The West accuses Islam of oppressing women

In Islam, women have been given a high status which no past nation ever achieved and which no subsequent nation has been able to attain, because the honor that Islam gives to humanity, includes men and women equally. They are equal before the rulings of Allaah in this world and they will be equal with regard to His reward and punishment in the Hereafter. 

Allaah says (what means): "And indeed We have honored the Children of Adam." [Quran 17:70]

And (what means): "There is a share for men and a share for women from what is left by parents and those nearest related." [Quran 4:7]

And (what means): "And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable." [Quran 2:228]

And (what means): "The believers, men and women, are Awliyaa' (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another." [Quran 9:71] 

And (what means): "And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: 'My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young'" [Quran 17:23-24] 

And Allaah says (what means): "So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them): ‘Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female.’" [Quran 3:195]

And (what means): "Whoever works righteousness -- whether male or female -- while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)." [Quran 16:97]

And (what means): "And whoever does righteous good deeds, male or female, and is a (true) believer [in the Oneness of Allaah (Muslim)], such will enter Paradise and not the least injustice, even to the size of a Naqeera (speck on the back of a date stone), will be done to them." [Quran 4:124] 

There is nothing in any other religion, nation or law that can compare to the honor, which a woman is granted in Islam. Roman civilization decreed that a woman was a slave who belonged to man, and had no rights at all. In Rome a major gathering met to discuss the status of women, and decided that she was a being who had no soul, and that therefore she would not inherit life in the Hereafter, and that she was evil! 

In Athens women were regarded as chattels; they were bought and sold and were regarded as evil, the handiwork of the devil. The ancient laws of India state that disease, death, Hell, snake venom and fire were all better than woman. Her right to life came to an end when her husband's -- or master's -- life ended. When she saw her husband’s  body burning she would throw herself into the flames; if she did not do so, she would be subject to curses. 

With regard to women in Judaism, the ruling on her in the Old Testament is as follows: "So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly. I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains…" (Ecclesiastes 7:25-26 - New International Version).

It is known that the Old Testament is venerated and believed by both Jews and Christians. This was the situation of woman in ancient times. 

With regard to her situation in the Middle Ages and in modern times, this will be explained by the following: The Danish writer Wieth Kordsten explained the view of the Catholic Church towards women. He said: "During the Middle Ages, very little care was given to women, following the teaching of the Catholic Church which regarded woman as a second class creation." 

In France a council in 586 CE decided to research the status of women and whether they were to be counted as human or not. After some discussion, they decided that woman was human, but she was created to serve man. The 217th clause of the French law states the following: "A married woman -- even if her marriage is based on the condition of separating what belongs to her and what belongs to her husband -- is not permitted to give anything as a gift or to transfer any of her property or use it as collateral, or to take possession of anything whether in return for payment or otherwise, without her husband being a party to the contract or agreeing to it in writing." 

In England Henry VIII forbade English women to read the Bible. Until 1850 CE women were not counted as citizens, and until 1882 CE they did not have any personal rights. (Silsilat Maqaarinah al-Adyaan, by Dr. Ahmad Shalaby, vol. 3, p. 210-213) 

As for contemporary woman in Europe, America and other industrial nations, she is a creature that is degraded and abused for commercial purposes!! She is a feature of advertising campaigns, where she takes off her clothes in order to advertise products on posters, and sells and displays her body according to the systems devised by men, so that she is no more than an object of pleasure for them. 

In such societies, a woman is cared for only as long as she is able contribute something physically or mentally. When she becomes old and cannot give any more, society -- individuals and institutions alike -- forsake her and she lives alone in her house or in an old age institution. 

Compare this -- and there is no comparison -- with the teachings of the Noble Quran, in which Allaah says (what means): "The believers, men and women, are Awliya' (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another." [Quran 9:71]

And (what means): "And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable." [Quran 2:228] 

And (what means): "And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: 'My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young'" [Quran 17:23-24] 

Since her Lord has honored her in this way, it is clear to all of humankind that Allaah Almighty has created a woman to be a mother, a wife, a daughter and a sister and prescribed certain laws which apply exclusively to women and not men.

Statements of Popes and Writers

   “I would prefer meeting Satan than meeting a woman.”

·        “The woman is the door to Hell, the way to corruption, the scorpion's sting and the ally of Satan.”

In the 1484 CE Acquittal, Pope Innocent VIII announced that a woman and a human being were seemingly conflicting opposites.

Below are some statements of European philosophers and famous thinkers in the post-Renaissance era:

"If you see a woman, think not that you see a human being, not even a wild being, but what you see is Satan himself, and what you hear is the snake's whistle." [Saint Paul Fantair's recommendations to his disciples]

"The woman was created not only to be subjected to man, but also to endure his injustice." [Confessions of Jean Jacques Rousseau]

"The woman is an animal which the man should beat, feed and detain." [Schopenhauer]

"No man thinks of a woman and then respects her; he either despises her or does not think of her seriously." [Otto Finger]

"Man could imagine himself without a woman; but a woman could hardly imagine herself without a man." [Julian Banda]

"The woman is a tool for laughter: a living statue of stupidity." [French writer Lamennais]

"The woman is a relative being." [Historian Michelet]

"They (the Christians) regarded kidnapping children to bring them up on monasticism among the acts that bring them closer to God. They used to escape from women even though they were their relatives, thinking that merely looking at the woman would make their deeds worthless." [Ma‘aawil Al-Hadm Wat-Tadmeer Fi An-Nasraaniyyah wa fi At-Tabsheer by Ibraaheem Sulaymaan Al-Jabhaan pp72-75]

"The woman has to cover her hair for she is not the image of God." [Ambrose in the 4th century CE]

'Woman distorts the image of man'

Tertullian, one of the leaders of early Christianity, said the following showing mankind the Christian view of woman, "She is the door through which Satan enters into man’s soul. She led him to eat from the unlawful tree, contradicted the law of God, and distorted the image of God, i.e. man." He was referring to the following statement of the Bible: "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman, because she was fully deceived, fell into transgression. But she will be delivered through childbearing, if she continues in faith and love and holiness with self-control." [Timothy I 2:14-15]

The Bible says through the words of Moosa (Moses)  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention that because of their treachery against the Lord, plague afflicted the community: "Moses said to them, ‘Have you allowed all the women to live?Look, these people through the counsel of Balaam caused the Israelites to act treacherously against the Lord in the matter of Peor – which resulted in the plague among the community of the Lord! Now therefore kill every boy, and kill every woman who has had sexual intercourse with a man. But all the young women who have not had sexual intercourse with a man will be yours.’" [Numbers 31:15-18]

Chrysostom one of the great devotees of Christianity, said about the woman, "She is an inevitable evil, an obsession to which man is predisposed by nature, a desired blight, a risk that endangers the family and house, a destructive sweetheart and a disaster plated and disguised." He was referring to statement of the Lord who sent His angel to say about her that she is evil itself: "Then a round lead cover was raised up, revealing a woman sitting inside the basket. He then said, ‘This woman represents wickedness,’ and he pushed her down into the basket and placed the lead cover on top." [Zechariah 5:7-8]

Now, consider the statement of Allaah The Almighty in His well-guarded Book, the Quran, which no falsehood approaches, announcing to all the world the freedom and humanity of the woman, and restoring dignity to her as being a source of tranquility, affection and mercy for man (which means): {And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.} [Quran 30:21]

If the Bible, with its Old and New Testaments, holds the woman responsible for Aadam's (Adam’s) sin and for her coming out of Paradise to work and suffer, and makes even her giving birth to children an expiation of that sin, then how could one expect the followers of that religion to be kind to her?

