Download FAQ about Islam and Muslim Women

FrequentlyAskedQuestionsaboutIslamandWomeninIslam
ByDr.MoniaMazigh,2016
Pleasenotethatthisisadocument“underconstruction”,Iwillkeepupdating
andimprovingit.
Q:WhatisIslam?
A:Islamisamonotheisticreligion.Itisareligionthatfollowsinthefootstepsof
JudaismandChristianity.
Islamisthereligion.MuslimsarethepeoplewhobelieveinIslam.Islamicisan
adjective:Islamicdress,Islamiccivilisation,Islamicart…
Islamistisanewwordusedfrequentlytodayinmediawhenreferringtopeople
followingPoliticalIslam,whichcallsforusingIslamasapoliticalmessage.
AllahissimplytheArabicwordforGod.Itisnotanyhowdifferentthanthegodof
JewsofthegodofChristians.
Q:IsIslamexclusivelyareligionforArabs?
Islamisauniversalreligionsenttohumanityandnottoaspecificpeople.Arabicis
thelanguageusedbyMuhammadandtheArabsathistime.Buttoday,thereare
Muslimsofallethnicities,whospeakdifferentkindsoflanguages.
ThemajorityofMuslimsarenotArab-speakers.Indonesiaisoneofthelargest
Muslimcountriesintheworld.Ithasabout250millionsMuslimsandtheirmain
languageisn’tArabic.
Arabisarace.Itisnotareligion.ThereareMuslimswhoareArabsandthereare
Muslimswhoarenot.
ThereareArabswhoareChristiansandnotMuslims,exampleinLebanon,Syria,
andJordan,wheretherearelargeandoldChristiancommunities.
WhatistheQuran?
TheQuranistheIslamicholybook.MuslimsbelievethatQuranisthewordofGod.
RevealedtoProphetMuhammad(570CE-632CE)whenhewasinMecca(intoday’s
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SaudiArabia)andlaterinMedina(acityabout500kmawayfromMecca)through
theArchangelGabriel.
Therevelationwasspreadoverabout23years.QuranisoriginallyinArabic.Today,
itistranslatedtomanylanguages.
ProphetMuhammadwasabout40yearsoldwhenhereceivedthefirstrevelation
whilehewasinaMountaincavenearMecca.HiswifeKhadijawasthefirstbeliever.
Shesupportedhimmorallyandfinanciallyuntilherdeath.
Quranisformedofchapters:theyarecalledSuratinArabic.Eachchapterhasatitle.
Examples:Surat
EachSurathasacertainnumberofAyasorverses.SomeSuratsarelong(4-5pages)
othersareshortonlyfew4-5verses
WhatarethefivepillarsofIslam?
- BelieveintheGodistheonlyGodandthatProphetMuhammadisaprophet
ofGod
- PrayingfivetimeadaytoGod:Earlymorning,aroundnoon,intheafternoon,
atsunsetandbeforegoingtobed.InPrayers,MuslimsrecitesomeQuran
versesandaskGodforforgivenessandmentionthebountyandmercyof
God.Eachprayerisabout3-4minutes.
- FastingthemonthofRamadan.Ramadanisthe10thlunarmonthofeach
year.BecauseMuslimsuseslunarcalendar,themonthsarenotfixedeach
year.Forexample,thisyearRamadanstartedonJune62016,nextyearitwill
mostlikelystart25ofMay2017.Eachyear,itgoesbackof12days.
- GivingZakat.Zakatisasortofalmsgivingandtaxintendedtohelpthepoors.
Itisamandatorypercentageofsomeone’ssavingsthatisdistributedyearly
tothepoor.
- GoingforpilgrimagetoMeccaonceinalifetimeforpeoplewhocanaffordit
financiallyandphysically.TheseritualsofHajjareacelebrationofProphet
AbrahamandhiswifeHajarwhowenttoArabiaandfromtheirdescendants
IslamemergedandProphetMuhammadcame
Muslimsbelieveinallthebiblicalprophets:Noah,Abraham,Isaacs,Ismael,Moses,
Jesus…Theyrespectthemandeachtimetheymentiontheirnamestheysay:Peace
beuponthem.
