Mohammed and Women

It’s a man’s world in Islam.

And that too not of any other man, except of a Muslim! You, and I, hell no!

In fact, the religious books of Abrahamic faiths — namely the Quran, Talmud and Bible — all the three propound a similar intellectually, morally and spiritually unacceptable lower status for women than men.

But since the issue involved here is of the teachings of Islam — and those of its self-proclaimed prophet, Mohammed — about their so said “God-gifted” lower status of women, let us check out the “enlightened” views of the Islamists, verbatim.

Here are the VIEWS of Islam, Quran and Mohammed about WOMEN:-

• “And they (women) have rights similar to those (of men) over them in kindness, and men are a degree above them. Allah is Mighty, Wise.” ~ Quran 2:228
• “The things which annual prayer (as declared by Mohammed) were mentioned before me (and those were): a dog, a donkey and a woman. I said,”You (Mohammed) have compared us (women) to donkeys and dogs!By Allah! I saw the Prophet praying while I used to lie in (my) bed between him and the Qibla. Whenever I was in need of something, I disliked to sit and trouble the Prophet. So, I would slip away by the side of his feet.” ~AISHA (Child-bride of MOHAMMED) Sahih Muslim 4:1034
• “If you fear high-handedness from your wives, remind them, then ignore them when you go to bed, then hit them.” ~ Quran 4:34
• “We used to participate in the holy battles led by Allah’s Apostle and we had nothing (no wives) with us. So we said, ‘Shall we get ourselves castrated?’ He forbade us that and then allowed us to marry women with a temporary contract.” ~ Sahih Bukhari HADIS 7:62:13:
• When I got married, Allah’s Apostle said to me, “What type of lady have you married?” I replied, “I have married a matron’ He said, “Why, don’t you have a liking for the virgins and for fondling them?” Jabir also said:Allah’s Apostle said, “Why didn’t you marry a young girl so that you might play with her and she with you?’ ~ Bukhari HADIS 7:62: 17
• “A male shall inherit twice as much as a female.” ~ Quran 4:11
• (Mohammed) 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 Apostle?” 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 Apostle! 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.” ~ Sahih Bukhari HADIS 1:6:301
• Allah’s Apostle said “If there is any evil omen in anything, then it is in the woman, the horse and the house.” ~ Bukhari Hadis $:52:111
• “Surely for the god-fearing (Muslim men, as a reward in heaven) awaits a place of security, gardens and vineyards and maidens with swelling breasts, like of age, and a cup overflowing.” ~ Quran 78:31–33
• When the Prophet heard the news that people of Persia had made daughter of Khosrau their Queen (ruler), he said, “Never will succeed such a nation as makes a woman their ruler.” ~Bukhari Hadith 9:88:219
• Women are your fields, go, then, to your tilth as ye will.” ~ Quran 2:223

Note: Lest some Islamic fundamentalist starts harping about the “out of context” quote or the authenticity of the words etched above, may it be noted that only the accepted “correct” Islamic sources are made use of hereof. Any one can check the same, any time.

And it must be understood by the readers that only when the authenticated hadith(sayings and doings of Mohammed) are juxtaposed with the teachings in Quran, dowe get an absolutely clear idea of what the Muslims hold true, vis a vis women.

Now, why did Mohammed hold such low opinion about women?

Firstly, because of, and by virtue of his own admission, his being illiterate, he akin his kin of those times and before, knowing not better, held the women to be subservient to men.

Secondly, the surrounding culture — of the Jews, the Christians and the Arabs in general — too nurtured similar uncultured and lowly views about women.

Thirdly, not being philosophically tutored in higher spiritual concepts, he was not sophisticated enough in his thinking. And thus lacked the highest metaphysical ideaof what is and is not the Ultimate Truth of Existence.

Mohammed was a simple, unsophisticated, spiritual novice.

His understanding of the Absolute was that a huge 30 feet tall human-like entity, named Allah, was the god of the universe. More or less, the heaven and hell of his imagination was also conceptualized as had been till then propagated by the Abrahamic traditions. Even the angel Gabriel, through whom Mohammed is said to have narrated the Quran, too is borrowed from the Jewish and the Christian mythology. In fact, there’s nothing new to his teachings, except that they are a dash lower than those prevailing in his times.

Mohammed had no idea about the inherent unity of everything.

His cosmology was childish.

The imbibed idea from the Jewish and the Christian mythology — of Eve being created from Adam’s rib etc. — therefore, to him, conveyed an inferior position held by woman in Creation.

His spirituality was religious.

That is, it was not spirituality within but the outward religiosity that inspired him.

The outwardly show of piety, displaying one’s religious affectations to the whole world, was more cherished by him than the silence within. Hence, he could not break free from the symbolic rituals and religious gestures on the outside. And following him, the Muslims today as then, make it an ostentatious show — if not a joke — of their obeisance to God, to all and sundry. On the streets, virtually!

Hence, unlike the Sufis, the average Muslim is bereft of the “Heaven Within”.

Again, the essential Quran, that is the narration of the imagined Muslim god through the mythical archangel Gabriel starts from the words ALIF, LAM, MIM,in the second surah.

To date, no Muslim has been able to explain their meaning.

Nor did Mohammed.

Had Mohammed known what the above-said “metaphysical” words meant, he would’ve told all and sundry. For, if the authenticated Bukhari and Muslim hadith are to be believed, Mohammed even tutored his simple followers about the number of stones to use to wipe the butt after toilet!

Therefore, if the meaning of the beginning of Quran is unknown, then, therest of what follows does not hold much water either.

To a great extent, better quantum science today, as too higher spirituality afore, understand this much that oneness is the essential nature of all existence. Sadly, Mohammed, as too the blind followers of his simplistic teachings, comprehend not even this First Principle of the Absolute.

For, if Mohammed then, or the Muslims today understood the metaphysics of indivisible unity of all existence, the same would have “got” the spiritual significance of Alif, Lam, Mim.

Thus, as did their prophet in his times, the nutcases amongst the Islamic community today consider other people — not of their own faith — as infidels. No more than animals! And the women folk as nothing more than a plaything.

Only by understanding that “All is One”, does one respect everyone.

Since Mohammed did not “get” it that in essence everything is an inseparable whole, therefore, the self-anointed prophet of Islam saw the women folk as un-whole.

Those who do not grasp the Whole in all, and the All in the whole, miss the Goal.

Most of humankind thus misses the Goal of Eternal Freedom.

And consequently, such unenlightened men amongst the species think the “other humans” — those of another faith, and the women — are “less” than them. And therefore, are their fiefdom!

May God help us! And needless to say, them!