As a christian I would like to give my comments... In christian countries Bible has influenced to our law. If we have to explain what is law in general, it can be described:laws are result of humans values in a certain time arranged to a functional system and written in a book.
But law cases are naturally much more complicated than verses in Bible and for example material law and business law don´t have much to do with the Bible. Heritage law and crime law are more influenced in my opinion.
One important thing is to separate old and new testament from Bible. We are not anymore "under" Old Testament, because Jesus died for us. Now it is about mercy and salvation.
Red line of Bible is to take care of the weakest and give justice. Rapist will get punishment and goes to jail for ayears. Law is also same to everybody, whatever is your religion, sex or social status, it doesn´t give you adventage or loss. This is not everydaylife in the whole world I guess!
But our Bible also says, don´t judge others. Only God has permission to that. If we would have the same kind of childhood than some rapist, we could act likewise. By this I mean, things are not so simple, black and white. But we have to keep world safe and lock dangerous people to prison for sure!
Posts: 118 | From: Finland | Registered: Jan 2006
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If it takes her killing him to prevent the rape, then yes, it might be justified under many Western countries' laws.
If some man tried to rape me, I would do anything necessary to prevent that. If some man tried to sodomize you, wouldn't you do what you could to stop it?
Posts: 8794 | From: 01-20-09 The End of an Error | Registered: Dec 2004
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Mr. Egypt - you are not using the correct categorization with the word- RAPE.
You are not displaying the verses with the correct context.
Rape in its term is indicative of both consenting and forced sex both under the context of being unmarried and in many cases under consenting age.
Your post is negated by the fact that forced sex is not the latter implication of these verses relating to single women. The true expression is within the rapist being put to death. The other reference to a single woman being "rapped" is primitive language and another way of saying having sex unwed. You will find multiple meanings throughout all literature.
Furthermore the unfounded statement that Christians merely use the NIV for all religious sources is a completely uneducated statement.
quote:Originally posted by Mr Egypt: Christians follow the laws of the Bible only. All of their religious sources, laws and verdicts come straight from the Bible (if we were to have true Christian countries where Church would rule over the State), except for Roman Catholics where they have other Volumes written by Church Fathers and Popes. But most Christians in the world have no religious resources other than the Bible.
Therefore, let us look at what the Bible says regarding this issue:
Rape is a big crime that could actually take the woman's or the victim's life away. Let us examine how Christianity deals with the rapist: "If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay the girl's father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives. (From the NIV Bible, Deuteronomy 22:28)" Although this Verse from the Bible only talks about virgins, but its the only verse in the entire Bible that talks about raping single women.
Deuteronomy 22:28 forces the raped woman to marry her rapist. My question to the writers of the Bible is why in the world would any raped female victim want to be in the same town, not the same bedroom !! with her rapist?.
Also, the Bible seems to promote raping of single women: "But if out in the country a man happens to meet a girl pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. (From the NIV Bible, Deuteronomy 22:25)" This is quite an interesting verse. We see in Deuteronomy 22:28 that if a man rapes a single woman then she will be forced to be his wife, while if a man rapes a married woman or a woman who is spoken for, in Deuteronomy 22:25, then he shall be put to death. There is absolutely no punishment for the rapist of a single woman in the Bible.
Marriage Violations 13 If a man takes a wife and, after lying with her, dislikes her 14 and slanders her and gives her a bad name, saying, I married this woman, but when I approached her, I did not find proof of her virginity,
15 then the girl's father and mother shall bring proof that she was a virgin to the town elders at the gate.
16 The girl's father will say to the elders, I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he dislikes her.
17 Now he has slandered her and said, 'I did not find your daughter to be a virgin.' But here is the proof of my daughter's virginity. Then her parents shall display the cloth before the elders of the town,
18 and the elders shall take the man and punish him.
19 They shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give them to the girl's father, because this man has given an Israelite virgin a bad name. She shall continue to be his wife; he must not divorce her as long as he lives.
20 If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the girl's virginity can be found,
21 she shall be brought to the door of her father's house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done a disgraceful thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father's house. You must purge the evil from among you.
22 If a man is found sleeping with another man's wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.
23 If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her,
24 you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death— the girl because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man's wife. You must purge the evil from among you.
25 But if out in the country a man happens to meet a girl pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die.
26 Do nothing to the girl; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders his neighbour,
27 for the man found the girl out in the country, and though the betrothed girl screamed, there was no-one to rescue her.
28 If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered,
29 he shall pay the girl's father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.
30 A man is not to marry his father's wife; he must not dishonour his father's bed.
what does violate mean? and dont forget to tell me also how the father and the mother would show their daughter's virginity proof ? just wonder
Posts: 1201 | From: Egypt | Registered: Mar 2006
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Mr Egypt, there is no such thing as 100% proof of virginity. It doesn't exist. That said, you can see from the village people in Egypt and other African places they will "check" a female for virginity by taking something to place somewhere and see if there is "hymen" in place, which when "punctured" (although it is medically incorrect to assume this membrane will be a covering like that on a drum) will make some blood appear, which the people can say they saw or put on a cloth. The Christian people outside of Africa didn't do this. But you can see plenty of moslems still do. Christians usually take this stuff as "historical" - background for the faith, it being a long long time ago, and rarely expect to live in 800 A.D.
Posts: 1161 | From: wo xiang xiao bian ji si le | Registered: Oct 2005
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you know queenbee, it just make me wonder whenever I came across such verses in the bible like keep for yourselves every woman who have not slept with men (i.e virgins) how they will find out and like this verse , give a proof of a girl virginity and so on. must question it though I always get different point of views for the explaination of them from different people. good history anyway. Posts: 1201 | From: Egypt | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Mr Egypt: I know Women's Rights in Islam is better than Women's Rights in Christianity.
I suggest that instead of trying to educate Christians about this you tell that to the people who keep promoting and believing stuff like the following:
Allaah has commanded the testimony of two women so as to be sure that they remember, because the mind and memory of two women takes the place of the mind and memory of one man. ... This does not mean that a woman does not understand or that she cannot remember things, but she is weaker than man in these aspects – usually. Scientific and specialized studies have shown that men’s minds are more perfect than those of women, and reality and experience bear witness to that. The books of knowledge are the best witness to that; the knowledge which has been transmitted by men and the ahaadeeth which have been memorized by men far outnumber those which have come via women. ... Nevertheless, there are some women who are far superior to men in their reason and insight, but they are few
...
A woman may compensate for her weaknesses by striving hard, and surpass men when they are negligent. Hence we find that in some colleges, female students surpass male students because of their greater efforts and their keenness to succeed when many of the male students are negligent and are not eager to learn. A man may also excel over a woman in some fields that are basically hers, so we find that some of the most skilled chefs, tailors, cosmeticians and obstetricians on the international level are men. The point is that usually – and no wise person would dispute this – most of the prominent people in the religious sciences, such as fiqh, hadeeth, tafseer, ‘aqeedah and preaching, and in the worldly sciences such as medicine, astronomy, engineering, physics, chemistry, etc. are men.
... men are known for their strength of understanding and their memory as compared to women. Women are weaker than men in memory and forget more than men do. This is well known, for most of the reputable scholars in the world are men. There are some women who are more intelligent and have better memories than some men, but this does not cancel out the general rule. Most cases are as we have described above.
