Muhammad & His Teachings about Women
Throughout the course of history, philosophers, faith-based teachers, and national leaders have continually expressed their world-view about the role that women should play in our world. The rights that a woman has within a nation usually depends on a specific nations tendency to build their societies around the the teachings and philosophies of specific individuals throughout the course of history. So why is it that the Top 10 nations ranked worst in terms of women's rights (Yemen, Pakistan, Syria, Chad, Iran, Mali, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Morocco, & Jordan) are nations that are built around nations in which their societies adhere to the teachings of Islam? What was it that Muhammad, the founder of the Islamic faith taught about the women? Well, let us first look at the verses concerning women in the Qur'an, believed by Muslims to be the divine word of Allah revealed directly to Muhammad by the Archangel Gabriel:
Surah 4:34-“Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah 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 Allah 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], beat them.
Surah 4:11- (Inheritance) "The male shall have the equal of the portion of two females"
Surah 2:282- (Court testimony) "And call to witness, from among your men, two witnesses. And if two men be not found then a man and two women."
Surah 4:3- (Wife-to-husband ratio) "Marry women of your choice, Two or three or four" At one point, Muhammad had 11 wives at one time, and stated Allah gave him and only him, permission to have more than four at one time.
Surah 2:223-"Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will. Wives are to be sexually available to their husbands at all times.
Surah 33:59-"Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them..." Men determine how women dress.
Surah 4:43-O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body]. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving.
Surah 66:5-Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you - submitting [to Allah ], believing, devoutly obedient, repentant, worshiping, and traveling - [ones] previously married and virgins.
Hadith of Jami' at-Tirmidhi
Surah 4:34-“Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah 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 Allah 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], beat them.
Surah 4:11- (Inheritance) "The male shall have the equal of the portion of two females"
Surah 2:282- (Court testimony) "And call to witness, from among your men, two witnesses. And if two men be not found then a man and two women."
Surah 4:3- (Wife-to-husband ratio) "Marry women of your choice, Two or three or four" At one point, Muhammad had 11 wives at one time, and stated Allah gave him and only him, permission to have more than four at one time.
Surah 2:223-"Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will. Wives are to be sexually available to their husbands at all times.
Surah 33:59-"Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them..." Men determine how women dress.
Surah 4:43-O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body]. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving.
Surah 66:5-Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you - submitting [to Allah ], believing, devoutly obedient, repentant, worshiping, and traveling - [ones] previously married and virgins.
Surah 24:4-And those who accuse chaste women and then do not produce four witnesses - lash them with eighty lashes and do not accept from them testimony ever after. And those are the defiantly disobedient,
These Qur'anic verses strongly imply that women and men cannot be equal. They are not equal in terms of inheritance, they are not equal in terms of testimony, and they are not equal in terms of treatment. Verses 2:233, 4:34, & 33:59 all seem to imply that men are to have total control over the women of their household. However, is there a way to be certain that the Qur'anic verses imply all of this? To be certain of the context, we must consult the Hadith, which are large collections describing the words, actions, and deeds of Muhammad. It is through the Hadith that the Qur'an is interpreted. So let us look at the context:
Bukhari Volume 1, Book
2, Number 28:
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.
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.
Al-Tirmidhi 3272:
"When Allah's Messenger was asked which woman was best he replied, 'The one who pleases (her husband) when he looks at her, obeys him when he gives a command, and does not go against his wishes regarding her person or property by doing anything of which he disapproves'."
"When Allah's Messenger was asked which woman was best he replied, 'The one who pleases (her husband) when he looks at her, obeys him when he gives a command, and does not go against his wishes regarding her person or property by doing anything of which he disapproves'."
Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 81:
The Prophet said: "The stipulations most entitled to be abided by are those with which you are given the right to enjoy the (women's) private parts.
The Prophet said: "The stipulations most entitled to be abided by are those with which you are given the right to enjoy the (women's) private parts.
Muslim Book 009, Number 3493:
Bukhari Volume 3, Book 48, Number 826:
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."
Bukhari Volume 9, Book 88, Number 219:
"Never will succeed a nation as makes a woman their ruler."
