his own uncle, Abu Lahab, who is cursed by name in the Qur'an.<ref>"...''The power of Abu Lahab will perish, and he will perish. His wealth and gains will not exempt him. He will be plunged in flaming Fire, And his wife, the wood-carrier, Will have upon her neck a halter of palm-fibre.''..." - {{Quran|111|1-5}}</ref> The Meccans ask for miracles, but Muhammad gives them none. ([[Muhammads Miracles|''read more'']])
|-
|615 AD
|Friction with the Quraysh
|Muhammad's "shameful" attacks<ref> Francis Edwards Peters, Muhammad and the Origins of Islam, SUNY Press, p.169</ref> on the native pagan beliefs causes friction between his followers and the Quraysh. Muhammad allows Muslims to leave Arabia for Abyssinia, while he chooses to stay behind and continue his preaching.
|-
|619 AD
|Khadijah's death
|The death of his wealthy and only wife Khadijah, is quickly followed by the death of his uncle and protector, Abu Talib. Not long after, he asks Abu Bakr for his six-year-old daughter Aisha's hand in marriage.
|-
|619 AD
|The Satanic verses incident
|Muhammad finally acknowledges Allat, Manat, and al-Uzza, the goddesses of the pagan Meccans in a revelation. Upon hearing this, the Meccans are overjoyed. Later, following an alleged visit from the angel Jibreel, Muhammad recants and claims they were the words of the devil. ([[Satanic Verses|''read more'']])
|-
|620 AD
|Buraq and the Night Journey
|Muhammad reports that he had been carried to Jerusalem and then to Paradise on a mythological flying steed named Buraq,<ref>"...''Then a white animal which was smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me." (On this Al-Jarud asked, "Was it the Buraq, O Abu Hamza?" I (i.e. Anas) replied in the affirmative). The Prophet said, "The animal's step (was so wide that it) reached the farthest point within the reach of the animal's sight. I was carried on it, and Gabriel set out with me till we reached the nearest heaven.''..." - {{Bukhari|5|58|227}}</ref> and has met the other prophets. Over the sixth heaven, he meets Moses who weeps because there would be more Muslims in heaven than Jews.<ref>"...''When I left him (i.e. Moses) he wept. Someone asked him, 'What makes you weep?' Moses said, 'I weep because after me there has been sent (as Prophet) a young man whose followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers.'''..." - {{Bukhari|5|58|227}}</ref> ([[Buraq|''read more'']])
|-
|622 AD
|The Hijra
|Due to growing animosity between the pagan and Muslim Meccans, Muhammad and his followers flee to Medina, marking the beginning of the Hijra era of the Islamic lunar calendar, and also paving the way for Muhammad's metamorphosis from a preacher to a political and military leader.
|-
|622 AD
|Marriage consummation with Aisha
|Muhammad consummates his marriage to Aisha, his nine-year-old bride. Originally when Muhammad had asked for Aisha's hand in marriage, her father, Abu Bakr, had protested.<ref>"''....The Prophet asked Abu Bakr for 'Aisha's hand in marriage. Abu Bakr said "But I am your brother."....''" - {{Bukhari|7|62|18}}</ref> ([[Aisha|''read more'']])
|-
|624 AD
|The Nakhla raid
|Muhammad orders the 7th Caravan Raid against the pagan Meccans, a raid which would mark the beginning of violence in the name of Islam. Taking place in one of the four holy months in which fighting was forbidden, the leader of the Meccan caravan is killed, and two others are taken captive.
|-
|624 AD
|The Battle of Badr
|Following the caravan raids, the Meccans decide to retaliate. Although they're vastly outnumbered, the Muslims defeat the pagan Meccans; killing at least seventy and capturing another seventy for ransom.<ref>"''....On the day (of the battle) of Badr, the Prophet and his companions had caused the 'Pagans to lose 140 men, seventy of whom were captured and seventy were killed.....''" - {{Bukhari|4|52|276}}</ref> Among the prisoners of war is Al Nadir, a storyteller and poet who had mocked Muhammad. Ali beheads Al Nadir on Muhammad's orders.<ref>Jake Neuman - [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=emyBulRLVjMC&pg=PT226&dq=By+God,+Muhammad+cannot+tell+a+better+story+than+I,+and+his+talk+is+only#v=onepage&q=By%20God%2C%20Muhammad%20cannot%20tell%20a%20better%20story%20than%20I%2C%20and%20his%20talk%20is%20only&f=false God of Moral Perfection; A Stark Message from God for All Mankind] - (2008) Blackwell, p. 211</ref> Muhammad also orders another twenty-four to be thrown into the well of Badr.<ref>"''....he [Muhammad] commanded more than twenty persons, and in another hadith these are counted as twenty-four persons, from the non-believers of the Quraish to be thrown into the well of Badr.....''" - {{Muslim|40|6870}}</ref>
|-
|624 AD
|Exile of the Jewish Qaynuqa
|Breaking an earlier treaty, Muhammad and the Muslims besiege the Jewish Qaynuqa tribe. Muhammad initially intends to execute all the males,<ref>Tabari, vol. VII, 86.</ref> but following an emotional plea from Abdullah bin Ubayy, he confiscates their property and exiles them from Medina.
|-
|625 AD
|The Battle of Uhud
|The second military encounter between the Meccans (led by Abu Sufyan) and the Muslims. Due to the Muslim focus on salvaging booty rather than victory,<ref>"''Allah did indeed fulfil His promise to you when ye with His permission Were about to annihilate your enemy,-until ye flinched and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed it after He brought you in sight (of the booty) which ye covet. Among you are some that hanker after this world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then did He divert you from your foes in order to test you but He forgave you: For Allah is full of grace to those who believe.''" - {{Quran|3|152}}</ref> this time the pagan Meccans defeat the Muslims of Medina, and Muhammad himself is hurt by an attack from Khalid ibn al-Walid.
|-
|625 AD
|Siege and exile of the Jewish Nadir
|The Muslim siege of the Jewish Nadir tribe lasts for two weeks, after which they surrender. Muhammad confiscates their weapons and exiles them from Medina.

|-
|627 AD
|The Battle of the Trench
|Having heard of the strength of the approaching Meccan army, Muhammad's companion, Salman the Persian, advises him there should be trenches dug around the northern front of Medina to prevent hostile Meccans from entering Muslim territory. The trench allows the Muslims to halt the pagan Meccans and their Jewish allies. Coming unprepared for a siege, the Meccan army retreat after two weeks.
|-
|627 AD
|The Genocide of the Jewish Qurayza
|Following the Battle of the Trench, Muhammad accuses the Jews of Banu Qurayza of betraying him. After a siege of around a fortnight, the tribe surrenders to the Muslims. All of the fighting-aged and older men are slaughtered and the women and young children who have not yet reached puberty are taken captive by Muslims to be sold in slave markets for horses and weapons,<ref>Haykal, Muhammad Husayn (Author). Al-Faruqi, Ismail Raji (Translator). (2002). ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=fOyO-TSo5nEC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false The Life of Muhammad]''. (p. 338). Selangor, Malaysia: Islamic Book Trust.</ref> and all the males who have reached puberty are beheaded on Muhammad's orders.<ref>Tafsir Ibn Kathir - [http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=33&tid=41539 The Campaign against Banu Qurayzah]</ref> ([[Banu Qurayza|''read more'']])
|-
|628 AD
|The Treaty of Hudaybiyya
|Muhammad and his men attempt to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. His forces are met outside the city by the pagan Meccans. Muhammad and the pagan Meccans conclude the Treaty of Hudaybiyya, a ten-year truce.
|-
|628 AD
|The conquest of Khaybar
|Muhammad and the Muslims besiege the Khaybar oasis. The combatants are killed, and the women and children are allotted as booty. The Jewish leader, Kinana, is tortured and beheaded, and his young widow, Safiyah, is taken by Muhammad for himself. ([[Safiyah|''read more'']])
|-
|628 AD
|Poisoned at Khaybar
|Immediately following the conquest of Khaybar, Muhammad and his men are served a meal of poisoned lamb by a Jewish women named Zaynab bint al-Harith, causing him to fall ill. Muhammad questions her,<ref>"''The apostle of Allah sent for Zaynab and said to her, "What induced you to do what you have done?" She replied, "You have done to my people what you have done. You have killed my father, my uncle and my husband, so I said to myself, "If you are a prophet, the foreleg will inform you; and others have said, "If you are a king we will get rid of you.''" - Ibn Sa'd p. 252</ref> and then has her executed.<ref>"''...The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) then ordered regarding her [the Jewess] and she was killed...''" - {{Abudawud|39|4496}} and {{Abudawud|39|4498}}</ref>
|-
|630 AD
|The conquest of Mecca
|The Muslims conquer Mecca. Muhammad rides on camel-back to the Ka'aba, then starts reciting verses from the Qur'an, while his men remove and destroy everything they consider idolatrous from the Ka'aba. This is the first of many non-Muslim worship places to be forcibly converted into a mosque.
|-
|630 AD
|Muhammad rules Arabia
|The Muslims prevail in the Battle of Hunayn against the Bedouin tribe of Hawazin and conquer Ta'if. In doing so, they capture huge spoils, consisting of 6,000 women and children and 24,000 camels. Muhammad is now the ruler of Arabia.
|-
|631 AD
|All Arabians submit to Islam
|Muhammad sends (the now converted) Khalid ibin al-Walid and other warriors to the remaining non-Muslim Arabian tribes, forcing them to accept Islam.<ref>Ibn Ishaq, 645-646</ref>
|-
|631 AD
|The Tabuk raid
|The expedition to Tabuk marked the first real act of aggression by the Muslims against Christians. Two/thirds of the Christian world would be conquered before the end of the Islamic conquests. By the time Muhammad arrives at Tabuk, the Byzantine troops have already withdrawn. However, the local Christian leaders are forced to pay Jizyah and submit to Islamic rule.
|-
|632 AD
|The Farewell pilgrimage
|After completion of the pilgrimage, Muhammad delivers his famous sermon which is credited with the commencement of the conquests against the Christians and Zoroastrians. ([[Farewell Sermon|''read more'']])
|-
|632 AD
|Death of Muhammad
|Muhammad's last days are spent with Aisha in her house, where he continues to issue orders and curse the Christians and Jews.<ref>"''....Then he [Muhammad] ordered them to do three things. He said, "Turn the pagans out of the 'Arabian Peninsula; respect and give gifts to the foreign delegations as you have seen me dealing with them." (Said bin Jubair, the sub-narrator said that Ibn Abbas kept quiet as rewards the third order, or he said, "I forgot it.")''" - {{Bukhari|5|59|716}}</ref><ref>"''Narrated 'Aisha and Ibn 'Abbas: On his death-bed Allah's Apostle put a sheet over his-face and when he felt hot, he would remove it from his face. When in that state (of putting and removing the sheet) he said, "May Allah's Curse be on the Jews and the Christians for they build places of worship at the graves of their prophets." (By that) he intended to warn (the Muslim) from what they (i.e. Jews and Christians) had done.''" - {{Bukhari|4|56|660}}</ref> Slumped against her bosom,<ref>"...'''Aisha added: He died on the day of my usual turn at my house. Allah took him unto Him while his head was between my chest and my neck and his saliva was mixed with my saliva''..." - {{Bukhari|7|62|144}}</ref> he finally dies on the 8th of June. Ali (Muhammad's son-in-law and cousin) reports that Muhammad's penis was erect after his death.<ref>"''....Abulfeda mentions the exclamation of Ali, who washed his body after his death, "O prophet, thy penis is erect unto the sky!" (in Vit. Mohammed. p. 140).....''" - Edward Gibbon, [{{Reference archive|1=http://web.archive.org/web/20070417133412/http://oll.libertyfund.org/Home3/HTML.php?recordID=0214.09|2=2012-12-10}} "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire"], Vol. 9 Footnote 175</ref> ([[Muhammad's Death|''read more'']])
|}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Muhammad|Muhammad}}

==External Links==

*[http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/History.htm The Life of Muhammad: An Inconvenient Truth]
*[http://www.prophetofdoom.net/ Prophet of Doom]
*[http://www.faithfreedom.org/articles/op-ed/altruistic-prophets-islam-and-mormon-similarities/ Altruistic Prophets: Islam and Mormon Similarities]
*[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.easyislam.com/chronology_of_events_in_the_life_of_muhammad.asp|2=2012-02-01}} Chronology of Events in the Life of Muhammad (P.B.U.H)]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Muhammad]]
[[Category:Jihadists]]
[[Category:Jihad]]
[[ru:Мухаммед ибн Абдулла]]
[[Category:Sirah]]
[[Category:Sacred history]]
[[Category:Islamic History]]
[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]]
[[Category:Revelation]]
[[Category:Ahl al-Bayt (People of the House)]]

Aisha's Age

2024-05-24T21:13:12Z

AdrianE: Fixed some misspellings.

{{QualityScore|Lead=4|Structure=4|Content=4|Language=4|References=4}}
[[File:Muhammad and Aisha freeing chief's daughter.jpg|thumb|332x332px|Mohammed and his wife Aisha freeing the daughter of a tribal chief. From the Siyer-i Nebi]]
'''Aisha''' (''‘Ā’ishah'', c. 613/614 –c. 678)<ref name="Siddiqui">Al-Nasa'i 1997, p. 108</ref> or عائشة, (also transliterated as '''A'ishah''', '''Aisyah''', '''Ayesha''', '''A'isha''', '''Aishat''', or '''Aishah''') was married to [[Muhammad]] at the age of 6 or 7, and the marriage was consummated by Muhammad, then 53, when Aisha was aged 9 or 10 according to [[sahih]] [[Hadith|hadith]] tradition.<ref>Narrated Hisham's father:
Khadija died three years before the Prophet (ﷺ) departed to Medina. He stayed there for two years or so and then he married `Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consumed that marriage when she was nine years old. {{Bukhari|5|58|236}}</ref><ref>Narrated 'Aisha: that the Prophet married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old, and then she remained with him for nine years (i.e., till his death). {{Bukhari|7|62|64}}</ref><ref>'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house when I was nine years old. {{Muslim|8|3310}}</ref><ref>Aisha said, "The Apostle of Allah married me when I was seven years old." (The narrator Sulaiman said: "Or six years.") {{Abudawud||2116|hasan}}</ref><ref>Almost all sources suggest age at consummation as nine, though a few late versions say that it may have been age 10; See: Denise Spellberg (1996), ''Politics, Gender, and the Islamic Past: The Legacy of 'A'isha Bint Abi Bakr'', Columbia University Press, <nowiki>ISBN 978-0231079990</nowiki>, pp. 39–40;</ref> Due to concerns about [[:Category:Child Marriage|child marriage]] this topic is of heavy interest in the [[Apologists|apologetic]] literature and public discourse.

Marriage at a young age was not unheard of in Arabia at the time, and Aisha's marriage to Muhammad may have had a political connotation, as her father Abu Bakr was an influential man in the community.<ref>Afsaruddin, Asma (2014). "ʿĀʾisha bt. Abī Bakr". In Fleet, Kate; Krämer, Gudrun; Matringe, Denis; Nawas, John; Rowson, Everett. ''[http://referenceworks.brillonline.com/browse/encyclopaedia-of-islam-2 Encyclopaedia of Islam]'' (3 ed.). Brill Online. Retrieved 2015-01-11</ref> Abu Bakr, on his part, may have sought to further the bond of kinship between Muhammad and himself by joining their families together in marriage via Aisha. Egyptian-American Islamic scholar, Leila Ahmed, notes that Aisha's betrothal and marriage to Muhammad are presented as ordinary in Islamic literature, and may indicate that it was not unusual for children to be married to their elders in that era.<ref>Ahmed, Leila (1992). ''Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate''. Yale University Press. p. 51-54. <nowiki>ISBN 978-0300055832</nowiki>.</ref> There are many such reports [[Child_Marriage_in_Islamic_Law#Child_Marriage_and_Muhammad.27s_Companions|regarding Muhammad's companions]]. In the neighbouring empires at that time, Byzantine law forbade marriage to girls below the age of puberty, which they fixed at thirteen years of age<ref>Sean Anthony, "Muhammad and the Empires of Faith: The making of the Prophet of Islam", Oakland CA: University of California, 2020, p. 115</ref>, while Sasanian law provided that a girl might marry at the age of nine years so long as consummation of the union was delayed until she reached the age of twelve years.<ref>CHILDREN iii. Legal Rights of Children in the Sasanian Period - [https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/children-iii Encyclopedia Iranica online]</ref>

==Authenticity==
In the Quran, a rule which apparently concerns marriage to those who have not yet reached menstruation appears in Chapter 65 "Al Talaq" verse 4.<ref>And those who no longer expect menstruation among your women - if you doubt, then their period is three months, and [also for] those who have not menstruated. And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him of his matter ease. {{Quran|65|4}}</ref> [[tafsir|Tafsir]] al-Jalalayn is one of the most respected commentaries on the Quran.<ref>Tafsir al-Jalalayn is one of the most significant tafsirs for the study of the Qur’an. Composed by the two “Jalals” -- Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli (d. 864 ah / 1459 ce) and his pupil Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911 ah / 1505 ce), Tafsir al-Jalalayn is generally regarded as one of the most easily accessible works of Qur’anic exegesis because of its simple style and one volume length. For the first time ever Tafsir al-Jalalayn is competently translated into an unabridged highly accurate and readable annotated English translation by Doctor. Feras Hamza.

[https://www.altafsir.com/Al-Jalalayn.asp altafsir.com]</ref> The exegesis for this verse in Tafsir al-Jalalayn gives the traditional interpretation, clarifying "those who have not menstruated" as "those who have not yet menstruated, because of their young age, their [waiting] period shall [also] be three months."<ref>And as for those of your women who read allā’ī or allā’i in both instances no longer expect to menstruate if you have any doubts about their waiting period their prescribed waiting period shall be three months and also for those who have not yet menstruated because of their young age their period shall also be three months — both cases apply to other than those whose spouses have died; for these latter their period is prescribed in the verse they shall wait by themselves for four months and ten days Q. 2234. And those who are pregnant their term the conclusion of their prescribed waiting period if divorced or if their spouses be dead shall be when they deliver. And whoever fears God He will make matters ease for him in this world and in the Hereafter.

[https://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=1&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=65&tAyahNo=4&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2 Tafsir al-Jalalayn, trans. Feras Hamza Quran 65:4]</ref>

In the modern era, Aisha's age at marriage has been a source of controversy and debate. Some Muslims have attempted to revise the previously-accepted timeline of her life (see the Apologetic History section below).<ref name=":3">Ali, Kecia. ''Sexual Ethics and Islam: Feminist Reflections on Qur'an, Hadith and Jurisprudence''. OneWorld. p. 173-186. <nowiki>ISBN 978-1780743813</nowiki>.</ref> The hadith corpus provide records of early Islam through allegedly "unbroken chain of witnesses". Numerous variations on the hadith stating that Aisha was six at the time of her marriage and nine at the time of consummation come from collections with sahih status, meaning they are regarded as authentic by the majority of Muslims. They are defended, despite the modern controversy surrounding the issue, primarily because to question such a widely transmitted hadith would undermine Islamic hadith science in general. The hadith tradition about Aisha's age at marriage and consummation was also added by Ibn Hisham to his recension of the ''sira'' of [[Ibn Ishaq]]. The historians Ibn Sa'd and al-Tabari also include numerous reports of this tradition.<ref>When the Prophet married Aisha she very young and not yet ready for consummation.[https://wikiislam.net/wiki/The_History_of_al-Tabari Al-Tabari, Vol. 9, p. 128]</ref><ref name=":2">According to Abd al-Hamid b. Bayan al-Sukkari - Muhammad b. Yazid - Ismai'il (that is Ibn Abi Khalid) - Abd al-Rahman b. Abi al- Dahhak - a man from Quraysh - Abd al-Rahman b. Muhammad: "Abd Allah b. Safwan together with another person came to Aishah and Aishah said (to the latter), "O so and so, have you heard what Hafsah has been saying?" He said, "Yes, o Mother of the Faithful." Abd Allah b. Safwan asked her, "What is that?" She replied, "There are nine special features in me that have not been in any woman, except for what God bestowed on Maryam bt. Imran. By God, I do not say this to exalt myself over any of my companions." "What are these?" he asked. She replied, "The angel brought down my likeness; '''the Messenger of God married me when I was seven; my marriage was consummated when I was nine; he married me when I was a virgin,'''no other man having shared me with him; inspiration came to him when he and I were in a single blanket; I was one of the dearest people to him, a verse of the Qur’an was revealed concerning me when the community was almost destroyed; I saw Gabriel when none of his other wives saw him; and he was taken (that is, died) in his house when there was nobody with him but the angel and myself."
According to Abu Ja‘far (Al-Tabari): The Messenger of God married her, so it is said, in Shawwal, and consummated his marriage to her in a later year, also in Shawwal.
Al-Tabari, Vol. 7, pp. 6-7</ref>

Islamic modernist scholars generally question the reliability of traditionally authentic hadiths and biographical material. Modern academic research indicates that the hadiths which specify Aisha's age at the time of her marriage and consummation trace back to formulations circulated by her great nephew, Hisham b. 'Urwa, after he moved to Iraq where it found a receptive audience probably for proto-sectarian reasons (see the discussion of modern academic views below).

==Association with child marriage==
{{Main|Child Marriage in Islamic Law}}
[[File:Child Marriage.jpg|thumb|Child bride with her infant daughter]]
Shafi'i, founder of one of the four Sunni legal schools, used the example of Aisha's marriage in support of the Islamic legal concensus that a father had a right to enter his virgin minor daughter into a marriage contract regardless of her wishes. Founder of another of the four schools, Ibn Hanbal, alluded to Aisha's age of nine at consummation for some related rulings, reportedly including that a husband must be allowed to consummate a marriage once his wife reaches the age of nine (see [[Forced Marriage]] and [[Child Marriage in Islamic Law]]).

No age limits have been fixed by Islam for contracting a marriage according to Persian Professor at the University of Cambridge, Reuben Levy, and "quite young children may be legally married".<ref name=":5">Reuben Levy, ''The Social Structure of Islam'', UK: Cambridge University Press, 1969, pp. 106-7</ref> The girl may not live with the husband however until she is fit for marital sexual relations.

In Islamic legal terminology, ''Baligh'' refers to a person who has reached maturity, puberty or adulthood and has full responsibility under Islamic law. Legal theorists assign different ages and criteria for reaching this state for both males and females.<ref>John Esposito, "The Oxford Dictionary of Islam", p.35, Oxford University Press 2004</ref> In marriage ''baligh'' is related to the Arabic legal expression, ''hatta tutiqa'l-rijal'', which means that consummation of the marriage may not take place until the girl is physically fit to engage in sexual intercourse. A number of jurists said consummation may occur even before puberty if the girl was considered to have reached this state.

==Relevant quotations==

Much further hadith evidence is collated in [https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Qur%27an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Aisha#Aisha.27s_Age_at_Consummation_and_Marriage Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars: Aisha].

{{Quote|1={{Quran|65|4}}|2=And those who no longer expect menstruation among your women - if you doubt, then their period is three months, '''and [also for] those who have not menstruated.''' And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him of his matter ease.}}
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|58|236}}|Narrated Hisham's father: Khadija died three years before the Prophet departed to Medina. He stayed there for two years or so and then '''he married 'Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consumed that marriage when she was nine years old.'''}}
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|62|65}}| Narrated `Aisha: that the Prophet (ﷺ) '''married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old.''' Hisham said: I have been informed that `Aisha remained with the Prophet (ﷺ) for nine years (i.e. till his death).}}
{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3310}}|'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: '''Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house when I was nine years old.'''}}
{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3311}}|'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) married her when she was seven years old, and he was taken to his house as a bride when she was nine, ''and her dolls were with her;'' and when he (the Holy Prophet) died she was eighteen years old.}}
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|58|234}}|Narrated Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) engaged me when I was a girl of six (years). We went to Medina and stayed at the home of Bani-al-Harith bin Khazraj. Then I got ill and my hair fell down. Later on my hair grew (again) and my mother, Um Ruman, came to me while I was playing in a swing with some of my girl friends. She called me, and I went to her, not knowing what she wanted to do to me. She caught me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house. I was breathless then, and when my breathing became Allright, she took some water and rubbed my face and head with it. Then she took me into the house. There in the house I saw some Ansari women who said, "Best wishes and Allah's Blessing and a good luck." Then she entrusted me to them and they prepared me (for the marriage). Unexpectedly Allah's Apostle came to me in the forenoon and my mother handed me over to him, and at that time I was a girl of nine years of age.}}
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|73|151}}|Narrated 'Aisha: I used to play with the dolls in the presence of the Prophet, and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah's Apostle used to enter (my dwelling place) they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me. (The playing with the dolls and similar images is forbidden, but it was allowed for 'Aisha at that time, as she was a little girl, not yet reached the age of puberty.) (Fateh-al-Bari page 143, Vol.13)}}

Aisha's nephew, 'Urwa b. al-Zubayr (d. 94 AH), reportedly wrote a number of histographic letters to the late Umayyad court, which modern historians such as Professor Sean Anthony regard as an important source on early Islamic history. In one of these 'Urwa discusses the marriage of his aunt. This letter was transmitted by his son Hisham, and the contents thereof are apparently corroborated by 'Urwa's student, al-Zuhri (see the discussion in the section on modern academic views below). The letter reads as follows:

{{Quote|Letter from 'Urwa recorded in volume 9 of al-Tabari's History, quoted in ''Muhammad and the Empires of Faith'' by Sean Anthony<ref>Sean Anthony, Muhammad and the Empires of Faith: The making of the Prophet of Islam, Oakland CA: University of California, 2020, pp. 114-15</ref>|§1. ʿAlī ibn Naṣr related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Ṣamad ibn ʿAbd al-Wārith related to us, and ʿAbd al-Wārith ibn ʿabd al-Ṣamad also related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: Abān al-ʿAṭṭār related to us, saying: Hishām ibn ʿUrwah related to us from ʿUrwah that he wrote to ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān: 
§2. You have written to me regarding Khadījah bint Khuwaylid and you ask, "When did she pass away?" She passed away before the departure of God's Messenger from Mecca by three years, or thereabouts. He married ʿĀʾishah once Khadījah had passed away. The Messenger of God saw ʿĀʾishah twice [before that] and was told, "She will be your wife." On that day ʿĀʾishah was six years old. Then the Messenger of God consumated his marriage with ʿĀʾishah after he had gone to Medina, and the day he consummated his marriage with her she was nine years old.}}

The marital age narration was also incorporated into traditions circulating in Kufah about the virtues of Aisha:

{{Quote|{{Tabari|7|pp. 6-7}}|According to Abd al-Hamid b. Bayan al-Sukkari - Muhammad b. Yazid - Ismai'il (that is Ibn Abi Khalid) - Abd al-Rahman b. Abi al- Dahhak - a man from Quraysh - Abd al-Rahman b. Muhammad: "Abd Allah b. Safwan together with another person came to Aishah and Aishah said (to the latter), "O so and so, have you heard what Hafsah has been saying?" He said, "Yes, o Mother of the Faithful." Abd Allah b. Safwan asked her, "What is that?" She replied, "There are nine special features in me that have not been in any woman, except for what God bestowed on Maryam bt. Imran. By God, I do not say this to exalt myself over any of my companions." "What are these?" he asked. She replied, "The angel brought down my likeness; '''the Messenger of God married me when I was seven; my marriage was consummated when I was nine; he married me when I was a virgin,'''no other man having shared me with him; inspiration came to him when he and I were in a single blanket; I was one of the dearest people to him, a verse of the Qur’an was revealed concerning me when the community was almost destroyed; I saw Gabriel when none of his other wives saw him; and he was taken (that is, died) in his house when there was nobody with him but the angel and myself." According to Abu Ja‘far (Al-Tabari): The Messenger of God married her, so it is said, in Shawwal, and consummated his marriage to her in a later year, also in Shawwal.}}

In the incident of the slander (al-ifk), widely reported in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Aisha was accused of committing adultery after she was left behind by the caravan.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|48|829}}|Narrated Aisha:
.
.
.
That night I kept on weeping and could not sleep till morning. In the morning Allah's Apostle called Ali bin Abu Talib and Usama bin Zaid when he saw the Divine Inspiration delayed, to consul them about divorcing his wife (i.e. 'Aisha). Usama bin Zaid said what he knew of the good reputation of his wives and added, 'O Allah's Apostle! Keep you wife, for, by Allah, we know nothing about her but good.' 'Ali bin Abu Talib said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Allah has no imposed restrictions on you, and there are many women other than she, yet you may ask the woman-servant who will tell you the truth.' On that Allah's Apostle called Buraira and said, 'O Burair. Did you ever see anything which roused your suspicions about her?' Buraira said, 'No, by Allah Who has sent you with the Truth, I have never seen in her anything faulty '''except that she is a girl of immature age''', who sometimes sleeps and leaves the dough for the goats to eat.'
.
.
.
'''I was a young girl''' and did not have much knowledge of the Quran. I said. 'I know, by Allah, that you have listened to what people are saying and that has been planted in your minds and you have taken it as a truth. Now, if I told you that I am innocent and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would not believe me and if I confessed to you falsely that I am guilty, and Allah knows that I am innocent you would believe me.}}

In the narrations of this incident which almost led to Muhammad divorcing her, Aisha is repeatedly referred to as a girl of young age (jariyatun hadithatu s-sinni جَارِيَةٌ حَدِيثَةُ السِّنِّ), twice by herself, and once by her slave-girl, Buraira. Aisha states "At that time I was a young lady", and "I was a young girl and did not have much knowledge of the Quran" (both use the same Arabic phrase just mentioned). Buraira says, "I have never seen in her anything faulty except that she is a girl of immature age, who sometimes sleeps and leaves the dough for the goats to eat."

The detailed hadith of this incident is widely transmitted from Aisha through 'Urwa b. al-Zubayr (her nephew), through his student Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri. A brief answer to a question about the names of her accusers (though with no further detail) also appears in a letter by 'Urwa, transmitted through his son, Hisham.<ref>An analysis of the hadith transmission is summarized on pp. 34-37 of Goerke, A, Motzki, H & Schoeler, G (2012) [https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/12692843/First_Century_Sources_for_the_Life_of_Muhammad_a_debate.pdf First-Century Sources for the Life of Muhammad? A Debate], Der Islam, vol. 89, no. 2, pp. 2-59. https://doi.org/10.1515/islam-2012-0002</ref>

The same phrase occurs in narrations about Muhammad screening Aisha with his garment when some Ethiopians were playing (e.g. {{Bukhari|7|62|163}}). One version of a hadith about Aisha experiencing menstruation while on pilgrimage to Mecca too describes her using the same phrase ({{Muslim|2|2773}}) though the other narrations of that hadith do not include the phrase (one explicitly points out its absence: {{Muslim|7|2774}}).

==Modern academic views==
===Provenance and dating of the marital age hadith===
The most comprehensive academic treatment of the hadith about Aisha's marital age was produced by Dr Joshua Little for his PhD thesis in 2022.<ref>Joshua Little (2022) ''The Hadith of ʿAʾishah's Marital Age: A Study in the Evolution of Early Islamic Historical Memory'', PhD thesis, Oxford University It is available on his blog together with very useful diagrams of the reported isnads and matns: [https://islamicorigins.com/the-unabridged-version-of-my-phd-thesis/ The Unabridged Version of My PhD Thesis] by Joshua Little - Islamicorigins.com - 7 March 2023 See alternatively: [https://islamicorigins.com/a-summary-of-my-phd-research/ A Summary of my PhD Research] by Joshua Little - Islamicorigins.com - 25 February 2023</ref><ref>See also this lecture by Dr. Joshua Little entitled [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr6mBlEPxW8&t=2s The Hadith of ʿAʾishah's Marital Age: A Study in the Evolution of Early Islamic Historical Memory] - youtube.com, 26 February 2023</ref> An important tool in the modern academic analysis of widely transmitted hadiths is isnad-cum-matn Analysis (ICMA). The isnad is the transmission chain attributed to a particular narration and the matn is its wording. In ICMA, converging isnad bundles of a widely transmitted hadith are compared with clusters of variation in the matns to see how well they correlate with each other. Often, this leads to the identification of one or more ''common links'' i.e. the person from whom transmissions of a matn first start to branch out, even if the chain may continue back by a single strand before that person.<ref>See Chapter 1 of Dr Little's thesis for a detailed explanation.</ref> The technique is helpful for dating when a hadith started to circulate and to identify who might have first formulated it in such a way, though not necessarily whether there is any historical kernal to the events reported therein. Dr Little has outlined 21 reasons why hadiths are known to be very unreliable in a historical sense by modern academic scholarship.<ref>This is useful preparatory viewing for Dr Little's Aisha lecture: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz4vMUUxhag Oxford Scholar Dr. Joshua Little Gives 21 REASONS Why Historians are SKEPTICAL of Hadith] - youtube.com February 2023</ref>

After an extensive search for available versions (200+) of the Aisha marital age hadith, Little performed ICMA analysis to identify a small number of common links whose matns he could reconstruct, while others could be dismissed as common links due to having contradictory or disparate matns ascribed to them, which in turn exhibit a range of further problems. Various single strand ascriptions are also dismissed as dubious.

Aside from Hisham b. 'Urwa (d. 146 AH), who was Aisha's great nephew and whose simple narration is the most widely transmitted, Muhammad b. 'Amr (d. 144 AH) is the other reconstructable Medinan common link, though like Hisham, he moved to Iraq and merely seems to append one of Hisham's versions of the hadith to another narration. The other early common links are three Kufans (in Iraq) who died 146-160 AH. Though it is possible that one or more other narrations go back to Aisha herself, this cannot be demonstrated on an ICMA basis.<ref>pp. 397-99 of Dr Little's thesis</ref>

Little then analyzes in greater depth his reconstructed matns for these common links. Based on shared words, phrases and sequencing, he concludes that they all derive from a single, simple formulation, and are not independently transmitted memories of a common event. This original formulation seems to be the widely transmitted one of Hisham, who also transmitted a few versions with additional details. Hisham attributed all of these to his father 'Urwa b. al-Zubayr who was also Aisha's nephew. Hisham did so falsely, argues Little; however, in his thesis he does not notice that the distinctive content of 'Urwa's letter about Aisha's marriage reported by Hisham is also narrated by a Syrian partial common link who ascribed it via his own uncle to 'Urwa's student, al-Zuhri, who moved from Medina to Syria. The letter and al-Zuhri's narration alone share a very distinctive sequencing of seven elements, within which there are also some otherwise unique exact phrases and content.<ref>'Urwa wrote a number of letters on early Islamic history to the late Umayyad court. These letters were transmitted by his son Hisham and the traditions therein were often also transmitted by 'Urwa's Medinan student al-Zuhri. 'Urwa's letters are translated in full in Sean Anthony, ''Muhammad and the Empires of Faith: The making of the Prophet of Islam'', Oakland CA: University of California, 2020, Chapter 4. In 2012, the creators of the ICMA method, Andreas Görke, Harald Motzki and Gregor Schoeler, strongly argued that the traditions in the letters attributed to 'Urwa probably do in some way originate with him, especially when they are supported by parallel traditions going back to 'Urwa (Goerke, A, Motzki, H & Schoeler, G (2012) [https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/12692843/First_Century_Sources_for_the_Life_of_Muhammad_a_debate.pdf First-Century Sources for the Life of Muhammad?] A Debate, Der Islam, vol. 89, no. 2, pp. 2-59. https://doi.org/10.1515/islam-2012-0002). 

One of 'Urwa's letters is a short one about Aisha's marriage. It was reported in a couple of chains through Hisham and is quoted in the Relevant Quotations section above. Little contests a couple of arguments for the general authenticity of 'Urwa's letters but without wider engagement with Goerke et al. He also questions how we can in any case identify which words or elements thereof Hisham accurately transmitted (p. 314). 
However, Dr Little did not notice that another hadith he discusses which is ascribed to 'Urwa's Medinan student al-Zuhri contains the same core tradition as this letter, especially the otherwise unique sequence of elements, albeit not in the form of a letter. It is easy to imagine al-Zuhri learning it from 'Urwa directly or from the letter (though the isnad does not go that far back). Indeed, for much of this distinctive sequence they even share the same words and exact phrases, much of which would otherwise be unique to the letter. The content of the dream element is also highly distinctive to them, being very different in other narrations. The close relationship is obvious, as someone illustrated in [[Media:UrwaLetter-alZuhriComparison.png|this image]] which uses Dr Little's own isnad diagrams. See Dr Little's blog for the full diagrams, from which the distinctiveness is readily apparent. Little's transliteration of 'Urwa's reconstructed letter on pp. 310-11 of his thesis can also be compared with his reconstructed transmission from al-Zuhri of the same elemental sequence (through al-Hajjaj b. Abi Mani; pp. 204-5; see also 370-72 and 482). 
Al-Hajjaj, who lived in Aleppo, Syria, serves as a partial common link for the transmission and ascribed it via his uncle to al-Zuhri, who does not himself count as a common link but did move from Medina to Damascus and later Resafa, Syria, where he tutored the Caliph's sons. Given the very short chain, compatible geography of the transmitters, and closely matched and often uniquely shared wording and elemental sequence, this evidence cannot be lightly dismissed. The closest examples of similar content to the letter are cobbled together, clearly late, long single chained false ascriptions to Qatada and Ibn Abbas with far less similarity of elemental sequence and wording (these can be seen in the "Other Traditions" isnad diagram on his blog or see pp. 375 and 393 of his thesis).</ref> This apparent corroboration is potentially significant, since al-Zuhri's knowledge would most likely have come from his teacher, 'Urwa, in which case Little's thesis would essentially be wrong.

There is some evidence that Hisham did not originally extend the isnad of most of his versions back to Aisha herself, but rather only to his father 'Urwa, Aisha's nephew, and that they were narrated in the 3rd person, not in her own voice.<ref>Ibid. p. 305 including footnote 996</ref> It is even clearer that such isnad "raising" occurred for transmissions by others back to Aisha by other routes.

Aside from the most widely transmitted version which simply states that Aisha was married to Muhammad at the age of six and their marriage was consummated when she was nine, Little's ICMA confirms that Hisham also narrated an extended simple version adding that he was informed Muhammad and Aisha were together for nine years<ref>Ibid. p. 272</ref> (possibly also another simple version adding that she played with dolls<ref>Ibid. p. 322</ref>). He also narrated a short letter about the marriage from his father 'Urwa - see the discussion about this letter above (including the footnote).<ref>Ibid. pp. 309 ff.</ref> Finally, he also narrated Aisha's account of the women collecting her while she was playing so she could be prepared for her marital consummation.<ref>See the section of Hisham, pp. 295 ff., especially the reconstructions of Hisham's four versions of the hadith on pp. 302-317</ref> Examples of each of these can be seen in the Relevant Quotations section above.

Hisham seems to have transmitted the hadith after he moved to Kufah in Iraq. There are a few transmissions ascribed to his Medinan students, though these are each dubious for various reasons (though one is difficult to explain away<ref>Little struggles somewhat to discount Ibn ʾabī al-Zinād's transmission from Hishām as having occurred in Medina (see pp. 426-433). The Medinan, Ibn ʾabī al-Zinād, is a confirmed partial common link from Hishām, and the (generally unreliable) Medinan historian al-Wāqidī is one of those who report it from him. In order to place the transmission as having occurred in Iraq, where (if biographical sources are to be trusted) Ibn ʾabī al-Zinād moved from Medina, though to a different Iraqi city than Hishām and did so only after Hishām's death, or at most shortly beforehand, and where al-Wāqidī also moved from Medina but only after Ibn ʾabī al-Zinād's death, Little requires both that al-Waqidi did not transmit directly from Ibn ʾabī al-Zinād and that the latter did not transmit directly from Hishām. Incidentally, al-Wāqidī separately reports a distinct but isolated Medinan narration about Aisha's marriage (pp. 215-6).</ref>). Little argues that the hadith was unknown in Medina, as it is not mentioned in the biographical works of Ibn Ishaq nor (it seems) Musa b. 'Uqbah, nor does it feature in Maliki legal texts, where Little believes it would be expected to feature had it been circulating in Medina. Some early Kufans are ascribed as transmitting the story to the Kufan common links before Hisham arrived in Iraq, but these isnads are doubtful according to Little because the marital age hadith does not occur in early Kufan legal hadith compilations, nor in early versions of Kufan hadiths narrating the virtues of Aisha. Rather, these Kufan references to Aisha's marriage too seem to have originated with Hisham's formulations.

After concluding that Hisham is responsible for the formulation of the story into the hadith from which all others ultimately derive, Little goes on to argue that Hisham concocted the story entirely, including the extended versions and 'Urwa's letter. Hisham was accused of being an unreliable transmitter after his move to Iraq, and the story about his great aunt would have been useful there. Aisha's virginity at the time of her marriage and her status as Muhammad's favourite wife was a basic feature of proto-Sunni polemics against the proto-Shi'i, especially in Kufah where the latter were dominant, and Hisham's hadith must have been very welcome there as it was immediately incorporated into this Kufan proto-Sunni material about the virtues of Aisha.

===Other considerations===
A different explanation for the Medinan legal silence on Aisha's age, as well as the hadith's non-use by many later scholars was alluded to by Carolyn Baugh in her 2017 book, ''Minor Marriage in Early Islamic Law''. Maliki law was based largely on Medinan community custom, though sometimes anecdotes about companions were used for making specific points. Contrary to Little, Baugh doubts how useful the Aisha hadith would actually have been for legal purposes.<ref>Baugh writes: "Although it is not impossible that Malik would have accepted the content of the report given early practice, Malik is one of many jurists who did not rely on the text, which does not in fact occur in any of the early books of jurisprudence except for that of al-Shafi'i and, shortly after him, 'Abd al Razzaq's Musannaf. Even later jurists such as Ibn Taymiya and Ibn al-Qayyim shy away from it, although it is used by Ibn Qudama before them. Presuming its authenticity (it occurs in Bukhari and Muslim), questions occur such as, was 'A'isha in fact compelled against her will? Can we assume that Abu Bakr did not consult her? Had she, at age nine, entered her majority or was she still prepubescent?" Carolyn Baugh, ''Minor Marriage in Early Islamic Law'', Leiden: Brill, 2017, p. 43 footnote 101 Similarly, on p. 62 she elaborates why the legal implications of the hadith are obscure.</ref> Maliki jurists in Medina and Hanafi jurists in Kufah did not seek to prove that a father could contract his virgin minor daughter in marriage, which was taken for granted.<ref>In Chapter 4 she details the proof-texts used by Maliki jurists; see p. 79 regarding Hanafi jurists.</ref> Rather, they discussed a father's right to ''compell'' her without consultation, and whether he still had this right when she was no longer a virgin or minor, whether she had a right to rescind later and so on. Indeed, unlike various reports about companions used by Maliki scholars and highlighted by Baugh, the Aisha hadith does not seem to be of any use for the areas of juristic disagreement or the points which they felt a need to prove (see [[Child Marriage in Islamic Law]]). Shafi'i is the first legal scholar to make use of the Aisha marital age hadith (and more generally pioneered the Quran and sound hadith corpus as the decisive sources of law). He used the Aisha hadith for purposes of proving a father's right to marry off his daughter regardless of her wishes, though he had to read in his own assumptions to do so (see [[Forced Marriage]])<ref>See also the quotes in Dr Little's thesis, pp. 454-5, where Shafi'i can be seen using the hadith in an attempt to prove the right of paternal compulsion.</ref>. Subsequent scholars followed Shafi'i in this usage. However, the Aisha hadith merely states that her marriage was contracted when she was six (or seven), and it does not specify whether she was consulted or forced by her father, nor even whether she had reached puberty at nine.

Dr Little's case is nevertheless mostly strong that Hisham formulated the wording of the Aisha marital age hadith(s) in Iraq and that others derived their versions therefrom (though a huge question remains due to the corroborating transmission by al-Zuhri of the content of 'Urwa's letter about the marriage, which Little ignored as noted above). He also provides a plausible motivation for Hisham to have fabricated the story entirely. Others may then point to a couple of traditions which do not depend on Hisham and may support the possibility of a historical kernal. The hadith tradition shown in the Relevant Quotations section above about the incident of the slander (al-Ifk) does not involve Hisham and emphasises that Aisha was then "a girl of young age", though the historicity of this too might be doubted given the polemical considerations around the event.

More significant may be an independent tradition which Little says can provisionally be traced back to the Medinan historian Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri (d. 124 AH). Al-Zuhri's hadith, which must have been transmitted while he was in Medina, states that the Messenger of God married Aisha bint Abu Bakr in Shawwal in the tenth year after the prophethood, three years before the migration, and he arranged the marriage feast in Medina (i.e. for consummation) in Shawwal, at the beginning of eight months after his emigration to Medina. Little speculates that Hisham picked a consummation age of nine and used this report of a three year gap between Aisha's marriage and consummation to derive six or seven as the age of her marriage.<ref>See 1 hour 38 minutes in Dr. Joshua Little's lecture entitled [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr6mBlEPxW8&t=2s The Hadith of ʿAʾishah's Marital Age: A Study in the Evolution of Early Islamic Historical Memory] - youtube.com, 26 February 2023 For detailed discussion see pp. 373-74, 378-82, 460-61 of Dr Little's thesis.</ref> Others may notice another significance to this apparently earlier al-Zuhri tradition. The three year gap between marriage and consummation mentioned therein, without any obvious polemical function (no age is mentioned), probably and independently implies that Aisha was a child at the time.

===Wider implications===
While Little's ICMA "reveals a vast amount of accretion, error, contamination, interpolation, borrowing, and false ascription", the "overwhelming majority of the putative [partial common links] and [common links] within the marital-age hadith turned out to be genuine sources whose distinctive redactions were identifiable and (to some degree) reconstructable. Such positive results only held as far back as the middle of the 8th Century CE, however: from thereon backwards, the evidence was either insufficient or outright inconsistent with genuine, early transmission."<ref>pp. 400-401 of Dr Little's thesis</ref>

In a section on the implications of his thesis for the academic study of hadith and history, Little observes, "whilst it is true that most hadiths can be presumed to derive from sources operating in the middle of the 8th Century CE (i.e., the early 2nd Century AH), many can be shown to be later borrowings or dives, and almost all can be shown to have undergone reworking or alteration in the course of transmission, at least from the middle of the 8th Century CE to the middle the 9th." From a historical perspective, Little also argues that he has "shown, in fairly minute detail, how a false hadith could arise, spread, diversify, and attain universal acceptance within early Sunnī Hadith scholarship."<ref>pp. 507-9 of Dr Little's thesis</ref>

==Apologetic history==

The majority of Islamic scholars today agree that Aisha was 9 when her marriage to Prophet Muhammad was consummated. This has been the mainstream Muslim understanding throughout Islam's 1,400 year history.<ref>Hashmi, Tariq Mahmood (2 April 2015). [http://www.al-mawrid.org/index.php/questions/view/role-importance-and-authenticity-of-the-hadith "Role, Importance And Authenticity Of The Hadith"]. ''Mawrid.org''. Retrieved 28 March 2018.</ref> The first recorded objection raised to Aisha's age was by Maulana Muhammad Ali who lived from 1874 to 1951.<ref name="Zahid Aziz" /> However, he is not considered credible to [[Sunni]] scholars since he belonged to the [[Ahmadiyya]] sect whose beliefs drastically differ from mainstream Islam. The Ahmadiyya and their writings are also heavily focused on missionary work.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8711026.stm Who are the Ahmadi? - BBC News]</ref>

Adding to Ali's objections, there is Habib Ur Rahman Siddiqui Kandhalvi (1924-1991) who in his Urdu booklet, "Tehqiq e umar e Siddiqah e Ka'inat" (English trans. 1997), laments that he is "tired of defending this tradition" that is "laughed" at and "ridiculed" by English-educated individuals he meets in Karachi who claim it is against "sagacity and prudence" and "preferred English society to Islam over this", and he readily admits his "aim is to produce an answer to the enemies of Islam who spatter mud at the pious body of the Generous Prophet".<ref>All Habib Ur Rahman Siddiqui Kandhalvi quotations are taken from the Preface of the 2007 English translation of his Urdu booklet, "''Tehqiq e umar e Siddiqah e Ka'inat''", translated by Nigar Erfaney and published by Al-Rahman Publishing Trust under the title, "''Age of Aisha (The Truthful Women, May Allah Send His Blessings)''"</ref> A posthumous [[fatwa]] was issued against him in November 2004, labelling him a "Munkir-e-Hadith" (hadith rejector) and a "Kafir" (infidel) on the basis of being a rejector of hadith.<ref>The original fatwa and the English translation branding Habib Ur Rahman Siddiqui Kandhalvi's beliefs outside of Islam, thus making him a 'kafir', can be viewed here: [{{Reference archive|1=http://marifah.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=3036|2=2012-09-24}} Fatwa's on hadith rejectors?]</ref>

Deriving arguments from both Habib Ur Rahman and Muhammad Ali, [[Gibril Haddad|Moiz Amjad]] (who refers to himself as "The Learner") became a prominent reference for online apologetics on this issue. Moiz admits to having lifted his arguments from them, summarizing and presenting them in response to a Muslim asking him how he can respond to critical Christians.<ref name="Amjad">See: "[http://www.islamawareness.net/FAQ/what_was_ayesha.html What was Ayesha's (ra) Age at the Time of Her Marriage?]", by Moiz Amjad.</ref> With Moiz's restructured response the arguments originating from the Ahmadiyya in the 1920s and 1930s eventually achieved widespread popularity among orthodox Muslims who welcome an alternative to the traditionally accepted chronology. However, this popularity seems to be strictly limited to articles or arguments on the Internet, not between traditionalist sheikhs and scholars, nor are they accepted by Muslims concerned about the wider implications of rejecting traditionally authentic hadiths.

In July 2005, [[Gibril Haddad|Shaykh Dr. Gibril Haddad]] responded to Moiz Amjad's polemics with, "Our Mother A'isha's Age At The Time Of Her Marriage to The Prophet".<ref name="Haddad">Shaykh Gibril F Haddad - [http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=4604&CATE=1 Our Mother A'isha's Age At The Time Of Her Marriage to The Prophet] - Sunni Path, Question ID:4604, July 3, 2005 [http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fqa.sunnipath.com%2Fissue_view.asp%3FHD%3D7%26ID%3D4604%26CATE%3D1&date=2011-05-05 archive 1] [http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?2925-Our-Mother-Aisha-s-Age-at-the-Time-of-Her-Marriage-to-the-Prophet-saw&date=2011-05-04 archive 2]</ref> Shaykh Haddad was listed amongst the inaugural "500 most influential Muslims in the world"<ref name="The 500">Edited by Prof. John Esposito and Prof. Ibrahim Kalin - [http://thebook.org/books_pdf/500Muslims_2009.pdf The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World (P. 94)] - The royal islamic strategic studies centre, 2009</ref> and is considered a Muslim scholar and muhaddith (hadith expert).<ref name="The 500" /> Haddad included many facts that are easily verifiable for those who have access to the hadith and sira literature. For example, his analysis highlighted the fact that many of the arguments were based solely on faulty assumptions taken from hadiths completely unrelated to Aisha's age, or were misrepresenting the sources that were being cited (i.e. hadiths actually in support the idea that Aisha was 9). His reply has not yet been answered by Moiz Amjad.

However, Haddad's response did not stop Amjad's arguments from being rehashed by apologists on the Internet with the same missionary and apologetic focus. Other transmitters of these arguments include, but are not limited to; T.O Shavanas,<ref>T.O Shanavas - [http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_151_200/ayesha_age_the_myth_of__a_prover.htm AYESHA’s AGE: THE MYTH OF A PROVERBIAL WEDDING EXPOSED] - Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc.</ref> “Imam” Chaudhry (word-for-word plagiarism of Amjad's work),<ref>Imam Chaudhry - [{{Reference archive|1=http://islamicsupremecouncil.com/ayesha.htm|2=2011-05-01}} What Was The Age of Ummul Mo'mineen Ayesha (May Allah be pleased with her) When She Married To Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)?] - Islamic Supreme Council of Canada</ref> Zahid Aziz,<ref name="Zahid Aziz">Zahid Aziz - [http://www.muslim.org/islam/aisha-age.php Age of Aisha (ra) at time of marriage] - Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha`at Islam Lahore Inc. U.S.A.</ref> Nilofar Ahmed,<ref>Nilofar Ahmed - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/17/of-aishas-age-at-marriage.html|2=2012-02-17}} Of Aisha’s age at marriage] - Dawn, February 17, 2012</ref> and David Liepert.<ref>Dr. David Liepert - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-david-liepert/islamic-pedophelia_b_814332.html|2=2012-09-21}} Rejecting the Myth of Sanctioned Child Marriage in Islam] - The Huffington Post, January 29, 2011</ref>

==Modern apologetic perspectives==

Some Muslim authors have eschewed the traditionally-accepted ahadith and attempted to calculate Aisha's age based on details found in other ahadith and some biographies, though Kecia Ali labels these attempts as "revisionist".<ref name=":3" />

===Reliance on Hisham's narrations in Iraq===

The first objection is that, while sahih (sound) by Islamic hadith standards, the transmission of the hadiths about Aisha's marital age goes through one narrator, Hisham b. 'Urwa (from his father 'Urwa b. al-Zubayr, Aisha's nephew); that he did not narrate it in Medina but only after he moved to Iraq; that Imam Malik (in Medina) was angry with Hisham about (unspecified) hadiths he transmitted in Iraq (according to Ibn Khirash, d. 896 CE); that Hisham became unreliable after he moved there by omitting to mention intermediary transmitters when narrating from his father (according to Yaq'ub b. Shaybah, d. 875 CE, as cited by al-Dhahabi, d. 1348 CE); that he became confused in old age (according to al Hasan b. al-Qattan, d. 1231 CE); or that his memory diminished in old age (according to al-Dhahabi, who denies al-Qattan's claim that Hisham became confused).<ref>See pp. 7-8 of Dr Little's thesis, and pp. 435, 450-51 for quotes from Ibn Khirash and al-Dhahabi.</ref>

From a traditional Islamic perspective, many of the chains of narration for these hadiths about Aisha's marital age<ref>[[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Aisha#Aisha.27s Age at Consummation and Marriage|Quran, Hadith, and Scholars on Aisha's Age at Consummation and Marriage]]</ref> do not involve Hisham (for example, Sahih Muslim 8:3311<ref>'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) married her when she was seven years old, and he was taken to his house as a bride when she was nine, and her dolls were with her; and when he (the Holy Prophet) died she was eighteen years old. {{Muslim|8|3311}}</ref>). Details of some of these other chains of narration can be found in the first half of an [https://islamqa.info/en/124483 article by the IslamQA] website.