If a wife refuses to respond to her husband’s request for intercourse, she has done something haraam and has committed a major sin
So men are better than women in and of themselves.
...
men excel women because they have more powers of reason and religious commitment and they are in charge of affairs
...
Allaah has favoured men over women by making men more perfect in reasoning and running affairs, and has given them more strength with regard to work and acts of worship. Hence men are singled out when it comes to Prophethood, leadership, guardianship, establishing rituals, giving testimony in legal matters, the obligation to engage in jihad and pray Jumu’ah, and so on,
men are in charge of women, i.e., they are their leaders, who rule over them and discipline them if they go astray. ‘because Allaah has made one of them to excel the other’ means, because men are superior to women, and men are better than women.
Allaah has commanded the testimony of two women so as to be sure that they remember, because the mind and memory of two women takes the place of the mind and memory of one man.
Allaah, the Creator is as always All-Knowing, and man (or the disbeliever in Allaah and the final, perfected, revealed way of life, Islaam) is as usual ignorant.
quote:Scientific and specialized studies have shown that men’s minds are more perfect than those of women
The intellectual status of the woman is neither marred nor degraded by the commandment that if two Muslim male witnesses are not available then one Muslim male and two Muslim females should be invited to witness. Rather, this injunction is in perfect harmony with the nature and psychologyof the woman as will become evident through quotations from psychologists, psychiatrists and medical research.
The passage of the Qur'an ‘Baqarah 2:282’ Allah grants guidelines in matters relating to monetary obligations. Then business transactions are dealt with. In this section, the requirement to commit all transactions into writing is stated most emphatically (Reduce them to writing...). The section after this describes the responsibility of the scribe, or in modern parlance, the person responsible for drawing up the agreement. The following section describes the responsibility and the obligation of the person incurring the liability. The section after this explains how if the party that is liable cannot effectively draw up the contract - out of being deficient or weak mentally, or being unable to dictate - then his or her guardian should help draw out the contract and choose two suitable witnesses to observe. It must be understood that this situation arises if it is not possible for the liable party to draw out the contract by him/herself. The condition to put things into writing is still supreme.
The next section then explains that two men should be called to witness and if two men are not available (And if there are not two men...) then a man and two women. The legislation then continues and reminds most emphatically that one should not be complacent about putting allagreements into writing - no matter whether these agreements are major or minor as this is moreJustin the sight of Allaah and more reliable as evidence. The passage of the Qur'aan further explains that for practical reasons it may not always be possible to commit on-the-spot agreements into writing. In this case, it is also recommended that it be witnessed. The section which follows then lays down the guidelines which should be followed in the event that no witnesses are present.
The purpose in giving the above outline is to draw attention to the fact the question of women witnesses relates, in this instance, to commercial agreementsand isnota statement on their status.
Allaah said:
“And get two witnesses of your own men, and if there are not two men then a man and two women such as you choose for witnesses - so that if one “of them errs, the other can remind her...” Baqarah 2:182
A number of questions are raised when this section of the passage is read. The questions often posed include:
- Do women have weaker memories than men ? Why should two women be needed in the place of one man ?
- Are women inferior to men ?
One must remember that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was neither a physiologist, a psychiatrist and nor a surgeon. He was an illiterate and could neither read nor write. He passed on the revelation exactly as he received it. Allaah, the Creator, with His infinite wisdom gave the directives best suited to humankind. He is the Creator, therefore, He knows man better than a man himself.
In this scientific age we can explore the significance of this legislation. A great deal has been discovered since the early days of Islaam. And each day of advancement brings about a better understanding of the the last and final revelation from the Creator, Allaah to the creation, humankind.
As women, we are aware of the cyclical psychological strains that a woman has to encounter every month. The symptoms during early pregnancy, ante-natal and post-natal depressions, the phenomenon of menopause, the physiological and psychological problems due to infertility and last but not least the psychological problems faced after miscarriage.
It is under these situations that women can experience extraordinary psychological strains giving rise to depression, lack of concentration, slow-mindedness and short term memory loss . Let us examine these episodes in a bit more detail and with medical references from the scientific world. PMT is an umbrella term for more than 140 different symptoms and there is a lot of evidence that it causes a lot of unhappiness in many women, and consequently, to their families.
Psychiatry in Practice, April 1983 issue states: "Forty percent of women suffer from pre-menstrual syndrome in some form and some have their lives severely disrupted by it. Dr Jill Williams, general practitioner from Bury, gives guidelines on how to recognise patients at risk and suggests a suitable treatment." (1)
In the same issue, George Beaumont reporting on the workshop held at the Royal College of Obstreticians and Gynaecologists in London on pre-menstrual syndrome, says: "Some authorities would argue that eighty percent of women have some degree of breast and abdominal discomfort which is pre-menstrual but that only about 10 percent complain to their doctors - and then only because of severe tenderness of the breasts and mental depression... Other authorities have suggested that pre-menstrual syndrome is a new problem, regular ovulation for twenty years or more being a phenomenon caused by 'civilisation', 'medical progress', and an altered concept of the role of women." (2)
In its examination of the occurrence of physical and psychological change during the period just prior to the onset of menstruation we read in Psychological Medicine: "Many studies have reported an increased likelihood of various negative affects during the pre-menstrual period. In this affective category are many emotional designations including irritability, depression, tension, anxiety, sadness, insecurity, lethargy, loneliness, tearfulness, fatigue, restlessness and changes of mood. In the majority of studies, investigators have found it difficult to distinguish between various negative affects, and only a few have allowed themselves to be excessively concerned with the differences which might or might not exist between affective symptoms." (3)
In the same article dealing with Pre-menstrual Behavioural Changes we read: "A significant relationship between the pre-menstrual phase of the cycle and a variety of specific and defined forms of behaviour has been reported in a number of studies. For the purpose of their review, these forms of behaviour have been grouped under the headings of aggressive behaviour, illness behaviour and accidents, performance on examination and other tests and sporting performance." (4) The lengthy review portrays how female behaviour is affected in these situations.
In 'The Pre-menstrual Syndrome', C. Shreeves writes: "Reduced powers of concentration and memory are familiar aspects of the pre-menstrual syndrome and can only be remedied by treating the underlying complaint." This does not mean, of course, that women are mentally deficient absolutely. It just means that their mental faculties can become affected at certain times in the biological cycle. Shreeves also writes: "As many as 80 percent of women are aware of some degree of pre-menstrual changes, 40 percent are substantially disturbed by them, and between 10 and 20 percent are seriously disabled as a result of the syndrome."
Furthermore, women face the problem of ante-natal and post-natal depression, both of which cause extreme cycles of depression in some cases. Again, these recurring symptoms naturally affect the mind, giving rise to drowsiness and dopey memory.
