Ashes says: March 1, 2013 at 11:52 am
Have been reading the bullshits all over internet. Let me admit that Muslims are not treated with the same respect as people of other religion because they are like that. Being from the same religion, I am making a bold statement saying this and I might have to face consequences.
Here’s my story. My girlfriend is a Jain and she has also read these posts and got so badly influenced that she is almost had a nervous breakdown. But, I am not as you guys have been stereotyping every Muslim boy here. For the sake of my love and commitment to my relationship, I want to do something that no one does. I want to convert to Jain. Our children will be given Jain names. I am a vegetarian by choice since 4 years. It is even before meeting the love of my life.
So… As far as my parents are concerned. They know about me and her. They respect our relationship too. I know I will hurt them by converting into Jain. But, I am sure that they will understand. I don’t want my love to face any sort of problem. As far as my relatives are concerned, to hell with them. We are better off without the relatives from my side. Those who respect my love will be with us, those who don’t, won’t have my respect either.
Before you so called Islamic centered guys start hitting me with bullshit, I am not interested in answering you. I don’t have a fight with religion, I have a fight against orthodox enemies of love. Because of the influential people who misinterpret our holy books, innocent people like us have to suffer. But, for Love, I will do the right thing. Bye Bye closed minded rigid people.
I believe in one God, and will continue paying my gratitude in my own way, unbounded of the rituals. Thanks!!! -Ashes.
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Admin says:
Wow!! This is certainly a bold statement. Ashes, we feel your frustration and pain.
Judaism, Christianity and Islam all are exclusivist and supremacist religions. Jews believe they are God’s chosen people, however they don’t proselytize others. Christians are still taught today that salvation is possible only through Jesus and non-baptized, like Mahatma Gandhi, will go to hell. Christians have kills more people in the name of religion compared to Islam, however they have moderated in recent days. Islam is slow to come out of its exclusivity, but days are now numbered. Leaders like you will help speed the process.
This conversion or labeling business (the BBS) is, to most part, only Abrahamic things. Jainism don’t believe in converting others nor do you have to convert to Jainism to be part of them. Only they ask for is to let them do what they do and let them believe what they wish to believe in. As far as you are a pluralist (vs. exclusivist), that’s all that matter. By your way of thinking and eating habits, we can say you are already a Jain!
Your Jain girl friend has a right reason to have a nervous breakdown. Any Muslim who believe in Muhammad’s teachings, Sharia laws, One God-Allah, the Judgment Day and that Islam is only a true religion, that Muslim could not and should not be trusted in an interfaith marriages with equality. Their marriage will work only if the non-Muslim will convert to Islam and start following Muhammad’s teachings and be part of that elite faith.
Not all Muslims (for that matter, even Jains) are same. There are so many wonderful Muslim Women Today who are loudly and proudly expressing themselves against evils of Islam on this web site. Islam is a perfect religion for man-chauvinists. For this reason, Muslim boys are a very few in number to speak out or claim to be a moderate Muslim (meaning tolerating spouse’s faith in marriage). We are proud of Salman (Amrita’s husband) and SRK. Likewise, we trust you are the same and wish you come and guide others on this web site.
What do you mean by “I might have to face consequences”? Are you concerned that on the Judgment Day how will you explain it to Allah?
You both should keep reading other’s experiences and slowly and slowly gain confidence in each other. Please keep us posted for how things go. We wish you the best. We are waiting to hear more from you and Miss Jain. – Admin.
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More information:Jain-Muslim Relationships, Jain-Muslim Marriage, Sharia, Koran Hindu girl-Muslim boy, Marriage & Divorce laws.
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I love a Muslim boy
What would I do
My parents told him to convert his religion into Jainism.
It is the last option to get married with him
Please help me out this.
I am a hindu girl from obc community . I want to marry the love of my lofe but he is from sc family . My parents are not agreeing to it . What should i do ?
Hi Smriti,
Parents may not agree to any one you find. It is possible you may not like what your parents find for you. However, it is difficult to go against your parents. We recommend you talk to them openly. Ask them for 3 most concerns they have relating to this boy. Then get into rational discussion with parents. Listen to their concerns and see how much truth to it (don’t be love blind). Be firm with parents for your wishes but be polite. It is possible they may soften down when they will realize that they cannot force you.
Are you financially stable (meaning having job)? Is the boy the same way?
My gf is gujrati and my parents are not accepting her because we are rajasthani jain. But we love each other alot
What should I do ? Should I tell her to change yout caste and belief into jains ? So dat parents will.acppt her then !!
Repl
Tell her to act like a Jain when she is in your home and promise her that you will act like a Hindu when you are at her home. When you are alone (like in your bedroom or traveling), she can pray to her Gods as far parents don’t know. Ultimately, when you are financially stable, move out of home and live on your own. Do you think this plan will work for you?
Hi every body
I am Anil kumar from Bangalore
Hindu religion i want convert to hindu from jainism
Can you explain it why? Why don’t you start feeling what ever you wish to and practicing it. Why there is a need of a formal conversion?
both are similar yar
If you are a Jain that means you are a Hindu. There is no definition and boundary in Hinduism. But if I take Brahmins as the “perfect” Hindu then I’d say that the definition of Hinduism will be to refrain from eating meat. And since as a Jain you already do it then I don’t know what else it would take to make you a Hindu. So as a Jain you can’t convert to Hinduism because by practice you are already a part of it.
If you wanna do it because you want to marry a Hindu girl then I say that almost all those Hindu who don’t mind marrying their girl outside their caste will not mind marrying their girl with a Jain. There is nothing in Jainism which can possibly offend a Hindu.
no shubham.who said that jains are hindu . jains are not hindus .jainism is different religion and all the concept in jainism are very different from hinduism . It is a misconcept .bcz at the time of british empire in india they started saying all indian religions as hindu including (buddhist and sikhs )
and on the other side there were muslims. so it started as a trend and a big misconception
hey budy! jain religion is purified from hinduism. that is really too good. I’m a hindu but i respect rules of Bhagwan Mahavir….we should proud for being a jain…
very good . use your mind / this is just common sense /person should be free to faith in any god,—
Dear all ,
If u r sevent of any one and he grant you to permanent seventship so u will be happy ? Is your goal of entire journey to become just seventh and you not want freedom.
Of course u will wish freedom to make u more happy than slavery that’s u have an opportunity to become god. Now how is the god ? If some wise man do for other due to his heart pureness we said he is Godman , But when u r thinking achieved highest level of purity and u r mind will free from all bitterness , this state itself supreme . If their is judgment day I will say I do all that one good for human and behave in humanity if still u want panish me I am ready for it.