Shaykh Haddad responded to the objection that most of these narrations are reported only by Hisham as follows: "Try more than eleven authorities among the Tabi`in that reported it directly from `A'isha, not counting the other major Companions that reported the same, nor other major Successors that reported it from other than `A'isha."<ref name="Haddad" />

Similarly, regarding the objection that it was not reported by Medinan's, Shayqh Haddad replied:
{{Quote|<ref name="Haddad" />|Al-Zuhri also reports it from `Urwa, from `A'isha; so does `Abd Allah ibn Dhakwan, both major Madanis. So is the Tabi`i Yahya al-Lakhmi who reports it from her in the Musnad and in Ibn Sa`d's Tabaqat. So is Abu Ishaq Sa`d ibn Ibrahim who reports it from Imam al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, one of the Seven Imams of Madina, from `A'isha. All the narratives of this event have been reported. In addition to the above four Madinese Tabi`in narrators, Sufyan ibn `Uyayna from Khurasan and `Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya from Tabarayya in Palestine both report it.}}

However, as discussed above, in the case of this objection revisionists have backing from modern academic scholarship, which indicates that the early Medinan transmissions of the hadiths specifying Aisha's marital age have fabricated isnads and that they were in fact first circulated by Hisham after he moved to Iraq, from where it spread to other regions. On the other hand, one of the letters that Hisham reports was sent to the late Umayyad court by his father ('Urwa b. al-Zubayr, Aisha's nephew), in which he mentioned Aisha's age at marriage and consummation, seems to have also been known to 'Urwa's student al-Zuhri. In addition, a tradition about a three year gap between Aisha's marriage and consummation seems to have been narrated by al-Zuhri when he was still in Medina. For details see the section discussing academic views above.

===Revelation time of surah al-Qamar===

This argument uses the Sahih Bukhari hadith in which Aisha explains she was a "playful girl" (jariyatun al-'abu لَجَارِيَةٌ أَلْعَبُ) when Surah (chapter) al-Qamar of the Quran was revealed.<ref>Narrated Yusuf bin Mahik:
I was in the house of `Aisha, the mother of the Believers. She said, "This revelation: "Nay, but the Hour is their appointed time (for their full recompense); and the Hour will be more previous and most bitter." (54.46) was revealed to Muhammad at Mecca while I was a playfull little girl."

{{Bukhari|6|60|399}} (see also ({{Bukhari|6|61|515}} for more context)</ref> With the rough estimation that this chapter was revealed nine years before hijrah (c. 622) some conclude that this makes Aisha older than other hadiths claim.

However, the precise date of the revelation of Surah al-Qamar is unknown. Ibn Hajar, Maududi, and other traditionalists said it was revealed 5 years before Hijrah (BH).<ref>The incident of the ''shaqq-al-Qamar'' (splitting of the moon) that has been mentioned in it, determines its period of revelation precisely. The traditionists and commentators are agreed that this incident took place at Mina in Makkah about five years before the Holy Prophet's ''hijrah'' to Madinah.
Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an</ref> Zahid Aziz said it was revealed before 6 BH.<ref>''The Moon,''the fifty-fourth chapter, was revealed, she was a girl playing about and remembered certain verses then revealed. Now the fifty-fourth chapter was undoubtedly revealed before the sixth year of the Call.
Zahid Aziz</ref> Alternatively, there is no reputable source that claims this chapter came about 9 BH.

Shaykh Haddad confirms this as he argues that the traditional estimate of the revelation of Surah al-Qamar is consistent with Aisha’s age being nine years.

{{Quote|<ref name="Haddad" />|The hadith Masters, Sira historians, and Qur'anic commentators agree that the splitting of the moon took place about five years before the Holy Prophet's (upon him blessings and peace) Hijra to Madina. Thus it is confirmed that our Mother `Aisha was born between seven and eight years before the Hijra and the words that she was a jariya or little girl five years before the Hijra match the fact that her age at the time Surat al-Qamar was revealed was around 2 or 3. A two year old is not an infant. A two year old is able to run around, which is what jariya means. As for "the comments of the experts" they concur on 6 or 7 as the age of marriage and 9 as the age of cohabitation.}}

===Battle of Badr and Uhud===

This apologetic argument aims to make the claim that Aisha was at the Battles of Badr and Uhud, and that since standard practice at the time disallowed anyone under 15 from joining the battlefield, she could not have been younger than this.

However, there are no sources that can be found mentioning Aisha's participation in the Battle of Badr. A few hadiths highlight Aisha's involvement in the Battle of Uhud, but only to the extent that she was not involved in the battlefield and merely carrying water skins to the combatants.<ref>Narrated Anas: On the day (of the battle) of Uhad when (some) people retreated and left the Prophet, I saw 'Aisha bint Abu Bakr and Um Sulaim, with their robes tucked up so that the bangles around their ankles were visible hurrying with their water skins (in another narration it is said, "carrying the water skins on their backs"). Then they would pour the water in the mouths of the people, and return to fill the water skins again and came back again to pour water in the mouths of the people. {{Bukhari|4|52|131}}</ref> Women and young children were allowed to perform such functions during battles.<ref>The women and young children went on the battlefield after the battle and gave water to the wounded Muslims and finished off the enemy wounded.

al-Tabari vol.12 p.127,146.</ref>

Shaykh Haddad responds to this apologetic argument:

{{Quote|<ref name="Haddad" />|First, the prohibition applied to combatants. It applied neither to non-combatant boys nor to non-combatant girls and women. Second, `A'isha did not participate in Badr at all but bade farewell to the combatants as they were leaving Madina, as narrated by Muslim in his Sahih. On the day of Uhud (year 3), Anas, at the time only twelve or thirteen years old, reports seeing an eleven-year old `A'isha and his mother Umm Sulaym having tied up their dresses and carrying water skins back and forth to the combatants, as narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.}}

===Age of Asma===
One [[Sahih#Da'if|da'if]] (weak) hadith narrated from al-Zinad and recorded in the works of some medieval scholars, including al-Dhahabi,<ref>al-Dhahabi. "Siyar a`lam al-nubala'". IslamWeb. Retrieved 3 September 2018. <q>قال عبد الرحمن بن أبي الزناد : كانت أسماء أكبر من عائشة بعشر" (Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi al-Zunad said: Asma was older than Aisha by ten years.)</q></ref> states that Aisha's older sister Asma was ten years older than her. This has been combined with improbable information about Asma being 100 years old at the time of her death in 73 AH to calculate that Aisha was eighteen or nineteen at the time of her marriage consummation (1 AH or 2 AH - (73 - 100) - 10).

Shaykh Haddad and the IslamQA website both independently criticise this approach as relying on a single narrator, who most scholars regard as weak, and note that a hadith by a more reliable chain from the same narrator gives a broader range for the age difference between the sisters.<ref name="Haddad" /><ref>Fatwa 124483 - [https://islamqa.info/en/answers/124483/ IslamQA.info]</ref> Both also note that al-Dhahabi too gave the vaguer opinion that Asma was "ten or more" years older than Aisha.

===Tabari's account of Abu Bakr's children and wives===
This account uses [[Tabari|al-Tabari's]] exegesis to argue that Aisha was born in the pre-islamic period, and thus could not have been less than 14 tears old.<ref>All four of his [i.e. Abu Bakr's] children were born of his two wives - the names of whom we have already mentioned - during the pre-Islamic period.

Tarikh al-umam wa al-mamloo'k, Al-Tabari, Vol. 4, Pg. 50, Arabic, Dar al-fikr, Beirut, 1979</ref>

However, al-Tabari's own account reports at least five times that Aisha was around 6-7 years old during marriage and the marriage was consummated 3 years later.<ref>The angel brought down my likeness; the Messenger of God married me when I was seven; my marriage was consummated when I was nine; he married me when I was a virgin, no other man having shared me with him

[[The History of al-Tabari|Al-Tabari,]] [[The History of al-Tabari#Volume VII: The Foundation of the Community|Vol. 7, p. 7]]</ref><ref>I was then brought [in] while the Messenger of God was sitting on a bed in our house. [My mother] made me sit on his lap... Then the men and women got up and left. The Messenger of God consummated his marriage with me in my house when I was nine years old. Neither a camel nor a sheep was slaughtered on behalf of me.

[[The History of al-Tabari|Al-Tabari,]] [[The History of al-Tabari#Volume IX: The Last Years of the Prophet|Vol. 9, p. 131]]</ref><ref>The Messenger of God saw 'A'ishah twice-[first when] it was said to him that she was his wife (she was six years old at that time), and later [when] he consummated his marriage with her after coming to Medina when she was nine years old.

[[The History of al-Tabari|Al-Tabari,]] [[The History of al-Tabari#Volume IX: The Last Years of the Prophet|Vol. 9, p. 131]]</ref><ref>[The Prophet] married her three years before the Emigration, when she was seven years old, and consummated the marriage when she was nine years old, after he had emigrated to Medina in Shawwil. She was eighteen years old when he died.

[[The History of al-Tabari|Al-Tabari,]] [[The History of al-Tabari#Volume IX: The Last Years of the Prophet|Vol. 9, p. 131]]</ref><ref>The Prophet married Aishah in Shawwal in the tenth year after the [beginning of his] prophethood, three years before Emigration. He consummated the marriage in Shawwal, eight months after Emigration. On the day he consummated the marriage with her she was nine years old.

[[The History of al-Tabari|Al-Tabari,]] [[The History of al-Tabari#Volume XXXIX: Biographies of the Prophet.27s Companions and Their Successors|Vol. 39, pp. 171-173]]</ref>

Furthermore, Shaykh Gibril Haddad says that the initial passage mentioned is misinterpreted, stating "Al-Tabari nowhere reports that 'Abu Bakr's four children were all born in Jahiliyya' but only that Abu Bakr married both their mothers in Jahiliyya, Qutayla bint Sa`d and Umm Ruman, who bore him four children in all, two each, Aisha being the daughter of Umm Ruman."<ref name="Haddad" />

===Time of Umar's conversion to Islam===

This argument draws on [[Sira|al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah]] (Biography of the Prophet) to claim that since Aisha converted to Islam before Umar she could not have been born during the first year of Islam.<ref>According to Ibn Hisham, Ayesha (ra) was the 20th or the 21st person to enter into the folds of Islam. While `umar ibn al-khattab was the 41st.

Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Ibn Hisham, Vol. 1, Pg. 227 - 234, Arabic, Maktabah al-Riyadh al-hadithah, Al-Riyadh</ref>

However, even if the claim Aisha converted to Islam before Umar were true, it does not mean this took place during the first year of Islam, since Umar converted in 617 AD, about 4 years after Aisha’s birth in 613 AD.<ref name="Siddiqui" /> Furthermore Aisha never accounted converting to islam as hadiths show she never remembered a time before when her family wasn't Muslim.<ref>Narrated 'Aisha: (the wife of the Prophet) '''I never remembered my parents believing in any religion other than the true religion (i.e. Islam)''', and (I don't remember) a single day passing without our being visited by Allah’s Apostle in the morning and in the evening."
{{Bukhari|5|58|245}}</ref>

Besides disputing the claim that Ibn Hisham reported that Aisha accepted Islam quite some time before `Umar ibn al-Khattab, Shaykh Haddad also casts doubt on the claim stating:

{{Quote|<ref name="Haddad" />|Nowhere does Ibn Hisham say this. Rather, Ibn Hisham lists `A'isha among 'those that accepted Islam because of Abu Bakr.' This does not mean that she embraced Islam during the first year of Islam. Nor does it mean that she necessarily embraced Islam before `Umar (year 6) although she was born the previous year (year 7 before the Hijra) although it is understood she will automatically follow her father's choice even before the age of reason.}}

===Tabari's account of Abu Bakr's migration to Habshah===
This argument claims that al-Tabari states that when Abu Bakr was planning to migrate to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), he spoke to Mut`am, with whose son, Jabayr, Aisha was engaged. This migration occurred eight years before hijrah, at which time Aisha had only just been born if she consummated her marriage to Muhammad at the age of 9 or 10.

Proponents of this claim admit they have no primary source, which originated in Kandhalvi's Urdu booklet.<ref name="Amjad" /> Shayk Haddad responds that "there is no mention of emigration in Tabari's account of Abu Bakr's discussion with Mut`im" and "there had been only some preliminary talk, not a formal arrangement".<ref name="Haddad" />

===The meaning of ''bikr''===
This argument cites a hadith in Ibn Hanbal's Musnad saying that Khaulah suggested Aisha to Muhammad as a virgin (bikr) he could marry. The claim is that bikr would not be used for a young girl.<ref>Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol 6, Pg 210, Arabic, Dar Ihya al-turath al-`arabi, Beirut, cited by Moiz Amjad [http://www.islamawareness.net/FAQ/what_was_ayesha.html What was Ayesha's (ra) Age at the Time of Her Marriage?]</ref>

However, there are multiple sahih hadith narrations of a highly relevant conversation between Muhammad and Jabir in which bikr (virgin) is clearly compatible with jariyah (young girl).

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|382}}|Narrated Jabir: "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, "Have you got married O Jabir?" I replied, "Yes." He asked "What, a virgin [bikr] or a matron [thayyib]?" I replied, "Not a virgin but a matron." He said, "Why did you not marry a young girl [jariyah] who would have fondled with you?}}

Shaykh Haddad says regarding the claim, "This is ignorant nonsense, bikr means a virgin girl, a girl who has never been married even if her age is 0 and there is no unclarity here whatsoever.".<ref name="Haddad" />

===Fatima's age difference===
This claim is that according to ibn Hajar, Fatima was five years older than Aisha and Muhammad was 35 years old when Fatima was born. Therefore, based on this claim, Aisha must have been a teenager at the time her marriage was consummated.

However, the proponent of this claim<ref name="Amjad" /> has combined and selectively quoted conflicting sources. Shaykh Haddad responds:

{{Quote|<ref name="Haddad" />|Ibn Hajar mentions two versions: (1) al-Waqidi's narration that Fatima was born when the Prophet was 35; and (2) Ibn `Abd al-Barr's narration that she was born when he was 41, approximately one year more or less before Prophethood, and about five years before `A'isha was born. The latter version matches the established dates.}}

===Hadith saying Aisha had reached puberty===
This argument is based on a mistranslated hadith, Sahih Bukhari 1:8:465, which in one English translation states that Aisha had seen her parents follow islam since the age of puberty, and not a day passed by without Muhammad visiting them.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|465}}|Narrated `Aisha:
(the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings[...]}}

However, the word أَعْقِلْ means thoughts or reasoning, but the translator, Muhsin Khan, has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is simply that Aisha was aware that her parents were following Islam. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion". The exact same Arabic phrase is translated correctly by the same translator in another narration of the same hadith.<ref>Narrated Aisha:
(wife of the Prophet) Since I reached the age when I could remember things, I have seen my parents worshipping according to the right faith of Islam. Not a single day passed but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) visited us both in the morning and in the evening... {{Bukhari|3|37|494}}</ref>

===Hadith in which Aisha menstruated===
This argument is also based off a mistranslated hadith, Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam).
{{Quote|{{Abudawud||4915|hasan}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.
}}

Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated". Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply" (Dar-us-Salam do not include Abu Dawud's comment).

Abu Dawud's comment is ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ), which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed". Form I can mean menstruated, but that is not the form used in the hadith.<ref>nun-fa-sin - [https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/25_n/208_nfs.html Lane's Lexicon]</ref>

===Aisha remembered the migration setting out to Abyssinia===
Another hadith has been commonly misinterpreted in order to claim that Aisha remembered Muhammad coming to Abu Bakr when it was time to migrate to Abyssinia (modern day Ethiopia). This forced migration occurred due to what Urwa b. al-Zubayr in his first letter describes as the first persecution (''al-fitnah al-ūlā'') in Mecca, before the migration some years later to Medina.

The hadith itself does not state which migration it relates to.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|348}}|Narrated Aisha:

Rarely did the Prophet (ﷺ) fail to visit Abu Bakr's house everyday, either in the morning or in the evening. When the permission for migration to Medina was granted, all of a sudden the Prophet (ﷺ) came to us at noon and Abu Bakr was informed, who said, "Certainly the Prophet (ﷺ) has come for some urgent matter." The Prophet (ﷺ) said to Abu Bakr, when the latter entered "Let nobody stay in your home." Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! There are only my two daughters (namely `Aisha and Asma') present." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I feel (am informed) that I have been granted the permission for migration." Abu Bakr said, "I will accompany you, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You will accompany me." Abu Bakr then said "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I have two she-camels I have prepared specially for migration, so I offer you one of them. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I have accepted it on the condition that I will pay its price."}}

Another hadith shows clearly that the above hadith actually refers to the migration to Medina, not Abyssinia. Notice the similar phrasing about Muhammad coming to Abu Bakr at noon after being granted permission to migrate, the two she-camels which Abu Bakr had prepared and the general setting. At the end of the quote Medina is mentioned.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|419}}|Narrated `Aisha:

Abu Bakr asked the Prophet (ﷺ) to allow him to go out (of Mecca) when he was greatly annoyed (by the infidels). But the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Wait." Abu Bakr said, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Do you hope that you will be allowed (to migrate)?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "I hope so." So Abu Bakr waited for him till one day Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came at noon time and addressed him saying "Let whoever is present with you, now leave you." Abu Bakr said, "None is present but my two daughters." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Have you noticed that I have been allowed to go out (to migrate)?" Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Apostle, I would like to accompany you." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You will accompany me." Abu Bakr said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I have got two she-camels which I had prepared and kept ready for (our) going out." So he gave one of the two (she-camels) to the Prophet (ﷺ) and it was Al-Jad`a. They both rode and proceeded till they reached the Cave at the mountain of Thaur where they hid themselves. Amir bin Fuhaira was the slave of `Abdullah bin at-Tufail bin Sakhbara `Aisha's brother from her mother's side. Abu Bakr had a milch she-camel. Amir used to go with it (i.e. the milch she-camel) in the afternoon and come back to them before noon by setting out towards them in the early morning when it was still dark and then he would take it to the pasture so that none of the shepherds would be aware of his job. When the Prophet (and Abu Bakr) went away (from the Cave), he (i.e. 'Amir) too went along with them and they both used to make him ride at the back of their camels in turns till they reached Medina. [...]}}

==Apologetic justifications for the marriage==
A number of claims are commonly made in Muhammad's defence by those who accept the traditional account that he married Aisha when she was six and consummated the marriage when she was nine, Muhammad at that time being a fifty-three year old man. These claims are widely criticised both by Muslims who reject the authenticity of the relevant hadiths, as well as by many other people, whatever their stance on the historicity of the story.

===Cultural norms at the time===
It does seem that it was common to contract daughters in marriage at an early age in Arab culture at that time. Imam Malik (d. 795 CE) based his rulings on the community practice in Medina. He permitted a father to contract his virgin minor daughter into a marriage and [[Forced Marriage|without her permission]]. Early jurists of other legal schools (who also agreed on this) used narrations about Muhammad's companions (or Muhammad himself) marrying or entering minors into marriage contracts as evidence in their legal discussions, and all more or less agreed that consummation of such marriages was allowed once a girl had reached the age of majority, or in some opinions, earlier if it was judged that she could physically tolerate intercourse (see [[Child Marriage in Islamic Law]]).

Some argue that critics of Muhammad's actions in the traditional account commit the fallacy of ''presentism'' in which moral standards of an earlier age when circumstances were different are judged by those of today, and further argue that very early marriage and consummation were common at the time.

However, critics note that unlike in the early Islamic polity, the minimum age of marriage or consummation for girls in the neighbouring Byzantine and Sasanid empires was significantly later at 13 or 12, albeit still very young (see above). Further, they argue that it is objectively the case that adolescent pregnancy brings signicantly greater risk of serious medical complications for both the mother and baby (as noted for example by [https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-pregnancy The World Health Organization]) and that this would be no different a thousand years ago, especially in the case of a nine year old girl. Moreover, critics question whether it is legitimate to complain of presentism, given the Islamic concept of Muhammad as al-Insān al-Kāmil (the perfect human) and [[Uswa Hasana]] (an excellent model of conduct). Indeed, Muhammad's marriage to Aisha has been cited by Islamic scholars opposed to the introduction or raising of the minimum age of marriage which has occurred in most Muslim majority countries in recent decades.

===Shorter life expectancy===
Some argue that life expectancy a millenium ago was considerably lower than today, so there was an imperative to start a family at a young age. Critics note that such claims are often exaggerated for these purposes by including infant mortality in the calculation of average lifespans. A study of skeletal remains from the Mexican city of Cholula showed that between 900 to 1500 CE, most people who made it to adulthood went on to live beyond the age of fifty. Another study showed that in medieval England those who reached the age of 25 had an average life expectancy of another 25 years.<ref> Sharon DeWitte [https://www.sc.edu/uofsc/posts/2022/08/conversation-old-age-is-not-a-modern-phenomenon.php Old age isn’t a modern phenomenon – many people lived long enough to grow old in the olden days, too] - University of South Carolina website, 10 August 2022</ref> Both Muhammad and Aisha died in their sixties. Furthermore, critics point out that the risk of maternal and infant mortality was relatively high among girls enduring pregnancy in early adolescence (traditionally, Muhammad commenced intercourse with Aisha when she was nine), which itself would reduce life expectancy, while in other cases permanent reproductive damage can be done. On that point, it may be noted that Aisha did not bear Muhammad any children.

===Earlier puberty and menarche in the past===
Another common argument is that puberty occurred earlier in the past or in hot climates. Puberty is a process which takes place over a number of years, while menarche (first menstruation) is a distinct physiological event which is the culmination of the anatomical processes of puberty. Apologetic websites typically cite books or articles which mention that the onset of puberty can occur today from as early as the age of eight. An article by Jesse Gamble is commonly quoted for saying that "Menarche affected Paleolithic girls between the ages of 7 to 13".<ref>Jesse Gamble, (2017) "Early Starters: Girls are entering puberty at every younger ages. What are the causes, and should we be worried?", ''Nature'' 550, S10-S11</ref> A journal article by Peter Gluckman and Mark Hanson gives a similar range and is commonly cited for their argument that in the simpler societies of the past, psychosocial maturity was better aligned with the age of physical development.<ref>Gluckman, P. and Hanson, M. (2006) "Evolution, development and timing of puberty", ''Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism'', 17(1)</ref>

However, critics have noticed that this is only half the story. The opening sentence of Gluckman and Hanson's paper begins by saying, "The age of menarche has fallen as child health has improved". The paper explains that menarche begins ''later'' when childhood health and nutrition is poor, such as in the neolithic period, when as a result of "settlement, childhood disease and postnatal undernutrition became common and therefore the average age of menarche was delayed" in contrast to the paleolithic hunter-gatherers. In Figure 2 of their paper the authors indicate the likely age ranges of menarche 20,000 years ago (c. 7-14 years old), 2,000 years ago (c. 10-17 years old), 200 years ago during the industrial revolution (c. 13-18 years old) and today, when it has fallen back down (c. 9-15 years old). The authors argue that "With modern hygiene, nutrition and medicine, these pathological constraints on puberty have been removed and the age of menarche has fallen to its evolutionarily determined range. But now the complexity of society has increased enormously and psychosocial maturation takes longer." Hadiths narrated by Aisha suggest that her mother struggled to make her gain weight before sending her to live with Muhammad (see {{Ibn Majah||4|29|3324}} and {{Abu Dawud|28|3894}}).

The average age of menarche today in Europe and the United States has fallen to around 13 years old, while the average is about 14 years old in Yemen in the south of the Arabian Peninsula (coming down from 14.44 years old in 1979 to 13.8 in 2013, standard deviation of 1.36 years). The average age is very similar (13-14) across a large range of low and middle income countries.<ref>Tiziana Leone and Laura Brown [https://www.niussp.org/fertility-and-reproduction/trends-in-age-at-menarche-in-low-and-middle-income-countries-evolution-de-lage-a-la-menarche-dans-les-pays-a-revenu-faible-et-intermediaire/ Trends in age at menarche in low- and middle-income countries] - niussp.org, 1 March 2021</ref>

==See Also==

*[[Child Marriage in Islamic Law]]
*[[She's too young]] (Fatima)

{{Template:Translation-links-english|[[Aišin věk konzumace|Czech]]}}

==External Links==

*[http://www.sunnipath.com/about/shaykhgibrilhaddad.aspx Shaykh Gibril Haddad] ''- Biography of Shaykh Gibril Fouad Haddad at SunniPath, The online Islamic Academy''
*[http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Learner/index.htm Responses to "The Learner" (Moiz Amjad) and others] - ''Collection of Answering Islam articles''
*[https://www.academia.edu/41118215/Was_A%C3%AFsha_Really_Only_Nine Was Aisha really only nine] - Article by Tara MacArthur''

==Acknowledgments==
{{refbegin}}
This article is greatly indebted to the following:
*Dr. Shaykh Gibril Fouad Haddad, scholar and muhaddith (hadith expert), for [https://archive.ph/Rngiz Our Mother A'isha's Age At The Time Of Her Marriage to The Prophet]
*The Muslimhope website, for [http://www.muslimhope.com/aishanine.htm A’isha: Mohammed’s Nine-Year Old Wife]
{{refend}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Muhammad]]
[[Category:Muhammad's wives and concubines]]
[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:Aisha]]
[[Category:Child Marriage]]
[[Category:Marriage]]
[[Category:Fiqh]]
[[ar:عمر_عائشة]]

Injil (the New Testament According to the Qur'an)

2024-05-24T19:50:55Z

AdrianE: Fixed a typo.

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==The Injil according to the Qur'an==

The [[Qur'an]] talks of the '''Injil''' (إنجيل) referring to the New Testament of the Bible - usually the four Gospels.

The Qur'an reports the Injil to be one of the three previous '[[Revelation]]s' of [[Allah]] (the other two being the [[Taurat]] and [[Zabur]]). The Qur'an asserts that Allah revealed the previous scriptures to the Jews and to the Christians, but that those who knew the scriptures 'changed the words from their right places' and 'forgot a good part of the message'. Regarding the Injil:

{{quote |{{Quran|5|14}}|And with those who say, We are Christians, We made a covenant, but they neglected a portion of what they were reminded of, therefore We excited among them enmity and hatred to the day of resurrection; and Allah will inform them of what they did.}}

The Qur'an also claims to 'confirm what they (the [[People of the Book|People of the Book]], i.e. Jews and Christians) have with them':

{{quote |{{Quran|5|15}}|O followers of the Book! indeed Our Messenger has come to you making clear to you much of what you concealed of the Book and passing over much; indeed, there has come to you light and a clear Book from Allah;}}

==Islamic Claims about the Injil==

Despite what appears rather clearly in the Qur'an, the majority of Muslims believe that Allah is telling them that the "People of the Book" have corrupted their books. Muslims proclaim that the actual texts have been changed; that not many of Allah's original words remain in them. The Qur'an however doesn't appear to explicitly make this charge against the "People of the Book". It states that the Jews and Christians knew what their texts said, but that they deliberately distorted the commands and meanings in their oral recitations to the illiterate people; that they were saying "my book says to do this" when the text on the page did not. The Qur'an also charges that they 'concealed' a part of the message or 'hid it (the book) behind their backs'.

To keep their claim of textual corruption of the 'previous scriptures' afloat, some present [{{Quran-url-only|2|79}} Qur'an 2:79] as evidence of their interpretation. However, viewing this verse in context, juxtaposed against [[2:79 |other Qur'anic verses]] proves this interpretation to be incorrect.

Muslims also claim that the Injil is corrupt because of the differences in the accounting of events. The most significant difference is that in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, Jesus is believed to be [[God]]; yet the Qur'an says Isa ([[Jesus]]) was just a prophet, and that Allah has no partners. This error can be explained by [[Muhammad]]'s misunderstanding of the Christian Trinity (that there is one God, existing in a unity of three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

==Why does Allah protect his Qu'ran, and not his Injil and Taurat?==

Although Muslims believe the 'previous scriptures' to be corrupt even though they were revealed by Allah, they believe the Qur'an remains unchanged from the moment of Revelation, until this day; that Allah is 'protecting it from corruption'. Muslims are also told that they are to believe in the "previous Revelations", although the word of the Qur'an supercedes them all.

So the question remains: Why does Allah protect the Qur'an, and allow the Injil to get corrupted? Also, why would one be ordered to believe in something that has been corrupted?

==What was Isa's "Good News"?==

Allah claims to have revealed the Taurat (the Law) to Musa (Moses), the Zabur (Psalms) to David, the Injil to Isa for the Jews and Gentiles (Christians) and the Qur'an to the Arabs. "Injil" is the Arabic word for the Greek word "Evangelia" which means ''Good News''. Allah confirms in the Qur'an that the Injil was given to Isa, so this raises a big question: If each Revelation from Allah was a ''confirmation'' of the scripture that came before it, ''what'' was the ''Good News'' that Isa came to share? After all, if it is a confirmation of that which the Jews already had with them, then he would not be bringing anything new; so there is no reason to call it ''Good News''. Surely the Qur'an would be the only book to deserve such a title, being brought to humankind by the Final Messenger as Final Revelation of Allah, right?
==See Also==

*[[Isa al-Masih]]
{{Hub4|Revelation|Revelations}}

==External Links==

*[http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2010/09/defecation-torah-new-testament Istinja' (cleansing your anus) with the Torah and New Testament] ''- IslamWeb''

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:People of the Book]]
[[Category:Revelation]]
[[Category:Christian tradition]]
[[Category:Isa al-Masih (Jesus)]]

Zabur

2024-05-24T19:45:46Z

AdrianE: Fixed a typo.

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==The Zabur according to the Quran==
The '''Zabur '''mentioned in the [[Qur'an]] refers to the ''Psalms ''of the Old Testament. The Qur'an asserts that the Zabur is one of the three previous [[Revelation|revelations]] of [[Allah]] (The other two being the [[Taurat]] and [[Injil]]). Although the Zabur is only mentioned three times in the Qur'an, Allah tells us that he revealed them to Dawud (the Biblical King David).

==Qur'an References to the Zabur==

{{quote |{{Quran|4|163}}|Lo! We inspire thee as We inspired Noah and the prophets after him, as We inspired Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and as We imparted unto David the Psalms; }}

{{quote |{{Quran|17|55}}|And thy Lord is Best Aware of all who are in the heavens and the earth. And we preferred some of the prophets above others, and unto David We gave the Psalms. }}

{{quote | {{Quran|21|05}}|Before this We wrote in the Psalms, after the Message (given to Moses): My servants the righteous, shall inherit the earth." }}

==Hadith References to the Zabur==

{{quote |{{Bukhari|4|55|628}}|Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, "The reciting of the Zabur (i.e. Psalms) was made easy for David. He used to order that his riding animals be saddled, and would finish reciting the Zabur before they were saddled. And he would never eat except from the earnings of his manual work." }}

{{quote |{{Bukhari|1|7|340}}|Narrated 'Imran:

Once we were traveling with the Prophet and we carried on traveling till the last part of the night and then we (halted at a place) and slept (deeply). There is nothing sweeter than sleep for a traveler in the last part of the night. So it was only the heat of the sun that made us to wake up and the first to wake up was so and so, then so and so and then so and so (the narrator 'Auf said that Abu Raja' had told him their names but he had forgotten them) and the fourth person to wake up was 'Umar bin Al-Khattab. And whenever the Prophet used to sleep, nobody would wake up him till he himself used to get up as we did not know what was happening (being revealed) to him in his sleep. So, 'Umar got up and saw the condition of the people, and he was a strict man, so he said, "Allahu Akbar" and raised his voice with Takbir, and kept on saying loudly till the Prophet got up because of it. When he got up, the people informed him about what had happened to them. He said, "There is no harm (or it will not be harmful). Depart!" So they departed from that place, and after covering some distance the Prophet stopped and asked for some water to perform the ablution. So he performed the ablution and the call for the prayer was pronounced and he led the people in prayer. After he finished from the prayer, he saw a man sitting aloof who had not prayed with the people. He asked, "O so and so! What has prevented you from praying with us?" He replied, "I am Junub and there is no water. " The Prophet said, "Perform Tayammum with (clean) earth and that is sufficient for you."

Then the Prophet proceeded on and the people complained to him of thirst. Thereupon he got down and called a person (the narrator 'Auf added that Abu Raja' had named him but he had forgotten) and 'Ali, and ordered them to go and bring water. So they went in search of water and met a woman who was sitting on her camel between two bags of water. They asked, "Where can we find water?" She replied, "I was there (at the place of water) this hour yesterday and my people are behind me." They requested her to accompany them. She asked, "Where?" They said, "To Allah's Apostle ." She said, "Do you mean the man who is called the Sabi, (with a new religion)?" They replied, "Yes, the same person. So come along." They brought her to the Prophet and narrated the whole story. He said, "Help her to dismount." The Prophet asked for a pot, then he opened the mouths of the bags and poured some water into the pot. Then he closed the big openings of the bags and opened the small ones and the people were called upon to drink and water their animals. So they all watered their animals and they (too) all quenched their thirst and also gave water to others and last of all the Prophet gave a pot full of water to the person who was Junub and told him to pour it over his body. The woman was standing and watching all that which they were doing with her water. By Allah, when her water bags were returned the looked like as if they were more full (of water) than they had been before (Miracle of Allah's Apostle) Then the Prophet ordered us to collect something for her; so dates, flour and Sawiq were collected which amounted to a good meal that was put in a piece of cloth. She was helped to ride on her camel and that cloth full of food-stuff was also placed in front of her and then the Prophet said to her, "We have not taken your water but Allah has given water to us." She returned home late. Her relatives asked her: "O so and so what has delayed you?" She said, "A strange thing! Two men met me and took me to the man who is called the Sabi' and he did such and such a thing. By Allah, he is either the greatest magician between this and this (gesturing with her index and middle fingers raising them towards the sky indicating the heaven and the earth) or he is Allah's true Apostle."
Afterwards the Muslims used to attack the pagans around her abode but never touched her village. One day she said to her people, "I think that these people leave you purposely. Have you got any inclination to Islam?" They obeyed her and all of them embraced Islam.
Abu 'Abdultah said: The word Saba'a means "The one who has deserted his old religion and embraced a new religion." Abul 'Ailya said, ''' "The Sabis are a sect of people of the Scripture who recite the Book of Psalms." '''}}

{{quote |{{Bukhari|6|60|237}}|Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, "The recitation of Psalms (David's Quran) was made light and easy for David that he used to have his ridding animal be saddled while he would finish the recitation before the servant had saddled it." }}

==Muslim Claims about the Zabur==

The Qur'an claims to confirm the previous revelations, thus Muslims present evidence of this by quoting Qur'an 21:5 (above) and'' Psalms 37:29''. Here they are together:

{{quote |{{Quran|21|105}}|Before this We wrote in the Psalms, after the Message (given to Moses): My servants the righteous, shall inherit the earth."}}

{{quote |1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+37%3A29&version=KJV Psalms 37:29]|2=The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.}}

However, as evidenced by the Bukhari [[hadith]] above, [[Muhammad]] and his [[Sahabah|companions]] had access to recitations of the Psalms (as they did to the other 'previous revelations'), so it would seem that this 'confirmation' is in no way "miraculous".

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Revelation|Revelations}}

==External Links==

*[{{Reference archive|1=http://islamacevap.net/Index/Z/zabur.html|2=2011-11-12}} Zabur (Comparative Index to Islam)] ''- Answering Islam''

[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:People of the Book]]
[[Category:Revelation]]
[[Category:Previous scriptures]]
[[Category:Jewish tradition]]

Jibreel (Gabriel) and al-Ruh al-Qudus (the Holy Spirit) in the Qur'an

2024-05-24T19:38:11Z

AdrianE: Fixed a sentence.

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In the Qur'an, the Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of/from [[Allah]]. This article attempts to explain who or what the Holy Spirit is in relation to the angel [[Gabriel]] and compares this to Biblical explanations of the Holy Spirit and Gabriel, as the Qur'an claims to confirm the previously revealed scriptures.
==The Holy Spirit==

===Qur'an===

====In regards to Adam====

'''Allah's Spirit was breathed into Adam.'''
{{Quote|1={{Quran|15|29}}|2=So, when I have made him and have breathed into him of My Spirit, do ye fall down, prostrating yourselves unto him.}}
{{Quote|1={{Quran|32|6-9}}|2=Such is the Knower of the Invisible and the Visible, the Mighty, the Merciful, Who made all things good which He created, and He began the creation of man from clay; Then He made his seed from a draught of despised fluid; Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His Spirit; and appointed for you hearing and sight and hearts. Small thanks give ye!}}
{{Quote|1={{Quran|38|72}}|2=And when I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My Spirit, then fall down before him prostrate,}}

====In regards to Jesus====

'''The Holy Spirit supported Jesus.'''
{{Quote|1={{Quran|2|87}}|2=And verily We gave unto Moses the Scripture and We caused a train of messengers to follow after him, and We gave unto Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs (of Allah's sovereignty), and We supported him with the Holy spirit. Is it ever so, that, when there cometh unto you a messenger (from Allah) with that which ye yourselves desire not, ye grow arrogant, and some ye disbelieve and some ye slay?}}
{{Quote|1={{Quran|2|253}}|2=Of those messengers, some of whom We have caused to excel others, and of whom there are some unto whom Allah spake, while some of them He exalted (above others) in degree; and We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty) and We supported him with the holy Spirit. And if Allah had so wiled it, those who followed after them would not have fought one with another after the clear proofs had come unto them. But they differed, some of them believing and some disbelieving. And if Allah had so willed it, they would not have fought one with another; but Allah doeth what He will.}}

'''Jesus was a spirit from Allah.'''
{{Quote|1={{Quran|4|171}}|2=O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "Three" - Cease! (it is) better for you! - Allah is only One Allah. Far is it removed from His Transcendent Majesty that He should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender.}}

'''The Holy Spirit strengthened Jesus.'''
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|110}}|2=When Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My favour unto thee and unto thy mother; how I strengthened thee with the holy Spirit, so that thou spakest unto mankind in the cradle as in maturity; and how I taught thee the Scripture and Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and how thou didst shape of clay as it were the likeness of a bird by My permission, and didst blow upon it and it was a bird by My permission, and thou didst heal him who was born blind and the leper by My permission; and how thou didst raise the dead by My permission; and how I restrained the Children of Israel from (harming) thee when thou camest unto them with clear proofs, and those of them who disbelieved exclaimed: This is naught else than mere magic;}}

'''The Spirit of Allah assumed the form of a human man and came to Mary with a message.'''
{{Quote|{{Quran|19|16-22}}|2=And make mention of Mary in the Scripture, when she had withdrawn from her people to a chamber looking East, And had chosen seclusion from them. Then We sent unto her Our Spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man. She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from thee, if thou art Allah-fearing. He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a faultless son. She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I been unchaste? He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me. And (it will be) that We may make of him a revelation for mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a thing ordained. And she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place.}}

'''Allah breathed something of his Spirit into Mary to create Jesus.'''
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|91}}|2=And she who was chaste, therefor We breathed into her (something) of Our Spirit and made her and her son a token for (all) peoples.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|2=And Mary, daughter of 'Imran, whose body was chaste, therefor We breathed therein something of Our Spirit. And she put faith in the words of her Lord and His scriptures, and was of the obedient.}}

====All other possible references====

{{Quote|1={{Quran|12|87}}|2=Go, O my sons, and ascertain concerning Joseph and his brother, and despair not of the Spirit of Allah. Lo! none despaireth of the Spirit of Allah save disbelieving folk.}}

{{Quote|1={{Quran|16|02}}|2=He sendeth down the angels with the Spirit of His command unto whom He will of His bondmen, (saying): Warn mankind that there is no Allah save Me, so keep your duty unto Me.}}

{{Quote|1={{Quran|16|102}}|2=Say: The holy Spirit hath delivered it from thy Lord with truth, that it may confirm (the faith of) those who believe, and as guidance and good tidings for those who have surrendered (to Allah).}}

{{Quote|1={{Quran|17|85}}|2=They are asking thee concerning the Spirit. Say: The Spirit is by command of my Lord, and of knowledge ye have been vouchsafed but little.}}

{{Quote|1={{Quran|26|192-195}}|2=And lo! it is a revelation of the Lord of the Worlds, Which the True Spirit hath brought down Upon thy heart, that thou mayst be (one) of the warners, In plain Arabic speech.}}

{{Quote|1={{Quran|40|15}}|2=The Exalter of Ranks, the Lord of the Throne. He causeth the Spirit of His command upon whom He will of His slaves, that He may warn of the Day of Meeting,}}

{{Quote|1={{Quran|42|51-52}}|2=And it was not (vouchsafed) to any mortal that Allah should speak to him unless (it be) by revelation or from behind a veil, or (that) He sendeth a messenger to reveal what He will by His leave. Lo! He is Exalted, Wise. And thus have We inspired in thee (Muhammad) a Spirit of Our command. Thou knewest not what the Scripture was, nor what the Faith. But We have made it a light whereby We guide whom We will of Our bondmen. And lo! thou verily dost guide unto a right path,}}

{{Quote|1={{Quran|58|22}}|2=Thou wilt not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren or their clan. As for such, He hath written faith upon their hearts and hath strengthened them with a Spirit from Him, and He will bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. They are Allah's party. Lo! is it not Allah's party who are the successful?}}

{{Quote|1={{Quran|70|1-4}}|2=A questioner questioned concerning the doom about to fall upon the disbelievers, which none can repel, from Allah, Lord of the Ascending Stairway (whereby) the angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a Day whereof the span is fifty thousand years.}}

{{Quote|1={{Quran|78|38-39}}|2=On the day when the angels and the Spirit stand arrayed, they speak not, saving him whom the Beneficent alloweth and who speaketh right. That is the True Day. So whoso will should seek recourse unto his Lord.}}

{{Quote|1={{Quran|97|4}}|2=The angels and the Spirit descend therein, by the permission of their Lord, with all decrees.}}

===Bible===

To understand the Holy Spirit in the Bible, one must also understand the language used. The word "ruach" comes from the Hebrew meaning "spirit", "wind", "breath", or "air". The Greek equivalent is "pneuma" and the Latin is "spiritus". Some examples of its usage in relation to God:

*''"Ruach Ha-Kodesh"'' "''רוח הקודש''" means '''Holy Spirit'''.
*''"Ruach Elohim" "רוח אלוהים"'' means '''Spirit of God'''.

Though there are countless verses in the Bible referencing the Holy Spirit, here are some verses that seem to best represent what/who the Holy Spirit is from the books the Qur'an claims to confirm:

====[[Taurat]] (Torah)====

'''The Spirit of God was with God in the beginning.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201:1-2&version=NIV Genesis 1:1-2 NIV]|2=In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.}}

'''God breathed into Adam the breath of life.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%202:7&version=NIV Genesis 2:7NIV]|2=the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.}}

'''God's Spirit contended with man.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%206:3&version=NIV Genesis 6:3 NIV]|2=Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal ; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."}}

====[[Zabur]] (Psalms)====

'''God's Spirit can be with people.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2051:11&version=NIV Psalm 51:11 NIV]|2=Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.}}

'''God creates when he sends his Spirit.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20104:30&version=NIV Psalm 104:30 NIV]|2=When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.}}

====[[Injil]] (Gospels)====

'''Mary conceived through the Holy Spirit.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%201:18-20&version=NIV Matthew 1:18-20 NIV] See also: [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201:26-37&version=NIV Luke 1:26-37]|2=This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit."}}

'''People can be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%203:11&version=NIV Matthew 3:11 NIV] See also: [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%201:10&version=NIV Mark 1:10], [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%203:22&version=NIV Luke 3:22], & [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201:32&version=NIV John 1:32]|2="I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."}}

'''The Spirit of God descended on Jesus.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%203:16&version=NIV Matthew 3:16 NIV] See also: [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%201:10&version=NIV Mark 1:10], [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%203:22&version=NIV Luke 3:22], & [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201:32&version=NIV John 1:32]|2=As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.}}

'''The Holy Spirit can speak through people.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2010:17-20&version=NIV Matthew 10:17-20 NIV] See also: [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2013:11&version=NIV Mark 13:11] & [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2012:12&version=NIV Luke 12:12]|2="Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."}}

'''The Holy Spirit drives out demons.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2012:28&version=NIV Matthew 12:28 NIV]|2=But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.}}

'''Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2012:31-32&version=NIV Matthew 12:31-32 NIV] See also: [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%203:29&version=NIV Mark 3:29] & [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2012:10&version=NIV Luke 12:10]|2=And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.}}

'''Women can be filled with the Holy Spirit.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201:41-45&version=NIV Luke 1:41-45 NIV]|2=When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"}}

'''The Holy Spirit is the Counselor.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014:26&version=NIV John 14:26 NIV] See also: [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014:15-17&version=NIV John 14:15-17], [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2015:26&version=NIV John 15:26], & [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2016:5-16&version=NIV John 16:5-16]|2=But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.}}

'''Jesus gave people the Holy Spirit.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020:21-23&version=NIV John 20:21-23 NIV]|2=Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."}}

==Gabriel==

===Qur'an===

'''Gabriel revealed the Quran to Muhammad's heart.'''
{{Quote|1={{Quran|2|97-98}}|2=Say (O Muhammad, to mankind): Who is an enemy to '''Gabriel'''! For '''he it is who hath revealed (this Scripture) to thy heart by Allah's leave, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, and a guidance and glad tidings to believers'''; Who is an enemy to Allah, and His angels and His messengers, and Gabriel and Michael! Then, lo! Allah (Himself) is an enemy to the disbelievers.}}

'''Gabriel is one of Muhammad's protecting friends.'''
{{Quote|1={{Quran|66|04}}|2=If ye twain turn unto Allah repentant, (ye have cause to do so) for your hearts desired (the ban); and if ye aid one another against him (Muhammad) then lo! Allah, even He, is his Protecting Friend, and '''Gabriel''' and the righteous among the believers; and furthermore the angels are his helpers.}}

===Bible===

====Injil====

'''Gabriel gave Zechariah the message that his wife would give birth to John the Baptist.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201:5-20&version=NIV Luke 1:5-20 NIV]|2=In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. '''Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him''', standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." '''The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.''' And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."}}

'''Gabriel gave Mary the message that she would give birth to Jesus Christ.'''
{{Quote|1=[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%201:26-28&version=NIV Luke 1:26-28 NIV]|2=In the sixth month, '''God sent the angel Gabriel''' to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."}}

NOTE: The Book of Daniel also mentions Gabriel twice. See [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel%208:16,%20Daniel%209:21&version=NIV Daniel 8:16 and 9:21 (NIV)].

==Analysis==

Muslims believe Gabriel is the Holy Spirit of Allah.<ref>[http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1123996016040&pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam%2FAskAboutIslamE%2FAskAboutIslamE Reading Islam >> Ask About Islam >> What is the Holy Spirit?]</ref><ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Spirit_(Islam) Holy Spirit (Islam)]</ref><ref>[http://www.submission.org/jesus/holy_spirit.html "The Holy Spirit in the Quran" by M. Nader]</ref>

If that is the case, then we can substitute Gabriel for Allah's Spirit in the following Quran verses:

{{Quote|2=So, when I have made him and have breathed into him of Gabriel, do ye fall down, prostrating yourselves unto him.}}

{{Quote|2=Such is the Knower of the Invisible and the Visible, the Mighty, the Merciful, Who made all things good which He created, and He began the creation of man from clay; Then He made his seed from a draught of despised fluid; Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of Gabriel; and appointed for you hearing and sight and hearts. Small thanks give ye!}}

{{Quote|2=And when I have fashioned him and breathed into him of Gabriel, then fall down before him prostrate,}}

{{Quote|2=And she who was chaste, therefor We breathed into her (something) of Gabriel and made her and her son a token for (all) peoples.}}

{{Quote|2=And Mary, daughter of 'Imran, whose body was chaste, therefor We breathed therein something of Gabriel. And she put faith in the words of her Lord and His scriptures, and was of the obedient.}}

'''So, who or what exactly is Gabriel?'''

*Is he the Spirit of Allah's revelation?
*Is he Allah's "breath of life" as was given to Adam?
*Is he the fertilizer of Mary?

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Gabriel|Gabriel}}

==External Links==

*[http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/umar_spirit.htm "A Muslim’s Attempt of Addressing the issue of the Holy Spirit being Gabriel And Why He fell Short" by Sam Shahoun]
*[http://www.answering-islam.org/Shamoun/gabriel.htm "Is 'the Holy Spirit' Only Another Name for the Angel Gabriel?" by Sam Shahoun]

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:People of the Book]]
[[Category:Maryam (Mary)]]
[[Category:Christian tradition]]
[[Category:Revelation]]
[[Category:Qur'an]]

Isa al-Masih (Jesus Christ)

2024-05-24T19:33:30Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

{{QualityScore|Lead=2|Structure=2|Content=2|Language=4|References=3}}
[[File:Ascension of Isa.jpg|right|thumb|300px|An old Turkish depiction of the ascension of the Islamic Isa.]]
In orthodox [[Islam]], '''Isa al-Masih''' (عيسى المسيح usually translated as ''Jesus Christ'') is believed to be a prophet, second in rank to [[Muhammad]], and not the son of God. Indeed, associating divinity with Jesus is decried as blasphemy in the Qur'an time and again. The [[Qur'an]], though, does have its own [[Qur'anic Christology|Christological vision]] of Jesus' mission on earth and his incarnation in the virgin Mary. Islamic holy literature including the Qur'an also carries over many fantastic tales of the doings of Jesus from [[Parallelism Between the Qur'an and Judeo-Christian Scriptures|apocryphal]] literature.

==The Conception of Isa==
{{Main|Virgin Conception of Jesus in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'anic verses 21:91 and 66:12 in conjunction with the tafsirs, tell us the angel [[Gabriel|Jibreel]] (جبريل ''Gabriel'') was sent to breathe [[Gabriel and the Holy Spirit|Allah's spirit]] into Maryam's (Mary's) vagina in order to conceive Jesus.

{{quote |1=[http://tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=66&tid=54466 Tafsir 'ibn Kathir - Quran 66:12]|2=
[وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَةَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِى أَحْصَنَتْ '''فَرْجَهَا''']

(And Maryam, the daughter of `Imran who guarded her chastity (private part).) meaning, who protected and purified her honor, by being chaste and free of immorality,

[فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا]

(And We breathed into it (private part) through Our Ruh,) meaning, through the angel Jibril. Allah sent the angel Jibril to Maryam, and he came to her in the shape of a man in every respect. Allah commanded him to blow into a gap of her garment and that breath went into her womb through her private part; this is how `Isa was conceived.}}

==No More Than a Messenger==
The Qur'an designates Jesus as a "rasul" (رسول) "messenger" or "apostle", putting him on the same level as the prophet Muhammad in this regard. This is, in effect, an attack on the trinitarian, god-unity conception of him in orthodox Christianity, which is underscored by how he is placed together with the other "messengers".

{{Quote| {{Quran|5|75}}|Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth make His signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!}}

===Who was Given the Injil===
{{Main|Injil}}

The Qur'an talks of the '''Injil''' (إنجيل) referring to the New Testament of the Bible (usually the four Gospels) as being given to Jesus, rather than being written by his followers. The Qur'an also treats this as one book instead of many (and not as the general "good news" of Jesus' incarnation, death, and resurrections as the word is used in Christian literature):

{{Quote| {{Quran|5|46}}|And We sent after them in their footsteps Isa, son of Marium, verifying what was before him of the Taurat and We gave him the Injeel in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it of Taurat and a guidance and an admonition for those who guard (against evil).}}

==The Crucifixion of Isa==

Islam's portrayal of the crucifixion of Jesus differs vastly from the mainstream Christian view and approaches the Gnostic view. According to [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Islamic Theology|Islamic theology]], Jesus was never crucified. It was merely a [[Allah the Best Deceiver|deception by Allah]] who made it appear that he was. This conception of Jesus' crucifixion curiously borrows elements from the docetist heresy (in Greek Δοκηταί Dokētaí , from the word δοκεῖν/δόκησις dokeĩn "to seem", dókēsis "apparition, phantom), a heresy which otherwise is the total opposite of the Islamic christology: in this conception, Jesus was a totally unearthly, divine being, without even a human body. Knowledge of its doctrines in the present day are based on several apocryphal works which have been discovered, particularly from the Nag Hammadi cache of gnostic Christian texts.

