Servant of Christ

Submitted by Sohail (United Kingdom), Jan 3, 2007 at 08:14

I'm more concerned about Islam's moral code rather than the violence. No matter how many wives Solomon had (God was displeased with it however), Solomon never said "A man may have only 10 wives". However, Muhammad said, "A man may only have 4 wives" yet he himself had more! Hypocritical?!? Why are women so mistreated? The intelligence and religion of a woman is half of that of a man? The woman receives half as much inheritance as the man? They need more female witnesses than male because the females might forget?

Lets start with first on why did Muhammad have more than four wives:

www.bismikaallahuma.org/archives/2005/why-was-the-prophet-polygamous/

Why are women so mistreated?

Women are not mistreated in the Quran:

Allah Almighty ordered men in the Noble Quran to take care of women and to protect them; "Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. (The Noble Quran 4:34)"

Allah Almighty also ordered men in the Noble Quran to love and respect their wives; "O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may take away part of the dower [money given by the husband to the wife for the marriage contract] ye have given them, except where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and God brings about through it a great deal of good. (The Noble Quran, 4:19)"

Allah Almighty equalizes between men and women; "To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills. He bestows female children to whomever He wills and bestows male children to whomever He wills. (The Noble Quran, 42:49)"

Allah Almighty equalizes between men and women in good deeds; "If any do deeds of righteousness be they male or female and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the least injustice will be done to them. (The Noble Quran, 4:124)"

Allah Almighty further equalizes between men and women; "For Muslim men and women,- for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in Charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in God's praise,- for them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward. (The Noble Quran, 33:35)"

Righteousness determines the value of humans in Allah Almighty's sight. It is not their gender or race: "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well-acquainted. (The Noble Quran, 49:13)"

Let's compare these verses with the Bible:

3Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were shaved. 6If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. 7A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; 9neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head. 1 Corinthians 11: 3-10

According to Paul women should cover they heads and if they don't then they should have their heads shaved off. Then he goes onto say that men are the glory of God and women are glory of man. He also says that women came from men. This is supported by the Bible:

20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.
But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. Genesis 2:20-22

The verse also says that Women were created has helpers for men.

The intelligence and religion of a woman is half of that of a man?

Visit the following website for an answer:

www.answering-christianity.com/karim/women_not_deficient_in_intelligence_and_religion.htm

The woman receives half as much inheritance as the man

Allah (thus) directs you as regards your Children's (Inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; if no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased Left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases ('s) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise. 4:11

Now you will say why does the male get a portion which equal to that of two females. The reason simple, I shall let the tafsir of Ibn Kathir respond:

(Allah commands you for your children's (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females;) Allah commands: observe justice with your children. The people of Jahiliyyah used to give the males, but not the females, a share in the inheritance. Therefore, Allah commands that both males and females take a share in the inheritance, although the portion of the males is twice as much as that of the females. There is a distinction because men need money to spend on their dependants, commercial transactions, work and fulfillling their obligations. Consequently, men get twice the portion of the inheritance that females get. Allah's statement,

(Allah commands you for your children's (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females;) testifies to the fact that Allah is more merciful with children than their own parents are with them, since He commands the parents to be just and fair with their own children. An authentic Hadith stated that a captured woman was looking for her child and when she found him, she held him, gave him her breast and nursed him. The Messenger of Allah said to his Companions,

(Do you think that this woman would willingly throw her child in the fire) They said, "No, O Messenger of Allah." He said,

(By Allah! Allah is more merciful with His servants than this woman is with her own child.) Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "The custom (in old days) was that the property of the deceased would be inherited by his offspring; as for the parents (of the deceased), they would inherit by the will of the deceased. Then Allah cancelled whatever He willed from that custom and ordained that the male get twice the amount inherited by the female, and for each parent a sixth (of the whole legacy), for the wife an eighth or a fourth, and for the husband a half or a fourth."(http://tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=4&tid=10541)

So as you can see, the only reason a male gets a double portion is because he has more work to do than the female, he needs to take of the familly, of his business and so on. This is logic, and not meant to be degrading or bad. What is more interesting is that we see that the pagans would not give their women anything, Islam fixed this problem.

Let's see what the Bible says about women inheritance:

5 So Moses brought their case before the LORD 6 and the LORD said to him, 7 "What Zelophehad's daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father's relatives and turn their father's inheritance over to them. 8 "Say to the Israelites, 'If a man dies and leaves no son, turn his inheritance over to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father's brothers. 11 If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to be a legal requirement for the Israelites, as the LORD commanded Moses.' "Numbers 27: 5-10

Women can only have inheritance if the man leaves no male children behind. If they are even one male child the daughters would get nothing at all.

They need more female witnesses than male because the females might forget?

www.answering-christianity.com/karim/why_two_women_witnesses.htm

Sohail

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