Sir mai Jain darma me bare me kuch bi pataa nahi taa serious sirf darm hai utna pataa taa Mai engeenuring sikaraha hu meta cast schedule -cast
Hindu-naik hai magara Mai chits taa tabba se kuch nahi katata kabu to yek base kaatata non beg Mai jai darma ki ladki kaa pahichan hua pahachana hu pahachan se dosti unke saath rah me Jain darma me bareme batana shuru kiyaa starting Mai utna serious naahi ta magar bathe bathe deen Mai man me hi nirnaya liyaa Mai kabi bi non beg nahi kaavung nirnaya liyaa meta friend se Mai badala aur disti se pyaar hua.sir mine mere cast se Jain darm diskha lens chahata hu
aage mere ladki saath Shari bi karma chahata hu sir mai pyar kuyaa hu w as liye bol rahaa hu galath hai mai “paras channel”dekhna kaisa shuru kiya Jain darm me bare me muje hi pathaa nahi chalaa mai Jain darma se prabavit hu mai shadi kartaa hu to Jain dharma dishka lekhe hi mere aage kaa future mere bivi,bacchh sabbaa Jain darma kaa palan karnaa chahataa hu sir. Plz mai Jain darm me dishka Kya mai le sakataa hu mere kadki Jain darm diganber
Who Can Become a Jain?
Anybody can become a Jain. A person of any nationality, ethnicity, creed, caste, color, gender, linguistic group can adopt Jainism as a lay follower or as a Jain monk.
There is no Baptism like process for becoming a Jain. You can become a Jain on your own, by studying basic philosophy and adopting the Jain way of life. Knowledge is the base and when you acquire knowledge, it automatically changes your conduct. According to Jainism, conduct without knowledge is useless. Acquiring knowledge is a long term process. But you can declare yourself a Jain by following the basic principles of Jainism after knowing the reasons of why to follow those principles.
What you have to follow?
After knowing the basic principles of Jainism, you have to follow the five vows of Jainism. The vows are as following:
The vow of Non-violence: You should not kill or cause to kill any living beings intentionally and should not support such killings by others. As a result of non-violence, you have to adopt vegetarian or vegan life style. But you should know that the non-violence is not limited to not killing living beings, it also includes hurting the sentiments of others, and bad wishes for others.
There are few exceptions like violence in response when somebody attacks on you, your family, friends, society or nation, or the non-intentional violence in your livelihood and activities such as cultivation, business and industry etc.
The Vow of Truth: You must abstain from lying or untruthfulness. However you should know that truth is a relative thing and here lying means speaking untruthful things with wrong intentions. Further, you should avoid speaking truth which will hurt others.
The Vow of Non-stealing: You should not steal anything that belongs to others. This is not just limited to money and wealth; you should not steal the rights, concepts, intellectual property etc. of others.
The Vow of limiting sexual pleasure: Be loyal with your spouse. Do not involve in others for sexual pleasure.
The Vow of non-attachment: For living, you have to earn money. You should earn according to your necessities and desire, but never get attached to the money and wealth. Never be a money oriented person. Further, you should donate a part of your money for welfare of needy persons. Remember that attachment is root of all sins.
Remember that all these vows are code of conduct. To become a Jain, you must know that Jainism is all about knowing self. Once you start to try knowing self, you will automatically follow to start these vows. Without knowing self, following the vows is an external thing.
hello shah,
as you mentioned the 5 vowes of jainism i hardly see people folllowing it.
just because one is born as jain people have immense pride and attitude and they treat others are less in comparison to them. cheating people, hurting and playing with their lives is what these days guys(youngsters) do. all kind of bad qualities they possses and in end pride of being a jain. first ask them(jains) to properly understand the meaning and teaching of lord mahaveera and then talk everything else
Hi Ashes,
I am a Christian girl and my lover is a Jain boy. I am ready to convert into Jain. But even though they are not accepting me. I m suffering with this for the past 6 years and could not able to do anything. Could you please share with me your opinion about this and what and all you have done what whats the position now. please share with my mail id amul.kutty89@gmail.com
Reply at https://www.interfaithshaadi.org/?p=7417
Saytan makes the people to worship all dummy man made god except the true almighty “Allah” creator of all the universe(Even ur gf) . Shaytaan makes all false religion to look to be beautiful except the rightful religion islam… don’t make yourself to follow the evil path by leaving the rightful religion islam… may allah protect us all from the evil path of false religion praying other than allah the most high
theoritiCally you call others evil but actually who is evil?????
but ya i like such jokes from people like you
Here’s my story. My girlfriend is a Jain(DIGAMBER) and she has also read these posts and got so badly influenced that she is almost had a nervous breakdown. But, I am not as you guys have been stereotyping every HINDU SCHEDUL TRIBE boy here. For the sake of my love and commitment to my relationship, I want to do something that no one does. I want to convert to Jain. Our children will be given Jain names. I am a vegetarian by choice since 16years. It is even before meeting the love of my life.
So… As far as my parents are concerned. They know about me and her. They respect our relationship too. I know I will hurt them by converting into Jain. But, I am sure that they will understand. I don’t want my love to face any sort of problem. As far as my relatives are concerned, to hell with them. We are better off without the relatives from my side. Those who respect my love will be with us, those who don’t, won’t have my respect either.
Before you so called Hidu_naik centered guys start hitting me with bullshit, I am not interested in answering you. I don’t have a fight with religion, I have a fight against orthodox enemies of love. Because of the influential people who misinterpret our holy books, innocent people like us have to suffer. But, for Love, I will do the right thing. Bye Bye closed minded rigid people.
plz…..how to converting in to jainism
Dear Nagaraj,
You have not clarified certain things.
What is your birth religion? You said Holy Books, but every one has books.
What are your Jain girl friend’s concerns? Ask her to come on this post and share her own concerns in her words, why she is shy? Ask her to use any name and thus she could preserve her identity.
Are you doing something just in love or do you really believing in Jainism? You know it well that dating time love last not more than 6 months into married life. If you do not believe us, go ask 100 married people about their dating time love and they will laugh at you. For this reason, we highly recommend that if you get married, do not plan for children for next 3 years.
What do you mean by “HINDU SCHEDUL TRIBE boy here”? What is wrong being in any tribe? What do you mean by “you so called Hidu_naik centered guys”? If Muslims like Zakir-Naik, so be it. What is wrong being Hinu_naik centered? Why you so much stereotype others? No wonder why your gf is nervous about your attitude.
Instead of all these, focus on issues. You do not have to fake-convert to Jainism. Please list your core issues, ask your gf to talk of issues.
I am ankit
muslim religion u can not get peace.in jain u il get.
once follow jainism den u forget mohammed , zakir naik
india mai muslim kaise aya ?? mughal ne laya. agar vo na hothe tho muslim nhi hothi. vo log sub jhot bolke gaye. allah kabi aisa nhi karega ki ek ko poor aur dusareko rich.
U r right bro.Jainism is only religion which believes in peace
Hi readers,
I am Wazeera, a muslim girl (27 years) working, as a staff nurse, in a Private hospital of Lismore,Australiya, and in love with a Hindu (Tamil), who is also working here as Physiotherapyst. Earlier I was married to a muslim guy of Gulf country and could not pull on with him even for 2 months, due to restrictions and ill feelings against my working. I found a lot of difference between a Hindu guy and a muslim guy, in their attitude, belief and culture.
We both have decided to marry soon and I shall convert to Hinduism, as I do not like the evil teachings of islamic religion against women.