The dates of authorship for these writings show the relative lateness of the doctrine. All of The canonical Christian scriptures were authored during the 1st century A.D. The Coptic Apocalypse of Peter and the Second Treatise of the Great Seth were authored during the 3rd century A.D.<ref>Ehrman, Bart D. (2003) ''The Lost Scriptures: Books that Did Not Make It into the New Testament''. (p. 78). Oxford: Oxford University Press. "Most scholars have dated this gnostic treatis [The Coptic Apocalypse of Peter] to the third century."</ref><ref>Ehrman, Bart D. (2003) ''The Lost Scriptures: Books that Did Not Make It into the New Testament''. (p. 82). Oxford: Oxford University Press. "This book [The Second Treatise of the Great Seth], which was discovered at Nag Hammadi (see page 19), probably dates from the third century."</ref> Meanwhile, according the traditional Muslim chronology, the Qur'an was revealed between 610-632 AD; its initial compilation was in 633 AD; and a "revisionary committee" preserved a standardized version sometime between 644-656 AD. Possible modern findings allow for an even earlier date of composition, but no estimate puts any Qur'anic material as in existence before the 5th century.

===Quran===

{{Quote|1={{Quran|4|156-159}}|2=That they rejected Faith; that they uttered against Mary a grave false charge; That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah";- '''but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them''', and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, '''for of a surety they killed him not:- Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself'''; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise;- And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them;-}}

===Gnostic Writings===

{{Quote|1=[http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/apopet.html The Coptic Apocalypse of Peter]|2=The Savior said to me, "He whom you see above the cross, glad and laughing, is the living Jesus. But he into whose hands and feet they are driving the nails is his physical part, which is the substitute. They are putting to shame that which is in his likeness. But look at him and me."

But I, when I had looked, said, "Lord, no one is looking at you. Let us flee this place." But he said to me, "I have told you, 'Leave the blind alone!' And notice how they do not know what they are saying. For the son of their glory, instead of my servant, they have put to shame."

And I saw someone about to approach us who looked like him, even him who was laughing about the cross, and he was <filled> with a pure spirit, and he (was) the Savior...And he said to me, "Be strong! For you are the one to whom these mysteries have been given, to know through revelation that he whom they have crucified is first-born, and the home of demons, and the clay vessel in which they dwell...But he who stands near him is the living Savior...}}

{{Quote|1=[http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/2seth.html The Second Treatise of the Great Seth]|2="And I was in the mouths of lions. And (as for) the counsel which they planned about me against destruction of their deception and their foolishness, I did not give in to them as they had devised. And I was not afflicted at all. Those there punished me, yet I did no die in solid reality but in what appears.....For my death which they think happened, (happened) to them in their error and blindness. They nailed their man up to their death. For their minds did not see me, for they were deaf and blind. But in doing these things, they render judgment against themselves...For when I came down no one saw me. For I kept changing my forms above, transforming from appearance to appearance.}}

===Canonical Christian Scriptures===

The doctrine of Jesus' escape from the crucifixion starkly contrasts with all of the writings of Paul the apostle, as well as the canonical gospels, which along with the testimony of some Roman historians such as Tacitus and Josephus constitute our earliest testimony on the life of Jesus. The aforementioned Roman historians agree with the gospels that Jesus was executed by the Roman state, and modern historians tend to rate the reality of the crucifixion as the single most certainly true aspect of the gospels.

<big>'''Gospels'''</big>

*[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2027:32-66,%2028:1-20&version=NIV Matthew 27:32-66, 28:1-20 NIV]

*[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2015:21-47,%2016:1-20&version=NIV Mark 15:21-47, 16:1-20 NIV]

*[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2023:26-56,%2024:1-53&version=NIV Luke 23:26-56, 24:1-53 NIV]

*[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2019:1-42,%2020:1-31&version=NIV John 19:1-42, 20:1-31 NIV]

<big>'''Acts of the Apostles'''</big>

*[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%201:1-11&version=NIV Acts 1:1-11 NIV]

==The Return of Isa==

Muslim apocalyptic literature says that Jesus will return as a Muslim and will break the cross (destroy Christianity), kill swine (This may be a reference to the destruction of the Jews, as the [[Qur'an]] says Jews were once turned into apes and pigs<ref>{{Quran|5|60}}</ref>), and advance the cause of [[Islam]]. He will also abolish the [[jizyah]], which will leave Jews and Christians with only two options, to convert to Islam or face execution and enslavement. Verse 9:29 calls for the subduing of Jews and Christians.

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|29}}|Fight those who believe not in Allah or the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, '''(even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued'''.}}

===Quran===

{{Quote|1={{Quran|43|57-64}} (Yusufali), see also {{Quran|4|159}}|2=When (Jesus) the son of Mary is held up as an example, behold, thy people raise a clamour threat (in ridicule)! And they say, "Are our gods best, or he?" This they set forth to thee, only by way of disputation: yea, they are a contentious people. He was no more than a servant: We granted Our favour to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel. And if it were Our Will, We could make angels from amongst you, succeeding each other on the earth. '''And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment)''': therefore have no doubt about the (Hour), but follow ye Me: this is a Straight Way. Let not the Evil One hinder you: for he is to you an enemy avowed. When Jesus came with Clear Signs, he said: "Now have I come to you with Wisdom, and in order to make clear to you some of the (points) on which ye dispute: therefore fear Allah and obey me. "For Allah, He is my Lord and your Lord: so worship ye Him: this is a Straight Way."}}

===Hadith===

Islam carries over its apocalyptic tradition from Christianity. As such the hadith teaches that Jesus will come back to fight for Islam.

{{Quote|{{Abudawud|37|4310}}|Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (peace be upon him). He will descent (to the earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. '''He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will perish all religions except Islam'''. He will destroy the Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|657}}|Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs and there will be no Jizya (i.e. taxation taken from non Muslims). Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it, and a single prostration to Allah (in prayer) will be better than the whole world and whatever is in it.” Abu Huraira added “'''If you wish, you can recite (this verse of the Holy Book): — ‘And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e Jesus as an Apostle of Allah and a human being) Before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness Against them'''.” (4.159) (See Fateh Al Bari, Page 302 Vol 7)}}

As in Christian apocalyptic literature, on judgment day Jesus will judge the people by the words of the Qur'an.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|658}}|Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said “How will you be when the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you and he will judge people by the Law of the Quran and not by the law of Gospel (Fateh-ul Bari page 304 and 305 Vol 7)}}

It is further worth noting that the life and purpose of Jesus as outlined in the Islamic scriptures differs a great deal from the narrative presented regarding Jesus in Christian scriptures.

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Jesus|Jesus}}

==External Links==

*[http://www.answering-islam.org/Intro/islamic_jesus.html Dr. Mark Durie - Isa, the Muslim Jesus]
*[http://answering-islam.org/authors/adams/crucifixion_confusion.html Derik Adams - The Confusion of Islam regarding the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ]
*[https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=islamwhattheydonttellyou164 islamwhattheydonttellyou164 - Jesus as Isa: The Honest Truth] - ''YouTube Video''

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:People of the Book]]
[[Category:Isa al-Masih (Jesus)]]
[[Category:Maryam (Mary)]]
[[Category:Christian tradition]]
[[Category:Sacred history]]

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-05-24T09:56:55Z

AdrianE: Added two more hadith.

{{QualityScore|Lead=2|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=3|References=3}}
{{Quran|15|9}} declares that the [[Qur'an]] is [[Allah|Allah's]] [[revelation]] and that he promises to preserve it and protect it from corruption. In {{Quran|16|103}}, {{Quran|44|58}} and {{Quran|54|22}}, [{{Quran-url-only|54|32}} 32], [{{Quran-url-only|54|40}} 40], it is emphasized that the Qur'an was revealed in straight forward, easy to understand, and pure Arabic. Sunni Islamic scholars agree that all that which is fundamental to Islam (particularly most of Islamic law) which is not contained in the Quran must have been preserved in the form of hadiths. However, translations of these scriptures have not always been rendered faithfully into other languages such as English, particularly in recent times and especially when the audience concerned is that of a developed, first-world variety which likely holds to modern notions of human rights and liberalism.

Some of the most prominent and officially recognized English translators of the Qur'an (like Yusuf Ali, Dr. Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Asad), in particular, have often (seemingly deliberately, given their knowledge and skill) mistranslated the most controversial and problematic verses in Qur'an. That these inaccurate translations are most common with verses that would be considered contrary to modern liberal values in the West suggests that these mistranslations were not unintentional or due to some unique difficulty of the Arabic words used in these verses. Similar mistranslations have been observed in translations of the hadiths as well as in translations of other key Islamic texts, such as legal manuals.

==Quran==

===(4:34) Wife-beating===
{{Main|Wife Beating in the Qur'an}}
{{Quran|4|34}} famously instructs men to beat their wives and forms the basis of the Islamic legal ruling which permits as much. The below translation is taken from Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).}}

This verse states that men are in charge of women with what they spend on them, and have the right to direct them in life. Also in the same verse, women are told to obey men and if they don’t, then men have the authority to admonish them and if they persist in disobedience (or, read more literally, if the husband simply ''fears'' disobedience), then men may proceed to beat them. Yusuf Ali, a prominent translator of the Qur'an, adds the word “lightly” in brackets, after “beating them”, despite the fact that this word or connonation is not found in the source text.

===(23:14) Fetal development===
{{Quran|23|14}} presents a schema regarding the development of the human fetus. The following translations are taken from Pickthall an Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Pickthal:''' Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators! 

'''Yusuf Ali:''' Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!}}

This verse is often used as an example of how translators (in this case Yusuf Ali, who is authorized by the Saudi Islamic authority and Al-Azhar University) have often mistranslated verses in ways that appear less objectionable liberal, Western audiences.

Yusuf Ali, in his translation, replaces the word "then" with "and". He also replaces “the best of creators” (plural) with “the best to create” (singular). The difference in the meaning is crucial because the word “then” suggests another and separate phase, while the word “and” means bones and flesh form simultaneously or during one phase, which conforms to modern science, even though this does not appear in the original Arabic text.

Likewise, the plural form of “creators” seems to affirm the existence of ''multiple'' creators (''of whom'' Allah would be the best), which appears to contradict the key Islamic doctrine of ''tawḥīd'' (توحيد) regarding the oneness of Allah, the ''only'' creator. Similar mistranslations are given by the Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Saad translations. By contrast, the Pickthal translation is more accurate in this case, conforming to the original Arabic text.

Similarly distorted translations are also presented by institutions such as al-Azhar, the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf, and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as is seen on the Al-Azhar web site. The above verse is translated as below:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamic-council.com/qurane/def1.asp Quran 23:14]|2=Then We created the nutfah (sperm-drop) into a clinging organism. Then We created the clinging organism into a bolus-like chewed-up mass of coherent body of matter. Then We created the bolus-like chewed-up mass into bones, and We dressed the bones flesh. Out of this We brought it forth as a different creation. So, blessed be Allâh, The Fairest of creators.}}

===(18:86) Sun sets in a muddy spring===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}
{{Quran|18|86}} describes the story of Dhul-Qarnayn (Alexander the Great) wherein he is said to arrive at a location where he observes the sun setting in a muddy spring.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.}}

Modern Islamic scholars have argued that the verse describes a visual representation of what Dhul-Qarnayn saw as the sun set into the “horizon”. Such explanations are frustrated by authoritative sources, themselves represented by the likes of ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn'' (p. 251), and numerous classical authorities (which explain that the setting of the sun is in a well containing a murky mud). The same interpretation is found in al-Tabari’s commentaries (p. 339) as well as in the ''Concise Interpretation of al-Tabari'' (p. 19 of part 2) in which he remarks that the well in which the sun sets "contains lime and murky mud". The words “apparent” or “looks like” do not appear in classical explanations or commentaries. Indeed, the verse appears to reflect the [[Cosmology of the Quran|cosmological views]] [[Muhammad|Muhammad]] would have been expected to have in seventh century Arabia. Furthermore, since the earth is in fact round, [[Flat Earth and the Quran|not flat]] (as the Qur'an appears to suggest), Dhul-Qarnayn could never have reached some "farthest point", since no such point exists on a globe.

The al-Azhar site confronts this challenge by mistranslating thisverse, specifiying that the "muddy spring" is in fact the Atlantic Ocean, which ''appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn'' as a muddy spring. The Sahih International translation inserts a parenthetical [as if] which does not exist in the original Arabic text and is nowhere implied.

{{Quote|{{quran|18|86}}|Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."}}

===(86:5-7) Semen production===
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production}}
{{Quran-range|86|5|7}} states that sperm originates from an area between the breastbone and the backbone.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|5-7}}|5. Now let man but think from what he is created! 
6. He is created from a drop emitted- 
7. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs}}

The al-Azhar site translates the origination point of sperm as from "between the pelvis and breast bone".

===(22:52) Satanic verses===
{{Main|Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident)}}
{{Quran|22|52}} is said to have been revealed after the incident with respect to the Satanic Verses. This verse absolves Muhammad of responsibility for the Satanic Verses. The verse says that Satan influenced the recitations of all previous prophets. The text literally says "when he recited Satan threw (something) into his recitation." (إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ)

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allāh abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allāh makes precise His verses. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.}}

*إِذَا (''itha'') - when
* تَمَنَّىٰٓ (''tamannaa'') - he recited
*أَلْقَى (''alqaa'') - threw
*ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ (''ashshaytanu'') - Satan
*فِىٓ (''fee'') - in
*أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ (''omniyyatihi'') - his recitation

Some translations try to cover up Satan's influencing of recitations. For example, by suggesting that Satan influenced people's understanding of the verse.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Whenever We sent a messenger or a prophet before you ˹O Prophet˺ and he recited ˹Our revelations˺, Satan would influence ˹people’s understanding of˺ his recitation. But ˹eventually˺ Allah would eliminate Satan’s influence. Then Allah would ˹firmly˺ establish His revelations. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.}}

{{Quote||'''T. Usmani:''' We did not send any messenger before you nor a prophet, but (he faced a situation that) when he recited (the revelation), the Satan cast (doubts in the hearts of his opponents) about what he recited. So, Allah nullifies what the Satan casts, then Allah makes His verses firm, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' We have never sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes what Satan insinuates and then God affirms His message. God is all knowing and wise:}}

{{Quote||'''M. Pickthall:''' Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise;}}

===(3:54) Allah the best of deceivers===
{{Main|Allah, the Best Deceiver (Qur'an 3:54)}}
In {{Quran|3|54}}, {{Quran|7|99}}, {{Quran|8|30}}, {{Quran|10|21}} and {{Quran|13|42}} Allah is called the best of deceivers (خير الماكرين).

{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين

'''Transliteration:''' Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena

'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and God cheated/deceived, and God (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}This has been mistranslated as the best of plotters/planners/schemers in various translations.{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And '''Allāh is the best of planners.'''}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' And they (disbelievers) plotted to kill ‘Îsâ [(Jesus) عليه السلام], and Allâh plotted too. And '''Allâh is the Best of those who plot.'''}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' The [disbelievers] schemed but God also schemed; '''God is the Best of Schemers.'''}}

===(10:5) Moon is a (reflective) light===
The Quran calls the moon a light (نُورٗا) in {{Quran|10|5}}. In reality, the moon only reflects sunlight. Some translators have tried to incorporate this in their translation, but it is not mentioned in the Arabic.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' He is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a '''reflected light''', with precisely ordained phases, so that you may know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people of knowledge.}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a '''derived light''' and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allāh has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know.}}

===(67:5) Shooting stars===
{{Main|Shooting Stars in the Quran}}
{{Quran|67|5}} discusses the [[Jinn]] (mythical creatures that are described in Islamic scriptures as living among humans)<ref>Mawdudi, Sayyid Abul Ala, Tafhim ul Quran, Markazi Maktaba Islami, Delhi, 1995, vol. 6, p.110</ref> and stars from the "lowest heaven" which are used as missiles against any mischievous jinn that attempts to eavesdrop on conversations between angels.<ref>"...''The Jinns would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the Angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the Future which they heard from Allah. The Jinns would then inform the fortune-tellers. This is why before the time of the Prophet (saws) many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions. However, upon the Prophet's arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the Angels, and any Jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars)''..." - [http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/world.html The World of Jinn] - Invitation to Islam, Issue 4, January 1998</ref>

{{quote |{{Qtt|67|5}}|وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
 '''Transliteration:''' Walaqad zayyanna alssamaa alddunya bimasabeeha wajaAAalnaha rujooman lilshshayateeni waaAAtadna lahum AAathaba alssaAAeeri '''Literal:''' And certainly We have beautified the heaven (ٱلسَّمَآءَ, ''as-samaa'a'') nearest (ٱلدُّنْيَا, ''ad-dunyaa'') with lamps (بِمَصَٰبِيحَ, ''bi-masaabeeh'') and We have made them (as) missiles (رُجُومًا, ''rujooman'') for the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment(of) the Blaze.<ref>[http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=67&verse=5 Word-by-Word Grammar - Verse (67:5)] - The Quranic Arabic Corpus</ref>}}

*ٱلسَّمَآءَ (''as-samaa'a'') means heaven or sky.<ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1/</ref>
*ٱلدُّنْيَا (''ad-dunya'') is translated "the world" or "the lower". The world" is called "the lower", because according to Islamic cosmology the heavens appear one atop the other and the earth is the lowest in this structure.
**So ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا can be understood as "the lowest heaven", "the heaven right above this flat earth", "the sky above The Lower".
*بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (''bi-masaabeeh'') - this word means "lamps" and is still used as such in modern Arabic (see Google images for مصابيح).
*رُجُومًا (''rujooman'') - it is from the same root as رجم (''rajm''), meaning "[[Stoning in Islamic Law|stoning]]", which is the Islamic punishment for sex outside marriage (Satan, or Iblis, is known as ''al-Rajeem'' or "the stoned one" ''-'' الرجيم in Arabic).

====Accurate translations====

Below are the three most popular and readily available translations of the verse from Islamic sources.

{{Quote||'''Pickthal:''' And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Shakir:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Yusuf Ali:''' And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}}The below translations from non-Islamic sources are also generally accepted, albeit not frequently cited in Islamic circles.{{Quote||'''Arberry:''' And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and made them things to stone Satans; and We have prepared for them the chastisement of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Palmer:''' And we have adorned the lower heaven with lamps; and set them to pelt the devils with; and we have prepared for them the torment of the blaze!}}

{{Quote||'''George Sale:''' Moreover We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and have appointed them to be darted at the devils, for whom We have prepared the torment of burning fire:}}

{{Quote||'''JM Rodwell:''' Moreover we have decked the lowest heaven with lights, and have placed them there to be hurled at the Satans, for whom we have prepared the torment of the flaming fire.}}

A further twelve translations confirm the above translations.<ref>{{Quote||'''Abdel Haleem:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Ahmed - Samira:''' We have adorned the lowest sky with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, for whom We have prepared a torment of most intense fire.}}{{Quote||'''Qaribullah:''' We have adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and We made them a stoning for the satans, We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze for them.}}{{Quote||'''Faridul Haque:''' And indeed We have beautified the lower heaven with lamps, and have made them weapons against the devils, and have kept prepared for them the punishment of the blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Syed Vickar Ahamed:''' And indeed, We have decorated the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them (like) missiles to drive away the Satans, and have prepared for them the penalty of the blazing Fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Taqi Usmani:''' And We have decorated the nearest sky with lamps, and have made them devices to stone the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of Hell.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Sarwar:''' We have decked the lowest heavens with torches. With these torches We have stoned the devils and We have prepared for them the torment of hell.}}{{Quote||'''Hamid S. Aziz:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for Satan, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali:''' And indeed We have already adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them outcast (meteorites) for Ash-Shayatin (The ever-vicious "ones", i.e., the devils) and We have readied for them the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Ali Quli Qara'i:''' We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Abdul Majid Daryabad:''' And assuredly We have bedecked the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for satans: and for them We have gotten ready the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Sher Ali:''' And verily, WE have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and WE have made them the means of driving away satans, and WE have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}</ref>

====Mistranslations====

The following two translations distort the idea of stars being used to stone jinn by describing the missiles as being made out of/from the stars, but not being the stars themselves.

{{Quote||'''Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):''' And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Ali Ünal:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the lowest heaven (the heaven of the world) with lamps (stars), and made (out of) them missiles to drive away devils; and for them We have prepared (in the Hereafter) the punishment of the Blaze.}}

Another two translations include their modifications without using brackets, which is even more misleading giving the impression that this text is literally part of the Arabic original:

{{Quote||'''Aisha Bewley:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made ''some of them stones'' for the shaytans for whom We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Muntakhab:''' And We decorated the lowermost heaven with lamps (or heavenly bodies), ''some of them adapted'' to be like weapons in pursuit of the evil ones for whom We have prepared torture in the blazes of Hell.}}

In two other translations, the lamps and the projectiles used against the devilish jinn are referred to as separate entities, though this disagrees with the Arabic text in which there is a pronoun used to refer to the "projectiles" whose clear antecedent is the plural word "lamps".

{{Quote||'''Khalifa:''' We adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and guarded its borders with projectiles against the devils; we prepared for them a retribution in Hell.}}

{{Quote||'''Progressive Muslims:''' And We have adorned this universe with lamps, and We made it with projectiles against the devils; and We prepared for them the retribution of the blazing Fire.}}

====Reinterpretations presented as translations====

The following translations depart entirely from the classical interpretations of the verse and, it would appear, the very wording of the verse itself.

{{Quote||'''Maulana Ali:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Shabbir Ahmed:''' And indeed, We have beautified the sky of the world with shining lamps. And made them objects of futile guesses for the satans. (15:17), (37:6-9), (72:8). And for them We have prepared the doom of blazing flames.}}

Another three translations go a little further, asserting that the "devils/evil ones" refer to evil human cohorts and not to the jinn.

{{Quote||'''Asad:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame –}}

{{Quote||'''Farook Malik:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Amatul Rahman Omar:''' We have, certainly, adorned the lowest heaven with (stars-like) lamps and We have made them as means of conjecture for the evil ones (and the astrologers who invent good or bad omens from the movement of the stars). (Remember) We have prepared for these (soothesayers) the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}

====Incorporation of modern science into translation====

The following translation attempts to incorporate modern scientific understandings of cosmology into its reading of the verse, though makes it a point to use brackets to differentiate words inserted to facilitate this understanding from the original Arabic text itself:

{{Quote||'''Bijan Moeinian:''' God has adorned the lowest universe with the sources of light [probably a reference to the Quasars], being used as missiles against the devils [perhaps the reference is to anti-matter which will be destroyed immediately in contact with the matter] and prepared for them a blazing fire.}}

==Hadith==
=== The sun will rise "in the West"===

A sign of the last hour that appears in numerous hadiths is often mistranslated as the sun rising "in the West". This mistranslation occurs throughout the English translation of Sahih Bukhari by Muhsin Khan and sometimes in the translation of Sahih Muslim by Abdul Hamid Sadiqqui.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|421}}|Narrated Abu Dhar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come '''and so it will rise in the west'''. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing." (36.38)}}

While the Arabic word al maghrib was commonly used to mean the West in general, in fact a much more specific form occurs in these hadiths. In every hadith narration of this prophecy, the Arabic phrase is always ''min'' ''maghribi-ha'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا), which means that the sun is told to go and rise "from its setting place", without the definite article (''al'' for 'the') and with the possessive suffix.

In one narration in Sahih Muslim (which is accurately translated), there is in addition the phrase ''min maghribi-ki'' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِكِ), which means the sun is told to go and rise "from the place of your setting". Earlier in the same narration, the sun is usually commanded to rise ''min matli'iha'' (مِنْ مَطْلِعِهَا) which means "from its rising place". This uses the same word as occurs in the Dhu'l Qarnayn story (''see: [[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One]]''), in {{Quran|18|90}}, ''matli'a ash-shamsi'', "the rising place of the sun", and was not the word used throughout the Quran and hadiths to mean the East in general, which was ''al mashriq'' (ٱلْمَشْرِق).

{{Quote|{{Muslim|1|297}}|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the Sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the Sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out '''from its rising place''' and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything (unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out '''from the place of your setting''', and it will rise '''from the place of its setting'''. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}One can see the inconsistent way these terms have been translated on Quranx (and other sites) by searching for '[https://quranx.com/Search?Q=sun+place+setting&Context=hadith 'sun' 'place' 'setting']' in the hadith, compared to the {{Bukhari|4|54|421}} hadith.

===Aisha's age at consummation===
'Aisha lived with her parents before her marriage to Muhammad was consummated at the age of 9 ({{Muslim|8|3310}}). The following mistranslation is often presented as evidence that she reached puberty while she still lived there.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|465}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings...}}The word أَعْقِلْ means to use thoughts or reasoning, but the translator Muhsin Khan has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is that 'Aisha was never aware of a time when her parents were not Muslim. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion" (لَمْ أَعْقِلْ أَبَوَىَّ إِلاَّ وَهُمَا يَدِينَانِ الدِّينَ).

The same Arabic phrase is translated as follows in another hadith by the same translator:{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|73|102}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) "I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the Religion (of Islam), and our being visited by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the morning and in the evening....}}See also the two other occurrences in {{Bukhari|3|37|494}} and {{Bukhari|5|58|245}}.

The 'puberty' mistranslation also fails to achieve chronological sensibility. 'Aisha's father, Abu Bakr, was one of Muhammad's first followers. It would not have taken until puberty for 'Aisha to notice that her father followed the religion.

===Hadith in which Aisha menstruated===
A mistranslated hadith has a comment from Abu Dawud supposedly about Aisha menstruating when she was nine. This is Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam).
{{Quote|{{Abudawud||4915|hasan}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.}}

Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated". Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply".

Abu Dawud's comment is ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ), which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed". Form I can mean menstruated, but that is not the form used in the hadith.<ref>nun-fa-sin - [https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/25_n/208_nfs.html Lane's Lexicon]</ref>

=== Hit women without leaving a mark===
Muhammad's 'Farewell Sermon' appears in various hadith collections and al-Tabari's History. A short version is found in ''Sunan Ibn Majah''. The Arabic words here translated 'and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark' are a mistranslation.

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|9|1851}}|Then he said: 'I enjoin good treatment of women, for they are prisoners with you, and you have no right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear indecency. If they do that, then forsake them in their beds '''and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark.'''}}

The highlighted phrase is fadribuhunna darban ghayra mubarrih (فَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ). A literal translation is, 'then beat them, a beating without severity'. The last word is defined in Lane's Lexicon as violence/severity/sharpness/vehemence<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000219.pdf Lane's Lexicon] Book I page 182</ref>'.

The same Arabic phrase appears in the other versions of the farewell sermon. The translators of Sunan Abu Dawud and al-Tabari's History both renders it 'beat them, but not severely'.

{{Quote|1=[http://sunnah.com/abudawud/11/185 Abu Dawud 10:1900]|2=Fear Allaah regarding women for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allaah’s word. It is a duty from you on them not to allow anyone whom you dislike to lie on your beds but if they do '''beat them, but not severely.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|pp. 112-113}}|"Now then, O people, you have a right over your wives and they have a right over you. You have [the right] that they should not cause anyone of whom you dislike to tread on your beds; and that they should not commit any open indecency. If they do, then Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms '''and to beat them, but not severely'''. If they abstain from [evil], they have the right to their food and clothing in accordance with the custom. Treat women well, for they are [like] domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. You have taken them only as a trust from Allah, and you have made the enjoyment of their persons lawful by the word of Allah, so understand and listen to my words, O people.}}

The versions of the farewell sermon found in {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3087}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not painful', and {{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1163}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not harmful', consist of the same Arabic words as quoted above and found in other versions of the farewell sermon.

In his tafsir, al-Tabari quotes Qatada clarifying that the phrase means ''ghayr sha'in'' (that is, 'without being disgraceful/outrageous/obscene/indecent'),<ref>[https://tafsir.app/tabari/4/34 al-Tabari 4:34]</ref> while he records that Ibn Abbas explained it as 'Hitting with a siwaak and the like'. It appears that over time there were efforts to temper the abusive results of the Quranic verse. For further relevant hadiths and information see [[Wife_Beating_in_Islamic_Law#Additional_attempts_at_moderating_severe_beatings|Wife Beating in Islamic Law]].

=== Abu Bakr insults a Meccan polytheist===
In a hadith found in Sahih Bukhari a Meccan polytheist at Hudaybiyyah tries to discourage Muhammad from fighting. In response Abu Bakr tells him to suck on al-Lat's clitoris (فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ). This has been covered up in the English translation by Muhsin Khan. In this translation the incident is translated as 'Abu Bakr abused him'.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|50|891}}|[...] Then `Urwa said, "O Muhammad! Won't you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone." Hearing that, '''Abu Bakr abused him''' and said, "Do you say we would run and leave the Prophet (ﷺ) alone?" `Urwa said, "Who is that man?" They said, "He is Abu Bakr." `Urwa said to Abu Bakr, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not compensate, I would retort on you." [...]}}

=== Muhammad says his aorta is being cut from poison===
In the following hadith from Sahih Bukhari Muhammad says he feels his aorta is being cut from the poisoned food he ate at Khaybar. This strongly implies Muhammad died because of poisoning. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan the words 'as if' have been added. As a result, the English translation doesn't imply as strongly as the Arabic text that Muhammad died because of poisoning. Yet, it says Muhammad experienced a lot of pain from the poisoning shortly before his death.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|713}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) in his ailment in which he died, used to say, "O `Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel '''as if''' my aorta is being cut from that poison."}}

===Muhammad forbids imposing conditions found in the hadith===
In the following hadith Muhammad says people should not impose conditions which are not present in Allah's Book (كِتَابِ اللَّهِ), which is the Quran. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan this has been mistranslated to 'Allah's Laws' to justify imposing conditions which are found in the hadith.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|364}}|Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits." In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, "Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in '''Allah's Book (Laws)'''? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in '''Allah's Laws''', then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah's conditions are more binding and reliable."}}

=== Satan lays eggs in the marketplace of Medina and hatches them ===
The following hadith contains two narrations. The second of these has not been translated into English. It says that people should not be first to enter the marketplace, nor the last to leave it, because it is where Satan lays his eggs and hatches them.

{{Quote|[https://quranx.com/hadith/Saliheen/In-Book/Book-19/Hadith-1842/ Riyad As-Salihin 19:1842]|
Salman Al-Farisi (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not, if you can help, be the first to enter the market and the last to leave it because it is an arena of Satan and the standard of Satan is set there."[Muslim].There are other narrations with some variation in the wordings.}}

===If ten Jews followed Muhammad, all Jews would embrace Islam===
In the following hadith Muhammads says that if ten Jews (عَشْرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ) followed him, all Jews would embrace Islam. If ten Jews indeed followed Muhammad, this would be a false prophecy, because there are Jews who have not embraced Islam in modern times. To cover this up, the hadith has been mistranslated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui so that it says 'ten scholars of the Jews'.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|39|6711}}|
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

If '''ten scholars of the Jews''' would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth who would not embrace Islam.}}

===Hadith not translated===
The following hadith from Abu Dawud wasn't translated. Instead, it is said that it is basically the same as the previous one.
However, in the previous hadith Muhammad makes it clear that a slave should be manumitted after being beaten by his owner, while in this hadith it is said that the narrator did not mention manumission. In addition, this hadith explicitly mentions the slave being black, while the previous one does not.

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud|41|5137}}|
The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by al-A’mash in a similar way to same way to the same effect through a different chain of narrators.}}

===Extra part of a verse is recited===
In the following hadith Ibn Abbas recites a verse of the Quran as "‏‏وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ‏‏ '''وَرَهْطَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِين'''" (And warn your tribe of near kindred '''and your chosen group from among them''') The first part corresponds to {{Quran|26|214}}. But the second part (in bold) is not part of the Quran nowadays. This part is not included in the English translation on quranx.com or sunnah.com, but it is part of [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n2869/mode/2up Muhsin Khan's translation].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|495}}|
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

When the Verse:-- 'And warn your tribe of near kindred.' (26.214) was revealed. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out, and when he had ascended As-Safa mountain, he shouted, "O Sabahah!" The people said, [...]}}

===Muhammad hits Aisha===
In the following hadith it says Muhammad struck Aisha on the chest which caused her pain (فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي). On sunnah.com it says Muhammad gave Aisha a nudge on the chest which she felt. While the translations for Sahih Muslim have been provided by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n537/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:974b Sahih Muslim 4:2127]|2= [...] He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. '''He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt''', and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? [...]}}

===Muhammad has been made victorious with terror===
In the following hadith Muhammad says he has been made victorious with terror (نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ). On sunnah.com this has been changed to 'awe'. While the translations for Sahih Bukhari have been provided by Muhsin Khan, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n1629/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2977 Sahih Bukhari 4:52:220]|2= Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with '''awe''' (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them).}}

===Arabia reverts to meadows and rivers===
In the following hadith Muhammad prophesies that Arabia becomes or reverts to (تَعُودَ) meadows and rivers. Sunnah.com uses Abdul Hamid Siddiqui's translation for Sahih Muslim which uses the word 'becomes', yet this translation has been altered such that it says 'reverts to'. The altered translation implies that Muhammad knew Arabia once was not a desert. Both translations can be used, but the translation was altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n561/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:157c Sahih Muslim 5:2208]|2=Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying:

The Last Hour will not come before wealth becomes abundant and overflowing, so much so that a man takes Zakat out of his property and cannot find anyone to accept it from him and till the land of Arabia '''reverts to''' meadows and rivers.}}

==See Also==

*[[Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture (English)]]
*[[Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths]]

==External Links==

*{{external link| url = http://www.faithfreedom.org/the-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran/| title = The Deceptive Translations of the Quran| publisher = | author = | date = | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithfreedom.org%2Fthe-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran%2F&date=2013-11-26| deadurl = no}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
<references />
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Dawah]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Modern movements]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Tafsir]]
[[Category:Modernism]]

Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Beauty and Makeup

2024-05-21T20:13:37Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

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In general, Islamic scripture, Qur'an, hadith and sunnah, exhorts women not to alter their natural beauty, either through artificial means of improvement such as jewelry or by reducing their beauty with what is seen as blemishes such as tattoos. Scholars up to the modern day follow the lead of the scriptures and preach against women engaging in an entire range of practices which are seen to artificially affect their beauty.

==Qur'an==

===Displaying your beauty and ornaments is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|31}}|And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that '''they should not display their beauty and ornaments''' except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss. }}

===Women had more freedom to display their beauty/charms in pre-Islamic Arabia===

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|33|32|33}}|O Consorts of the Prophet! Ye are not like any of the (other) women: if ye do fear (Allah), be not too complacent of speech, lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire: but speak ye a speech (that is) just. And stay quietly in your houses, '''and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance;''' and establish regular Prayer, and give regular Charity; and obey Allah and His Messenger. And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye members of the Family, and to make you pure and spotless. }}

===Only those belonging to Satan alter the creation of Allah===

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|4|117|121}}|(The Pagans), leaving Him, call but upon female deities: They call but upon satan the persistent rebel! Allah did curse him, but he said: "I will take of Thy servants a portion Marked off; "I will mislead them, and I will create in them false desires; I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, '''and to deface the (fair) nature created by Allah'''." Whoever, forsaking Allah, takes satan for a friend, hath of a surety suffered a loss that is manifest. Satan makes them promises, and creates in them false desires; but satan's promises are nothing but deception. They (his dupes) will have their dwelling in Hell, and from it they will find no way of escape. }}

==Hadith==

===Marry women for their beauty===

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah|9|3|9|1858}}|It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that:

the Prophet said: “A woman may be married for four things: Her wealth, her lineage, her beauty or for her religion. Choose the religious, may your hands be rubbed with dust (i.e., may you prosper).” (Sahih)}}

===Getting or giving a tattoo is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|830}}|Narrated Abu Huraira : A woman who used to practise tattooing was brought to 'Umar. 'Umar got up and said, "I beseech you by Allah, which of you heard the Prophet saying something about tattooing?" l got up and said, "0 chief of the Believers! l heard something." He said, "What did you hear?" I said, "I heard the Prophet (addressing the ladies), saying, ''''Do not practise tattooing and do not get yourselves tattooed'''.'"}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|825}}|Narrated Ibn 'Umar : I heard the Prophet saying, (or the Prophet said), "'''Allah has cursed the lady who practices tattooing and that who gets it done for herself''', and also the lady who lengthens hair artificially and that who gets her hair lengthened artificially." The Prophet has cursed such ladies.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|299}}|Narrated 'Aun bin Abu Juhaifa: My father bought a slave who practiced the profession of cupping. (My father broke the slave's instruments of cupping). I asked my father why he had done so. He replied, "The Prophet forbade the acceptance of the price of a dog or blood, '''and also forbade the profession of tattooing, getting tattooed''' and receiving or giving Riba, (usury), and cursed the picture-makers."}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|829}}|Narrated Abu Juhaifa: The Prophet forbade the use of the price of blood and the price of a dog, the one who takes (eats) usury the one who gives usury, '''the woman who practises tattooing and the woman who gets herself tattooed'''.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|440}}|Narrated Aun bin Abu Juhaifa: I saw my father buying a slave whose profession was cupping, and ordered that his instruments (of cupping) be broken. I asked him the reason for doing so. He replied, "Allah's Apostle prohibited taking money for blood, the price of a dog, and the earnings of a slave-girl by prostitution; '''he cursed her who tattoos and her who gets tattooed''', the eater of Riba (usury), and the maker of pictures."}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|827}}|Narrated Abu Huraira : Allah's Apostle said, "The evil eye is a fact," and '''he forbade tattooing'''.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|831}}|Narrated Ibn 'Umar : The Prophet has cursed the lady who lengthens hair artificially and that who gets her hair lengthened in such away, and '''the lady who practises tattooing and that who gets it done for herself'''.}}

===Manipulating the teeth for beauty forbidden===

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah|9|3|9|1989}}|It was narrated that 'Abdulleh said:

"The Messenger of Allah cursed the woman who does tattoos and the one who has them done, and those who pluck their eyebrows '''and file their teeth for the purpose of beautification''', and those who change the creation of Allah." News of that reached a woman of Banu Asad who was called Umm Ya'qub. She came to him and said: "I have heard that you said such and such." He said: 'Why should I not curse those whom the Messenger of Allah cursed ? And it is in the Book of Allah." She said: "I read what is between its two covers 'and I have not found that." He said: "If you read it properly you would have found it. Have you not read the words: 'And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).'?" She said: "Of course." He said: 'The Messenger of Allah forbade that." She said: 'I think that your wife does it.' He said: " Go and look." So she went and looked and she did not see what she wanted. She said: "I have not seen anything!’ 'Abdullah said: "If she was as you say, I would not have kept her with me. " (Sahih)}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|826}}|Narrated Ibn Mas'ud: Allah has cursed those women who practise tattooing or get it done for themselves, and those who remove hair from their faces, and '''those who create spaces between their teeth artificially to look beautiful''', such ladies as change the features created by Allah. Why then shall I not curse those whom Allah's Apostle has cursed and who are cursed in Allah's Book too?}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|832}}|Narrated 'Abdullah : Allah has cursed those women who practise tattooing and those who get it done for themselves, and those who remove hair from their faces, and '''those who artificially create spaces between their teeth to look beautiful''', such women as alter the features created by Allah. Why should I not then curse those whom Allah's Apostle has cursed and that is in Allah's Book?}}

===Getting your hair cut is forbidden===

{{Quote|Al-Mu’jam al-Sagheer, Baabul Haa, Man Ishuhu Al-Hasan, vol. 1, p. 229, Dar Al-Ammar|Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) prohibited women from allowing their hair to drop on their shoulders (by cutting it).)}}

===Getting or providing hair extensions is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|818}}|
Narrated Asma: (the daughter of Abu' Bakr) A woman came to Allah's Apostle and said, "I married my daughter to someone, but she became sick and all her hair fell out, and (because of that) her husband does not like her. May I let her use false hair?" On that '''the Prophet cursed such a lady as artificially lengthening (her or someone else's) hair or got her hair lengthened artificially'''.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|824}}|Narrated Asma': A woman asked the Prophet saying, "0 Allah's Apostle! My daughter got measles and her hair fell out. Now that I got her married, may I let her use false hair?" He said (to her), "'''Allah has cursed the lady who lengthens hair artificially and the one who gets her hair lengthened artificially.'''"}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|820}}|Narrated Ibn Umar: Allah's Apostle said, "'''Allah has cursed such a lady as lengthens (her or someone else's) hair artificially or gets it lengthened''', and also a lady who tattoos (herself or someone else) or gets herself tattooed.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|823}}|Narrated Ibn 'Umar : '''The Prophet has cursed the lady who lengthens her hair artificially and the one who gets her hair lengthened''', and also the lady who tattoos (herself or others) and the one who gets herself tattooed.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|819}}|Narrated Asma: (the daughter of Abu Bakr) '''Allah's Apostle has cursed such a lady as artificially lengthening (her or someone else's) hair or gets her hair lengthened.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah|9|3|9|1988}}|It was narrated that Asma' said:

"A woman came to the Prophet and said:, '''My daughter is going to get married, and she had the measles and her hair has fallen out. Can I put extensions in her hair?, The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Allah has cursed the one who does hair extensions and the one who has that done'''.'" (Sahih)}}

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah|9|3|9|1987}}|It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that:

'''the Prophet cursed the woman who does hair extensions and the one who has that done''', and the woman who does tattoos and the one who has that done. (Sahih)}}

===Removing excess facial hair is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|832}}|Narrated 'Abdullah : Allah has cursed those women who practise tattooing and those who get it done for themselves, and '''those who remove hair from their faces''', and those who artificially create spaces between their teeth to look beautiful, such women as alter the features created by Allah. Why should I not then curse those whom Allah's Apostle has cursed and that is in Allah's Book?}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|7|72|826}}|Narrated Ibn Mas'ud: Allah has cursed those women who practise tattooing or get it done for themselves, and '''those who remove hair from their faces''', and those who create spaces between their teeth artificially to look beautiful, such ladies as change the features created by Allah. Why then shall I not curse those whom Allah's Apostle has cursed and who are cursed in Allah's Book too?}}

===Getting your eyebrows plucked is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah|9|3|9|1989}}|It was narrated that 'Abdulleh said:

"The Messenger of Allah cursed the woman who does tattoos and the one who has them done, and '''those who pluck their eyebrows '''and file their teeth for the purpose of beautification, and those who change the creation of Allah." News of that reached a woman of Banu Asad who was called Umm Ya'qub. She came to him and said: "I have heard that you said such and such." He said: 'Why should I not curse those whom the Messenger of Allah cursed ? And it is in the Book of Allah." She said: "I read what is between its two covers 'and I have not found that." He said: "If you read it properly you would have found it. Have you not read the words: 'And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).'?" She said: "Of course." He said: 'The Messenger of Allah forbade that." She said: 'I think that your wife does it.' He said: " Go and look." So she went and looked and she did not see what she wanted. She said: "I have not seen anything!’ 'Abdullah said: "If she was as you say, I would not have kept her with me. " (Sahih)}}

==Scholars==

===Trimming or plucking eyebrows, growing fingernails and using nail polish is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url= http://www.fatwa-online.com/fataawa/womensissues/beautification/bea003/0000206_14.htm|title= Ruling concerning shortening eyebrows, letting fingernails grow long and using nail polish|publisher= Fatwa-Online|author= Shaykh Ibn Baaz|series= Fataawa al-Mar'ah|date= |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fatwa-online.com%2Ffataawa%2Fwomensissues%2Fbeautification%2Fbea003%2F0000206_14.htm&date=2013-07-15|deadurl=no}}|(1) '''It is not allowed to remove or shorten eyebrow hairs.''' It is confirmed that the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) cursed the one who has them removed and the one who removed them. The scholars have stated that the Hadeeth is in reference to those who remove eyebrow hairs. (2) '''Letting the fingernails grow is something that goes against the sunnah of the Prophet''' (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam). He said, ((From the acts of nature are five: circumcision, removing pubic hairs, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails and plucking the hair from under the armpits.)) It is not allowed to leave them for more than forty nights. This is based on the Hadeeth of Anas who said, "The Messenger of Allaah set a time limit for us for trimming the moustache, trimming nails, removing armpit hairs and removing pubic hairs. They cannot be left for more than forty nights." Letting them grow long resembles animals and some of the disbelievers. '''As for nail polish, it is better to avoid it. One must remove it when making ablution since it prevents water from reaching the nails'''.}}

===Wearing fake eyelashes is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url= http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=172055|title= Wearing fake eyelashes for beautification|publisher= Islamweb|author= |series= Fatwa No: 172055|date= January 23, 2012|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.islamweb.net%2Femainpage%2Findex.php%3Fpage%3Dshowfatwa%26Option%3DFatwaId%26Id%3D172055&date=2013-07-15|deadurl=no}}|'''Wearing artificial eyelashes for the purpose of beautifying oneself and looking beautiful is not permissible''' as this is changing the creation of Allaah especially if the eyelashes are permanent.}}

===Eyeliner is an exception, for both men and women, because Muhammad wore it===

{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url= http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=4871&CATE=97|title= Is It Haram For Women To Wear Make-up And Kohl?|publisher= SunniPath|author= Ustadha Zaynab Ansari|series= Question ID:4871|date= |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fqa.sunnipath.com%2Fissue_view.asp%3FHD%3D1%26ID%3D4871%26CATE%3D97&date=2013-07-14|deadurl=no}}|'''Wearing kohl is one of the sunnas of the Prophet, peace be upon him. It is allowed for both males and females'''. Unless you will bring undue attention to yourself, it is permissible for you to wear kohl.

'''Makeup is different'''. In Surat al-Nur, Allah says, "And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons, or their women or the servants whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O you Believers, turn you all together towards Allah, that you may attain Bliss". (Qur'an 24:31).

Scholars have interpreted the directive to not display beauty and ornaments except what ordinarily appears in terms of ordinary adornment and extra adornment. Ordinary adornments like kohl, henna, or a ring are permissible to wear in public. Extra adornment, like '''perfume, lipstick, dazzling eye colors, and the like are not permissible to wear in public'''. In short, any type of adornment which makes a woman look "made-up" and attracts amorous attention is not permissible, as this would defeat the whole purpose of hijab.}}

===Wearing any kind of perfume is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url= http://www.fatwa-online.com/fataawa/womensissues/beautification/bea003/0000206_17.htm|title= Ruling concerning women using incense when they are going to the mosque|publisher= Fatwa-Online|author= Shaykh Ibn Baaz|series= Fataawa al-Mar'ah|date= |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fatwa-online.com%2Ffataawa%2Fwomensissues%2Fbeautification%2Fbea003%2F0000206_17.htm&date=2013-07-15|deadurl=no}}|It is not allowed for women to use incense when they go out to the mosque or inside the mosque. This is because they become a temptation, then, when they return to their homes. '''It has been authentically reported from the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) that he prohibited women from using any kind of perfume''' when leaving their house to go to the mosque. He said, ((Any woman who has incense over her should not attend the 'Ishaa. Prayer with us)). The same applies to them using such fragrances in the mosque because then they go outside to the market while being scented. The same is the ruling for their using it when they go some place other than the mosque.}}

===Breast enlargement/reduction, unless done for a health reason, is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url= http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&lang=E&Id=84384|title= Cosmetic surgery|publisher= Islamweb|author= |series= Fatwa No: 84384|date= June 29, 2002|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.islamweb.net%2Femainpage%2Findex.php%3Fpage%3Dshowfatwa%26Option%3DFatwaId%26lang%3DE%26Id%3D84384&date=2013-07-16|deadurl=no}}|'''Undergoing any operation only to have a good figure is not permissible since it is an act of changing the Creation of Allah, which is forbidden'''. Allah Reported about Satanic business in the Qur'an: {(Satan said…) and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allâh. …} [4: 119].
Also, it is an incontestable fact that Satan orders only evil and shamelessness.
However, if a woman personally feels the size of her breasts or any other organ, are seriously harmful to her health, it is permissible for her to undergo an operation to remove this harm.
In addition, '''it is also permissible for one to recover anybody part that is disfigured through an accident or disease. This act does not come under the ruling of changing Allah's Creation rather it is only to recover the original condition which is permissible.'''}}

===Exfoliating your skin or having a face-lift is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url= http://islamqa.info/en/83565|title= Ruling on exfoliation of the face and face-lifts|series= Fatwa No. 83565|publisher= Islam Q&A|author= |date= |archiveurl= http://archive.is/kUTph|deadurl=no}}|Exfoliation means removing a layer of skin to expose new skin. The reason for doing that may be to remove a blemish on the skin that resulted from a burn or tear, or it may be for cosmetic purposes, to beautify the face. If it is the former, then it is permissible, because removing blemishes makes this action permissible. But '''if it is for the latter then it is not permissible, because that is changing the creation of Allaah, and is a kind of beautification that is not permissible in sharee’ah'''.

In the answer to question no. 34215 we stated that '''it is haraam to exfoliate the face, and that it is changing the creation of Allaah'''.

Face-lift operations are usually done for purposes of beautification and to remove wrinkles. This comes under the heading of changing the creation of Allaah. In the answer to question no. 47694 we have stated the ruling on cosmetic surgery, and we explained that some of it may be essential so it is permissible, and '''some of it may be for the purpose of beautification, and it is haraam, because it comes under the heading of changing the creation of Allaah. And we gave face-lifts as one of the examples of such operations'''.}}

===Any sort of cosmetic surgery to improve your looks is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url= http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&lang=E&Id=87848|title= Plastic surgery for beautification|publisher= Islamweb|author= |series= Fatwa No: 87848|date= May 27, 2004|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.islamweb.net%2Femainpage%2Findex.php%3Fpage%3Dshowfatwa%26Option%3DFatwaId%26lang%3DE%26Id%3D87848&date=2013-07-16|deadurl=no}}|Cosmetic surgery is of two kinds: First, to remove a defect which is caused by an accident or the like, or a defect which is by birth such as an extra finger or the like. Removing this kind of defect is permissible in Shariah for the Hadith that the Prophet permitted for a person whose nose was cut to replace it with a nose of gold.
Second, '''surgery is not carried out to remove a defect, but to attain beauty and to increase one's attractiveness. Surgery for this reason is prohibited'''. The Prophet said: Abdullah (bin Masood) said, "Allah curses those ladies who practice tattooing and those who get themselves tattooed, and those ladies who remove the hair from their faces and those who make artificial spaces between their teeth in order to look more beautiful whereby they change Allah's creation." [Reported by Imam Al-Bukhari] '''In addition, it is a kind of Satanic handiwork since it is not for necessity as Allah Says of Satan''' (interpretation of meaning): {…and indeed I (Satan) will order them to change the nature created by Allâh. …….}[4:119]. If the ears are unusual in a manner that disfigures the structure, and if removing that defect does not have any side effects then performing cosmetic surgery is permissible.

However, if the abnormality of the ears is minimal, in this case, '''it is not permissible to under-take a surgery since it comes under the rule of changing Allah’s creation'''.}}

===Wearing colored contact lenses is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url= http://www.fatwa-online.com/fataawa/womensissues/beautification/bea003/0040308.htm|title= Wearing coloured contact lenses|publisher= al-Muntaqaa min Fataawa Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan|author= Shaykh Ibn Fowzaan|series= Volume 3, Fatwa No.468|page=317|date= |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fatwa-online.com%2Ffataawa%2Fwomensissues%2Fbeautification%2Fbea003%2F0040308.htm&date=2013-07-15|deadurl=no}}|There is no harm in wearing contact lenses due to necessity; As for other than that, then it is better to leave doing so especially if they are expensive, since '''this equates to being excessive in (spending one’s wealth) which is prohibited, in addition to that which exists therein of deceit and covering up the reality because they make the eyes appear in other than their natural state without there being a (Islaamically justifiable) need for that'''.}}

===Cutting your hair is forbidden===

{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url= http://www.askimam.org/public/question_detail/16498|title= I wanted to know why arent women allowed to cut their hair?|publisher= Ask Imam|author= Ml. Talha Desai (checked and approved by Mufti Ebrahim Desai)|series = Fatwa No. 16498|date= March 29,2008|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.askimam.org%2Fpublic%2Fquestion_detail%2F16498&date=2014-01-23|deadurl=no}}|1. The Fuqahaa (scholars of jurisprudence) have ruled that it is impermissible for women to cut their hair. If a woman cuts her hair she will be sinful and accursed. Consider the following texts:

1.1. Khulasat Al-Fatawaa (546 ah) by Shaykh Taahir Bin Abd Al-Rasheed al-Bukhari:

“If a woman cuts her hair, then it is incumbent on her to seek forgiveness from Allah Ta’ala” (Kitaab Al-Nikah, vol 2, pg 52, Rasheediyya)

1.2. Al-Multaqat (556 ah) by Nasir Al-Deen Al-Samarqandi:

“It is not permissible for a woman to cut her hair” (Kitaab Al-Nikah, pg 102, Ilmiyya)

1.3. Nisaab Al-Ihtisaab (820 ah) by Umar Bin Muhammad Al-Sanaami:

“Abu Bakr (Al-Iskaaf) was asked regarding a woman that cuts her hair. He replied: It is incumbent on her to seek forgiveness from Allah Ta’ala, repent and not return to such doings” (Al-Ihtisaab Ala al-Nisaa, pg 142, Al-Taalib al-Jaami’ee)

1.4. Fatawaa Al-Bazaziyyah (827 ah) by Muhammad Bin Muhammad Al-Bazazi:

“It is incumbent upon a woman that cuts her hair to seek forgiveness although her husband commands her to do so, because there is no obedience to the creation in an act that violates the laws of the creator” (Fatawaa Al-Bazaziyya with Al-Fatawaa al-Hindiyya, pg 379,vol 6, Rasheediyya)

1.5. Al-Ashbah Al-Nazaair (970 ah) by Ibn Al-Nujaim:

“It is not permissible for a woman to cut her hair” (Kitaab Al-Nikah, pg 178, Ilmiyya)

1.6. Al-Durr al-Mukhtaar (1088 ah) by Al-Haskafi:

“If she (woman) cuts her hair, she has committed a sin and is accursed. Bazaziyya adds: ‘even if her husband consents because there is no obedience to anyone in an act of disobedience to Allah”. (Al-Durr al-Muhtaar with Shaami, Kitabul Hadri wal Ibahah, vol 6, pg 407, HM Sa’eed)

The above ruling of the Fuqahaa are supported by the following Hadith:

“Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) prohibited women from allowing their hair to drop on their shoulders (by cutting it). (Al-Mu’jam al-Sagheer,Baabul Haa, Man Ishuhu Al-Hasan, vol 1, pg 229, Dar Al-Ammar)}}

===Everything, including eyeliner, henna and jewelry are forbidden in front of non-related males===

{{Quote|{{cite web quotebox|url= http://islamqa.info/en/9611|title= Can a husband permit his wife to uncover her face?|publisher= Islam Q&A|author= |series= Fatwa No. 9611|date= |archiveurl= http://archive.is/40EfG|deadurl=no}}|The scholars have stated that women’s adornments fall into two categories:

Visible adornment, which is the woman’s outer dress

And hidden adornment, which no one should see except the husband, such as kohl, bangles and rings.

