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The Right to Beat Wives
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[quote]Assalam Alaykum brothers and sisters, I was just recently deliberating on this topic and haven't really come to a conclusion but I would like to offer some thoughts. [b]A reality: [/b] There can be no question that something of the male centred thinking (and often times misogyny) of bygone eras has influenced the way we engage with our tradition. This is a simple historical fact, and ignoring it can only exacerbate the situation our sisters are in. [b]An example: [/b] Students of the Quran wil note that while it doesn't outlaw slavery in a decisive and immediate manner it establishes a clear moral trajectory that inculcates in believers a desire to manumit them, and history vindicates muslims in that, although slavery was as prevalent in Islamdom as it was in the West, the treatment of slaves was much more tolerable (for the most part). However, no sane person would in hindsight even dare to suggest that slavery was a good thing, it was clearly a human failing, a moral blindspot that existed for altogether too long. I have noticed, and please brothers and sisters, correct me if I am wrong (we are all students here), that the same sort of moral trajectory exists in commandments of Allah with regard to women. The Quran limited the number of wives a man could have to four against the jahilliyah custom of a man marrying as many women as he pleased (there was some polyandry too I believe, not sure). So in this case there was a limit imposed on the endless appetites born of ignorance, and wisdom in encouraging men to marry widows in times of need (this is the impression I get). Also, in every sphere of life where a jahilliya custom oppressed a woman, Allah in his mercy provided respite. So much so infact that, that the Quran could be seen as an agent of liberation for women of that era; the unequivocal assertion of the Quran that men and women are equal,the right to be a part of the commmunity in an active manner (including having audience with the leaders!), the right to independant property (unheard of), the right to expect and demand provision from the husband, the right to work for herself [b]and[/b] keep her profits (for women had always had the right to independant work in the cosmopolitan trading nexus of Mecca), and the right to inheritance all point towards the same sort of moral trajectory implied in the verses of the Quran dealing with slavery. It seems clear that the Quran adresses the minds of those in it's direct audience. That is to say, as the scholars of this wonderful site have noted, we cannot understand the Quran without understanding the nuanced details of the milieu in which it was revealed by Allah(swt) through his prophet Muhammad(saws). The Quran seems to tell Arab men, who were literally like the owners of their women(mirroring the general male-female relationship prevalent in the worldat that time) that once they came to Islam beating thier wives was an absolute last reort and even then it should be light tapping to emphasize a point, and only after other circumvantive measures have been taken to restore order. This strategy sought to reduce the otherwise agressive behaviour towards womenfolk adopted in the age of ignorance. A clear victory for women's rights....at the time. [b]Wife beating:[/b] I don't know. Let me say first that the Farahi/Islahi/Ghamidi approach to understanding Islam has revolutionized my own understanding and day to day application of the faith. In this regard I am eternally grateful. I cannot wait for the day that more muslims become aware of this beacon of light in the otherwise dreary world of Muslim hermeneutics. However.....with regard to the issue at hand, I'm just not convinced by the reasons offered for acceptance of this (as far as I'm concerned) disgraceful act. The importance of family [b]is[/b] paramount in Islam, I will certainly not argue against this idealized concept. The concept of authority as expressed by my brothers at UI/and studying islam pertaining to the family setup seems a bit dated to me but this is besides the point. I'm mainly arguing agianst an intrepretation of the relavent verses that encourages physical admontion of wives(as a last resort). Some reasons for my cautious attitude towards this interpretation: 1. We know through many well authenticated reports that the prophet(saws) himself never laid a hand on his wives and excercised the utmost patience and loving kindness. Is he not our guide? Even if we acknowledge that Allah has taken the weak amongst us men into account and [b]limited[/b] any physical admonition they may give to their wives so as not to cause to much damage, why not preach that the time for wife beating is over just as the time for slavery is clearly over. 2. Basic psychology has shown us conclusivley that beating (even light tapping) of [b]children[/b] is uneccessary and the goals of discplining a child can be acheived without raising a finger, although light tapping to emphasize a point is still considered OK, it's certainly not necessary. If it is unecessary to reprimand a child (over whom parents weild uncontested authority) then how much more absurd does it seem to hit a woman(even lightly) who is your partner in the journey of life and who is not at all like your child. 3. I will admit that as much as I try to remind myself that my own wishes and desires must be subdued in order to arrive at an understanding of Islam that is accurate and unsullied by my own Hawa(desires), I find myself repulsed by the idea of hitting a woman. No matter what the justification it just [b][i]feels[/i][/b] wrong. Moreover, intellectually I find the arguments in support of it unconvinicing. The moral trajectory of the Quran (my own reading, which may be wrong..may Allah guide me to what is most correct) seems to suggest that eventually men should come to realize that restoring order can be acheived by other means, and no doubt the expiation (of light tapping as a last resort) made for men of the 7th century can no longer in good faith apply to men living in the 21st century just as no sane person could possibly condone slavery. These are my thoughts on the matter dear sisters and brothers, they are certainly open to revision and I would like to discuss this more. Peace. P.S. as far as the linguistic constructions noted by the above poster, I have nothing of knowledge to offer intelligent comments on this subject however I would like to hear some knowlegable classic arabic speakers/students opinions on this. Jazak'Allah khairoun[/quote]
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