OsMaN_93
Here to help
TIDF (The Islamic Defence Force) Series - A Muslim group, who refute non-muslims
http://uk.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=37844C57E9FFBDBD
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** THE MISCONCEPTIONS THREAD **(about Islam/Quran etc..)
- Thread starter OsMaN_93
- Start date
believer_15
Sister
Help!
Can anyone please tell me whether this is authentic or not?I've received this in mails many times and have refrained from forwarding it recently because i don't know whether this is true or not and i don't want to be forwarding anything wrong or any sort of innovation.
From Madina, Prince of Saudi Arabia, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed
has sent this news. On last Friday, Sheikh Ahmed fell asleep
reading Quran. Then he dreamt Prophet Mohammed standing in
front of him and saying that in one-week seven thousand people
died but not even one was a true Muslim. None did what ALLAH
wanted. He also said now it is a bad time. These days Wives
don’t look after their Husbands, Girls go round without being
covered they do not respect parents & others, Rich do not look
after the poor, they do not fulfill zakaat. He also said to
Sheikh Ahmed make people understand to give zakaat, do prayer
and to keep fast. The Day of Judgment is very near. When there
is a single star in the sky, straight away the path of
forgiveness will close. The writing (words) in Quran will
disappear. The Sun will lower itself with earth. The Prophet
said, Pass this message to all over, whoever passes to others,
“ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT I WILL MAKE HIM A PLACE IN
PARADISE.
.......Is this true?...according to someone, Sheikh Ahmed doesn't even exist.
Please help, I'll be most grateful.
JazakAllah khair,
:salam2:
Can anyone please tell me whether this is authentic or not?I've received this in mails many times and have refrained from forwarding it recently because i don't know whether this is true or not and i don't want to be forwarding anything wrong or any sort of innovation.
From Madina, Prince of Saudi Arabia, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed
has sent this news. On last Friday, Sheikh Ahmed fell asleep
reading Quran. Then he dreamt Prophet Mohammed standing in
front of him and saying that in one-week seven thousand people
died but not even one was a true Muslim. None did what ALLAH
wanted. He also said now it is a bad time. These days Wives
don’t look after their Husbands, Girls go round without being
covered they do not respect parents & others, Rich do not look
after the poor, they do not fulfill zakaat. He also said to
Sheikh Ahmed make people understand to give zakaat, do prayer
and to keep fast. The Day of Judgment is very near. When there
is a single star in the sky, straight away the path of
forgiveness will close. The writing (words) in Quran will
disappear. The Sun will lower itself with earth. The Prophet
said, Pass this message to all over, whoever passes to others,
“ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT I WILL MAKE HIM A PLACE IN
PARADISE.
.......Is this true?...according to someone, Sheikh Ahmed doesn't even exist.
Please help, I'll be most grateful.
JazakAllah khair,
:salam2:
Why is a man allowed to have more than one wife in Islam? i.e. why is polygamy allowed in Islam?
1. Definition of Polygamy
Polygamy means a system of marriage whereby one person has more than one spouse. Polygamy can be of two types. One is polygyny where a man marries more than one woman, and the other is polyandry, where a woman marries more than one man. In Islam, limited polygyny is permitted; whereas polyandry is completely prohibited.
Now coming to the original question, why is a man allowed to have more than one wife?
2. The Qur’an is the only religious scripture in the world that says, "marry only one".
The Qur’an is the only religious book, on the face of this earth, that contains the phrase ‘marry only one’. There is no other religious book that instructs men to have only one wife. In none of the other religious scriptures, whether it be the Vedas, the Ramayan, the Mahabharat, the Geeta, the Talmud or the Bible does one find a restriction on the number of wives. According to these scriptures one can marry as many as one wishes. It was only later, that the Hindu priests and the Christian Church restricted the number of wives to one.
Many Hindu religious personalities, according to their scriptures, had multiple wives. King Dashrat, the father of Rama, had more than one wife. Krishna had several wives.
In earlier times, Christian men were permitted as many wives as they wished, since the Bible puts no restriction on the number of wives. It was only a few centuries ago that the Church restricted the number of wives to one.
Polygyny is permitted in Judaism. According to Talmudic law, Abraham had three wives, and Solomon had hundreds of wives. The practice of polygyny continued till Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (95% C.E to 1030 C.E) issued an edict against it. The Jewish Sephardic communities living in Muslim countries continued the practice till as late as 1950, until an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel extended the ban on marrying more than one wife.
3. Hindus are more polygynous than Muslims
The report of the ‘Committee of The Status of Woman in Islam’, published in 1975 mentions on page numbers 66 and 67 that the percentage of polygamous marriages between the years 1951 and 1961 was 5.06% among the Hindus and only 4.31% among the Muslims. According to Indian law only Muslim men are permitted to have more than one wife. It is illegal for any non-Muslim in India to have more than one wife. Despite it being illegal, Hindus have more multiple wives as compared to Muslims. Earlier, there was no restriction even on Hindu men with respect to the number of wives allowed. It was only in 1954, when the Hindu Marriage Act was passed that it became illegal for a Hindu to have more than one wife. At present it is the Indian Law that restricts a Hindu man from having more than one wife and not the Hindu scriptures.
Let us now analyse why Islam allows a man to have more than one wife.