My BF has not put any condition to convert, but having realized the basic evils in the islam, I dont believe in Kuran, full of hatred and bias against females and non-muslims. Muhammad, a rapist and murderer of millions of innocent humans is treated messenger of Allah.
Reply at https://www.interfaithshaadi.org/?p=4669
Hi…
U lost the favour which allah(Creator of whole universe )done on u by making u muslim by birth… iam having pity on u that u came in evil trap of other religion evil to pray other god besides our creator. My dear sister may allah help u to guide u to the righteous path of islam … iam very proud to be a muslim who respects women…
u Australian prostitute u can’t never a Muslim go enjoy cow pee and eat pig tour destiny
Hi sisters,
What if a man you knew began telling people that God was routinely speaking to him and only him – and that the “revelations” he claimed to be receiving were mostly about him and his relative importance to all other people? Say, for example, that this self-proclaimed prophet insisted that God had declared him to be the ‘perfect example’ for mankind and that others were therefore to accord him with special privilege, unwavering obedience, wealth and earthly desires, including all of the slaves and women that his lust could handle.
Such figures still arise from time to time. Some of the more dynamic manage to develop a small group of followers so taken with their leader’s self assurance that they willingly offer their own children to him for “marriage” or even kill on his behalf if requested.
Would it really validate the message of any such cult leader if his followers did successfully kill and seize the property of anyone who dared disagree? What if they gradually expanded their power and numbers in such fashion that eventually they were enough to be recognized as a major world religion? Would that make the cult leader’s claims about himself true? Would it really change the fact that what they believe ultimately sprang from the imagination of a narcissist?
In 610, an Arab salesman with a commanding personality attracted a small cult of credulous fanatics by claiming to be a prophet. Though his “revelations” were self-referential and occasionally contradicting, he was successful in manipulating his followers with promises of heavenly reward and threat of divine wrath. The god heard only by him told them to lie and steal for him, to give their children to him for sexual pleasure and, eventually, to gruesomely murder his detractors.
There are two ways to approach a study of Muhammad. One is with reverence and the other is with skepticism. Thinking persons choose they latter. They are not influenced by the number of Muslim believers in the world today or by their force of belief because these are meaningless for determining truth. They care only about fact.
The facts presented here about the life of Muhammad and the origins of Islam are fully supported by the works of early Muslim biographers upon which all later historians rely.
Origins
To understand Islam, you must understand the harsh circumstances into which the religion was born. The Arabian Peninsula at the time of Muhammad (b.570 AD) was a barren and desolate region with scorching sun and oppressive heat by day, and chilling cold at night. There was little vegetative growth, and the nomadic inhabitants lived between jagged rocks and shifting sand dunes.
While Europe and much of the Middle East was transitioning from the Roman to the Byzantine Empire, with roads, irrigation canals, aqueducts, and a culture that included philosophical discourse and theater, the Arabians lived short and brutal lives in warring tribes with little to offer the rest of the world beyond their own harsh existence.
This partly explains Islam’s inherent hostility to music and art, which some extremists, such as the Taliban, take quite literally. Islam does not encourage the pursuit of knowledge outside of itself. It is, as Oriana Fallaci puts it, it is “the religion which has produced nothing but religion.”
The inhospitable climate protected the peninsula from conquest and cultural influence. No foreign army felt that sheep and goats were worth taking from the desert fighters, so the area was relatively isolated, with the exception of certain trading routes. The renaissance of knowledge that the rest of the world had been experiencing since the Greek revival was largely missed out on by the Arabs, whose entire energies were devoted to daily survival against the ruthless environment and other tribes.
For these people, morality was dictated merely by necessity, and obligations did not extend beyond one’s tribe. This is a critical basis for the development of the Islamic attitude toward those outside the faith, including the moral principle that the ethics of any act are determined only by whether or not it benefits Muslims.
There were pagan religious traditions in Arabia, particularly among those based in the trading centers such as Muhammad’s birthplace of Mecca. Some of these towns had Kaabas – cube-like structures that would attract pilgrims during holy months. The Kaaba at Mecca housed various idols, including the black meteorite that remains to this day.
In addition to the black rock, Muhammad’s Quraish tribe worshipped a moon god called Allah. Other gods were recognized as well. In fact, the town of Mecca was renowned for religious tolerance, where people of all faiths could come and pray at the Kaaba. (This would later change once Muhammad gained the power to establish his authority by force).
Islam was created both from these crude pagan practices and from the basic theological elements of Christianity and Judaism as Muhammad [often erroneously] understood them (his inaccurate interpretation of Christianity, for example, is often attributed to an early experience with fringe cults in the Palestinian region, then known as Syria).
Early Life at Mecca
Muhammad was born around 570 AD to a widowed mother who died just six years later. He grew up poor and orphaned on the margins of society, which was controlled by tribal chiefs and trading merchants. He worked for his uncle, Abu Talib, as a camel herder. Although his uncle had some standing in the community, Muhammad himself did not rise above his lowly station until he was 25, when he met and married a wealthy widow, Khadija, who was 15 years older.
His wife’s trading business not only nurtured Muhammad’s natural talents of persuasion, but it also gave the successful salesman an opportunity to travel and acquire knowledge that was not as accessible to the local population. He would later use this to his advantage by incorporating the stories that he had come across into his “revelations” from Allah, particularly the tales from the earlier religions, Judaism and Christianity.
Having attained a comfortable lifestyle and the idle time that wealth affords, Muhammad would wander off occasionally for periods of meditation and contemplation. It is quite likely that he was experiencing the symptoms of a midlife crisis, including a desire for personal accomplishment and meaning.
One day, at the age of 40, he told his wife that he had been visited by the angel Gabriel in a dream. Thus began a series of “revelations” which lasted almost until his death 23 years later. The Qur’an is a collection of words that Muhammad attributed to Allah. The Hadith is a collection of narrations of the life and deeds of Muhammad. The Sira is his recorded biography. The Sunnah is said to be Muhammad’s way of life, on which Islamic law (Sharia) is based.
With his wife’s influence and support, Muhammad proclaimed himself a prophet in same “lineage” as that of Abraham and Jesus, and began trying to convert those around him to his new religion. He narrated the Quran to those who believed him, telling them that it was the word of Allah (heard only by himself, of course).
Muhammad’s Quran did not contain a single original moral value and it contributed only one new idea to world religion – that Muhammad is Allah’s prophet. In fact, Muhammad’s “Allah” seemed oddly preoccupied with making sure Muslims knew to obey Muhammad’s every earthly wish, as this mandate is repeated at least twenty times in the narration of the Quran.
In the beginning, Muhammad did his best to compromise his teachings with the predominant beliefs of the community’s elders, such as combining all 300 of their idols under the name “Allah.” His amalgamation of Judeo-Christian theology and pagan tradition grew more sophisticated over time. He also used his “revelations from Allah” to repeatedly affirm his own position. Even if he did not remember the Biblical stories correctly, for example, each one was conspicuously modified to incorporate a common theme: “Believe in the Messenger (Muhammad) or suffer the consequences.”