MuslimsbelievethatJesusisnotgodorthesonofGod.ItismentionedintheQuran
thatJesuswasborntoMarie(MariaminArabic)asamiraclefromGod.Muslims
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believesthatJesuswasnotcrucified,asGoddoesn’tallowhismessengerstosuffer
horribly.InIslam,GodsaidthatJesuswasascendedbyGodtoheaventoavoidbeing
crucified.AnotherpersonwholookedlikeJesuswascrucifiedinstead.
MarieisarespectedfemalefigureforMuslims.ThereisonlyONESuratintheQuran
namedafterawomananditisSuratMiriam.
DoMuslimsworshipMuhammad?
Islamisnotaboutworshipinganyprophetorindividual.OnlyGodisworshiped.
Muhammadisn’tworshipedbyMuslims.However,Muslimsarestronglyencouraged
torespecthim,lovehimandemulatehisdeedsandactions.
IsMuhammadapedophile?
ManypeopleattackIslamandMuhammadbymentioningthatMuhammadisa
pedophilebecausehemarriedhiswifeAishawhenshewas9yearsold.
Firstofallitshouldmenoted,thattherearemanyrecentstudiespointingthatAisha
wasn’t9yearsbutratheraround17yearsoldwhenshemarriedMuhammad.
Second,oneshouldrememberthatthoseearlymarriageswerenotuncommonat
thosetimes.Thestandardsweretomarryreallyyoung.Moreover,Aishawasthe
daughterofthebestfriendandcompanionofMuhammad,AbuBakr.Itwasan
alliancetostrengthenthosetiesbetweenthemeninthatsociety.
AlltheotherwivesMuhammadmarriedwerewomenofcertainagewhowere
widowedordivorcees.
Also,manykingsandmonarchsfromFranceandBritain,marriedveryyoungwives.
Examples:
HenryIV(14thcentury)fatheredachildattheageof15.
TheyoungestmothertogivebirthtoamonarchwasLadyMargaretBeaufort(15th
century),wifeofEdmundTudor,whowas13whenshegavebirthtoHenryVII.
IstheresuchathingcalledhonourkillinginIslam?
NO.Honourkillinghappensintraditionalsociety:India,Afghanistan,Jordan…Some
ofthesesocietiesareMuslimsandsomeothersarenot.
ArethereforcedmarriagesinIslam?
NO.MarriageisaconsensualrelationinIslam.Itisacontractbetweenamanand
woman.Thecontractshouldbedoneinfrontofathirdpartywitnesses.
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Thewomanneedstoseethemansheismarryingandgiveherapprovaltomarry
him.
Intheoldtradition:thewomanmarryingforthefirsttimecangiveherconsentto
herfather.
Ifthewomanwaspreviouslymarried,shehastogiveherownverbalandexplicit
consent.
However,inmanyMuslimcountriesmarriagesusedtobearrangedmarriagesby
thefamilies.
IsdivorceallowedinIslam?
Yes.DivorceisdiscouragedbutpermittedinIslam.Thehusbandorthewifecan
initiateadivorce.Thereasonscanbeasincompatibilityofpersonalities,lackof
responsibility,sexualproblems,andfinancialproblems…
Inpractice,manyMuslimcountriesgivemenrighttodivorcebutmakeitishardfor
womentodivorce.
Manywomen,caughtinabusivemarriages,won’tseekdivorcebecausetheyhavea
precariousfinancialstatus.
WhatisHadith?
HadithcollectionisconsideredasanimportantsourceforIslamicknowledgeand
legalviews.Theyareaccountsoftheverbalandphysicalteachingsandtraditionsof
Muhammad.ThattraditionisrefereedtoSunnah.Hadithswerecompiledseveral
generationsafterhisdeathbynotableindividuals.Theseindividualswentandasked
thecompanionsoftheprophetsaboutwhattheyhaveheardfromtheprophetwhen
hewasalive.
WhatisSharia?
Literally,thetermmeans"way"or"path";itisthelegalframeworkwithinwhich
thepublicandsomeprivateaspectsoflifeareregulatedforthoselivinginalegal
systembasedonIslam.Simplyspeaking,ShariaistheIslamiclaw.