The distorted image of Muslim women

Since the height of the feminist movement in the late 70's there has been a magnifying glass placed over the status of Muslim women. Unfortunately, the magnifying glass that has been used is an unusual one. 

Unusual in the sense that it is very selective about which items it will magnify; other items it will distort to such a degree that they will no longer look familiar. I remember once reading an "in depth" article about the lives of Muslim women. This article "explained" that at any time a man can divorce his wife by simply stating "I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you". 

This article can lead anyone ignorant of the Islamic ruling regarding divorce to believe that in less than five seconds the woman is left with no husband and is left to care for herself (and possibly children) by any means necessary. 

The question that immediately popped up in my mind was, "Did the author innocently write that out of sincere ignorance or was it another of the many attempts to degrade the religion of Islam and its followers (Muslims)?" It may be out of paranoia, but I tend to believe it was the latter of the two. 

The truth of the matter is that Islam has the most humane and most just system of divorce that exists. Firstly, many options are taken and tried before coming to the decision of divorce. If the man and woman decide that they can no longer live together successfully as a husband and wife, the husband (in most cases, not always) pronounces the divorce by saying "I divorce you". At this point the waiting period begins. 

The waiting period lasts for three menstrual cycles to assure the woman is not pregnant. This period allows the couple time to think about what they are doing and if this is what they really want to do. There are no lawyers involved to antagonize an already delicate situation. 

  

In the case that it is realized, that the woman is pregnant, the waiting period lasts the entire time she is pregnant. During the waiting period (whether the woman is pregnant or not) the man is obligated to provide food, clothing and shelter to the woman as he did before the divorce pronouncement. 

If the couple carries the divorce through to the birth of the child and the woman suckles the baby, the man is obligated to feed and clothe both his ex-wife for the time the woman suckles (the maximum being two years). After his weaning, the child will be provided for by the father until he/she is no longer in need of support. 

  

It is quite ironic that in such an "advanced society" as America, there are divorce cases in which women are being forced to pay alimony to their ex-husbands. Can this and many other things we know about the American system of divorce compare to the Islamic system of divorce? 

  

I have also read stories wherein it is stated that women are forced to marry men without their consent. This in no way resembles the marriage system in Islam. In Islam the woman marries the man of her choice. She may even marry someone that her mother and/or father objects to. 

The point is that it is the woman who makes the final decision as to whom she will marry. Once the man and the woman decide that they are interested in one another for marriage, a dowry is decided upon. A dowry is not a bride’s price but it is a gift from the groom to the bride. 

They agree upon a gift that is affordable by the groom. In the time of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) , often things such as livestock and money were given. This is a wise decision in the event that a woman becomes divorced or widowed, she has some financial security to fall back on even if it is for a limited amount of time. Once the man and woman are married, the man is required to clothe, feed, shelter and educate her (or allow her to be educated) in the same manner as he does himself. 

  

The last distorted image that I will cover is that of the Muslim women's dress. The western-influenced media portrays our dress to be outdated and oppressive. Needless to say, I differ with these adjectives. Our dress code does not hinder us from doing anything productive in our lives. 

Muslim women maintain a variety of jobs, none of which are devalued nor hampered due to their dress code. And as for the timing of Muslim women's dress during these contemporary times, it seems most appropriate due to decreasing morals in the world today. 

  

For those who say that Islamic dress is outdated, they speak from great ignorance. The decreasing morality and trials of this time makes Hijab even more in need. More than ever before sex crimes are rampant. 

Although this society tells women they can wear what they want to wear, anytime a rape occurs the woman is the one put on trial and one of the first questions is, "What were you wearing?" This concept seems as though it is a set up directed against the so-called contemporary woman. Also there is a direct correlation between the respect a man has for a woman and the amount of her body she displays flauntingly. 

  

In conclusion, I hope this article helps to clear up some distorted/misunderstood aspects of Islam and women. Women in Islam are respected and held in high regard. We will never find success and/or solutions to our problems until we realize that Allaah knows best and that this disbelieving society will ruin itself.

Are Muslim women oppressed?

Among the many topics of interest to non-Muslims, the status of Muslim women and the theme of their rights -- or rather, the perceived lack of them – seems to be foremost.  The media’s portrayal of Muslim women,   usually outlining their “oppression and mystery” seems to contribute to this negative perception.

The main reason for this is that people often fail to distinguish between culture and religion -- two things that are completely different. In fact, Islam condemns oppression of any kind whether it is towards a woman or humankind in general.

The Quran is the sacred book by which Muslims live. This book was revealed 1400 years ago to a man named Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) who would later become the Prophet  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention. Fourteen centuries have passed and this book has not been changed since, not one letter has been altered.

In chapter 33, entitled Soorah Al-Ahzaab (The Clans), verse 59 Allaah The Exalted Almighty Says (what means): "O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the woman of the believers to bring down over themselves (part) of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known (as free respectable women) and not be abused. And ever is Allaah Forgiving and Merciful." [Quran 33:59] This verse shows that Islam makes wearing a Hijaab necessary. Hijaab is the word used for covering, not only the headscarves (as some people may think) but also wearing loose clothes that are not too bright.

Sometimes, people see covered Muslim women and they think of this as oppression. This is wrong. A Muslim woman is not oppressed, in fact, she is liberated. This is because she is no longer valued for something material, such as her good looks or the shape of her body. She compels others to judge her for her intelligence, kindness, honesty and personality. Therefore, people judge her for who she actually is.

When Muslim women cover their hair and wear loose clothes, they are obeying the orders of their Lord to be modest, not cultural or social mores. In fact, Christian nuns cover their hair out of modesty, yet no one considers them “oppressed”. By following the command of Allaah, Muslim women are doing the exact same thing. 

The lives of the people who responded to the Quran have changed drastically. It had a tremendous impact on so many people, especially women, since this was the first time that the souls of man and women were declared equal -- with the same obligations as well as the same rewards. 