The evidence for that is the report narrated from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) concerning the interpretation of the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

''“and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent” [al-Noor 24:31] ''

Ibn Mas’ood said: The adornment is of two types, visible adornment and '''hidden adornment which no one should see except the husband'''. With regard to the visible adornment, this is the dress. With regard to the hidden adornment, '''this is things such as kohl, bangles and rings'''.

According to another report, visible adornment includes clothes. '''That which is hidden includes anklets, earrings and bangles'''.

Narrated by Ibn Jareer in his Tafseer, 18/117

A similar interpretation was also narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas.

See Adwa’ al-Bayaan, 6/196

Therefore the scholars have said that it is obligatory for a woman to cover her face, hands and hidden adornments. This is what is regarded as more correct by a number of the scholars, including Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah.

Al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, when discussing this issue and after quoting the views of the scholars and stating that the report narrated from Ibn Mas’ood is more likely to be correct -:

This view is the most correct opinion in our view; it is more on the safe side, farthest removed from suspicion and causes of fitnah.

Adwa’ al-Bayaan, 6/192

'''Make-up and the like, and henna, are kinds of adornment which it is not permissible for a Muslim woman to show to non-mahrams.'''

Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen said:

There is nothing wrong with using henna for adornment, especially for a married woman who adorns herself with it for her husband. As '''for unmarried women, the correct view is that it is permissible, but she should not show it to people''' because it is a kind of adornment.

Fataawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, 1/477

But some doctors have said that using artificial make-up harms a woman’s skin. If this is proven then it should be avoided.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:

If make-up beautifies a woman and does not cause her any harm, then there is nothing wrong with it, but I have heard that make-up damages the skin of the face, and that it therefore alters the skin of the face in an ugly way before the time when the skin changes as a result of ageing. I hope that women will ask their doctors about that. If that is proven, then using make-up is either haraam or makrooh at least, because everything that causes deformity in a person or makes him ugly is either haraam or makrooh.

Fataawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, 1/474

Thirdly:

With regard to a woman’s neck and ears showing from under her khimaar, this is haraam, The ears and neck are among the areas which a woman is commanded to conceal from non-mahram men; they are part of the beauty which it is forbidden to uncover in front of anyone except one's husband and mahrams.

The fuqaha’ are agreed that a woman’s ears are ‘awrah and it is not permissible to show them to non-mahrams.

'''Any kind of adornment that is connected to them – such as earrings – is also part of the hidden adornment which it is not permissible to show'''.

Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 2/376

Concerning the conditions of hijaab, see question no. 6991.

To sum up:

It is not permissible for a husband to allow his wife to show her hidden adornments. He must tell her to wear proper hijaab otherwise the husband will be included among those whom sharee’ah counts as not having the proper protective jealousy concerning their honour.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three who will not enter Paradise and Allaah will not look at them on the Day of Resurrection: the one who disobeys his parents, the woman who imitates men, and the cuckold.”

(Narrated by Ahmad; Ahmad Shaakir (6180) said, its isnaad is saheeh). }}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Women (Primary Sources)|Women (Primary Sources)}}

==External Links==

*[http://www.muslimconverts.com/cosmetics/plucking_eyebrows.htm Ruling on plucking eyebrows]
*[http://www.quran.mu/plucking-eyebrows-is-curse-forbidden.html Plucking Eyebrows Is Curse & Forbidden]
[[Category:QHS]]
[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]]

Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Hijab

2024-05-21T20:10:47Z

AdrianE: Fixed some typos.

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The word hijaab is generally used to refer to the head covering worn by Muslim women. In [[Islamic law]], however, it is a much more wide-ranging concept, encompassing an entire dress code for both genders. In orthodox Sunni and Shi'a [[fiqh]] the wearing by women of a head covering which totally conceals the hair is considered mandatory to be in compliance with hijab. This injunction comes from both the example of the wives of the prophet as well as verses in the Qur'an commanding how women should dress around people who are not their husband or family. While the requirements in [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)]] for men are more or less similar to those generally required of men in polite society in the modern west, those for women require the complete covering of the body. The Sunni Islamic schools of [[Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence)]] differ on the requirements for women to cover their feet, face and wrists.

It exists in numerous variants in different cultures, with many different degrees of coverage, notably the famous burqa, niqab, and dupatta. In general, in orthodox Sunni and Shi'ite fiqh, the wearing of a head cover which totally masks the woman's hair is considered as an obligation to be in compliance with the idea of "hijab." This injunction is claimed to come from the Sunnah and from some verses in the Qur'an, which order believing women to draw over themselves a jilbab (outer garment), and a khimar (head cloth) over their bosoms, and command that Muhammad's wives be concealed behind a screen or curtain (hijab) in the presence of men who are not part of the family. Some modern scholars disagree with the traditional interpretations of these verses and many Muslim women today do not cover their hair.

The context of the revelation of these verses was an epoch when, during the life of the prophet, Medina was teeming with aggressive sexual harassers who harrassed women when they left their homes. Faced with this situation, rather than rebuke the comportment of these men, "Allah" in the form of Muhammad ordered (free) Muslim women to wear an outer garment (jilbab) to be easly distinguished from female (sex) slaves who continued to be harassed and aggressed upon by men, and for modesty purposes commanded them to cover their bosoms and hide their adorment.

The principal role in the revelation of the verse of hijab for Muhammad's wives belongs to 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab, a companion and father-in-law to the prophet, as well as a future caliph of the Islamic empire. 'Umar took this role by forcing his view on Muhammad, whereupon verses in the Qur'an were conveniently revealed about a hijab (screen or curtain). According to some narrations, Umar insisted at the same time on condemning the wearing of modest dress by female (sex) slaves, going so far as to beat with his own hand his own slaves who did so.

{{Main|Hijab}}

==Qur'an==

===Surah 33:53===
{{Quote|{{Quran|33|53}}|O you who have believed, do not enter the houses of the Prophet except when you are permitted for a meal, without awaiting its readiness. But when you are invited, then enter; and when you have eaten, disperse without seeking to remain for conversation. Indeed, that [behavior] was troubling the Prophet, and he is shy of [dismissing] you. But Allah is not shy of the truth. And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition [ḥijābin حِجَابٍ]. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts. And it is not [conceivable or lawful] for you to harm the Messenger of Allah or to marry his wives after him, ever. Indeed, that would be in the sight of Allah an enormity.}}

===Surah 24:31===

{{quote |{{Quran|24|31}}|And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss.}}

===Surah 33:59===

{{quote |{{Quran|33|59}}|O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. }}

===Surah 7:26===

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|26}}|O ye Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you. But the raiment of righteousness,- that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah, that they may receive admonition!}}

==Hadith==
Note that some of these translations are inaccurate and include interpretations of the translators (see the article [[Hijab]] for details).
===Sahih Bukhari===

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|462}}|Narrated 'Aisha: [...] While I was sitting in my resting place, I was overwhelmed by sleep and slept. Safwan bin Al-Muattal As-Sulami Adh-Dhakwani was behind the army. When he reached my place in the morning, he saw the figure of a sleeping person and he recognized me on seeing me as he had seen me before the order of compulsory veiling (was prescribed). So I woke up when he recited Istirja' (i.e. "Inna lillahi wa inna llaihi raji'un") as soon as he recognized me. '''I veiled my face with my head cover at once''', and by Allah, we did not speak a single word, and I did not hear him saying any word besides his Istirja'. He dismounted from his camel and made it kneel down, putting his leg on its front legs and then I got up and rode on it. [...]}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|282}}|Narrated Safiya bint Shaiba:

'Aisha used to say: "When (the Verse): "They should draw their veils over their necks and bosoms," was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and '''covered their faces''' with the cut pieces."}}

{{quote |{{Bukhari|1|4|148}}|Narrated 'Aisha:
The wives of the Prophet used to go to Al-Manasi, a vast open place (near Baqia at Medina) to answer the call of nature at night. 'Umar used to say to the Prophet "Let your wives be veiled," but Allah's Apostle did not do so. One night Sauda bint Zam'a the wife of the Prophet went out at 'Isha' time and she was a tall lady. 'Umar addressed her and said, "I have recognized you, O Sauda." He said so, as he desired eagerly that the verses of Al-Hijab (the observing of veils by the Muslim women) may be revealed. So Allah revealed the verses of "Al-Hijab" (A complete body cover excluding the eyes). }}

{{quote |{{Bukhari|8|74|257}}|Narrated 'Aisha:
(the wife of the Prophet) 'Umar bin Al-Khattab used to say to Allah's Apostle "Let your wives be veiled" But he did not do so. The wives of the Prophet used to go out to answer the call of nature at night only at Al-Manasi.' Once Sauda, the daughter of Zam'a went out and she was a tall woman. 'Umar bin Al-Khattab saw her while he was in a gathering, and said, "I have recognized you, O Sauda!" He ('Umar) said so as he was anxious for some Divine orders regarding the veil (the veiling of women.) So Allah revealed the Verse of veiling. (Al-Hijab; a complete body cover excluding the eyes). (See Hadith No. 148, Vol. 1) }}

{{quote | {{Bukhari|6|60|10}}|Narrated Anas:

Umar said, "I agreed with Allah in three things," or said, "My Lord agreed with me in three things. I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Would that you took the station of Abraham as a place of prayer.' I also said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Good and bad persons visit you! Would that you ordered the Mothers of the believers to cover themselves with veils.' So the Divine Verses of Al-Hijab (i.e. veiling of the women) were revealed. I came to know that the Prophet had blamed some of his wives so I entered upon them and said, 'You should either stop (troubling the Prophet ) or else Allah will give His Apostle better wives than you.' When I came to one of his wives, she said to me, 'O 'Umar! Does Allah's Apostle haven't what he could advise his wives with, that you try to advise them?' " Thereupon Allah revealed:--
"It may be, if he divorced you (all) his Lord will give him instead of you, wives better than you Muslims (who submit to Allah).." (66.5) }}

{{quote |{{Bukhari|6|60|313}}| Narrated Umar:

I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Good and bad persons enter upon you, so I suggest that you order the mothers of the Believers (i.e. your wives) to observe veils." Then Allah revealed the Verses of Al-Hijab. }}

{{quote |{{Bukhari|6|60|318}}|Narrated Aisha:

Sauda (the wife of the Prophet) went out to answer the call of nature after it was made obligatory (for all the Muslims ladies) to observe the veil. She was a fat huge lady, and everybody who knew her before could recognize her. So 'Umar bin Al-Khattab saw her and said, "O Sauda! By Allah, you cannot hide yourself from us, so think of a way by which you should not be recognized on going out. Sauda returned while Allah's Apostle was in my house taking his supper and a bone covered with meat was in his hand. She entered and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I went out to answer the call of nature and 'Umar said to me so-and-so." Then Allah inspired him (the Prophet) and when the state of inspiration was over and the bone was still in his hand as he had not put in down, he said (to Sauda), "You (women) have been allowed to go out for your needs."}}

{{quote |{{Bukhari|6|60|314}}|Narrated Anas bin Malik:

When Allah's Apostle married Zainab bint Jahsh, he invited the people to a meal. They took the meal and remained sitting and talking. Then the Prophet (showed them) as if he is ready to get up, yet they did not get up. When he noticed that (there was no response to his movement), he got up, and the others too, got up except three persons who kept on sitting. The Prophet came back in order to enter his house, but he went away again. Then they left, whereupon I set out and went to the Prophet to tell him that they had departed, so he came and entered his house. I wanted to enter along with him, but he put a screen between me and him. Then Allah revealed:
'O you who believe! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet...' (33.53) }}

{{quote | {{Bukhari|6|60|315}}| Narrated Anas bin Malik:

I of all the people know best this verse of Al-Hijab. When Allah's Apostle married Zainab bint Jahsh she was with him in the house and he prepared a meal and invited the people (to it). They sat down (after finishing their meal) and started chatting. So the Prophet went out and then returned several times while they were still sitting and talking. So Allah revealed the Verse:

'O you who believe! Enter not the Prophet's houses until leave is given to you for a meal, (and then) not (so early as) to wait for its preparation .....ask them from behind a screen.' (33.53) So the screen was set up and the people went away.}}

{{quote | {{Bukhari|6|60|316}}|Narrated Anas:

A banquet of bread and meat was held on the occasion of the marriage of the Prophet to Zainab bint Jahsh. I was sent to invite the people (to the banquet), and so the people started coming (in groups); They would eat and then leave. Another batch would come, eat and leave. So I kept on inviting the people till I found nobody to invite. Then I said, "O Allah's Prophet! I do not find anybody to invite." He said, "Carry away the remaining food." Then a batch of three persons stayed in the house chatting. The Prophet left and went towards the dwelling place of Aisha and said, "Peace and Allah's Mercy be on you, O the people of the house!" She replied, "Peace and the mercy of Allah be on you too. How did you find your wife? May Allah bless you. Then he went to the dwelling places of all his other wives and said to them the same as he said to Aisha and they said to him the same as Aisha had said to him. Then the Prophet returned and found a group of three persons still in the house chatting. The Prophet was a very shy person, so he went out (for the second time) and went towards the dwelling place of 'Aisha. I do not remember whether I informed him that the people have gone away. So he returned and as soon as he entered the gate, he drew the curtain between me and him, and then the Verse of Al-Hijab was revealed. }}

{{quote |{{Bukhari|6|60|317}}|Narrated Anas:

When Allah's Apostle married Zainab bint Jahsh, he made the people eat meat and bread to their fill (by giving a Walima banquet). Then he went out to the dwelling places of the mothers of the believers (his wives), as he used to do in the morning of his marriage. He would greet them and invoke good on them, and they (too) would return his greeting and invoke good on him. When he returned to his house, he found two men talking to each other; and when he saw them, he went out of his house again. When those two men saw Allah's Apostle: going out of his house, they quickly got up (and departed). I do not remember whether I informed him of their departure, or he was informed (by somebody else). So he returned, and when he entered the house, he lowered the curtain between me and him. Then the Verse of Al-Hijab was revealed. }}

{{quote | {{Bukhari|7|62|95}}|Narrated Anas bin Malik:

I was ten years old when Allah's Apostle arrived at Medina. My mother and aunts used to urge me to serve the Prophet regularly, and I served him for ten years. When the Prophet died I was twenty years old, and I knew about the order of Al-Hijab (veiling of ladies) more than any other person when it was revealed. It was revealed for the first time when Allah's Apostle had consummated his marriage with Zainab bint Jahsh. When the day dawned, the Prophet was a bridegroom and he invited the people to a banquet, so they came, ate, and then all left except a few who remained with the Prophet for a long time. The Prophet got up and went out, and I too went out with him so that those people might leave too. The Prophet proceeded and so did I, till he came to the threshold of 'Aisha's dwelling place. Then thinking that these people have left by then, he returned and so did I along with him till he entered upon Zainab and behold, they were still sitting and had not gone. So the Prophet again went away and I went away along with him. When we reached the threshold of 'Aisha's dwelling place, he thought that they had left, and so he returned and I too, returned along with him and found those people had left. Then the Prophet drew a curtain between me and him, and the Verses of Al-Hijab were revealed. }}

{{quote | {{Bukhari|8|74|255}}|Narrated Anas bin Malik:

that he was a boy of ten at the time when the Prophet emigrated to Medina. He added: I served Allah's Apostle for ten years (the last part of his life time) and I know more than the people about the occasion whereupon the order of Al-Hijab was revealed (to the Prophet). Ubai b n Ka'b used to ask me about it. It was revealed (for the first time) during the marriage of Allah's Apostle with Zainab bint Jahsh. In the morning, the Prophet was a bride-groom of her and he Invited the people, who took their meals and went away, but a group of them remained with Allah's Apostle and they prolonged their stay. Allah's Apostle got up and went out, and I too, went out along with him till he came to the lintel of 'Aisha's dwelling place. Allah's Apostle thought that those people had left by then, so he returned, and I too, returned with him till he entered upon Zainab and found that they were still sitting there and had not yet gone. The Prophet went out again, and so did I with him till he reached the lintel of 'Aisha's dwelling place, and then he thought that those people must have left by then, so he returned, and so did I with him, and found those people had gone. At that time the Divine Verse of Al-Hijab was revealed, and the Prophet set a screen between me and him (his family).}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|523}}|Narrated Anas bin Malik:

The Prophet stayed with Safiya bint Huyai for three days on the way of Khaibar where he consummated his marriage with her. Safiya was amongst those who were ordered to use a veil.}}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|524}}|Narrated Anas:

The Prophet stayed for three rights between Khaibar and Medina and was married to Safiya. I invited the Muslim to h s marriage banquet and there wa neither meat nor bread in that banquet but the Prophet ordered Bilal to spread the leather mats on which dates, dried yogurt and butter were put. The Muslims said amongst themselves, "Will she (i.e. Safiya) be one of the mothers of the believers, (i.e. one of the wives of the Prophet ) or just (a lady captive) of what his right-hand possesses" Some of them said, "If the Prophet makes her observe the veil, then she will be one of the mothers of the believers (i.e. one of the Prophet's wives), and if he does not make her observe the veil, then she will be his lady slave." So when he departed, he made a place for her behind him (on his and made her observe the veil.}}

{{Quote| {{Bukhari|4|52|250}}|Narrated Ibn Abbas: That he heard the Prophet saying, "It is not permissible for a man to be alone with a woman, and no lady should travel except with a Muhram (i.e. her husband or a person whom she cannot marry in any case for ever; e.g. her father, brother, etc.)." Then a man got up and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have enlisted in the army for such-and-such Ghazwa and my wife is proceeding for Hajj." Allah's Apostle said, "Go, and perform the Hajj with your wife." }}

{{Quote| {{Bukhari|3|29|87}}|Narrated Qaza'a, the slave of Ziyad: Abu Said who participated in twelve Ghazawat with the Prophet said, "I heard four things from Allah's Apostle (or I narrate them from the Prophet ) which won my admiration and appreciation. They are: 1. "No lady should travel without her husband or without a Dhu-mahram for a two-days' journey. 2. No fasting is permissible on two days of 'Id-al-Fitr, and 'Id-al-Adha. 3. No prayer (may be offered) after two prayers: after the 'Asr prayer till the sun set and after the morning prayer till the sun rises. 4. Not to travel (for visiting) except for three mosques: Masjid-al-Haram (in Mecca), my Mosque (in Medina), and Masjid-al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem)." }}

{{Quote| {{Bukhari|1|12|829}}|Narrated Um Salama: Whenever Allah's Apostle completed the prayer with Taslim, the women used to get up immediately and Allah's Apostle would remain at his place for someone before getting up. (The sub-narrator (Az-Zuhri) said, "We think, and Allah knows better, that he did so, so that the women might leave before men could get in touch with them)." }}

===Sahih Muslim===

{{quote| {{Muslim|26|5397}}|'A'isha reported that the wives of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) used to go out in the cover of night when they went to open fields (in the outskirts of Medina) for easing themselves. 'Umar b Khattab used to say: Allah's Messenger, ask your ladies to observe veil, but Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) did not do that. So there went out Sauda, daughter of Zarn'a, the wife of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), during one of the nights when it was dark. She was a tall statured lady. 'Umar called her saying: Sauda, we recognise you. (He did this with the hope that the verses pertaining to veil would be revealed.) 'A'isha said: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, then revealed the verses pertaining to veil. }}

{{quote |{{Muslim|26|5398}}| This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ibn Shihab with the same chain of transmitters.}}

{{quote | {{Muslim|31|5903}}| Ibn Umar reported Umar as saying: My lord concorded with (my judgments) on three occasions. In case of the Station of Ibrahim, in case of the observance of veil and in case of the prisoners of Badr.}}

{{quote | {{Muslim|26|5395}}| A'isha reported that Sauda (Allah be pleased with her) went out (in the fields) in order to answer the call of nature even after the time when veil had been prescribed for women. She had been a bulky lady, significant in height amongst the women, and she could not conceal herself from him who had known her. 'Umar b. Khattab saw her and said: Sauda, by Allah, you cannot conceal from us. Therefore, be careful when you go out. She ('A'isha) said: She turned back. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) was at that time in my house having his evening meal and there was a bone in his hand. She (Sauda) cline and said: Allah's Messenger. I went out and 'Umar said to me so and so. She ('A'isha) reported: There came the revelation to him and then it was over; the bone was then in his hand and he had not thrown it and he said:" Permission has been granted to you that you may go out for your needs."}}

{{quote |{{Muslim|26|5416}}|'A'isha reported that a eunuch used to come to the wives of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and they did not And anything objectionable in his visit considering him to be a male without any sexual desire. Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) one day came as he was sitting with some of his wives and he was busy in describing the bodily characteristics of a lady and saying: As the comes in front four folds appear on her front side and as she turns her back eight folds appear on the back side. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: I me that he knows these things; do not, therefore. allow him to cater. She (" A'isha) said: Then they began to observe veil from him.}}

{{Quote| {{Muslim|7|3104}}|Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: It is not lawful for a Muslim woman to travel a night's journey except when there is a mahram with her. }}

{{Quote| {{Muslim|7|3105}}|Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: It is not lawful for a woman who believes in Allah and the Hereafter to undertake a day's journey except in the company of a mahram. }}

{{Quote| {{Muslim|7|3110}}|Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) delivering a sermon and making this observation:" No person should be alone with a woman except when there is a mahram with her, and the woman should not undertake journey except with a mahram." A person stood up and said: Allah's Messenger, my wife has set out for pilgrimage, whereas I am enlisted to fight in such and such battle, whereupon he said:" You go and perform Hajj with your wife." }}

{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3425}}|'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hadhaifa, lived with him and his family in their house. She (i. e. the daughter of Suhail came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: Salim has attained (puberty) as men attain, and he understands what they understand, and he enters our house freely, I, however, perceive that something (rankles) in the heart of Abu Hudhaifa, whereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said to her: Suckle him and you would become unlawful for him, and (the rankling) which Abu Hudhaifa feels in his heart will disappear. She returned and said: So I suckled him, and what (was there) in the heart of Abu Hudhaifa disappeared.|}}

===Abu Dawud===

{{Quote|{{Abudawud|32|4090}}|Narrated Umm Salamah, Ummul Mu'minin:

When the verse "That they should cast their outer garments over their persons" was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows over their heads by wearing outer garments.}}

{{Quote|{{Abudawud|32|4091}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:

May Allah have mercy on the early immigrant women. When the verse "That they should draw their veils over their bosoms" was revealed, they tore their thick outer garments and made veils from them.}}

{{Quote|{{Abudawud|32|4089}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:

Safiyyah, daughter of Shaybah, said that Aisha mentioned the women of Ansar, praised them and said good words about them. She then said: When Surat an-Nur came down, they took the curtains, tore them and made head covers (veils) of them.}}

{{quote |{{Abudawud|32|4095}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:

A mukhannath (eunuch) used to enter upon the wives of Prophet (peace be upon him). They (the people) counted him among those who were free of physical needs. One day the Prophet (peace be upon him) entered upon us when he was with one of his wives, and was describing the qualities of a woman, saying: When she comes forward, she comes forward with four (folds in her stomach), and when she goes backward, she goes backward with eight (folds in her stomach). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Do I not see that this (man) knows what here lies. Then they (the wives) observed veil from him. }}

{{Quote|{{Abudawud|32|4094}}|Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) brought Fatimah a slave which he donated to her. Fatimah wore a garment which, when she covered her head, did not reach her feet, and when she covered her feet by it, that garment did not reach her head. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw her struggle, he said: There is no harm to you: Here is only your father and slave.}}

{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud|2|641}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: '''Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a veil.''' Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Sa;id b. Abi 'Arubah from Qatadah on the authority of al-Hasan from the Prophet.}}

===Tirmidhi===

{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1173}}|Abdullah narrated that The Prophet said: “The woman is Awrah, so when she goes out, the Shaitan seeks to tempt her.”}}

==The hijab as an instrument of discrimination==
The reasoning of the veil is to protect free women from sexual harrassment. Only (free) Muslim women ought to be respected, and female slaves are discriminated against by means of their lack of veiling and thus their availability for being sexually harassed.

===Tafsir Abd al-Razzaq al-Sanani [https://books.google.com.ua/books?id=hLNKCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT122&lpg=PT122&dq=%D8%A5%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1+%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A9+%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84+%D9%84%D9%87%D9%86+%D9%83%D8%B0%D8%A7+%D9%88%D9%83%D8%B0%D8%A7+%D9%83%D9%86+%D9%8A%D8%AE%D8%B1%D8%AC%D9%86+%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%B6+%D9%84%D9%87%D9%86+%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%A1+%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%A4%D8%B0%D9%88%D9%87%D9%86&source=bl&ots=HBXT3tzkRn&sig=ACfU3U02Py5hmTr9dynN9qLJw4iVCGlQRw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjd1Iu06Y7hAhU68HMBHXy3AAAQ6AEwAHoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=%D8%A5%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1%20%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A9%20%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84%20%D9%84%D9%87%D9%86%20%D9%83%D8%B0%D8%A7%20%D9%88%D9%83%D8%B0%D8%A7%20%D9%83%D9%86%20%D9%8A%D8%AE%D8%B1%D8%AC%D9%86%20%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%B6%20%D9%84%D9%87%D9%86%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%A1%20%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%A4%D8%B0%D9%88%D9%87%D9%86&f=false]:===
{{Quote||Al-Hassan al-Basri (mort en 110 ans Hijri) a déclaré : Les femmes esclaves de Médine avaient l'habitude de se faire dire certaines choses lorsqu'elles sortaient. (Une nuit) des gens stupides ont accosté un groupe de femmes et les ont dérangées (blessées) '''parce qu'ils pensaient qu'elles étaient des esclaves, alors qu'elles étaient en réalité des femmes libres'''. Pour cette raison, '''le Prophète a ordonné aux femmes croyantes de jeter leurs jilbabs (manteaux/vêtements de dessus) sur elles-mêmes, afin qu'elles soient reconnues comme des femmes libres, distinguées des femmes esclaves, et non dérangées.'''}}
The Qur'an doesn't uses the word immoral (فاسق) for these men. Neither the Qur'an nor the Sunnah threatens these men who were sexually harrassing the believing women. In effect, the Qur'an and the fiqh built upon it in effect encourages the sexual harassment of slave women by leaving them without the protection of the hijab. Moreover, fiqh gives permission to Muslims to rape their slaves, and then to sell them to other men to be raped.

===The Prohibition of the Hijab for Slaves===
'''The imam Shaybani in al-Masoot'''

{{Quote||Il n'est pas permis à un homme de regarder une femme esclave autre que la sienne, si elle a atteint la puberté, ou s'il a un désir pour elle, sauf ce qu'il est permis de regarder de ses proches (maharam). Donc, '''il n'y a pas de mal qu'il regarde ses cheveux, sa poitrine, ses seins, son bras, son pied ou sa jambe'''. Et il ne regarde pas son ventre ou son dos, ni ce qu'il y a entre le nombril et les genoux.}}

'''The Imam Bayhiqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra [https://www.dorar.net/h/e8a4ee380489a2076c04a6a960ed522f]:'''

{{Quote||Anas bin Malik a dit :''' "Les esclaves d'Omar, que Dieu soit satisfait de lui, nous ont servis, révélant leurs cheveux et leurs seins."'''}}

Hadith declared sahih by sheikh Albani.

'''"Al-Sharh al-Saghir" of Fiqh Maliki [http://islamport.com/d/2/mlk/1/15/490.html]:'''

{{Quote||'''Un homme pouvait voir plus du corps d'une femme esclave''' par rapport à ce qu'elle pouvait voir d'un homme. Elle n'est autorisée à voir que ses mains et ses pieds, tandis qu''''un homme est autorisé à voir tout son corps nu à l'exception de la partie entre son nombril et ses genoux.'''}}

'''Fiqh al-Shafi'i, written by Shirazi''' [http://web.archive.org/web/20210914182624/https://www.maktabatalfeker.com/book.php?id=2551]:

{{Quote||'''La 'Awrah (d'une femme esclave) est ici entre le nombril et les genoux.'''}}

'''Tafsîr Qurtubi of Qur'an 7:26'''

{{Quote||En ce qui concerne la femme esclave, son 'Awrah (c'est-à-dire la nudité) est sous ses seins, et elle pourrait exposer sa tête et ses bras.}}

'''Kitab al-Kafi fi Fiqh by al-Imam Ahmed [http://web.archive.org/web/20210920190743/https://ketabonline.com/ar/books/67936/read?part=1&page=112&index=4187029]:'''

{{Quote||Ibn Hamid a dit que sa 'awrah est la même que la 'awrah de l'homme, à cause de ce qui est rapporté par 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb, de son père, de son grand-père, que le Prophète, sallallahu 'alayhi wa-sallam, a dit: '''"Lorsque l'un de vous marie sa femme esclave à son esclave ou mercenaire, qu'il ne regarde rien de sa 'awrah, car tout ce qui est en dessous du nombril jusqu'aux genoux est 'awrah." Il voulait dire la 'awrah de la femme esclave. '''Rapporté par ad-Daraqutni. '''La tête n'est pas incluse dans la 'awrah d'une femme esclave ainsi que leurs seins…'''}}

===The 2nd Caliph 'Umar Ibn Khattab had the habit of beating his female slaves if they ever wore the jilbab===
'''Sahih de Cheikh Albani [http://web.archive.org/web/20210329003506/http://islamport.com/w/alb/Web/1202/2092.htm]:'''

{{Quote||L'imam Ibn Abi Shaybah a enregistré dans son livre al-Munsaf qu'Umar Ibn Khattab a vu une esclave qui a pris un vêtement / drap comme Hijab et a couvert son corps. Sur ce, '''Umar l'a frappée et lui a dit qu'elle ne devrait pas essayer de ressembler aux femmes musulmanes libres (en prenant le Jilbab/Muqna).'''}}

The chain of narration of this hadith is "sahih." This same tradition is equally known by ibn Qalabah. [http://web.archive.org/web/20210920104640/https://islamarchive.cc/H_85618].

'''Sheikh Albani [http://web.archive.org/web/20170119173848/http://shamela.ws/browse.php/book-22592/page-2084]:'''

{{Quote||Le compagnon Anas bin Malik a déclaré: Une esclave d'un certain Muhajir ou Ansar est venue à Umar Ibn Khattab dans un état où elle portait un Jilbab (et elle s'en couvrit les seins et le corps). Sur ce,''' Umar lui a ordonné d'enlever le Jilbab de sa tête car il est réservé uniquement à la femme libre (musulmane). L'esclave a hésité, sur quoi Umar s'est levé et il a commencé à la frapper avec le bâton. Il lui a frappé la tête, jusqu'à ce que l'esclave enlève son jilbab.'''}}

Shaykh Albani declared that this hadith is "authentic (sahih)" according to the standards of Imam Muslim.

==Scholars==

===Correct Hijaab===

{{Quote|1=[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/6991|2=2011-04-17}} Correct Hijaab] Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 6991|2=Praise be to Allaah.

Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

The conditions of hijaab:

Firstly:

(It should cover all the body apart from whatever has been exempted).

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

This aayah clearly states that it is obligatory to cover all of a woman’s beauty and adornments and not to display any part of that before non-mahram men (“strangers”) except for whatever appears unintentionally, in which case there will be no sin on them if they hasten to cover it up.

Al-Haafiz ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer:

This means that they should not display any part of their adornment to non-mahrams, apart from that which it is impossible to conceal. Ibn Mas’ood said: such as the cloak and robe, i.e., what the women of the Arabs used to wear, an outer garment which covered whatever the woman was wearing, except for whatever appeared from beneath the outer garment. There is no sin on a woman with regard to this because it is impossible to conceal it.

Secondly

(it should not be an adornment in and of itself).

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“… and not to show off their adornment…” [al-Noor 24:31]. The general meaning of this phrase includes the outer garment, because if it is decorated it will attract men’s attention to her. This is supported by the aayah in Soorat al-Ahzaab (interpretation of the meaning):

“And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance” [al-Ahzaab 33:33]. It is also supported by the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three, do not ask me about them: a man who leaves the jamaa’ah, disobeys his leader and dies disobedient; a female or male slave who runs away then dies; and a woman whose husband is absent and left her with everything she needs, and after he left she made a wanton display of herself. Do not ask about them.”

(Narrated by al-Haakim, 1/119; Ahmad, 6/19; from the hadeeth of Faddaalah bint ‘Ubayd. Its isnaad is saheeh and it is in al-Adab al-Mufrad).

Thirdly:

(It should be thick and not transparent or “see-thru”)

- because it cannot cover properly otherwise. Transparent or see-thru clothing makes a woman more tempting and beautiful. Concerning this the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “During the last days of my ummah there will be women who are clothed but naked, with something on their heads like the humps of camels. Curse them, for they are cursed.” Another hadeeth adds: “They will not enter Paradise or even smell its fragrance, although its fragrance can be detected from such and such a distance.”

(Narrated by Muslim from the report of Abu Hurayrah).

Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) meant was women who wear clothes made of light fabric which describes and does not cover. They are clothed in name but naked in reality.

Transmitted by al-Suyooti in Tanweer al-Hawaalik, 3/103.

Fourthly:

(It should be loose, not tight so that it describes any part of the body).

The purpose of clothing is to prevent fitnah (temptation), and this can only be achieved if clothes are wide and loose. Tight clothes, even if they conceal the colour of the skin, still describe the size and shape of the body or part of it, and create a vivid image in the minds of men. The corruption or invitation to corruption that is inherent in that is quite obvious. So the clothes must be wide. Usaamah ibn Zayd said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave me a thick Egyptian garment that was one of the gifts given to him by Duhyat al-Kalbi, and I gave it to my wife to wear. He said, ‘Why do I not see you wearing that Egyptian garment?’ I said, ‘I gave it to my wife to wear.’ He said, ‘Tell her to wear a gown underneath it, for I am afraid that it may describe the size of her bones.’” (Narrated by al-Diyaa’ al-Maqdisi in al-Ahaadeeth al-Mukhtaarah, 1/442, and by Ahmad and al-Bayhaqi, with a hasan isnaad).

Fifthly:

(It should not be perfumed with bakhoor or fragrance)

There are many ahaadeeth which forbid women to wear perfume when they go out of their houses. We will quote here some of those which have saheeh isnaads:

Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Any woman who puts on perfume then passes by people so that they can smell her fragrance, is an adulteress.”

Zaynab al-Thaqafiyyah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If any one of you (women) goes out to the mosque, let her not touch any perfume.”

Abu Hurayrah said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Any woman who has scented herself with bakhoor (incense), let her not attend ‘Ishaa’ prayers with us.”

Moosa ibn Yassaar said that a woman passed by Abu Hurayrah and her scent was overpowering. He said, “O female slave of al-Jabbaar, are you going to the mosque?” She said, “Yes,” He said, “And have you put on perfume because of that?” She said, “Yes.” He said, “Go back and wash yourself, for I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘If a woman comes out to the mosque and her fragrance is overpowering, Allaah will not accept any prayer from her until she goes home and washes herself.’”

These ahaadeeth are general in implication. Just as the prohibition covers perfume applied to the body, it also covers perfume applied to the clothes, especially in the third hadeeth, where bakhoor (incense) is mentioned, because incense is used specifically to perfume the clothes.

The reason for this prohibition is quite clear, which is that women’s fragrance may cause undue provocation of desires. The scholars also included other things under this heading of things to be avoided by women who want to go to the mosque, such as beautiful clothes, jewellery that can be seen, excessive adornments and mingling with men. See Fath al-Baari, 2/279.

Ibn Daqeeq al-‘Eed said:

This indicates that it is forbidden for a woman who wants to go to the mosque to wear perfume, because this causes provocation of men’s desires. This was reported by al-Manaawi in Fayd al-Qadeer, in the commentary on the first hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah quoted above.

Sixthly:

(It should not resemble the clothing of men)

It was reported in the saheeh ahaadeeth that a woman who imitates men in dress or in other ways is cursed. There follow some of the ahaadeeth that we know:

Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed the man who wears women’s clothes, and the woman who wears men’s clothes.”

‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘They are not part of us, the women who imitate men and the men who imitate women.’”

Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed effeminate men and masculine women. He said, ‘Throw them out of your houses.’” He said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) expelled So and so, and ‘Umar expelled So and so.” According to another version: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate men.”

‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘There are three who will not enter Paradise and Allaah will not even look at them on the Day of Resurrection: one who disobeys his parents, a woman who imitates men, and the duyooth (cuckold, weak man who feels no jealousy over his womenfolk).”

Ibn Abi Maleekah – whose name was ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Ubayd-Allaah – said: “It was said to ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), ‘What if a woman wears (men’s) sandals?’ She said: ‘The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed women who act like men.’”

These ahaadeeth clearly indicate that it is forbidden for women to imitate men and vice versa, This usually includes dress and other matters, apart from the first hadeeth quoted above, which refers to dress only.

Abu Dawood said, in Masaa’il al-Imaam Ahmad (p. 261): “I heard Ahmad being asked about a man who dresses his slave woman in a tunic. He said, ‘Do not clothe her in men’s garments, do not make her look like a man.” Abu Dawood said: “I said to Ahmad, Can he give her bachelor sandals to wear? He said, No, unless she wears them to do wudoo’. I said, What about for beauty? He said, No. I said, Can he cut her hair short? He said, No.”

Seventhly:

(It should not resemble the dress of kaafir women).

It is stated in sharee’ah that Muslims, men and women alike, should not resemble or imitate the kuffaar with regard to worship, festivals or clothing that is specific to them. This is an important Islamic principle which nowadays, unfortunately, is neglected by many Muslims, even those who care about religion and calling others to Islam. This is due either to ignorance of their religion, or because they are following their own whims and desires, or because of deviation, combined with modern customs and imitation of kaafir Europe. This was one of the causes of the Muslims’ decline and weakness, which enabled the foreigners to overwhelm and colonize them. “…Verily, Allaah will not change the condition of a people as long as they do not change their state themselves …” [al-Ra’d 13:11 – interpretation of the meaning]. If only they knew.

It should be known that there is a great deal of saheeh evidence for these important rules in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and that the evidence in the Qur’aan is elaborated upon in the Sunnah, as is always the case.

Eighthly:

(It should not be a garment of fame and vanity).

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever wears a garment of fame and vanity in this world, Allaah will clothe him in a garment of humiliation on the Day of Resurrection, then He will cause Fire to flame up around him.’”

(Hijaab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, p. 54-67).

And Allaah knows best.
Hijaab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, p. 54-67}}

===Ruling on covering the face, with detailed evidence===

{{Quote|1=[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.darulihsan.com%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D2520%26Itemid%3D991&date=2011-04-17 Fatwa - Hijab] Mufti Shafiq Jakhura, Iftaa Department, Darul Ihsan Islamic Services Centre, July 29, 2009|2=Q: May I know whether covering of the face in Hijab is a Farz, Wajib, Masnoon or Mustahab? Please specify the school of thought (maslak) according to which you will answer this question. A: There is consensus amongst the Ulama of all four schools of thought (Mazaahib), that it is obligatory upon women to cover their faces when fitnah and evil is apprehended. There is no doubt of the widespread fitnah and prevalent evil nowadays. Hence it is imperative (waajib) for women to cover their faces when leaving their homes or in the presence of non-mahram males.}}

{{Quote|1=[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/11774|2=2011-04-17}} Ruling on covering the face, with detailed evidence] Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 11774|2=Praise be to Allaah.

You should note that women’s observing hijab in front of non-mahram men and covering their faces is something that is obligatory as is indicated by the Book of your Lord and the Sunnah of your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and by rational examination and analogy.

1 – Evidence from the Qur’aan

(i)

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allaah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful”

[al-Noor 24:31]

The evidence from this verse that hijab is obligatory for women is as follows:

(a) Allaah commands the believing women to guard their chastity, and the command to guard their chastity also a command to follow all the means of doing that. No rational person would doubt that one of the means of doing so is covering the face, because uncovering it causes people to look at it and enjoy its beauty, and thence to initiate contact. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The eyes commit zina and their zina is by looking…” then he said, “… and the private part confirms that or denies it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6612; Muslim, 2657.

If covering the face is one of the means of guarding one’s chastity, then it is enjoined, because the means come under the same ruling as the ends.

(b) Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “…and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) …”. The jayb (pl. juyoob) is the neck opening of a garment and the khimaar (veil) is that with which a woman covers her head. If a woman is commanded to draw her veil over the neck opening of her garment then she is commanded to cover her face, either because that is implied or by analogy. If it is obligatory to cover the throat and chest, then it is more appropriate to cover the face because it is the site of beauty and attraction.

(c) Allaah has forbidden showing all adornment except that which is apparent, which is that which one cannot help showing, such as the outside of one's garment. Hence Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “…except only that which is apparent …” and He did not say, except that which they show of it. Some of the salaf, such as Ibn Mas’ood, al-Hasan, Ibn Sireen and others interpreted the phrase “except only that which is apparent” as meaning the outer garment and clothes, and what shows from beneath the outer garment (i.e., the hem of one’s dress etc.). Then He again forbids showing one’s adornment except to those for whom He makes an exception. This indicates that the second adornment mentioned is something other than the first adornment. The first adornment is the external adornment which appears to everyone and cannot be hidden. The second adornment is the inward adornment (including the face). If it were permissible for this adornment to be seen by everyone, there would be no point to the general wording in the first instance and this exception made in the second.

(d) Allaah grants a concession allowing a woman to show her inward adornments to “old male servants who lack vigour”, i.e. servants who are men who have no desire, and to small children who have not reached the age of desire and have not seen the ‘awrahs of women. This indicates two things:

1 – That showing inward adornments to non-mahrams is not permissible except to these two types of people.

2 – That the reason for this ruling is the fear that men may be tempted by the woman and fall in love with her. Undoubtedly the face is the site of beauty and attraction, so concealing it is obligatory lest men who do feel desire be attracted and tempted by her.

(e) The words (interpretation of the meaning): “And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment” mean that a woman should not stamp her feet so as to make known hidden adornments such as anklets and the like. If a woman is forbidden to stamp her feet lest men be tempted by what they hear of the sound of her anklets etc., then what about uncovering the face?

Which is the greater source of temptation – a man hearing the anklets of a woman whom he does not know who she is or whether she is beautiful, or whether she is young or old, or ugly or pretty? Or his looking at a beautiful youthful face that attracts him and invites him to look at it?

Every man who has any desire for women will know which of the two temptations is greater and which deserves to be hidden and concealed.

(ii)

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And as for women past childbearing who do not expect wedlock, it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment. But to refrain (i.e. not to discard their outer clothing) is better for them. And Allaah is All‑Hearer, All‑Knower”

[al-Noor 24:60]

The evidence from this verse is that Allaah states that there is no sin on old women who have no hope of marriage because men have no desire for them, due to their old age (if they discard their outer clothing), subject to the condition that their intention in doing so is not to make a wanton display of themselves. The fact that this ruling applies only to old women indicates that the ruling is different for young women who still hope to get married. If the ruling on discarding the outer clothing applied to all, there would be no point in singling out old women here.

The phrase “in such a way as not to show their adornment” offers further proof that hijab is obligatory for young women who hope to marry, because usually when they uncover their faces the intention is to make a wanton display (tabarruj) and to show off their beauty and make men look at them and admire them etc. Those who do otherwise are rare, and the ruling does not apply to rare cases.

(iii)

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allaah is Ever Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Ahzaab 33:59]

Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “Allaah commanded the believing women, if they go out of their houses for some need, to cover their faces from the top of their heads with their jilbaabs, and to leave one eye showing.”

The tafseer of the Sahaabah is evidence, indeed some of the scholars said that it comes under the same ruling as marfoo’ reports that go back to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

The comment “and leave one eye showing” is a concession because of the need to see the way; if there is no need for that then the eye should not be uncovered.

The jilbaab is the upper garment that comes above the khimaar; it is like the abaya.

(iv) Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“It is no sin on them (the Prophet’s wives, if they appear unveiled) before their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their brother’s sons, or the sons of their sisters, or their own (believing) women, or their (female) slaves. And (O ladies), fear (keep your duty to) Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Ever All‑Witness over everything”

[al-Ahzaab 33:55]

Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: When Allaah commanded the women to observe hijab in front of non-mahram men, he explained that they did not have to observe hijab in front of these relatives, as He explained that they are exempted in Soorat al-Noor where He said (interpretation of the meaning): “and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands…”

2 – Evidence from the Sunnah that it is obligatory to cover the face

(i)

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When any one of you proposes marriage to a woman, there is no sin on him if he looks at her, rather he should look at her for the purpose of proposing marriage even if she is unaware.” Narrated by Ahmad. The author of Majma’ al-Zawaa’id said: its men are the men of saheeh.

The evidence here is the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said there is no sin on the man who is proposing marriage, subject to the condition that his looking be for the purpose of proposing marriage. This indicates that the one who is not proposing marriage is sinning if he looks at a non-mahram woman in ordinary circumstances, as is the one who is proposing marriage if he looks for any purpose other than proposing marriage, such as for the purpose of enjoyment etc.

If it is said that the hadeeth does not clearly state what is being looked at, and it may mean looking at the chest etc, the response is that the man who is proposing marriage looks at the face because it is the focus for the one who is seeking beauty, without a doubt.

(ii)

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded that women should be brought out to the Eid prayer place, they said, “O Messenger of Allaah, some of us do not have jilbaabs.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Let her sister give her one of her jilbaabs to wear.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim.

This hadeeth indicates that the usual practice among the women of the Sahaabah was that a woman would not go out without a jilbaab, and that if she did not have a jilbaab she would not go out. The command to wear a jilbaab indicates that it is essential to cover. And Allaah knows best.

(iii)

It was narrated in al-Saheehayn that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray Fajr and the believing women would attend the prayer with him, wrapped in their veils, then they would go back to their homes and no one would recognize them because of the darkness. She said: If the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw from the women what we have seen, he would have prevented them from coming to the mosques as the Children of Israel prevented their women.

A similar report was also narrated by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him).

The evidence from this hadeeth covers two issues:

1 – Hijaab and covering were the practice of the women of the Sahaabah who were the best of generations and the most honourable before Allaah.

2 – ‘Aa’ishah the Mother of the Believers and ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with them both), who were both known as scholars with deep insight, said that if the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had seen from women what they had seen, he would have prevented them from coming to the mosques. This was during the best generations, so what about nowadays?!

(iv)

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever lets his garment drag out of pride, Allaah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection.” Umm Salamah said, “What should women do with their hems?” He said, “Let it hang down a handspan.” She said, “What if that shows her feet?” He said, “Let it hang down a cubit, but no more than that.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

This hadeeth indicates that it is obligatory for women to cover their feet, and that this was something that was well known among the women of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them). The feet are undoubtedly a lesser source of temptation than the face and hands, so a warning concerning something that is less serious is a warning about something that is more serious and to which the ruling applies more. The wisdom of sharee’ah means that it would not enjoin covering something that is a lesser source of temptation and allow uncovering something that is a greater source of temptation. This is an impossible contradiction that cannot be attributed to the wisdom and laws of Allaah.

(v)

It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: The riders used to pass by us when we were with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in ihraam. When they came near us we would lower our jilbaabs from our heads over our faces, and when they had passed by we would uncover our faces. Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1562.

The words “When they came near us we would lower our jilbaabs from our heads over our faces” indicate that it is obligatory to cover the face, because what is prescribed in ihraam is to uncover it. If there was no strong reason to prevent uncovering it, it would be obligatory to leave it uncovered even when the riders were passing by. In other words, women are obliged to uncover their faces during ihraam according to the majority of scholars, and nothing can override something that is obligatory except something else that is also obligatory. If it were not obligatory to observe hijab and cover the face in the presence of non-mahram men, there would be no reason not to uncover it in ihraam. It was proven in al-Saheehayn and elsewhere that a woman in ihraam is forbidden to wear the niqaab (face veil) and gloves.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: This is one of the things which indicate that the niqaab and gloves were known among women who were not in ihraam, which implies that they covered their faces and hands.

These are nine points of evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah.

The tenth is:

Rational examination and analogy which form the basis of this perfect sharee’ah, which aims to help people achieve what is in their best interests and encourages the means that lead to that, and to denounce evil and block the means that lead to it.

If we think about unveiling and women showing their faces to non-mahram men, we will see that it involves many bad consequences. Even if we assume that there are some benefits in it, they are very few in comparison with its negative consequences. Those negative consequences include:

1 – Fitnah (temptation). By unveiling her face, a woman may be tempted to do things to make her face look more beautiful. This is one of the greatest causes of evil and corruption.

2 – Taking away haya’ (modesty, shyness) from women, which is part of faith and of a woman’s nature (fitrah). Women are examples of modesty, as it was said, “more shy than a virgin in her seclusion.” Taking away a woman’s modesty detracts from her faith and the natural inclination with which she was created.

3 – Men may be tempted by her, especially if she is beautiful and she flirts, laughs and jokes, as happens in the case of many of those who are unveiled. The Shaytaan flows through the son of Adam like blood.

4 – Mixing of men and women. If a woman thinks that she is equal with men in uncovering her face and going around unveiled, she will not be modest and will not feel too shy to mix with men. This leads to a great deal of fitnah (temptation) and widespread corruption. Al-Tirmidhi narrated (5272) from Hamzah ibn Abi Usayd from his father that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, when he was coming out of the mosque and he saw men mingling with women in the street; the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to the women, “Draw back, and do not walk in the middle of the road; keep to the sides of the road.” Then the women used to keep so close to the walls that their garments would catch on the walls because they kept so close to them.

Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 929

Adapted from the words of Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) in Risaalat al-Hijaab.

And Allaah knows best.}}

===Does the girl who wears Hijab have to cover her feet?===

{{Quote|1=[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/153367|2=2011-04-17}} Does the girl who wears Hijab have to cover her feet?] Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 153367|2=Praise be to Allaah.

At the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) women were keen to cover themselves completely, which includes covering the feet. They used to let the hem of their garments hang low. One of them asked the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about letting this hem touch what is on the ground, which may make it dirty, and he said: “That which comes after it purifies it.” On another occasion, when he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said that women should let their hems down by one hand span, one of them said, “But then her feet will show.” This indicates that they were keen to cover their feet and that the feet are part of that which must be covered.

A woman asked Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): I am a woman whose garment drags, and I may walk through a dirty place. Umm Salamah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “That which comes after it purifies it.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (143), Abu Dawood (383) and Ibn Maajah (531). The hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 407.

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever lets his garment drag out of pride, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection.” Umm Salamah said: What should women do with their hems? He said: “They should let them down a hand span.” She said: Then their feet will show. He said: “Then let it down a cubit, but no more than that.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1731); he said: This is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. Also narrated by al-Nasaa’i (5336). The hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1864.

So it is not permissible for the woman to wear open shoes which show her feet. But if her clothes are long and she wears socks, there is nothing wrong with that, although it is better for her to cover the feet with the garment and not with socks.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

If a woman wears pants or loose khuff (leather slippers), and the jilbab hangs over it so that the shape of the foot cannot be seen, this achieves the purpose, unlike the tight khuff (leather slippers) which shows the shape of the foot, because this is worn by men.

Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 22/148

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

It is permissible for a woman to let her garment down below the ankles. In fact this is what is prescribed for women, so that they may cover their feet. Covering the feet is something that is prescribed for women and is in fact obligatory for them according to many scholars. What a woman should do is cover her feet, either with her garment which is long and covers them or by wearing socks or shoes and the like.

Fataawa al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, 1/437

And Allah knows best.}}

===Can Muslim parents force Hijab on daughters?===

{{Quote|1=[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Finfad.usim.edu.my%2Fmodules.php%3Fop%3Dmodload%26name%3DNews%26file%3Darticle%26sid%3D8813&date=2011-04-15 Can Muslim Parents Force Hijab on Daughters?] Group of Muftis, Islam Online, January 12, 2004|2=Q: Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. Some Western thinkers claim that Muslim parents force their daughters to wear hijab. My question is: Do Muslim parents have the right to force their daughter to wear hijab if she refuses to wear it?

A:[...] Muslim parents should bring up their children according to the teachings of Islam. Parents have to make their children get used to doing the obligatory duties and avoiding haram (unlawful) things before puberty, so that it will not be too hard for them to adhere to Islamic rules after they reach puberty. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Train your children to pray when they are seven years old, and smack them if they do not do so when they are ten, and separate them in their beds” (Reported by Abu Dawud).

