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Wife Beating in Islamic Law: Difference between revisions
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[[File:A scene from submission.jpg|right|thumb|278px|A scene from Submission, a film about domestic violence in Islam, by Theo van Gogh. | {{QualityScore|Lead=3|Structure=3|Content=4|Language=3|References=4}} | ||
[[File:A scene from submission.jpg|right|thumb|278px|A scene from Submission, a film about domestic violence in Islam, by Theo van Gogh.]] | |||
Wife-beating is instructed by the the Qur'an and the Hadiths, and has been an accepted part of Islam law since its inception. Quran 4:34 states that men are in charge of women and that husbands may, among other things, beat their wives if they fear disobedience. Prophet Muhammad provided tacit approval of wife beating by not scolding Muslims for beating their wives, referred to women who spoke-out against abuse as "not the best among you", forbade Muslims from questioning men who beat their wives, allowed others to hit his wives (the very women whom all Muslims adore and refer to as "the Mother of believers"), reaffirmed the command of wife-beating in his farewell sermon, and himself struck one of his wives in the chest. In addition to Muhammad's actions, three of the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs are also reported to have beaten women. Because of its many endorsements within Islamic scripture, wife-beating is permitted by the majority of Muslim scholars and leaders. This has led to domestic violence being permitted under law in several Islamic states or being largely ignored by the authorities. | |||
==Islamic Scriptures and Wife-Beating== | ==Islamic Scriptures and Wife-Beating== | ||
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The beginning: | The beginning: | ||
* ٱلرِّجَالُ (''ar-rijaalu'') - men | |||
* قَوَّٰمُونَ (''qawwaamoona'') - maintainers | *ٱلرِّجَالُ (''ar-rijaalu'') - men | ||
* عَلَى ('''ala'') - over | *قَوَّٰمُونَ (''qawwaamoona'') - maintainers | ||
* ٱلنِّسَآءِ (''nisaa'i'') - women | *عَلَى ('''ala'') - over | ||
*ٱلنِّسَآءِ (''nisaa'i'') - women | |||
The "beat them" part: | The "beat them" part: | ||
* فَعِظُوهُنَّ (''fa'aithoohunna'') - then (''fa'') admonish ('''aithoo'') them (''hunna'') | |||
* وَٱهْجُرُوهُنَّ (''wahjuroohunna'') - and (''wa'') forsake (''hjuroo'') them (''hunna'') | *فَعِظُوهُنَّ (''fa'aithoohunna'') - then (''fa'') admonish ('''aithoo'') them (''hunna'') | ||
* فِى (''fy'') - in | *وَٱهْجُرُوهُنَّ (''wahjuroohunna'') - and (''wa'') forsake (''hjuroo'') them (''hunna'') | ||
* ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ (''almadaji'ai'') - beds | *فِى (''fy'') - in | ||
* وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ (''wadriboohunna'') - and (''wa'') '''beat''' (''driboo'') '''them''' (''hunna'') | *ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ (''almadaji'ai'') - beds | ||
* فَإِنْ (''fa'in'') - then (''fa'') if (''in'') | *وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ (''wadriboohunna'') - and (''wa'') '''beat''' (''driboo'') '''them''' (''hunna'') | ||
* أَطَعْنَكُمْ (''ata'anakum'') - they obey (ata'ana) you (''kum'') | *فَإِنْ (''fa'in'') - then (''fa'') if (''in'') | ||
*أَطَعْنَكُمْ (''ata'anakum'') - they obey (ata'ana) you (''kum'') | |||
The root of the word وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ (''wa-driboo-hunna'') is ضرب (d-r-b). The letter ٱ (''alif waslah'') [[Arabic_letters_and_diacritics#Special_alif_diacritics|is not pronounced]] here but if it was without the و (''-wa'', meaning "and") prefix and at a beginning of a speech it would be read as "i", so the word would be "'''i'''driboohunna" (ٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ). | The root of the word وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ (''wa-driboo-hunna'') is ضرب (d-r-b). The letter ٱ (''alif waslah'') [[Arabic_letters_and_diacritics#Special_alif_diacritics|is not pronounced]] here but if it was without the و (''-wa'', meaning "and") prefix and at a beginning of a speech it would be read as "i", so the word would be "'''i'''driboohunna" (ٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ). | ||