For the first time in history, women were granted economic independence in Islam. The money they bring in to marriage is theirs as well as the money they earn. In Islam, women are allowed to choose their own husbands and in extreme cases, ask for divorce. A woman has the right to be educated, contrary to what the contemporary world might think. The responsibility is that of the person who is raising her. 

Islam is a religion that holds women in high regard. Long ago, when baby boys were born, they brought great joy to the family. The birth of a girl was greeted with considerably less joy and enthusiasm. Sometimes, girls were hated so much that they were buried alive. Islam has always been against this irrational discrimination against girls and female infanticide. 

The Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said: "Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every Muslim (male and female)." Men and women both have the capacity for learning and understanding. Since it is also their obligation to promote good behavior and condemn bad behavior in all spheres of life, Muslim women must acquire the appropriate education to perform this duty in accordance with their own natural talents and interests.

While maintenance of their homes, providing support to the husband and bearing, raising and teaching children are among the first and very highly regarded roles for a woman, if she has the skills to work outside the home for the good of the community, she may do so. However, this is allowed only as long as her family obligations are met and as long as she complies with the Islamic code of dress and conduct, with no intermingling with men in the workplace. 

Islam recognizes and fosters the natural differences between men and women despite their equality. Some types of work are more suitable for men and other types for women. This differentiation in no way diminishes the effort or benefit of one gender over the other. God will reward both genders equally for the value of their work, though it may not necessarily be within the same sphere of activity.

The two great roles a woman plays in life are that of a wife and a mother. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) once said to a group of Companions  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them: "The best among you are those who are the best to their wives." This shows that Islam highly encourages treating the wives well. They should be shown love, respect and care. To foster the love and security that comes with marriage, Muslim wives have various rights. The first of the wife's rights is to receive dowry, a gift from the husband, which is part of the marriage contract and required for the legality of the marriage. 

The second right of a wife is maintenance. Despite any wealth she may have, her husband is obligated to provide her with food, shelter and clothing. He is not forced, however, to spend beyond his capability and his wife is not entitled to make unreasonable demands.

Concerning motherhood, the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said: "Heaven lies under the feet of mothers." This implies that the success of a society can be traced to the mothers who raised it. The first and greatest influence on a person comes from the sense of security, affection and training received from the mother. Therefore, a woman having children must be educated and conscientious in order to be a skillful parent. 

A man came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, and asked: "Who among my kinfolk is worthy of my good companionship?" The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) replied: "Your mother" three times before saying: "Your father." This indicates the impact that a mother has in a person's life. So women are highly honored in this great religion.

Islam is a religion that treats women fairly. The Muslim woman was given a role, duties and rights 1400 years ago that most women do not enjoy even today in the West. These rights are from God and are designed to maintain a balance in society; what may seem “unjust” or “missing” in one place is compensated for or explained in another place.

Does Islam degrade #women?

The image of the typical Muslim woman wearing the veil, forced to stay home, and forbidden to drive is all too common in most peoples' thoughts.

The status of women in Islam is often the target of attacks in the secular media. The ‘Hijaab,’ or Islamic dress code for women, is cited by many as an example of the ‘subjugation’ of women under Islamic law. Before mentioning the reasoning behind the religiously mandated Hijaab, let us first study the status of women in societies before the advent of Islam.

In the past, women were degraded and generally used as objects of lust.  

The following are examples from history which amply illustrate the fact that the status of women in earlier civilisations was very low, to the extent that they were denied basic human dignity:

A.   Babylonian Civilisation:

 Women were degraded and denied all rights under the Babylonian law. If a man murdered a woman, instead of him being punished, his wife was put to death.

B.   Greek Civilisation:

Greek Civilisation is considered the most glorious of all ancient civilisations. Under this very ‘glorious’ system, women were deprived of all rights and were looked down upon. In Greek mythology, an imaginary woman called ‘Pandora’ was the root cause of misfortune of human beings. The Greeks considered women to be subhuman and inferior to men. Prostitution became a regular practice amongst all classes of Greek society.

C.   Roman Civilisation:

When Roman Civilisation was at the zenith of its ‘glory’, a man even had the right to unjustifiably take the life of his wife. Prostitution and nudity were common practice amongst the Romans.  

D.   Egyptian Civilisation:

The Egyptians considered women to be evil and a sign of the devil.  

E.   Pre-Islamic Arabia:

Before Islam spread in Arabia, the Arabs looked down upon women and very often, when a female child was born, she was buried alive.  

When Islam came, it uplifted women and gave them equality and expected them to maintain their status.  Islam raised the status of women and granted them their just rights 1400 years ago.

Too often the image of a covered woman is used to represent what much of the world views as oppression. Her very existence is described in terms that convey ignorance and unhappiness. Words like, beaten, repressed and oppressed are bandied about by the western media in a desperate attempt to convince the readers that women in Islam have no rights.  Descriptive and intrinsically oppressive terms such as shrouded and shackled are used to portray an image of women who have no minds and who are the slaves or possessions of their husbands and fathers.

This is a misconception of the real image of women in Islam. In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and expression based on recognition of her individual personality. She is free to choose her religion. The Quran states what means: "There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] religion. The right course has become clear from error… " [Quran: 2:256]

In Islam, women are encouraged to contribute their opinions and ideas. There are many traditions of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam which indicate women would pose questions directly to him and offer their opinions concerning religion, economics and social matters.

A Muslim woman chooses her husband and keeps her name after marriage. A Muslim woman's testimony is valid in legal disputes. In fact, in areas in which women are more familiar, their evidence is conclusive.

The reason why Hijaab is prescribed for women is mentioned in the Quran in the following verses of Surah Al-Ahzaab: "O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known [as chaste, believing women] and not be abused. And ever is Allaah Forgiving and Merciful." [Quran: 33:59]

The Quran says that Hijaab has been prescribed for women so that they are recognised as being modest women, which may also prevent them from being molested. Suppose two equally beautiful twin sisters walk down a street. One of them is attired in the Islamic Hijaab, i.e. the complete body is covered, except for the face and the hands up to the wrists. The other sister is wearing western clothes, such as a miniskirt or shorts. Around the corner is a lout who is waiting for a catch to tease a girl. Whom will he tease - the girl wearing the Islamic Hijaab or the girl wearing the miniskirt or shorts? Naturally, he will tease the girl in the more revealing dress. Such dresses are an indirect invitation to the opposite sex for teasing and molestation. The Quran rightly says that Hijaab prevents women from being molested.  