From an early age, daughters should be taught that hijab is an ordinance from Allah to protect their chastity. When a girl reaches puberty she is obliged to do all the obligatory duties and to avoid all haram things. One of the obligatory duties is wearing hijab.

Here, we would like to cite the fatwas issued by some prominent Muslim scholars regarding the question in point:

Sheikh Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Al-Shinqiti, director of the Islamic Center of South Plains, Lubbock, Texas, states:

"They [Muslim parents] should try their best to convince her to wear hijab and she should know that she is not to refuse something that has been ordained by Allah in the first place and that was also ordained by her parents, who deserve her obedience."

Dr. Muhammad Abu Laylah, professor of Islamic Studies and Comparative Religions at Al-Azhar University adds:

"What those writers say about forcing hijab on Muslim women is a false allegation put forward by some Westerners against Islam and the Muslim woman. The main objective behind such allegation is to encourage the Muslim woman to break the laws of the Muslim family and disobey her parents. It is not a call for liberation or giving Muslim women their rights.

Allah Almighty has entrusted parents with their children. Parents bear the responsibility to raise up their children in the Islamic way. If they do that, they will be blessed in this life and in the Hereafter, and if they don't, they will get bad result during their life and in the Hereafter. In Islam, parents are not to force their children to do anything that is considered against the law of the Shari`ah. That is why Islam has ordered parents to take care of their children and to bring them up according to the Islamic manners.

Hijab is an obligation from Allah on Muslim women. The obligation is referred to in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The Muslim woman must wear it and the Muslim parents should encourage their daughters to wear it."

Sheikh `Abdul-Majeed Subh, a prominent Azhar scholar, adds:

"What those thinkers say about forcing hijab on women is a false allegation. Many Europeans know well that hijab is an obligation from Allah and they are all aware of the fact that when a non-Muslim woman embraces Islam, she must wear hijab.

The father, as the guardian of his family, may stress that his daughter should wear hijab in case she refuses to wear it out of disobedience to the obligation of Allah.

Here, I would seize the opportunity to give a piece of advice to Muslim parents. Fathers and mothers should note that they are responsible before Allah for the affairs of their daughters that have been entrusted to them; they should raise their daughters according to the Islamic manners. So if a girl is approaching puberty, there is the fear that her not wearing hijab may cause young men to be tempted by her or her by them. Hence in this situation her parent or guardian has to make her wear hijab so as to prevent means that may lead to evil or immorality."}}

===What is Islam's view of women working alongside men?===

{{Quote| Shaikh AbdulAziz Bin Bazz, 'Islamic Fatwas regarding Women', Page No. 313|

'''Question:''' What is Islam's view of women working alongside men? 

'''Answer:''' It is known that when women go to work in the workplaces of men this leads to mixing with men and being in private with them. This is a very dangerous matter that has dangerous consequences and negative results. It is in clear opposition to the texts of the Shariah that order the women to remain in their houses and to fulfill the type of work that is particular for her and upon which Allah has fashioned her nature, which is far from the place where she will mix with men.

The clear, authentic evidences that indicate that it is forbidden for men and non related women to be in private together and for men to look at women are numerous. There are also much evidence that what leads up to those forbidden ends are also forbidden. The evidences are many, clear and decisive that the mixing between the sexes is forbidden as it leads to negative and blameworthy results.}}

{{Quote| Shaikh Ibn Uthaimin, 'Fatwas regarding Women', Page No. 364|'''Question:''' Is it allowed for Muslim women to attend educational meetings and fiqh study sessions in the mosques? 

'''Answer:''' Yes. It is allowed for her to attend educational meetings, regardless if they are related to practical matters or to matters of faith and monotheism. This is given the condition that she is not perfumed or displaying her beauty. She must also be distant from the men and not mixing with them. 

'''Question:''' What are the permissible types of work for a Muslim woman to work in without being in contradiction with the teachings of her religion? 

'''Answer:''' The places of work for women are those places that are specific for women. For example, she may work in woman's education, either in administration or otherwise. She can also work in her house by being a tailor for women and so forth. It is not allowed for her to work in areas which are exclusive for men because in that case she must mix with men and this is a great source of trial and temptation that one must beware of.}}

===Hijab and Jihad===

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503545134 Palestinian Women Carrying Out Martyr Operations] Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, Islam Online, November 6, 2006|2=Women’s participation in the martyr operations carried out in Palestine – given the status of the land as an occupied territory, in addition to a lot of sacrilegious acts perpetrated by the Jews against the sanctuaries – is one of the most praised acts of worship. Also, the act is a form of martyrdom in the Cause of Allah, and it entitles them, Insha’ Allah, to the same reward earned by their male counterparts who also die in the Cause of Allah. . . . 
As for the point that carrying out this operation may involve woman's travel from place to another without a Mahram, we say that a woman can travel to perform Hajj in the company of other trustworthy women and without the presence of any Mahram as long as the road is safe and secured. Travel, nowadays, is no longer done through deserts or wilderness, instead, women can travel safely in trains or by air.

Concerning the point on Hijab, a woman can put on a hat or anything else to cover her hair. Even when necessary, she may take off her Hijab in order to carry out the operation, for she is going to die in the Cause of Allah and not to show off her beauty or uncover her hair. I don't see any problem in her taking off Hijab in this case.

To conclude, I think the committed Muslim women in Palestine have the right to participate and have their own role in Jihad and to attain martyrdom.}}

==Shia scholars==

{{Quote|{{cite web|url=http://www.english.shirazi.ir/topics/hijaab |title=Hijaab |publisher= |author=Ayatollah Sayed Sadiq al-Shirazi |date= |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703071839/http://www.english.shirazi.ir/topics/hijaab |deadurl=no}}|2. Question: What are the limits of Hijaab?

Answer: As for the standard and criteria for Hijaab according to the Teachings of Islam, the Hijaab for a Muslim is: To cover her hair and body such that even the shape of her body is not apparent on the outside of the Hijaab to the onlooker. This is provided that there is no kind of attraction associated with the Hijaab, for example the Hijaab clothing is not colourful such that it would attract the attention of others, the woman may not wear makeup or perfume, etc. In the case of the covering of the hands and the face, there is a difference of opinion between the Maraje’. Some of the Maraje’ consider it mandatory to cover the hands and the face. According to Imam Shirazi’s Fatwa, a woman may her hands and face uncovered provided she is not wearing makeup, or that she would not be in a situation where a man would look at her with lustful glances or would fall for her...}}

==See Also==

{{Hub4|Hijab|Hijab}}

{{Hub4|Women (Primary Sources)|Women (Primary Sources)}}

==External Links==

*[{{Reference archive|1=http://muttaqun.com/niqab.html|2=2011-04-15}} Niqab According to Quran and Sunnah] ''- Muslim site''

[[Category:QHS]]
[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:Hijab]]
[[Category:Fiqh (legal theory)]]
[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]]

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-05-20T21:06:22Z

AdrianE: Added a hadith which includes an extra part of a Quran verse.

{{QualityScore|Lead=2|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=3|References=3}}
{{Quran|15|9}} declares that the [[Qur'an]] is [[Allah|Allah's]] [[revelation]] and that he promises to preserve it and protect it from corruption. In {{Quran|16|103}}, {{Quran|44|58}} and {{Quran|54|22}}, [{{Quran-url-only|54|32}} 32], [{{Quran-url-only|54|40}} 40], it is emphasized that the Qur'an was revealed in straight forward, easy to understand, and pure Arabic. Sunni Islamic scholars agree that all that which is fundamental to Islam (particularly most of Islamic law) which is not contained in the Quran must have been preserved in the form of hadiths. However, translations of these scriptures have not always been rendered faithfully into other languages such as English, particularly in recent times and especially when the audience concerned is that of a developed, first-world variety which likely holds to modern notions of human rights and liberalism.

Some of the most prominent and officially recognized English translators of the Qur'an (like Yusuf Ali, Dr. Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Asad), in particular, have often (seemingly deliberately, given their knowledge and skill) mistranslated the most controversial and problematic verses in Qur'an. That these inaccurate translations are most common with verses that would be considered contrary to modern liberal values in the West suggests that these mistranslations were not unintentional or due to some unique difficulty of the Arabic words used in these verses. Similar mistranslations have been observed in translations of the hadiths as well as in translations of other key Islamic texts, such as legal manuals.

==Quran==

===(4:34) Wife-beating===
{{Main|Wife Beating in the Qur'an}}
{{Quran|4|34}} famously instructs men to beat their wives and forms the basis of the Islamic legal ruling which permits as much. The below translation is taken from Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).}}

This verse states that men are in charge of women with what they spend on them, and have the right to direct them in life. Also in the same verse, women are told to obey men and if they don’t, then men have the authority to admonish them and if they persist in disobedience (or, read more literally, if the husband simply ''fears'' disobedience), then men may proceed to beat them. Yusuf Ali, a prominent translator of the Qur'an, adds the word “lightly” in brackets, after “beating them”, despite the fact that this word or connonation is not found in the source text.

===(23:14) Fetal development===
{{Quran|23|14}} presents a schema regarding the development of the human fetus. The following translations are taken from Pickthall an Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Pickthal:''' Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators! 

'''Yusuf Ali:''' Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!}}

This verse is often used as an example of how translators (in this case Yusuf Ali, who is authorized by the Saudi Islamic authority and Al-Azhar University) have often mistranslated verses in ways that appear less objectionable liberal, Western audiences.

Yusuf Ali, in his translation, replaces the word "then" with "and". He also replaces “the best of creators” (plural) with “the best to create” (singular). The difference in the meaning is crucial because the word “then” suggests another and separate phase, while the word “and” means bones and flesh form simultaneously or during one phase, which conforms to modern science, even though this does not appear in the original Arabic text.

Likewise, the plural form of “creators” seems to affirm the existence of ''multiple'' creators (''of whom'' Allah would be the best), which appears to contradict the key Islamic doctrine of ''tawḥīd'' (توحيد) regarding the oneness of Allah, the ''only'' creator. Similar mistranslations are given by the Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Saad translations. By contrast, the Pickthal translation is more accurate in this case, conforming to the original Arabic text.

Similarly distorted translations are also presented by institutions such as al-Azhar, the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf, and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as is seen on the Al-Azhar web site. The above verse is translated as below:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamic-council.com/qurane/def1.asp Quran 23:14]|2=Then We created the nutfah (sperm-drop) into a clinging organism. Then We created the clinging organism into a bolus-like chewed-up mass of coherent body of matter. Then We created the bolus-like chewed-up mass into bones, and We dressed the bones flesh. Out of this We brought it forth as a different creation. So, blessed be Allâh, The Fairest of creators.}}

===(18:86) Sun sets in a muddy spring===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}
{{Quran|18|86}} describes the story of Dhul-Qarnayn (Alexander the Great) wherein he is said to arrive at a location where he observes the sun setting in a muddy spring.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.}}

Modern Islamic scholars have argued that the verse describes a visual representation of what Dhul-Qarnayn saw as the sun set into the “horizon”. Such explanations are frustrated by authoritative sources, themselves represented by the likes of ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn'' (p. 251), and numerous classical authorities (which explain that the setting of the sun is in a well containing a murky mud). The same interpretation is found in al-Tabari’s commentaries (p. 339) as well as in the ''Concise Interpretation of al-Tabari'' (p. 19 of part 2) in which he remarks that the well in which the sun sets "contains lime and murky mud". The words “apparent” or “looks like” do not appear in classical explanations or commentaries. Indeed, the verse appears to reflect the [[Cosmology of the Quran|cosmological views]] [[Muhammad|Muhammad]] would have been expected to have in seventh century Arabia. Furthermore, since the earth is in fact round, [[Flat Earth and the Quran|not flat]] (as the Qur'an appears to suggest), Dhul-Qarnayn could never have reached some "farthest point", since no such point exists on a globe.

The al-Azhar site confronts this challenge by mistranslating thisverse, specifiying that the "muddy spring" is in fact the Atlantic Ocean, which ''appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn'' as a muddy spring. The Sahih International translation inserts a parenthetical [as if] which does not exist in the original Arabic text and is nowhere implied.

{{Quote|{{quran|18|86}}|Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."}}

===(86:5-7) Semen production===
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production}}
{{Quran-range|86|5|7}} states that sperm originates from an area between the breastbone and the backbone.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|5-7}}|5. Now let man but think from what he is created! 
6. He is created from a drop emitted- 
7. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs}}

The al-Azhar site translates the origination point of sperm as from "between the pelvis and breast bone".

===(22:52) Satanic verses===
{{Main|Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident)}}
{{Quran|22|52}} is said to have been revealed after the incident with respect to the Satanic Verses. This verse absolves Muhammad of responsibility for the Satanic Verses. The verse says that Satan influenced the recitations of all previous prophets. The text literally says "when he recited Satan threw (something) into his recitation." (إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ)

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allāh abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allāh makes precise His verses. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.}}

*إِذَا (''itha'') - when
* تَمَنَّىٰٓ (''tamannaa'') - he recited
*أَلْقَى (''alqaa'') - threw
*ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ (''ashshaytanu'') - Satan
*فِىٓ (''fee'') - in
*أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ (''omniyyatihi'') - his recitation

Some translations try to cover up Satan's influencing of recitations. For example, by suggesting that Satan influenced people's understanding of the verse.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Whenever We sent a messenger or a prophet before you ˹O Prophet˺ and he recited ˹Our revelations˺, Satan would influence ˹people’s understanding of˺ his recitation. But ˹eventually˺ Allah would eliminate Satan’s influence. Then Allah would ˹firmly˺ establish His revelations. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.}}

{{Quote||'''T. Usmani:''' We did not send any messenger before you nor a prophet, but (he faced a situation that) when he recited (the revelation), the Satan cast (doubts in the hearts of his opponents) about what he recited. So, Allah nullifies what the Satan casts, then Allah makes His verses firm, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' We have never sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes what Satan insinuates and then God affirms His message. God is all knowing and wise:}}

{{Quote||'''M. Pickthall:''' Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise;}}

===(3:54) Allah the best of deceivers===
{{Main|Allah, the Best Deceiver (Qur'an 3:54)}}
In {{Quran|3|54}}, {{Quran|7|99}}, {{Quran|8|30}}, {{Quran|10|21}} and {{Quran|13|42}} Allah is called the best of deceivers (خير الماكرين).

{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين

'''Transliteration:''' Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena

'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and God cheated/deceived, and God (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}This has been mistranslated as the best of plotters/planners/schemers in various translations.{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And '''Allāh is the best of planners.'''}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' And they (disbelievers) plotted to kill ‘Îsâ [(Jesus) عليه السلام], and Allâh plotted too. And '''Allâh is the Best of those who plot.'''}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' The [disbelievers] schemed but God also schemed; '''God is the Best of Schemers.'''}}

===(10:5) Moon is a (reflective) light===
The Quran calls the moon a light (نُورٗا) in {{Quran|10|5}}. In reality, the moon only reflects sunlight. Some translators have tried to incorporate this in their translation, but it is not mentioned in the Arabic.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' He is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a '''reflected light''', with precisely ordained phases, so that you may know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people of knowledge.}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a '''derived light''' and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allāh has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know.}}

===(67:5) Shooting stars===
{{Main|Shooting Stars in the Quran}}
{{Quran|67|5}} discusses the [[Jinn]] (mythical creatures that are described in Islamic scriptures as living among humans)<ref>Mawdudi, Sayyid Abul Ala, Tafhim ul Quran, Markazi Maktaba Islami, Delhi, 1995, vol. 6, p.110</ref> and stars from the "lowest heaven" which are used as missiles against any mischievous jinn that attempts to eavesdrop on conversations between angels.<ref>"...''The Jinns would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the Angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the Future which they heard from Allah. The Jinns would then inform the fortune-tellers. This is why before the time of the Prophet (saws) many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions. However, upon the Prophet's arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the Angels, and any Jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars)''..." - [http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/world.html The World of Jinn] - Invitation to Islam, Issue 4, January 1998</ref>

{{quote |{{Qtt|67|5}}|وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
 '''Transliteration:''' Walaqad zayyanna alssamaa alddunya bimasabeeha wajaAAalnaha rujooman lilshshayateeni waaAAtadna lahum AAathaba alssaAAeeri '''Literal:''' And certainly We have beautified the heaven (ٱلسَّمَآءَ, ''as-samaa'a'') nearest (ٱلدُّنْيَا, ''ad-dunyaa'') with lamps (بِمَصَٰبِيحَ, ''bi-masaabeeh'') and We have made them (as) missiles (رُجُومًا, ''rujooman'') for the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment(of) the Blaze.<ref>[http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=67&verse=5 Word-by-Word Grammar - Verse (67:5)] - The Quranic Arabic Corpus</ref>}}

*ٱلسَّمَآءَ (''as-samaa'a'') means heaven or sky.<ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1/</ref>
*ٱلدُّنْيَا (''ad-dunya'') is translated "the world" or "the lower". The world" is called "the lower", because according to Islamic cosmology the heavens appear one atop the other and the earth is the lowest in this structure.
**So ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا can be understood as "the lowest heaven", "the heaven right above this flat earth", "the sky above The Lower".
*بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (''bi-masaabeeh'') - this word means "lamps" and is still used as such in modern Arabic (see Google images for مصابيح).
*رُجُومًا (''rujooman'') - it is from the same root as رجم (''rajm''), meaning "[[Stoning in Islamic Law|stoning]]", which is the Islamic punishment for sex outside marriage (Satan, or Iblis, is known as ''al-Rajeem'' or "the stoned one" ''-'' الرجيم in Arabic).

====Accurate translations====

Below are the three most popular and readily available translations of the verse from Islamic sources.

{{Quote||'''Pickthal:''' And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Shakir:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Yusuf Ali:''' And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}}The below translations from non-Islamic sources are also generally accepted, albeit not frequently cited in Islamic circles.{{Quote||'''Arberry:''' And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and made them things to stone Satans; and We have prepared for them the chastisement of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Palmer:''' And we have adorned the lower heaven with lamps; and set them to pelt the devils with; and we have prepared for them the torment of the blaze!}}

{{Quote||'''George Sale:''' Moreover We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and have appointed them to be darted at the devils, for whom We have prepared the torment of burning fire:}}

{{Quote||'''JM Rodwell:''' Moreover we have decked the lowest heaven with lights, and have placed them there to be hurled at the Satans, for whom we have prepared the torment of the flaming fire.}}

A further twelve translations confirm the above translations.<ref>{{Quote||'''Abdel Haleem:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Ahmed - Samira:''' We have adorned the lowest sky with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, for whom We have prepared a torment of most intense fire.}}{{Quote||'''Qaribullah:''' We have adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and We made them a stoning for the satans, We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze for them.}}{{Quote||'''Faridul Haque:''' And indeed We have beautified the lower heaven with lamps, and have made them weapons against the devils, and have kept prepared for them the punishment of the blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Syed Vickar Ahamed:''' And indeed, We have decorated the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them (like) missiles to drive away the Satans, and have prepared for them the penalty of the blazing Fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Taqi Usmani:''' And We have decorated the nearest sky with lamps, and have made them devices to stone the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of Hell.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Sarwar:''' We have decked the lowest heavens with torches. With these torches We have stoned the devils and We have prepared for them the torment of hell.}}{{Quote||'''Hamid S. Aziz:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for Satan, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali:''' And indeed We have already adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them outcast (meteorites) for Ash-Shayatin (The ever-vicious "ones", i.e., the devils) and We have readied for them the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Ali Quli Qara'i:''' We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Abdul Majid Daryabad:''' And assuredly We have bedecked the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for satans: and for them We have gotten ready the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Sher Ali:''' And verily, WE have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and WE have made them the means of driving away satans, and WE have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}</ref>

====Mistranslations====

The following two translations distort the idea of stars being used to stone jinn by describing the missiles as being made out of/from the stars, but not being the stars themselves.

{{Quote||'''Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):''' And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Ali Ünal:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the lowest heaven (the heaven of the world) with lamps (stars), and made (out of) them missiles to drive away devils; and for them We have prepared (in the Hereafter) the punishment of the Blaze.}}

Another two translations include their modifications without using brackets, which is even more misleading giving the impression that this text is literally part of the Arabic original:

{{Quote||'''Aisha Bewley:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made ''some of them stones'' for the shaytans for whom We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Muntakhab:''' And We decorated the lowermost heaven with lamps (or heavenly bodies), ''some of them adapted'' to be like weapons in pursuit of the evil ones for whom We have prepared torture in the blazes of Hell.}}

In two other translations, the lamps and the projectiles used against the devilish jinn are referred to as separate entities, though this disagrees with the Arabic text in which there is a pronoun used to refer to the "projectiles" whose clear antecedent is the plural word "lamps".

{{Quote||'''Khalifa:''' We adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and guarded its borders with projectiles against the devils; we prepared for them a retribution in Hell.}}

{{Quote||'''Progressive Muslims:''' And We have adorned this universe with lamps, and We made it with projectiles against the devils; and We prepared for them the retribution of the blazing Fire.}}

====Reinterpretations presented as translations====

The following translations depart entirely from the classical interpretations of the verse and, it would appear, the very wording of the verse itself.

{{Quote||'''Maulana Ali:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Shabbir Ahmed:''' And indeed, We have beautified the sky of the world with shining lamps. And made them objects of futile guesses for the satans. (15:17), (37:6-9), (72:8). And for them We have prepared the doom of blazing flames.}}

Another three translations go a little further, asserting that the "devils/evil ones" refer to evil human cohorts and not to the jinn.

{{Quote||'''Asad:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame –}}

{{Quote||'''Farook Malik:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Amatul Rahman Omar:''' We have, certainly, adorned the lowest heaven with (stars-like) lamps and We have made them as means of conjecture for the evil ones (and the astrologers who invent good or bad omens from the movement of the stars). (Remember) We have prepared for these (soothesayers) the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}

====Incorporation of modern science into translation====

The following translation attempts to incorporate modern scientific understandings of cosmology into its reading of the verse, though makes it a point to use brackets to differentiate words inserted to facilitate this understanding from the original Arabic text itself:

{{Quote||'''Bijan Moeinian:''' God has adorned the lowest universe with the sources of light [probably a reference to the Quasars], being used as missiles against the devils [perhaps the reference is to anti-matter which will be destroyed immediately in contact with the matter] and prepared for them a blazing fire.}}

==Hadith==
=== The sun will rise "in the West"===

A sign of the last hour that appears in numerous hadiths is often mistranslated as the sun rising "in the West". This mistranslation occurs throughout the English translation of Sahih Bukhari by Muhsin Khan and sometimes in the translation of Sahih Muslim by Abdul Hamid Sadiqqui.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|421}}|Narrated Abu Dhar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come '''and so it will rise in the west'''. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing." (36.38)}}

While the Arabic word al maghrib was commonly used to mean the West in general, in fact a much more specific form occurs in these hadiths. In every hadith narration of this prophecy, the Arabic phrase is always min maghribi-ha (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا), which means that the sun is told to go and rise "from its setting place", without the definite article and with the possessive suffix. In one narration in Sahih Muslim (which is accurately translated), there is in addition the phrase min maghribi-ki (مِنْ مَغْرِبِكِ), which means the sun is told to go and rise "from the place of your setting". Earlier in the same narration, the sun is usually commanded to rise min matli'iha (مِنْ مَطْلِعِهَا) which means "from its rising place". This uses the same word as occurs in the Dhu'l Qarnayn story, {{Quran|18|90}}, matli'a ash-shamsi, "the rising place of the sun", and was not the word used throughout the Quran and hadiths to mean the East in general, which was al mashriq (ٱلْمَشْرِق).

{{Quote|{{Muslim|1|297}}|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the Sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the Sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out '''from its rising place''' and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything (unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out '''from the place of your setting''', and it will rise '''from the place of its setting'''. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}

===Aisha's age at consummation===
'Aisha lived with her parents before her marriage to Muhammad was consummated at the age of 9 ({{Muslim|8|3310}}). The following mistranslation is often presented as evidence that she reached puberty while she still lived there.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|465}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings...}}The word أَعْقِلْ means to use thoughts or reasoning, but the translator Muhsin Khan has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is that 'Aisha was never aware of a time when her parents were not Muslim. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion" (لَمْ أَعْقِلْ أَبَوَىَّ إِلاَّ وَهُمَا يَدِينَانِ الدِّينَ).

The same Arabic phrase is translated as follows in another hadith by the same translator:{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|73|102}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) "I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the Religion (of Islam), and our being visited by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the morning and in the evening....}}See also the two other occurrences in {{Bukhari|3|37|494}} and {{Bukhari|5|58|245}}.

The 'puberty' mistranslation also fails to achieve chronological sensibility. 'Aisha's father, Abu Bakr, was one of Muhammad's first followers. It would not have taken until puberty for 'Aisha to notice that her father followed the religion.

===Hadith in which Aisha menstruated===
A mistranslated hadith has a comment from Abu Dawud supposedly about Aisha menstruating when she was nine. This is Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam).
{{Quote|{{Abudawud||4915|hasan}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.}}

Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated". Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply".

Abu Dawud's comment is ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ), which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed". Form I can mean menstruated, but that is not the form used in the hadith.<ref>nun-fa-sin - [https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/25_n/208_nfs.html Lane's Lexicon]</ref>

=== Hit women without leaving a mark===
Muhammad's 'Farewell Sermon' appears in various hadith collections and al-Tabari's History. A short version is found in ''Sunan Ibn Majah''. The Arabic words here translated 'and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark' are a mistranslation.

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|9|1851}}|Then he said: 'I enjoin good treatment of women, for they are prisoners with you, and you have no right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear indecency. If they do that, then forsake them in their beds '''and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark.'''}}

The highlighted phrase is fadribuhunna darban ghayra mubarrih (فَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ). A literal translation is, 'then beat them, a beating without severity'. The last word is defined in Lane's Lexicon as violence/severity/sharpness/vehemence<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000219.pdf Lane's Lexicon] Book I page 182</ref>'.

The same Arabic phrase appears in the other versions of the farewell sermon. The translators of Sunan Abu Dawud and al-Tabari's History both renders it 'beat them, but not severely'.

{{Quote|1=[http://sunnah.com/abudawud/11/185 Abu Dawud 10:1900]|2=Fear Allaah regarding women for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allaah’s word. It is a duty from you on them not to allow anyone whom you dislike to lie on your beds but if they do '''beat them, but not severely.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|pp. 112-113}}|"Now then, O people, you have a right over your wives and they have a right over you. You have [the right] that they should not cause anyone of whom you dislike to tread on your beds; and that they should not commit any open indecency. If they do, then Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms '''and to beat them, but not severely'''. If they abstain from [evil], they have the right to their food and clothing in accordance with the custom. Treat women well, for they are [like] domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. You have taken them only as a trust from Allah, and you have made the enjoyment of their persons lawful by the word of Allah, so understand and listen to my words, O people.}}

The versions of the farewell sermon found in {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3087}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not painful', and {{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1163}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not harmful', consist of the same Arabic words as quoted above and found in other versions of the farewell sermon.

In his tafsir, al-Tabari quotes Qatada clarifying that the phrase means ''ghayr sha'in'' (that is, 'without being disgraceful/outrageous/obscene/indecent'),<ref>[https://tafsir.app/tabari/4/34 al-Tabari 4:34]</ref> while he records that Ibn Abbas explained it as 'Hitting with a siwaak and the like'. It appears that over time there were efforts to temper the abusive results of the Quranic verse. For further relevant hadiths and information see [[Wife_Beating_in_Islamic_Law#Additional_attempts_at_moderating_severe_beatings|Wife Beating in Islamic Law]].

=== Abu Bakr insults a Meccan polytheist===
In a hadith found in Sahih Bukhari a Meccan polytheist at Hudaybiyyah tries to discourage Muhammad from fighting. In response Abu Bakr tells him to suck on al-Lat's clitoris (فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ). This has been covered up in the English translation by Muhsin Khan. In this translation the incident is translated as 'Abu Bakr abused him'.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|50|891}}|[...] Then `Urwa said, "O Muhammad! Won't you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone." Hearing that, '''Abu Bakr abused him''' and said, "Do you say we would run and leave the Prophet (ﷺ) alone?" `Urwa said, "Who is that man?" They said, "He is Abu Bakr." `Urwa said to Abu Bakr, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not compensate, I would retort on you." [...]}}

=== Muhammad says his aorta is being cut from poison===
In the following hadith from Sahih Bukhari Muhammad says he feels his aorta is being cut from the poisoned food he ate at Khaybar. This strongly implies Muhammad died because of poisoning. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan the words 'as if' have been added. As a result, the English translation doesn't imply as strongly as the Arabic text that Muhammad died because of poisoning. Yet, it says Muhammad experienced a lot of pain from the poisoning shortly before his death.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|713}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) in his ailment in which he died, used to say, "O `Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel '''as if''' my aorta is being cut from that poison."}}

===Muhammad forbids imposing conditions found in the hadith===
In the following hadith Muhammad says people should not impose conditions which are not present in Allah's Book (كِتَابِ اللَّهِ), which is the Quran. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan this has been mistranslated to 'Allah's Laws' to justify imposing conditions which are found in the hadith.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|364}}|Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits." In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, "Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in '''Allah's Book (Laws)'''? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in '''Allah's Laws''', then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah's conditions are more binding and reliable."}}

=== Satan lays eggs in the marketplace of Medina and hatches them ===
The following hadith contains two narrations. The second of these has not been translated into English. It says that people should not be first to enter the marketplace, nor the last to leave it, because it is where Satan lays his eggs and hatches them.

{{Quote|[https://quranx.com/hadith/Saliheen/In-Book/Book-19/Hadith-1842/ Riyad As-Salihin 19:1842]|
Salman Al-Farisi (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not, if you can help, be the first to enter the market and the last to leave it because it is an arena of Satan and the standard of Satan is set there."[Muslim].There are other narrations with some variation in the wordings.}}

===If ten Jews followed Muhammad, all Jews would embrace Islam===
In the following hadith Muhammads says that if ten Jews (عَشْرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ) followed him, all Jews would embrace Islam. If ten Jews indeed followed Muhammad, this would be a false prophecy, because there are Jews who have not embraced Islam in modern times. To cover this up, the hadith has been mistranslated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui so that it says 'ten scholars of the Jews'.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|39|6711}}|
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

If '''ten scholars of the Jews''' would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth who would not embrace Islam.}}

===Muhammad hits Aisha===
In the following hadith it says Muhammad struck Aisha on the chest which caused her pain (فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي). On sunnah.com it says Muhammad gave Aisha a nudge on the chest which she felt. While the translations for Sahih Muslim have been provided by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n537/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:974b Sahih Muslim 4:2127]|2= [...] He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. '''He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt''', and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? [...]}}

===Muhammad has been made victorious with terror===
In the following hadith Muhammad says he has been made victorious with terror (نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ). On sunnah.com this has been changed to 'awe'. While the translations for Sahih Bukhari have been provided by Muhsin Khan, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n1629/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2977 Sahih Bukhari 4:52:220]|2= Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with '''awe''' (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them).}}

===Extra part of a verse is recited===
In the following hadith Ibn Abbas recites a verse of the Quran as "‏‏وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ‏‏ '''وَرَهْطَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِين'''" (And warn your tribe of near kindred '''and your chosen group from among them''') The first part corresponds to {{Quran|26|214}}. But the second part (in bold) is not part of the Quran nowadays. This part is not included in the English translation on quranx.com or sunnah.com, but it is part of [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n2869/mode/2up Muhsin Khan's translation].

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|495}}|
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

When the Verse:-- 'And warn your tribe of near kindred.' (26.214) was revealed. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out, and when he had ascended As-Safa mountain, he shouted, "O Sabahah!" The people said, [...]}}

==See Also==

*[[Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture (English)]]
*[[Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths]]

==External Links==

*{{external link| url = http://www.faithfreedom.org/the-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran/| title = The Deceptive Translations of the Quran| publisher = | author = | date = | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithfreedom.org%2Fthe-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran%2F&date=2013-11-26| deadurl = no}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
<references />
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Dawah]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Modern movements]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Tafsir]]
[[Category:Modernism]]

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-05-20T15:38:37Z

AdrianE: Added the verse about the moon being a reflective light.

{{QualityScore|Lead=2|Structure=3|Content=3|Language=3|References=3}}
{{Quran|15|9}} declares that the [[Qur'an]] is [[Allah|Allah's]] [[revelation]] and that he promises to preserve it and protect it from corruption. In {{Quran|16|103}}, {{Quran|44|58}} and {{Quran|54|22}}, [{{Quran-url-only|54|32}} 32], [{{Quran-url-only|54|40}} 40], it is emphasized that the Qur'an was revealed in straight forward, easy to understand, and pure Arabic. Sunni Islamic scholars agree that all that which is fundamental to Islam (particularly most of Islamic law) which is not contained in the Quran must have been preserved in the form of hadiths. However, translations of these scriptures have not always been rendered faithfully into other languages such as English, particularly in recent times and especially when the audience concerned is that of a developed, first-world variety which likely holds to modern notions of human rights and liberalism.

Some of the most prominent and officially recognized English translators of the Qur'an (like Yusuf Ali, Dr. Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Asad), in particular, have often (seemingly deliberately, given their knowledge and skill) mistranslated the most controversial and problematic verses in Qur'an. That these inaccurate translations are most common with verses that would be considered contrary to modern liberal values in the West suggests that these mistranslations were not unintentional or due to some unique difficulty of the Arabic words used in these verses. Similar mistranslations have been observed in translations of the hadiths as well as in translations of other key Islamic texts, such as legal manuals.

==Quran==

===(4:34) Wife-beating===
{{Main|Wife Beating in the Qur'an}}
{{Quran|4|34}} famously instructs men to beat their wives and forms the basis of the Islamic legal ruling which permits as much. The below translation is taken from Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).}}

This verse states that men are in charge of women with what they spend on them, and have the right to direct them in life. Also in the same verse, women are told to obey men and if they don’t, then men have the authority to admonish them and if they persist in disobedience (or, read more literally, if the husband simply ''fears'' disobedience), then men may proceed to beat them. Yusuf Ali, a prominent translator of the Qur'an, adds the word “lightly” in brackets, after “beating them”, despite the fact that this word or connonation is not found in the source text.

===(23:14) Fetal development===
{{Quran|23|14}} presents a schema regarding the development of the human fetus. The following translations are taken from Pickthall an Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Pickthal:''' Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators! 

'''Yusuf Ali:''' Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!}}

This verse is often used as an example of how translators (in this case Yusuf Ali, who is authorized by the Saudi Islamic authority and Al-Azhar University) have often mistranslated verses in ways that appear less objectionable liberal, Western audiences.

Yusuf Ali, in his translation, replaces the word "then" with "and". He also replaces “the best of creators” (plural) with “the best to create” (singular). The difference in the meaning is crucial because the word “then” suggests another and separate phase, while the word “and” means bones and flesh form simultaneously or during one phase, which conforms to modern science, even though this does not appear in the original Arabic text.

Likewise, the plural form of “creators” seems to affirm the existence of ''multiple'' creators (''of whom'' Allah would be the best), which appears to contradict the key Islamic doctrine of ''tawḥīd'' (توحيد) regarding the oneness of Allah, the ''only'' creator. Similar mistranslations are given by the Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Saad translations. By contrast, the Pickthal translation is more accurate in this case, conforming to the original Arabic text.

Similarly distorted translations are also presented by institutions such as al-Azhar, the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf, and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as is seen on the Al-Azhar web site. The above verse is translated as below:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamic-council.com/qurane/def1.asp Quran 23:14]|2=Then We created the nutfah (sperm-drop) into a clinging organism. Then We created the clinging organism into a bolus-like chewed-up mass of coherent body of matter. Then We created the bolus-like chewed-up mass into bones, and We dressed the bones flesh. Out of this We brought it forth as a different creation. So, blessed be Allâh, The Fairest of creators.}}

===(18:86) Sun sets in a muddy spring===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}
{{Quran|18|86}} describes the story of Dhul-Qarnayn (Alexander the Great) wherein he is said to arrive at a location where he observes the sun setting in a muddy spring.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.}}

Modern Islamic scholars have argued that the verse describes a visual representation of what Dhul-Qarnayn saw as the sun set into the “horizon”. Such explanations are frustrated by authoritative sources, themselves represented by the likes of ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn'' (p. 251), and numerous classical authorities (which explain that the setting of the sun is in a well containing a murky mud). The same interpretation is found in al-Tabari’s commentaries (p. 339) as well as in the ''Concise Interpretation of al-Tabari'' (p. 19 of part 2) in which he remarks that the well in which the sun sets "contains lime and murky mud". The words “apparent” or “looks like” do not appear in classical explanations or commentaries. Indeed, the verse appears to reflect the [[Cosmology of the Quran|cosmological views]] [[Muhammad|Muhammad]] would have been expected to have in seventh century Arabia. Furthermore, since the earth is in fact round, [[Flat Earth and the Quran|not flat]] (as the Qur'an appears to suggest), Dhul-Qarnayn could never have reached some "farthest point", since no such point exists on a globe.

The al-Azhar site confronts this challenge by mistranslating thisverse, specifiying that the "muddy spring" is in fact the Atlantic Ocean, which ''appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn'' as a muddy spring. The Sahih International translation inserts a parenthetical [as if] which does not exist in the original Arabic text and is nowhere implied.

{{Quote|{{quran|18|86}}|Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."}}

===(86:5-7) Semen production===
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production}}
{{Quran-range|86|5|7}} states that sperm originates from an area between the breastbone and the backbone.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|5-7}}|5. Now let man but think from what he is created! 
6. He is created from a drop emitted- 
7. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs}}

The al-Azhar site translates the origination point of sperm as from "between the pelvis and breast bone".

===(22:52) Satanic verses===
{{Main|Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident)}}
{{Quran|22|52}} is said to have been revealed after the incident with respect to the Satanic Verses. This verse absolves Muhammad of responsibility for the Satanic Verses. The verse says that Satan influenced the recitations of all previous prophets. The text literally says "when he recited Satan threw (something) into his recitation." (إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ)

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allāh abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allāh makes precise His verses. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.}}

*إِذَا (''itha'') - when
* تَمَنَّىٰٓ (''tamannaa'') - he recited
*أَلْقَى (''alqaa'') - threw
*ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ (''ashshaytanu'') - Satan
*فِىٓ (''fee'') - in
*أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ (''omniyyatihi'') - his recitation

Some translations try to cover up Satan's influencing of recitations. For example, by suggesting that Satan influenced people's understanding of the verse.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Whenever We sent a messenger or a prophet before you ˹O Prophet˺ and he recited ˹Our revelations˺, Satan would influence ˹people’s understanding of˺ his recitation. But ˹eventually˺ Allah would eliminate Satan’s influence. Then Allah would ˹firmly˺ establish His revelations. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.}}

{{Quote||'''T. Usmani:''' We did not send any messenger before you nor a prophet, but (he faced a situation that) when he recited (the revelation), the Satan cast (doubts in the hearts of his opponents) about what he recited. So, Allah nullifies what the Satan casts, then Allah makes His verses firm, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' We have never sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes what Satan insinuates and then God affirms His message. God is all knowing and wise:}}

{{Quote||'''M. Pickthall:''' Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise;}}

===(3:54) Allah the best of deceivers===
{{Main|Allah, the Best Deceiver (Qur'an 3:54)}}
In {{Quran|3|54}}, {{Quran|7|99}}, {{Quran|8|30}}, {{Quran|10|21}} and {{Quran|13|42}} Allah is called the best of deceivers (خير الماكرين).

{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين

'''Transliteration:''' Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena

'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and God cheated/deceived, and God (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}This has been mistranslated as the best of plotters/planners/schemers in various translations.{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And '''Allāh is the best of planners.'''}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' And they (disbelievers) plotted to kill ‘Îsâ [(Jesus) عليه السلام], and Allâh plotted too. And '''Allâh is the Best of those who plot.'''}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' The [disbelievers] schemed but God also schemed; '''God is the Best of Schemers.'''}}

===(10:5) Moon is a (reflective) light===
The Quran calls the moon a light (نُورٗا). In reality, the moon only reflects sunlight. Some translators have tried to incorporate this in their translation, but it is not mentioned in the Arabic.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' He is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a '''reflected light''', with precisely ordained phases, so that you may know the number of years and calculation ˹of time˺. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people of knowledge.}}

{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a '''derived light''' and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allāh has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know.}}

===(67:5) Shooting stars===
{{Main|Shooting Stars in the Quran}}
{{Quran|67|5}} discusses the [[Jinn]] (mythical creatures that are described in Islamic scriptures as living among humans)<ref>Mawdudi, Sayyid Abul Ala, Tafhim ul Quran, Markazi Maktaba Islami, Delhi, 1995, vol. 6, p.110</ref> and stars from the "lowest heaven" which are used as missiles against any mischievous jinn that attempts to eavesdrop on conversations between angels.<ref>"...''The Jinns would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the Angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the Future which they heard from Allah. The Jinns would then inform the fortune-tellers. This is why before the time of the Prophet (saws) many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions. However, upon the Prophet's arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the Angels, and any Jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars)''..." - [http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/world.html The World of Jinn] - Invitation to Islam, Issue 4, January 1998</ref>

{{quote |{{Qtt|67|5}}|وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
 '''Transliteration:''' Walaqad zayyanna alssamaa alddunya bimasabeeha wajaAAalnaha rujooman lilshshayateeni waaAAtadna lahum AAathaba alssaAAeeri '''Literal:''' And certainly We have beautified the heaven (ٱلسَّمَآءَ, ''as-samaa'a'') nearest (ٱلدُّنْيَا, ''ad-dunyaa'') with lamps (بِمَصَٰبِيحَ, ''bi-masaabeeh'') and We have made them (as) missiles (رُجُومًا, ''rujooman'') for the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment(of) the Blaze.<ref>[http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=67&verse=5 Word-by-Word Grammar - Verse (67:5)] - The Quranic Arabic Corpus</ref>}}

*ٱلسَّمَآءَ (''as-samaa'a'') means heaven or sky.<ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1/</ref>
*ٱلدُّنْيَا (''ad-dunya'') is translated "the world" or "the lower". The world" is called "the lower", because according to Islamic cosmology the heavens appear one atop the other and the earth is the lowest in this structure.
**So ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا can be understood as "the lowest heaven", "the heaven right above this flat earth", "the sky above The Lower".
*بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (''bi-masaabeeh'') - this word means "lamps" and is still used as such in modern Arabic (see Google images for مصابيح).
* رُجُومًا (''rujooman'') - it is from the same root as رجم (''rajm''), meaning "[[Stoning in Islamic Law|stoning]]", which is the Islamic punishment for sex outside marriage (Satan, or Iblis, is known as ''al-Rajeem'' or "the stoned one" ''-'' الرجيم in Arabic).

====Accurate translations====

Below are the three most popular and readily available translations of the verse from Islamic sources.

{{Quote||'''Pickthal:''' And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Shakir:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Yusuf Ali:''' And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}}The below translations from non-Islamic sources are also generally accepted, albeit not frequently cited in Islamic circles.{{Quote||'''Arberry:''' And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and made them things to stone Satans; and We have prepared for them the chastisement of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Palmer:''' And we have adorned the lower heaven with lamps; and set them to pelt the devils with; and we have prepared for them the torment of the blaze!}}

{{Quote||'''George Sale:''' Moreover We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and have appointed them to be darted at the devils, for whom We have prepared the torment of burning fire:}}

{{Quote||'''JM Rodwell:''' Moreover we have decked the lowest heaven with lights, and have placed them there to be hurled at the Satans, for whom we have prepared the torment of the flaming fire.}}

A further twelve translations confirm the above translations.<ref>{{Quote||'''Abdel Haleem:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Ahmed - Samira:''' We have adorned the lowest sky with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, for whom We have prepared a torment of most intense fire.}}{{Quote||'''Qaribullah:''' We have adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and We made them a stoning for the satans, We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze for them.}}{{Quote||'''Faridul Haque:''' And indeed We have beautified the lower heaven with lamps, and have made them weapons against the devils, and have kept prepared for them the punishment of the blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Syed Vickar Ahamed:''' And indeed, We have decorated the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them (like) missiles to drive away the Satans, and have prepared for them the penalty of the blazing Fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Taqi Usmani:''' And We have decorated the nearest sky with lamps, and have made them devices to stone the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of Hell.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Sarwar:''' We have decked the lowest heavens with torches. With these torches We have stoned the devils and We have prepared for them the torment of hell.}}{{Quote||'''Hamid S. Aziz:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for Satan, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali:''' And indeed We have already adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them outcast (meteorites) for Ash-Shayatin (The ever-vicious "ones", i.e., the devils) and We have readied for them the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Ali Quli Qara'i:''' We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Abdul Majid Daryabad:''' And assuredly We have bedecked the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for satans: and for them We have gotten ready the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Sher Ali:''' And verily, WE have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and WE have made them the means of driving away satans, and WE have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}</ref>

====Mistranslations====

The following two translations distort the idea of stars being used to stone jinn by describing the missiles as being made out of/from the stars, but not being the stars themselves.

{{Quote||'''Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):''' And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Ali Ünal:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the lowest heaven (the heaven of the world) with lamps (stars), and made (out of) them missiles to drive away devils; and for them We have prepared (in the Hereafter) the punishment of the Blaze.}}

Another two translations include their modifications without using brackets, which is even more misleading giving the impression that this text is literally part of the Arabic original:

{{Quote||'''Aisha Bewley:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made ''some of them stones'' for the shaytans for whom We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Muntakhab:''' And We decorated the lowermost heaven with lamps (or heavenly bodies), ''some of them adapted'' to be like weapons in pursuit of the evil ones for whom We have prepared torture in the blazes of Hell.}}

In two other translations, the lamps and the projectiles used against the devilish jinn are referred to as separate entities, though this disagrees with the Arabic text in which there is a pronoun used to refer to the "projectiles" whose clear antecedent is the plural word "lamps".

{{Quote||'''Khalifa:''' We adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and guarded its borders with projectiles against the devils; we prepared for them a retribution in Hell.}}

{{Quote||'''Progressive Muslims:''' And We have adorned this universe with lamps, and We made it with projectiles against the devils; and We prepared for them the retribution of the blazing Fire.}}

====Reinterpretations presented as translations====

The following translations depart entirely from the classical interpretations of the verse and, it would appear, the very wording of the verse itself.

{{Quote||'''Maulana Ali:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Shabbir Ahmed:''' And indeed, We have beautified the sky of the world with shining lamps. And made them objects of futile guesses for the satans. (15:17), (37:6-9), (72:8). And for them We have prepared the doom of blazing flames.}}

Another three translations go a little further, asserting that the "devils/evil ones" refer to evil human cohorts and not to the jinn.

{{Quote||'''Asad:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame –}}

{{Quote||'''Farook Malik:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Amatul Rahman Omar:''' We have, certainly, adorned the lowest heaven with (stars-like) lamps and We have made them as means of conjecture for the evil ones (and the astrologers who invent good or bad omens from the movement of the stars). (Remember) We have prepared for these (soothesayers) the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}

====Incorporation of modern science into translation====

The following translation attempts to incorporate modern scientific understandings of cosmology into its reading of the verse, though makes it a point to use brackets to differentiate words inserted to facilitate this understanding from the original Arabic text itself:

{{Quote||'''Bijan Moeinian:''' God has adorned the lowest universe with the sources of light [probably a reference to the Quasars], being used as missiles against the devils [perhaps the reference is to anti-matter which will be destroyed immediately in contact with the matter] and prepared for them a blazing fire.}}

==Hadith==
=== The sun will rise "in the West"===

A sign of the last hour that appears in numerous hadiths is often mistranslated as the sun rising "in the West". This mistranslation occurs throughout the English translation of Sahih Bukhari by Muhsin Khan and sometimes in the translation of Sahih Muslim by Abdul Hamid Sadiqqui.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|421}}|Narrated Abu Dhar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come '''and so it will rise in the west'''. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing." (36.38)}}

While the Arabic word al maghrib was commonly used to mean the West in general, in fact a much more specific form occurs in these hadiths. In every hadith narration of this prophecy, the Arabic phrase is always min maghribi-ha (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا), which means that the sun is told to go and rise "from its setting place", without the definite article and with the possessive suffix. In one narration in Sahih Muslim (which is accurately translated), there is in addition the phrase min maghribi-ki (مِنْ مَغْرِبِكِ), which means the sun is told to go and rise "from the place of your setting". Earlier in the same narration, the sun is usually commanded to rise min matli'iha (مِنْ مَطْلِعِهَا) which means "from its rising place". This uses the same word as occurs in the Dhu'l Qarnayn story, {{Quran|18|90}}, matli'a ash-shamsi, "the rising place of the sun", and was not the word used throughout the Quran and hadiths to mean the East in general, which was al mashriq (ٱلْمَشْرِق).

{{Quote|{{Muslim|1|297}}|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the Sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the Sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out '''from its rising place''' and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything (unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out '''from the place of your setting''', and it will rise '''from the place of its setting'''. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}

===Aisha's age at consummation===
'Aisha lived with her parents before her marriage to Muhammad was consummated at the age of 9 ({{Muslim|8|3310}}). The following mistranslation is often presented as evidence that she reached puberty while she still lived there.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|465}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings...}}The word أَعْقِلْ means to use thoughts or reasoning, but the translator Muhsin Khan has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is that 'Aisha was never aware of a time when her parents were not Muslim. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion" (لَمْ أَعْقِلْ أَبَوَىَّ إِلاَّ وَهُمَا يَدِينَانِ الدِّينَ).

The same Arabic phrase is translated as follows in another hadith by the same translator:{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|73|102}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) "I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the Religion (of Islam), and our being visited by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the morning and in the evening....}}See also the two other occurrences in {{Bukhari|3|37|494}} and {{Bukhari|5|58|245}}.

The 'puberty' mistranslation also fails to achieve chronological sensibility. 'Aisha's father, Abu Bakr, was one of Muhammad's first followers. It would not have taken until puberty for 'Aisha to notice that her father followed the religion.

===Hadith in which Aisha menstruated===
A mistranslated hadith has a comment from Abu Dawud supposedly about Aisha menstruating when she was nine. This is Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam).
{{Quote|{{Abudawud||4915|hasan}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.}}

Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated". Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply".

Abu Dawud's comment is ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ), which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed". Form I can mean menstruated, but that is not the form used in the hadith.<ref>nun-fa-sin - [https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/25_n/208_nfs.html Lane's Lexicon]</ref>

=== Hit women without leaving a mark===
Muhammad's 'Farewell Sermon' appears in various hadith collections and al-Tabari's History. A short version is found in ''Sunan Ibn Majah''. The Arabic words here translated 'and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark' are a mistranslation.

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|9|1851}}|Then he said: 'I enjoin good treatment of women, for they are prisoners with you, and you have no right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear indecency. If they do that, then forsake them in their beds '''and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark.'''}}

The highlighted phrase is fadribuhunna darban ghayra mubarrih (فَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ). A literal translation is, 'then beat them, a beating without severity'. The last word is defined in Lane's Lexicon as violence/severity/sharpness/vehemence<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000219.pdf Lane's Lexicon] Book I page 182</ref>'.

The same Arabic phrase appears in the other versions of the farewell sermon. The translators of Sunan Abu Dawud and al-Tabari's History both renders it 'beat them, but not severely'.

{{Quote|1=[http://sunnah.com/abudawud/11/185 Abu Dawud 10:1900]|2=Fear Allaah regarding women for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allaah’s word. It is a duty from you on them not to allow anyone whom you dislike to lie on your beds but if they do '''beat them, but not severely.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|pp. 112-113}}|"Now then, O people, you have a right over your wives and they have a right over you. You have [the right] that they should not cause anyone of whom you dislike to tread on your beds; and that they should not commit any open indecency. If they do, then Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms '''and to beat them, but not severely'''. If they abstain from [evil], they have the right to their food and clothing in accordance with the custom. Treat women well, for they are [like] domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. You have taken them only as a trust from Allah, and you have made the enjoyment of their persons lawful by the word of Allah, so understand and listen to my words, O people.}}

The versions of the farewell sermon found in {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3087}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not painful', and {{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1163}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not harmful', consist of the same Arabic words as quoted above and found in other versions of the farewell sermon.

In his tafsir, al-Tabari quotes Qatada clarifying that the phrase means ''ghayr sha'in'' (that is, 'without being disgraceful/outrageous/obscene/indecent'),<ref>[https://tafsir.app/tabari/4/34 al-Tabari 4:34]</ref> while he records that Ibn Abbas explained it as 'Hitting with a siwaak and the like'. It appears that over time there were efforts to temper the abusive results of the Quranic verse. For further relevant hadiths and information see [[Wife_Beating_in_Islamic_Law#Additional_attempts_at_moderating_severe_beatings|Wife Beating in Islamic Law]].