There are many other words, derived from this root, with a similar meaning, used in the Qur'an: | There are many other words, derived from this root, with a similar meaning, used in the Qur'an: | ||
* Verse 2:60 "...'''strike''' (ٱضْرِب, ''drib'') the rock with your staff..." | |||
* Verse 2:73 "...'''strike it''' (ٱضْرِبُوهُ, ''driboo-hu'') with a part of the cow..." | *Verse 2:60 "...'''strike''' (ٱضْرِب, ''drib'') the rock with your staff..." | ||
* Verse 8:12 "...'''so strike''' (فَٱضْرِبُوا۟, ''fa-driboo'') on their necks..." | *Verse 2:73 "...'''strike it''' (ٱضْرِبُوهُ, ''driboo-hu'') with a part of the cow..." | ||
* and others. | *Verse 8:12 "...'''so strike''' (فَٱضْرِبُوا۟, ''fa-driboo'') on their necks..." | ||
*and others. | |||
The word "lighly" does not appear in the original Arabic version and it is only added by some translators. | The word "lighly" does not appear in the original Arabic version and it is only added by some translators. | ||
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In summation, we find in the Hadiths: | In summation, we find in the Hadiths: | ||
#'A'isha did not consider Muhammad himself to have ever hit a woman, although on one occasion he painfully pushed / struck her in the chest | #'A'isha did not consider Muhammad himself to have ever hit a woman, although on one occasion he painfully pushed / struck her in the chest | ||
#Muhammad at first forbade the beating of Muslim women, but was persuaded to allow it when Umar warned that the men were losing control of their wives | #Muhammad at first forbade the beating of Muslim women, but was persuaded to allow it when Umar warned that the men were losing control of their wives | ||
#Muhammad allowed some of his prominent companions to hit women and slap his own wives (the very women whom all Muslims adore and refer to as "the Mother of believers" | #Muhammad allowed some of his prominent companions to hit women and slap his own wives (the very women whom all Muslims adore and refer to as "the Mother of believers" | ||
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The article also shows the deceptive means Muslim apologists use to cover up the fact the Qur'an and Hadith sanction wife-beating by using other verses of the Qur'an in an attempt to support their view that Islam promotes equality between men and women, that wife-beating is forbidden, and that surah 4:34 has been [[Misinterpreted Verses|misinterpreted]]. The problem with their argument is it only reveals the inconsistencies of the Qur'an, and their arguments have been easily [[Refutations|refuted]], by Islamic scholars and the Hadiths. This is an unfortunate situation for women in the Islamic world, who could have been better protected had Muhammad and the Qur'an clearly prohibited domestic violence. | The article also shows the deceptive means Muslim apologists use to cover up the fact the Qur'an and Hadith sanction wife-beating by using other verses of the Qur'an in an attempt to support their view that Islam promotes equality between men and women, that wife-beating is forbidden, and that surah 4:34 has been [[Misinterpreted Verses|misinterpreted]]. The problem with their argument is it only reveals the inconsistencies of the Qur'an, and their arguments have been easily [[Refutations|refuted]], by Islamic scholars and the Hadiths. This is an unfortunate situation for women in the Islamic world, who could have been better protected had Muhammad and the Qur'an clearly prohibited domestic violence. | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
*[http://www.hotpeachpages.net/index.html International inventory of domestic violence services] ''- Global list of abuse hotlines, shelters, refuges, crisis centres and women's organizations, plus domestic violence information in over 80 languages'' | *[http://www.hotpeachpages.net/index.html International inventory of domestic violence services] ''- Global list of abuse hotlines, shelters, refuges, crisis centres and women's organizations, plus domestic violence information in over 80 languages'' | ||