4. Qur’an permits limited polygyny
As I mentioned earlier, Qur’an is the only religious book on the face of the earth that says ‘marry only one’. The context of this phrase is the following verse from Surah Nisa of the Glorious Qur’an:
"Marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one."
[Al-Qur’an 4:3]
Before the Qur’an was revealed, there was no upper limit for polygyny and many men had scores of wives, some even hundreds. Islam put an upper limit of four wives. Islam gives a man permission to marry two, three or four women, only on the condition that he deals justly with them.
In the same chapter i.e. Surah Nisa verse 129 says:
"Ye are never able to be fair and just as between women...."
[Al-Qur’an 4:129]
Therefore polygyny is not a rule but an exception. Many people are under the misconception that it is compulsory for a Muslim man to have more than one wife.
Broadly, Islam has five categories of Do’s and Don’ts:
> ‘Fard’ i.e. compulsory or obligatory
> ‘Mustahab’ i.e. recommended or encouraged
> ‘Mubah’ i.e. permissible or allowed
> ‘Makruh’ i.e. not recommended or discouraged
> ‘Haraam’ i.e. prohibited or forbidden
Polygyny falls in the middle category of things that are permissible. It cannot be said that a Muslim who has two, three or four wives is a better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who has only one wife.
5. Average life span of females is more than that of males
By nature males and females are born in approximately the same ratio. A female child has more immunity than a male child. A female child can fight the germs and diseases better than the male child. For this reason, during the pediatric age itself there are more deaths among males as compared to the females.
During wars, there are more men killed as compared to women. More men die due to accidents and diseases than women. The average life span of females is more than that of males, and at any given time one finds more widows in the world than widowers.
6. India has more male population than female due to female foeticide and infanticide
India is one of the few countries, along with the other neighbouring countries, in which the female population is less than the male population. The reason lies in the high rate of female infanticide in India, and the fact that more than one million female foetuses are aborted every year in this country, after they are identified as females. If this evil practice is stopped, then India too will have more females as compared to males.
7. World female population is more than male population
In the USA, women outnumber men by 7.8 million. New York alone has one million more females as compared to the number of males, and of the male population of New York one-third are gays i.e sodomites. The U.S.A as a whole has more than twenty-five million gays. This means that these people do not wish to marry women. Great Britain has four million more females as compared to males. Germany has five million more females as compared to males. Russia has nine million more females than males. God alone knows how many million more females there are in the whole world as compared to males.
8. Restricting each and every man to have only one wife is not practical
Even if every man got married to one woman, there would still be more than thirty million females in U.S.A who would not be able to get husbands (considering that America has twenty five million gays). There would be more than four million females in Great Britain, 5 million females in Germany and nine million females in Russia alone who would not be able to find a husband.
Suppose my sister happens to be one of the unmarried women living in USA, or suppose your sister happens to be one of the unmarried women in USA. The only two options remaining for her are that she either marries a man who already has a wife or becomes public property. There is no other option. All those who are modest will opt for the first.
In Western society, it is common for a man to have mistresses and/or multiple extra-marital affairs, in which case, the woman leads a disgraceful, unprotected life. The same society, however, cannot accept a man having more than one wife, in which women retain their honourable, dignified position in society and lead a protected life.
Thus the only two options before a woman who cannot find a husband is to marry a married man or to become public property. Islam prefers giving women the honourable position by permitting the first option and disallowing the second.
There are several other reasons, why Islam has permitted limited polygyny, but it is mainly to protect the modesty of women.
1. Definition of Polygamy
Polygamy means a system of marriage whereby one person has more than one spouse. Polygamy can be of two types. One is polygyny where a man marries more than one woman, and the other is polyandry, where a woman marries more than one man. In Islam, limited polygyny is permitted; whereas polyandry is completely prohibited.
Now coming to the original question, why is a man allowed to have more than one wife?
2. The Qur’an is the only religious scripture in the world that says, "marry only one".
The Qur’an is the only religious book, on the face of this earth, that contains the phrase ‘marry only one’. There is no other religious book that instructs men to have only one wife. In none of the other religious scriptures, whether it be the Vedas, the Ramayan, the Mahabharat, the Geeta, the Talmud or the Bible does one find a restriction on the number of wives. According to these scriptures one can marry as many as one wishes. It was only later, that the Hindu priests and the Christian Church restricted the number of wives to one.
Many Hindu religious personalities, according to their scriptures, had multiple wives. King Dashrat, the father of Rama, had more than one wife. Krishna had several wives.
In earlier times, Christian men were permitted as many wives as they wished, since the Bible puts no restriction on the number of wives. It was only a few centuries ago that the Church restricted the number of wives to one.
Polygyny is permitted in Judaism. According to Talmudic law, Abraham had three wives, and Solomon had hundreds of wives. The practice of polygyny continued till Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (95% C.E to 1030 C.E) issued an edict against it. The Jewish Sephardic communities living in Muslim countries continued the practice till as late as 1950, until an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel extended the ban on marrying more than one wife.
