DeExupery:
With my little knowledge, weren’t women before Mohammed PBUH time free? For example, Khadijah, were a rich and liberated woman. And the Pagans worshipped Gods, if I am not mistaken, one of them is a Godess.
perhaps reading this might give you a glimpse of what pre-islamic arabian society was like:
social life of the arabs taken from “the sealed nectar: biography of prophet muhammad”.
also, some specific points:
- women did not have he right of inheritance.
- women did not have any rights upon her husband. divorce had no limited number, no limit to the number of wives a man could marry. women were more like possessions than life partners, such that if her husband died, her husband’s oldest son would have more right to her and he would consider her an inheritnce just like the rest of his father’s wealth.
DeExupery:
but aren’t Women unable to be imam?
if the congregation consists of all women, then a woman can be an imam leading the prayer. in prayers where the congregation consists of both men and women, no. a woman cannot be an imam to lead the prayer. btw, how does the fact that a woman is not allowed to leads the prayer for mixed congregational prayer set limits on her moral progress?
DeExupery:
Gonzales, this is not what happened in moslem countries. I heard that apostasy can get you killed. Not only women, but men too.
the verse quoted does not apply to those already within the fold of islam. that verse applies to those who the muslims call to islam. muslims are prohibited from forcing non-muslims to accept islam. however, if a muslim apostates from islam, then he is tried and called back to islam. if he refuses, his punishment is death by stoning - and this punishment is to be carried out by the muslim ruler.
DeExupery:
how could they lie? In the Islamic court, a woman testimony is half the man.
just because you don’t agree with what is written in the article it means they lied? this article is about the issue regarding the testimonies of women in court and why the testimonies of two women equal the testimony of one man:
thetruereligion.org/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=41 .
DeExupery:
And I don’t think it’s moslem woman who chooses her husband. Usually the husband and the parents of the woman. I might be wrong, but please enlighten it. Even in Mohammad PBUH time, when he married Aisyah, He consulted with Abu Bakar, and I never heard a story where Aisyah was asked about this marriage.
I also heard from several source that a moslem man has a right to beat his wife if he suspects of infidelity. Please enlighten me. And men can take up to 4 wives. In my own country this is practised by some people.
the practice of muslims today and what the religion stipulates are two different things. islamically a woman is allowed to reject a suitor if she is not pleased with him. if a woman has reached the age of maturity, she also has the right to propose to any man of her choosing. a man is limited to four wifes and this is a right bestowed upon them by Allah. as mentioned above, before islam, there was no limit to how many wives a man could marry. there are also conditions for marrying more than one wife, the most important one being just and fair treatment of each wife.
as for a man’s “right to beat his wife”, you’re referring to the verse in the Quran where Allah says, “
and those whose hostility you fear, then admonish them, and keep away from them in the beds, and hit them. so if they obey you, then do not seek any means against them.” (4:34) this verse outlines the means a husband should take against his wife who is causing marital discord. first he is to admonish her. if this fails and she persists, then he is to keep away from her bed. if this fails and she persists, then he is given the allowance to hit her. this allowance carries the general restrictions of the forbiddance of striking another human being in the face, of causing bodily harm or injury. and the scholars of islam have explained this hitting as such that it does not cause bruising or breaking of bones. this verse is not an all out allowance for the husband to pummel his wife at the first instance of discord as some people try to make it out to be.
DeExupery:
This is not what happened in moslem countries. This happens in western countries.
no, this happens in muslim countries as well. in fact, it’s easier for a woman to gain vast amounts of knowledge in muslim countries due to the fact that more muslim scholars live in muslim countries than non-muslim countries. i know of a few women scholars who have excelled in their learning further than a lot of men i know.
as for the rest of your questions, i’ll reply to them when i have more time, if Allah wills.