TodaywhenpeoplehearaboutShariatheythinkofhandscutandwomenstoned.
Shariaincludeallthelegalopinionsonfamilylaws,businesslaw,criminallaw…
ItisbasedontheinterpretationsofQuran,ontheSunnahandallthejurisprudence
builtovertheyearsregardingissues.
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Whatisafatwa?
Fatwaisalegalopinion.Fatwaaregivenwhenthereisnoreligioustextabouta
certainmatter.
DoallMuslimcountriesuseSharia?
No.SaudiArabiaandIranusesharialaw.Butforinstance,countrieslikeSyria,
Egypt,Tunisia,Algeria,Morocco,TurkeyandmanyothersMuslimscountries,don’t
followsharialaw.However,someoftheirfamilylawisinspiredbyIslamiclaw,like
marriage,divorce,inheritancerights…
ArewomenoppressedinIslam?
TherearemanyversesinQuranemphasizingonequalitybetweenmenandwomen.
Unfortunately,therealityofmanyMuslimwomenistotallydifferenttoday.
Thereisoppression,illiteracy,abuse,sexualharassment,anddiscrimination…
OnecannotattributethosesocialproblemstoIslam.Cultureandtraditionsare
muchstrongerandentrenchedinpeoplelivethanreligion.
Unfortunately,Islamisusedandinterpretedbysomereligiousleaderstoperpetuate
injusticetowardMuslimwomen.
ManyMuslimwomenarechallengingthosetraditionsandempoweringthemselves
withwhatIslamreallysaidaboutwomenandtheirstatusasequalhumanbeingsto
men.
Chapter3,verse195
“TheirLordrespondedtothem:"Ineverfailtorewardanyworkeramongyouforany
workyoudo,beyoumaleorfemale-youareequaltooneanother.Thus,thosewho
immigrate,andgetevictedfromtheirhomes,andarepersecutedbecauseofMe,and
fightandgetkilled,Iwillsurelyremittheirsinsandadmitthemintogardenswith
flowingstreams."
Chapter4,verse124
“Asforthosewholeadarighteouslife,maleorfemale,whilebelieving,theyenter
Paradise;withouttheslightestinjustice”.
Chapter16,verse97
“Anyonewhoworksrighteousness,maleorfemale,whilebelieving,wewillsurely
grantthemahappylifeinthisworld,andwewillsurelypaythemtheirfull
recompense(ontheDayofJudgment)fortheirrighteousworks.”
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Chapter33,verse35
“Thesubmittingmen,thesubmittingwomen,thebelievingmen,thebelievingwomen,
theobedientmen,theobedientwomen,thetruthfulmen,thetruthfulwomen,the
steadfastmen,thesteadfastwomen,thereverentmen,thereverentwomen,the
charitablemen,thecharitablewomen,thefastingmen,thefastingwomen,thechaste
men,thechastewomen,andthemenwhocommemorateGODfrequently,andthe
commemoratingwomen;GODhaspreparedforthemforgivenessandagreat
recompense.”
Chapter40,verse40
“Whoevercommitsasinisrequitedforjustthat,andwhoeverworksrighteousness-
maleorfemale-whilebelieving,thesewillenterParadisewhereintheyreceive
provisionswithoutanylimits.”
Chapter49,verse13
“Opeople,wecreatedyoufromthesamemaleandfemale,andrenderedyoudistinct
peoplesandtribes,thatyoumayrecognizeoneanother.Thebestamongyouinthe
sightofGODisthemostrighteous.GODisOmniscient,Cognizant.”
AreMuslimWomenfinanciallydependentonMen?
WhenaMuslimwomanmarries,shekeepshermoneyforherownneedsandforher
owninterest.Herhusbandcan’tforcehertopaythebills.
Itisthehusbandwhohastobefinancialresponsibleofhishousehold.
AwomaninIslamkeepsherownnameanddoesn’tchangehernametoher
husband’s.
WhatdoesIslamsayaboutamanbeatinghiswife?