===Abu Bakr insults a Meccan polytheist===
In a hadith found in Sahih Bukhari a Meccan polytheist at Hudaybiyyah tries to discourage Muhammad from fighting. In response Abu Bakr tells him to suck on al-Lat's clitoris (فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ). This has been covered up in the English translation by Muhsin Khan. In this translation the incident is translated as 'Abu Bakr abused him'.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|50|891}}|[...] Then `Urwa said, "O Muhammad! Won't you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone." Hearing that, '''Abu Bakr abused him''' and said, "Do you say we would run and leave the Prophet (ﷺ) alone?" `Urwa said, "Who is that man?" They said, "He is Abu Bakr." `Urwa said to Abu Bakr, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not compensate, I would retort on you." [...]}}

=== Muhammad says his aorta is being cut from poison===
In the following hadith from Sahih Bukhari Muhammad says he feels his aorta is being cut from the poisoned food he ate at Khaybar. This strongly implies Muhammad died because of poisoning. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan the words 'as if' have been added. As a result, the English translation doesn't imply as strongly as the Arabic text that Muhammad died because of poisoning. Yet, it says Muhammad experienced a lot of pain from the poisoning shortly before his death.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|713}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) in his ailment in which he died, used to say, "O `Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel '''as if''' my aorta is being cut from that poison."}}

===Muhammad forbids imposing conditions found in the hadith===
In the following hadith Muhammad says people should not impose conditions which are not present in Allah's Book (كِتَابِ اللَّهِ), which is the Quran. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan this has been mistranslated to 'Allah's Laws' to justify imposing conditions which are found in the hadith.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|364}}|Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits." In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, "Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in '''Allah's Book (Laws)'''? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in '''Allah's Laws''', then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah's conditions are more binding and reliable."}}

===Satan lays eggs in the marketplace of Medina and hatches them===
The following hadith contains two narrations. The second of these has not been translated into English. It says that people should not be first to enter the marketplace, nor the last to leave it, because it is where Satan lays his eggs and hatches them.

{{Quote|[https://quranx.com/hadith/Saliheen/In-Book/Book-19/Hadith-1842/ Riyad As-Salihin 19:1842]|
Salman Al-Farisi (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not, if you can help, be the first to enter the market and the last to leave it because it is an arena of Satan and the standard of Satan is set there."[Muslim].There are other narrations with some variation in the wordings.}}

===If ten Jews followed Muhammad, all Jews would embrace Islam===
In the following hadith Muhammads says that if ten Jews (عَشْرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ) followed him, all Jews would embrace Islam. If ten Jews indeed followed Muhammad, this would be a false prophecy, because there are Jews who have not embraced Islam in modern times. To cover this up, the hadith has been mistranslated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui so that it says 'ten scholars of the Jews'.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|39|6711}}|
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

If '''ten scholars of the Jews''' would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth who would not embrace Islam.}}

===Muhammad hits Aisha===
In the following hadith it says Muhammad struck Aisha on the chest which caused her pain (فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي). On sunnah.com it says Muhammad gave Aisha a nudge on the chest which she felt. While the translations for Sahih Muslim have been provided by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n537/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:974b Sahih Muslim 4:2127]|2= [...] He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. '''He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt''', and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? [...]}}

===Muhammad has been made victorious with terror===
In the following hadith Muhammad says he has been made victorious with terror (نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ). On sunnah.com this has been changed to 'awe'. While the translations for Sahih Bukhari have been provided by Muhsin Khan, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n1629/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2977 Sahih Bukhari 4:52:220]|2= Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with '''awe''' (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them).}}

==See Also==

*[[Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture (English)]]
*[[Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths]]

==External Links==

*{{external link| url = http://www.faithfreedom.org/the-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran/| title = The Deceptive Translations of the Quran| publisher = | author = | date = | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithfreedom.org%2Fthe-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran%2F&date=2013-11-26| deadurl = no}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
<references />
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Dawah]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Modern movements]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Tafsir]]
[[Category:Modernism]]

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-05-20T13:57:56Z

AdrianE: Added two hadith. The translations of both hadith were altered so that the meaning is slightly different. People weren't informed of this.

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{{Quran|15|9}} declares that the [[Qur'an]] is [[Allah|Allah's]] [[revelation]] and that he promises to preserve it and protect it from corruption. In {{Quran|16|103}}, {{Quran|44|58}} and {{Quran|54|22}}, [{{Quran-url-only|54|32}} 32], [{{Quran-url-only|54|40}} 40], it is emphasized that the Qur'an was revealed in straight forward, easy to understand, and pure Arabic. Sunni Islamic scholars agree that all that which is fundamental to Islam (particularly most of Islamic law) which is not contained in the Quran must have been preserved in the form of hadiths. However, translations of these scriptures have not always been rendered faithfully into other languages such as English, particularly in recent times and especially when the audience concerned is that of a developed, first-world variety which likely holds to modern notions of human rights and liberalism.

Some of the most prominent and officially recognized English translators of the Qur'an (like Yusuf Ali, Dr. Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Asad), in particular, have often (seemingly deliberately, given their knowledge and skill) mistranslated the most controversial and problematic verses in Qur'an. That these inaccurate translations are most common with verses that would be considered contrary to modern liberal values in the West suggests that these mistranslations were not unintentional or due to some unique difficulty of the Arabic words used in these verses. Similar mistranslations have been observed in translations of the hadiths as well as in translations of other key Islamic texts, such as legal manuals.

==Quran==

===(4:34) Wife-beating===
{{Main|Wife Beating in the Qur'an}}
{{Quran|4|34}} famously instructs men to beat their wives and forms the basis of the Islamic legal ruling which permits as much. The below translation is taken from Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|34}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).}}

This verse states that men are in charge of women with what they spend on them, and have the right to direct them in life. Also in the same verse, women are told to obey men and if they don’t, then men have the authority to admonish them and if they persist in disobedience (or, read more literally, if the husband simply ''fears'' disobedience), then men may proceed to beat them. Yusuf Ali, a prominent translator of the Qur'an, adds the word “lightly” in brackets, after “beating them”, despite the fact that this word or connonation is not found in the source text.

===(23:14) Fetal development===
{{Quran|23|14}} presents a schema regarding the development of the human fetus. The following translations are taken from Pickthall an Yusuf Ali.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|'''Pickthal:''' Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators! 

'''Yusuf Ali:''' Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!}}

This verse is often used as an example of how translators (in this case Yusuf Ali, who is authorized by the Saudi Islamic authority and Al-Azhar University) have often mistranslated verses in ways that appear less objectionable liberal, Western audiences.

Yusuf Ali, in his translation, replaces the word "then" with "and". He also replaces “the best of creators” (plural) with “the best to create” (singular). The difference in the meaning is crucial because the word “then” suggests another and separate phase, while the word “and” means bones and flesh form simultaneously or during one phase, which conforms to modern science, even though this does not appear in the original Arabic text.

Likewise, the plural form of “creators” seems to affirm the existence of ''multiple'' creators (''of whom'' Allah would be the best), which appears to contradict the key Islamic doctrine of ''tawḥīd'' (توحيد) regarding the oneness of Allah, the ''only'' creator. Similar mistranslations are given by the Rashad Khalifa and Muhammad Saad translations. By contrast, the Pickthal translation is more accurate in this case, conforming to the original Arabic text.

Similarly distorted translations are also presented by institutions such as al-Azhar, the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf, and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as is seen on the Al-Azhar web site. The above verse is translated as below:

{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamic-council.com/qurane/def1.asp Quran 23:14]|2=Then We created the nutfah (sperm-drop) into a clinging organism. Then We created the clinging organism into a bolus-like chewed-up mass of coherent body of matter. Then We created the bolus-like chewed-up mass into bones, and We dressed the bones flesh. Out of this We brought it forth as a different creation. So, blessed be Allâh, The Fairest of creators.}}

===(18:86) Sun sets in a muddy spring===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}
{{Quran|18|86}} describes the story of Dhul-Qarnayn (Alexander the Great) wherein he is said to arrive at a location where he observes the sun setting in a muddy spring.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.}}

Modern Islamic scholars have argued that the verse describes a visual representation of what Dhul-Qarnayn saw as the sun set into the “horizon”. Such explanations are frustrated by authoritative sources, themselves represented by the likes of ''Tafsir Al-Jalalayn'' (p. 251), and numerous classical authorities (which explain that the setting of the sun is in a well containing a murky mud). The same interpretation is found in al-Tabari’s commentaries (p. 339) as well as in the ''Concise Interpretation of al-Tabari'' (p. 19 of part 2) in which he remarks that the well in which the sun sets "contains lime and murky mud". The words “apparent” or “looks like” do not appear in classical explanations or commentaries. Indeed, the verse appears to reflect the [[Cosmology of the Quran|cosmological views]] [[Muhammad|Muhammad]] would have been expected to have in seventh century Arabia. Furthermore, since the earth is in fact round, [[Flat Earth and the Quran|not flat]] (as the Qur'an appears to suggest), Dhul-Qarnayn could never have reached some "farthest point", since no such point exists on a globe.

The al-Azhar site confronts this challenge by mistranslating thisverse, specifiying that the "muddy spring" is in fact the Atlantic Ocean, which ''appeared to Dhul-Qarnayn'' as a muddy spring. The Sahih International translation inserts a parenthetical [as if] which does not exist in the original Arabic text and is nowhere implied.

{{Quote|{{quran|18|86}}|Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it [as if] setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."}}

===(86:5-7) Semen production===
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production}}
{{Quran-range|86|5|7}} states that sperm originates from an area between the breastbone and the backbone.

{{Quote|{{Quran|86|5-7}}|5. Now let man but think from what he is created! 
6. He is created from a drop emitted- 
7. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs}}

The al-Azhar site translates the origination point of sperm as from "between the pelvis and breast bone".

===(22:52) Satanic verses===
{{Main|Satanic Verses (Gharaniq Incident)}}
{{Quran|22|52}} is said to have been revealed after the incident with respect to the Satanic Verses. This verse absolves Muhammad of responsibility for the Satanic Verses. The verse says that Satan influenced the recitations of all previous prophets. The text literally says "when he recited Satan threw (something) into his recitation." (إِذَا تَمَنَّىٰٓ أَلْقَى ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ فِىٓ أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ)

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|52}}|'''Saheeh International:''' And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allāh abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allāh makes precise His verses. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.}}

*إِذَا (''itha'') - when
* تَمَنَّىٰٓ (''tamannaa'') - he recited
*أَلْقَى (''alqaa'') - threw
*ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ (''ashshaytanu'') - Satan
*فِىٓ (''fee'') - in
*أُمْنِيَّتِهِۦ (''omniyyatihi'') - his recitation

Some translations try to cover up Satan's influencing of recitations. For example, by suggesting that Satan influenced people's understanding of the verse.

{{Quote||'''Mustafa Khattab:''' Whenever We sent a messenger or a prophet before you ˹O Prophet˺ and he recited ˹Our revelations˺, Satan would influence ˹people’s understanding of˺ his recitation. But ˹eventually˺ Allah would eliminate Satan’s influence. Then Allah would ˹firmly˺ establish His revelations. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.}}

{{Quote||'''T. Usmani:''' We did not send any messenger before you nor a prophet, but (he faced a situation that) when he recited (the revelation), the Satan cast (doubts in the hearts of his opponents) about what he recited. So, Allah nullifies what the Satan casts, then Allah makes His verses firm, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' We have never sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes what Satan insinuates and then God affirms His message. God is all knowing and wise:}}

{{Quote||'''M. Pickthall:''' Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise;}}

===(3:54) Allah the best of deceivers===
{{Main|Allah, the Best Deceiver (Qur'an 3:54)}}
In {{Quran|3|54}}, {{Quran|7|99}}, {{Quran|8|30}}, {{Quran|10|21}} and {{Quran|13|42}} Allah is called the best of deceivers (خير الماكرين).

{{quote |{{Qtt|3|54}}|
'''Arabic:''' ومكروا ومكر الله والله خير الماكرين

'''Transliteration:''' Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena

'''Literal:''' And they cheated/deceived and God cheated/deceived, and God (is) the best (of) the cheaters/deceivers.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/quran/surah/3/lang/englishliteral/|2=2011-08-25}} 3. Ali-Imran - The Family Of 'Imran (سورة آل عمران) - Revealed in Madinah (English: Literal)] - IslamicNature, accessed August 25, 2011</ref>}}This has been mistranslated as the best of plotters/planners/schemers in various translations.{{Quote||'''Saheeh International:''' And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And '''Allāh is the best of planners.'''}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Hilali & Khan:''' And they (disbelievers) plotted to kill ‘Îsâ [(Jesus) عليه السلام], and Allâh plotted too. And '''Allâh is the Best of those who plot.'''}}

{{Quote||'''M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:''' The [disbelievers] schemed but God also schemed; '''God is the Best of Schemers.'''}}

===(67:5) Shooting stars===
{{Main|Shooting Stars in the Quran}}
{{Quran|67|5}} discusses the [[Jinn]] (mythical creatures that are described in Islamic scriptures as living among humans)<ref>Mawdudi, Sayyid Abul Ala, Tafhim ul Quran, Markazi Maktaba Islami, Delhi, 1995, vol. 6, p.110</ref> and stars from the "lowest heaven" which are used as missiles against any mischievous jinn that attempts to eavesdrop on conversations between angels.<ref>"...''The Jinns would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the Angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the Future which they heard from Allah. The Jinns would then inform the fortune-tellers. This is why before the time of the Prophet (saws) many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions. However, upon the Prophet's arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the Angels, and any Jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars)''..." - [http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/world.html The World of Jinn] - Invitation to Islam, Issue 4, January 1998</ref>

{{quote |{{Qtt|67|5}}|وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
 '''Transliteration:''' Walaqad zayyanna alssamaa alddunya bimasabeeha wajaAAalnaha rujooman lilshshayateeni waaAAtadna lahum AAathaba alssaAAeeri '''Literal:''' And certainly We have beautified the heaven (ٱلسَّمَآءَ, ''as-samaa'a'') nearest (ٱلدُّنْيَا, ''ad-dunyaa'') with lamps (بِمَصَٰبِيحَ, ''bi-masaabeeh'') and We have made them (as) missiles (رُجُومًا, ''rujooman'') for the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment(of) the Blaze.<ref>[http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=67&verse=5 Word-by-Word Grammar - Verse (67:5)] - The Quranic Arabic Corpus</ref>}}

*ٱلسَّمَآءَ (''as-samaa'a'') means heaven or sky.<ref>https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1/</ref>
*ٱلدُّنْيَا (''ad-dunya'') is translated "the world" or "the lower". The world" is called "the lower", because according to Islamic cosmology the heavens appear one atop the other and the earth is the lowest in this structure.
** So ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا can be understood as "the lowest heaven", "the heaven right above this flat earth", "the sky above The Lower".
*بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (''bi-masaabeeh'') - this word means "lamps" and is still used as such in modern Arabic (see Google images for مصابيح).
*رُجُومًا (''rujooman'') - it is from the same root as رجم (''rajm''), meaning "[[Stoning in Islamic Law|stoning]]", which is the Islamic punishment for sex outside marriage (Satan, or Iblis, is known as ''al-Rajeem'' or "the stoned one" ''-'' الرجيم in Arabic).

====Accurate translations====

Below are the three most popular and readily available translations of the verse from Islamic sources.

{{Quote||'''Pickthal:''' And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Shakir:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for the Shaitans, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Yusuf Ali:''' And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire.}}The below translations from non-Islamic sources are also generally accepted, albeit not frequently cited in Islamic circles.{{Quote||'''Arberry:''' And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and made them things to stone Satans; and We have prepared for them the chastisement of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Palmer:''' And we have adorned the lower heaven with lamps; and set them to pelt the devils with; and we have prepared for them the torment of the blaze!}}

{{Quote||'''George Sale:''' Moreover We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and have appointed them to be darted at the devils, for whom We have prepared the torment of burning fire:}}

{{Quote||'''JM Rodwell:''' Moreover we have decked the lowest heaven with lights, and have placed them there to be hurled at the Satans, for whom we have prepared the torment of the flaming fire.}}

A further twelve translations confirm the above translations.<ref>{{Quote||'''Abdel Haleem:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Ahmed - Samira:''' We have adorned the lowest sky with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, for whom We have prepared a torment of most intense fire.}}{{Quote||'''Qaribullah:''' We have adorned the lower heaven with lamps, and We made them a stoning for the satans, We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze for them.}}{{Quote||'''Faridul Haque:''' And indeed We have beautified the lower heaven with lamps, and have made them weapons against the devils, and have kept prepared for them the punishment of the blazing fire.}}{{Quote||'''Syed Vickar Ahamed:''' And indeed, We have decorated the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them (like) missiles to drive away the Satans, and have prepared for them the penalty of the blazing Fire.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Taqi Usmani:''' And We have decorated the nearest sky with lamps, and have made them devices to stone the devils, and We have prepared for them the punishment of Hell.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Sarwar:''' We have decked the lowest heavens with torches. With these torches We have stoned the devils and We have prepared for them the torment of hell.}}{{Quote||'''Hamid S. Aziz:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We have made these missiles for Satan, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}{{Quote||'''Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali:''' And indeed We have already adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them outcast (meteorites) for Ash-Shayatin (The ever-vicious "ones", i.e., the devils) and We have readied for them the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Ali Quli Qara'i:''' We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Abdul Majid Daryabad:''' And assuredly We have bedecked the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles for satans: and for them We have gotten ready the torment of the Blaze.}}{{Quote||'''Sher Ali:''' And verily, WE have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and WE have made them the means of driving away satans, and WE have prepared for them the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}</ref>

====Mistranslations====

The following two translations distort the idea of stars being used to stone jinn by describing the missiles as being made out of/from the stars, but not being the stars themselves.

{{Quote||'''Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):''' And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Ali Ünal:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the lowest heaven (the heaven of the world) with lamps (stars), and made (out of) them missiles to drive away devils; and for them We have prepared (in the Hereafter) the punishment of the Blaze.}}

Another two translations include their modifications without using brackets, which is even more misleading giving the impression that this text is literally part of the Arabic original:

{{Quote||'''Aisha Bewley:''' We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made ''some of them stones'' for the shaytans for whom We have prepared the punishment of the Blaze.}}

{{Quote||'''Al-Muntakhab:''' And We decorated the lowermost heaven with lamps (or heavenly bodies), ''some of them adapted'' to be like weapons in pursuit of the evil ones for whom We have prepared torture in the blazes of Hell.}}

In two other translations, the lamps and the projectiles used against the devilish jinn are referred to as separate entities, though this disagrees with the Arabic text in which there is a pronoun used to refer to the "projectiles" whose clear antecedent is the plural word "lamps".

{{Quote||'''Khalifa:''' We adorned the lowest universe with lamps, and guarded its borders with projectiles against the devils; we prepared for them a retribution in Hell.}}

{{Quote||'''Progressive Muslims:''' And We have adorned this universe with lamps, and We made it with projectiles against the devils; and We prepared for them the retribution of the blazing Fire.}}

====Reinterpretations presented as translations ====

The following translations depart entirely from the classical interpretations of the verse and, it would appear, the very wording of the verse itself.

{{Quote||'''Maulana Ali:''' And certainly We have adorned this lower heaven with lamps and We make them means of conjectures for the devils, and We have prepared for them the chastisement of burning.}}

{{Quote||'''Shabbir Ahmed:''' And indeed, We have beautified the sky of the world with shining lamps. And made them objects of futile guesses for the satans. (15:17), (37:6-9), (72:8). And for them We have prepared the doom of blazing flames.}}

Another three translations go a little further, asserting that the "devils/evil ones" refer to evil human cohorts and not to the jinn.

{{Quote||'''Asad:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame –}}

{{Quote||'''Farook Malik:''' And, indeed, We have adorned the skies nearest to the earth with lights, and have made them the object of futile guesses for the evil ones [from among men]: and for them have We readied suffering through a blazing flame.}}

{{Quote||'''Amatul Rahman Omar:''' We have, certainly, adorned the lowest heaven with (stars-like) lamps and We have made them as means of conjecture for the evil ones (and the astrologers who invent good or bad omens from the movement of the stars). (Remember) We have prepared for these (soothesayers) the punishment of the blazing Fire.}}

====Incorporation of modern science into translation====

The following translation attempts to incorporate modern scientific understandings of cosmology into its reading of the verse, though makes it a point to use brackets to differentiate words inserted to facilitate this understanding from the original Arabic text itself:

{{Quote||'''Bijan Moeinian:''' God has adorned the lowest universe with the sources of light [probably a reference to the Quasars], being used as missiles against the devils [perhaps the reference is to anti-matter which will be destroyed immediately in contact with the matter] and prepared for them a blazing fire.}}

==Hadith==
===The sun will rise "in the West"===

A sign of the last hour that appears in numerous hadiths is often mistranslated as the sun rising "in the West". This mistranslation occurs throughout the English translation of Sahih Bukhari by Muhsin Khan and sometimes in the translation of Sahih Muslim by Abdul Hamid Sadiqqui.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|421}}|Narrated Abu Dhar:

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come '''and so it will rise in the west'''. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing." (36.38)}}

While the Arabic word al maghrib was commonly used to mean the West in general, in fact a much more specific form occurs in these hadiths. In every hadith narration of this prophecy, the Arabic phrase is always min maghribi-ha (مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا), which means that the sun is told to go and rise "from its setting place", without the definite article and with the possessive suffix. In one narration in Sahih Muslim (which is accurately translated), there is in addition the phrase min maghribi-ki (مِنْ مَغْرِبِكِ), which means the sun is told to go and rise "from the place of your setting". Earlier in the same narration, the sun is usually commanded to rise min matli'iha (مِنْ مَطْلِعِهَا) which means "from its rising place". This uses the same word as occurs in the Dhu'l Qarnayn story, {{Quran|18|90}}, matli'a ash-shamsi, "the rising place of the sun", and was not the word used throughout the Quran and hadiths to mean the East in general, which was al mashriq (ٱلْمَشْرِق).

{{Quote|{{Muslim|1|297}}|It is narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) one day said: Do you know where the Sun goes? They replied: Allah and His Apostle know best. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Verily it (the Sun) glides till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it falls prostrate and remains there until it is asked: Rise up and go to the place whence you came, and it goes back and continues emerging out '''from its rising place''' and then glides till it reaches its place of rest under the Throne and falls prostrate and remains in that state until it is asked: Rise up and return to the place whence you came, and it returns and emerges out from it rising place and the it glides (in such a normal way) that the people do not discern anything (unusual in it) till it reaches its resting place under the Throne. Then it would be said to it: Rise up and emerge out '''from the place of your setting''', and it will rise '''from the place of its setting'''. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Do you know when it would happen? It would happen at the time when faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from the faith.}}

=== Aisha's age at consummation===
'Aisha lived with her parents before her marriage to Muhammad was consummated at the age of 9 ({{Muslim|8|3310}}). The following mistranslation is often presented as evidence that she reached puberty while she still lived there.{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|465}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) I had seen my parents following Islam since I attained the age of puberty. Not a day passed but the Prophet (ﷺ) visited us, both in the mornings and evenings...}}The word أَعْقِلْ means to use thoughts or reasoning, but the translator Muhsin Khan has used the word 'puberty'. The meaning rather is that 'Aisha was never aware of a time when her parents were not Muslim. A literal translation would be "I was not aware of my parents other than that the two of them both acknowledged the religion" (لَمْ أَعْقِلْ أَبَوَىَّ إِلاَّ وَهُمَا يَدِينَانِ الدِّينَ).

The same Arabic phrase is translated as follows in another hadith by the same translator:{{Quote|{{Bukhari|8|73|102}}| Narrated `Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) "I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the Religion (of Islam), and our being visited by Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the morning and in the evening....}}See also the two other occurrences in {{Bukhari|3|37|494}} and {{Bukhari|5|58|245}}.

The 'puberty' mistranslation also fails to achieve chronological sensibility. 'Aisha's father, Abu Bakr, was one of Muhammad's first followers. It would not have taken until puberty for 'Aisha to notice that her father followed the religion.

===Hadith in which Aisha menstruated===
A mistranslated hadith has a comment from Abu Dawud supposedly about Aisha menstruating when she was nine. This is Sunan Abu Dawud 4915 (Ahmad Hasan numbering; 4933 Dar-us-Salam).
{{Quote|{{Abudawud||4915|hasan}}|Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven or six. When we came to Medina, some women came. according to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took up cohabitation with me when I was nine. She halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. Abu Dawud said: That is to say: I menstruated, and I was brought in a house, and there were some women of the Ansari in it. They said: With good luck and blessing. The tradition of one of them has been included in the other.}}

Ahmad Hasan mistranslates Abu Dawud's comment as "That is to say: I menstruated". Aisha's phrase "I burst into laughter" is fa-qultu heeh heeh (فَقُلْتُ هِيهْ هِيهْ), "And I said heh, heh". The Dar-us-Salam English-Arabic edition of Sunan Abu Dawud translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Hadith 4933) renders Aisha's words here: "She made me stand at the door and I started to breathe deeply".

Abu Dawud's comment is ay tanaffasat (أَىْ تَنَفَّسَتْ), which is "That is to say 'I breathed'". The verb nun-fa-sin is used here in Arabic form V with the ta prefix and shadda (doubled) middle letter, which Lane's Lexicon says means "breathed". Form I can mean menstruated, but that is not the form used in the hadith.<ref>nun-fa-sin - [https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/25_n/208_nfs.html Lane's Lexicon]</ref>

===Hit women without leaving a mark===
Muhammad's 'Farewell Sermon' appears in various hadith collections and al-Tabari's History. A short version is found in ''Sunan Ibn Majah''. The Arabic words here translated 'and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark' are a mistranslation.

{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|9|1851}}|Then he said: 'I enjoin good treatment of women, for they are prisoners with you, and you have no right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear indecency. If they do that, then forsake them in their beds '''and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark.'''}}

The highlighted phrase is fadribuhunna darban ghayra mubarrih (فَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ). A literal translation is, 'then beat them, a beating without severity'. The last word is defined in Lane's Lexicon as violence/severity/sharpness/vehemence<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000219.pdf Lane's Lexicon] Book I page 182</ref>'.

The same Arabic phrase appears in the other versions of the farewell sermon. The translators of Sunan Abu Dawud and al-Tabari's History both renders it 'beat them, but not severely'.

{{Quote|1=[http://sunnah.com/abudawud/11/185 Abu Dawud 10:1900]|2=Fear Allaah regarding women for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allaah’s word. It is a duty from you on them not to allow anyone whom you dislike to lie on your beds but if they do '''beat them, but not severely.'''}}

{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|pp. 112-113}}|"Now then, O people, you have a right over your wives and they have a right over you. You have [the right] that they should not cause anyone of whom you dislike to tread on your beds; and that they should not commit any open indecency. If they do, then Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms '''and to beat them, but not severely'''. If they abstain from [evil], they have the right to their food and clothing in accordance with the custom. Treat women well, for they are [like] domestic animals with you and do not possess anything for themselves. You have taken them only as a trust from Allah, and you have made the enjoyment of their persons lawful by the word of Allah, so understand and listen to my words, O people.}}

The versions of the farewell sermon found in {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3087}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not painful', and {{Al Tirmidhi||2|10|1163}}, translated as 'and beat them with a beating that is not harmful', consist of the same Arabic words as quoted above and found in other versions of the farewell sermon.

In his tafsir, al-Tabari quotes Qatada clarifying that the phrase means ''ghayr sha'in'' (that is, 'without being disgraceful/outrageous/obscene/indecent'),<ref>[https://tafsir.app/tabari/4/34 al-Tabari 4:34]</ref> while he records that Ibn Abbas explained it as 'Hitting with a siwaak and the like'. It appears that over time there were efforts to temper the abusive results of the Quranic verse. For further relevant hadiths and information see [[Wife_Beating_in_Islamic_Law#Additional_attempts_at_moderating_severe_beatings|Wife Beating in Islamic Law]].

=== Abu Bakr insults a Meccan polytheist===
In a hadith found in Sahih Bukhari a Meccan polytheist at Hudaybiyyah tries to discourage Muhammad from fighting. In response Abu Bakr tells him to suck on al-Lat's clitoris (فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ امْصُصْ بَظْرَ اللاَّتِ). This has been covered up in the English translation by Muhsin Khan. In this translation the incident is translated as 'Abu Bakr abused him'.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|50|891}}|[...] Then `Urwa said, "O Muhammad! Won't you feel any scruple in extirpating your relations? Have you ever heard of anyone amongst the Arabs extirpating his relatives before you? On the other hand, if the reverse should happen, (nobody will aid you, for) by Allah, I do not see (with you) dignified people, but people from various tribes who would run away leaving you alone." Hearing that, '''Abu Bakr abused him''' and said, "Do you say we would run and leave the Prophet (ﷺ) alone?" `Urwa said, "Who is that man?" They said, "He is Abu Bakr." `Urwa said to Abu Bakr, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, were it not for the favor which you did to me and which I did not compensate, I would retort on you." [...]}}

===Muhammad says his aorta is being cut from poison===
In the following hadith from Sahih Bukhari Muhammad says he feels his aorta is being cut from the poisoned food he ate at Khaybar. This strongly implies Muhammad died because of poisoning. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan the words 'as if' have been added. As a result, the English translation doesn't imply as strongly as the Arabic text that Muhammad died because of poisoning. Yet, it says Muhammad experienced a lot of pain from the poisoning shortly before his death.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|713}}|Narrated `Aisha:

The Prophet (ﷺ) in his ailment in which he died, used to say, "O `Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel '''as if''' my aorta is being cut from that poison."}}

===Muhammad forbids imposing conditions found in the hadith===
In the following hadith Muhammad says people should not impose conditions which are not present in Allah's Book (كِتَابِ اللَّهِ), which is the Quran. In the English translation by Muhsin Khan this has been mistranslated to 'Allah's Laws' to justify imposing conditions which are found in the hadith.

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|34|364}}|Narrated `Aisha:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and I told him about the slave-girl (Barirah) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Buy and manumit her, for the Wala is for the one who manumits." In the evening the Prophet (ﷺ) got up and glorified Allah as He deserved and then said, "Why do some people impose conditions which are not present in '''Allah's Book (Laws)'''? Whoever imposes such a condition as is not in '''Allah's Laws''', then that condition is invalid even if he imposes one hundred conditions, for Allah's conditions are more binding and reliable."}}

===Satan lays eggs in the marketplace of Medina and hatches them===
The following hadith contains two narrations. The second of these has not been translated into English. It says that people should not be first to enter the marketplace, nor the last to leave it, because it is where Satan lays his eggs and hatches them.

{{Quote|[https://quranx.com/hadith/Saliheen/In-Book/Book-19/Hadith-1842/ Riyad As-Salihin 19:1842]|
Salman Al-Farisi (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not, if you can help, be the first to enter the market and the last to leave it because it is an arena of Satan and the standard of Satan is set there."[Muslim].There are other narrations with some variation in the wordings.}}

===If ten Jews followed Muhammad, all Jews would embrace Islam===
In the following hadith Muhammads says that if ten Jews (عَشْرَةٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ) followed him, all Jews would embrace Islam. If ten Jews indeed followed Muhammad, this would be a false prophecy, because there are Jews who have not embraced Islam in modern times. To cover this up, the hadith has been mistranslated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui so that it says 'ten scholars of the Jews'.

{{Quote|{{Muslim|39|6711}}|
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

If '''ten scholars of the Jews''' would follow me, no Jew would be left upon the surface of the earth who would not embrace Islam.}}

===Muhammad hits Aisha===
In the following hadith it says Muhammad struck Aisha on the chest which caused her pain (فَلَهَدَنِي فِي صَدْرِي لَهْدَةً أَوْجَعَتْنِي). On sunnah.com it says Muhammad gave Aisha a nudge on the chest which she felt. While the translations for Sahih Muslim have been provided by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/SahihMuslim-IslamicEnglishBook.pdf/page/n537/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/muslim:974b Sahih Muslim 4:2127]|2= [...] He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. '''He gave me a nudge on the chest which I felt''', and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? [...]}}

===Muhammad has been made victorious with terror===
In the following hadith Muhammad says he has been made victorious with terror (نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ). On sunnah.com this has been changed to 'awe'. While the translations for Sahih Bukhari have been provided by Muhsin Khan, the translation of this particular hadith has been altered without informing the reader. The original translation can be found [https://archive.org/details/the-translation-of-the-meanings-of-sahih-al-bukhari-translated-by-dr.-muhammad-muhsin-khan/page/n1629/mode/2up here].

{{Quote|1=[https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2977 Sahih Bukhari 4:52:220]|2= Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with '''awe''' (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them).}}

==See Also==

*[[Misrepresentations of Islamic Scripture (English)]]
*[[Mawdu' (Fabricated) and Daif (Weak) Hadiths]]

==External Links==

*{{external link| url = http://www.faithfreedom.org/the-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran/| title = The Deceptive Translations of the Quran| publisher = | author = | date = | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faithfreedom.org%2Fthe-deceptive-translations-of-the-quran%2F&date=2013-11-26| deadurl = no}}

[[Category:Qur'an]]
<references />
[[Category:Hadith]]
[[Category:Dawah]]
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Modern movements]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Tafsir]]
[[Category:Modernism]]

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-05-19T18:46:46Z

AdrianE: Added a hadith about ten Jews who would follow Muhammad.

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-05-18T10:30:01Z

AdrianE: Added the verse about Allah being the best of deceivers.

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-05-18T09:29:15Z

AdrianE: Added a hadith about Satan laying eggs in the marketplace.

Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)

2024-05-18T08:58:26Z

AdrianE: Added a hadith which forbids imposing conditions which are not found in the Quran. I need someone to confirm this, but I'm pretty sure 'Allah's Book' only refers to the Quran.

Scientific Errors in the Quran

2024-05-15T17:43:49Z

AdrianE: The Quran verse about the singular Pharaoh didn't include the name "Pharaoh". I replaced it by a different verse.

{{QualityScore|Lead=4|Structure=4|Content=4|Language=4|References=4}}A common criticism of the [[Quran]], [[Scientific Errors in the Hadith|as with the Hadith]], is that it contains numerous [[Islam and Science|scientific]] and [[Historical Errors in the Qur'an|historical errors]], with no obvious attempts to differentiate its understanding of the natural world and historical events from the common folklore and misconceptions of the people living in 7th century Arabia. Modern responses typically appeal to metaphor, alternative meanings, or phenomenological interpretations of such verses. They also argue that the wording needed to be acceptable to people of its time. Critics typically argue that an all-knowing, perfect communicator would nevertheless have been able to avoid statements in the Quran that reinforced misconceptions of the time, caused future generations to have doubts about its perfection, and on a scale that critics contend is an overwhelming weakness.

==Astronomy==

===Geocentricism===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an mentions a few times that the sun and the moon travel in an orbit or sphere/hemisphere (fee falakin فِى فَلَكٍ<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000227.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2443 فَلَكٍ] and [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000228.pdf p. 2444]</ref>), but does not mention once that the Earth does too. This is consistent with an Earth-centered (geocentric) view of the cosmos that places a motionless Earth at the center of the universe and all "heavenly bodies" travel around the Earth. This was the prevailing understanding of the universe prior to the 16th century when Copernicus helped explain and popularize a sun-centered (heliocentric) view of the universe. Tellingly, the sun's orbit is almost always mentioned in the context of night and day ({{Quran|13|2}} being the only exception) and is always mentioned with that of the moon (which does in fact orbit the Earth each month, and likewise appears, to the unaided eye, to traverse the sky each night when it is visible).
{{Quote|{{cite quran|36|37|end=40|style=ref}}|
A token unto them is night. We strip it of the day, and lo! they are in darkness. And the sun runneth on unto a resting-place for him. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Wise. And for the moon We have appointed mansions till she return like an old shrivelled palm-leaf. It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit.}}
{{Quran-range|36|37|40}}, occurring in a passage about night and day, right after describing the change from day to night, states that the sun runs on to a resting place for it (لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا). There are also [[sahih]] [[hadith]] ({{Muslim|1|297}}) that mention the sun's daily cycle using the same Arabic word to mean a resting place, which is underneath Allah's throne, and is where each night the sun prostrates and is asked to go and rise 'from its rising place' (مِنْ مَطْلِعِهَا). This cycle repeats, until one day Allah asks the sun to rise 'from your setting place' (مِنْ مَغْرِبِكِ).

An alternative view cited by classical exegetes such as Ibn Kathir (d. 1373 CE), attributed to Qatada ibn Di'amah (d. 735 CE),<ref>[https://quranx.com/tafsirs/36.38 Tafsir ibn Kathir for 36:38]</ref> and which is favoured by many Muslim scholars today, was that this refers to the sun's final 'resting' on the last day.

Other verses talk about the sun swimming for a 'term appointed' (using a different Arabic word). Another version of the above hadith possibly supports this view (for details of all these things, see the footnotes [https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Geocentrism_and_the_Quran in the main article]). Whichever interpretation was intended, the sun's movement is nevertheless mentioned right after describing day and night, just as the next verse mentions the different mansions appointed for the moon each night. The whole passage is about day and night and the sun and moon's movement in that context.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.}}

A modern vantage point would explain the above Qur'anic description of the sun moving in an orbit as a reference to our sun orbiting the black hole at the center of the milky way galaxy every 225 million years. Critics argue that this is of no relevance to human time scales, and that nothing from the text implies that the sun is orbiting anything other than the Earth. The Quran never in any way differentiates the sun's orbit from that of the moon and consistently implies that they are of a common nature.

{{Quote|{{Quran|31|29}}|'''Hast thou not seen''' how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do?}}
Here the sun running / pursuing its course (يَجْرِىٓ)<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume2/00000051.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 415 يَجْرِىٓ]</ref> is something that the author expects people to have seen (thus posing another challenge for the galactic orbit interpretation).

{{Quote|{{cite quran|91|1|end=2|style=ref}}|
By the Sun and his (glorious) splendour; By the Moon as she follows him; }}
The word translated as "follow"<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000350.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 313 تَلَىٰ]</ref> is primarily defined as to follow, go or walk behind, follow in way of imitation, of action etc. and was often used for animals like camels following behind each other. The Moon does not actually follow behind the sun's movement, nor does it provide its own light like the sun. The verse is most suggestive of a worldview in which the moon and sun traverse the same or similar paths after one another, which is what a 7th century person might believe from observing the sky. Critics would expect a less suspicious choice of wording in a perfect book if it merely meant the sun and moon appear one after the other. One day instead of following the sun, the moon will by joined with it according to another verse (see the [https://wikiislam.net/index.php?title=Scientific_Errors_in_the_Quran&stable=0#Implied_similar_size_and_distance_of_the_sun_and_moon Implied Similar Size and Distance of the Sun and Moon] section below).

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|258}}|Abraham said, ‘Indeed Allah brings the sun from the east; now you bring it from the west.’ So the disbeliever was overwhelmed [by astonishment], and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.}}
Here the Qur'an quotes a few lines from a debate between Abraham and a disbelieving King, where Abraham replies that Allah 'brings the sun' (''yatee biashshamsi'' يَأْتِى بِٱلشَّمْسِ) from the east. The Arabic verb and preposition indicates that the sun actually moves. The verb means to come<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000052.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 15 يَأْتِى]</ref>, and when it has an object with the bi- preposition it means to bring, as in many other instances in the Qur'an. While the story is quoting a mere human's words, the author apparently believes it to be a good response and sees no problem with it.

===Setting and rising place of the sun===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Sun Setting in a Muddy Spring - Part One}}

In these verses, the author presents a version of a popular [[Dhul-Qarnayn and the Alexander Romance|Syriac legend]] from the 6th or early 7th century in which a man called Dhu'l-Qarnayn visits the places where the sun sets and rises.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|86}}|
Till, when he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|90}}|
Till, when he reached the rising-place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had appointed no shelter therefrom. }}

Centuries after Muhammad lived, commentators with better astronomical knowledge introduced interpretations of these verses such that Dhu'l-Qarnayn only traveled until he reached "the west" and "the east", or to spots "at the time" when the sun set and rose and not the places where it actually did so. However, these alternative interpretations are severely undermined by the [[Dhul-Qarnayn_and_the_Sun_Setting_in_a_Muddy_Spring_-_Part_One#First_interpretation:_He_reached_the_west_and_east|context and Arabic words used in these verses]], which instead point to physical locations where the sun did its setting and rising. An abundance of evidence from poems, hadiths and Quranic commentaries show that the early Muslims understood the verse in this straightforward way.

===Earth and heavens created in six days===
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation}}

The Qur'an presents the prevailing Middle-Eastern myth that the Earth and heavens were formed in six days. This is in sharp contrast with the findings of modern cosmology which show the Earth to have formed some 9 billion years after the beginning of the universe.

Unlike the hundreds of other verses where the Arabic word yawm or its plural ayyam (أَيَّامٍ) is understood to mean day or days, when the Quran describes the creation of the world some modern Muslim scholars have appealed to its alternative meaning, 'time period'. The author makes no attempt to convey long time periods or to distinguish his description from the prevailing Middle-Eastern creation myths in this regard (or from his own usage of the term 'yawm' elsewhere in the text), which feature six literal days of creation (for example, the Bible in Genesis 1:5 reads, "Evening came and morning came: The first day.").

Neither the universe nor Earth were formed in six distinct long periods of time. There is likewise apparently no attempt to indicate, even poetically, the vast duration of time in which the universe has developed, (namely, 13.8 billion years).

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us}}

The Earth specifically was created in two days according to the Qur'an, and in four days (on days three and four according to the [[Tafsir|tafsirs]]) were created mountains and the sustenance of the Earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|9|10}}|Say: Is it that ye deny Him Who created the earth in two Days? And do ye join equals with Him? He is the Lord of (all) the Worlds. He set on the (earth), mountains standing firm, high above it, and bestowed blessings on the earth, and measure therein all things to give them nourishment in due proportion, in four Days, in accordance with (the needs of) those who seek (Sustenance).}}

Mountains nonetheless continue to rise and erode to this day. Similarly, living things and their sustenance continue to evolve, yet the Qur'an says that the creation of mountains and sustenance occurred in a specific period that ended two days before the creation of the universe was completed. See the next section regarding the final two of the six days (from {{Quran-range|41|11|12}}) which immediately follow the verses discussed above.

===Earth created before stars===

The [[w:Abundance of elements in Earth's crust|elements in the Earth's crust]] and core were first formed in stars by [[w:Nucleosynthesis|nucleosynthesis]]. When those stars exploded as [[w:Supernova|supernovas]], they expelled the elements that were used in future solar systems such as Earth's own. Modern radiometric dating of meteorites and rocks from the Earth and Moon show that these bodies were formed at the same time as the sun and its other planets, [[w:Age_of_the_Earth|4.5 billion years ago]]. The Qur'an, on the other hand, describes the Earth as being fully formed before the stars.

{{Quran|41|12}} states that lamps (or more specifically, stars in the similar verse {{Quran|37|6}}) were placed in the nearest of the seven heavens. But before there were seven heavens and while heaven was just smoke, the Earth already existed according to the previous verse, {{Quran|41|11}}, and the Earth's creation and completion in the preceding days is described in the verses immediately preceeding that one {{Quran-range|41|9|10}}, discussed in the previous section above. The creation sequence is thus as follows:

#Heaven and completed Earth;
#Seven heavens and each given its mandate;
#The nearest heaven adorned with stars and guarded.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. '''Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days''' and inspired in each heaven its mandate; '''and We decked the nether heaven with lamps''', and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

{{Quran|2|29}} further confirms that heaven was only fashioned seven heavens when, according to the Quran, everything on Earth had been created.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|
He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things.}}

The word lamps (masabeeha مَصَٰبِيحَ) in {{Quran|41|12}} and {{Quran|67|5}} with which Allah adorns (zayyanna زَيَّنَّا) the lowest heaven would need, of course, to include any luminous bodies such as the stars. These are termed as ''kawakib'' (كَوَاكِبِ) in {{Quran|37|6}}, a word that also appears in Joseph's dream ({{Quran|12|4}}) and the destruction of the heavens ({{Quran-range|82|1|2}}).

Some modern Muslim scholars attempt to reconcile the Qur'anic description with modern science by arguing that the word 'Then' in the verses above does not indicate sequence, but that it instead means 'moreover'. This argument collides with the fact that these words (thumma in {{Quran|41|11}} and {{Quran|2|29}}, and fa in {{Quran|41|12}} - all translated as 'then') are generally used to indicate sequence. In other contexts, thumma was sometimes used to mean 'moreover'. This alternative usage, however, would always be unambiguous and clear in context, unlike in the passages quoted above, which evidently describe a stepwise process - the creation of the heavens subsequent to that of the Earth.

In another passage, {{Quran-range|79|27|33}}, the heaven (singular) has already been raised and proportioned as a ceiling before the earth is spread, pastures produced and mountains fixed. Ibn Kathir notes in his tafsir that Ibn 'Abbas said the Earth was created first before each of these events and that scholars interpreted the Arabic word dahaha (دَحَىٰهَآ) in verse 79:30 to refer to a specific kind of spreading that occurred after everything on Earth had been created.<ref>[https://quranx.com/tafsirs/2.29 Tafsir ibn Kathir 2:29]</ref> However, the passage nevertheless appears to contradict the sequence of {{Quran-range|41|9|12}}, in which the heaven is still "smoke" after Earth's sustenance and mountains have been placed.

====Earth and heavens torn apart====

Modern Muslim scholars generally maintain that the following verse is compatible with and even predictive of the Big Bang theory. According to the Big Bang theory, the Universe was formed 13.8 billion years ago due to a rapid expansion from singularity. The earth was then formed, 4.54 billion years ago, from accretion of debris that surrounded the precursor of the Sun. There was at no stage a "separation" of the "joined" earth and heavens.

The ancient concept can be traced back to [https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/epic/hd_epic.htm Mesopotamian creation myths] in which heaven was separated from earth. {{Quran|21|30}} and similar verses assume that listeners are familiar with the basic outlines of this myth which was extremely wide-spread at the time of [[Muhammad]] and his [[Sahabah|companions]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|30}}|
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? }}

The word translated "joined together" is ratqan (رَتْقًا)<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000193.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1027 رَتْقًا] </ref> meaning closed up or sewn up, also used metaphorically in terms of reconciling people, but does not imply a homogenous mass or state, let alone a singularity. The words "(one unit of creation)" are the translator's own exegetical note.

Mirroring this is the word fataqnāhumā ("we clove them asunder"), whose root rhymes with ratqan and means to slit, rent asunder, divide, unstitch.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000115.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2331 فتق]</ref>

The separation of the heavens and earth can be read in the context of verses that mention something "between" their fully formed state (which seems to be occupied by the clouds {{Quran|2|164}} and birds {{Quran|24|41}}), and that the heaven is a roof "raised high" ({{Quran|52|5}}).

{{Quote|{{Quran|50|38}}|
And verily We created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, in six Days, and naught of weariness touched Us.}}

There is no scientific theory in which the Earth and heavens were torn apart from each other. The verse states that "We clove them" (dual pronoun 'huma'), not "We clove it", thereby indicating that the Earth and heavens are distinct after the cloving. If one holds that {{Quran|21|30}} describes the big bang, the atomic particles that would later form the Earth would at the beginning would have to be separated from those that would go on to form everything else in the universe. This, however, bears no resemblance to modern scientific cosmology, wherein the material that forms the Earth passed through at least one earlier generation of stars, and more recently was part of various asteroids, comets and planetesimals orbiting the sun (which could all be described as being in the 'heavens') that sometimes collided and merged with each other, sometimes split apart, and gradually coalesced under gravity to form the Earth and other planets.

The very next verse {{Quran|21|31}} speaks of mountains being placed on the Earth. Here, 'the Earth' must mean an actual world, yet modern interpretations of the previous verse hold that 'the Earth' refers merely to atomic particles around the time of the big bang.

====Heaven made from smoke====
{{main|Quran and a Universe from Smoke}}

There is no stage in the formation of the universe that involved smoke (carbon particles suspended as a result of combustion; the word translated smoke is the noun dukhan دُخَانٍ, which means literal smoke of the sort that rises from a fire<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000027.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 861 دُخَانٍ]</ref>). Similarly, the Earth and heavens did not each "come" as separate entities at any point in time. Rather, the Earth is a part of this universe and has developed within it.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|41|11|12}}|
Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come, obedient. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower. }}

Some modern Muslim scholars nevertheless interpret 'smoke' as the primordial state of the universe after the big bang. It is worth noting, however, that the verse indicates a time when heaven alone, but not the Earth, was smoke. This is especially challenging when one considers that the Earth and its mountains are described as already existing in the previous two verses ({{Quran-range|41|9|10}}, discussed above).

Academic scholarship has identified a late antique Christian homilitic precedent for these enigmatic verses. Basil the Great of Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia (d. 379 CE) understood Isaiah 51:6 in the Bible (which in the Greek version stated "The heaven was made like smoke [καπνός]") to mean that the heaven was initially made from a smoke-like substance.<ref>[https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/32011.htm Hexaemeron, Homily 1:8] - New Advent church fathers website</ref><ref>Julien Decharneux (2023), Creation and Contemplation: The Cosmology of the Qur’ān and Its Late Antique Background, Berlin: De Gruyter, pp. 128-9</ref>

===Seven Earths===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|Science and the Seven Earths}}

The Quran states that there exist seven earths. Academic scholarship has noted that this concept of seven earths, along with seven heavens, was present in the near east in the first millennia BCE and CE (see [[Cosmology of the Quran]]).

{{Quote|{{Quran|65|12}}|
Allah it is who hath created seven heavens, and of the earth the like thereof. The commandment cometh down among them slowly, that ye may know that Allah is Able to do all things, and that Allah surroundeth all things in knowledge.}}

A hadith in [[Sahih Bukhari|Bukhari]] reveals that these seven Earths are stacked above each other.
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|634}}| The Prophet said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, '''he will sink down the seven earths''' on the Day of Resurrection.}}

The number, like seven heavens, might have come from a misunderstanding or indigenous interpretation of mythology from classical antiquity in which there were seven moving planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the sun and moon). The number seven, however, does not accord with the findings of modern astronomers, which know there to be eight ordinary planets and five dwarf planets, making for a grand total of thirteen in our solar system. Modern astronomy also has found many thousands of planets in other solar systems and Cosmologists estimate that hundreds of billions of stars and planets exist in the universe at large.

===Seven heavens===
{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran|l1=Cosmology of the Qur'an}}

The universe consists of hundreds of billions of galaxies, each with hundreds of billions of stars. The Quran states that beyond our heaven which contains the stars, there exist another six heavens. The myth of seven heavens was a common idea prevalent in the Middle East during the time when the Qur'an was first recited.

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another}}

Some modern Islamic scholars have argued that these verses refer to the seven layers of the atmosphere. However, {{Quran|37|6}} and {{Quran|67|5}} state that stars occupy the nearest heaven. Additionally, there are 5 rather than 7 principal layers to the [[W:Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]], and likewise only 5 rather than 7 major layers to the [[w:Structure_of_Earth|Earth itself]].

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|6}}| Surely We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment, the stars}}

===Meteors as stars fired at devils===
{{Main|Shooting Stars in the Quran|Mistranslations of Islamic Scripture (English)}}

The Qur'an states that stars (''kawakib'' ٱلْكَوَاكِبِ), lamps (''masabih'' مَصَٰبِيحَ) and great stars/constellations/zodiac signs (''burūj'' بُرُوجًا) adorn the heavens and guard against devils.

The Qur'an further asserts that Allah has made them (the stars/lamps) flaming missiles to ward away devils (or in some verses, jinn), who attempt to listen in on heavenly meetings (known as the Exalted Assembly). The Quranic concept has a close parallel in [[Pre-Islamic_Arab_Religion_in_Islam#Shooting_Stars_and_Eavesdropping_Shaytans|an earlier Jewish development from Zoroastrian mythology]]. Such myths are best understood as pre-modern attempts to explain the common phenomenon of meteors streaking across the night sky.

While stars are giant balls of gas thousands of times larger than the earth, meteors are small rocky masses or grains of debris which burn up after entering the earth's atmosphere. Many ancient people confused the two, as meteors look like stars that are streaking across the sky; this is why they were often called [[w:Meteoroid|shooting stars]] or falling stars. Large increases in meteors occur on a predictable schedule each year as the Earth's orbit passes through the stream of particles and debris left in the wake of a number of comets (or in a few cases, of asteroids). The most visible is usually the annual [[w:Perseids|Perseid meteor shower]] in August.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|37|6|10}}|
Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of stars '''And as protection''' against every rebellious devil [So] they may not listen to the exalted assembly [of angels] and are pelted from every side, Repelled; and for them is a constant punishment, Except one who snatches [some words] by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing [in brightness].}}

The same Arabic words are used at the start of {{Quran|67|5}} as in {{Quran|37|6}} (زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا), except that in {{Quran|67|5}} the word lamps is used instead of stars. The lamps that 'beautify the heaven' must refer to stars (and perhaps also the 5 visible planets), which are always there. Meteors, on the other hand, are now known to be distinct from the distant stars. They are often not much larger than grains of sand and only become visible for a second when they burn up, generating light in the Earth's atmosphere.

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|5}}|
And verily We have beautified the world's heaven with lamps, '''and We have made them''' missiles for the devils, and for them We have prepared the doom of flame.}}

The word translated "missiles" is rujūman (رُجُومًا), which are things that are thrown, especially stones.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000214.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1048 رُجُومًا]</ref>

A hadith confirms that the 'pursuant flames / missiles' in the two verses were understood to mean what we now know are visible meteors. {{Muslim|26|5538}} and {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3224}} recount an occasion when Muhammad and his companions saw a shooting star at night. He explains to his companions that angels throw these at Jinn when they try to steal information about Allah's commands passed down through the heavens.