3. Hindus are more polygynous than Muslims
The report of the ‘Committee of The Status of Woman in Islam’, published in 1975 mentions on page numbers 66 and 67 that the percentage of polygamous marriages between the years 1951 and 1961 was 5.06% among the Hindus and only 4.31% among the Muslims. According to Indian law only Muslim men are permitted to have more than one wife. It is illegal for any non-Muslim in India to have more than one wife. Despite it being illegal, Hindus have more multiple wives as compared to Muslims. Earlier, there was no restriction even on Hindu men with respect to the number of wives allowed. It was only in 1954, when the Hindu Marriage Act was passed that it became illegal for a Hindu to have more than one wife. At present it is the Indian Law that restricts a Hindu man from having more than one wife and not the Hindu scriptures.
Let us now analyse why Islam allows a man to have more than one wife.
4. Qur’an permits limited polygyny
As I mentioned earlier, Qur’an is the only religious book on the face of the earth that says ‘marry only one’. The context of this phrase is the following verse from Surah Nisa of the Glorious Qur’an:
"Marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one."
[Al-Qur’an 4:3]
Before the Qur’an was revealed, there was no upper limit for polygyny and many men had scores of wives, some even hundreds. Islam put an upper limit of four wives. Islam gives a man permission to marry two, three or four women, only on the condition that he deals justly with them.
In the same chapter i.e. Surah Nisa verse 129 says:
"Ye are never able to be fair and just as between women...."
[Al-Qur’an 4:129]
Therefore polygyny is not a rule but an exception. Many people are under the misconception that it is compulsory for a Muslim man to have more than one wife.
Broadly, Islam has five categories of Do’s and Don’ts:
> ‘Fard’ i.e. compulsory or obligatory
> ‘Mustahab’ i.e. recommended or encouraged
> ‘Mubah’ i.e. permissible or allowed
> ‘Makruh’ i.e. not recommended or discouraged
> ‘Haraam’ i.e. prohibited or forbidden
Polygyny falls in the middle category of things that are permissible. It cannot be said that a Muslim who has two, three or four wives is a better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who has only one wife.
5. Average life span of females is more than that of males
By nature males and females are born in approximately the same ratio. A female child has more immunity than a male child. A female child can fight the germs and diseases better than the male child. For this reason, during the pediatric age itself there are more deaths among males as compared to the females.
During wars, there are more men killed as compared to women. More men die due to accidents and diseases than women. The average life span of females is more than that of males, and at any given time one finds more widows in the world than widowers.
6. India has more male population than female due to female foeticide and infanticide
India is one of the few countries, along with the other neighbouring countries, in which the female population is less than the male population. The reason lies in the high rate of female infanticide in India, and the fact that more than one million female foetuses are aborted every year in this country, after they are identified as females. If this evil practice is stopped, then India too will have more females as compared to males.
7. World female population is more than male population
In the USA, women outnumber men by 7.8 million. New York alone has one million more females as compared to the number of males, and of the male population of New York one-third are gays i.e sodomites. The U.S.A as a whole has more than twenty-five million gays. This means that these people do not wish to marry women. Great Britain has four million more females as compared to males. Germany has five million more females as compared to males. Russia has nine million more females than males. God alone knows how many million more females there are in the whole world as compared to males.
8. Restricting each and every man to have only one wife is not practical
Even if every man got married to one woman, there would still be more than thirty million females in U.S.A who would not be able to get husbands (considering that America has twenty five million gays). There would be more than four million females in Great Britain, 5 million females in Germany and nine million females in Russia alone who would not be able to find a husband.
Suppose my sister happens to be one of the unmarried women living in USA, or suppose your sister happens to be one of the unmarried women in USA. The only two options remaining for her are that she either marries a man who already has a wife or becomes public property. There is no other option. All those who are modest will opt for the first.
In Western society, it is common for a man to have mistresses and/or multiple extra-marital affairs, in which case, the woman leads a disgraceful, unprotected life. The same society, however, cannot accept a man having more than one wife, in which women retain their honourable, dignified position in society and lead a protected life.
Thus the only two options before a woman who cannot find a husband is to marry a married man or to become public property. Islam prefers giving women the honourable position by permitting the first option and disallowing the second.
There are several other reasons, why Islam has permitted limited polygyny, but it is mainly to protect the modesty of women.
Muslimah-S
Seek The Almighty
:salam2:
Question by Simon - Australia
Hello,
After September 11th, I started investigating what Islam really was and yes, it is a peaceful and beautiful religion from what I have discovered...
So, recently I started reading the Qur’an. Then there is this verse in the Qur’an that confuses me, in Surah 4 – verse 34:
*{... 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 God is Most High, Great [above you all].}*
Does this verse mean that you have to beat up your wife who disobeys you? That is because that is what the verse means to me from reading it straight out like that, unless there is some other meaning behind it.
Please clarify.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answer by: Shahul Hameed
Peace b e with you Simon,
Thank you very much for your mail.
Islam teaches that the Qur’an is the book of guidance from God, revealed to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Muslims should arrange all aspects of their lives according to it. Also, the best interpreter of the Qur’an is the prophet (pbuh) himself, whose life was a practical demonstration of how the divine guidance is actualized in human life.
Allah says in Surah 33, verse 21:
*{We have indeed, in the messenger of Allah, a good example [of conduct] for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day.}*
And addressing the prophet himself, Allah says In Surah 68, verse 4:
*{And you stand on an exalted standard of character.}*
When the prophet's wife `Aisha was asked about her husband's character, she stated simply: "He was the Qur'an," meaning that his life was the practical expression of the Qur'anic guidance. (Reported by Muslim.)