ThereisONEcontroversialverseinQuranabout“beatingwives”.Theverse,in
Chapter4,verse34,usestheword“Daraba”whichliterallymeans“hit”butalsocan
haveothermeanings.
“Menareinchargeofwomen,becauseAllahhasmadetheoneofthemtoexcelthe
other,andbecausetheyspendoftheirproperty(forthesupportofwomen).Sogood
womenaretheobedient,guardinginsecretthatwhichAllahhasguarded.Asforthose
fromwhomyoufearrebellion,admonishthemandbanishthemtobedsapart,and
scourgethem.Theniftheyobeyyou,seeknotawayagainstthem.Lo!Allahisever
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HighExalted,Great.”
TranslationbyMarmadukePickthall,TheMeaningoftheGloriousKoran
WhatdoesIslamsayaboutPolygamy?
Chapter4,verse3
“Andifyoufearthatyouwillnotdealjustlywiththeorphangirls,thenmarrythose
thatpleaseyouof[other]women,twoorthreeorfour.Butifyoufearthatyouwillnot
bejust,then[marryonly]oneorthoseyourrighthandpossesses.Thatismoresuitable
thatyoumaynotincline[toinjustice].”
PolygamyisallowedinIslam.Butthereisaconditiontoit.
Menaren’tallowedtohavemorethanfourwivesatthesametimeANDtheyhaveto
befairfinanciallyandmorallytotheirwives.Iftheycan’t(whichisalmost
impossibletobefair)thenIslamrecommendsthatamanshouldsticktoONEwife.
SomeMuslimscholarsthinkthatpolygamywasmadelegalintheQuranbecauseit
waspracticedandnormalatthosetimesandbanningwouldhavebeensodifficult.
Also,duringwars,manymendiedandpolygamywassoconvenientasasocial
welfaretooltohelpthewidowsandtheorphans.
Today,therearesomeMuslimscountrieswhomovedtobanpolygamyandotherto
limitittospecialcircumstances(social,health…)
WhysomeMuslimwomenwearhijab?
TodaypeoplehearalotaboutHijab,Burqa,Niqab.
InQuran,thereisaverseexplicitlyadvisingwomenANDmentobemodest.
Hijabisn’tanorderbymentowomen.HijabisarecommendationbyGodtowomen.
SowomenwhofeelstronglyaboutpleasingGodwouldconform.Others,wouldn’t.
MuslimwomenwhodonotwearHijabarenotsinnersorbadwomen,theyhave
otherviewsandotherwaystoliveandpracticetheirfaith.
Hairispartofwomanbeautyandcoveringitandwearingnotsexualizedclothis
morelikeetiquettebetweenmenandwomeninIslam.
Menalsoneedtobemodest.Theyshouldn’tweartightcloththatrevealstheir
virility.
However,bothmenandwomenarenotpreventedtodresscleanandniceclothand
takecareoftheirappearance.
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Athome,awomanisnotaskedtohavehijabinfrontofherhusband,herchildren,
herfemalerelativesorfemalefriends.
Awomanwearshijabinfrontofhermalesrelativesthatshecanofficialmarryorin
frontofmalestrangersingeneral.
Hijabshouldn’tbeunderstoodthatawomanisatemptressandbycoveringherhair
sheishelpingthementotametheirsexualdesires.
Menandwomenareresponsibleoftheirsexualdesiresandtheyhavetodirectthem
inaproperway.Bybothdressingmodestlyinthepublicarena,Islamwouldliketo
makethepublicsphere“asexual”andleavethesexualsideasaprivatematter.
Hijabisareligiousrequirementforwomanandnottohelpmenremainchaste.
Chapter24,verse30
“Saytothebelievingmenthat:theyshouldcastdowntheirglancesandguardtheir
privateparts(bybeingchaste).Thisisbetterforthem.”
Chapter24,verse31
“Saytothebelievingwomenthat:theyshouldcastdowntheirglancesandguard
theirprivateparts(bybeingchaste)andnotdisplaytheirbeautyexceptwhatis
apparent,andtheyshouldplacetheirkhumurovertheirbosoms…”
Khumuristhepluralwordofkhimar.Itmeansapieceofcloththatcoversthehead.