Under the Islamic Sharee'ah (Law), a man convicted of having raped a woman is given capital punishment. Many are astonished at this ‘harsh’ sentence. Some even say that Islam is a ruthless, barbaric religion! I have asked a simple question to hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose, God forbid, that someone were to rape your wife, your mother or your sister. You are made the judge and the rapist is brought in front of you. What punishment would you give him? All of them, without exception, said that they would put him to death. Some went to the extent of saying they would torture him to death. To them I ask that if someone rapes your wife or your mother you want to put him to death, but if the same crime is committed on somebody else’s wife or daughter you say capital punishment is barbaric? Why should there be double standards?  

Western Society Falsely Claims to have Uplifted Women

 In western countries, where liberation encompasses unlimited freedom, women are actually finding themselves living lives that are unsatisfying and meaningless. In their quest for liberation, they have abandoned the ideals of morality and stability and found themselves in marriages and families that bear little resemblance to "real life". What is so liberating about being forced to work all day and coming home at night to housework? What is so liberating about having babies who, at six weeks of age, can be deposited in child care centres to learn their behaviour and morality from strangers?

Western talk of women’s liberation is nothing but a disguised form of exploitation of her body, degradation of her soul, and deprivation of her honour. Western society claims to have ‘uplifted’ women. On the contrary, it has actually degraded them to the status of concubines, mistresses and society butterflies who are mere tools in the hands of pleasure seekers and sex marketers.

In conclusion, the Muslim woman was given a role, duties and rights 1400 years ago that most women do not enjoy today - even in the West. These are from God and are designed to keep balance in society; what may seem unjust or missing in one place is compensated for or explained in another place.

Equality between men and women - II

The Status of Women in Islam:

Facing this dark history, Islam placed women in their natural position and returned to them their rights and status which were seized from them in the darkness of ignorance and corrupt customs and traditions.

Islam emphasized that males and females came from the same origin. Allah The Amighty Says (what means): {O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.} [Quran 4:1]

Islam rejected the stance of the disbelievers, their stolid ordinances and their inability to understand the role of women. Islam acknowledged that they are just as essential to the system of life as men. Rather, men reside with women for women are more essential in maintaining the family. That is why Islam viewed women as a gift from Allah The Exalted. Moreover, the Noble Quran mentioned females before males as Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {He gives to whom He wills female [children], and He gives to whom He wills males. Or He makes them [both] males and females, and He renders whom He wills barren.} [Quran 42:49-50]

Islam granted women respect, honor and affection in a way that prepares society to receive every newborn girl with sign of relief, satisfaction and confidence in the Help of Allah Who Says (what means): {And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you.} [Quran 17:31].

In addition, Islam honored women in their age of youth. Islam granted them the capacity to express their opinion in the most private issues of their lives in forming their households and choosing their husbands. The Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "A previously married woman must not be given in marriage until she is consulted and a virgin must not be given in marriage until her permission is sought.” They asked: “O Messenger of Allah, how will her (i.e. the virgin) consent be (confirmed)?” He said: “If she remains silent." [Muslim]

Furthermore, Islam granted women an individual entity as well as various rights such as the freedom to own property just as men without discrimination. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, be it little or much - an obligatory share.} [Quran 4:7]

Islam respected this entitlement and enhanced it by granting women the freedom to dispose of it (at her own will). Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And give the women [upon marriage] their [bridal] gifts graciously. But if they give up willingly to you anything of it, then take it in satisfaction and ease.} [Quran 4:4]

The Noble Quran places women and men on an equal footing before the law in rights and duties such as the right to conclude contracts, assume liabilities and to defend their rights before jurisdiction. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {And due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable}. [Quran 2:228]

Fabrications and Rebuttals:

Some people say that some Islamic rulings are prejudiced towards women such as in divorce, polygyny and that their share of inheritance and testimony equals half the share of men. In essence, these issues honor women and preserve their status. The distinction in these matters preserves the dignity of women and respects the nature of their structure: 

- Concerning the fact that the share of women is half the share of men in some inheritance cases; Islam, in return for this right granted to men, imposed upon them the equivalent of obligations. The Sharee'ah obligated men to financially sponsor women in every phase of their lives. Thus, a girl is sponsored by her father, brother or whoever assumes their role. The husband must spend on his wife and she is not obliged to spend anything. Allah The Exalted clarifies this point when He Says (what means): {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.} [Quran 4:34] Nevertheless, in some cases the share of a woman may exceed that of a man according to the degree of kinship. Hence, the matter is not that a woman's share shall always be half the share of a man.

- With regards to testimony, the Noble Sharee’ah took into consideration the psychological traits of women. Women are emotional in their psychological makeup and their emotions may prevail (above reason). That is why Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And if there are not two men [available], then a man and two women from those whom you accept as witnesses - so that if one of the women errs, then the other can remind her.} [Quran 2:282]

Besides, because of the nature of their social activity, women do not witness what men witness and do not take part in what adds to their experience and what qualifies them not to be deceived by fraudulent appearances. This may lead to committing what is forbidden without perceiving it. Nonetheless, the Monotheistic Sharee'ah granted women the right of testimony in what they practice such as testimony concerning seeing the newborn after delivery and the like. The reason for this is that testimony varies according to the subject matter. The testimony of a single woman may be accepted, as previously mentioned, in what is related to women's issues like delivery of newborns and similar issues.

- With respect to divorce, women have overriding emotions and are angered quickly. That is why Allah The Almighty gave men the authority of direct divorce as they are distinguished by patience and judgment by reason before emotions and being aware of the consequences of issues. At the same time, Islam does not deprive a woman from requesting a divorce if she is abused in a way that she cannot bear or if matters become complicated between her and her husband in such a way that makes continuing their marital life impossible. In both cases, both the husband and wife have their rights.

- Polygyny is a treatment for many social problems such as the barren woman who is not able to give birth while her husband wishes to have children but does not want to separate from her. In addition, it represents a solution for the problem of an increase in the number of women so that it exceeds the number of men due to circumstances such as wars.

Besides, women carry the offspring in their wombs. This is why it is not reasonable for her to demand the right to have multiple husbands which would lead to the intermixing of lineages and loss of chastity. In return for the right of polygamy granted to men, Islam set forth the condition of being just and fair among all wives.

The Twin Halves of Men:

In the Noble Hadeeth, the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Women are the twin halves of men.” [Abu Dawood and At-Tirmithi] Men and women are equal before Allah The Exalted and perhaps there is a pious woman who is more noble in the Sight of Allah The Exalted than a man: {Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most pious of you.} [Quran 49:13]. Paradise is not a destination for men void of any women.

The Noble Quran also presented women as examples of righteousness. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And Allah presents an example of those who believed: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, "My Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the wrongdoing people." And [the example of] Mary, the daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We blew into [her garment] through Our angel, and she believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures and was of the devoutly obedient. } [Quran 66:11-12]

Islam came with values and principles that elevate the status of women and preserve their dignity. However, dangers appeared and arrows were directed towards Islam and the Muslims. So, would the Muslim woman support her religion and defeat the plots of the greedy? Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah refuses except to perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it.} [Quran 9:32]. 

