Islam's attitude to women

LostInDharma

Women are ‘Awrah – Explained

‘Abdullâh b. Mas’ûd – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

Women are but an ‘awrah (something private to be covered). A woman might leave her house without there being any problem with her, but the Shaytân seeks her out and says [to her], “You will not pass by anyone except that you will impress/please him.”

A woman puts on her clothes and is asked where she is going, to which she replies, “To visit a sick person,” or “to attend a funeral”, or “to pray in the masjid”; but a woman never worships Allâh in the way she does when she worships Him in her house.

Al-Tabarânî. Graded sahîh by Shaykh Al-Albânî in Sahîh Al-Targhîbi wa Al-Tarhîb Vol. 1 p84.

http://www.sayingsofthesalaf.net/index.php/category/family/page/4/

Source: http://www.sayingsofthesalaf.net

LostInDharma

I find these hadith show a more human side to the prophet.

Narrated `Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Aswad:


(on the authority of his father) `Aisha said: "Whenever Allah's Messenger wanted to fondle anyone of us during her periods (menses), he used to order her to put on an Izar and start fondling her." `Aisha added, "None of you could control his sexual desires as the Prophet could."



Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 302
In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 7
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 6, Hadith 299

hivizman

LostInDharma wrote: »

I find these hadith show a more human side to the prophet.

Narrated `Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Aswad:


(on the authority of his father) `Aisha said: "Whenever Allah's Messenger wanted to fondle anyone of us during her periods (menses), he used to order her to put on an Izar and start fondling her." `Aisha added, "None of you could control his sexual desires as the Prophet could."



Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 302
In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 7
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 6, Hadith 299

Despite the high regard in which Muslims hold the hadith collection of Bukhari, I find this hadith rather puzzling. Islam puts much emphasis on personal privacy, particularly about sexual matters, so it strikes me as odd that Aisha would be discussing her menstruation with an unrelated man (it is particularly significant that the man is simply described as Abdur-Rahman bin Aswad's "father", rather than being named directly as the authority for the tradition).

But, more importantly, the activity being reported here seems to be inconsistent with a requirement of the Qur'an. We find the following in Surat al-Baqarah (2:222, in the Sahih International translation): "And they ask you about menstruation. Say, 'It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure.' " The hadith seems to be stating that Muhammad was breaching this clear prohibition, giving the impression that he was not only lascivious, but also a hypocrite.

Although the fact that Bukhari reported this tradition means that it has to be taken seriously, it is weak on technical grounds (the chain of transmission involves an unnamed person, the context of the initial report is implausible, and the action reported is in breach of a prohibition contained in the Qur'an), and this reduces its reliability.

LostInDharma

hivizman wrote: »

Despite the high regard in which Muslims hold the hadith collection of Bukhari, I find this hadith rather puzzling. Islam puts much emphasis on personal privacy, particularly about sexual matters, so it strikes me as odd that Aisha would be discussing her menstruation with an unrelated man (it is particularly significant that the man is simply described as Abdur-Rahman bin Aswad's "father", rather than being named directly as the authority for the tradition).

But, more importantly, the activity being reported here seems to be inconsistent with a requirement of the Qur'an. We find the following in Surat al-Baqarah (2:222, in the Sahih International translation): "And they ask you about menstruation. Say, 'It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure.' " The hadith seems to be stating that Muhammad was breaching this clear prohibition, giving the impression that he was not only lascivious, but also a hypocrite.

Really, a hypocrite, so you would discount all the hadith about this topic ? Based on what ?

LostInDharma

[Admin Note: this post has been moved from the Daily Quotes thread to keep this discussion in one place]


A quote showing a different side to the prophet than the others above:

Once Allah's Messenger went out to the Musalla (to offer the prayer) o `Id-al-Adha or Al-Fitr prayer. Then he passed by the women and said,

"O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women)."

They asked, "Why is it so, O Allah's Messenger () ?" He replied,

"You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could be led astray by some of you."

The women asked, "O Allah's Messenger ()! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?" He said,

"Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?"

They replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Isn't it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?"

The women replied in the affirmative. He said,

"This is the deficiency in her religion."

Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 304

In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 9

USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 6, Hadith 301

whydoc

hivizman wrote: »

Despite the high regard in which Muslims hold the hadith collection of Bukhari, I find this hadith rather puzzling. Islam puts much emphasis on personal privacy, particularly about sexual matters, so it strikes me as odd that Aisha would be discussing her menstruation with an unrelated man (it is particularly significant that the man is simply described as Abdur-Rahman bin Aswad's "father", rather than being named directly as the authority for the tradition).

But, more importantly, the activity being reported here seems to be inconsistent with a requirement of the Qur'an. We find the following in Surat al-Baqarah (2:222, in the Sahih International translation): "And they ask you about menstruation. Say, 'It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure.' " The hadith seems to be stating that Muhammad was breaching this clear prohibition, giving the impression that he was not only lascivious, but also a hypocrite.

Although the fact that Bukhari reported this tradition means that it has to be taken seriously, it is weak on technical grounds (the chain of transmission involves an unnamed person, the context of the initial report is implausible, and the action reported is in breach of a prohibition contained in the Qur'an), and this reduces its reliability.

Answered by :Sheikh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Turayrî, former professor at al-Imâm University in Riyadh:

Any form of sexual enjoyment between the husband and the wife is permitted with the exception of what is explicitly prohibited by the sacred texts.

The prohibited acts are: sex during menstruation, sex during post-natal bleeding, and anal sex.

Allah says: “Your wives are a tilth for you, so go to your tilth when or how you will.”

As for during menstruation, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Do everything except intercourse.” This means that the husband and wife can do everything with one another excerpt for actual sexual penetration.

And Allah knows best.

http://en.islamtoday.net/node/1463

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Answer From: Hazrat Moulana Mufti Nazeer Ahmed Qasmi – Head Mufti, Darul Uloom Rahimiya, Bandipora, Kashmir:

In the state of menstruation, it is permissible for the husband and wife to lay together, kissing and caressing is also allowed. However, to fulfil ones desires to the extent of having intercourse is strictly prohibited.
http://www.inter-islam.org/Prohibitions/mensesinter.html

The fact that the Prophet (peace be upon him) only fondled during the menstrual cycle of his wife makes it pretty obvious that he understood what the Qur'an's actual limitations were. He made this point very explicit:

Saheeh Muslim
Book 003, Number 0592:
Thabit narrated it from Anas:
Among the Jews, when a woman menstruated, they did not dine with her, nor did they live with them in their houses; so the Companions of the Apostle (may peace be upon him) asked The Apostle (may peace be upon him), and Allah, the Exalted revealed:" And they ask you about menstruation; say it is a pollution, so keep away from woman during menstruation" to the end (Qur'an, ii. 222). The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Do everything except intercourse. The Jews heard of that and said: This man does not want to leave anything we do without opposing us in it.
http://sunnah.com/muslim/3/16

Marathon Man

OP, this might go some way to answering your question:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIyccXJ8ehg

Tom Dunne

I don't think this is the type of debate we need on this forum.