For the above reason, let us see how he who lived his life according to the Qur’an, treated his wives. All the eminent narrators of hadith (sayings of the prophet) such as Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Daud quote one of the prophet’s wife as saying that Muhammad (pbuh) NEVER ever lifted a finger to punish his wives.
And what is more, there are a number of hadiths that categorically prohibit wife-beating, and in one of his sayings he has equated perfect belief with good treatment of one's wife:
"Among the Muslims, the most perfect as regards his faith is the one whose character is most excellent, and the best among you are those who treat their wives well." (Narrated by Tirmidhi.)
Also Mu`awiyah al-Qushayri narrated:
“I went to the apostle of Allah (pbuh) and asked him: ‘What do you say [command] about our wives?’ He replied: ‘Give them the same food you have for yourself, and clothe them with the same clothes you clothe yourself, and do not beat them, and do not revile them.’” (Reported by Abu-Dawud.)
As for Abu Hurairah, he reported: “the messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, ‘A believer must not hate the believing woman [his wife]; if he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with another.’” (Reported by Muslim.)
Let us now consider the verse you quoted – Surah 4, verse 34 - in the light of the foregoing rulings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The verse is as follows:
*{Men are the carers 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).}*
In fact, to fully understand the context in which the above verse stands, we have to read the verse following it too – Surah 4, verse 35:
*{If ye fear a breach between them twain, appoint [two] arbiters, one from his family, and the other from hers; if they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation: for Allah hath full knowledge, and is acquainted with all things.}*
Obviously, these verses deal with marital life. In the domestic sphere, a man and his wife should lead a life of complete peace and harmony. This is essential, not merely for their own welfare, but also for a healthy society. This is since family is the basic unit of the society, any deterioration in the domestic sphere will have its impact on the social sphere as well. This fact emphasizes the need for clear-cut rules for good man-woman relationship. Hence, the Holy Qur’an treats the subject with the importance it deserves.
Islam teaches that in any group, one should be acknowledged as the leader. Even in the case of two persons traveling together one should be the leader, whose word will be final; that is, in the case of a difference of opinion about a decision binding on the two. This directive is meant for the best interest of the group.
In the family, the Holy Qur’an says that the leader should be the husband or the father. Because, the man is given more duties such as meeting the expenses of the members of the family, as mentioned in the verse. The woman’s domain is the home; but in the case of a difference in opinion, the woman should listen to her husband and abide by his wishes.
It is to be emphasized here that this is not for enforcing male domination, but for the sake of peace and harmony. We must also understand that it is the differences in opinion between husband and wife that lead to divorce and the disruption of a healthy family life. Therefore, it is imperative that such discord should be solved at the root itself as far as possible.
Islam gives specific directions for the settlement of crises in family life. Then, when we read the verse that speaks about the case of ill conduct from the wife, we must remember that this does not mean that the husband is allowed to behave as he pleases… Here the direction happens to be about the wife’s misconduct, while the husband is commanded to treat his wife with kindness and fairness. This is clearly laid down elsewhere in the same chapter of the Qur’an, actually in verse 19:
*{O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may take away part of the dower [money given by the husband to the wife for the marriage contract] ye have given them, 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 God brings about through it a great deal of good.}*
Moreover, the equality, along with bonds of tenderness between the two sexes is underscored in Surah 30, verse 21:
*{And among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you may live [dwell] in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between you; verily, in that are signs for people who reflect}*
And again, in Surah 2, verse 187:
*{... they are your garments and you are their garments.}*
As for inheritance, the Qur’an says in Surah 4, verse 7:
*{ For men there is a share in what parents and relatives leave, and for women there is a share of what parents and relatives leave, whether it be little or much - an ordained share.}*
Thus, the command for wives to obey their husbands is not an unjust, one-sided command, as some critics of Islam would have us believe. As we do not expect a healthy atmosphere in the family when the relationship between the husband and wife is spoiled by distrust and discord.
When disruption is feared, it is necessary for one to concede to the other; and God ordains that the wife should be gracious enough to do this. To compensate for this as it were, the financial burden of managing the family affairs is taken completely off her shoulders.
It should also be underlined here that it is always the woman who is psychologically more capable of this sort of magnanimity. The most important objective here is to ensure a strong and secure atmosphere in the family, which is essential for the healthy development of children, as well as for the welfare of all.
So Allah says in the Qur’an:
*{… therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in [the husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard...}*
It is Allah Who commands wives to be righteous by being obedient to their husbands, and by guarding what Allah would have them guard; which in effect indicates that in this matter the righteous wives are really obeying Allah. This also means that the husbands must be careful not to misuse this injunction of Allah, by making unreasonable demands on their wives. They should fear Allah…
It is not a question of who is “better” or “superior” here; it is a question of maintaining an atmosphere in the family that is conducive to peace and harmony. Then, when there is a threat to it, it is the duty of the husband, as head of the family, to see that nothing threatens that atmosphere. If he sees that the wife is guilty of misconduct, he can then enforce discipline in the way specified in the verse you mentioned.