*[http:///www.answering-islam.org/Silas/wife-beating.htm Wife Beating in Islam] ''- by Silas'' | *[http:///www.answering-islam.org/Silas/wife-beating.htm Wife Beating in Islam] ''- by Silas'' | ||
* [http://www.answering-islam.org/Authors/Arlandson/beating.htm Domestic violence in Islam: The Quran on wife-beating] ''- by James Arlandson'' | *[http://www.answering-islam.org/Authors/Arlandson/beating.htm Domestic violence in Islam: The Quran on wife-beating] ''- by James Arlandson'' | ||
* [http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LE25Ak01.html Wife-beating, sharia, and Western law] ''- Asia Times'' | *[http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LE25Ak01.html Wife-beating, sharia, and Western law] ''- Asia Times'' | ||
* ''Video:'' [http://www.filecabi.net/video/burka-beat.html Woman Hit For Not Wearing Burka]'' (warning, contains scenes of woman being slapped a number of times; may be disturbing to some viewers)'' | *''Video:'' [http://www.filecabi.net/video/burka-beat.html Woman Hit For Not Wearing Burka]'' (warning, contains scenes of woman being slapped a number of times; may be disturbing to some viewers)'' | ||
'''News''' | '''News''' | ||
* [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1335024/Muslim-imam-Sheikh-Adam-lectures-non-violence-arrested-wife-beating.htmlMuslim imam who lectures on non-violence in Germany is arrested for beating up his wife] ''- Sheikh Abu Adam shouted Qur'an verse 4:34 at his wife as he beat her. She suffered a broken nose and shoulder and numerous cuts and bruises'' | |||
* [http://www.haaretz.com/news/saudi-judge-says-it-s-okay-for-men-to-beat-their-wives-1.275823 Saudi Judge Says it's Ok for Men to Beat Their Wives] | *[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1335024/Muslim-imam-Sheikh-Adam-lectures-non-violence-arrested-wife-beating.htmlMuslim imam who lectures on non-violence in Germany is arrested for beating up his wife] ''- Sheikh Abu Adam shouted Qur'an verse 4:34 at his wife as he beat her. She suffered a broken nose and shoulder and numerous cuts and bruises'' | ||
* [http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2010/03/its-in-koran.html Algeria: Prison for Violent Husbands is Against Koran, Mufti] | *[http://www.haaretz.com/news/saudi-judge-says-it-s-okay-for-men-to-beat-their-wives-1.275823 Saudi Judge Says it's Ok for Men to Beat Their Wives] | ||
*[http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2010/03/its-in-koran.html Algeria: Prison for Violent Husbands is Against Koran, Mufti] | |||
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/18/wife-beating-uae-sharia-law-court Wife-beating allowed under sharia law, UAE court rules] | *[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/18/wife-beating-uae-sharia-law-court Wife-beating allowed under sharia law, UAE court rules] | ||
* [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2119846/Muslim-guide-marriage-tells-husbands-beat-hand-stick.html#ixzz1q7BCPLdj 'Pull her by the ear, beat her by hand or stick': How the Islamic guide to a happy marriage advises husbands to treat their wives] - ''Daily Mail, UK, March 2012'' | *[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2119846/Muslim-guide-marriage-tells-husbands-beat-hand-stick.html#ixzz1q7BCPLdj 'Pull her by the ear, beat her by hand or stick': How the Islamic guide to a happy marriage advises husbands to treat their wives] - ''Daily Mail, UK, March 2012'' | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Islam | [[Category:Women]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Honor violence]] | ||
[[Category:Marriage]] | |||
[[Category:Qur'an]] | |||
[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]] | |||
[[Category:Child Marriage]] | |||
[[Category:Criticism of Islam]] | |||
[[Category:Apologetics]] | |||