Equality between men and women - I

Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable. But the men have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority]. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.} [Quran 2: 228].

Equality between men and women in rights and performing duties is a lofty value and noble aim sought by everyone, male or female. However, it became a double-edged sword used by domestic and foreign enemies of women. They use equality as a tool to serve their demoralizing goals by making their voices heard demanding:

1- Emancipation of women from all religious and social restrictions and granting them absolute freedom to do whatever, whenever and however they wish! This is not what women were created for and it is not their role in society!

2- Educating women equally as men without distinction in any field they wish regardless of what benefits them as women who bear a special message in life and great importance for which they should prepare themselves.

3- That women should work just as men under any circumstances and in any field regardless of what suits their feminine nature and physical and psychological structure.

4- Equality with men in financial rights. They demanded that a woman's portion in inheritance should be equal to that of a man in spite of the fact that this bluntly contradicts the Sharee'ah of Allah The Almighty without taking into consideration the financial responsibilities of men such as financial maintenance and such which is compatible with his additional portion of inheritance.

The basic rule is to consider inheritance as Allah The Almighty divided and decreed, because it is He the Exalted Who Sets its legislation and Knows with His Wisdom what He Ordained and Decreed without the least injustice to anyone. Those who raise the previous claims did not bother to consider equality in the inheritance between siblings who share the same mother (but different fathers). In this case, the portion of the male is equal to that of the female. Moreover, in some cases the portion of a woman may exceed that of a man.

These are some examples of their claims which appear to be merciful but actually entail suffering because they are not aware of the actual meaning of the equality they are calling for. They are not aware of the unnecessary suffering that women may experience due to their calls. Furthermore, nor are they aware of the rights and privileges Islam granted to women. They are either ignorant or pretend to be ignorant of the status of women before Islam in different doctrines and societies and how her status changed in the shade of Islam.

The Status of Women in ancient Greece:

If we take a look at ancient Greece, we find that in spite of their culture and science, women were no more than servants or, in the best case scenario, housewives. Furthermore, the Greeks – owners of the philosophical crown – made their wives live in rooms with few windows and prevented them from going out to the market or elsewhere.

Moreover, despite Plato's philosophical theory related to the military and political duties of women, they remained isolated from public life due to Greek customs and laws.

The common concept of the Greek image was that "the shackles of women shall not be removed". This is why, after the collapse of Greek civilization, voices were raised demanding liberation from the bodies and impurity of women which was the reason behind corruption. Thus, Greek women were showered with curses and horrible accusations.

The Status of Women in India:

In India, women were burnt alive in the coffin of their deceased husbands.

The Status of Women in Judaism:

In Judaism, Jews acknowledged women as dangerous and an evil that exceeds that of serpents. They viewed women with humiliation and contempt and appointed girls to the level of servants. Furthermore, there were some traditions that prohibited the marriage of girls in order to remain serving their families along with the right of their guardians to sell them as slaves.

Status of Women in Some Christian Doctrines:

In some Christian doctrines, a woman is considered no more than a body void of any soul. This applied to all women except for the Virgin Mary.

Status of Women in the Pre-Islamic Arab Culture:

In the Pre-Islamic Arab culture, a woman was simply a piece of property. She was considered an inheritance to the son of the deceased.

The pre-Islamic view of girls was based upon pessimism. This is why their corrupt habit of female infanticide (i.e. burying infant girls alive) became common.

To be continued...

Prophet Muhammad and polygyny - II

Second: The Legislative Aspect

The second point of wisdom behind polygny has a legislative dimension. This form of marriage was established to abrogate the repulsive traditions followed by the Arabs in the pre-Islamic times, such as the tradition of adoption. This practice was a norm inherited from past generations. According to this tradition, a man could take a strange boy as his own son, treat him exactly as his real son in terms of heritage, marriage, divorce, unlawful affinity (prohibited relationships through marriage), prohibited forms of marriage, and other matters agreed upon as sacred norms in that pre-Islamic period.

At that time, a man might adopt a son of another person and say to him: “You are my son; I inherit you and you inherit from me.” Islam neither endorsed this habit nor left people to grope in the darkness of ignorance. Allaah abolished adoption by inspiring Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) to adopt a son prior to his messengership. The son he adopted was Zayd bin Haarithah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him whom people used to call “Zayd bin (the son of) Muhammad.”

Al-Bukhaari and Muslim (whose books are the most authentic after the Quran) narrated that 'Abdullah bin 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said: “We used to call Zayd bin Haarithah nothing but (Zayd bin Muhammad) till the revelation of the Quranic verse: “Call them [i.e., those children under your care] by [the names of] their fathers; it is more just in the sight of Allaah…” [Quran: 33:5] The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) then said to Zayd: “You are Zayd bin Haarithah bin Sharaheel.”

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) married his cousin, Zaynab bint Jahsh  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her to Zayd  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him while he was his adopted son. After a lengthy marriage, their relationship deteriorated. Being from a noble, high-class family, Zaynab  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her used to look down on her husband who was a slave before he was adopted by the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). She occasionally uttered harsh words against him whenever a dispute broke out between them. The consequence of this marital misunderstanding was divorce.

Allaah the Exalted then ordered Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) to marry her, so that the vicious tradition of adoption was abolished practically and the Islamic principles thus established. Being the supreme model of the Muslim Nation, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was ordained by his Lord, the Glorious, to practically inaugurate the divine legislation of abrogating adoption.

Third: The Social Aspect

The social dimension of the wisdom of the Prophet’s marriage is clearly manifested in his marriage to the daughter of Abu Bakr  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him who was his first faithful minister.

To maintain good relations with his tribe, the Quraysh, he married several women from different family branches of that tribe. This wise strategy, moreover, enhanced the ties amongst those tribal sub-divisions themselves.

These marriage relationships played a vital role in attracting the resistant hearts of those tribesmen, changing their hostility into tender inclination towards the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and his Message. Brought to the folds of Islam, these tribes became its loyal supporters and devotedly served the Prophet’s cause (religion). They sacrificed their wealth and lives for the pre-eminence and victory of Islam.

The Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) married 'Aa’ishah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her the daughter of his most intimate, lovable companion – Abu Bakr  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him who was the first man to believe in the prophethood of Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). This loyal follower devoted his life and wealth in the cause of Islam and in defence of the Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). The Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) found no better way of rewarding Abu Bakr  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him for his courageous devotion than becoming his son-in-law. This marriage relationship further strengthened their friendship and enhanced their mutual affinity.

He also married Hafsah, daughter of 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both – his second faithful minister. This marriage was a matter of honour to 'Umar  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him and a great reward for his accepting Islam, truthfulness, faithfulness, and complete devotion to the religion. 'Umar  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him was the prominent hero of Islam by whom Allaah reinforced Islam and the Muslims and raised high the banner of the religion. By the marriage of his daughter to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) 'Umar shared with Abu Bakr  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them the great honour of being the Prophet’s father-in-law.