Preaching and Persecution at Mecca
According to early Muslim historians, the Meccans did not mind Muhammad practicing his religion, nor did they feel threatened by his promotion of it. This changed only after the self-proclaimed prophet began attacking their religion, including the customs and ancestors of the people (Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 167). This was enough to stir up the resentment of the influential leaders of Mecca, who then mocked his humble background against his pretentious claims. (See also MYTH: Muhammad was Persecuted for Preaching Islam)
Still, Mecca at the time was a remarkably tolerant society. Muhammad was allowed to attack the local customs for thirteen years, even though the town’s economy depended on the annual pilgrimage attended by visiting pagans, whose religion he actively disparaged.
At first, Muhammad was only successful with friends and family. After thirteen years, “the street preacher” could boast of only about a hundred determined followers, who called themselves Muslims. Outside of his wife, his first convert was his young cousin Ali (who would later become his son-in-law and the fourth caliph of Islam). Another early convert was Abu Bakr, a wealthy merchant whose money and credulous acceptance of Muhammad can be credited with the survival of the fledgling cult. (Muhammad would later “marry” Abu Bakr’s 9-year-old daughter).
Relations with the Meccans turned particularly sour after an episode known as “the Satanic Verses” in which Muhammad agreed to recognize the local gods in addition to Allah. This delighted the Meccans, who generously extended their welcome. But Muhammad soon changed his mind after his own people began to lose faith in him. He claimed that Satan had spoken through him, and he rescinded recognition of the Meccan gods (Tabari 1192, Quran 22:52 & 53:19-26).
The locals intensified their mockery of Muslims and made life particularly difficult for some of them. Although Muslims today often use the word “persecution” to describe this ordeal (justifiably, in some cases), it is important to note that the earliest and most reliable biographers (Ibn Ishaq and al-Tabari) record the death of only one Muslim during this period, an older woman who died from stress.
This fact is a source of embarrassment to modern apologists, who do not like admitting that Muslims were the first to become violent at Mecca (see MYTH: The Meccans Drew First Blood against Muhammad) and that Muhammad was the first to resort to militancy… and at a later time, when it was entirely unnecessary.
To deal with this unpleasant truth, sympathetic narratives of the early Meccan years usually exaggerate the struggle of the Muslims with claims that they were “under constant torture.” They may also include apocryphal accounts that are unsupported by earliest and most reliable historians (see MYTH: Persecution of Muslims at Mecca – Many Deaths).
Modern storytellers and filmmakers (such as those behind 1976’s The Message) have even been known to invent fictional victims of Meccan murder, either to dramatize their own tale or to provide justification for the “revenge killings” that followed. But, in fact, the only Muslim whose life was truly in danger was that of Muhammad – after 13 years of being allowed to mock the local religion. (See also MYTH: Muhammad was Tortured at Mecca).
The Hijra – Flight from Mecca to Medina
The death of his uncle, Abu Talib, in 619 left Muhammad without a protector against the Meccan leadership, which was gradually losing patience with him. The true agitator in this situation, however, is quite clearly Muhammad himself, as even Muslim historians note. Consider this account of what happened at Abu Talib’s deathbed, as the Meccans implored him a final time for peace with his nephew:
[Muhammad’s chief adversary] Abu Sufyan, with other sundry notables, went to Abu Talib and said: “You know the trouble that exists between us and your nephew, so call him and let us make an agreement that he will leave us alone and we will leave him alone; let him have his religion and we will have ours.” (Ibn Ishaq 278)
Muhammad rejected the offer of peaceful co-existence. His new religion was obviously intended to dominate the others, not be on equal standing with them. Meanwhile, the Muslims were beginning to become violent with the people around them.
Muhammad’s search for political alliance led him to make a treaty of war against the Meccans with the people of Medina, another Arab town far to the north (Ibn Ishaq 299-301). This was the last straw for the Meccans, who finally decided to capture Muhammad and put him to death. (see also MYTH: Muhammad and his Muslims Fled Mecca because of Persecution)
Although this sounds harsh against Western standards, it is important to note the contrast between the Meccan reaction and that of Muhammad when he had the opportunity to deal with perceived treachery in Medina at a later date on the part of those who hadn’t even harmed anyone.
The Meccans limited their deadly aggression to Muhammad himself. This is quite clear from the episode in which Muhammad escapes his home by using his son-in-law, Ali, to trick his would-be assassins into thinking that they had him trapped (Ibn Ishaq 326). No harm was done to Ali or his wife, both of whom subsequently remained in the city for several days to complete the transfer of Muhammad’s family business to Medina.
Compare this to the episode of the Banu Qurayza (below), in which Muhammad slaughtered an entire tribe of people based on their leader having switched loyalties in a conflict in which none of them even participated.
The year that Muhammad fled Mecca for Medina was 622, which marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.
Medina and the Origin of Jihad
Stinging from the rejection of his own town and tribe, Muhammad’s message quickly become more intolerant and ruthless – particularly as he gained power. Islam’s holiest book clearly reflects this contrast, with the later parts of the Quran adding violence and earthly defeats at the hands of Muslims to the woes of eternal damnation that the earlier parts of the book promises those who will not believe in Muhammad.
It was at Medina that Islam evolved from a relatively peaceful religion borrowed from others and into a military force that was intended to govern all aspects of society. During these last ten years of Muhammad’s life, infidels were evicted or enslaved, converted upon point of death and even rounded up and slaughtered depending on expediency.
To fund his quest for control, Muhammad first directed his followers to raid Meccan caravans in the holy months, when the victims would least expect it. This was despite the fact that the Meccans were not bothering him in Medina (see MYTH: Muhammad and his Muslims were Persecuted by the Meccans at Medina).
Muhammad provided his people with convenient revelations “from Allah” which allowed them to murder innocent drivers and steal their property (Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 426). The people around him gradually developed a lust for things that could be taken in battle, including material comforts and captured women and children. (See also MYTH: Muhammad Raided Caravans to Retrieve Stolen Property).
Often the people captured in battle would be brought before the self-proclaimed prophet, where they would plead for their lives, arguing, for example, that they would never have treated the Muslims that way. The traditions are quite clear in portraying Muhammad as largely unmoved by their pleas, and ordering their deaths anyway, often by horrible means. In one case, he orders a man slain, telling him that “Hell” will take care of the poor fellow’s orphaned daughter (Ishaq 459). (See also MYTH: Muhammad Never Killed Captives)
The raids on caravans preceded the first major battle involving a Muslim army, the Battle of Badr. This was the spot where the Meccans had sent their own army to protect their caravans from Muslim raiders. Although, Muslims today like to claim that they only attack others in self-defense, this was clearly not the case in Muhammad’s time. In fact, he had to compel his reluctant warriors with promises of paradise and assurances that their religion was more important than the lives of others. (See also MYTH: The Battle of Badr was Defensive).
