Women's Intelligence and the Islamic Tradition: Difference between revisions

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The [[Islam|Islamic]] tradition from the [[Hadith]] and later material agrees on the general supposition that women are inferior in intelligence vis-a-vis men. That all [[Islam and Women|women]] are [[Creation|created]] less intelligent than their male counterparts is used as an explanation for several Islamic doctrines and rules of jurisprudence, including the belief that women make up the majority of the denizens of [[Jahannam (Hell)|Hell]] and the lower value of a woman's testimony against a man's in Islamic [[Shari'ah (Islamic Law)|Shari'ah]] courts.  

According to the Hadith, the Prophet [[Muhammad|Muhammad's]] once declared that the majority of the inhabitants of [[Hell]] are women.<ref>{{Bukhari|1|6|301}}</ref> When asked why, he said it was because they are deficient in intelligence and religion, and because they are ungrateful to their husbands. The Hadith clearly presents Muhammad's belief as being that ''all'' women are less intelligent than their male counterparts; the traditional Islamic view is that this deficiency was not mitigated or qualified in any way be the prophet.

When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the garden, they were told to not eat of a certain tree. Eve was tempted by Iblis (Satan) to eat of the tree, and she then gave some to Adam to eat also. Adam and Eve try to flee from God because of shame after their private parts were exposed. From this act of disobedience of Eve came God's curse on women.

{{Quote|{{Tabari|1|pp. 280-281}}|His Lord called out to him: Adam, is it from Me that you are fleeing? Adam replied: No, my Lord, but I feel shame before You. When God asked what had caused his trouble, he replied: Eve, My Lord. Whereupon God said: Now it is My obligation to make her bleed once every month, as she made this tree bleed. '''I also must make her stupid, although I created her intelligent''' ''(halimah),'' and must make her suffer pregnancy. Ibn Zayd continued: '''Were it not for the affliction that affected Eve, the women of this world wound not menstruate, and they would be intelligent''' and, when pregnant, give birth easily.}}

In a lecture delivered by Saudi cleric Abd Al-Aziz Al-Fawzan, which aired on Al-Majd TV (June 11, 2007),  he responds to the criticism made by 'enemies' of Islam against Muhammad's "women are deficient" statement by confirming the account found in Tabari:

===Qur'an 43:18===

 

{{quote | {{Quran|43|18|}}|  

 

'''Yusuf Ali:''' What! has He taken daughters out of what He himself creates, and granted to you sons for choice? When news is brought to one of them of (the birth of) what he sets up as a likeness to (Allah) Most Gracious, his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief! '''Is then one brought up among trinkets, and unable to give a clear account in a dispute (to be associated with Allah)?''' And they make into females angels who themselves serve Allah. Did they witness their creation? Their evidence will be recorded, and they will be called to account!

 

 

'''Pickthal:''' Or chooseth He daughters of all that He hath created, and honoureth He you with sons? And if one of them hath tidings of that which he likeneth to the Beneficent One, his countenance becometh black and he is full of inward rage. '''(Liken they then to Allah) that which is bred up in outward show, and in dispute cannot make itself plain?''' And they make the angels, who are the slaves of the Beneficent, females. Did they witness their creation? Their testimony will be recorded and they will be questioned.

 

 

'''Shakir:''' What! has He taken daughters to Himself of what He Himself creates and chosen you to have sons? And when one of them is given news of that of which he sets up as a likeness for the Beneficent Allah, his face becomes black and he is full of rage. '''What! that which is made in ornaments and which in contention is unable to make plain speech!''' And they make the angels-- them who are the servants of the Beneficent Allah-- female (divinities). What! did they witness their creation? Their evidence shall be written down and they shall be questioned.}}

 

Still others have, in recent times, suggested that the hadiths about women's mental deficiency, religious deficiency, and majority share in Hell be read sarcastically or satirically. The idea here, it appears, is that Muhammad, being very familiar with the women in his community, would have understood that in saying what he did, he would not be taken seriously. While sarcasm can be infamously challenging to detect in historical texts, particularly where cultural mores and expectations have changed dramatically with time, there is little in the relevant portions of scripture to suggest Muhammad was being anything but serious in his statements. Traditionalists are incensed by the insinuation that Muhammad could have been making light of such a theologically important matter as the inhabitants of hell or that he could have cited the Quran and Sharia to buttress what was only meant as a joke. Non-Muslim participants in this discussion have found this argument similarly incredible.  

==Conclusion==

 

The meaning of these ahadith is very clear. Prophet Muhammad "blanketed" a statement over every single woman who has ever and will ever live. Despite many creative ways to explain away the meaning and implications of these ahadith, the actual evidence cannot be denied. Muhammad clearly said that women are deficient in intelligence because, in Islam, the value of their testimony is equal to that of half a man. If the Qur'an is a book for all people for all time, then that mandate stands; thus Muhammad was referring to all women in general; and not just a specific group of women.  

 

===Further thoughts on these ahadith===

 

This set of hadiths clearly show Muhammad's desire to control and make women subservient to him. Look at the three reasons that Muhammad lists for women being in Allah's Hell:

 

1. Deficient in Intelligence: The Qur'an was 'revealed' by Muhammad on behalf of his imaginary deity, Allah; thus Muhammad himself made the requirement that the testimony of two women is equal to a man. He then goes on to tell women that they will most likely end up in hell; because their intellectual deficiency, which he defined and imposed 'safeguards' against. No evidence; just "I said so!" What better way to belittle women than to continually remind them that they are 'stupid'.

 

2. Deficient in Religion: Again, Muhammad himself 'revealed' the entirety of Islam; its rules, regulations and requirements, rewards etc.. What better way to keep women down? Tell them your works-based religion, that they cannot perform any of these good works (praying, fasting etc..) when they are menstruating. This keeps them in a state of fear, because they have to make up for the days they were unable to be 'pious'; making them more submissive to Islam then men.  Then you get Muhammad who comes along, after making this silly rule about menstruation; and tells women that most of them will end up in hell because of it. In essence, he's saying that in ''his'' religion, women will end up in hell simply for being born female.

 

3. Ungrateful to their Husbands: Again, Muhammad wanted his wives; and all Muslim women within his reach (in case he wanted to marry them) to be as submissive to their husbands as possible. He scares them with threats of hellfire to make them more submissive, and fearful of Allah; thereby keeping women under the thumb of their husbands.  

As a result, to this day, Muslim women, and women in general, are thought of by Muslims as intellectually inferior to themselves. Perhaps this is why Muslim women especially are trying to twist the meaning of these ahadith and narrow down the testimony requirement in Quran 2:282; its either that or admit Muhammad was wrong.

==See Also==

 

==External Links==

*[http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1930.htm Muslim Cleric Presents "Scientific" Proof that Women Cannot Talk and Remember Simultaneously (video)]

*[http://www.faithfreedom.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35888 Quran 2:282, Why does Allah mandate this Requirement?] - ''FFI Forum discussion with a Muslim regarding why two women are required to give testimony in the absence of one Man. "Just a Woman" (the Muslim) continually tries to separate the ahadith from the Qur'an verse in order to 'explain' them separately''