Fourth: The Political Aspect

Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) – as mentioned earlier – made marriage relations with members of some tribes in order to reconcile their hearts with his and to gain their support. It is a fact that when a man marries into a family, he will maintain strong bonds with his in-laws and, accordingly, ensure their assistance and protection. The following examples demonstrate clearly how the political dimension of the Prophet’s marriages was embodied:

Example 1:

The Noble Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) married Juwayriyah, daughter of Al-Haarith – the chieftain of Bani Al-Mustaliq (a well-known tribe), after she was captured along with her clan. She came to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) asking for some money to ransom herself. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) suggested to her that he would pay her due ransom and marry her, which she wholeheartedly accepted. The Muslims then proclaimed: “The Prophet’s in-laws under our hands (i.e. as prisoners)?” They therefore freed all the captives. To this act of noble tolerance and magnanimity by the Muslims, the captives’ reaction was to profess Islam. Thus, they joined the folds of Allaah’s religion and became believers.

Example 2:

The Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) also married Safiyyah, daughter of Huyay bin Akhtab - the chieftain of the Jewish tribe of Bani Quraythah. After the Muslims in the battle of Khaybar killed her husband, she was taken prisoner. The advisory body (a company of men of thought and opinion) suggested that, being the mistress of Bani Quraythah, nobody was as worthy of her company (as a husband) as the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). After consulting with his Companions, the Noble Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) ordered her presence and entitled her to choose between two options: either that he frees her and takes her as a wife, or that he frees her to join her tribe.

Admiring his graciousness, tolerance, nobility, and supreme conduct, she chose to be his wife after being set free. With her conversion to Islam, a great number of her tribesmen also converted.

So, deeply reflect upon the magnificent policy of the Noble Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and ponder his supreme and sublime wisdom.

http://lekolelnas.blogspot.com/2015/06/prophet-muhammad-and-polygyny-i.html

Prophet Muhammad and polygyny - I

Since the advent of Islam, more than fourteen centuries ago, its opponents have spared no effort to enshroud its Prophet’s character with doubts, drawing a deformed image of him to slander his messengership and damage his reputation.

They did their level best to fabricate fallacies and superstitions in order to corrupt the believers’ faith and turn people away from believing in his Message. It is not surprising to hear such fabrications against the prophets and messengers because the fact is that enemies opposed every prophet. This fact is stressed in the Holy Quran; Allaah says what means: “And thus We have made for every prophet an enemy from among the criminals. But Sufficient is your Lord as a guide and a helper.” [Quran: 25:31]

Among the misconceptions repeatedly hammered on by some westerners is that regarding the polygny practiced by Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) . They allege that: “Muhammad was a womaniser, indulging in satisfying his carnal desires. He was not satisfied with only one wife, rather he gathered ten or more wives in order to fully satisfy his excessive lust.”

They also say: “'Eesaa (Jesus) and Muhammad, may Allaah exalt their mention, were never alike. There is a great difference between a man who could confound his whims and control his carnal passions (Jesus), and another who was wallowing in sexual indulgence". What a big lie and an atrocious deformation of facts this is!

Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was extremely far from being lustful and sexually preoccupied. Rather, he was a messenger of noble conduct and high disposition. He was neither a god nor a son of God, as Christians mistakenly believe 'Eesaa  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention to be. He – Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) - was only a man like other men. The only distinguishing point is that he was singled out by Divine revelation: “Say [O Muhammad]: 'I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed …'” [Quran: 18:110]

He was in no way different from the Prophets who preceded him. He never came to change their course of life. Of those noble prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, the Holy Quran says: “And we have already sent messengers before you and assigned to them wives and descendents…” [Quran: 13:38]

Why is it, then, that those fanatic falsifiers launch their ignominious campaign against the final of all Prophets?!

Baseless Allegation

To absolutely refute such a misconception, we have to keep in mind two important points that debunk whatever allegations arise in this respect, and shut the mouths of the scandalmongers. These two points are:

1-      Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) did not practice polygny except after he had passed the age of fifty.

2-      All of his wives  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them were widows except for ‘Aa’ishah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her who was a virgin. She was the only one whom he married while she was still young.

From these two points we realise how simply absurd and baseless the accusations imputed to the Prophet by the orientalists are. Had his objective of polygny been answering his sexual desires to satisfy his personal whims, he could have married in his youth and not in his old age. Moreover, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) could have married young virgins, not old widows.

It is narrated that Jaabir bin 'Abdullaah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him – a prominent companion of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) – once came to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) with a gleeful expression on his face and wearing sweet-smelling perfume. "Have you gotten married?” the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) asked. "Yes, O Messenger of Allaah!” Jaabir answered. "A virgin or a widow?” the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) further enquired. "A widow,” was the answer. "Why not a young virgin,” the Prophet asked “so that you may tease (play) and have fun with each other?”

The Noble Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) advised his follower (Jaabir) to prefer the virgin as a wife. This vividly means that he (the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )) was not unaware of the path of carnal enjoyment and the way sexual needs are best satisfied.

Is it logical, then, that he married old widows turning his back on the young virgins if his only purpose was sexual satisfaction? Moreover - as mentioned before - his practice of polygny began only when he passed young age and entered old age.

Why Polygny?

The divine wisdom behind the Prophet’s polygamy is of multiple aspects. However, we can sum up these aspects in the following four points:

The Educational Aspect

The Legislative Aspect

The Social Aspect

The Political Aspect

Let us now speak briefly about each one of these points:

First: The Educational Aspect

The main purpose of the Prophet’s polygamy was to qualify several women as teachers to teach the Muslim women the Islamic rulings (Sharee’ah). Women are the inevitable other half of society and they are ordained to undertake their duties as men are.

Muslim women were too bashful to ask the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) about some of the legislative rulings, particularly the female-related concerns, such as those regarding the monthly period (menstruation), postpartum period, ceremonial impurity (post-discharge state), and other marital affairs.

For women, shyness was a great obstacle when they wanted to ask the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) about such matters. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) on the other hand, was known for his absolute shyness also, which was among his outstanding, conspicuous attributes. It is narrated in the authentic books of Sunnah (Prophet Muhammad’s sayings, practices, and approvals) that he was more bashful than a virgin in her boudoir. Accordingly, he could not answer frankly, using open and direct language, all the questions women raised. He rather made use of metaphorical and a highly refined style of language, which could be too difficult for those laywomen to grasp.