Other relevant Quran verses are {{Quran-range|55|33|35}} (flame of fire and smoke, though a slightly different context), {{Quran-range|15|16|18}}, and {{Quran-range|72|8|9}}.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|55|33|35}}|O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allah].
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? There will be sent upon you a flame of fire and smoke, and you will not defend yourselves.}}{{Quote|{{Quran-range|15|16|18}}|It is We Who have set out the zodiacal signs in the heavens, and have beautified it for the beholders; And (moreover) We have guarded them from every cursed devil: But any that gains a hearing by stealth, is pursued by a flaming fire, bright (to see).
}}
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|72|8|9}}|And we have sought [to reach] the heaven but found it filled with powerful guards and burning flames. And we used to sit therein in positions for hearing, but whoever listens now will find a burning flame lying in wait for him.}}

If the flaming missiles mentioned by the Quran are to be identified with meteors burning up in the Earth's atmosphere, this would locate the eavesdropping devils (or jinn) in the upper atmosphere too, which leaves no way for the (extremely distant) stars to serve as guards in this process as outlined in the verses. However, these verses would of course fit a relatively small universe as imagined by 7th century Arabs, in which a heavenly firmament is adorned with stars able to pelt shooting stars at any devils or jinn in their vicinity, seeming to cover interstellar distances in a flaming streak across the sky. This is further supported by {{Quran|21|32}} which describes the heaven as a guarded ceiling.

=== The locations of the stars ===
The Quran swears on the places where the stars settings/positions/locations (''mawāqiʿi'')<ref>[https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D9%85%D9%88%D9%82%D8%B9/#google_vignette موقع] - Almaany dictionary entry</ref> of the stars in Q56:75. Many pre-modern people believed stars were fixed in place,<ref>Pedersen, Olaf (1974). ''Early physics and astronomy : a historical introduction''. Pihl, Mogens. London: MacDonald and Janes. pp. 65–67. ISBN <bdi>0-356-04122-0</bdi>. OCLC 1094297.</ref> as did ancient Arabs as found in pre-Islamic poetry.<ref>Neuwirth, Angelika. The Qur'an: Text and Commentary, Volume 1: Early Meccan Suras: Poetic Prophecy (pp. 166-167). Yale University Press.

''The scattering of the stars alters the ancient Arab cosmic conception, according to which the stars—as perceived by the poet who stays awake at night—appear as if fixed by ropes; see Imruʾ l-Qays, Mu ʿallaqa, v. 47: fa-yā laka min laylin ka-anna nujūmahū / bi-kulli mughāri l-fatli shuddat bi-yadhbulī jandalī (“What a night—as if the stars are held by ropes pulled tight to Mount Yadhbul”; cf. the slightly divergent text in SEAP, 1082).''</ref>
{{Quote|{{Quran|56|75}}|I swear by the locations of the stars.}}
In reality stars don't have fixed settings as they are constantly orbiting e.g. black holes and other stars - they just appear that way from Earth as they are so far away.<ref>''[https://www.wtamu.edu/~cbaird/sq/2013/10/16/why-are-all-the-stars-fixed-in-space/ Why are all the stars fixed in space?]'' Science Questions with Surprising Answers. West Texas A& University Website. Dr Christopher S. Baird. Physics professor at West Texas A&M University. 2013</ref> The verse must be referring to actual stars, as these also 'fall and scatter' ({{Quran|81|2}} and {{Quran|82|2}}) on judgement day, and are thrown at spying jinn; Quran 37:6-10, Quran 67:5, Quran 15:16-18 (''see: [[Shooting Stars in the Quran]])''. However we aren't even seeing the locations of the stars (which the Quran is telling it's audience it is swearing on), but rather light which is centuries to millions of years old<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/seeinginthedark/astronomy-topics/light-as-a-cosmic-time-machine.html#:~:text=The%20Sun%20is%2093%20million,it%20was%208%20minutes%20ago ''Light as a Cosmic Time Machine.''] Andrew Fraknoi. PBS</ref> so the star has since moved away from that 'position', and is constantly orbiting.

Muslims may take a non-literal view of the verse such as arguing it is from a human perspective. But critics argue the Quran could simply have sworn on e.g. the stars (al-nujūm) themselves rather than the literal positions of the stars, to avoid bringing in a concept that would become scientifically outdated as our knowledge of the universe has increased - and adds no value/serves no purpose in the Quran.
===Implied similar size and distance of the sun and moon===
{{Main|Geocentrism and the Quran|l1=Geocentrism and the Qur'an}}

In a passage about events on the day of resurrection, the Qur'an implies that the sun and moon are of comparable size and distance. As already noted, the Quran says that the moon "follows" the sun ({{Quran-range|91|1|2}}), and "It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day." ({{Quran|36|40}}). Verse {{Quran|75|9}} adds that on the last day the sun and moon will be brought together. While such a perspective is intuitive for one in seventh century Arabia viewing the sun and moon with their unaided eye and observing eclipses, modern science has revealed that 64.3 million moons could fit in the sun.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|75|8|9}}|And the moon darkens And the sun and the moon are joined,}}

The Arabic word translated as "are joined" is ''jumi'a'', a verb which means to collect together, gather together, bring together.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume2/00000091.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 455 جُمِعَ]</ref> Critics note that this would involve our moon, which orbits the Earth 93 million miles away from the sun, being brought together with our local star which is over 400 times wider. To say that such mismatched objects will be brought together (jumi'a) in such a scenario would hardly be apt, critics argue, and a very odd apocalyptic event. Rather, the description sits comfortably in the ancient understanding of the cosmos, whereby the sun and moon were assumed to be two roughly equivalent celestial bodies in the sky above the Earth.

It is worth noting that the "darkening" of the moon in verse 8 is an Arabic word which in hadiths refers to a lunar or solar eclipse (in this case lunar). However, for a lunar eclipse to occur (when the earth's shadow is cast upon the moon) the sun and moon are on opposite sides of the earth and thus are not in any sense "brought together". Nor does brought together in verse 9 work as a reference to a solar eclipse (when the sun occasionally casts a shadow of the moon on the earth). The moon is invisible during the portion of a month when it can eclipse the sun since it must be on the daylit side of the earth, and hence the moon does not "darken" or itself become eclipsed (verse 8) as it passes between observers and the sun but rather its silhouette becomes visible.

===Moon split in two===
{{Main|Moon Split Miracle}}

The Qur'an (according to a common interpretation) and a hadith tradition state that the moon was miraculously split into two pieces and then, presumably, put back together again. There is, however, no scientific evidence suggesting that the moon was ever been split into two parts. Critics have pointed out that since the moon is visible to half the planet at any given time, there should exist numerous accounts from different parts of the world attesting to the event if it in fact happened. The Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, Chinese and Indians had avid astronomers who, critics maintain, should have seen this event and recorded it in their histories. The complete absence of any such historical record from other civilizations contemporary to Muhammad is thus presented as a strong indication that the event described in scripture never happened.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|54|1|3}}|The Hour has come near, and the moon has split [in two]. And if they see a miracle, they turn away and say, "Passing magic." And they denied and followed their inclinations. But for every matter is a [time of] settlement. }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|387}}|Narrated Ibn Masud:

During the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) the moon was split into two parts; one part remained over the mountain, and the other part went beyond the mountain. On that, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Witness this miracle."
}}Some modern Islamic scholars and academic scholars interpret the moon splitting verse as an eschatological prophecy. One reason is that the traditional interpretation contradicts the repeated claims that Muhammad was not sent with miracles, but only to warn people with the message (see also {{Quran|6|109}} and {{Quran|11|12}}):
{{Quote|{{Quran|13|7}}|The unbelievers say, "Why has God not sent him, (Muhammad), some miracles." (Muhammad), you are only a warner. For every nation there is a guide.}}
===Nature of the moon's light===

Modern Muslim scholars have sometimes argued that the Qur'an predicted the realization that the moon does not emit its own light, but simply reflects light coming from the Sun. The Arabic word for reflected (''in`ikaas'') does not appear in the two Qur'anic verses that say the Moon is a "light". Instead, the word ''noor'' (nooran نُورًا) is used, which simply means "a light", and, in another verse, the word ''muneer'' (''muneeran'' مُّنِيرًا) is used, which means "giving light" and is from the same root as ''noor''. Nonetheless, the usage of these words is vague and appears to permit alternative interpretations.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|
He it is Who appointed the sun a splendour and the moon a light, and measured for her stages, that ye might know the number of the years, and the reckoning. Allah created not (all) that save in truth. He detaileth the revelations for people who have knowledge.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|16}}|
And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp?}}

''Noor'' appears again (this time as a participle muneeran مُّنِيرًا) in a similar verse about the moon:

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|61}}|
Blessed be He Who hath placed in the heaven mansions of the stars, and hath placed therein a great lamp and a moon giving light!"}}

{{Quran-range|33|45|46}} most clearly displays the meaning of ''noor'' to be "light" rather than "reflected light". A lamp is described as "shining light" with the same Arabic word used in {{Quran|25|61}} (muneeran مُّنِيرًا):

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|33|45|46}}|
O Prophet! Lo! We have sent thee as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner. And as a summoner unto Allah by His permission, and as a lamp '''that giveth light'''.}}

In Lane's Lexicon of classical arabic, the word ''muneer'' (مُّنِيرً) is defined as 'Giving light, shining bright, bright, or shining brightly'.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000120.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2866 مُّنِيرً]</ref> ''Noor'' is defined on the previous page as 'Light; whatever it may be; and the rays thereof'.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000119.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2865 نُورًا]</ref> In reference to {{Quran|10|5}} (quoted above) which describe the moon with this word, Lane writes, 'In the Kur. x. 5, the sun is termed ضياء and the moon نور and it is said that ضياء is ''essential'', but نور is ''accidental'' [light]'. The notion of essential and accidental light and its application to the sun and moon originates not from the Arabs at the time of the Qur'an, but rather from the book ''Kitab al-Manazir'', commonly known as 'Optics', published in 1572 by the great polymath and optics pioneer al-Hazen. Lane goes on to say, citing the highly regarded Taj al-Arus classical dictionary, 'it [light] is of two kinds, the light of the present world and that of the world to come; and the former is either perceived sensibly, by the eye, and this is what diffuses itself from luminous bodies, as the sun and moon and stars, and is mentioned in the Kur. x. 5 referred to above'.

The word ''noor'' is also used in {{Quran|24|35}} to show that Allah is the "light" of the universe. The author does not imply that Allah reflects light from another source, but rather that he is the ultimate source of all light.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|35}}|
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.}}Furthermore, an almost perfect opportunity to explain that the moons light is not it's own, but rather the sun's shining of it's surface, comes when Muhammad is asked about the phases of the moon. The 'phases/new moons' are caused by the sun only illuminating half of the moon at a time, and as the moon orbits the Earth, at some points the sunlit part of the moon can be seen from the Earth, and at other points, we can only see the parts of the Moon that are in shadow.<ref>See: ''[https://science.nasa.gov/moon/lunar-phases-and-eclipses/ NASA - Lunar Phases and Eclipses]'' for an explanation of the phenomena.</ref>

Muhammad gives a response. Instead of any explanation which could verify itself scientifically, we are told it's for timekeeping and to mark when pilgrimage begins (i.e., something that was already in use)<ref>For example, see discussions on the pre-Islamic calendar, noting use of the moon and it's links to pilgrimage.

Ioh, H. (2014). ''[https://brill.com/view/journals/arab/61/5/article-p471_1.xml The Calendar in Pre-Islamic Mecca]''. ''Arabica'', ''61''(5), 471-513. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1163/15700585-12341319</nowiki>

[https://www.academia.edu/114436617/The_Arabian_Calendar_and_an_Archeoastronomical_Investigation_of_the_Pre_Islamic_Pilgrimage_Shrines_at_Mecca ''The Arabian Calendar and an Archeoastronomical Investigation of the Pre-Islamic Pilgrimage Shrines at Mecca.''] Hisham Abad.
</ref>.
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|189}}|(Muhammad), they ask you about the different phases of the moon. Tell them that they are there to indicate to people the phases of time and the pilgrimage season. It is not a righteous act to enter houses from the back. Righteousness is to be pious and enter the houses from the front door. Have fear of God so that perhaps you will have lasting happiness.}}

===The entire heaven has a night and day===
The Qur'anic conception of the cosmos accords with its author's visual perception of the sky, even to the extent that in {{Quran-range|79|28|29}} night and day is mistaken as a feature of the entire heaven (the lowest heaven is elsewhere said to be adorned with stars, as discussed above, and it will become clear that this is the heaven being referred to). In these verses the night and morning brightness are said to be an attribute of the heaven (l-samāu) which Allah built (banāhā) and raised (rafaʿa) as a ceiling (samkahā) and ordered it (fasawwāhā) when he created the heaven and earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|79|27|30}}|Are ye the harder to create, or is the heaven that He built? He raised the height thereof and ordered it; And He made dark the night '''thereof''', and He brought forth the morn '''thereof'''. And after that He spread the earth,}}

The possessive hā suffix in laylahā (its night) and ḍuḥāhā (its morning light) relates night and day to the heaven in its entirety. In reality, the night and day we experience is a feature of the earth's rotation on its axis. There is no sense in which the earth's night and day (which happen at the same time) apply across the wider cosmos.

In order to confirm the interpretation of these verses it is important to look at how the significant words are used elsewhere in the Quran. "The night" is a very common word in the Quran, and the morning light is used in the same context in {{Quran-range|93|1|2}} and {{Quran|91|1}} (see also {{Quran|79|46}}).

Indeed, {{Quran-range|91|1|6}} has many of the same Arabic words as {{Quran-range|79|27|30}}: "its morning light" (this time of the sun), "the night", and "the heaven" (singular) "built" by Allah. Putting the two passages together, it seems that the author of the Quran intuitively believed that the night and the sun's morning light were features pertaining to the entire visible heaven.

Other verses are helpful to confirm what is meant by the heaven (singular) in this context. {{Quran|2|29}} states that Allah turned (is'tawā) to the heaven and fashioned them (fasawwāhunna) seven heavens. These are two forms of the same Arabic verb as is translated "ordered" in {{Quran|79|28}} in the above quote.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|29}}|He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things.}}

The word "raised" in {{Quran|79|28}} is similarly used for the creation of the heaven (singular) and earth in {{Quran|88|18}} and the heavens (plural) raised without visible pillars in {{Quran|13|2}}.

The word "he built it" in v. 27 (banāhā) also occurs in {{Quran|50|6}}, which says regarding the heaven (singular) that Allah "built it" and "adorned it" (wazayyannāhā), a word which in other verses refers to the stars adorning the lowest heaven ({{Quran|37|6}}, {{Quran|41|12}} and {{Quran|67|5}}, as discussed in the [[Scientific_Errors_in_the_Quran#Earth created before stars|Earth created before stars]] section above).

This is particularly problematic for apologists that claim the closest sky/heaven is the visible universe (based off those verses that it is adorned with stars).

==== Day and night as veils pulled across the heavens, not from the Sun or the Earths movement ====
As the above states, night and day are a property of the sky/heavens rather than a specific phenomena only occurring almost entirely on the surface of the Earth; as one side of it moves (both via rotation on it's own axis and via the movement as it orbits the sun) to face away from the sun. The Qur'ans description extends to the night covering/veiling the day ({{Quran|7|54}}) which then follows the night. And god 'strips' the night of the day ({{Quran|36|37}}).

In Q6:96 and Q10:5, we are told that the sun and moon are lights created for timekeeping, with both being mentioned in the same way - but not once is the main function of the sun for humans listed; i.e. as the actual source of daylight.
{{Quote|{{Quran|6|96}}|[He is] the cleaver of daybreak and has made the night for rest and the sun and moon for calculation. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|10|5}}|It is He who made the sun a radiance and the moon a light, and ordained its phases that you might know the number of years and the calculation [of time]. Allah did not create all that except with justice. He elaborates the signs for a people who have knowledge.}}
On top of this the day and night are swimming in orbit themselves, along with the sun and the moon in Q21:33 and Q36:40, where they are mentioned as distinct entities.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|33}}|It is He who created the night and the day, the sun and the moon, each swimming in an orbit.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|Neither can the sun overtake the moon, nor the night outpace the day: Each of them keeps coursing in its orbit.}}
And finally that the daylight actually 'reveals' the sun, and the night 'enshrouds' it, which makes no sense as daylight is solely from the sun, and night is simply a result of it's absence on one side of the Earths surface.
{{Quote|{{Quran|91|1-4}}|By the sun and its brightness,
And [by] the moon when it follows it, by the day when it reveals it,
And [by] the night when it covers it
Which the day reveals the sun, and the night enshrouds it}}
This clear separation of the sun (and moon) as a light for timekeeping that is separate from the 'veils/covers' of day and night 'swimming in orbit' has lead to some classical commentators to believe that the day is not caused by the sun at all, but is rather a totally separate event in the sky.<ref>For example, the famous tafsir '''al-Tafsir al-Kabi''r ' of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 1209) (often referred to as Al-Razi), he explains on his [https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=4&tSoraNo=7&tAyahNo=54&tDisplay=yes&Page=22&Size=1&LanguageId=1 ''commentary on Verse 7:54''], that the sun has two types of movements; one in a day, and one in a year. ''He says that night and day, however, are not due to the movement of the sun, but rather to the movement of the great orb/sky which is also Allah's throne''. Angels are said to separately move the heavenly bodies.</ref>

===The sky/heaven as a ceiling===

{{Main|Cosmology of the Quran}}

A common myth at the time of the Quran's composition was that the sky or heavens were held up with pillars, which is also a Biblical motif. While classical Muslim scholars often believed in a dome shaped heaven, some academic scholars have argued that the Quranic heavens are flat, stacked expanses (see main article). These heavens are like roofs (saqf {{Quran|21|32}}, {{Quran|52|5}}), a building/edifice/tent (binaan {{Quran|2|22}}, {{Quran|40|64}}), a ceiling (samk {{Quran|79|28}}), in layers ({{Quran|71|15}} and {{Quran|67|3}}), while {{Quran|13|2}} adds that the heavens were raised without visible pillars (perhaps phrased with deliberate ambiguity).

Reinforcing the 2 dimensional imagery, {{Quran|81|11}} adds that the sky is like a covering that can be 'stripped away', while {{Quran|21|104}} states that it will eventually be rolled or folded up like a parchment and {{Quran|39|67}} says that the heavens will then be held in Allah's hand. This will occur after it has been slit (furijat {{Quran|77|9}}; the same Arabic noun is used in {{Quran|50|6}} where the listeners are expected to notice that the heaven has no slits, reinforcing the canopy metaphor), rent asunder with clouds ({{Quran|25|25}}), split (inshaqqat {{Quran|55|37}}, {{Quran|84|1}}, {{Quran|69|16}} with angels appearing at its edges {{Quran|69|17}}).
The heaven will become as gateways ({{Quran|78|19}}, a possibility also alluded to in {{Quran-range|15|13|15}}).

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|[He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him].}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|15}}|Do you not consider how Allah has created seven heavens in layers}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|78|12}}|And We have built above you seven strong (heavens)}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|2}}|
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|11}}|
And when the sky is stripped away}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a [written] sheet for the records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. [That is] a promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will do it.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|25}}|The Day the heaven shall be rent asunder with clouds, and angels shall be sent down, descending (in ranks),-}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|69|15|17}}|Then on that Day, the Resurrection will occur, And the heaven will split [open], for that Day it is infirm. And the angels are at its edges. And there will bear the Throne of your Lord above them, that Day, eight [of them].}}

===The sky/heaven as a guarded ceiling===

{{Quran|21|32}} says Allah made the sky/heaven a guarded ceiling (but is not itself a guard or protection, which is a common misreading). This is most likely related to the verses about devils chased by shooting stars (meteors) that guard the lowest heaven. One of those verses, {{Quran-range|37|6|10}} discussed above, contains a noun meaning "guard" from the same Arabic root (hafiza) as the verb in this verse.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume2/00000237.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 601 حفظ]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|32}}|
And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from its signs, are turning away.}}

Interestingly, modern science has revealed that the things by which the sky / heaven is said to be guarded can also pose a threat to living things on Earth - asteroids and meteorites have penetrated the atmosphere and hit the earth throughout the course of history. This includes the [[w:Chicxulub crater|massive meteorite]] that hit near the [[w:Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán Peninsula]] 65 million years which killed off numerous species, including most dinosaurs.

More recently in 2013, in Chelyabinsk, Russia, a house-sized meteoroid entered the atmosphere at over 11 miles / 18 kilometers per second and blew apart 14 miles / 23 kilometers above the ground, having penetrated the Earth's atmosphere. The explosion released the energy equivalent of around 440,000 tons of TNT and generated a shock wave that blew out windows over 200 square miles (518 square kilometers) and damaged buildings. More than 1,600 people were injured in the blast, mostly due to broken glass.<ref>[https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/meteors-and-meteorites/in-depth/ Meteors & Meteorites] - NASA website</ref>

===The sky/heaven as something that can fall===

The Quran describes the sky/heaven as a roof held up by Allah that can fall or fragments of which may break off and fall upon unfortunate individuals. This is challenging in light of the modern realization that the sky is simply a conglomeration of various gasses.

{{Quote|{{Quran|52|44}}|And if they were to see a fragment of the heaven falling, they would say: A heap of clouds.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|34|9}}|See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|65}}|Hast thou not seen how Allah hath made all that is in the earth subservient unto you? And the ship runneth upon the sea by His command, and He holdeth back the heaven from falling on the earth unless by His leave. Lo! Allah is, for mankind, Full of Pity, Merciful.}}

===Heavens to be rolled up===

{{Quran|21|104}} and {{Quran|39|67}} state that the heavens will be 'rolled up' come the day of judgement, implying the corporeality and 'flatness' of space.
{{Quote|{{Quran|21|104}}|The Day when We shall roll up the heavens as a recorder rolleth up a written scroll. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|67}}|No just estimate have they made of Allah, such as is due to Him: On the Day of Judgment the whole of the earth will be but His handful, and the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand: Glory to Him! High is He above the Partners they attribute to Him!}}

===Stars as something that fall===

The Qur'an says that the stars will fall (inkadarat ٱنكَدَرَتْ) as one of many dramatic events surrounding the last day. The word كدر in the form used in this verse (form VII) meant 'to dart down', as is said of a bird or hawk, or to fall and scatter.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume7/00000124.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2596 ٱنكَدَرَتْ]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran|81|2}}|And when the stars fall}}

The structure of space-time is such that nothing, not even stars, can move faster than the velocity of light. That is, even if the stars were to move close to light speed across the sky, their apparent motion would be so slight relative to their distance that it would nonetheless be imperceptible to the naked eye. Moreover, as many visible stars are hundreds of light years away (the nearest star is more than four light years away), the light from such events would take years to reach our eyes. Indeed, many stars still visible in the sky ceased to exist centuries ago and it is only their light which is just now reaching the Earth.

Similarly the stars are said to disperse/scatter (intatharat انْتَثَرَتْ) on judgement day, which classical commentaries have also linked to dispersing/falling on Earth,<ref>''[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Abbas/82.2 Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs Verse 82.2]''. Ibn Abbas. Unknown date.</ref> <ref>''[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Jalal/82.2 Tafsir Al-Jalalayn Verse 82.2.]'' Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli (d. 864 ah / 1459 ce) and his pupil Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911 ah / 1505 ce).

</ref> <ref>''[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Kathir/82.1 Tafsir ibn Kathir Verse 82.2.]'' Ibn Kathir <abbr>c.</abbr> 1300 – 1373.</ref> along with the above verse 81:2.<ref>''[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Abbas/81.2 Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs Verse 81.2]''. Ibn Abbas. Unknown date.</ref><ref>''[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Jalal/81.2 Tafsir Al-Jalalayn Verse 81.2.]'' Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli (d. 864 ah / 1459 ce) and his pupil Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911 ah / 1505 ce).</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran|82|2}}|when the stars are scattered,}}

===The cause of shadows changing length===
Shadows are produced when the sun's light is obstructed. The Earth's rotation causes these shadows to change size and lengthen. {{Quran-range|25|45|46}} states that the reason shadows fluctuate in size rather than being stationary is because Allah has made the sun their guide. This appears to confirm the geocentric outlook widely evidenced elsewhere in the Qur'an, for it is only on a geocentric view that shadows would be of fixed length if the sun (rather than the Earth) were not made to do something.

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|45-46}}|
Hast thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord?- How He doth prolong the shadow! If He willed, He could make it stationary! then do We make the sun its guide; Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,- a contraction by easy stages.}}

Interestingly, {{Quran|25|46}} follows up by stating that Allah 'draws the shadows towards himself'. The exact meaning of this verse is unclear, but if it regards the retraction of an object's shadow 'back onto itself' - that is, to a state where there is no shadow or the shadow is at its shortest - then perhaps it can be interpreted to describe the gradual 'pointing of the shadow towards heaven' or 'upwards towards Allah'. Even this reading is difficult to justify, however, and the verse is perhaps best regarded as having lost intelligibility beyond the vague spiritual sense in which it may be read.

===Disregard of North and South Poles===
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

In polar regions, the longevity of day and night vary during summer and winter. The day gets shorter and shorter in winter until there are days or weeks of uninterrupted night. At the poles themselves, day and night alternately last for six months and all phases of the moon occur several times between sunrise and sunset. These circumstances render many of the most important Islamic rituals impracticable and suggest that the author(s) of the Qur'an and hadith, in so far as they aspired to produce a religion of global practicability, were not aware of the extreme distortions to the day length that take place near the poles.

{{Quote|{{Quran|36|40}}|
It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor doth the night outstrip the day. They float each in an orbit. }}

When reading this verse one may also wonder in what sense day and night each have an orbit (See [[Geocentrism and the Quran]]).

See also the [https://wikiislam.net/index.php?title=Scientific_Errors_in_the_Quran&stable=0#Fasting_and_Prayer_Requirements_Near_the_Poles Fasting and Prayer Requirements Near the Poles] section below.

==Biology==

===Evolution===

The Qur'an takes what is perhaps best described as the creationist view of the origins and history of life on earth. This diverges sharply from the overwhelming scientific evidence that humans have evolved from prior life forms, over the course of millions of years and through natural selection.<ref>https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence</ref> Consequently, while some Muslim scholars reinterpret the Quran in order that they may accept the theory of evolution, most reject it in favor of a creationist world view. Opinion polls show that the majority of Muslims agree Islam and evolution are not compatible.

====First humans created from clay====
{{Main|Creation of Humans from Clay}}

The Qur’an states that the first man was created instantaneously from clay (''salsalin'' صَلْصَٰلٍ) / ''mud'' (hamain حَمَإٍ). There is no indication that the author is aware of the evolution of human life over millions of years or our common ancestry with apes and primates. While some scientists argue over the detailed mechanisms driving evolution, they agree that common descent is an overwhelmingly proven fact.

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|26}}|
We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape; }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|55|14}}|
He created man from clay like [that of] pottery.}}

The Quran also states, in a similar vein, that the first man was created from dust (''turabin'' تُرَابٍ).

{{Quote|{{Quran|3|59}}|
Lo! the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto him: Be! and he is.}}

====Adam and Eve====
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Creation|Evolution and Islam}}

The Qur’an contains stories concerning the 'first humans' which detail, among other matters, how all people are descended from Adam and Eve (called ''Hawa'' in Arabic), the two earliest ancestors. These humans were created in a garden (the word for paradise in Arabic is ''jannah'', which literally means 'garden') and then brought to Earth fully formed (Sahih Hadiths say Adam was 60 cubits - or 90 feet - tall). This view of the origins of human life is directly challenged by overwhelming DNA evidence and the numerous fossils of pre-Homo sapiens species that lived on earth for millions of years prior to the evolution modern humans.<ref>http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence</ref> Powerful DNA evidence that humans have common ancestry with other primate families includes endogenous retroviruses in the exact same genetic locations of our respective genomes<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXfDF5Ew3Gc DNA Evidence That Humans & Chimps Share A Common Ancestor: Endogenous Retroviruses] - Youtube.com</ref> and the fusion of two primate chromosomes to become chromosome 2 in humans<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK3O6KYPmEw Professor Ken Miller on DNA fusion events] - Youtube.com</ref> (for more detail see the main article).

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|189}}|
It is He who created you from one soul and created from it its mate that he might dwell in security with her. And when he covers her, she carries a light burden and continues therein. And when it becomes heavy, they both invoke Allah, their Lord, "If You should give us a good [child], we will surely be among the grateful."}}

In the above verse the poetic allusion to sex and pregnancy and the couple's invocation to Allah leaves no doubt that the first sentence is a reference to common descent from Adam (in similar verses this is less explicit). All the classical exegetes state that this “single being” (نَّفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ ) refers to Adam. Both classical Sunni and Shia Tafsirs confirm this and there are even mutawatir hadith narrations (mass transmitted reports) implying that all humans descend from Adam (for details, see [[Evolution_and_Islam|Evolution and Islam]]).

Another verse describes the literal descent of humanity from one man with reference to the sexual means by which it was achieved ("despised fluid" i.e. semen) after Allah had created that first man out of clay.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|32|7|8}}|Who made all things good which He created, and He began the creation of man from clay; Then He made his seed from a draught of despised fluid;}}
The word translated “seed” in the Pickthall translation is nasl نسل, which means progeny (i.e. descendants).<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000286.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 3032 نسل]</ref>

Some modern Muslim scholars argue that the notion of two ancestral “parents” is consistent with recent scientific findings that show a common female and male ancestor of all modern humans. This results, however, from a confusion with the nicknames (Mitochondrial Eve and Y-chromosomal Adam) by which scientists have referred to human's earliest genetic ancestors. These two individuals, however, are distinct from the Quranic characters as they are simply the last common male and female ancestors of everyone alive today and not of all humans in history. More importantly, whereas the Qur'an describes Eve as Adam's wife (who, notably, was created ''after'' him), Mitochondrial Eve lived some 50,000 to 80,000 years earlier than Y-chromosomal Adam.<ref>[http://biologos.org/blog/does-genetics-point-to-a-single-primal-couple Adam, Eve, and Human Population Genetics: Responses to Popular Arguments] - Biologos website</ref> Genetic evidence also overwhelmingly indicates that humans diverged from earlier species as a population rather than as a single couple.<ref>[http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/how-big-was-the-human-population-bottleneck-not-anything-close-to-2/ How big was the human population bottleneck? Another staple of theology refuted.] - Why Evolution is True website by Professor Jerry Coyne</ref>

===Embryology===
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an contain descriptions regarding bodily fluids and the stages of development of the human embryo. Many of these descriptions are extremely vague and most bear a telling resemblance to [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|similar descriptions]] found in the [[w:Talmud|Jewish Talmud]] as well as the ideas of ancient Greeks, [[History of Embryology|such as Galen]]. These descriptions do not accord with the findings of modern science and are generally considered unremarkable in the seventh-century Arabian context wherein the Quran was first recited.

====Semen originating between the backbone and ribs====
{{Main|Quran and Semen Production|l1=Qur'an and Semen Production}}

The Qur'an states that semen originates from somewhere between the backbone and ribs. Other verses and hadiths too suggest a reproductive function for the backbone. While this aligns with the views of the physicians of antiquity, modern science has shown that sperm comes from the [[w:testicle|testicles]] and semen from various glands behind and below the bladder, which is not between the backbone and ribs.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|
He is created from a drop emitted- Proceeding from '''between the backbone and the ribs''' }}

====Embryo formed from semen====
{{Main|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith}}

The Qur'an describes the initial formation of a human embryo out of fluid emanating from the man, which has been placed in the womb (and possibly mixed with a female fluid). This reflects the widespread contemporary view at that time that semen is the material from which the embryo is initially formed, as taught by Hippocrates, Galen, and the Jewish Talmud. It is also evident in hadiths. By contrast, modern science has shown that semen is the vehicle for the sperm cells, one of which fuses with a woman's [[w:ovum|ovum]] in her [[w:fallopian tube|fallopian tube]], and that the resulting cell divides (rather than the seminal medium) and travels back into the womb for implantation.

While many English translations mention a "drop of seed", or "drop of sperm", the Arabic word used in the Quran is ''nutfah'', which literally means a small amount of liquid and was a euphemism for semen.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|
Did We not create you from a '''liquid disdained'''? And '''We placed it in a firm lodging''' For a known extent.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|13}}|'''Then placed him''' as a drop (of seed) [nutfah] '''in a safe lodging;'''}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|
'''From what thing''' doth He create him? From a drop of seed [nutfah]. He createth him and proportioneth him}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|76|2}}|Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture [nutfatin amshajin] that We may try him; and We made him hearing and seeing.}}

====Disregard of female ovum====

The Quran, in all its discussion of human reproduction, does not mention the role of the ovum, implying instead that reproduction is caused simply by storage and mingling of the male semen in the female womb. Although visible to the human eye, the female ovum is very small and unknown in the 7th century - this appears to explain its omission in the Quran.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|86|6|7}}|He was created from a fluid, ejected, Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs.}}

====Humans created from a clot of blood====
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an describes humans as being formed from a clot of blood after an initial semen stage. By contrast, modern science has revealed that there is no stage in embryonic development where the relevant material is a clot of blood. The Quranic description is likely influenced by a simplistic attempt at explaining human reproduction based on unaided-eye observations of an early-term miscarriage and a woman's menstrual cycle. While in modern times some Muslims scholars have advanced alternative meanings for the relevant word, the historical certainty that the word can mean clotted blood (also the unanimous understanding in the classical tafsirs), which has a clear biological meaning, while being used in the Qur'an in the context of a biological description (formation of a baby), renders the modern reinterpretations extremely challenging.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood...}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|96|2}}|
Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: }}

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|54|430}}|Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mus'ud:

“Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a '''clot of thick blood for a similar period''', and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.”}}

====Gender decided at clot stage====
The Qur'an states that an embryo is transformed from semen into a clot, shaped (presumably into a human mold), and then determined into either the male or female sex. Modern genetics, on the other hand, has shown that the sex of a human is decided at the moment of conception.<ref>{{cite book|first=eds.: Anthony S. Fauci [et al.] ; eds. of previous ed.: T. R. Harrison [et al.]|title=Harrison's principles of internal medicine.|date=2008|publisher=McGraw-Hill Medical|location=New York [etc.]|isbn=978-0-07-147693-5|pages=2339–2346|edition=17th ed.}}</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|75|37|39}}|Was he not a drop of fluid which gushed forth? Then he became a clot; then (Allah) shaped and fashioned And made of him a pair, the male and female.}}

While translators mostly use "And" in verse 39, the Arabic particle is ''fa'', as also in the previous conjunction, which indicates sequence (i.e. 'and then').<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000105.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2321 ف]</ref> Classical tafsirs share this reading, and the same reading is reflected in a sahih hadith found in both Bukhari and Muslim:

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|6|315}}|Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "At every womb Allah appoints an angel who says, 'O Lord! A drop of semen, O Lord! A clot. O Lord! A little lump of flesh." Then if Allah wishes (to complete) its creation, the angel asks, (O Lord!) Will it be a male or female, a wretched or a blessed, and how much will his provision be? And what will his age be?' So all that is written while the child is still in the mother's womb."}}

====Bones formed before flesh====
{{Main|Embryology in the Quran|l1=Embryology in the Qur'an}}

The Qur'an states that the bones of a human embryo are formed first and then covered up with flesh. By contrast, modern science has shown that muscles and the cartilage 'models' of the future bones start to form at the same time and in parallel. Muscles have started to form before the cartilage models start to be replaced with actual bone.

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|14}}|
Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!}}

The Qur'an again parallels the influential Greek physician Galen, who says:

{{Quote|1=Galen, ''On semen'', p.101|2=And now the third period of gestation has come. After nature has made outlines of all the organs and the substance of the semen is used up, the time has come for nature to articulate the organs precisely and to bring all the parts to completion. Thus it caused flesh to grow on and around all the bones...}}

===All organisms created in pairs===
The Quran states that all beings are created in pairs. However, modern science has revealed that not every creature procreates or reproduces through a male and female sexual relationship.

The [[w:Desert grassland whiptail lizard|whiptail lizard]] in the U.S. Southwest, Mexico, and South America, for instance, is an all-females species which reproduces by [[w:parthenogenesis|parthenogenesis]].

[[w:virus|Viruses]] (if considered a life form) reproduce using a host's DNA and are neither female nor male. [[w:Bacteria|Bacteria]] reproduce by cell division.

[[w:Fungus|Fungus]] can reproduce either asexually or sexually with thousands of genders.

Many species of plants also reproduce either asexually or through [[w:Pollination|pollination]].

Those who are [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersex intersex] (including those people with both male and female sexual organs and body types) and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermaphrodite hermaphrodites] of all species also do not appear to fit in to this dichotomy. This has led to discriminatory rulings from Islamic scholars, not allowing those with ambiguous sexes to get married for example, due to the unknowingness of breaking a gender-based rule.<ref>See for example rulings from sheiks and scholars listed on IslamQA in response to the question: ''[https://islamqa.info/en/answers/114670/ruling-on-marrying-a-man-who-is-intersex-or-impotent-and-the-difference-between-them Ruling on marrying a man who is intersex or impotent, and the difference between them]'' </ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|49}}|
And of '''every thing''' We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction. }}
{{Quote|{{Quran|36|36}}|
Glory to Allah, Who created in pairs '''all things''' that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge. }}{{Quote|{{Quran|92|3}}|by Him who created the male and the female:}}{{Quote|{{Quran|75|39}}|Then He made of him two kinds, the male and the female.}}

===Fetus in three layers of darkness===

The word ''butun'' (بطن) means belly/abdomen/midriff, though some translators have opted to use the more specific (and evocative) word "womb".<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000257.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 220 بطن]</ref> Classical tafsirs interpreted the "three darknesses" as the placenta, womb (uterus), and belly. Modern science has revealed there to be many more such layers in the human body, such as the endometrium, myometrium, perimetrium, peritoneum, besides the cervix uteri, corpus uteri, abdomen (with walls), and placenta (with layers). In terms of extra-embryonic membranes, there is also the allantois, which is a sac-like structure and does not surround the embryo, but becomes part of the umbilical cord and is not in any real sense 'a darkness' viz-a-viz the embryo. The other two membranes, the chorion and amnion, together form the [[w:Amniotic_sac|amniotic sac]], which is quite thin and transparent. The idea of three membranes around the fetus ([[w:Chorion|chorion]], [[w:Allantois|allantois]], and [[w:Amnion|amnion]]) was taught by the highly influential Greek physician, Galen, and the description found in the Quran in all likelihood draws on Galen's widespread influence in the late antique world.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one soul. Then He made from it its mate, and He produced for you from the grazing livestock eight mates. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, within three darknesses. That is Allah, your Lord; to Him belongs dominion. There is no deity except Him, so how are you averted?}}

===Functions of the heart (cardiocentrism)===
The Quran describes the literal heart as a locus of contemplation and thought, an ancient concept known as [[w:Cardiocentric hypothesis|cardiocentrism]], as opposed to the modern scientific understanding of our brain controlling thought, memory and emotion (alongside other physical processes).<ref>''[https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/anatomy-of-the-brain Brain Anatomy and How the Brain Works.]'' Brain, Nerves and Spine. Home. Health. Conditions and Diseases. Johns Hopkins Medicine.</ref>

The concept of the heart as the seat of the intellect, spiritual contemplation, and the eye of the heart/mind/soul was a common one in East-Syriac Christianity in the centuries before Islam, seen in the writings for example of Pseudo-Macarius, Issac of Nineveh, and Ephrem,<ref>Julien Decharneux (2023), ''[https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110794083/html?lang=en Creation and Contemplation: The Cosmology of the Qur’ān and Its Late Antique Background]'', Berlin: De Gruyter, pp. 95 -102</ref> in contrast to certain scholars more closely influenced by Greek philosophy which associated the mind with the brain (encephalocentrism).<ref>Enrico Crivellato, Domenico Ribatti, ''[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S036192300600298X Soul, mind, brain: Greek philosophy and the birth of neuroscience]'', Brain Research Bulletin, Volume 71, Issue 4, 2007, Pages 327-336, ISSN 0361-9230, <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresbull.2006.09.020.(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S036192300600298X)</nowiki></ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran|22|46}}|So have they not traveled through the earth and '''have hearts by which to reason''' and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are '''the hearts which are within the breasts'''.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|46}}|And We place upon their hearts veils lest they should understand it, and in their ears a deafness; and when thou makest mention of thy Lord alone in the Qur'an, they turn their backs in aversion. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|5}}|Lo! now they fold up their breasts that they may hide (their thoughts) from Him. At the very moment when they cover themselves with their clothing, Allah knoweth that which they keep hidden and that which they proclaim. Lo! He is Aware of what is in the breasts (of men). }}''See also the below: [[Scientific Errors in the Quran#The soul in the literal heart]]''

===Characteristics of Milk===
The Qur'an states that milk is produced in the body somewhere between excretions and blood. The mammary glands, where milk is produced and stored, are, however, not located near the intestines, which is where excrement is stored. Sometimes cattle and goat milk needs processing or pasteurization before it can safely be consumed; the milk is often infected with bacteria and other micro-organisms. A significant number of humans [[w:Lactose_intolerance|lactose intolerant]], especially in some regions of the world, and are unable to digest much milk without experiencing abdominal bloating and cramps, flatulence, diarrhoea, nausea, or vomiting. This occurs in adults who lack genes for lactase enzyme persistance which maintains lactose tolerance beyond childhood and is a relatively recent evolutionary development. These realities appear to challenge the Qur'anic notion that milk is 'pure' and 'agreeable' to anyone who drinks it.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|66}}|
And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies '''between excretions and blood''', We produce, for your drink, milk, '''pure and agreeable''' to those who drink it. }}

==Geology and meteorology==

===Flat Earth===
{{Main|Islamic Views on the Shape of the Earth}}The Qur'an describes a flat-Earth cosmography. The later idea that Islamic scriptures themselves indicated a spherical Earth was a creative act of reinterpretation as this view became more prominent due to advances in astronomy. Attempts to explain Quranic verses about the Earth only in terms of local flatness at a human level, non-literal readings, and/or by adding context to them never explicitly stated, are often challenged by critics, as discussed in the [[Islamic Views on the Shape of the Earth|main article]], which also contains further evidence and verses beyond those listed here.

====Fasting and prayer requirements near the Poles====
{{Main|The Ramadan Pole Paradox}}

The Qur'an instructs Muslims to fast by abstaining from food and drink from sunrise till sunset during Ramadan. In the polar regions there are six months of sunlight and six months of perpetual night during Summer and Winter. Such fasting is not practicable for anyone living in the polar regions, and very easy (depth of Winter) or extremely hard (height of Summer) in places within around 40 degrees latitude of the poles. Various rules have been contrived by Muslim scholars for those at such latitudes to try to accommodate the (here inconvenient) fact that we live on a round Earth.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|187}}|
...Then strictly observe the fast till nightfall...}}

A similar issue emerges for the five daily prayers. Persons living in the polar region would not be able to make a sunset or sunrise prayer for much of the year. Even in less extreme contexts, for cities further south like Aberdeen in Scotland, the gap between the night prayer (Isha) and the dawn prayer (Fajr) is still around 4 and a half hours in June, so a person praying five times a day is required to interrupt their sleep around 3.20am, then go back to sleep before getting up for the day. These challenges would likely not have been on the mind of the author of the Quran during the 7th century in Arabia.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|78}}|
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.}}

====Facing toward Mecca====

The Qur'an instructs Muslims to face the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca when they pray. In consideration of the roundness of the Earth, scholars developed the great circle method to carry out this instruction. However, a number of problems have been suggested: one facing Mecca also necessarily has their back turned to it (a display of disrespect which is roundly prohibited in Islam), and one directly opposite Mecca on the globe may pray in any direction.

Another issue leads many North American Muslims, who live in the hemisphere of this antipode of Mecca, to instead prefer the rhumb-line technique (i.e. a straight line on a standard Mercator flat map projection). This is in disagreement with those who follow the great circle method, which causes people north and south in the Americas to face away from each as they pray (great circle lines from this antipode diverge cross the Americas before they start to converge again when they enter the hemisphere of Mecca), and requires much of North America to pray northwards, which to many people feels awkward. Finally, Astronauts in Earth's orbit or on the Moon and Mars would are essentially unable to follow these instructions (suggesting that the author of the Qur'an did not have such future realities in mind).

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|149}}|
From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.}}

====Earth as spread out and flat====

The author of the Qur'an mentions that the Earth is 'spread out' and laid flat. The Arabic word here (sataha) was used to describe making the flat top or roof of a house or chamber and making a top surface flat.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume4/00000081.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1357 سُطِحَ]</ref> Words from the same root mean the flat top surface or roof of a house or chamber, a bounded flat plane in geometry, a level place upon which dates can be spread, a rolling pin (which expands the dough), plane or flat.

{{Quote|{{Quran|88|20}}|And at the Earth, how it is spread out?}}

Despite Muslim encounters with Greek astronomy in the 8th century CE (see [[Islamic Views on the Shape of the Earth]]), a flat earth interpretation persisted for many more centuries in some circles.

For example, the Qur'anic commentary of al-Jalalayn (composed by the two “Jalals”; Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli (d.1459 CE) and his pupil Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d.1505 CE) - i.e. the 15th/16th century) agrees with this understanding of the verse, saying that legal scholars at his time agree that the earth is flat and not spherical.

{{Quote|1=[https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=88&tAyahNo=20&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2 Tafsir al-Jalalayn 88:20] (See [https://tafsir.app/jalalayn/88/20 here] for the Arabic)|2=And the earth how it was laid out flat? and thus infer from this the power of God exalted be He and His Oneness? The commencing with the mention of camels is because they are closer in contact with it the earth than any other animal. '''As for His words sutihat ‘laid out flat’ this on a literal reading suggests that the earth is flat which is the opinion of''' most [the word "most" is not included in the original Arabic: "وعليه علماء الشرع"; see citation for full text] '''of the scholars of the revealed Law and not a sphere as astronomers ahl al-hay’a have it''' even if this latter does not contradict any of the pillars of the Law.}}

====Earth as like carpet====

The Arabic word (''bisaatan'') used here means a thing that is spread or spread out or forth, and particularly a carpet.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000241.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 204 بِسَاطًا]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran|71|19}}|And Allah has made the earth for you as a carpet (spread out)}}

====Earth as like a couch====

The Earth is described using an Arabic word (''firashan'') that means a thing that is spread on the ground to sit or lay upon.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000155.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2371 فِرَٰشًا]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|22}}|
[He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him].}}

The same root word for couch in {{Quran|2|22}} is used as a verb in {{Quran|51|48}} in the sense of to spread (the first word translated spread here).

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|48}}|And the earth, '''We have spread it'''; how excellent (are) the Spreaders!}}

====Earth as like a bed====

The Earth is described as a 'bed' (or 'carpet' in the Yusuf Ali translation) in verse {{Quran|20|53}}, and similarly {{Quran|43|10}}. The Arabic word (''mahdan'') suggests something completely flat and spread out on the ground (and not, for instance, 'rolled up' for storage).<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume7/00000267.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2739 مَهْدًا]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|53}}|
Who hath appointed the earth '''as a bed''' and hath threaded roads for you therein and hath sent down water from the sky and thereby We have brought forth divers kinds of vegetation}}

Sometimes the same Arabic word is translated as expanse, as in {{Quran-range|78|6|7}}. Together with the next verse, the Earth is here a thing spread out and pegged down by mountains.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|78|6|7}}|Have We not made the earth as a '''wide expanse''', And the mountains as pegs?}}

The same root word is used as a participle at the end of {{Quran|51|48}}.

{{Quote|{{Quran|51|48}}|And the earth, We have spread it; how excellent (are) '''the Spreaders!'''}}

====Earth stretched out====

In the verse below, as also in {{Quran|13|3}} and {{Quran|50|7}}, the Qur'an uses a verb (''madadna'') that meant to extend by drawing or pulling, stretch out, expand.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume7/00000223.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2695 مدد]</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran|15|19}}|And the earth We have spread out (like a carpet); set thereon mountains firm and immovable; and produced therein all kinds of things in due balance.}}

====Earth as a level plain====

The Qur'an describes a time in the future when mountains will be removed. {{Quran|18|47}} uses an Arabic word (''baarizatan'') that means "entirely apparent" to describe the Earth at this time.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000224.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 187 بَارِزَةً]</ref> {{Quran|20|106}} uses words (''qa'an'' and ''safsafan'') that mean a level plain.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000248.pdf Lane's Lexicon, Suppliment p. 2994 قَاعًا], [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume4/00000418.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1694 صَفْصَفًا]</ref> This description implies the Earth is flat and level and that it is the mountains which give it shape.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|47}}|And (bethink you of) the Day when we remove the hills and ye see the earth emerging, and We gather them together so as to leave not one of them behind.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|20|105|107}}|They will ask thee of the mountains (on that day). Say: My Lord will break them into scattered dust. And leave it as '''an empty plain''', Wherein thou seest neither curve nor ruggedness.}}

===Permanent barrier between "the two seas" of fresh and salt water===
When a fresh water river flows into the sea or ocean, there is a transition region in between. This transition region is called an estuary where the fresh water remains temporarily separated from the salt water. However, this separation is not absolute, is not permanent, and the different salinity levels between the two bodies of water eventually homogenize. The Qur'an, by contrast, suggests that there is a separation between two seas, one salty and one fresh water, maintained by some sort of divine barrier placed between them.

Furthemore, {{Quran|55|20}} quoted below states that coral emerge from both seas. However, coral are found only in salt water oceans, and exposure to freshwater leads to coral bleaching.<ref>[https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/corals-and-coral-reefs Corals and Coral Reefs] - Smithsonian Institution website</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran|25|53}}| It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, '''a partition that is forbidden to be passed'''. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|61}}|Is He [not best] who made the earth a stable ground and placed within it rivers and made for it firmly set mountains and placed between the two seas a barrier? Is there a deity with Allah? [No], but most of them do not know.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|55|19|22}}|He released the two seas, meeting [side by side]; Between them is a barrier [so] neither of them transgresses. So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? From both of them emerge pearl and coral.}}

Another reference to "the two seas" (bahrayn) is found in the story of Moses and his servant.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|18|60|61}}|And [mention] when Moses said to his servant, "I will not cease [traveling] until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period." But when they reached the junction between them, they forgot their fish, and it took its course into the sea, slipping away.}}

The story of Moses and his servant is one of four stories in Surah al-Kahf. Modern academic scholarship has identified antecedants of each story in the lore of late antiquity. This particular story is almost unanimously considered to derive from a legend about Alexander the Great and his search for the water of life. For details see the section on the four stories in Surah al-Kahf in the article [[Parallels Between the Qur'an and Late Antique Judeo-Christian Literature]].

It may further be compared to the ancient Akkadian myth of the Abzu, the name for a fresh water underground sea that was given a religious quality in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology. Lakes, springs, rivers, wells, and other sources of fresh water were thought to draw their water from the Abzu underground sea, while the Ocean that surrounded the world was a saltwater sea. This underground sea is called Tehom in the Hebrew Bible. For example, Genesis 49:25 says, "blessings of the heavens above, and Tehom lying beneath".<ref>Wensinck, Arent Jan (1918). "The Ocean in the Literature of the Western Semites". Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen te Amsterdam. Afdeeling Letterkunde. Nieuwe reeks. dl. 19. no. 2. page 14</ref> Wensinck explains, "Thus it appears that the idea of there being a sea of sweet water under our earth, the ancient Tehom, which is the source of springs and rivers, is common to the Western Semites".<ref>ibid. page 17</ref> Similarly in Greek mythology, the world was surrounded by Oceanus, the world-ocean of classical antiquity. Oceanus was personified as the god Titan, whose consort was the aquatic sea goddess Tethys. It was also thought that rainfall was due a third ocean above the "Firmament of the Sky" (a vast reservoir above the firmament of the sky is also described in the Genesis creation narrative).

Whether the two seas mentioned in the Qur'an referred to these mythological seas or a more general inviolable barrier between bodies of salt and fresh water, critics argue that the verse in question is scientifically wrong.

===Mountains as pegs which prevent the earth from shifting===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains}}
Modern geology has discovered that large plates in the crust of the Earth are responsible for the formation of mountains. Called plate tectonics, the slow movement of these massive plates meet and the pressure between them pushes up the crust, forming mountains while also causing earthquakes and faults in the Earth's surface. The formation of mountains and occurance of earthquakes are thus both largely the result of destabilizing tectonic activity. They are part of the same ongoing process and one cannot exist without the other. The Qur'an, by contrast, holds that mountains are like pegs in the ground, and claims that they stabilize the Earth which would shift without them (interpreted by modern Islamic scholars as a reference to earthquakes). Moreover, there are various ways in which mountains can form, not all of which involve a thickening of the continental crust beneath them that some attempt to compare as peg-like (see main article for details).

In early or pre-Islamic poetry mountains are mentioned in terms of the Earth as a whole shifting/convulsing. This seems to support a more straightforward reading of the Quranic verses, backed also by a hadith - that Allah's creation of mountains to prevent the earth shifting/convulsing (tamīda<ref>تَمِيدَ tamīda [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume7/00000274.pdf Lane's Lexicon] page 2746</ref>) does not refer to earthquakes, which have occured throughout history including in Muhammad's era and whose seismic waves can actually be amplified in certain locations by mountains, but rather to a movement of the entire Earth (see main article for details on all of these points).

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided,}}
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|78|6|7}}|Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, And the mountains as pegs?}}

===Mountains cast upon Earth===
{{Main|The Quran and Mountains}}
Mountains are usually formed through the movement and collision (or in the case of fault-block mountains, separation) of lithospheric (tectonic) plates, as well as by a number of other processes (see main article). This is an ongoing process which continues to this day as the plates slowly move. The Quran, by contrast, states that the mountains on Earth's surface were cast upon it by God. Other verses state that creation of mountains occurred during the first four days, as discussed in the section above on creation of earth and heaven in six days. The imagery is clear when one considers the above verses which describe the Mountains as 'pegs' which stabilize the Earth (which is itself compared to a carpet and bed matt in other verses).