Bukhari Volume 5, Book 58, Number 125:
When 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf came to us, Allah's Apostle made a bond of fraternity between him and Sad bin Ar-Rabi' who was a rich man, Sad said, "The Ansar know that I am the richest of all of them, so I will divide my property into two parts between me and you, and I have two wives; see which of the two you like so that I may divorce her and you can marry her after she becomes lawful to you by her passing the prescribed period (i.e. 'Idda) of divorce. 'Abdur Rahman said, "May Allah bless you your family (i.e. wives) for you." The Prophet said, "Arrange a marriage banquet even with a sheep."
Bukhari Volume 7, Book 72, Number 715:
Rifa'a divorced his wife whereupon 'AbdurRahman bin Az-Zubair Al-Qurazi married her. 'Aisha said that the lady (came), wearing a green veil (and complained to her (Aisha) of her husband and showed her a green spot on her skin caused by beating). It was the habit of ladies to support each other, 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!"
Sunan Abu-Dawud Book 2, Number 0704:
Ikrimah reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas, saying: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: When one of you prays without a sutrah, a dog, an ass, a pig, a Jew, a Magian, and a woman cut off his prayer, but it will suffice if they pass in front of him at a distance of over a stone's throw.
Muslim Book 004, Number 1039:
Al-Aswad reported that 'A'isha said: You have made us equal to the dogs and the asses
These accounts all reinforce the Qur'anic text which state that women cannot be equal. Their testimonies are not equal, they can only gain favor from Allah by gaining the favor of their husbands (no matter what their husbands do to them), and in some cases, they even seem to be treated as commodities, to be wedded and traded at will. Is it therefore possible that the reason for the poor treatment of women in so many Islamic teachings is due to the societies being built around these teachings about women? I think it's safe to say that the answer to that question is yes.
"Never will succeed a nation as makes a woman their ruler."
Bukhari Volume 5, Book 58, Number 125:
When 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf came to us, Allah's Apostle made a bond of fraternity between him and Sad bin Ar-Rabi' who was a rich man, Sad said, "The Ansar know that I am the richest of all of them, so I will divide my property into two parts between me and you, and I have two wives; see which of the two you like so that I may divorce her and you can marry her after she becomes lawful to you by her passing the prescribed period (i.e. 'Idda) of divorce. 'Abdur Rahman said, "May Allah bless you your family (i.e. wives) for you." The Prophet said, "Arrange a marriage banquet even with a sheep."
Bukhari Volume 7, Book 72, Number 715:
Rifa'a divorced his wife whereupon 'AbdurRahman bin Az-Zubair Al-Qurazi married her. 'Aisha said that the lady (came), wearing a green veil (and complained to her (Aisha) of her husband and showed her a green spot on her skin caused by beating). It was the habit of ladies to support each other, 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!"
Sunan Abu-Dawud Book 2, Number 0704:
Ikrimah reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas, saying: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: When one of you prays without a sutrah, a dog, an ass, a pig, a Jew, a Magian, and a woman cut off his prayer, but it will suffice if they pass in front of him at a distance of over a stone's throw.
Muslim Book 004, Number 1039:
Al-Aswad reported that 'A'isha said: You have made us equal to the dogs and the asses
These accounts all reinforce the Qur'anic text which state that women cannot be equal. Their testimonies are not equal, they can only gain favor from Allah by gaining the favor of their husbands (no matter what their husbands do to them), and in some cases, they even seem to be treated as commodities, to be wedded and traded at will. Is it therefore possible that the reason for the poor treatment of women in so many Islamic teachings is due to the societies being built around these teachings about women? I think it's safe to say that the answer to that question is yes.
Sources:
The Holy Qur'an
Hadith of Sahih Bukhari
Hadith of Sahih Muslim
Hadith of Sunan Abu Dawud
Hadith of Jami' at-Tirmidhi
Haines, Gavin. "Mapped: The Best (and Worst) Countries for Gender Equality." The Telegraph. Nov. 4th, 2017. Accessed from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/maps-and-graphics/mapped-the-best-and-worst-countries-for-gender-equality/.
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