For example:

‘Aa’ishah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her narrated that a woman from the Ansaar (the inhabitants of Madeenah) came to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and asked him about how to purify herself (i.e., wash up) after her menses. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) taught her how to do so and then said: “Take a perfumed piece of cotton and clean yourself with it.” She said: “O Messenger of Allaah! How do I clean myself with it?” to which he embarrassedly replied: “Glory be to Allaah! Clean yourself with it!” ’Aa’ishah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her then caught the lady's hand, drew her aside, and said to her in a whisper: “Put the piece of cotton in such and such a place and wipe away the blood.” She explicitly named to her the private place to be cleaned.

Being very shy, it was too embarrassing for the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) to use the direct, open style of language that 'Aa’ishah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her used with the woman. Those women who could, with great difficulty, confound their timidity to ask the Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) frankly about their affairs were very few.

Was Prophet Muhammad influenced by #Jews or #Christians? -II

The tradition that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) , heard Qayss bin Saa`idah preach at the `Ukaath fair isforged and discarded, as one of its narrators, Muhammad bin Hallaaj Al-Laakhmi, is a confirmed liar. The suggestion that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), learnt from Zayd bin Haarithah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him is discarded on the ground that Zayd came to the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )  as a little boy and as a result he could not have taught Christianity to his foster father. Moreover, Zayd  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him had genuine faith in the Prophet’s message and followed him,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) until his death.

The allegation that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), received instructions from Waraqah bin Nawfal on Christianity is rejected on the ground that, if this information is true, then the Quraysh would have made a very big issue about it. The assertion that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was instructed by a foreigner, is already properly addressed and rebutted by the Quran itself, and is not discussed here. If some of the Christians and Jews of Makkah had provided the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) with information about former religions, they would not have faith in the Prophet’s mission and leadership and would never have become Muslims themselves.

The Makkan tribes tortured a number of such converts in order to extort an admission that Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), had obtained help from them. Jaabir  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him one of the victims of oppression when persecuted and tortured to the extreme, gave a significant reply: "It is not I who teaches Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) rather it is he who teaches and guides me." [Tafseer Al-Qurtubi] 

Some of the points raised in this connection by Dr. Jamal Badawi, a renowned propagator of Islam in Canada are worth noting. He says: “It would be highly imaginary to say that through his occasional chats with Jews and Christians, while busy with his caravan, Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), learned enough about either or both religions to formulate a new powerful and viable religion, a task that defies the collective efforts of scholars for centuries.” 

Furthermore, the above assertion raises a number of questions. Dr. Jamal Badawi puts forth the following six questions:

1.     Why is it, that in spite of the abundance of historical material on the life of Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and in spite of the extensive research on his life for centuries by his critics, why was it not possible to discover the mysterious teacher who allegedly taught Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), all that he learned?

2.     It is known that Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was opposed, ridiculed and persecuted for nearly thirteen years by his own contemporaries. Was it not possible for his enemies to prove to the masses that Prophet Muhammad's,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) claim of revelation was sheer fabrication? Was it not possible for them to reveal and name whom they alleged to be the human sources of his teachings? Even some of his adversaries who made this assertion changed their minds later on, and accused him, instead, of magic or of being possessed by evil.

3.     Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was raised among his people and every aspect of his life was exposed to them, especially by the openness that characterizes tribal life in the desert. How could his contemporaries, including many of his close relatives who knew him so well, believe in his truthfulness if they had any doubt that he was claiming credit for ideas taught to him by some other teachers, without bothering to give them credit?

4.     What kind of teacher might have taught Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), a coherent and complete religion that changed the face of history? Why did he or they (if any) not speak against the alleged student who continued learning from them, while ignoring them and claiming some other Divine source for his teachings?

5.     How could many Jews and Christians amongst his contemporaries become Muslims and believe in his truthfulness, if they knew that he was copying from their scriptures or learning from their priests or rabbis?

6.     It is known that some of the Quranic revelations came to Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), in the presence of people. The Quran was revealed during the span of 23 years. If the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), had a teacher, where was he? How could he,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), have hidden the teacher for so long? On the other hand, how could Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), who was constantly surrounded by followers, be able to make frequent secret visits to that mysterious teacher or teachers for 23 years without being ‘caught’ even once?

Gradual Growth of Accuracy in the Quran 

The teachings of Islam in the Quran such as the rules and duties are indeed spelt out gradually over a period of 23 years, and the arrangement of the revealed verses and chapters are according to the need of the society at the time. A good example is the warning regarding intoxicants in the Quran, and how they were finally prohibited. The prohibition did not come all of a sudden. The society was first spiritually prepared to accept such a prohibition, and when the prohibition came into effect, it was accepted openly and gladly. This may look as a gradual growth in accuracy for some of the Orientalists who may make an issue out of it, but it is not so. However, it is worth noticing that some of the Orientalists have started to discard this line of thinking. 

The Quran is not a derivation from the Judeo-Christian scriptures as claimed by the Orientalists and as evidenced by the following:

Some Information Given in the Quran that is Not Mentioned in the Bible:  

·        Some of the Prophets mentioned in the Quran i.e. Saalih (for the Thamood) and Hood  (for the `Aad), may Allaah exalt their mention, are not even mentioned in the Bible.

·        Information given in the Quran about Prophet Ibraaheem (Abraham)  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention specifically about his teachings on monotheism and the resulting struggle is not found in the Bible

·        The incidents of ‘Eesaa (Jesus)  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention speaking in the cradle and confirming the chastity of his mother; giving life to the birds made by clay by God's permission, and the table of food descending from heaven

·        Moosaa (Moses)  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention traveling to the "meeting place of two seas"

·        The incident of Pharaoh's plan to kill Moosaa  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention and that a "believer" in Pharaoh's court dissuaded him from carrying out his plan

·        Moosaa  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention striking the 12 springs for each Jewish tribe

·        The magicians in Pharaoh’s court dying for their belief in God.

Instances where theQuran contradicts accounts given in the Bible

·        The preaching of Nooh (Noah)  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention was specifically monotheism according to Quran

·        The Quran categorically denies the concept of Trinity and confirms that ‘Eesaa  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention was no more than a Prophet -- not god, not the son-of-god and not part of a Trinity

·        The Quran categorically states that ‘Eesaa  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention was not crucified or killed

·        The Quran states that all the Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, were noble men sent by Allaah and clears all the Prophets from evil intention or evil actions, as against what can be found in the Bible

·        The Quran testifies that all the Prophets of God, may Allaah exalt their mention,  were sincere in their mission for which they were sent by God, and never betrayed their mission as suggested in the Bible in the case of Moosaa (Moses) and Haaroon (Aaron), may Allaah exalt their mention; or sinned as in the case of Loot (Lut), Daawood (David), Sulaymaan (Solomon), may Allaah exalt their mention,  and others. 

More Details are given in the Quran as Compared to the Bible

1.Incidents relating to Prophet Nooh (Noah)  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention.