Here, what we are concerned about is the expression: “beat them”. The original Arabic word used in the verse is: “wadriboohunna”. This is derived from the root, “daraba”, which according to Arabic linguists have got a number of meanings, including, “beat” or “hit”.
Some scholars argue that the word in this context does not mean “beat” or “hit”. It means just “leave [them]”. But it is obvious - and Allah knows best – that the word stands here for punishment, but only symbolic punishment.
I say this in the light of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), who is the best interpreter of the Qur’an, as has already been stated earlier. Besides, we read in the following verse, Surah 4 – verse 35, the step to be followed in case there is a chance of “breach” between the husband and wife:
*{If ye fear a breach between them twain, appoint [two] arbiters, one from his family, and the other from hers; if they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation: for Allah hath full knowledge, and is acquainted with all things.}*
From the above verse, we understand that the instruction to punish the wife is a step to be adopted by the husband to avoid the chance of divorce. If this fails, the next step is to have arbiters; one from the husband’s family and the other from the wife’s family, who would strive for a reconciliation.
This means that even “beating” is to be adopted with the intent of reconciliation or peaceful life together. That is to say “the beating” should not be a harshly punitive measure, but something done out of a sincere desire for a harmonious marital life.
And Allah knows best.
Wife Beating in Islam- Another misconception.
Question by Simon - Australia
Hello,
After September 11th, I started investigating what Islam really was and yes, it is a peaceful and beautiful religion from what I have discovered...
So, recently I started reading the Qur’an. Then there is this verse in the Qur’an that confuses me, in Surah 4 – verse 34:
*{... 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 God is Most High, Great [above you all].}*
Does this verse mean that you have to beat up your wife who disobeys you? That is because that is what the verse means to me from reading it straight out like that, unless there is some other meaning behind it.
Please clarify.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answer by: Shahul Hameed
Peace b e with you Simon,
Thank you very much for your mail.
Islam teaches that the Qur’an is the book of guidance from God, revealed to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Muslims should arrange all aspects of their lives according to it. Also, the best interpreter of the Qur’an is the prophet (pbuh) himself, whose life was a practical demonstration of how the divine guidance is actualized in human life.
Allah says in Surah 33, verse 21:
*{We have indeed, in the messenger of Allah, a good example [of conduct] for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day.}*
And addressing the prophet himself, Allah says In Surah 68, verse 4:
*{And you stand on an exalted standard of character.}*
When the prophet's wife `Aisha was asked about her husband's character, she stated simply: "He was the Qur'an," meaning that his life was the practical expression of the Qur'anic guidance. (Reported by Muslim.)
For the above reason, let us see how he who lived his life according to the Qur’an, treated his wives. All the eminent narrators of hadith (sayings of the prophet) such as Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Daud quote one of the prophet’s wife as saying that Muhammad (pbuh) NEVER ever lifted a finger to punish his wives.
And what is more, there are a number of hadiths that categorically prohibit wife-beating, and in one of his sayings he has equated perfect belief with good treatment of one's wife:
"Among the Muslims, the most perfect as regards his faith is the one whose character is most excellent, and the best among you are those who treat their wives well." (Narrated by Tirmidhi.)
Also Mu`awiyah al-Qushayri narrated:
“I went to the apostle of Allah (pbuh) and asked him: ‘What do you say [command] about our wives?’ He replied: ‘Give them the same food you have for yourself, and clothe them with the same clothes you clothe yourself, and do not beat them, and do not revile them.’” (Reported by Abu-Dawud.)
As for Abu Hurairah, he reported: “the messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, ‘A believer must not hate the believing woman [his wife]; if he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with another.’” (Reported by Muslim.)
Let us now consider the verse you quoted – Surah 4, verse 34 - in the light of the foregoing rulings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The verse is as follows:
*{Men are the carers 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).}*
In fact, to fully understand the context in which the above verse stands, we have to read the verse following it too – Surah 4, verse 35:
*{If ye fear a breach between them twain, appoint [two] arbiters, one from his family, and the other from hers; if they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation: for Allah hath full knowledge, and is acquainted with all things.}*
Obviously, these verses deal with marital life. In the domestic sphere, a man and his wife should lead a life of complete peace and harmony. This is essential, not merely for their own welfare, but also for a healthy society. This is since family is the basic unit of the society, any deterioration in the domestic sphere will have its impact on the social sphere as well. This fact emphasizes the need for clear-cut rules for good man-woman relationship. Hence, the Holy Qur’an treats the subject with the importance it deserves.
Islam teaches that in any group, one should be acknowledged as the leader. Even in the case of two persons traveling together one should be the leader, whose word will be final; that is, in the case of a difference of opinion about a decision binding on the two. This directive is meant for the best interest of the group.
In the family, the Holy Qur’an says that the leader should be the husband or the father. Because, the man is given more duties such as meeting the expenses of the members of the family, as mentioned in the verse. The woman’s domain is the home; but in the case of a difference in opinion, the woman should listen to her husband and abide by his wishes.
It is to be emphasized here that this is not for enforcing male domination, but for the sake of peace and harmony. We must also understand that it is the differences in opinion between husband and wife that lead to divorce and the disruption of a healthy family life. Therefore, it is imperative that such discord should be solved at the root itself as far as possible.
