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Wife Beating in Islamic Law: Difference between revisions
Improved the apologetics section
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Lightyears (talk | contribs) (→The best among you are those who don't hit their wives: Abrogated incorrect argument and replaced it with a better one.) |
Lightyears (talk | contribs) (Improved the apologetics section) |
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To be sure, domestic violence is indeed against the teachings of Islam, and murder of family members is especially repugnant. The Qur'an teaches that men should remain with their wives in kindness, or separate from their wives with kindness, and specifically that they should not stay with their wives in order to do harm to them (2:229, 2:231). It offers a vision of spousal equality when it prescribes a decision making process within the family of mutual consultation (2:233), and labels both husband and wife with the term "zauj" (4:1 and others) and describes them as protecting garments for one another (2:187).}} | To be sure, domestic violence is indeed against the teachings of Islam, and murder of family members is especially repugnant. The Qur'an teaches that men should remain with their wives in kindness, or separate from their wives with kindness, and specifically that they should not stay with their wives in order to do harm to them (2:229, 2:231). It offers a vision of spousal equality when it prescribes a decision making process within the family of mutual consultation (2:233), and labels both husband and wife with the term "zauj" (4:1 and others) and describes them as protecting garments for one another (2:187).}} | ||
Either Taylor is ignorant of some of the teachings in the Qur'an and the Hadith, or she willfully ignores those passages and twists some of the wording to suit her own needs. It has been mentioned before in previous paragraphs the Qur'an and the Hadiths sanction wife-beating, men are superior to women, | Either Taylor is ignorant of some of the teachings in the Qur'an and the Hadith, or she willfully ignores those passages and twists some of the wording to suit her own needs. It has been mentioned before in previous paragraphs, the Qur'an and the Hadiths sanction wife-beating, men are superior to women, Muhammad turned back on a ban on beating women, and instead just made belated attempts to place limits on the level of violence. | ||
===The best among you are those who don't hit their wives=== | ===The best among you are those who don't hit their wives=== | ||
{{Quote|[http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/pamela_k_taylor/2009/02/aasiya_hassan_domestic_violenc.html Aasiya Zubair Hassan, Domestic Violence and Islam]<BR>Pamela K. Taylor, The Washington Post, February 27, 2009|Physical and/or emotional abuse has no place in this vision of marriage. Indeed, when women came to the Prophet complaining of their husband's treatment, the Prophet admonished the men saying that those who treated their families poorly were not among the best of men. Mu'awiyah al-Qushayri, one of the companions of the Prophet, reports "I went to the Apostle of Allah and asked him, 'What do you say about our wives?' He replied, 'Feed them with the food you eat, clothe them as you clothe yourself, and do not beat them, and do not revile them." (Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 11, the Book of Marriage, Number 2139)}} | {{Quote|[http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/pamela_k_taylor/2009/02/aasiya_hassan_domestic_violenc.html Aasiya Zubair Hassan, Domestic Violence and Islam]<BR>Pamela K. Taylor, The Washington Post, February 27, 2009|Physical and/or emotional abuse has no place in this vision of marriage. Indeed, when women came to the Prophet complaining of their husband's treatment, the Prophet admonished the men saying that those who treated their families poorly were not among the best of men. Mu'awiyah al-Qushayri, one of the companions of the Prophet, reports "I went to the Apostle of Allah and asked him, 'What do you say about our wives?' He replied, 'Feed them with the food you eat, clothe them as you clothe yourself, and do not beat them, and do not revile them." (Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 11, the Book of Marriage, Number 2139)}} | ||
These hadiths certainly exist, and are discussed earlier in our article | These hadiths certainly exist, and are discussed earlier in our article. It seems that Muhammad made attempts to moderate the severity of the beatings (see section of that name above), but Taylor fails to mention that in the very same hadith she quotes, Muhammad at first forbids wife beating, but later changes his mind on the advice of Umar (see hadith section above). Clearly it would have been better had he not allowed wife beating again. | ||
===Daraba means to "send away"=== | ===Daraba means to "send away"=== | ||
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Bakhtiar's argument is particularly strong.}} | Bakhtiar's argument is particularly strong.}} | ||
Taylor mentions Laleh Bakhtiar, a Muslim apologist who states Islam does not preach violence against women and Daraba in Surah 4:34 means to send away. Bakhtiar has written her own version of the Qur'an with surah 4:34 stating to send her away. Her [[Mistranslated Verses|mistranslation]] of this verse has caused controversy among Muslim scholars and the ISNA of [[Canada]] is refusing to sell her book in their bookstore. Contrary to Taylor's claim, there is nothing "particularly strong" in her argument about Daraba, it once again relies upon the ignorance of her readers. To a native [[Arabic]] speaker, this argument holds no weight and has been refuted in our article ''[[Beat your Wives or Separate from Them - Quran 4-34|Beat your Wives or "Separate from Them"? (Qur'an 4:34)]]''. | Taylor mentions Laleh Bakhtiar, a Muslim apologist who states Islam does not preach violence against women and Daraba in Surah 4:34 means to send away. Bakhtiar has written her own version of the Qur'an with surah 4:34 stating to send her away. Her [[Mistranslated Verses|mistranslation]] of this verse has caused controversy among Muslim scholars and the ISNA of [[Canada]] is refusing to sell her book in their bookstore. Contrary to Taylor's claim, there is nothing "particularly strong" in her argument about Daraba, it once again relies upon the ignorance of her readers. To a native [[Arabic]] speaker, this argument holds no weight and has been refuted in our article ''[[Beat your Wives or Separate from Them - Quran 4-34|Beat your Wives or "Separate from Them"? (Qur'an 4:34)]]''. Even if the argument had been true, it would have exposed yet another imperfection in the communication skills of a supposedly divine author. | ||