2. Maryam (Mary)  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her being asked to pray to Allaah -- implying that she was a human being who required the mercy of God.

3. The whole story of Yoosuf (Joseph)  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention delivered in a spiritual atmosphere with more details of his life that are not found in the Bible. 

It is true that some of the historical incidents are mentioned in both the Bible and the Quran, but this does not mean that the Quran selected them from these sources. Instead, it is a confirmation of the events of the past but looking at them with a clear vision. There was no library or museum in Makkah, and the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), could not read or write. There were no scholars and philologists in Makkah to unravel the secrets of ancient work to the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).

While casually recognizing that there are new elements in the Quran, the Orientalists seem to have never paid attention to find the sources of these elements. If they had done so, the Orientalists would surely have found reason to see that the assumptions under which they have been laboring so diligently and impressively need revision.  

Was Prophet Muhammad influenced by #Jews or #Christians? - I

Allegations

The Orientalists allege that Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was subject to the Judeo-Christian influence of his time and that the Quran reflects this influence. It was suggested that Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), had faced two big problems if he were to embrace Judaism or Christianity. If he became a Christian, he would be bringing in the Christian Byzantine regime to Makkah, which would not be tolerated by the people of Makkah. The second problem was that he could not pretend that he knew more than the older members and priests of those two religions -- Judaism and Christianity. Thus, in both instances, he could not acquire leadership. Hence, Orientalists suggest that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), decided to reproduce the role of Moosaa (Moses) or ‘Eesaa (Jesus), may Allaah exalt their mention, because he saw that "they were men, and he could do what they had done."

Orientalists allege that the monotheistic influence on Islam was due to the presence of Christians and Jews in Makkah. They also suggested that there was a monotheist informant from one of those religions. However at a different stage, they also suggested that what the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), received from his informant "would be factual knowledge" but the "meaning and interpretation of the facts" came to him "by the usual process of revelation".

They suggested that the gradual growth in accuracy of the Quran’s narration pertinent to biblical stories is evidence that Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), got these stories from an informant.

They alleged that the Quran replicated contemporary errors that were originally found in the Judeo-Christian scriptures.

Refutations

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was only 12 years old when he met Baheera (a Christian monk) for a very short period of time on the way to Syria. Such a brief meeting would not have been sufficient to discuss religious doctrines. It is illogical to assume that a young boy could discuss religious doctrines and scriptural prophecy about the coming of the Messenger, etc, at this tender age.

The Orientalists acknowledged a part of this meeting, but they fail to acknowledge the other aspects, which speak about:

Baheera's knowledge concerning the prophecy in the Scriptures regarding the coming of the new prophet

Baheera’s recognition of the sign of prophethood in Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )

Baheera’s advice to Abu Talib to take the boy home.

When confronted with the above information, William Muir (a Scottish Orientalist, 1819 – 1905 CE) even tried to explain it as a mistake or as a forgery of a designing monk. In order to downplay the importance of Baheera’s recognition of the sign of prophethood, Muir wrote a footnote saying that the report is full of absurdities, but later realizing his recklessness, he omitted the footnote in subsequent editions without altering the main text.

It is common knowledge that a trade caravan traveling in the harsh desert would concentrate their trade in populated areas only, and avoid wandering into deserted habitations and ruined townships or empty church assemblies, just for the sight seeing pleasure of a young boy. Yet Muir suggests that the caravan passed near Petra, Jerash, Ammon and other ruined cities and that these sights influenced the young Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).

In Makkah, there were only a few Christians of humble social and intellectual status, being either slaves or petty retailers and mostly immigrants. Only one or two original residents of Makkah such as `Uthmaan bin Al-Huwayrith and Waraqah bin Nawfal had become Christians, the former out of personal or political considerations, and the latter as a result of his search for better faith. The Makkan community had some second-hand knowledge of these two religions of Judaism and Christianity.

The question is, would a person of the stature, knowledge and intelligence of Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) proceed to propound a new religion and challenge the credibility of both the prevailing systems of Judaism and Christianity only on the basis of hearsay and superficial knowledge of them, as suggested by Orientalists?

The Orientalists are not consistent in their allegation that:

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was ambitious and therefore careful enough to avoid the political implications of embracing either Judaism or Christianity

He was careless enough to institute a new religion based on information picked up from bazaar gossips and Jewish storytellers at wine shops.

Monotheistic Judeo-Christian Influence

It is naïve to say that Islam is blend of second-hand information about Judaism and Christianity with an inkling of Arab elements in it. It is absurd to suggest that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was cognizant of the two religious systems.

The concept of prophethood, the memory of Ibraaheem (Abraham)  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention as a prophet and founder of the Ka`bah, which the Arabs universally cherished, as well as the rites of Hajj (pilgrimage to the Ka’bah) instituted by Ibraaheem  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention were unquestionably from before the time of Jews and Christians. Pre-Islamic Arabs, independent of any Jewish or Christian influence, knew the concept of Allaah as the supreme God. The teachings of Ibraaheem  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention found haven in Arabia long before the arrival of Judaism or Christianity and the Arabs were already acquainted with the word ‘Haneef’ as the worshipper of One God.

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), accused the contemporary Arabs, Jews and Christians of having deviated from the original teachings of their prophets and of having degenerated into polytheism. He also rejected what they claimed to be the teachings of their scriptures. So he cannot be misconstrued as having conceived the idea of monotheism from the Judeo-Christian influence.

The Quran does not maintain that it is teaching a new religion. Instead it upholds and revives the original teachings God has given through all Prophets of all nations. It claims that its teachings are the same as that of Ibraaheem (Abraham), Moosaa (Moses) and ‘Eesaa (Jesus), may Allaah exalt their mention, and speaks about all of them in glowing terms. Since every Orientalist agrees on the fact that Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), has not read any of the scriptures, therefore, his source of knowledge must be something else.

The rejection of Biblical teachings about the son or father of god was rejected even in the Makkan Soorahs (chapters of the Quran) long before the Prophet’s migration to Al-Madeenah. Hence, it is not correct to say that these renunciations came about, at the wake of the separation from the Jews and Christians in Al-Madeenah.

It was impossible to get even a glimpse of monotheism by observing Judaism and Christianity in those days. The practices of these two religious groups were steeped in the most debasing corruption and superstitions, which are vastly removed from monotheism.

The various reform movements in Christianity, particularly the Cluniac Movement, the Iconoclastic Movement and the Reformation started by Martin Luther bear testimony to the depth of degradation into which the Christians and Christianity of the day had descended. In a way, all these reform movements and the subsequent emphasis on monotheism, in spite of an adherence to the doctrines of Trinity and divinity of Christ are largely, results of the uncompromising monotheism enunciated and propagated by Islam. In other words, it was Islam that influenced the revival movements in Christianity and not the other way around.