Islam gives specific directions for the settlement of crises in family life. Then, when we read the verse that speaks about the case of ill conduct from the wife, we must remember that this does not mean that the husband is allowed to behave as he pleases… Here the direction happens to be about the wife’s misconduct, while the husband is commanded to treat his wife with kindness and fairness. This is clearly laid down elsewhere in the same chapter of the Qur’an, actually in verse 19:
*{O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may take away part of the dower [money given by the husband to the wife for the marriage contract] ye have given them, 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 God brings about through it a great deal of good.}*
Moreover, the equality, along with bonds of tenderness between the two sexes is underscored in Surah 30, verse 21:
*{And among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you may live [dwell] in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between you; verily, in that are signs for people who reflect}*
And again, in Surah 2, verse 187:
*{... they are your garments and you are their garments.}*
As for inheritance, the Qur’an says in Surah 4, verse 7:
*{ For men there is a share in what parents and relatives leave, and for women there is a share of what parents and relatives leave, whether it be little or much - an ordained share.}*
Thus, the command for wives to obey their husbands is not an unjust, one-sided command, as some critics of Islam would have us believe. As we do not expect a healthy atmosphere in the family when the relationship between the husband and wife is spoiled by distrust and discord.
When disruption is feared, it is necessary for one to concede to the other; and God ordains that the wife should be gracious enough to do this. To compensate for this as it were, the financial burden of managing the family affairs is taken completely off her shoulders.
It should also be underlined here that it is always the woman who is psychologically more capable of this sort of magnanimity. The most important objective here is to ensure a strong and secure atmosphere in the family, which is essential for the healthy development of children, as well as for the welfare of all.
So Allah says in the Qur’an:
*{… therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in [the husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard...}*
It is Allah Who commands wives to be righteous by being obedient to their husbands, and by guarding what Allah would have them guard; which in effect indicates that in this matter the righteous wives are really obeying Allah. This also means that the husbands must be careful not to misuse this injunction of Allah, by making unreasonable demands on their wives. They should fear Allah…
It is not a question of who is “better” or “superior” here; it is a question of maintaining an atmosphere in the family that is conducive to peace and harmony. Then, when there is a threat to it, it is the duty of the husband, as head of the family, to see that nothing threatens that atmosphere. If he sees that the wife is guilty of misconduct, he can then enforce discipline in the way specified in the verse you mentioned.
Here, what we are concerned about is the expression: “beat them”. The original Arabic word used in the verse is: “wadriboohunna”. This is derived from the root, “daraba”, which according to Arabic linguists have got a number of meanings, including, “beat” or “hit”.
Some scholars argue that the word in this context does not mean “beat” or “hit”. It means just “leave [them]”. But it is obvious - and Allah knows best – that the word stands here for punishment, but only symbolic punishment.
I say this in the light of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), who is the best interpreter of the Qur’an, as has already been stated earlier. Besides, we read in the following verse, Surah 4 – verse 35, the step to be followed in case there is a chance of “breach” between the husband and wife:
*{If ye fear a breach between them twain, appoint [two] arbiters, one from his family, and the other from hers; if they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation: for Allah hath full knowledge, and is acquainted with all things.}*
From the above verse, we understand that the instruction to punish the wife is a step to be adopted by the husband to avoid the chance of divorce. If this fails, the next step is to have arbiters; one from the husband’s family and the other from the wife’s family, who would strive for a reconciliation.
This means that even “beating” is to be adopted with the intent of reconciliation or peaceful life together. That is to say “the beating” should not be a harshly punitive measure, but something done out of a sincere desire for a harmonious marital life.
And Allah knows best.
khairy SRILANKA
New Member
WIFE BEATING
AN EXCELLENT REPLY
AND IF THE HOLY PROPHET NEVER PRACTICED IT CANNOT BE ALLOWED
KHAIRY
AN EXCELLENT REPLY
AND IF THE HOLY PROPHET NEVER PRACTICED IT CANNOT BE ALLOWED
KHAIRY
OsMaN_93
Here to help
:salam2:
10 Common Misconceptions About Islam
http://www.islamicinformation.net/2008/05/common-misconceptions-about-islam-top.html
10 Common Misconceptions About Islam
http://www.islamicinformation.net/2008/05/common-misconceptions-about-islam-top.html
OsMaN_93
Here to help
:salam2:
Islam is Unique
http://www.islamicinformation.net/2008/06/islam-is-unique.html
30 Facts About Islam
http://www.islamicinformation.net/2008/05/interesting-islamic-facts.html
Beauty Of Islam - Non Muslim Perspective
http://www.islamicinformation.net/2008/06/beauty-of-islam-non-muslim-perspective.html
.
Islam is Unique
http://www.islamicinformation.net/2008/06/islam-is-unique.html
30 Facts About Islam
http://www.islamicinformation.net/2008/05/interesting-islamic-facts.html
Beauty Of Islam - Non Muslim Perspective
http://www.islamicinformation.net/2008/06/beauty-of-islam-non-muslim-perspective.html
.
followeroftheway
New Member
Misconception
Thanks for the clarity. I am familiar with the first passage Qur'an 5:32, but not the last one.
Peace
:salam2:
post here any misconception, and the answers.. If you have any...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The biggest misconception....
