Posted on: 20 Sep 2021
[Shri Anil asked: Ali Sina has the opinion that “Muhammad insulted women and worsened their situation in Arabia who before Islam had more rights and freedoms. Muhammad took away the rights that the tribal societies of Arabia had granted their women. Consequently, Muslim women are abused. They have fewer rights than slaves and animals. They are the property of men, be it their fathers, brothers, husbands or sons. In no society and in no moment of history, women were/are as denigrate and belittled as they are in Islam”.
Sina further quotes the following verses from Quran and says that Muhammad was misogynist
“O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons: that is most convenient, that they should be known and not molested.”
“Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded.”
“and those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great.”
“Allah’s Apostle said, “If a husband calls his wife to his bed and she refuses and causes him to sleep in anger, the angels will curse her till morning.”
Question: Ali Sina accuses Holy Muhammad as a misogynist. I request You to give a reply on the above allegations.]
Swami Replied:- You must understand the social conditions and nature of the women in those days before you criticise these rules keeping the women of present social circumstances in view. The society changed a lot compared to those days and the social conditions of those days must be thoroughly known to you before coming to drastic conclusions. Women are always weaker than men in physical strength. Women due to their beauty and tenderness must be seriously protected from some sinful men since these sinful men are always hasty due to lack of control of their senses. From the beginning of history, we heard raping of a woman by some sinful men, but, we never heard raping of a man by some sinful women! Hence, special protection for women is always needed and this was very much needed in the ancient days. Based on the requirements of social conditions of those days, certain rules were framed by the religious elders, which should not be misunderstood in view of the present conditions of more advanced society. You are criticising those rules in view of the present conditions of the present society. This topic is related to ethics of worldly life, which is separate from Spiritual life. The governments in those days framed these rules and hence, this topic becomes more constitutional.