IsNiqabareligiousrequirement?
Niqabiswhenawomancoversherbodyandevenherfacewithagarmentcalled
Niqab.
ThereisaminorityviewinMuslimscholarsthatNiqabisareligiousrequirement.
ButthemajorityofMuslimsscholarsconsideronlyhijabtobeareligious
requirement.
Isn’ttruethatIslamisareligionthatspreadwiththesword?
Insomeregions,thelocalpopulationbecameMuslimsaftertheylostthewarswith
Muslims.However,peoplewhowantedtokeeptheirreligionswereallowed.
InthemajorityoftheregionswhoaretodayMuslims,thelocalpopulationbecame
MuslimsbecausetheyengagedintraderelationswithMuslimsmerchantsandthere
werenobattlesinvolvedorwars.Examples:Indonesia,China,Africancountries…
IsIslamaviolentreligion?
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Violenceisn’texclusivetoanyreligion.Therearealwayssocial,financial,political
forcesthatcauseviolenceandwars.
DuringthelifeoftheProphet,therewastheMeccatimeandtheMedinatime.
AfterProphetMuhammadreceivedtheRevelationinMecca,hehadfewfollowers
whoembracedIslam.Themajorityofhisclanandothertribesrejectedhismessage.
Hedidn’tforcepeopletofollowhim.
WhenthepersecutionofMuhammadandhisfollowersbytherestofthepopulation
inMeccabecamesointenseandviolent,GodorderedMuhammadtomigrateto
anothercity:Medina.
MuhammadandhisfollowersmigratedtoMecca.Thatmigrationiscalled“Hijra”.
ThatwasanimportantmilestoneinIslam.Itcorrespondedtotheyear622CE.
Muslimsstartcountingtheircivilizationfromthatyear.Thisyear,weareinyear
1437hijri.
InMedina,thepopulationwasnicerandmoreopentoIslam.Gradually,manyofthe
inhabitantsofMedinaembracedIslam.
Later,whenpeopleofMecca,realizedthatMuhammadwasgainingmomentumand
manypeoplewereembracingIslam,theystartedwagingwarsonMohammadand
Muslims.MohammedformedanarmyandfoughtalongtheMuslimsinthosebattles.
Fewyearsbeforehisdeath,MuhammadtookoverMeccawithhisarmy.Hedidn’t
ordertheexecutionsofthosewhowagedwaragainsthimallthoseyears.He
orderedthemfree.
Duringhislifetime,MohammadsentarmiestoempireslikeSasanianEmpireand
ByzantineEmpire.
HeinvitedthemtoIslamandlater,therewerebattlesbetweenMuslimsandthose
empires.
WhatdoesIslamsayabouthomosexuality?
AsinJudaismandChristianity,homosexualityisn’tacceptedinIslam.
Islamconsidersthatonlyamanandawomanareallowedtomarryandhavesexual
relationship.
HowaboutFemaleGenitalMutilation(FGM),isitpartofIslam?
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No.FemaleGenitalMutilationisnotpartofIslam.Itisanoldtraditionpracticedin
someregionsespeciallyinAfrica.ItispracticedbyMuslimsANDnonMuslimsalike.
Islamdoesn’tinhibitindividuals,manandwoman,tohavesexualdesires.
WhatareSunnisandShias?
SunniisawordusedtorefertoMuslimswhofollowtheSunnah(tradition)ofthe
prophetMuhammad.
ShiaisawordusedtorefertothefollowersofAli.Aliisthecousinoftheprophet
andthefourthcaliphinIslamwhohadadisagreementathistimewithsomeother
Muslimleaders.
Fromthatpoliticaldisagreement,bothgroupsemerged.
Verysimply:
-Sunnisbelievethatthecaliph(successortotheprophet)canonlybeanArabfrom
thetribeofQuraish(thetribeofprophetMuhammad).
-ShiasbelievethatonlyadescendantoftheprophetMuhammadcanbeeligibleto
becomeacaliph.
Overthelast14centuries(sinceIslamemerged),thesetwogroupsdeveloped
differentinterpretationofIslamiclaw.Theyalsofoughtfiercelybetweeneachother.
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