On the subject of pregnancy in Psychiatry in Practice, October-November 1986, we learn that: "In an experiment 'Cox' found that 16 percent of a sample of 263 pregnant women were suffering from clinically significant psychiatric problems. Eight percent had a depressive neurosis and 1.9 percent had phobic neurosis. This study showed that the proportion of pregnant women with psychiatric problems was greater than that found in the control group but the difference only tended towards significance." (5) k
Regarding the symptoms during the post-natal cycle Dr. Ruth Sagovsky writes: "The third category of puerperal psychiatric problems is post-natal depression. It is generally agreed that between10 to 15 percent of women become clinically depressed after childbirth. These mothers experience a variety of symptoms but anxiety, especially over the baby, irritability, and excessive fatigue are common. Appetite is usually decreased and often there are considerable sleep difficulties. The mothers lose interest in the things they enjoyed prior to the baby's birth, and find that their concentration is impaired. They often feel irrational guilt, and blame themselves for being 'bad' wives and mothers. Fifty percent of these women are not identified as having a depressive illness. Unfortunately, many of them do not understand what ails them and blame their husbands, their babies or themselves until the relationships are strained to an alarming degree." (6)
"... Making the diagnosis of post-natal depression is not always easy. Quite often the depression is beginning to become a serious problem around three months postpartum when frequent contact with the health visitor is diminishing. The mother may not present with depressed mood. If she comes to the health centre presenting the baby as the patient, the true nature of the problem can be missed. When the mother is continually anxious about the baby in spite of reassurance, then the primary health care worker needs to be aware of the possibility of depression. Sometimes these mothers present with marital difficulties, and it is easy to muddle cause and effect, viewing the accompanying low mood as part of the marital problem. Sometimes, only when the husband is seen as well does it become obvious that it is a post-natal depressive illness which has led to the deterioration in the marriage." (7)
Again there is a need to study the effects of the menopause about which very little is known even to this day. This phase in a woman's life can start at any time from the mid-thirties to the mid-fifties and can last for as long as fifteen years.
Writing about the pre-menopausal years, C.B. Ballinger states: "Several of the community surveys indicate a small but significant increase in psychiatric symptoms in women during the five years prior to the cessation of menstrual periods... The most obvious clinical feature of this transitional phase of menstrual function is the alteration in menstrual pattern, the menstrual cycle becoming shorter with age, and variability in cycle length become very prominent just prior to the cessation of menstruation. Menorrhagia is a common complaint at this time, and is associated with higher than normal levels of psychiatric disturbance." (8)
On the phenomenon of menopause in an article in Newsweek International, May 25th 1992, Dr. Jennifer al-Knopf, Director of the Sex and Marital Therapy Programme of Northwestern University writes: "...Women never know what their body is doing to them... some reporting debilitating symptoms from hot flashes to night sweat, sleeplessness, irritability, mood swings, short term memory loss, migraine, headaches, urinary inconsistence and weight gain. Most such problems can be traced to the drop-off in the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone, both of which govern the ovarian cycle. But every woman starts with a different level of hormones and loses them at different rates. The unpredictability is one of the most upsetting aspects. Women never know what their body is going to do to them..."
Then there are the psychiatric aspects of infertility and miscarriage. On the subject of infertility, Dr. Ruth Sagovsky writes: "Depression, anger and guilt are common reactions to bereavement. In infertility there is the added pain of there being nobody to grieve for. Families and friends may contribute to the feeling of isolation by passing insensitive comments. The gynaecologist and GPs have to try to help these couples against a backdrop of considerable distress." (9) k
On the subject of miscarriage the above article continues: "Miscarriage is rarely mentioned when considering abortion. However, miscarriage can at times have profound psychological sequelae and it is important that those women affected receive the support they need. Approximately one-fifth of all pregnancies end in spontaneous abortion and the effects are poorly recognised. If however, the miscarriage occurs in the context of infertility, the emotional reaction may be severe. The level of grief will depend on the meaning of pregnancy to the couple." (10)
Also, the fact that women are known to be more sensitive and emotional than men must not be overlooked. It is well known, for example, that under identical circumstances women suffer much greater anxiety than men. Numerous medical references on this aspect of female behaviour can be given but to quote as a specimen, we read in 'Sex Differences in Mental Health' that: "Surveys have found different correlates of anxiety and neuroticism in the two sexes. Women and men do not become equally upset by the same things, and being upset does not have the same effect in men as in women. Ekehammer (1974; Ekehammer, Magnusson and Ricklander, 1974) using data from 116 sixteen-year-olds, did a factor analysis on self-reported anxiety. Of the eighteen different responses indicating anxiety (sweating palms, faster heart rate, and so on) females reported experiencing twelve of them significantly more often than males. Of the anxiety-producing situations studied, females reported experiencing significantly more anxiety than males reported in fourteen of them." (11)
It is in light of the above findings of psychologist, psychiatrists and researchers that the saying of Allaah, the Exalted:
( And get two witnesses of your own men, and if there are not two men then a man and two women such as you choose for witnesses –so that if one of them errs, the other can remind her ) Baqarah 2:182
Islam a a very beautiful religion that does not degrade women as the anti-Islamics love to falsely prove. Islam is a religion that fully honors women and fully respects them. Saying otherwise is an obvious misconception.
5 Psychiatry in Practice, October-November, 1986, p.6.
6 Psychiatry in Practice, May, 1987, p.18.
7 Psychiatry in Practice, May, 1987, p.18. As has been mentioned above the Prophet Muhammad (sas) was neither a psychologist nor a psychiatrist. Rather, he merely conveyed the truth that was revealed to him. It is in the context of this quotation and the one before it that the following saying of the Prophet Muhammad (sas) can be understood: "Treat your women kindly. The woman has been created from a rib, and the most curved part of a rib is its upper region. If you try to straighten it you will break it, and if you leave it as it is, it will remain curved. So treat women kindly." And in another narration: "If you try to straighten her you will break her and breaking her means divorce." [Reported by Bukhari and Muslim]. This is very important advice for the man - for him to have patience and not to try to 'reform' the behavioural pattern of the woman during these times i.e. 'to straighten her'. He will not be able to do that, as it is biological in origin. Instead, he should maintain and protect his relationship with her by showing kindness.
8 Psychiatry in Practice, November, 1987, p.26.
9 Psychiatry in Practice, Winter, 1989, p.16.
10 Psychiatry in Practice, Winter, 1989, p.17.
11 Katherine Blick Hoyenga and Kermit T. Hoyenga in 'Sex Differences in Mental Health', p.336.
Posts: 1201 | From: Egypt | Registered: Mar 2006
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Thats kind of a load of crap. Haha. The more people try to explain these things the worse it gets.
You know, about the quotes from Islam Q&A, I avoid that site like the plague. I think its from Pakistani guys or something. I don't know what their problem is, but I have read more ridiculous, out-of-date, violent, sexist junk in that site. Don't even bother looking at their stuff on marrying kids, if its still there. You might become Protestant before you are through it, lol.
Posts: 1161 | From: wo xiang xiao bian ji si le | Registered: Oct 2005
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Leviticus 12:2-5 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a MALE child: then she shall be unclean SEVEN DAYS; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying THIRTY THREE days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. But if she bear a FEMALE child, then she shall be unclean TWO WEEKS , as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying SIXTY SIX days."
where is the equality?
Posts: 1201 | From: Egypt | Registered: Mar 2006
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I don't get your drift. If you accept koran and correct hadith as being commanded from God, then trying to explain the reasons WHY God commanded something, using modern psychobabble and such, is kind of pointless, right? Maybe pointless isn't the right word. For example, I would rather accept what is the command of God, because He has reasons that I need not understand.
However, the notion of "unclean-ness" of a woman's blood from the uterus, which by the way happens to be what allowed every human on earth the ability to grow and get here, is something that runs through the 3 middle eastern religions.
