Dealing Justly with Wives and Orphans (Qur'an 4:3): Difference between revisions

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→‎Summary: Made some clarifications
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(→‎Summary: Made some clarifications)
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==== Summary====
==== Summary====


{{quote || If you fear you cannot act equitably towards orphans, than marry as many as women you need. If you can not (economically or psychologically) handle many women, then content yourself with only one. If you can not marry even one, than keep going on with the maid(s) you already have}}
{{quote || If you fear you cannot act equitably towards orphans, than marry as many as women you need. If you can not (economically, psychologically, socially etc.) handle many women, then content yourself with only one. If you can not marry even one, than keep going on with the maid(s) you already have}}


It is clear that the ayah is not in any way about paying an underage child the mahr justly, but about fulfilling one's sexual needs. But why would fulfilling sexual needs scare a man as long as he marries the orphan child legally?
It is clear that the ayah is not in any way about paying an underage child the mahr justly, but about fulfilling one's sexual needs. But why would fulfilling sexual needs scare a man as long as he marries the orphan child legally? Who are those orphans?


It is easy to deduce that the ayah is not referring to all of the orphans listed in the first section, but some particular types.
* They are not the orphan step daughters of the man, for {{Quran|4|23}} strictly forbids having intercourse both with women and their daughters.
* They are not free orphan children in any way, for it's not illegal to marry a child regardless of her age as it's seen on Muhammad and Aisha's, Omar and Ali's daughter Ummu Gulsum's marriages etc.
 
After eliminating the other possibilities by the help of facts above, the only possibility left is: those are the man's maids' orphan children. Let's see how it is.


In {{Quran|24|33}} it is seen that the maids were also forced into prostitution by their owners. Maids or slaves were considered property, owners had the right to use them in any way they wanted. Maids were used for prostitution, as treats to the owners' friends, for paying owners' debts etc.  
In {{Quran|24|33}} it is seen that the maids were also forced into prostitution by their owners. Maids or slaves were considered property, owners had the right to use them in any way they wanted. Maids were used for prostitution, as treats to the owners' friends, for paying owners' debts etc.  
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As stated above, the child would be considered "free" if the father was the maid's owner. But if not, then the child would also be a slave or maid and used by the master.
As stated above, the child would be considered "free" if the father was the maid's owner. But if not, then the child would also be a slave or maid and used by the master.


If a maid who was offered to other men, and also used by her owner at the same time got pregnant, then there was no way of knowing who the child's father was,<ref>''"Abu Darda' (Allah be pleased with him) related from the Prophet of Allah (may peace be upon him) that he came upon a woman who was in the advanced stage of pregnancy at the door of a tent. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Perhaps he (the man accompanying her) intends to cohabit with her. They said: Yes. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: I have decided to curse him with such a curse as may go along with him to his grave. How can he own him (the child to be born) and that is not lawful for him, and how can he take him as a servant for that is not lawful for him?"'' - {{Muslim|8|3389}}</ref> which would make the child an orphan and require the master to decide the child's fate, whether to make the child free or making it a slave. If he makes the child a slave, then he would have all the rights to use it as a sex toy as well.
At that time, there was no way of knowing who the father of the child was, if a woman - even if she was already pregnant from a certain man - had sexual intercourse with other men.<ref>''"Abu Darda' (Allah be pleased with him) related from the Prophet of Allah (may peace be upon him) that he came upon a woman who was in the advanced stage of pregnancy at the door of a tent. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Perhaps he (the man accompanying her) intends to cohabit with her. They said: Yes. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: I have decided to curse him with such a curse as may go along with him to his grave. How can he own him (the child to be born) and that is not lawful for him, and how can he take him as a servant for that is not lawful for him?"'' - {{Muslim|8|3389}}</ref>  
 
If a maid is offered to other men and used by her owner at the same time, or was already pregnant when she got bought/earned at war and used by her owner during her pregnancy, then that would make the child an orphan and require the master to decide the child's fate, whether to make the child free or making it a slave. If he makes the child a slave, then he would have all the rights to use it as a sex toy as well.


==== Conclusion ====
==== Conclusion ====
Editors, em-bypass-2, Reviewers
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