ISLAM & THE MUSLIMS

Blessing or Burden?

YOU be the Judge

By LTC Daniel Marvin USASF (ret)

PART ELEVEN

Chapter Four – Women (continued)

In the KORAN, Muhammad gives direction to Muslim men regarding marriage.

He is very specific when telling who they will not marry: Women whom

theirs fathers have married are forbidden “unless” it had been

accomplished prior to the revelation of the KORAN when they were

“ignorant.” Also forbidden are their mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts

(on the father or mother’s side) foster mothers or sisters, the mothers

of their wives, step daughters born to wives that they have had sexual

relations with, wives of sons of theirs and they may not marry two

sisters. Muhammad goes on to say, “And, whoever of you is not rich

enough to marry free believing women, then let them marry such of your

believing maidens as have fallen into your hands as slaves; God well

knoweth your faith.” Muhammad tells Muslim men that, should they obtain

permission of slave women’s masters, he may marry her, give her a fair

dower with an added precaution that she must not have been a fornicator

or entertainer of lovers.

Wanting to be very clear regarding the status of women, in verse 38, he

tells Muslims that “Men are superior to women on account of the qualities

with which God hath gifted the one above the other, and on account of the

outlay they make from their substance for them. Virtuous women are

obedient, careful, during the husband’s absence, because God hath of them

been *careful.” (*In his notes, J.M. Rodwell writes that this means God

has provided them a home and the protection of a husband).

In verse 40, Muhammad instructs Muslims to “Worship God, and join not

aught with Him in worship. Be good to parents, and to kindred, and to

orphans, and to the poor and to the neighbor, whether kinsman or

new-comer, and to a fellow traveller, and to the wayfarer, and to the

slaves whom your right hands hold; verily, God loveth not the proud, the

vain boaster.”

In the Bukhari Hadith, Muhammad Ismail al-Bukhari advises that “A woman

is married on account of four things; on account of her wealth, and on

account of (the nobility of) her family, and her beauty, and on account

of her character (built from religion),” so, he says, “attain success

with the one possessing nobility of character.” There is no mention of

love.

In part Twelve we will continue to study those parts of the Koran that

relate to the Muslim woman. You be the judge of it all.

Edited by Jeanne Calabretta