To Lisa: Pagan Araps knew Allah who sent Abraham.

Submitted by Nuray (Portugal), Nov 12, 2005 at 15:54

Dear Lisa,

Your long comment starts with women before Islam ends with family life of Muhammad, peace upon him. I didn't see any connection between them. I expected to see deeper comparison of the economic and social statues of women before and after Islam. Instead you chose what Umar understood by the "authority" of men over women.

You wrote that
"As you see here Umar is complaining that while the people of Quraish, used to have "authority" over their women, since they came to Medina they noticed that the Ansari women had the upper hand over their men."
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(1) The concept of the "authority of men over women" doesn't say anything about the economic and social statues of women in any society at any century,

(2) Someone who reads this sentence may think that Mecca where the people of Quraish lived was Islamic city but Medina not. That's completely wrong. Earlier Muslims, I think less than 50 persons including Umar, immigrated from Mecca to Medina to save their lives and practice Islam freely. Rules of Islamic states including women rights were defined in Mecca after the conquest of Mecca. At the end both people of Mecca and Medina became Muslim.
In the quoted Umar compares "authority of men over women" between two cities before Islam.
This is understandable. In Medina the people depended on agriculture . But Mecca where soil was not suitable to agriculture was a centre of trade. By the way, these facts are also valid today.

(3) Any historian wouldn't be agree with you. Although I read life of Muhammad, peace upon him even written by non-Muslim historian I didn't see such a claim. Life of women was horrible.
Pagan Arabs was burying baby girls alive. Let's read how Quran describes this evil behavior:

(16 - Surah An-Nahl)
58. And when the news of (the birth of) a female (child) is brought to any of them, his face becomes dark, and he is filled with inward grief!

59. He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that whereof he has been informed. Shall he keep her with dishonour or bury her in the earth ? Certainly, evil is their decision.

Only daughters of rich and well-known families were lucky. Kadijah, rich widow was one of them.

You wrote that
"The above hadith however tell us a different story"
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The only words of Muhammad, peace upon him is called hadith, not others. I think you need to be familiar with nomenclature of Islam.

You wrote that
"they were not pleased to see their wives getting used and enjoying the taste of freedom
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Let me show you how Muslim women enjoyed taste of freedom in therms of authority.

3 - Surah Al-'Imran
Then whoever disputes with you concerning him ['Iesa (Jesus)] after (all this) knowledge that has come to you, [i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus)] being a slave of Allâh, and having no share in Divinity) say: (O Muhammad ) "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves - then we pray and invoke (sincerely) the Curse of Allâh upon those who lie." (61)

A Christian tribe didn't accept prophecy of Muhammad, peace upon him. As you see Muslim women was being asked to contribute to political and religious dispute.

You wrote that
"he would make his Allah reveal a verse"
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Non-Muslims think that Muhammad, peace upon him, invented a God himself and called him as Allah. That's why they attack the family life of him. False logic. Jews, Christians and Muslims follow messenger of Abraham who built Kaaba for Allah.

Pagan Araps knew Allah, as written in Quran.
29 - Surah Al-Ankabut
61. If you were to ask them: "Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?" They will surely reply: "Allâh." How then are they deviating (as polytheists and disbelievers)?

They were thinking that angels were daughters of Allah, which is refused in Quran
16 - Surah An-Nahl
57. And they assign daughters unto Allâh! Glorified (and Exalted) be He above all that they associate with Him! . And unto themselves what they desire;

They believed that their idols was helping to Allah which is refused in Quran

53 - Surah An-Najm
23. They(Al-Lât, Al-'Uzza & ) are but names which you have named, you and your fathers, for which Allâh has sent down no authority. They follow but a guess and that which they themselves desire, whereas there has surely come to them the Guidance from their Lord!

Therefore, anyone who attacks Muhammed, peace upon him, should know that he/she also attacks God of Abraham. All allegations about him will stay as a fantasy in the memories of non-Muslims.

Nuray

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