Posts: 1161 | From: wo xiang xiao bian ji si le | Registered: Oct 2005
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Originally posted by Mr Egypt: I know Women's Rights in Islam is better than Women's Rights in Christianity. _________________________________________________
Where do you get this crap from? how could you even compare? here is what a moslem woman wrote, imagin if we pull the actual verses? My Life as Muslim Women --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They differed with me over what times we are living in. It is not a democracy when a man can talk about politics without anyone threatening him. Democracy is when a woman can talk of her lover without anyone killing her. Dr. Sauad M. Al-Sabah
I am a Moslem woman. I have no face. I have no identity. At age 9, based on lunar year (a lunar year is twelve months of 28 days each or 336 days) or, when I am actually 8 years and 8 months old, I am considered an adult. Being an adult means that I have to adhere with Islamic laws as stated below.
I have to pray five times a day, fast one month out of the year and cover myself from head to toe in yards of black fabric. I am eligible to be married and can be punished for any wrong doing. I can be incarcerated and, if needed, executed for my crimes, even political ones.
Islam's law - that Allah sent down to his messenger Muhammad - came to announce that women (exactly like men) are full human beings. Women (like men) are therefore required to follow the way appointed by Allah.
"A woman (like a man) is therefore obligated with all three degrees of this religion: Islam (outward submission to Allah), iman (inward faith in Allah), and ihsan (perfection of worship of Allah)".
"Women have such honorable rights as obligations, but men have a (single) degree above them". The Koran 2:228
"Men are the managers of the affairs of women because Allah has preferred men over women and women were expended of their Rights". The Koran 4:34
Islam believes and promotes only one relationship between male and female and that is the relation of lust.
"If a man and a woman are alone in one place, the third person present is the devil". Prophet Mohammed
I am not allowed to swim, ski, ride a bike, dance, learn to play musical instruments, practice gymnastics, or any other sport. I am not even permitted to watch men play sports, either in the stadium and/or on television.
I am not permitted to participate in Olympic games.
From age 7, I am segregated from all males in and out of my extended family.
My father, grandfather, uncles, brothers or my male cousins are not allowed to be present at any ceremonies for my accomplishments. They will not be allowed to participate in my birthday parties.
I have to study under female teachers and professors. However, since women of prior generations were not allowed to go to school, there are not that many qualified women teachers and professors. Male professors must teach me from behind a wall.
I am to be treated by female doctors. Go to female dentists. And if there are none, then I have to go without or I must be examined through some sort of divider.
I am not allowed to practice birth control or have abortions, even if carrying or having a child means I have to die.
My worth is based on the Islamic Laws of Retribution, 24th edition, December 1982, as half of a man. It doesn't matter who I am, how educated I am, and what earning potential I may have in my life. My worth is half of a man, any man.
According to clauses 33 and 91 of the law in respect, Qasas (The Islamic Retribution Bill) and its boundaries, the value of woman is considered only half as much as the value of a man.
Article 1: dieh or blood money paid to the victim or next of kin for as compensation for bodily injury or murder of a relative.
The Islamic Law of Retribution
In the old Islamic laws, recently placed into practice by the Islamic Republic of Iran, the worth of a man's life is equal to the market value of 100 camels or 200 cows and that of a woman is equal to half of the man's, 50 camels or 100 cows.
The clause number 6 regarding the dieh (cash value of the fine) states that the cash fine for murdering a woman intentionally or unintentionally is half as much as for a man. The same clause adds that if a man intentionally murders a woman and the guardian of the woman himself is not able to pay half of the Dieh (the value of 50 camels or 100 cows, the difference between the value of a man to that of a woman's life) to the murderer, the murderer will be exempted from retribution.
New Legal Standing: Pursuant to article 85 of the constitution, the Islamic penal code was implemented in December 1981. According to article 300, blood money or dieh, a sum paid to the next of kin as compensation for the murder of a relative, is twice as much in the case of a murdered man as in the case of a woman. The number of witnesses required to prove a crime is higher if the witnesses are female. For example, article 237 of the penal code states that first degree murder must be proven by testimony of two just men and evidence for second-degree murder or manslaughter requires the testimony of two just men, or one just man and two just women, or of one just man and the accuser.
My testimony in a court of law is equal to half of that of a man. In most countries I don't vote and I don't get elected to office. And if I do, it does not mean much. I inherit only half as much as my male siblings.
I cannot get custody of my children. Even if their father dies. In the case of divorce or death I have to surrender my children to their father and/or his family.
I cannot travel, work, go to college, join organizations, even visit my friends and relatives without my father or husband's permission.
I must live where my husband desires.
I am banned from studies such as engineering, agriculture, archaeology, restoration of the historic monuments and handicrafts, and many other fields. I am not allowed to become a judge.
Under the terms of Koranic law, any judge fulfilling the seven requirements (that he have reached puberty, be a believer, know the Koranic laws perfectly, be just, and not be affected by amnesia, or be a bastard, or be of the female sex) is qualified to dispense justice in any type of case.
I have no right to choose the clothing I wear in public. This is done by the Office of the Islamic Guidance which sets the color, the style, and the accessories for women and girls as young as 6 years of age.
I will get arrested, beaten, and sometimes even executed if I wear make-up, nylons, bright colors and specifically the color of red.
I cannot choose my mate and am not permitted to divorce him if things did not work out.
According to Khomeini, the Iranian Islamic Imam, "The most suitable time for a girl to get married is the time when the girl can have her first menstrual period in her husband's house rather than her father's".
I have to meet all my husband's desires including the sexual ones. And if I refuse he has the right to deny me food, shelter, and all of life's necessities. I have to say yes every time he wants to have sex.
According to Hojatoleslam Imani, Religious Leader in Iran. "A woman should endure any violence or torture imposed on her by her husband for she is fully at his disposal. Without his permission she may not leave her house even for a good action (such as charitable work). Otherwise her prayers and devotions will not be accepted by God and curses of heaven and earth will fall upon her".
My husband can divorce me without my knowledge and by the Islamic law he is required to support me for only 100 days. And if he dies, I am entitled to 1/8 of his Estate.
I can only ask for divorce if my husband is impotent, if he does not have sex with me at least one night in every forty nights, and if he refuses to provide me with a minimum standard of living.
My husband can have four permanent wives and if he is from Shi'i sect, he can have as many temporary wives as he wants.
Koran says that "Men your wives are your tillage. Go into your tillage anyway you want". This means that a man is allowed to sodomise his wife and she cannot complain.
In some countries they even mutilate, cut and sew my female sexual parts in order to control and regulate my sexual desire.
According to the Islamic Laws, I am supposed to be seen outside of my home three times in my life. When I am born, when I get married and when I die.
I have no explanation on why God denied me everything and made men in charge of me, if there is a God. I don't believe there ever was one.
In Islam, the age of majority for a girl is 9 years and for a boy is 15 years. This means that a 9 year old girl and a 15 year old boy are considered to have the same level of maturity. Now, if girls reach maturity six years earlier than boys, then why did God place men in charge of women? Was there something wrong with God's Judgment?
In some Islamic countries such as Iran, if I am arrested for wearing make-up, the guards will force me to clean my face with cotton balls rubbed in pieces of glass. This cuts my face. The barbaric revolutionary guard, while watching the blood run out of my flesh, will tell me, "next time you think about this and will not wear it".