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|15}}|
And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided,}}

The word 'he has cast' is ''alqa'' (lam-qaf-ya), which in this form (Arabic verb form IV) is frequently used elsewhere in the Quran to mean throw or cast.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000266.pdf Lane's Lexicon, Suppliment p. 3012 أَلْقَىٰ] See paragraph number 4 for the form IV verb definition.</ref> It is the same word as is used in {{Quran|3|44}} when lots are cast using pens (it would be easy to imagine that mountains were similarly scattered, though perhaps it should not be taken too literally in this context), and {{Quran|12|10}} when the prophet Yusuf is cast down into the well, and in {{Quran|20|20}} when Moses casts down his staff, which becomes a snake. The implication of such verses is that mountains were a special act of creation rather them being a byproduct of a larger and ongoing process (tectonic plate movement).

===Chests contract with altitude===
{{Quran|6|125}} states that a person's chest cavity gets smaller at higher altitude. Modern science, by contrast, has revealed that the opposite is the case.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|125}}|Those whom Allah (in His plan) willeth to guide,- He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying,- He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.}}

===Earthquakes as a punishment===
The Quran describes Earthquakes, blizzards, hurricanes, and other destructive natural activity as being a sort of punishment for the people they inflict. Research, however, has not found any correlation between civilizations' irreligiosity and their susceptibility to these or other type of natural disaster.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|45}}|
Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|37}}|
But they denied him, and the dreadful earthquake took them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling place. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|68}}|
Do ye then feel secure that He will not cause you to be swallowed up beneath the earth when ye are on land, or that He will not send against you a violent tornado (with showers of stones) so that ye shall find no one to carry out your affairs for you}}

===Disregard of evaporation in water cycle===
Some modern Muslim scholars argue that the water cycle is described in the Qur'an. Every verse about rain in the Qur'an implies that rain comes either directly from the sky or from Allah. The crucial step of evaporation of water into the air is never mentioned. That Quran describes a linear process orchestrated by Allah rather than a cyclical process (as with the water cycle) renders these modern reinterpretations challenging.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|11}}|
That sends down (from time to time) rain from the sky in due measure;- and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead; even so will ye be raised (from the dead)}}

===Mountains of hail in the sky===

Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds when updrafts raise water droplets to an altitude where they freeze. The Qur'an, by contrast, describes mountain-like masses of hail in the sky / heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|43}}|
Hast thou not seen how Allah wafteth the clouds, then gathereth them, then maketh them layers, and thou seest the rain come forth from between them; '''He sendeth down from the heaven mountains wherein is hail''', and smiteth therewith whom He will, and averteth it from whom He will. The flashing of His lightning all but snatcheth away the sight.

'''Transliteration:''' wayunazzilu (and he sends down) mina (from) alssamai (the sky) min (from) jibalin (mountains) feeha (in it ['it' is feminine here so must refer to the sky]) min (of) baradin (hail)
}}

Tafsirs such as al-Jalalayn and the one attributed to Ibn Abbas say that this means mountains in the sky.<ref>[https://tafsir.app/jalalayn/24/43 Tafsir al-Jalalayn 24:43]</ref> Ibn Kathir notes two views, that these are literally mountains of hail in the sky, or that they are a metaphor for clouds.<ref>[https://tafsir.app/ibn-katheer/24/43 Tafsir Ibn Kathir 24:43]</ref> Clouds could poetically be described as mountains in the sky, but the verse says "mountains of hail in the sky", which critics would say strongly suggests large masses of ice (in the clouds or otherwise), and it was sometimes understood in this literal way as evidenced in tafsirs.

===Allah smites with thunderbolts===

The Quran describes thunder and lightning in a manner typical of ancient mythology. Allah, in a manner evocative of the legends most famously regarding Zeus, smites persons he wishes to punish with thunderbolts. A hadith, graded hasan (good) by Dar-us-Salam, further states that Muhammad believed the sound of thunder was an angel striking the clouds, which the angel drives along with a piece of fire (evoking the image of a whip of fire).

{{Quote|{{Quran|13|13}}|
And the thunder declares His glory with His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends the thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.}}

{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi|44|5|44|3117}}|Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
"The Jews came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: 'O Abul-Qasim! Inform us about the thunder, what is it?' He said: 'An angel among the angels, who is responsible for the clouds. He has a piece of fire wherever that he drives the clouds wherever Allah wills.' They said: 'Then what is this noise we hear?' He said: 'It is him, striking the clouds when he drives them on, until it goes where it is ordered.' They said: 'You have told the truth.'}}

==Zoology==

===Ants converse and recognize humans===

Ants primarily communicate with each other using pheromones (chemical signals). While scientists have discovered that ants make some noises, nothing has ever indicated that the brains of ants could produce anything approximating complex speech. By contrast, the Qur'an recounts the story of an ant warning her fellow ants of the approach of Solomon's large army of humans. Solomon is able to understand her speech and proceeds, presumably, to leave the ants be.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|27|18|19}}|
At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, '''one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." So he smiled, amused at her speech;''' and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants." }}

===Four types of cattle===

The Qur'an states that Allah has provided four kinds of cattle (eight including male and female). There exist, however, many more than four species of cattle. The word "cattle" in {{Quran|39|6}} is ''al-ana'ami'', from a root meaning plentiful subsistence and in this form meant pasturing (i.e. grazing) animals.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000289.pdf Lane's Lexicon, Suppliment p. 3035 أَنْعَٰمِ]</ref> The word ''azwajin'' ("kinds" in the translation of 39:6 below) generally means "mate" or "member of a pair".<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume3/00000432.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1266 أَزْوَٰجٍ]</ref> {{Quran|6|143-144}} clarifies that this refers to male and female pairs of sheep, goats, oxen, and camels, suggesting that the author of the Qur'an was aware of four kinds of grazing animals useful for humans (horses, mules and donkeys are considered a separate category from al-ana'ami, see {{Quran-range|16|5|8}}). This does not include many other types of cattle from the regions outside of Arabia, such as reindeer, which were and remain important to people in northern latitudes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|39|6}}|
He created you from one being, then from that (being) He made its mate; and He hath provided for you of '''cattle eight kinds'''. He created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in a threefold gloom. Such is Allah, your Lord. His is the Sovereignty. There is no Allah save Him. How then are ye turned away}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|142-144}}|'''And of the cattle (He produceth) some for burdens, some for food.''' Eat of that which Allah hath bestowed upon you, and follow not the footsteps of the devil, for lo! he is an open foe to you. '''Eight pairs: Of the sheep twain, and of the goats twain.''' Say: Hath He forbidden the two males or the two females, or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Expound to me (the case) with knowledge, if ye are truthful. '''And of the camels twain and of the oxen twain.''' Say: Hath He forbidden the two males or the two females, or that which the wombs of the two females contain; or were ye by to witness when Allah commanded you (all) this? Then who doth greater wrong than he who deviseth a lie concerning Allah, that he may lead mankind astray without knowledge. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.}}

===Horses created as transportation===

After thousands of years of domestication and cross-breeding, horses were domesticated approximately 4,000 years ago in East Europe and Central Asia. Prior to this, horses were wild animals not yet suitably bred for this purpose. Today feral horses are descendants of once domesticated horses that aren't tamed or used for human transportation. By contrast, the Qur'an appears to suggest that horses were created by Allah already prepared to serve human purposes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|8}}|
And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.}}

===All animals live in communities===

The Qur'an emphatically states that all animals live in "communities". Many animals, such as the jaguar or leopard, are however well known for being solitary creatures, rarely meeting in pairs and then only to mate. Animals of these kinds do not live in communities and rather tend to resort to violence when their solitude is disturbed (the opposite, some argue, of what it means to live in a community). There also exist species whose young are not raised as family and which lay eggs and abandon them before hatching. Sea Turtles, for instance, bury their eggs on a beach and leave them. When an egg hatches the baby turtle must dig to the surface and make a sprint to the sea or perish. Some reptiles behave similarly. The Carolina anole, which is a lizard species, is another such example. These anoles lay a single egg every 2 weeks, around 10 in total, each taking 5 to 7 weeks to hatch. Anole hatchlings must fend for themselves and are by nature solitary creatures from birth.

One modern translation of the Quran interprets ''umamun'' (community / nation) to mean "genus" (group of species, plural: genera). This interpretation appears difficult, however, for while today we categorize species into genera, families, and other taxonomic ranks within evolutionary tree (phylogenetic) models, such categories are understood as an evolutionary process in which, even now, sub-groups of many species are diverging and gradually evolving into new species.

{{Quote|{{Quran|6|38}}|
'''There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book''', and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end.}}

===Bird flight as a miracle===

Modern science has revealed the aerodynamic properties of birds' anatomy which enable them to fly. Bird flight essentially functions by creating a difference in the air pressure between the lower and upper part of the wing and this creates lift that pushes the bird upward. The wings of birds have evolved over millions of years and have thereby refined birds' flight abilities. By contrast, the Quran states that 'nothing' holds birds in the air, except for the miraculous power of Allah.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|79}}|
Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|67|19}}|Do they not see the birds above them with wings outspread and [sometimes] folded in? None holds them [aloft] except the Most Merciful. Indeed He is, of all things, Seeing.}}

The same verb for holding (amsaka) appears in {{Quran|22|65}} and {{Quran|35|41}} with regard to Allah holding the sky from falling to earth. As so often with the Quran, modern academic scholarship has found a close parallel in 6th century CE Syriac literature. Joseph of Sarugh (d. 521 CE) similarly stated that only the action of God held up the sky and repeatedly used birdflight as another illustration of the same divine action in words very similar to the Quranic verse. For details, see [[Parallels_Between_the_Qur'an_and_Late_Antique_Judeo-Christian_Literature#Allah_keeps_the_heavens_and_the_birds_from_falling|Parallels Between the Qur'an and Late Antique Judeo-Christian Literature]].
==History==
{{Main|Historical Errors in the Quran}}
Below are a selection of historical errors found in the Quran, a more complete list is located in the article dedicated to [[Historical Errors in the Quran|historical errors in the Quran]].

===Massive wall of iron built to trap Gog and Magog until judgement day===
{{Main|Dhul-Qarnayn and the Alexander Romance}}

The Qur'an states that two dangerous tribes, Gog and Magog, were trapped behind a massive wall of Iron erected by Dhu'l-Qarnayn and will only be let free on the day of Judgement. However, no such wall or tribes have ever been found despite the advent of global satellite imagery.

{{Quote|{{Quran|18|96-101}}|Bring me pieces of iron!’ When he had levelled up between the flanks, he said, ‘Blow!’ When he had turned it into fire, he said, ‘Bring me molten copper to pour over it.’
So they could neither scale it, nor could they make a hole in it. He said, ‘This is a mercy from my Lord. But when the promise of my Lord is fulfilled, He will level it; and my Lord’s promise is true.’
That day We shall let them surge over one another, the Trumpet will be blown, and We shall gather them all, and on that day We shall bring hell into view visibly for the faithless.
Those whose eyes were blind to My remembrance and who could not hear.}}

The trumpet blowing in {{Quran|18|99}} is referred to many other times in the Qur'an as happening on judgement day (see {{Quran|27|87}}, {{Quran|69|13}} and {{Quran|39|68}}), with the word 'yawm' يوم being used in Q18:99 and 18:100, meaning on that ''day''<ref>[http://arabiclexicon.hawramani.com/search/%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85?cat=50 Lane's Lexicon dictionary - يوم]</ref> specifically. Another passage confirms that this wall was supposedly still intact and that its future opening will be associated with other apocalyptic events.

{{Quote|{{Quran|21|95-97}}|But there is a ban on any population which We have destroyed: that they shall not return,
Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill.
Then will the true promise draw nigh (of fulfilment): then behold! the eyes of the Unbelievers will fixedly stare in horror: "Ah! Woe to us! we were indeed heedless of this; nay, we truly did wrong!"}}

===Mary as part of the Trinity===

Mainstream Christian doctrine has never held Mary to be a part of the Trinity. The Qur'an, however, apparently implies as much, leading many to conclude that Muhammad misunderstood Christian doctrine.

{{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, '''worship me and my mother as gods''' in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden}}

This alternative formulation of the trinity is present even more clearly in {{Quran-range|5|72|75}}, which makes no mention of the holy spirit and takes measure to disprove the divinity of Jesus and his mother by pointing out that they, like normal human beings, also ate food.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|5|72|75}}|They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah (himself) said: O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Lo! whoso ascribeth partners unto Allah, for him Allah hath forbidden paradise. His abode is the Fire. For evil-doers there will be no helpers. '''They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the third of three'''; when there is no Allah save the One Allah. If they desist not from so saying a painful doom will fall on those of them who disbelieve. Will they not rather turn unto Allah and seek forgiveness of Him? For Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. '''The Messiah, son of Mary, was no other than a messenger''', messengers (the like of whom) had passed away before him. '''And his mother was a saintly woman. And they both used to eat (earthly) food.''' See how We make the revelations clear for them, and see how they are turned away!}}

A common interpretation advocated by Muslim scholars today is that this refers to a fringe Arab Christian sect known as the Collyridians. However, this sect were only mentioned in a 4th century CE book on heresies. The most plausible alternative interpretation proposed so far relates these verses to a Byzantine theological dispute and contemporary war propaganda (for details, see the Qur'anic Trinity section of the article [[Parallels Between the Qur'an and Late Antique Judeo-Christian Literature]]).

For further Christology in the Quran, see [[Qur'anic Christology]] and [[Isa al-Masih (Jesus Christ)]].

===Mary as Miriam===
{{main|Mary the sister of Aaron in the Quran}}

Mary the mother of Jesus was born in the first century BCE and was not related to Moses and his family whose story is set 1500 years earlier. Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron and daughter of Amram (Imran). The Quran appears to confuse these two characters, as it describes Mary, the mother of Jesus, as the "Sister of Aaron" and her mother as the "wife of Imran" in context where the "Imran" being discussed is evidently Miriam's father. A possible source of this confusion is the fact that both Miriam and Mary had the same name in Arabic, or were at least similar enough sounding for the original distinction to have been lost or neglected (the word used in either case in the Quran is the same and is pronounced ''maryam'').

{{Quote|{{Quran|19|27-28}}|Then she brought him to her own folk, carrying him. They said: O Mary! Thou hast come with an amazing thing. '''O sister of Aaron!''' Thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother a harlot.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|66|12}}|And Mary, '''daughter of 'Imran''', whose body was chaste, therefor We breathed therein something of Our Spirit. And she put faith in the words of her Lord and His scriptures, and was of the obedient.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|3|33-36}}| Lo! Allah preferred Adam and Noah and the Family of Abraham '''and the Family of 'Imran''' above (all His) creatures. They were descendants one of another. Allah is Hearer, Knower. (Remember) when the '''wife of 'Imran''' said: My Lord! I have vowed unto Thee that which is in my belly as a consecrated (offering). Accept it from me. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Hearer, the Knower! And when she was delivered she said: My Lord! Lo! I am delivered of a female - Allah knew best of what she was delivered - the male is not as the female; and lo! I have named her Mary, and lo! I crave Thy protection for her and for her offspring from Satan the outcast.}}

"Wife of 'Imran" is here im'ra-atu ʿim'rāna, literally woman of Imran, though the same construction certainly means "wife" a few verses later ({{Quran|3|40}}), and in several other verses.

Some modern academic scholars cite evidence that this could be a case of typology (deliberate literary allusion between characters - see main article). This may be the best explanation, although the verses would still be misleading as historical statements. {{Muslim|25|5326}} seeks to explain the coincidence based on alleged customary forms of address (to explain "sister of Aaron") or naming customs (to explain why Imran named his daughter Mary), depending on interpretation of the hadith. Either interpretation only reduces part of the coincidence. Even if a naming custom could increase the odds that this father-daughter pair would share names with some earlier biblical family, a further coincidence would still be required if her father happened to be named the same as the father (Imran) in the particular biblical family alluded to when his daughter is addressed as "sister of Aaron". Another attempted explanation is that this Imran actually had a son called Aaron as well as a daughter named Mary.

===Ezra as the son of God in Jewish doctrine===

Historically, Judaism has been a strict form of monotheism. The Quran, by contrast, describes the Jews as practitioners of polytheism by stating that they hold ''Uzair'' (Ezra) to be the son of God. This is compared directly with the Christian doctrine which hold Jesus to be the son of God. This appears to be a confusion resulting from conflating the alternative senses in which Jewish and Christian theologians have employed and understood the word "son".

{{Quote|{{Quran|9|30}}|
The Jews call 'Uzair a son of Allah, and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the Truth! }}

===David invented coats of mail===

Historians commonly credited the invention of coat mail (not to be confused with scale armor) to the Celts in the 3rd century BCE.<ref name="books.google.com">Richard A. Gabriel, [http://books.google.com/books?id=HscIwvtkq2UC&pg=PA79 ''The ancient world''], Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 P.79</ref>. Mail has also been found in a 5th century BCE Scythian grave, and there is a cumbersome Etruscan pattern mail artifact from the 4th century BCE.<ref>Robinson, H. R., [https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=BaDMDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA10 ''Oriental Armour''], New York:Dover Publications, 1995, pp.10-12</ref> The nature of coat mail is such that it should persist for several millennia, and such advantageous military technologies would spread rapidly, so it is unlikely that coat mail would have originated much earlier, undiscovered by archaeologists. While, older translations of the Bible mention Goliath and David wearing a "coat of mail" in 1 Samuel 17:5 and 17:38 respectively, this is a well known mistranslation for a word meaning armor in general.

In the Qur'an, by contrast, David in the 10th century BCE is taught by Allah how to make long coats of mail (''sabighatin'' سَٰبِغَٰتٍ<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume4/00000022.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1298 سبغ]</ref>) after Allah made the iron (''al hadid'' ٱلْحَدِيدَ) malleable for him and told him to measure the chainmail links (''as-sardi'' ٱلسَّرْدِ) thereof.<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume4/00000022.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1298 سَٰبِغَٰتٍ], [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume4/00000071.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1347 ٱلسَّرْدِ]</ref> A second passage adds that people should be thankful for this knowledge which has been passed down since David and protects them today.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|34|10|11}}| And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him, Saying: Make thou long coats of mail and measure the links (thereof). And do ye right. Lo! I am Seer of what ye do. }}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|21|79|80}}| And We made Solomon to understand (the case); and unto each of them We gave judgment and knowledge. And we subdued the hills and the birds to hymn (His) praise along with David. We were the doers (thereof). And We taught him the art of making garments (of mail) to protect you in your daring. Are ye then thankful?}}

Chainmail seems to have been familiar to the early Muslims. Muhammad is narrated as using a metaphor of two coats of iron (junnataani min hadeedin جُنَّتَانِ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ), one owned by a generous person and the other by a miser in whose coat every ring (halqat حَلْقَةٍ<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume2/00000265.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 629 حلقة]</ref>) becomes close together ({{Muslim|5|2229}}). Ibn Kathir [https://quranx.com/tafsirs/34.11 in his tafsir for 34:11] has narrations in which Mujahid and Ibn Abbas use that same arabic word meaning rings (الحلقة) to explain the Quranic verse<ref>[https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=7&tSoraNo=34&tAyahNo=11&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=1 Tafsir of Ibn Kathir for 34:11 (Arabic)]</ref>.

===Crucifixions in ancient Egypt===

The first historical reference to crucifixion as a method of execution is from 500 BCE, when the technique began being used in several middle eastern cultures. The Qur'an, by contrast, tells of crucifixions at the time of Moses (approximately 1500 BCE) as well as Joseph (approximately 2000 BCE).

{{Quote|{{Quran|12|41}}|
O two companions of prison, as for one of you, he will give drink to his master of wine; but as for the other, he will be crucified, and the birds will eat from his head. The matter has been decreed about which you both inquire." }}

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|71}}|
(Pharaoh) said: Ye put faith in him before I give you leave. Lo! he is your chief who taught you magic. Now surely I shall cut off your hands and your feet alternately, and '''I shall crucify you on the trunks of palm trees''', and ye shall know for certain which of us hath sterner and more lasting punishment.}}

Ancient Egypt has been subjected to extensive study by archaeologists. While there exists hieroglyphic evidence of people impaled through upright stakes in ancient Egypt, this remains distinct from the palm-tree crucifixions described in the Quran, as palm trees are of too great girth to be used to vertically impale an individual.

The same verb for crucifixion is used in {{Quran|4|157}} regarding Jesus. Two other verses, {{Quran|38|12}} and {{Quran|89|8}}, use another word to call Pharaoh "owner of the pegs" or "stakes". Sometimes this is claimed to refer to impalement and even mistranslated as such. However, the context in {{Quran-range|89|6|11}} shows that it refers to unspecified and lasting rock-hewn monuments (most likely columned temples, obelisks or possibly even the pyramids).

Moreover, there is no ancient Egyptian evidence of cross amputation (punitive removal of a single hand and foot on alternate sides). It seems that here again a contemporary punitive practice has been transferred in the Quran to ancient Egypt. A parallel using the same Arabic words occurs in {{Quran|5|33}}, which commands crucifixion or cross amputation among a range of punishment options (both of which became part of Islamic jurisprudence). In the exceptionally cruel combination of both punishments put in the mouth of Pharaoh (see also {{Quran|7|124}} and {{Quran|26|49}}), the victim would need to be fastened to the palm tree and / or nailed through the remaining two extremities.

===The singular Pharaoh===

Geographically, the Coptic land of Egypt is adjacent to Arabia. Thus, most Arabs were aware of the preservation method applied by the ancient Egyptian to their pharaohs. Pharaohs were preserved intact using methods such as salt to dry the body (hence, salt in the body of Ramesses II does not suggest that he drowned in the dead sea). There were many pharaohs from numerous dynasties who were preserved in this way. The Qur'an, by contrast, only speaks of "Pharaoh" (''Firaun'') singularly, as a proper noun without the definite article, suggesting that its author was unaware of the multiplicity of pharaohs.

{{Quote|{{Quran|10|90}}|We took the Children of Israel across the sea: Pharaoh and his hosts followed them in insolence and spite. At length, when overwhelmed with the flood, he said: "I believe that there is no god except Him Whom the Children of Israel believe in: I am of those who submit (to Allah in Islam)."}}

===Nabatean rock tombs at al-Hijr as homes and palaces from before the time of Pharaoh===

The Qur'an frequently lists destroyed peoples of the past, particularly the peoples of Noah, Lot, Pharaoh's army, Midian, Aad and its successor, Thamud. The destruction of Thamud after they disbelieved their prophet Salih is mentioned many times, either by an earthquake {{Quran|7|78}} or a thunderous blast (for example {{Quran|54|31}}).

Its destruction is also alluded to by a believer from the family of Pharaoh:

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|40|28|31}}|And a believing man from the family of Pharaoh who concealed his faith said [...] And he who believed said, "O my people, indeed I fear for you [a fate] like the day of the companies - Like the custom of the people of Noah and of 'Aad and Thamud and those after them. And Allah wants no injustice for [His] servants.}}

The companies / factions (l-aḥzābu) is a term used collectively for the list of destroyed cities also in {{Quran-range|38|12|14}}.

[[w:Thamud|Thamud]] is a term used by experts for a people or peoples of a particular region over a number of centuries (8th century BCE to the 4th century CE), but the Qur'an speaks only of a particular destruction of Thamud after the warnings of their prophet Salih went unheeded. It describes them as the builders of well known palaces and homes, skillfully carved from the mountains, clarified in the Quran and hadith as a place in Arabia known as al Hijr (the rocky tract), or Mada'in Salih today.

The errors in the Quran here are two-fold: It is now known that these were actually elaborately carved tombs, not homes or palaces, and that they were made by the Nabateans from the 2nd century BCE to the 2nd century AD, not before the time of the Pharaohs<ref>[https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1293 Hegra Archaeological Site (al-Hijr / Madā ͐ in Ṣāliḥ) - unesco.org (includes many photographs of the tombs)]</ref>. Petra in Jordan was the Nabateans' more famous city before al Hijr. There are over 100 tombs at al-Hijr, some very large, and many of them small, believed even by a 14th Century CE Arab traveller to contain the bones of the people of Thamud in their houses.<ref>[https://whc.unesco.org/document/168945 al-Hijr UNESCO nomination document] p.36 (includes detailed site description)</ref>. Nabatean inscriptions forbid opening the tombs, reusing them or moving the bodies. The town of al-Hegra where the people lived some distance from the surrounding rock tombs was built of mud-brick and stone.<ref>[https://www.arabnews.com/node/350178 History and mystery of Al-Hijr, ancient capital of the Nabateans in Arabia] - Arabnews.com</ref>

The Quran says Thamud carved palaces from its plains, and homes from its mountains:

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|7|73|74}}|And to the Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih. He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. This is the she-camel of Allah [sent] to you as a sign. So leave her to eat within Allah 's land and do not touch her with harm, lest there seize you a painful punishment. And remember when He made you successors after the 'Aad and settled you in the land, [and] '''you take for yourselves palaces from its plains and carve from the mountains, homes [ buyūtan بُيُوتًا <ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000317.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 280 بيوت ]</ref>]'''. Then remember the favors of Allah and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|26|149}}|And you carve out of the mountains, homes [ buyūtan بُيُوتًا ], with skill.}}

These ruins were well known to Muhammad's listeners:

{{Quote|{{Quran|29|38}}|And [We destroyed] 'Aad and Thamud, and it has become clear to you from their [ruined] dwellings [ masākinihim مَّسَٰكِنِهِمْ <ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume4/00000118.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 1394 مسكن]</ref>]. And Satan had made pleasing to them their deeds and averted them from the path, and they were endowed with perception.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|89|9}}|And [with] Thamud, who carved out the rocks in the valley?}}

Al-Hijr is widely accepted as this location. It is also mentioned once by name in {{Quran-range|15|80|83}} ("the companions of al-Hijr") and its description and destruction matches that for Thamud.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|15|80|83}}|And certainly did the companions of Thamud [ al-Hijr ٱلْحِجْرِ ] deny the messengers. And We gave them Our signs, but from them they were turning away. And they used to carve from the mountains, houses [ buyūtan بُيُوتًا ], feeling secure. But the shriek seized them at early morning.}}

Al-Hijr is also identified in hadiths as the "al Hijr, land of Thamud" (al hijr ardi Thamudi الْحِجْرِ أَرْضِ ثَمُودَ):

{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|55|562}}|Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:

The people landed at the land of Thamud called Al-Hijr along with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and they took water from its well for drinking and kneading the dough with it as well. (When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) heard about it) he ordered them to pour out the water they had taken from its wells and feed the camels with the dough, and ordered them to take water from the well whence the she-camel (of Prophet Salih) used to drink.}}

===Samarians in ancient Egypt===
The Qu'ran states that Moses dealt with a Samarian during his time. However the Samarians did not exist until well over half a millennium after Moses is supposed to have existed.

Oxford Bibliographies (an academic website) says the following:

{{Quote|[https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195393361/obo-9780195393361-0176.xml Oxford Bibliographies - Samaria/Samaritans]|Samaria (Hebrew: Shomron) is mentioned in the Bible in 1 Kings 16:24 as the name of the mountain on which Omri, ruler of the northern Israelite kingdom in the 9th century BCE, built his capital, naming it also Samaria. After the conquest of the Northern Kingdom by the Assyrians in 722/721 BCE, the district surrounding the city was likewise called Samaria (Assyrian: Samerina). The Bible presents an etiology or folk etymology when it claims that the city was named after Shemer, the original owner from whom Omri bought the hill. It is more likely that the name is derived from the root šmr, to “watch, to guard”; that is, the hill was a point from which particularly the north–south route could be watched and guarded.}}

The likely root of the Quranic confusion is the story in the Bible, [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea%208&version=NIV Hosea 8:5-8] or [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%2012&version=NIV 1 Kings 12:25-29] where there is mentioned a golden calf (or two of them) created in Samaria after the time of Solomon. One modern perspective holds that the Qur'an might be referring to Zimri, son of Salu (Numbers 25:14). However, the Quranic character is referred to three times in {{Quran-range|20|85|88}} as l-sāmiriyu with the definite article, "the Samiri", so this is a descriptive title rather than a proper name.

{{Quote|{{Quran|20|85}}|“( Allah) said; ‘We have tested thy people in thy absence: the Samiri has led them astray’.” }}{{Quote|{{Quran|20|95}}|“( Moses) said, ‘What then is thy case, O Samiri?’”}}

===Noah's worldwide flood===

''Main article: [[Historical Errors in the Quran#Noah's worldwide flood|Historical Errors in the Quran - Noah's worldwide flood]]''

The Quran contains a version of the worldwide-flood story widespread in ancient near-Eastern mythology and most famously found in the Bible. Since geological evidence suggests such a flood never took place, some modern Muslim scholars have reinterpreted the account in the Quran as referring to a more limited, local flood. Several elements in the tale, however, militate against this rereading. Elsewhere in the Quran whenever the heavens and earth are mentioned together, it means in their entirety. In this story waters are released from both of them. Another such detail is the storage of "two of each kind" of animal aboard the ship, since it is not clear what purpose this would serve if the flood were local. Similarly, the purpose of the boat itself appears unclear in this reading - as with the ample warning time that Noah was given, he and his family could have simply evacuated the area that was to be flooded. The relevant passage also states plainly that nothing, not even a tall mountain, could save an individual from drowning on that day except for Allah - this seems to contradict the idea that individuals and animals could have escaped the flood simply by evacuating the flooded area. Noah is recorded praying to God, "O my Lord! Leave not of the Unbelievers [kuffar], a single one on Earth!" - the flood is an answer to this prayer, which likewise suggests that the flood described is a global flood that drowns all those not chosen by Allah to persist aboard the ark.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|54|11|12}}|Then opened We the gates of heaven with pouring water And caused the earth to gush forth springs, so that the waters met for a predestined purpose.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! '''We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female''', and your family - except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers." but only a few believed with him.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|11|43}}|The son replied: "I will betake myself to some mountain: it will save me from the water." Noah said: '''"This day nothing can save''', from the command of Allah, any but those on whom He hath mercy! "And the waves came between them, and the son was among those overwhelmed in the Flood.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|71|26}}|And Noah, said: "O my Lord! Leave not of the Unbelievers, a single one on earth!}}

===Flood waters boiled from an oven===

Aside from waters pouring from gates in the heaven, the Qur'an further describes the flood waters as boiling from an oven. There is no scientific nor historical evidence for a large flood of this nature. This element is not found even in more ancient versions of the story (Epic of Gilgamesh, Atra hasis, and Ziusudra). Its ultimate origin appears to be a highly tenuous rabbinical exergisis in the Babylonian Talmud, based on a word in an unrelated verse that means heat or wrath.<ref>[https://biblehub.com/lexicon/esther/7-10.htm biblehub.com]</ref>

{{Quote|1=[https://www.sefaria.org/Rosh_Hashanah.12a.4?lang=bi Tracate Rosh Hashanah]|2=The Gemara answers: Even according to Rabbi Eliezer a change was made, in accordance with the statement of Rav Ḥisda, as Rav Ḥisda said: They sinned with boiling heat, and they were punished with boiling heat; they sinned with the boiling heat of the sin of forbidden sexual relations, and they were punished with the boiling heat of scalding waters. This is derived from a verbal analogy. It is written here, with regard to the flood: “And the waters abated” (Genesis 8:1), and it is written elsewhere, with regard to King Ahasuerus: “And the heated anger of the king abated” (Esther 7:10), which implies that the word “abated” means cooled. This indicates that at first the waters of the flood had been scalding hot.}}

Note that in his translation, Yusuf Ali mistranslates the Aramaic loan word for the oven (alttannooru ٱلتَّنُّورُ)<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume1/00000355.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 318 تَّنُّورُ]</ref> as "fountains". The Arabic verb translated "gushed forth" (fara فَارَ) means "boiled" in the context of water in a cooking pot<ref>[http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000241.pdf Lane's Lexicon p. 2457 فور]</ref>, as well as in the other verse where it is used, {{Quran|67|7}}.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
(Thus it was) till, when Our commandment came to pass '''and the oven gushed forth water''', We said: Load therein two of every kind, a pair (the male and female), and thy household, save him against whom the word hath gone forth already, and those who believe. And but a few were they who believed with him.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|23|27}}|
Then We inspired in him, saying: Make the ship under Our eyes and Our inspiration. Then, when Our command cometh '''and the oven gusheth water''', introduce therein of every (kind) two spouses, and thy household save him thereof against whom the Word hath already gone forth. And plead not with Me on behalf of those who have done wrong. Lo! they will be drowned.}}

===Noah's ark holding every species===

Part of the legend of Noah's Ark is that a pair of every living species was stored on board. While we do not know exactly how many animals Muhammad, or specific 7th century Arabs were aware off, it can be assumed they were aware of local cattle, birds and visible insects etc. in Arabia - where gathering two of every pair was a difficult, but not impossible task.

Modern science has, however, revealed over 2.1 million species identified so far across all taxonomic groups. This includes over a million identified insect species, 110,000 arachnids, 11,000 birds, 11,000 reptiles and 6,500 mammals that live spread across the entire planet and each of which require different climates, habitats, and diets, while a widely cited estimate for the total number of terrestrial species including those as yet undiscovered is 6.5 million.<ref>[https://ourworldindata.org/how-many-species-are-there#:~:text=Species%20that%20we%20have%20identified,million%20species%20on%20the%20planet How many species are there?] - Our World in Data website</ref>

These discoveries appear to render the idea that all animals could have been kept on board a single ship impossible.

{{Quote|{{Quran|11|40}}|
(Thus it was) till, when Our commandment came to pass and the oven gushed forth water, We said: Load therein two of every kind, a pair (the male and female), and thy household, save him against whom the word hath gone forth already, and those who believe. And but a few were they who believed with him.}}

===Countable currency in ancient Egypt===
Surah Yusuf mentions that the caravan that rescued the eponymous prophet from the pit sold him to an Egyptian "for a low price, a few dirhams". Leaving aside the fact that dirham coins did not exist in ancient Egypt, a more fundamental problem is that the price is indicated as having been some kind of discreetly countable currency: darāhima maʿdūdatin ("dirhams counted"). The word maʿdūdatin occurs throughout the Quran denoting something discreetly numbered, for example "[Fasting for] a limited number of days" in {{Quran|2|184}}. Thus, it is not describing a weight of valuable material, but a countable currency. Such a thing did not exist in ancient Egypt. Rather, there were stone weights, particularly the denben, for measuring amounts of precious metals and to price other goods that could be barter traded, but not itself nor units of metal used as a means of exchange.<ref>[https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1079/trade-in-ancient-egypt/ Trade in ancient Egypt] - World History Encyclopedia</ref>

{{Quote|{{Quran|12|20}}|And they sold him for a reduced price - a few dirhams - and they were, concerning him, of those content with little.}}

==Sociology==

===Linguistics===

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|31}}|And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."}}

{{Quran-range|55|3|4}} states that Allah created man and taught him clear speech, while {{Quran|2|31}} quoted above states that Allah taught Adam the names of everything. Adam and his wife are both spoken to and speak articulate sentences with complex symbolic thought, for example {{Quran|7|23}}, and their sons have a fully articulate conversation in {{Quran-range|5|27|31}}.

While the species Homo sapiens arose c. 300,000 years ago, the [[w:Origin_of_language|earliest use of language]] is extremely uncertain and may even predate this. However, the earliest evidence for symbolic thought (necessary for complex utterances) dates to c. 100,000 years ago, consisting of very simple engraved markings on pieces of orche and egg shells,<ref>Tylén, K. et al. (2020) [https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1910880117 The evolution of early symbolic behavior in Homo sapiens] Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 117, Issue 9, p.4578-4584</ref> and an explosion of symbolic thought occured around 40,000 years ago.<ref>[https://www.amnh.org/explore/videos/humans/symbolic-thinking Thinking in Symbols] American Museum of Natural History website, 2012</ref>

Some 1.9 million species of plants and animals have been identified and named, out of some 8.7 million that may actually exist<ref name="plos">{{cite journal | author= Mora, C.| title=How Many Species Are There on Earth and in the Ocean?|journal=[[PLoS Biology]]|date=August 23, 2011|url=http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001127 |doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.1001127 |pmid=21886479 |pmc=3160336 |volume=9 |pages=e1001127|display-authors=etal}}</ref>. Millions more have become extinct. Far more numerous are the living objects, galaxies, the countless stars and planets of the universe. In light of this, it is not clear what is meant by the idea that Allah taught Adam 'all the names', especially since the first humans do not appear to have been extremely knowledgeable.

Incidentally, the element in the Quranic verse in which the angels could not name animals after had Adam done so was a tale invented by a Rabbi. See the relevant section on that topic in the article [[Parallels_Between_the_Qur%27an_and_Late_Antique_Judeo-Christian_Literature#The_angels_could_not_name_animals_when_Adam_was_created|Parallels Between the Qur'an and Late Antique Judeo-Christian Literature]].

===Arabic as eminently accessible===

Fewer than 4% of the world's population grows up speaking Arabic. The Arabic of this 4%, however, is not the Arabic of the Quran and is instead comprised of various regional dialects of modern colloquial Arabic. The text of the Quran is thus directly accessible only to a small portion of the world's population. Additionally, there are present in the Quran many words, phrases, and references whose original 7th century Arabic meaning, being unrecorded, has been entirely lost to history or, in some cases, has remained subject to inconclusive debates. Consequently, while Muslims are obligated to pray and recite the Quran in Arabic, it is only a small proportion of the Muslim population that can claim to have some sense of what they recite on a daily basis. These circumstances are difficult to reconcile with the Quran's assertion that the Quran was 'revealed in Arabic so that people may understand it'.

{{Quote|{{Quran|43|3}}|
We have made it a Qur'an in Arabic, that ye may be able to understand (and learn wisdom). }}

===The people of Lot as the first homosexuals===
{{Main|Lut}}

Despite the overwhelming evidence (listed in the main article) that homosexuality occurs naturally in all populations, the Quran claims the first people to commit the act were in a town to which the prophet Lut was sent.

This is set long after the first humans (who appeared ~300,000 years ago),<ref>[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/essential-timeline-understanding-evolution-homo-sapiens-180976807/ An Evolutionary Timeline of Homo Sapiens] - Smithsonian Institution magazine - 2 February 2021</ref> with the town described in the story being too advanced for a [[w:Hunter-gatherer|hunter-gatherer]] tribe society, so at the earliest is set after the first [[w:Neolithic_Revolution|Agricultural Revolution]] in the following [[w:Neolithic|Neolithic]] period where these kind of settlements began to occur, beginning ~12,000 years ago.<ref>[https://www.history.com/topics/pre-history/neolithic-revolution Neolithic Revolution] - History.com</ref> Yet we are told:
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|7|80|81}}|And [We had sent] Lot when he said to his people, "Do you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds? Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people."}}

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|29|28|29}}|And [mention] Lot, when he said to his people, "Indeed, you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds. Indeed, you approach men and obstruct the road and commit in your meetings [every] evil." And the answer of his people was not but they said, "Bring us the punishment of Allah, if you should be of the truthful."}}

=== The testimony of a woman is worth half of a man's ===
''Main Articles: [[Islam and Women|Islam and Women - WikiIslam]] and [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Women]]''

There is no proof that women lie more than men, in fact to the contrary there is research showing that while dishonesty or intelligence is not caused by the sex of a person, certain studies suggest that men tend to lie more on average as a group than women.<ref>''[https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.820923 Frontiers | Face-to-Face Lying: Gender and Motivation to Deceive (frontiersin.org)]''. Pekka Santtila. Judee K Burgoon. Norah E. Dunbar. 2022. Front. Psychol., 22 March 2022 Sec. Forensic and Legal Psychology Volume 13 - 2022 | <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.820923</nowiki>

This research article written and reviewed by three university professors covers previous academic studies on this topic, they quote e.g. a meta-analysis on honesty where men were 4% more dishonest than women (Gerlach et al., 2019), and see the General Discussion section for an overview of their findings (confirming men lie more on average) on this topic and it's nuances. </ref> Men also commit crime in much higher rates than women across the world,<ref>''[https://www.encyclopedia.com/law/legal-and-political-magazines/gender-and-crime Gender and Crime | Encyclopedia.com].'' Gender and Crime. Law. Legal and political magazines.

Article written by Professors Darrell Steffensmeier and Emilie Allan.</ref> and this is not just limited to violent crime.<ref>E.g. Fraud: [https://www.statista.com/statistics/461354/distribution-of-perpetrators-of-fraud-cases-by-gender/ ''Distribution of perpetrators of fraud cases worldwide in 2020 and 2021, by gender'']. Statica. Einar H. Dyvik, Aug 5, 2022.

And white collar crime inc. corporate fraud: [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-do-men-commit-more-crimes-than-women-prof-k-jaishankar-ps45c ''Why do men commit more crimes than women?''] Prof (Dr.) K Jaishankar. Principal Director & Professor of Criminology - IIJPS. Jan 13 2024.</ref> Women are also not less intelligent than men.<ref>E.g. There is no difference between men and women in general intelligence: Hunt, Earl B. (2010). [https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Human_Intelligence/DwO4TtKAiCoC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA389&printsec=frontcover ''Human Intelligence''.] Cambridge University Press. p. 389. ISBN <bdi>978-1139495110</bdi>.

Similarly ''<nowiki/>'"there are both differences and similarities in the cognitive abilities of women and men, but there is no data-based rationale to support the idea that either is the smarter or superior sex."''' Halpern, Diane F. (2001). "[https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Encyclopedia_of_Women_and_Gender_Two_Vol/guzbKF8vTVcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA964&printsec=frontcover ''Sex Difference Research – Cognitive Abilities'']". In Worell, Judith (ed.). Encyclopedia of Women and Gender. Elsevier Science. p. 964. <nowiki>ISBN 0080548490</nowiki>. ''For a summary see pp 963 - 967.''

Women consistently beat men on average in grades at school: [https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/09/why-girls-get-better-grades-than-boys-do/380318/ ''Why Girls Tend to Get Better Grades Than Boys Do''] - The Atlantic. Education. Enrico Gnaulati. 2014
</ref> Yet the Quran tells us the testimony of a women is worth half of a man's in a legal context (and one can easily take other non-legal inferences from this verse).
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|282}}|O you who have faith! When you contract a loan for a specified term, write it down. Let a writer write with honesty between you, and let not the writer refuse to write as Allah has taught him. So let him write, and let the one who incurs the debt dictate, and let him be wary of Allah, his Lord, and not diminish anything from it. But if the debtor be feeble-minded, or weak, or incapable of dictating himself, then let his guardian dictate with honesty, and take as witness two witnesses from your men, and if there are not two men, then a man and two women—from those whom you approve as witnesses—so that if one of the two defaults the other will remind her. The witnesses must not refuse when they are called, and do not consider it wearisome to write it down, whether it be a big or small sum, [as a loan lent] until its term. That is more just with Allah and more upright in respect to testimony, and the likeliest way to avoid doubt, unless it is an on-the-spot deal you transact between yourselves, in which case there is no sin upon you not to write it. Take witnesses when you make a deal, and let no harm be done to the writer or witness, and if you did that, it would be sinful of you. Be wary of Allah and Allah will teach you, and Allah has knowledge of all things.}}
While apologists may argue this shows that this is a command from God, and so human ideas of logic or fairness may not apply, making it not an 'error', critics content that this misogynistic view of women is evidence of it's human authorship (the reason for this is further provided by Muhammad in {{Bukhari|1|6|301}}, in that women are deficient in intelligence and religion, and can lead even cautious men astray (which is also why the majority of inhabitants of hell are women)), from a highly patriarchal society of 7th century Arabia, rather than all-knowing and just God.

==Miracles and myths==
While miracles by definition are supposed to defy the laws of nature and scientific explanation, the examples of myths and legends briefly listed in this section illustrate the pre-scientific worldview with which the Quran was composed.

===Humans turned apes===

The Qur'an records a miraculous event where Sabbath breakers are transformed into apes.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|65}}|
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected." }}

===Mooing statue===

The Qur'an describes a statue of a calf that was capable of mooing.
{{Quote|{{Quran|20|88}}|So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.}}

===Supernatural food===
The Qur'an states that Jesus received a feast sent down from heaven.

{{Quote|{{Quran-range|5|114|115}}|
Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! '''Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us''', for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from Thee. Give us sustenance, for Thou art the Best of Sustainers. Allah said: Lo! I send it down for you. And whoso disbelieveth of you afterward, him surely will I punish with a punishment wherewith I have not punished any of (My) creatures.}}

===Stick turned serpent===
The Quran states that Moses' staff transformed into a serpent.

{{Quote|{{Quran|7|107}}|
Then (Moses) threw his rod, and behold! it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! }}

===The existence and attributes of Jinn===
{{Main|Jinn}}

The Quran, Hadith and Sira all support the existence of supernatural, generally invisible creatures known as Jinn (جن‎ ''ǧinn'', singular جني ''ǧinnī'' ; variant spelling ''djinn'') living among us. In the [[Qur'an]], satan/devil(s) are also jinn ({{Quran|18|50}}), which like humans are sent prophets and have (at least some: ''see [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Predestination]]'') free-will and will be judged accordingly alongside mankind ({{Quran|6|130}}). They can interact with us ({{Quran|6|128}}) and even possess humans ({{Quran|2|275}}) (which the main article elaborates on), and cause people to forget things ({{Quran|18|63}}). As well as create buildings/structures ({{Quran|34|12-13}}). There is no evidence that these exist.

{{Quote|{{quran|72|1}}|Say, [O Muhammad], "It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, 'Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur'an.}}

===Solomon's Army of jinn and birds===

A story in the Qur'an, drawing on Jewish folklore, states that Solomon commanded a massive army comprised of 'Jinns and men and birds'. Solomon is described as speaking with a Hoopoe bird and thereafter desiring to execute the bird when it is tardy to his assembly. The Hoopoe bird, it is then revealed, was only delayed because it had been spying on a beautiful female ruler, Queen Sheba, who Solomon subsequently insists is misguided and must be conquered. At this point, Solomon assigns a Jinn from his assembly the task of stealing Queen Sheba's magnificent throne. There is, however, no scientific evidence that Jinn exist, that birds can be commanded as soldiers, or that birds can engage in elaborate conversations with humans.

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|16-17}}|
And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from Allah.)And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts― of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|27|20-23}}|
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? I will certainly punish him with a severe Penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence). But the Hoopoe tarried not far: he (came up and) said: "I have compassed (territory) which thou hast not compassed, and I have come to thee from Saba with tidings true. I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.}}

=== The existence of magic and sorcerers ===
''Main article: [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Witchcraft and the Occult]]''

No evidence has ever proven that magic is real. However, {{Quran|113|4}} ("evil of those who blow on knots") is reported in commentaries as referring to those who practice magic.<ref>[https://quranx.com/tafsirs/113.4 Tafsirs for Quran 113:4]</ref> Knots were commonly associated with magic in antiquity.<ref>Day, C. L. (1950). [https://www.jstor.org/stable/1520741 Knots and Knot Lore. Western Folklore], 9(3), 229–256</ref> The next verse, {{Quran|113|5}} ("evil of the envious when he envies), is said to refer to a superstitious belief known as 'The Evil Eye', a physical and mental supernatural condition that affects those who envy. For further explanation see the [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Witchcraft and the Occult|main article]].
{{Quote|{{Quran|113|1-5}}|1. Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn 
2. From the evil of what He has created 
3. And from the evil of the utterly dark night when it comes 
4. And from the evil of those who blow on knots 
5. And from the evil of the envious when he envies}}

At least once, humans are taught magic by satans (believed to be jinn) and angels ([[w:Harut and Marut|Harut and Marut]] are named in this verse):
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|102}}|and they follow what the Satans recited over Solomon's kingdom. Solomon disbelieved not, but the Satans disbelieved, teaching the people sorcery, and that which was sent down upon Babylon's two angels, Harut and Marut; they taught not any man, without they said, 'We are but a temptation; do not disbelieve.' From them they learned how they might divide a man and his wife, yet they did not hurt any man thereby, save by the leave of God, and they learned what hurt them, and did not profit them, knowing well that whoso buys it shall have no share in the world to come; evil then was that they sold themselves for, if they had but known.}}

===Living inside a big fish===

The Quran presents a version of the Biblical tale in which Jonah is swallowed by a whale ('the big Fish') and then lives in the whale for some time while praying. Scientific research, however, suggests that a person could not persist long inside a whale's digestive tract and, if not crushed by the whale or by water pressure, would almost immediately suffocate.

{{Quote|{{Quran|37|142}}|Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame. Had it not been that he (repented and) glorified Allah, He would certainly have remained inside the Fish till the Day of Resurrection. But We cast him forth, on the naked shore in a state of sickness}}

===Buraq, the winged horse===
{{Main|Buraq}}

While it took one week to travel from Mecca to Jerusalem (the location of the alleged 'farthest Mosque') by camel, the Qur'an states that a magical winged horse, called the Buraq, transported Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem in a matter of minutes. Creatures like the Buraq were common characters in near Easter myths.

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|1}}|
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). }}

===Speaking body parts===

The Quran states that human organs will, on the Day of Judgement, testify against their own persons.

{{Quote|{{Quran|24|24}}|
On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. }}

===Sea split in half===

The Quran present a version of the Biblical story where Moses splits the sea and crosses it with the Israelites. There is no historical or other evidence that such an event occured.

{{Quote|{{Quran|2|50}}|
And remember '''We divided the sea for you''' and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight. }}

===Manipulating the wind===

The Quran says that Solomon had the power to control the wind and traditional sources elaborate that Solomon could use this wind to fly upon a gigantic wooden carpet to wherever he pleased.

{{Quote|{{Quran|38|36}}|
Then We subjected the wind to his power, to flow gently to his order, Whithersoever he willed }}

{{Quote|Tafsir Ibn-Kathir on 21:81 | A flying carpet made from wood, on top of which he could carry everything in his kingdom including chairs, to wherever Solomon wants to go, whilst flocks of birds would fly over to give shade }}

===Testimony of a dead man===

The Quran states that Allah instructed a group of people to strike a murdered man with a piece of a heifer (young female cow that has not yet borne a calf) in order to temporarily resurrect him and discover the identity of the murderer.
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|73}}|
And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand. }}

===Mountains and birds sing psalms===
The Qur'an states that hills and birds would sing the psalms with David.
{{Quote|{{Quran|34|10}}|
And assuredly We gave David grace from Us, (saying): O ye hills and birds, echo his psalms of praise! And We made the iron supple unto him}}

=== The soul in the literal heart ===
Alongside the outdated idea of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiocentric_hypothesis cardiocentrism] (''see the above: [[Scientific Errors in the Quran#Functions of the heart]]''), where the heart was believed to be responsible for thought as opposed to the brain, we see this imagery furthered as the heart being the literal seat of the mythical soul in the body, that rises to the throat at death.
{{Quote|{{Quran|75|26}}|Yes, when the soul reaches to the clavicles}}{{Quote|{{Quran|56|83}}|Then why not when it reaches the throat,}}
As Islamic scholar Angelika Neuwirth notes:
{{Quote|Neuwirth, Angelika. The Qur'an: Text and Commentary, Volume 1: Early Meccan Suras: Poetic Prophecy (p. 257). Yale University Press.|The conception that the soul rises up to the clavicle bone—see the related image in the somewhat later sura 56:83: idhā balaghati l-ḥulqūm (“when it reaches up to the throat”)—presupposes an analogy between soul (nafs) and heart (qalb). In Q 33:10 there is mention of the rising up of the heart into the throat in a situation of fear (see also Q 40:18, cf. on this Seidensticker 1992: 41).}}{{Quote|{{Quran|40|18}}|Warn them of the Approaching Day, when the hearts will be at the throats, choking with suppressed agony, [and] the wrongdoers will have no sympathizer, nor any intercessor who might be heard.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|33|10}}|[Remember] when they came at you from above you and from below you, and when eyes shifted [in fear], and hearts reached the throats and you assumed about Allah [various] assumptions.}}

One has to wonder how [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heart-transplant/ heart transplants] work in this situation.

==Other==

===Unmathematical hereditary laws===
{{Main|Contradictions in the Quran}}

{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11-12}}|
4.11: Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise.

4.12: In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to any one). Thus is it ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Most Forbearing. }}
In a variety of situations, the shares of inheritance outlined in the Quran do not add up to one, and there is no way to reconcile the shares presented.<ref>http://www.answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/i001.html</ref> By contrast, the Quran states that the rules it contains are perfect.

*Wife: 1/8 = 3/24,
*Daughters: 2/3 = 16/24,
*Father: 1/6 = 4/24,
*Mother: 1/6 = 4/24,
*'''Total''' = 27/24=1.125

To deal with such problems, scholars had to innovate the [https://www.islamweb.net/en/fatwa/222526/the-origion-of-awl-in-inheritance-law post-Quranic 'awl system]. In that system, after each category of beneficiary is alloted their share (in a sequence defined by the scholars), the fraction shared by the next category is calculated from the remainder of the estate.

Another inheritance contradiction occurs between the above verses and {{Quran|4|176}}, a verse oddly appended to the end of the surah (see discussion at end of the main article).

==See Also==

*[[Islam and Science]]
*[[Scientific Miracles in the Quran]]

==References==
{{reflist}}\
[[Category:Apologetics]]
[[Category:Islam and Science]]
[[Category:Cosmology]]
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]]
[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Reproductive sciences]]
[[ar:أخطاء_علمية_في_القرآن]]