The Consolidation of Power
Muhammad defeated the Meccan army at Badr, which emboldened him to begin dividing and conquering the three local Jewish tribes at Medina. Their mistake was to accept the Muslim presence, but reject Muhammad’s claim that he was in the line of Jewish prophets. His stories from the Torah simply did not agree with their own. (Muhammad’s recited version of Bible stories sounds more like fragmented fairy tales with the same moral – believe in his personal claim to be a prophet or else).
How these three tribes, the Banu Qaynuqa, the Banu Nadir, and the Banu Quyrayza met their fate is insightful into the Muslim mindset, which employs an inherent double standard in its relations with those outside the faith.
First, to try and gain their favor, Muhammad briefly preached that Christians and Jews could attain salvation through their own faith. In fact, he changed his followers’ direction for prayer from Mecca to Jerusalem, which prompted the Jews’ tolerance of him while he worked surreptitiously for the power to evict them. These earlier concessions and teachings were later revoked by Muhammad, since the Jews ultimately refused his religion. The rare early verses of tolerance in the Quran are abrogated by later verses such as 9:29.
The Jews’ knowledge of the Torah naturally threatened the Muslim leader’s credibility, since it easily refuted the claims that he made about himself as a prophet of God. They also saw through the Biblical narrations that he had picked up from secondhand sources and knew that these contradicted established revelation. Conveniently, Allah stepped in to tell Muhammad that the Jews had deliberately corrupted their own texts to hide the very evidence of his own prophethood that he had previously insisted existed. (To this day, Muslims have never been able to produce a copy of the “true” Torah or Gospel to which their own Quran refers).
While the Jews remained unconvinced by such obvious gimmickry, Arab polytheists converted to Islam in large numbers, which soon gave Muhammad the power to make his intentions clear that Islam would be imposed by force:
While we were in the Mosque, the Prophet came out and said, “Let us go to the Jews” We went out till we reached Bait-ul-Midras. He said to them, “If you embrace Islam, you will be safe. You should know that the earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle, and I want to expel you from this land. So, if anyone amongst you owns some property, he is permitted to sell it, otherwise you should know that the Earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle.” Bukhari 53:392
The Jews of Mecca were the first in a very long line of unfortunate people to be offered the opportunity to convert to Islam under obvious duress. Forcible conversion is very much a Muslim tradition started by Muhammad (see MYTH: Muhammad Rejected Conversions to Islam made under Duress)
Since they chose to hold on to their religion (and their property) Muhammad looked for reasons to go to war against the Jews at Medina. According to some Muslims, the first tribe, the Qaynuqa, were driven from their homes and land on the pretext that one of their own had harassed a Muslim woman. Although the offender was killed prior to this by a Muslim, the Muslim was also killed by Jews in retaliation for the first murder.
After laying siege to the entire community and defeating the tribe, Muhammad wanted to put every male member to death, but was talked out of it by an associate – something that Allah later “rebuked” him for. The Qaynuqa were forced into exile and the Muslims took their possessions and property, making it their own. Muhammad personally reserved a fifth of the ill-gotten gain for himself (a rule that he was sure to include in the Quran).
This episode helped ingrain within Islam the immature principle of group identity, whereby any member of a religion or social unit outside of Islam is just as guilty as any of their peers who insult or harm a Muslim – and just as deserving of punishment. (Muhammad’s punishments usually did not fit the crime).
Members of the second tribe, the Banu Nadir, were accused by Muhammad of plotting to kill him. What is most intriguing about this episode is that it occurred after the Muslims had killed several prominent Jews on Muhammad’s order, including a leader of the Banu Nadir (named Ka’b al-Ashraf). (See also MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved of Murder)
When the prophet of Islam learned that he might be targeted in retaliation (something that he claimed was “revealed” to him by Allah), he promptly laid siege to the Banu Nadir community. After forcing them to surrender, these original inhabitants of Medina were then banished from their homes and land by the Muslim newcomers, who again started to take as much as they could for themselves (Ibn Ishaq 653). (To the disappointment of his people, this time Muhammad produced a revelation from Allah that allowed him to confiscate the entire portion for himself).
In a critical example of how deception is sanctioned under Islam, a surviving contingent of the Banu Nadir (under Usayr ibn Zarim) was later tricked into leaving their fortress by promise of peace talks. The contingent of Muslims sent by Muhammad to “escort” them, however, easily slaughtered the victims once they let down their guard (Ibn Ishaq 981). (See also MYTH: Muhammad always Disapproved of Dishonesty).
The Qurayza Massacre
By the time the Banu Qurayza met their fate, Muhammad was wealthy and powerful from his defeat of the other two tribes.
The Jews of the Banu Qurayza tasted Muhammad’s wrath after their leader half-heartedly sided with the Meccan army during a siege of Medina (the Battle of the Trench). By then, Muhammad had evicted the other Jews and declared that all land at Medina belonged to him, so the original constitution of the town was no longer in effect. It is important to note that the Qurayza did not attack the Muslims, even after switching loyalties (contrary to another popular myth).
Although the Qurayza surrendered peacefully to the Muslims, Muhammad determined to have every man of the tribe executed, along with every boy that had reached the initial stages of puberty (between the ages of 12 and 14). He ordered a ditch dug outside of the town and had the victims brought to him in several groups. Each person would be forced to kneel, and their head would be cut off and then dumped along with the body into the trench.
Between 700 and 900 men and boys were slaughtered by the Muslims after their surrender.
The surviving children of the men became slaves of the Muslims, and their widows became sex slaves. This included the Jewish girl, Rayhana, who became one of Muhammad’s personal concubines the very night that her husband was killed. The prophet of Islam apparently “enjoyed her pleasures” (ie. raped her) even as the very execution of her people was taking place.
In some ways, women were much like any other possession taken in battle, to be done with however their captors pleased. But Muslims found them useful in other ways as well. In fact, one of the methods by which Islam owed its expansion down through the centuries was through the reproductive capabilities of captured women. In addition to four wives, a man was allowed an unlimited number of sex slaves, with the only rule being that any resulting children would automatically be Muslim.
Muhammad ordered that a fifth of the women taken captive be reserved for him. Many were absorbed into his personal stable of sex slaves that he maintained in addition to his eleven wives. Others were doled out like party favors to others. (See MYTH: Muhammad was an Abolitionist)
At one point following a battle, Muhammad provided instructions on how women should be raped after capture, telling his men not to worry about coitus interruptus, since “Allah has written whom he is going to create.” (See also MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved of Rape)
Following the battle against the Hunain, late in his life, Muhammad’s men were reluctant to rape the captured women in front of their husbands (who were apparently still alive to witness the abomination), but Allah came to the rescue with a handy “revelation” that allowed the debauchery. (This is the origin of Sura 4:24 according to Abu Dawud 2150).
The Origin of Islamic Imperialism
From Medina, Muhammad waged a campaign of terror, to which he openly attributed his success (Bukhari 52:220). His gang of robbers launched raids in which hapless communities were savaged, looted, murdered and raped. The tribes around the Muslims began to convert to Islam out of self-preservation.