As a political prisoner I will be used as a concubine for the revolutionary guards. In case I am condemned to death I will not undergo the sentence as long as I am a virgin. Thus I will be systematically raped before the sentence is executed. Mullahs believe that virgin girls who die go to heaven but politically inclined girls are ungodly creatures and they do not deserve to go to heaven, therefore they are raped so that the Mullah's can be sure that they indeed will be sent to hell.
In Islam, if a 6 or 7 year old girl is raped by an adult man, she will be the one that gets punished. It is her fault because she provoked it. The parents then will burn or kill her because she has dishonored the family.
It has been said that the Moslem Prophet got very upset one day noticing his wives flirting with men who visited him and ordered women to stay behind a dividing curtain when speaking with men. The idea of hijab, the covering up of women, became a law in Islamic countries from that day.
In 1991, the Prosecutor-General of Iran, declared that "anyone who rejects the principle of hijab is an apostate and the punishment for an apostate under Islamic law is death."
Polygamy is legal in Islam. A man may marry "four Permanent" and as many "Provisional" or temporary wives as he desires.
"Marry such women as seem good to you, two, three, four; but if you fear you will not be equitable, then only one, or what your right hands own; so it is likelier you will not be partial". The Koran 4:3 "Most Europeans have mistresses. Why should we suppress human instincts? A rooster satisfies several hens, an stallion several mares. A woman is unavailable during certain periods where as a man is always active....", Ayatollah Ghomi, LE MONDE, January 20, 1979.
Posts: 19 | Registered: Mar 2006
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if you want more stories I can give you. everone is free to give his opinion and everyone is free to believe what he want. and I still think women's Right in Islam is better than in Christianity. will post a topic about it but when I collect the whole verses from both Books. and as I said everyone is free to think what he want.
Posts: 1201 | From: Egypt | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:Originally posted by QueenBee: However, the notion of "unclean-ness" of a woman's blood from the uterus, which by the way happens to be what allowed every human on earth the ability to grow and get here, is something that runs through the 3 middle eastern religions.
why the woman shall be unclean for 7 days if she gave birth to a male while she shall be unclean 14 days if she gave birth to a female? and it take 33 days to purify herself if the baby is male while it takes 66 days if the baby is female?
now did you got my drift?
Posts: 1201 | From: Egypt | Registered: Mar 2006
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Allaah has commanded the testimony of two women so as to be sure that they remember, because the mind and memory of two women takes the place of the mind and memory of one man.
Allaah, the Creator is as always All-Knowing, and man (or the disbeliever in Allaah and the final, perfected, revealed way of life, Islaam) is as usual ignorant.
I noticed you have not made reference to the quotes where it's clearly being said that men are more valuable human beings than females. Do you also have a lengthy cut and paste to justify these statements or are you aware of the fact that they stand in clear contradiction to the message of the Qur'an?
I agree that there are many things about our creator we might not understand. However, I just don't take some mysoginistic sheikh's interpretation to be the word of God.
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quote:Originally posted by QueenBee: Thats kind of a load of crap. Haha. The more people try to explain these things the worse it gets.
I agree. I feel it gets quite ridiculous when people twist and turn their arguments in order to explain away a claim that's illogical in the first place.
To me personally it's very clear that the witness rule applies to certain circumstances and certain times and has nothing whatsoever to do with women's intellectual or emotional characteristics, it's not difficult to come to that conclusion when you read the Qur'an and think about it.
So I find it quite bizarre to post endless arguments about women's menstrual cycle, hormones and such and thus try to justify some sort of intellectual inferiority.
Open your eyes, Mr Egypt, and look at the world around you. Women are managing houses, families, companies and countries. Women are flying into space, breaking athletic world records, getting Nobel prices and so on and so forth. And you want us to believe they can't even testify in court because of their supposed mental and psychological makeup?!?
Taking care of children and doing housework can also be very stressful and emotionally and physically draining. So if those sheikhs were serious about their concern for women and their oh-so-delicate physical and mental nature they would give out fatwas that women should be relieved from those tasks on all the occasions your text mentions ... or fatwas that schoolgirls and university students don't have to take tests while having their period – wouldn't that be logical if you presume girls and women are not in charge of their memory and their mind on those days?
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if you go back to where you got your post you will know the answer to your question and why these statements was made. and no, it doesnt contradict the message of the Qur'an. did you read the whole sites? if so, why prophethood was given to men only?
Posts: 1201 | From: Egypt | Registered: Mar 2006
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The legal rights of women have long been a source of misunderstanding which may have contributed to the belief, held by some, that women have a God given inferiority to men. While looking at the legal rights of women, a basic understanding of Islamic law is necessary. Understanding the difference between divine law and laws developed through human reasoning (the former law being permanent and mandatory, the latter law being subject to reformulation as circumstances require) is necessary to determine which rules are binding on us today and which were developed by jurists to address certain situations and can therefore be re-examined if circumstances warrant. Sharia is the law of God and it is incumbent upon Muslims to observe it. M.F. Osman, Sharia in Contemporary Society, Multimedia Vera International, 1994, p. 18. The divine sources of sharia are the Quran and the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad. Id. at p. 31. For the most part, the Quran and sunna provide general principles of conduct with a limited number of specific legal rules. Id. at p. 19. Through the process of ijtihad (personal reasoning) the divine teachings can be interpreted and implemented to address the changing circumstances of Muslims; thus, ijtihad is the most important source of Islamic law after the Quran and authentic sunna. Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence, Islamic Texts Society, 1991, p. 366. Fiqh, on the other hand, is the law itself and it is derived from sharia. Kamali at p. 2. Fiqh is not limited to the small number of revealed laws; rather, it is the jurisprudence that is derived from sharia. M.F. Osman, Sharia in Contemporary Society, Multimedia Vera International, 1994, p. 37. The development of fiqh is through human effort to promulgate laws and as such it is not part of the permanent divine law; therefore fiqh can be re-examined and, if necessary, reformulated to address changing circumstances. Osman at p. 37.
Legal rights, including those of women, should be discussed in light of the Islamic principle of justice. Osman at p. 31. The main areas of controversy in regards to women’s legal rights are in the areas of witnessing and inheritance. While acknowledging that further research by Islamic scholars is needed in these areas to address changing circumstances and, if necessary, to reformulate fiqh, the divine and permanent laws of sharia must be respected.
Women as witnesses in debtor/creditor transactions
The Quranic verse in regards to witnessing a debtor creditor transaction states: "Whenever you give or take credit for a stated term, set it down in writing...And call upon two of your men to act as witnesses; and if two men are not available, then a man and two women from among such as are acceptable to you as witnesses, so that if one of them should make a mistake, the other could remind her." (Quran 2:282). The jurist Ibn Al-Qayyim points out that the rule enunciated in 2:282 is the exception to the general rule that the testimony of a woman is equal to that of a man. (Osman, Fathi, Muslim Women in the Family and the Society, Minaret Publications, p. 39). Furthermore, this verse states a reason behind the rule, in case one forgets, the other may remind her. Within Islamic jurisprudence once the reasoning behind a rule is no longer applicable, then the rule itself may not be applicable. (Khalaf, Abdel Wahab, Ilm Usul al-Fiqh, Dar al-Qalam 1978, p.66). Professor Khalaf, who was Professor of Sharia at Cairo School of Law, states that all sharia rules are based on their reasons; therefore, the existence or non-existence of a rule depends on the existence or non-existence of its reason. He further states that a sharia rule is applicable if its reason is present, even if the wisdom of the rule is not understood; however, a rule is inapplicable if its reason does not exist, even if the wisdom of the rule is clear.
