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Women's Intelligence and the Islamic Tradition: Difference between revisions
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Women's Intelligence and the Islamic Tradition (view source)
Revision as of 13:55, 19 May 2021
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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. | 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 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 | {{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 Saudi | 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]<BR>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.<BR>. . .<BR> | {{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]<BR>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.<BR>. . .<BR> | ||
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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.}} | 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. The Quran does, rather than dissenting from this description of women, suggests 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.<br> | |||
'''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!<br> | |||
'''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.<br> | |||
'''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.}} | |||
Some modern Muslim scholars interpret 43:18 as a reference to female pagan idols or that Allah is still referring to the attitude of the pagans towards women.<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 next verse (43:19) uses the same pattern - a statement of what the pagans believed followed by an interrogative alif (translated "What!") and then Allah's rebuttal ("did they witness their creation?"). Thus it seems more likely that in 43:18 Allah is making what he thinks is a factual counter-argument rather than using what he believes is another false notion of the pagans to contradict their belief in daughters of Allah. | |||
==Modern revisionary perspectives== | ==Modern revisionary perspectives== | ||