Terrorism? Alot of People don't know where the Muslims stand today, with all these attacks going on - we're all confused. Is this terrorism a part of Islam? What should the Muslims really be doing?
We know there's quite alot of verses in the Qur'an which call against killing and harming innocent people;
Whosoever kills a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saves the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind.
[Qur'an 5:32]
So it's mentioned that killing one person unjustly is like killing all of mankind, and saving the life of one person is like saving all of mankind.
Now some people are still confused, are we supposed to be kind to non muslims? The answer for this is also in the Qur'an:
Allah/God forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loves those who are just.
[Qur'an 60:8]
So Allah/God is telling us that He does not stop us from dealing kindly and justly with the people who don't fight us for our faith. He encourages us to be kind and just towards them, and He loves that.
But then there's some people who twist the words of the Qur'an and argue that Muslims are allowed to kill the people who attack Muslim lands. Does this mean that the non fighters should be fought aswell?
Let's look at what the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) said;
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) forbade the killing of non-combatants. Ibn `Umar, a Companion of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), said: “I saw the body of a slain woman during one of the battles of the Prophet (peace be upon him), so he forbade the killing of women and children.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]
This narration shows how it's forbidden to kill people who are not fighting the Muslims, and this includes the innocent people who are living their daily lives within the lands we're living in. Such as the UK, Europe, USA etc.
And even when defense is allowed in Islam, innocent people are not to be killed either;
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) used to say the following words to his troops before sending them to war: “Go forward in the name of Allah. Do not kill an elderly person, nor a child, nor a woman, and do not exceed the bounds.” [ al-Muwatta’]
Thanks for the clarity. I am familiar with the first passage Qur'an 5:32, but not the last one.
Peace
OsMaN_93
Here to help
wa'eyyakum sister Amina 
baraka Allah fee`ki
____________________________
Does Evilness disprove God?
By Sami Zaatari
One of the most repeated claims and arguments by atheists to disprove the existence of God is the evil we see around the world. They often bring up war, torture, famine, rape, and all other forms of evil and then say well if God existed then none of this would be happening!
They claim how can a perfect all-loving merciful God exist when such things are happening. Some of them then deduce from this that if God does indeed exist then he is doing a very bad job, and has messed everything up, and therefore is not even in need of worship nor attention since he cannot control his own creation.
The argument may sound appealing, however so the argument is a fallacy from the start, since it is using the fallacious method which is called "appealing to emotions", basically the person arguing here is appealing to a persons emotions rather than actually logically studying and examining the facts. Secondly the person arguing this case has committed a second fallacy, which is "straw man", basically the person who is making this argument has distorted and twisted what Islam really teaches about God and how he does things.
Now what does Islam teach about God and his creation? Islam teaches us that God is perfect, he has no defects, he is free from all error and mistake, however so as far as creation goes then creation is not perfect, nor is creation free from error and mistakes. Hence when humans commit evil, and commit major sins, such as murder, mass thievery, and other major acts of evil this has nothing to do with God, it is not God's fault, it is the fault of that human being, God is free from what this evil person has done because God does not sanction nor call for it.
Had Islam taught that the creation is perfect and completely obedient to God such as the angels, then atheists would have a major case, yet I challenge a single atheist to bring me one Quranic passage which claims that man is a perfect obedient creature.
Now the atheist will resort to another tactic, after you tell him this he will say "well if God is perfect, all powerful, then why does he not make his creation perfect? Why does he allow such things to happen?"
Now the atheist is committing another major problem. Many will notice atheists often mock Islam for having so many rules on what to do and what not to do, they claim it is like a dictator. However so the atheist now wants God to become a complete dictator and control us humans and make us perfect! The atheist says if God can stop it why does he not? So the atheist wants God to now come and directly interfere in our society, yet I thought atheists had a problem with God running affairs, isn't that a dictatorship as they often claim?! So now the atheist is being inconsistent in his methodology. God gave man free will, hence when you sin, and commit evil, it is because God gave you free will to do what you want, so basically the atheist now wants God to go back on giving us free will and to turn us into controlled robots!
Also what is good and bad? When an atheist says why doesn't God stop all the bad evil going around the world what exactly is the atheist referring to? Because to a Muslim evilness includes fornication, strip clubs, drugs, and alcohol, yet to most atheists these things are okay and are not evil! Hence if God granted the atheists wish the atheist would now complain that God has taken away his free will and choice which ultimately contradicts what he was asking for in the first place which was that God come and change the society and interfere in our affairs!
So to atheists, what do you want, do you want God to take away your free will? Do you want God to control you? You can't say no because your methodology says yes to this! However so if you have no problem with this then why do you have a problem when God gives you rules and laws to live by WITH a free will to choose to follow them or not yet you complain against it!
So therefore if the atheists want to stop the evil around the world, then the first thing they should do is accept God, accept his rules, accept his laws, accept everything he has told you, and after this they should call people to the same thing, because evil will only end when the entire society finally obeys God and his rules as they should be obeyed, yet hardly anyone is doing that and this is why the world is so corrupt.
As God tells you:
6:142- And of the cattle (are some) for burden (like camels etc.) and (some are) small (unable to carry burden like sheep, goats etc. for food, meat, milk, wool etc.). Eat of what Allâh has provided for you, and follow not the footsteps of Shaitân (Satan). Surely he is to you an open enemy.