When the Quran was revealed in Arabia over 1400 years ago, the women of that time had virtually no interaction in the business community and were unfamiliar with financial transactions; thus, the rationale for the verse. Thus, women are not inferior as a result of this rule, as is frequently believed in Muslim circles; rather, the Quran simply stated the rule in a manner understandable to the community to whom the Quran was revealed. However, in modern society, where both women and men are well versed in business and financial matters, and business is becoming a discipline and a specialty, there is no special danger of a woman forgetting or misunderstanding a transaction; therefore, under these circumstances, there is room to question the applicability of this rule. Amina Wadud-Muhsin, Quran and Woman, Penerbit Fajar Bakti Sdn. Bhd., 1992, p. 85 (citing Fazlur Rahman, Major Themes in the Quran, 1982, p.49).
Furthermore, the rule set forth for debtor-creditor transactions gives no justification to expand the rule to either exclude women from being witnesses altogether or to require two women for one man in every situation where witnesses are required. The verse clearly sets forth the situation in which this rule applies and why. Muhammad al-Ghazali comments that it is both unfortunate and wrong that this rule has been extended by some to exclude women from all witnessing. Muhammad al-Ghazali, Sunna al-Nabawiya Bayna Ahl al-Fiqh wa Ahl al-Hadith, Dar al-Shuruq, 1989, p. 66.
Women as witnesses in cases of adultery
Further evidence that the debtor-creditor situation is an exception to the general rule that the testimony of a woman is equal to that of a man is found in the Quran where in cases of adultery the Quran requires witnesses but is silent on the issue of gender, thereby implying that the gender of the witnesses is irrelevant. "And as for those who accuse chaste women of adultery, and then are unable to produce four witnesses in support of their accusation, flog them with eighty stripes; and ever after refuse to accept from them any testimony -- since it is they, they that are truly depraved." (Quran 24:4). In cases of adultery where one spouse accuses the other, either spouse can swear by God that he or she is telling the truth with the Quran treating each equally. "And as for those who accuse their own wives of adultery, but have no witnesses except themselves, let each of these accusers call God four times to witness that he is indeed telling the truth...But as for the wife, all chastisement shall be averted from her by her calling God four times to witness that he is indeed telling a lie." (Quran 24:6,8). Accusations of adultery are much more of moral significance than debtor-creditor transactions and it would make little sense to require two women witnesses for the relatively less significant event of a debt transaction and to require only one for the more serious accusation of adultery unless we accept the proposition that the debtor-creditor situation was an exceptional one because at the time women were unfamiliar with business transactions.
Women as witnesses in cases of divorce
In cases of divorce the Quran requires that there be two witnesses; however, it is silent as to gender, thereby implying its irrelevance. "...And let two persons of known probity from among your own community witness what you have decided; and do yourselves bear true witness before God." (Quran 65:2). Again, divorce is a significant act where the Quran has specified many rules and its silence as to the gender of the witnesses is further evidence that the debtor-creditor situation is unique.
Women as witnesses to bequests
"O you who have attained to faith! Let there be witnesses to what you do when death approaches you and you are about to make bequests: two persons of probity from among your own people, or -- if the pangs of death come upon you while you are traveling far from home -- two other persons from among people other than your own. Take hold of the two after having prayed; and if you have any doubt in your mind, let each of them swear by God, ‘We shall not sell this [our word] for any price, even though it were for the sake of a near kinsfolk; and neither shall we conceal aught of what we have witnessed before God -- or else, may we indeed be counted among the sinful.’ But if afterwards it should come to light that the two witnesses have become guilty of this very sin, then two others -- from among those whom the two former have deprived of their right -- shall take their place..." (Quran 5:106-107). In this situation, where safeguards are taken to ensure the integrity of the witnesses, the Quran is again silent as to their gender. It is noteworthy that preference was given to witnesses "from among your own people" -- this was a relevant criterion and it was enunciated; however, gender was not specified and thus is irrelevant.
Inheritance rights of women
Islam was revolutionary in regards to inheritance by women. Prior to the Quranic injunction, women not only did not inherit from their relatives, women themselves were bequeathed as if they were property to be distributed at the death of a husband, father, or brother. Thus, Islam, by giving women the right to inherit, changed the status of women in an unprecedented fashion. Moreover, this right was God given and not aquired as a result of political pressure. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that the verses on inheritance are contained in Chapter 4 of the Quran which is entitled "Women", perhaps signaling the importance of this area for women. The Quran states: "Men shall have a share in what parents and kinsfolk leave behind, and women shall have a share in what parents and kinsfolk leave behind." (Quran 4:7). In terms of the right to inherit, women and men are equal legal entities; thus, whether women can inherit is not controversial. Rather, the dispute centers around the "share" that is to be inherited. The inheritance verses demonstrate God’s wisdom in detailing the rights of each family member where the society was tribal and patriarchal and where women generally had no financial security other than that provided by men; however, there may be hidden wisdom in these verses that is beneficial to other types of societies as well. Islamic scholars, while respecting the permanent divine law, must explore the application and inherent wisdom of these verses to ensure that the Islamic principle of justice prevails.
The Quran goes on to state in detail the division of property based on the number of relatives and the level of kinship.
Concerning [the inheritance of] your children, God enjoins [this] upon you: The male shall have the equal of two females’ share; but if there are more than two females, they shall have two-thirds of what [their parents] leave behind; and if there is only one, she shall have one-half thereof.
And as for the parents [of the deceased], each of them shall have one-sixth of what the deceased leaves behind, in the event of the deceased having [left] a child; but if the deceased has left no child and the parents are the [only] heirs, then the mother shall have one-third; and if the deceased has brothers and sisters, then the mother shall have one-sixth after [the deduction of] any bequest the deceased may have made, or any debt.
As for your parents and your children - you know not which of them is more deserving of benefit from you: [therefore this] ordinance from God. Verily, God is all-knowing, wise. (Quran 4:11).
The injunction that a male receives a share equal to that of two females appears to apply only to the inheritance of children by their parents. Parents who inherit from a deceased child each inherit one-sixth if their child has left a child. In that instance, the division is equal between the mother and the father of the deceased. The verse then states what the mother shall receive if the deceased left no children or if the deceased left siblings. Presumably the father and the mother inherit equally in those situations.
Muslim jurists have debated the issue of inheritance for centuries with several theories being proposed. One theory explains that a brother receives double his sister’s share because he has an obligation to provide for her support. The inheritance verse may be read in conjunction with the following verses which state: "Hence, do not covet the bounties which God has bestowed more abundantly on some of you than on others. Men shall have a benefit from what they earn, and women shall have a benefit from what they earn. Ask, therefore, God to give you out of His bounty: behold, God has indeed full knowledge of everything." (Quran 4:32). And, "Men shall take full care of women with the bounties which God has bestowed more abundantly on some of the former than on some of the latter, and with what they may spend out of their possessions. And the righteous women are the truly devout ones, who guard the intimacy which God has ordained to be guarded." (Quran 4: 34). These verses place an obligation on the person with more bounties to spend on the person who has less. The inheritance verse gives men a more abundant bounty than that given to women. Thus, men are responsible to spend of their property on women. Amina Wadud-Muhsin, Quran and Woman, Penerbit Fajar Bakti Sdn. Bhd., 1992, p.71.