The excuse for military campaign began to shrink to the point that it hardly existed at all. Muhammad told his followers that Muslims were meant to rule over other people. Supremacist teachings became the driving force behind Jihad (see also MYTH: Muhammad Waged War Only in Self-Defense) and Jihad became the driving force behind Islam.
The brutal conquest of the people of Khaybar, a peaceful farming community that was not at war with the Muslims, is a striking example. Muhammad marched in secret, took them by surprise and easily defeated them. He had many of the men killed, simply for defending their town. He enslaved women and children and had surviving men live on the land as virtual serfs, paying Muslims an ongoing share of their crops not to attack them again.
Muhammad suspected that the town’s treasurer was holding out and had his men barbarically torture the poor fellow by building a fire on his chest until he revealed the location of hidden treasure. (See also MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved Torture).
Afterwards, the prophet of Islam beheaded the man and “married” his widow on the same day (she first had to pass through the hands of one of his lieutenants). Given that the woman’s father was also killed by Muhammad, it isn’t much of a stretch to say that true love had very little to do with this “marriage.”
A Life of Hedonism and Narcissism
Muhammad’s personal life became the picture of hedonism and excess, all justified by frequent “revelations” from an increasingly arbitrary and capricious god In his later years, he frequently used his influence for purely personal goals, including sex, wealth and power. Allah’s authority for him to pursue these earthly ambitions is even immortalized in the Quran (suras 33 and 66, particularly).
The same man who earlier in his career had justified his claims as a prophet by saying that he “asked for no reward” from others, reversed course and began to demand a fifth or more of all booty taken from conquered tribes. According to his biographers, he became fat from living off this enormous share of ill-gotten gain. (See also MYTH: Muhammad was a Brave Warrior who Trusted in Allah to Protect him)
In the span of a dozen years, he married eleven women and had access to an array of sex slaves (see MYTH: Muhammad Married Multiple Women as a Favor to them). When he wanted a woman, even if she were the wife of another man, his own daughter-in-law, or a child as young as 6-years-old (see MYTH: Muhammad Condemned Pedophilia), Muhammad was able to justify his lust and inevitable consummation with an appeal to Allah’s revealed will for his sex life – which was then preserved forever in the Quran, to be faithfully memorized by future generations for whom it has no possible relevance.
The first verse of Sura 66 is a good example of this. It was narrated by Muhammad to his wives shortly after two of them pressured him into not visiting a favorite sex slave:
O Prophet! why do you forbid (yourself) that which Allah has made lawful for you, seeking to please your wives? (Quran 66:1)
Allah (according to Muhammad) was so upset with his prophet for denying himself an afternoon of pleasure with the concubine that Allah had provided for him that it was a good thing for Muhammad that Allah was a forgiving and merciful god! (For the Muslim faithful, it must surely be a source of embarrassment that Allah evidently had more interest in Muhammad’s personal sex life than he did about tolerance or universal love. The god of Islam encourages sex with slaves in several other places as well).
Muhammad used eternal paradise and damnation to solicit strict obedience to his every command: “Allah’s Apostle said, ‘Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me will not enter it’” (Bukhari 92.384).
Islam became centered completely around its founder. Of all the prophets, new converts are required to affirm only the legitimacy of Muhammad. The Muslim leader even shares the Shahada with Allah (“There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger”). To this day, every Muslim must bow down five times a day “toward” Muhammad’s birthplace (Islam’s “prophet” did not know the earth was round).
The prophet of Islam was also an extremely superstitious person, leaving many bizarre rules for Muslims to follow, including which direction they should defecate and how many stones they should wash their anus with afterwards (any odd number… for anyone who’s curious). (See also MYTH: Muhammad did Away with Superstition). Sketchy hygiene apparently left him with an annoying lice infection.
Not content with waiting for Allah to act on his behalf, Muhammad had personal critics executed, including poets. One of these was a mother of five children, who was stabbed to death by Muhammad’s envoy after a suckling infant was removed from her breast (see MYTH: Muhammad Never Killed Women). Other innocent people were killed merely because they were of a different religion, sometimes including children (see MYTH: Muhammad Never Killed Children).
The glaring double standards of Islam were ingrained by the prophet of Islam during his lifetime. This included commands to execute apostates (those who wish to leave Islam) and evict people of other religions from their homes.
An elderly woman named Umm Qirfa once ran afoul of Muhammad merely by fighting back when her tribe was targeted by Muslim raiders. Muhammad’s adopted son tied the woman’s legs separately to two camels, then set the camels off in opposite directions, tearing the woman’s body in two. He also killed her two sons – presumably in gruesome fashion – and made her daughter into a sex slave. (See also MYTH: Muhammad Never Killed the Elderly).
Today’s Muslims inherit this legacy of self-consumption and disregard for those outside the faith. They may or may not agree with terrorist attacks on non-Muslims, but they are nearly united in their belief that the victims have no right to strike back, even if it is in self-defense.
The Quran distinguishes Muslims from others, bestowing the highest praise for believers while heaping the vilest condemnation on those outside the faith. Islam is a true supremacist ideology. (See also Is the Quran Hate Speech?)
The Taking of Mecca
Though many of the Arab and Jewish tribes were eliminated and absorbed through military victory and forced conversion, the city of Mecca remained.
In 628, six years after fleeing, Muhammad’s followers were allowed to re-enter the city under an agreement whereby he set aside his title as “Prophet of Allah.” This was a temporary ploy that enabled him to gain a political foothold in the city through the same “fifth column” activities that are still used today by organizations such as the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), which use their host’s language of religious tolerance to disguise an ulterior agenda that includes systematic discrimination against non-Muslims.
Many of his followers were disappointed that Muhammad had made concessions to the Meccans, not understanding how it actually fit perfectly with his ultimate agenda of domination. It was during this time that he led the campaign against the Khaybar, to assuage their lust for blood, women and loot.
Technically, Muhammad was the first to break the treaty with the Meccans when he violated the portion of it that restricted him from accepting members of the other tribe into his camp. His own people also staged deadly raids on Meccan caravans (see MYTH: The Meccans were the First to Break the Treaty of Hudaibiya). Although he evidently had no personal obligation to the treaty, the prophet of Islam held the other party to the letter of the law, particularly after he amassed the power to conquer in overwhelming fashion.
The excuse that Muhammad eventually used to march his armies into Mecca was provided when a tribe allied to the Meccans conducted a raid on a tribe allied with the Medinans. Although a true man of peace would have heeded the fact that his enemy did not want war, and used non-violent means to resolve the tension while respecting sovereignty, Muhammad merely wanted power and vengeance. (See also MYTH: Muhammad always Chose Peace over War).
In just under a decade, Muhammad had evolved from trying to sell himself as a Judeo-Christian prophet, seeking followers, to an Arab warlord, seeking subjects, slaves and total dominance. The early Quran (of Mecca) tells unbelievers to ‘follow the example’ of Muhammad or suffer Hell. The later Quran (of Medina) tells unbelievers to ‘obey’ Muhammad or suffer death.