6:151- Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children because of poverty - We provide sustenance for you and for them; come not near to Al-Fawâhish (shameful sins, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly, and kill not anyone whom Allâh has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islâmic law). This He has commanded you that you may understand.
3:102- O you who believe! Fear Allâh (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islâm (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allâh.
3:31- Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): "If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur'ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Many more verses could be quoted, but these verses make the point clear, don't commit evil, and obey Allah, and enter the religion of Islam, this is the straight path that can lead to ending evil, yet you choose to not obey hence you have no one to blame but yourself!
And Allah Knows Best!
http://muslim-responses.com/Does_Evilness_disprove_God/Does_Evilness_disprove_God_
baraka Allah fee`ki____________________________
Does Evilness disprove God?
By Sami Zaatari
One of the most repeated claims and arguments by atheists to disprove the existence of God is the evil we see around the world. They often bring up war, torture, famine, rape, and all other forms of evil and then say well if God existed then none of this would be happening!
They claim how can a perfect all-loving merciful God exist when such things are happening. Some of them then deduce from this that if God does indeed exist then he is doing a very bad job, and has messed everything up, and therefore is not even in need of worship nor attention since he cannot control his own creation.
The argument may sound appealing, however so the argument is a fallacy from the start, since it is using the fallacious method which is called "appealing to emotions", basically the person arguing here is appealing to a persons emotions rather than actually logically studying and examining the facts. Secondly the person arguing this case has committed a second fallacy, which is "straw man", basically the person who is making this argument has distorted and twisted what Islam really teaches about God and how he does things.
Now what does Islam teach about God and his creation? Islam teaches us that God is perfect, he has no defects, he is free from all error and mistake, however so as far as creation goes then creation is not perfect, nor is creation free from error and mistakes. Hence when humans commit evil, and commit major sins, such as murder, mass thievery, and other major acts of evil this has nothing to do with God, it is not God's fault, it is the fault of that human being, God is free from what this evil person has done because God does not sanction nor call for it.
Had Islam taught that the creation is perfect and completely obedient to God such as the angels, then atheists would have a major case, yet I challenge a single atheist to bring me one Quranic passage which claims that man is a perfect obedient creature.
Now the atheist will resort to another tactic, after you tell him this he will say "well if God is perfect, all powerful, then why does he not make his creation perfect? Why does he allow such things to happen?"
Now the atheist is committing another major problem. Many will notice atheists often mock Islam for having so many rules on what to do and what not to do, they claim it is like a dictator. However so the atheist now wants God to become a complete dictator and control us humans and make us perfect! The atheist says if God can stop it why does he not? So the atheist wants God to now come and directly interfere in our society, yet I thought atheists had a problem with God running affairs, isn't that a dictatorship as they often claim?! So now the atheist is being inconsistent in his methodology. God gave man free will, hence when you sin, and commit evil, it is because God gave you free will to do what you want, so basically the atheist now wants God to go back on giving us free will and to turn us into controlled robots!
Also what is good and bad? When an atheist says why doesn't God stop all the bad evil going around the world what exactly is the atheist referring to? Because to a Muslim evilness includes fornication, strip clubs, drugs, and alcohol, yet to most atheists these things are okay and are not evil! Hence if God granted the atheists wish the atheist would now complain that God has taken away his free will and choice which ultimately contradicts what he was asking for in the first place which was that God come and change the society and interfere in our affairs!
So to atheists, what do you want, do you want God to take away your free will? Do you want God to control you? You can't say no because your methodology says yes to this! However so if you have no problem with this then why do you have a problem when God gives you rules and laws to live by WITH a free will to choose to follow them or not yet you complain against it!
So therefore if the atheists want to stop the evil around the world, then the first thing they should do is accept God, accept his rules, accept his laws, accept everything he has told you, and after this they should call people to the same thing, because evil will only end when the entire society finally obeys God and his rules as they should be obeyed, yet hardly anyone is doing that and this is why the world is so corrupt.
As God tells you:
6:142- And of the cattle (are some) for burden (like camels etc.) and (some are) small (unable to carry burden like sheep, goats etc. for food, meat, milk, wool etc.). Eat of what Allâh has provided for you, and follow not the footsteps of Shaitân (Satan). Surely he is to you an open enemy.
6:151- Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children because of poverty - We provide sustenance for you and for them; come not near to Al-Fawâhish (shameful sins, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly, and kill not anyone whom Allâh has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islâmic law). This He has commanded you that you may understand.
3:102- O you who believe! Fear Allâh (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islâm (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allâh.
3:31- Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): "If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur'ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Many more verses could be quoted, but these verses make the point clear, don't commit evil, and obey Allah, and enter the religion of Islam, this is the straight path that can lead to ending evil, yet you choose to not obey hence you have no one to blame but yourself!
And Allah Knows Best!
http://muslim-responses.com/Does_Evilness_disprove_God/Does_Evilness_disprove_God_
OsMaN_93
Here to help
For more articles: http://muslim-responses.com/new_site_updates1
yakubpasha
Junior Member
Jazakallah Brother
FreedomFighter
Junior Member
jazakAllah khayran, brothers and sisters for these beneficial posts.