Another theory holds that the inheritance verses mentioned above apply only if no will was left by the deceased. David Powers, Studies in Quran and Hadith: The Formation of the Islamic Law of Inheritance, University of California Press, 1986, p. 52. This theory is based on the following verses: "O you who have attained to faith! Let there be witnesses to what you do when death approaches you and you are about to make bequests" (Quran 5:106) and "It is ordained for you when death approaches any of you and he is leaving behind much wealth, to make bequests in favor of his parents and other near of kin in accordance with what is fair: this is binding on all who are conscious of God." (Quran 2:180). These verses appear to sanction the drafting of a will, thus the argument that the inheritance verses apply where no bequest has been made as specified in these verses. However, there are jurists who believe that the verses on bequests were abrogated with the revelation of the inheritance verses. Powers at p. 52. (The issue of abrogation is an issue of much debate among jurists and is beyond the scope of this work).
Another theory allows the transfer of property to be made during the life of the testator M.F. Osman, Muslim Women in the Family and the Society, Minaret Publications, p. 24; Muhammad Ashraf, A Learner’s Guide to the Division of Inheritance, 1991, p. 19.
Another theory allows a person to will up to one third of his or her property in any manner, thus the one-third, or a portion of it, could be used to further provide for the female. Amina Wadud-Muhsin, Quran and Woman, Penerbit Fajar Sdn. Bhd., 1992, p. 88. (A majority of sunni schools state that the one-third share cannot be bequeathed to the natural heirs; however, others, including the shiite schools, disagree with this limitation. Muhammad Ashraf, A Learner’s Guide to the Division of Inheritance, 1991, p. 22).
As shown by the plethora of theories on the subject, the topic of inheritance contains many complicated rules that need further study and clarification. Muslim jurists must continue to debate this subject and should consider whether the laws of inheritance apply only in an Islamic state where one who is wronged would have legal recourse and how should a Muslim minority in a non-Islamic state resolve these issues.
quote:Originally posted by Mr Egypt: why prophethood was given to men only?
Some scholars say that there were never any female prophets, and their reason is that a prophet is a “perfect” human being, while women—according to them—could never be perfect! Typical of such opinions is Imam Ibn Kathir’s opinion in his commentary on the Qur’an (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, Vol.2, p.497). Imam Al-Shawkani even said that there is “consensus” (ijma’) amongst scholars over that opinion in his Fath Al-Qadeer, Vol.4, p.159.
However, this opinion simply might not be true. A number of renowned scholars have demonstrated that there were female prophets, as there were male prophets; although they did have different opinions on whom to include and the related justification.
For example, Imam Al-Qurtubi, in his famous commentary, explained that in principle there is nothing against sending female prophets, similar to sending male prophets. He based his opinion on numerous verses in the Qur’an that mentioned wahi (revelations) sent to women, similar to the same word wahi that was used with revelations sent to men.
Imam Al-Qurtubi cited the following verses from the chapter in the Qur’an named after Maryam (Mary, the mother of Jesus) to support his opinion and which means: *{And mention Maryam in the Book when she drew aside from her family to an eastern place; So she took a veil [to screen herself] from them; then We sent to her Our spirit, and there appeared to her a well-made man. She said: Surely I fly for refuge from you to the Beneficent Allah, if you are one guarding (against evil). He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord: That I will give you a pure boy}* (Maryam 19:16-19).
However, according to Imam Al-Qurtubi’s sources, he was only for the opinion of Maryam’s prophethood and had not confirmed evidence for the prophethood of any other woman (Al-Qurtubi, Al-Tafseer, vol. 4, p. 83).
Nevertheless, several other scholars included other women in the rank of prophets and discussed differences among scholars regarding that. These women are: Asia (Pharoah’s wife), Hawaa (Eve, Prophet Adam’s wife), Sarah (Prophet Ibrahim’s wife) and Yuhanz (Prophet Moses’ mother). For more details given by scholars who supported this opinion, refer to Imam Al-Razi, the famous commentator of the Qur’an, in his Al-Durr Al-Mukhtaar (vol. 5, p. 441), Imam Al-Suyuti, an authority in the sciences of the Qur’an, in his, Al-Ashbaah Wal-Naza’ir (vol. 1, p. 240), Imam Al-Kamal Ibn Al-Humaam, a principal Hanafi scholar, whose opinion is mentioned in Husn Al-Uswah by Muhammad Siddiq Khan (vol. 1, p. 591), and Imam Al-Mubarkafuri in his Tuhfat Al-Ahwathi (vol. 5, p. 460), who actually cited the same verses from the chapter named “The Prophets” (Al-Anbiyaa’), which you referred to in your question.
Therefore, saying there is a “consensus” that in Islam women cannot be prophets is not accurately true. And the claim that there could be no “perfect” woman, that is human perfection, is contrary to the general Islamic principles of equality between men and women, as well as the authentic hadith, in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
“Were made ‘perfect’ among women (kamula mena-an-nisaa’i): Maryam, Asia, Khadeejah, and Fatimah.”
By the way, this hadith was one of the principle evidences that Imam Al-Qurtubi and others used to support their opinion regarding female prophets.
It is time to correct the general misperception that no single woman, however excellent she might be, could be equivalent to men in carrying major responsibilities and leading people in the way of good deeds. Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an what means:
*{And Allah sets forth, as an example to those who believe, the wife of Pharaoh: Behold she said: "O my Lord! Build for me, in nearness to Thee, a mansion in the Garden, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings, and save me from those that do wrong"; And Mary the daughter of Imran...}* (Al-Tahrim 66:11-12).
quote:Originally posted by Mr Egypt: As women, we are aware of the cyclical psychological strains that a woman has to encounter every month. The symptoms during early pregnancy, ante-natal and post-natal depressions, the phenomenon of menopause, the physiological and psychological problems due to infertility and last but not least the psychological problems faced after miscarriage.
DIAMOND: Again, there is the assumption that women are hormonal but men are moved more by logic. But the truth is men are as hormonally driven as women. In fact, men have a number of hormonal cycles:
1) Men's testosterone, for instance, varies and goes up and down four or five times an hour. 2) There are daily cycles with testosterone being higher in the morning and lower at night. 3) Men have a monthly hormonal cycle that is unique to each man, but men can actually track their moods and recognize they are related to hormonal changes through the month. 4) We know that there are seasonal cycles with testosterone higher in November and lower in April. 5) We know about hormonal cycles with males during adolescence, but also the years between 40 and 55 have what we call male menopause or andropause. 6) Finally, we know there are hormonal changes in men going through IMS, related to stress in a man's life.
MEMBER QUESTION: What causes hormones to go out of whack in a man?
DIAMOND: There are a lot of things that can make hormones go out of whack. Let's start with something we all do, and that is eating food. If we gain weight, we run the potential of increasing IMS.
Here is how it works: In the body, a certain amount of testosterone gets converted to estrogen. Males and females have estrogen and testosterone in our bodies. When we put on weight, our fat cells are more active in converting testosterone into estrogen. The more estrogen we have and the less testosterone we have, the more irritable we become and the less sense of our own manly strength that we have. That's one way they get out of whack.
A second way is that we know when we are under a great deal of stress our testosterone levels drop. The third way they get out of whack is when we use various medications that can have in impact on hormonal levels. Many people are using multiple medications, not always with the knowledge of their doctors. And when I say medication, I include herbal remedies that many people think that because they're natural, they're safe, or that they're not real medications.