Following Mecca’s surrender, Muhammad put to death those who had previously insulted him (see also MYTH: Muhammad was a Forgiving Man). One of the persons sentenced was his former scribe, who had written revelations that Muhammad said were from Allah. The scribe had previously recommended changes to the wording that Muhammad offered (based on some of the bad grammar and ineloquent language of “Allah”) and Muhammad agreed. This caused the scribe to apostatize, based on his belief that real revelations should have been immutable.
Although the scribe escaped death by “converting to Islam” at the point of a sword, others weren’t so lucky. One was a slave girl who was executed on Muhammad’s order because she had written songs mocking him.
In what would also become the model for future Muslim military conquests, those Meccans who would not convert to Islam were required to accept third-class status. Not surprisingly, almost the entire city – which had previously rejected his message – immediately “converted” to Islam once Muhammad came back with a sword in this hand. This included has adversary, Abu Sufyan, who was bluntly ordered to “Submit and testify that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the apostle of Allah before you lose your head.”
Those who would not convert to Islam were banned from the city a few months later – again underscoring the dual ethics of Islam. When Muhammad was previously banned from Mecca, he described it as a “persecution” that justified his “slaughter” of those who prevented him from performing the Haj. Yet, when he attained power, he immediately chased anyone who would not convert to Islam from Mecca and prevented them from performing the Haj.
To this day, people of other religions are barred even from entering Mecca, the city where Muhammad was free to preach in contradiction to the established religion. Islam is far less tolerant even than the more primitive Arab religion that it supplanted. A person preaching the original Arab polytheism on the streets of Mecca today would be quickly executed.
Jihad and Jizya
Tellingly, some of the most violent verses in the Quran were handed down following Muhammad’s ascension to power, when there was no threat to the Muslim people. The 9th Sura of the Quran exhorts Muslims to Jihad and dominance over other religions:
“Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.” (9:29)
The verse that follows curses Christians and Jews by name and says “May Allah destroy them” (as with other sections of the Quran, it is unclear whether it is Allah or Muhammad speaking).
Before his death, Muhammad ordered 30,000 men to march on Christian lands (which were Byzantine at the time). It is possible that he believed false rumors of an army amassed against him, but there is absolutely no evidence of such a force having been assembled. Instead, Muhammad subjugated the local people and extorted “protection” money from them – something that has come to be known as the jizya (a tax that non-Muslims pay to Muslims).
Another episode from this period that offers insight into the legacy of Muhammad is the forced conversion of the al-Harith, one of the last Arab tribes to hold out against Muslim hegemony. Muhammad gave the chief of the tribe three days to accept Islam before sending his army to destroy them.
Not surprisingly, the entire people immediately embraced the Religion of Peace!
Most Arab tribes recognized Muhammad’s quest for power and wisely pledged their political allegiance without a fight. This quickly presented a problem for his core band of followers, however, since they had become used to living off of what could be stolen from others via raids and battle.
Since it was against the rules to attack fellow Muslims, Muhammad began demanding tribute from his new “converts” instead, but this proved to be less profitable than the jizya – not to mention that it carried the risk of internal resentment and strife.
Khaybar, the remote Jewish city that had been turned into a sharecropper state on behalf of its Muslim masters was a more preferable economic model for a growing Islamic empire that had become dependent on extortion justified by religious superiority.
Years before attacking Christian and Persian lands, Muhammad wrote to governors in each, telling them, “embrace Islam and you will be safe.” There was no mention of oppression or liberation cited as a justification. The only threat these people faced would be from Muslim armies. (Only six years later, 4,000 peasants in the modern-day Palestinian region would be slaughtered for defending their homes).
At the time, the wealth of other nations was an open source of envy among Muhammad’s followers, which he promised to rectify. The subsequent military expansion that he set in motion may have been sanctioned by Allah and powered by religious zealotry, but the underlying motives of money, sex, slaves and power were no less worldly than any other conqueror of the time.
The Legacy of Islamic Imperialism
Muhammad died of a fever in 632 at the age of 63, with his violent religion spread over most of Arabia. His method of forcing others to convert under duress had several negative consequences, beginning with the civil wars that were immediately engaged in following his death. Many tribes wanted out of Islam and had to be kept in the empire via horrific violence.
Abu Sufyan, the Meccan leader who was literally forced to “embrace” Islam at the point of a sword actually had the last laugh. He skillfully worked his own family into the line of succession and his son, Muawiya, became the heir to Muhammad’s empire at the expense of the prophet’s own family. In fact, Abu Sufyan almost lived to witness his son and grandson kill off Muhammad’s own grandchildren and assume control of the Islamic empire.
Muhammad’s failure to leave a clear successor resulted in a deep schism that quickly devolved into violence and persists to this day as the Sunni/Shia conflict. His own family fell apart and literally went to war with each other in the first few years. Thousands of Muslims were killed fighting each other in a battle between Muhammad’s favorite wife, Aisha, and his adopted son, Ali.
Infidels fared no better. Through Muhammad’s teachings and example, his followers viewed worldly life as a constant physical battle between the House of Peace (Dar al-Salaam) and the House of War (Dar al-Harb). Muslims are instructed to invite their enemies to either embrace Islam, pay jizya (protection money), or die.
Over the next fourteen centuries, the bloody legacy of this extraordinary individual would be a constant challenge to those living on the borders of the Islam’s political power. The violence that Muslim armies would visit on people across North Africa, the Middle East, Europe and into Asia as far as the Indian subcontinent is a tribute to a founder who practiced and promoted subjugation, rape, murder and forced conversion.
In Muhammad’s words: “I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.’ And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we will not interfere with them…” (Bukhari 8:387)
It is certainly the basis not just for modern day terror campaigns against Western infidels (and Hindus and Buddhists) but also the broad apathy that Muslims across the world have to the violence, which is an obvious enabler.
As Indonesian cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir recently put it, “If the West wants to have peace, then they have to accept Islamic rule.”
Good day
no one is going to read such a long comment
— have not read
Mut’a (Temporary Marriage) – Allowed or Prohibited in Islam?
Q. WHAT IS MEANT BY “MUT`AH NIKAH”? WHAT IS IT’S HISTORY AND PLACE IN MODERN ISLAM?
A: “Mut’ah” refers to temporary marriage.
There is evidence in the books of the history and the cultural traditions of the Arabs that in certain situations, a temporary marital relationship between a man and a woman was considered to be acceptable among pre-Islamic Arabs. There are certain narratives (hadith) that imply that for sometime, even the Prophet (pbuh) did not prohibit such a relationship. On the other hand, certain other narratives are held as evidence to the fact that the Prophet (pbuh) did not prohibit such a relationship at all, it was prohibited, later on – after the death of the Prophet – by the second caliph, `Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra).
