I'm not emotional about this. Disappointed, but not emotional. I just feel like I saw the wrong picture of Islam before now. I was told it was a peaceful religion, but how can taking someone's life for something that should have been between them and Allah (I admit, that was the woman's real mistake, not keeping it between her and Allah) ever fit into a peaceful religion? Beating someone to death with rocks isn't peaceful. And her punishment would have been taken care of after she died anyways.
Islam is a peaceful religion. Peace is mentioned and practiced everywhere. There is no other religion or way of life out there that promotes peace as Islam does.
Islam comes from the root word 'salaam', which means peace. One of Allaah's name is 'As-Salaam', which means the Peaceful One.
Before we end our prayers, we say peace. When we meet each other we say peace.
Sometimes to apply peace it may not appear to be so simple. For example back at the time of Prophet Muhammad Sal Allaahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallaam, Jihaad had to be done for there to be peace. Yes, the way they fought the enemy in the battlefield was of course voilent but the end result was peace. So sometimes voilent means need to be used to attain peace.
When a person commits adultery, they have to repent to Allaah and have the punishment in this life, so that in the afterlife they will be forgiven of this sin but if they don't do the expiation, then the penalty in the hereafter will be great and on the day of judgement, the person will regret in not admitting to their sin and wish that they had done.
A beautiful thing about Islam is that Allaah or Muhammad Sal Allaahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallaam firstly WARN us of a sin and the consequences. If we don't listen to them, then it's our fault. We had the warning but didn't listen. Also because the warnings of the punishments are so strict, it will hold a person back to think if they really want to commit that sin. For example, if a Muslim doesn't want to have their hand chopped off, then they shouldn't steal. If they don't want to get stoned, then they shouldn't commit zina etc. It's not like Allaah or Muhammad Sal Allaahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallaam wait for us to do the sin and then they tell us the punishment. And so that is why Islam is just with this.
I don't think I'm wrong for questioning. I'm allowed to use my brain. I refuse to "just accept" everything I'm told. I have to think things through. I'm not accusing the Prophet or anyone else of anything. You know, though? This is good. Having this where people who want to learn about Islam can see it. That way they can decide for themselves if they want to be a part of a religion where stoning someone is still argued as appropriate (and that's not limited to Islam, it includes the other two monotheistic religions). And other threads like women are going to be the majority in hell, or they shouldn't be allowed to have a job.
Of course you can question because if you don't then how will you know? However, we can't rely on our interllect to understand Islam on how it suits us or our opinions. We have to accept the texts of Islam, i.e. the qur'aan and the sunnah. Also as Muslims we have to submit to this because remember Islam means submission/surrender to the will of Allaah. If we submit to our own will and not to that of Allaah's, then that implies that we're not truely submitting to Allaah. As Muslims, we should 'hear and obey' I know it may seem hard, but this life is a test and Islam is not about what suits us, and we can't pick and choose what to believe, what seems just to us and what doesn't. We as Muslims have to believe that Allaah Knows best, and inshaAllaah we place our trust in Him because He created us, so He knows what is best for us and how to deal with us. We're just His creatures and lack understanding of true justice. Only Allaah Knows what true justice is and His legislation is the best. I hope that makes sense.
The reason why women are going to be the majority in hell is because they were ungrateful to their husbands. So this shows that this hadeeth applies to married women. So it's like a warning for married women to be grateful to their husbands. The hadeeth doesn't mean that we're evil and the majority of us are going to hell because we're associated with evil, the devil etc. Also, the Prophet Sal Allaahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallaam said that one of the minor signs of the end times is that women will outnumber men, 50:1. So this clearly indicates that there will be more women then men in the world, and so inevitably the majority of those in hell will be women.
Regarding working, of course we're allowed to work. Sister don't listen to people who post things when they have no evidence from the qur'aan and sunnah. Allaah and Propeht Muhammad Sal Allaahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallaam explained to us our rights, and no-one has the right to take them away from us. Don't listen to some brothers who post confusing stuff on the net.
Khadijah (may Allaah be pleased with her) was a business women and she used her wealth for Islam, especially when the Muslims were facing hardships from the quriash, her wealth came to good use. The only thing is if a women is working unnecessarily for wordly gain, when her husband is earning enough, and if she is neglecting the care of her children, the household etc. then it's best for her not to work. The money that she earns is hers and her husband can't tell her how to spend it. Even if she is earning more than him, still he must spend on her, unless she states otherwise.
I respect all of you and wish you the best, but I'm going to have to do reading on my own. Wading through cut/paste land isn't teaching me anything.
Yes sister do more research. Can I direct you to two books.. 'Important Lessons for Muslim Women' and 'The Ideal Muslimah'.
If stoning is permitted then I have a real problem with Islam...