===Muhammad never hit a woman=== | ===Muhammad never hit a woman=== | ||
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Her answer is that we have misunderstood 4:34, and that we have to look at what the Prophet actually did after that month's separation -- which was to offer his wives the choice of divorcing him or remaining with him while resolving to avoid the behaviors he found so objectionable. While, she translates "daraba" as "to go away from them," (which is the most common usage of the term in the Qur'an), it seems that it might be better rendered as "to strike a bargain with them."}} | Her answer is that we have misunderstood 4:34, and that we have to look at what the Prophet actually did after that month's separation -- which was to offer his wives the choice of divorcing him or remaining with him while resolving to avoid the behaviors he found so objectionable. While, she translates "daraba" as "to go away from them," (which is the most common usage of the term in the Qur'an), it seems that it might be better rendered as "to strike a bargain with them."}} | ||
These conversations between Laleh Bakhtiar and "many, many scholars" most likely had never occurred, since Bakhtiar's approach to surah 4:34 fails once you realize Muhammad ''did'' | These conversations between Laleh Bakhtiar and "many, many scholars" most likely had never occurred, since Bakhtiar's approach to surah 4:34 fails once you realize Muhammad ''did'' violently push his wife Aisha, and allowed the companions to hit his wives. Furthermore, her claims about the common usage of the relevant verb in the Qur'an are false. It is much more commonly used to mean to strike violently. Her claim also fails on grammatical grounds, as explained in other articles. Unfortunately for women, any Muslim scholar worth his salt would be aware of this and would have little difficulty in dismantling her weak arguments. | ||
===Beat them only lightly, with a miswak=== | ===Beat them only lightly, with a miswak=== | ||
This argument is discussed earlier in this article at the end of the section on Muhammad's attempts to moderate the severity of the beatings. | |||
===Muhammad's farewell sermon=== | ===Muhammad's farewell sermon=== | ||
Ignoring Muhammad's comparison of women to domestic [[animals]], some may point to the [[The Farewell Sermon|authentic farewell sermon]] and his instructions to “beat them, but not severely,” However, what one considers to be a severe beating is subjective, and within the context of Islam the definition of a “severe beating” is wholly dependent on what Muhammad saw as severe. Muhammad's indifference | Ignoring Muhammad's comparison of women to domestic [[animals]], some may point to the [[The Farewell Sermon|authentic farewell sermon]] and his instructions to “beat them, but not severely,”. See the discussion on Muhammad's attempts to moderate the severity of the beatings above. However, what one considers to be a severe beating is subjective, in contrast to an outright ban, and within the context of Islam the definition of a “severe beating” is wholly dependent on what Muhammad or his followers saw as severe. On at least one occasion (see above) 'A'isha reported Muhammad's apparent indifference to a woman beaten black and blue (or green) by her husband. Clearly Muhammad's idea of what constitutes a 'severe' beating at that time and that of the modern world is miles apart. | ||
==Conclusion== | ==Conclusion== | ||
Wife-beating is divinely sanctioned in the Qur'an and Hadiths, and is viewed as a method to keep the wife under control | Wife-beating is divinely sanctioned in the Qur'an and Hadiths, and is viewed as a method to keep the wife under control. Despite some of the statements made by Muslim apologists, wife-beating is institutionalized in Islam. Muhammad was easily persuaded by Umar to allow his followers to beat their wives. Although there is evidence of his concern at the consequences and attempts to mitigate them, he failed to commit to an outright ban, showed indifference to at least one heavily beaten woman, had no problem with violently pushing Aisha and with Abu Bakr and Umar hitting his wives. | ||
The article also shows the deceptive means Muslim apologists use to cover up the fact the Qur'an and Hadith sanction wife-beating by using other verses of the Qur'an in an attempt to support their view that Islam promotes equality between men and women, wife-beating is forbidden and surah 4:34 has been [[Misinterpreted Verses|misinterpreted]]. The problem with their argument is it only reveals the inconsistencies of the Qur'an, and their arguments have been [[Refutations|refuted]], by Islamic scholars and the Hadiths. | The article also shows the deceptive means Muslim apologists use to cover up the fact the Qur'an and Hadith sanction wife-beating by using other verses of the Qur'an in an attempt to support their view that Islam promotes equality between men and women, wife-beating is forbidden and surah 4:34 has been [[Misinterpreted Verses|misinterpreted]]. The problem with their argument is it only reveals the inconsistencies of the Qur'an, and their arguments have been easily [[Refutations|refuted]], by Islamic scholars and the Hadiths. This is an unfortunate situation for women in the Islamic world, who could have been better protected had Muhammad and the Qur'an clearly prohibited domestic violence. | ||
{{Core Women}} | {{Core Women}} | ||