What I tell people is that all of these things are important to be explored by your health care provider to be sure you're not causing reactions between the various things you may be taking that can make your condition worse rather than better.
MEMBER QUESTION: What are the signs of irritable male syndrome? My husband is depressed and stressed. Sometimes I have no idea what sets him off. How is IMS different from just regular depression?
DIAMOND: We've set up a specific web site for you, at www.theirritablemale.com. On that site, you can take a quiz that will score your answers and give you an idea of whether you are suffering from IMS or the man that you may be concerned about is suffering. The quiz will also tell you which of nine types of IMS a man may have.
What we've found is that one of the primary symptoms is denial. That is, men think the problem is anywhere other than in themselves. They think it's their wives, their boss, people on the highway, the people in the White House, anybody but what's going on with themselves. So one of the primary things we help couples do is help men break through the denial.
What we know is that depression obviously can be present in people, male or female, who are not experiencing IMS. But we do think depression is a very significant aspect of IMS, and it is often unrecognized in males, because we tend to see irritability and anger and aggression as something that is acted-out behavior or negative behavior. We rarely see how sad and unhappy the men are.
quote:Originally posted by Mr Egypt: As women, we are aware of the cyclical psychological strains that a woman has to encounter every month. The symptoms during early pregnancy, ante-natal and post-natal depressions, the phenomenon of menopause, the physiological and psychological problems due to infertility and last but not least the psychological problems faced after miscarriage.
DIAMOND: Again, there is the assumption that women are hormonal but men are moved more by logic. But the truth is men are as hormonally driven as women. In fact, men have a number of hormonal cycles:
1) Men's testosterone, for instance, varies and goes up and down four or five times an hour. 2) There are daily cycles with testosterone being higher in the morning and lower at night. 3) Men have a monthly hormonal cycle that is unique to each man, but men can actually track their moods and recognize they are related to hormonal changes through the month. 4) We know that there are seasonal cycles with testosterone higher in November and lower in April. 5) We know about hormonal cycles with males during adolescence, but also the years between 40 and 55 have what we call male menopause or andropause. 6) Finally, we know there are hormonal changes in men going through IMS, related to stress in a man's life.
MEMBER QUESTION: What causes hormones to go out of whack in a man?
DIAMOND: There are a lot of things that can make hormones go out of whack. Let's start with something we all do, and that is eating food. If we gain weight, we run the potential of increasing IMS.
Here is how it works: In the body, a certain amount of testosterone gets converted to estrogen. Males and females have estrogen and testosterone in our bodies. When we put on weight, our fat cells are more active in converting testosterone into estrogen. The more estrogen we have and the less testosterone we have, the more irritable we become and the less sense of our own manly strength that we have. That's one way they get out of whack.
A second way is that we know when we are under a great deal of stress our testosterone levels drop. The third way they get out of whack is when we use various medications that can have in impact on hormonal levels. Many people are using multiple medications, not always with the knowledge of their doctors. And when I say medication, I include herbal remedies that many people think that because they're natural, they're safe, or that they're not real medications.
What I tell people is that all of these things are important to be explored by your health care provider to be sure you're not causing reactions between the various things you may be taking that can make your condition worse rather than better.
MEMBER QUESTION: What are the signs of irritable male syndrome? My husband is depressed and stressed. Sometimes I have no idea what sets him off. How is IMS different from just regular depression?
DIAMOND: We've set up a specific web site for you, at www.theirritablemale.com. On that site, you can take a quiz that will score your answers and give you an idea of whether you are suffering from IMS or the man that you may be concerned about is suffering. The quiz will also tell you which of nine types of IMS a man may have.
What we've found is that one of the primary symptoms is denial. That is, men think the problem is anywhere other than in themselves. They think it's their wives, their boss, people on the highway, the people in the White House, anybody but what's going on with themselves. So one of the primary things we help couples do is help men break through the denial.
What we know is that depression obviously can be present in people, male or female, who are not experiencing IMS. But we do think depression is a very significant aspect of IMS, and it is often unrecognized in males, because we tend to see irritability and anger and aggression as something that is acted-out behavior or negative behavior. We rarely see how sad and unhappy the men are.
quote:Originally posted by Batman, non-stop, righteous machine:
quote:Originally posted by Dalia_06:
quote:Originally posted by Mr Egypt: As women, we are aware of the cyclical psychological strains that a woman has to encounter every month. The symptoms during early pregnancy, ante-natal and post-natal depressions, the phenomenon of menopause, the physiological and psychological problems due to infertility and last but not least the psychological problems faced after miscarriage.
DIAMOND: Again, there is the assumption that women are hormonal but men are moved more by logic. But the truth is men are as hormonally driven as women. In fact, men have a number of hormonal cycles:
1) Men's testosterone, for instance, varies and goes up and down four or five times an hour. 2) There are daily cycles with testosterone being higher in the morning and lower at night. 3) Men have a monthly hormonal cycle that is unique to each man, but men can actually track their moods and recognize they are related to hormonal changes through the month. 4) We know that there are seasonal cycles with testosterone higher in November and lower in April. 5) We know about hormonal cycles with males during adolescence, but also the years between 40 and 55 have what we call male menopause or andropause. 6) Finally, we know there are hormonal changes in men going through IMS, related to stress in a man's life.
MEMBER QUESTION: What causes hormones to go out of whack in a man?
DIAMOND: There are a lot of things that can make hormones go out of whack. Let's start with something we all do, and that is eating food. If we gain weight, we run the potential of increasing IMS.
Here is how it works: In the body, a certain amount of testosterone gets converted to estrogen. Males and females have estrogen and testosterone in our bodies. When we put on weight, our fat cells are more active in converting testosterone into estrogen. The more estrogen we have and the less testosterone we have, the more irritable we become and the less sense of our own manly strength that we have. That's one way they get out of whack.
A second way is that we know when we are under a great deal of stress our testosterone levels drop. The third way they get out of whack is when we use various medications that can have in impact on hormonal levels. Many people are using multiple medications, not always with the knowledge of their doctors. And when I say medication, I include herbal remedies that many people think that because they're natural, they're safe, or that they're not real medications.
What I tell people is that all of these things are important to be explored by your health care provider to be sure you're not causing reactions between the various things you may be taking that can make your condition worse rather than better.
MEMBER QUESTION: What are the signs of irritable male syndrome? My husband is depressed and stressed. Sometimes I have no idea what sets him off. How is IMS different from just regular depression?
DIAMOND: We've set up a specific web site for you, at www.theirritablemale.com. On that site, you can take a quiz that will score your answers and give you an idea of whether you are suffering from IMS or the man that you may be concerned about is suffering. The quiz will also tell you which of nine types of IMS a man may have.
What we've found is that one of the primary symptoms is denial. That is, men think the problem is anywhere other than in themselves. They think it's their wives, their boss, people on the highway, the people in the White House, anybody but what's going on with themselves. So one of the primary things we help couples do is help men break through the denial.
What we know is that depression obviously can be present in people, male or female, who are not experiencing IMS. But we do think depression is a very significant aspect of IMS, and it is often unrecognized in males, because we tend to see irritability and anger and aggression as something that is acted-out behavior or negative behavior. We rarely see how sad and unhappy the men are.
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