The Qur’an does not support this view. According to the very initial Surahs (chapters) of the Qur’an, like Surah Al-Mominun and Surah Al-Ma`arij the Qur’an specifically disallows all sexual relationships, besides that which are based on Nikah or that which were between a master and his slave girl. The Qur’an says:
And those who guard their chastity, except with their wives and their slave girls – for they are not to be blamed. But those who trespass beyond this are the ones who are transgressors. (70: 29 – 31)
It must be remembered here that a Mut’ah relationship makes a woman neither a wife nor a slave girl of a person, whereas the Qur’an specifically restricts sexual relationships of a person with these two. It should be noticed that the particular word used by the Qur’an in the referred verse translated as “wives” is “azwaj” plural of “zaujah”. In the classical Arabic language, a woman with whom a person had entered into a contract of Mut`ah was called the “Mamtu’ah” of the person, she was not referred to as the “zaujah” (wife) of the person. The verse, therefore is a clear evidence to the fact that no other relationship besides the one based on Nikah was allowed by Islam.
Reader’s Response: You specified an aya as a proof that “the Quran does not support this view”, however, you did not mention the Quranic aya which was the basis of permitting the Temporary Marriage or Mut’a Marriage (aya 24 in Surat al Nisaa.) The said aya talks about marriage and the ayas before it and after it are talking about marriage as well (e.g. who can not be married, ..etc.). I refer you to any popular Arabic multi volume tafseer book, which will tell you that this aya is the basis for Mutaa marriage.
Please also note that Surat al-Nisaa is Madaniyya and both suras which you sited (Surah Al-Mominun and Surah Al-Ma`arij) are both Makkiyya. Earlier aya can not abrogate/invalidate a later aya or instruction! You can read detailed analysis about Temporary Marriage (Chapter 6) at: http://al-islam.org/encyclopedia/
Member of Ahlul Bayte DILP (Digital Islamic Library Project)
Answer: In response to the previous article, the reader has also given an argument from the Qur’an. In the following paragraphs, I will try to briefly give my point of view on the objections raised by my respected brother.
As far as whether or not Mut’ah was prevalent in the pre-Islamic Arabs is concerned, it does not have much significance in my view. The basic point that I have tried to make is that it was never a part of the social setup accepted, introduced or promoted by Islam.
Before going into details with my reply to these responses, I would like to clarify here that any historical tradition, narrative ascribed to or pertaining to the life of the Prophet (Hadith) or the companions of the Prophet (A’tha’r) that, in any way, imply that Mut’ah was considered to be a legitimate relationship between a man and a woman cannot be accepted as truly depicting the facts, if the Qur’an disallows such a relationship. The fact that such historical traditions, hadith or a’tha’r are referred to in Sunni books has absolutely no bearing on my point of view. If such traditions, hadith and a’tha’r are in contradiction with the Qur’an, as I hold and have tried to explain in my original reply, they are then just not acceptable to me, and I am sure, neither would they be acceptable to any other Muslim.
I therefore suggest that we should restrict our discussion, at least to begin with, to the understanding of the Qur’an. If the Qur’an is ultimately found to support my point of view, we should then have absolutely no reservations in out rightly rejecting the contradicting historical traditions, hadith and a’tha’r. While, if the Qur’an itself is found to support the point of view given by the reader’s response, we should then consider these traditions, hadith and a’tha’r more positively.
In the light of the above explanation, I would like to thoroughly consider here the primary argument, which is based on the Qur’an, given by the referred article.
The author of the article has based his argument on the 24th verse of Surah Al-Nisa’. The verse reads as follows:
The translation of the verse, according to the author is as under:
… the rest are lawful unto you to seek them with gifts from your property (i.e., dowry), provided that you desire protection (from sin), not fornication. So for whatever you have had of pleasure (Istamta’tum) with them by the contract, give unto them their appointed wages as a duty. And there is no sin for you in what you both agree (in extending the contract) after fulfilling the (first) duty.
The author has then explained his point of view regarding this verse in the following words:
In the above verse, the Arabic equivalent of the word “marriage” or any of its derivatives has NOT been used. Rather the derivative of word “Mut’a” (pleasure/temporary marriage) has been used, i.e., “Istamta’tum”. The word Istamta’a is the tenth verbal form of the root m-t-a. As we will show shortly, the word Istamta’a has also been widely used in the authentic Sunni collections for Temporary Marriage. Of course, Mut’a is one type of marriage, but some of it’s regulations are different than the permanent marriage, including the fact that the couple can extend this contract by mutual agreement as the end of verse specifies.
It is quite clear from the above argument that the author has based his point of view on the word “istamta`tum”. According to the author, because this word is derived from the root m-t-`a, which is also the root for “Mut`ah” it therefore implies that the Qur’an is talking about “Mut’ah” here.
Before I give my comments on the above argument, I would like to clarify to my readers that the italicized parts of the translation do not exist in the Arabic text of the Qur’an. There are no words in the Arabic text which can be translated as “by the contract”. Neither do I see any reason to make the parenthetical addition “in extending the contract”.
Now, let us see what exactly the word “istamta’a” means. According to Aqrab al-Mawarid, “istamta`a be kaza” has the same meanings as “Tamatta`a be kaza” and “Imtata`a be kaza” which has been described as: “To take advantage/pleasure from something for a long time”. According to the Arabic-English dictionary, “Al-Mawrid”, “Istamta`a be” means: “to enjoy; to savor; relish; get pleasure from; to take pleasure or satisfaction or delight in; to have for one’s use or benefit; have the use or benefit of”.
It should be quite clear from the above that the word “istamta’a” is not used in the Arabic language in the sense that has been implied by the author of the referred article.
The referred part of the verse should thus be translated as:
… other women are lawful for you, provided you seek them with your wealth (i.e., dowry), …. So for the enjoyment/pleasure you have already had from them give them their dowry, as a duty. And there is no sin for you in what you mutually agree upon (regarding the dowry) after fulfilling the duty.
The verse, as should be clear from the above translation has nothing to do with “Mut’ah”. The underlined part (which includes the word “istamta’tum”) is only to stress that even though you have had the conjugal pleasures from your marriage and even though you have consummated your marriage, you must fix and pay them their dowries, considering it a duty upon yourself. Thus, this part of the verse is to correct the attitudes of the Arabs towards dowry, who used to take it very lightly and would not give it much importance.
The remaining part of the verse, i.e. “And there is no sin for you in what you mutually agree upon after fulfilling the duty” is again with reference to the dowry, (as should be clear from the parenthetical addition). It says that it is the duty of the man to give the dowry to the woman but if they both mutually agree upon to waive any part of the dowry, there shall be no blame on either of them. This, in a way is the same directive as has been given in Al-Nisa’ 4: 4. The Qur’an says:
Give the women their dowry as a gift; but if they choose to make over to you a part of it, you may regard it as lawfully yours. (4:04)
I am sure that from the above explanation, my respected brothers will be able to see very clearly that in my opinion their interpretation of the referred verse is in no way correct or acceptable. The verse is quite clear in its meaning and should be interpreted in the light of the normal usage of its words in the Arabic language.
In case my respected friends would like to carry on this discussion and would like to convince me of their point of view, I would like to suggest that to make our discussion meaningful and precise, they should concentrate on providing linguistic evidences (that is evidence from Arabic literature) to prove the following points:
The word “zauj” (singular of “azwaj”) is used for women with whom a person has a contract of “Mut’ah”, or that a woman with whom a person has a contract of “Mut’ah” was termed a slave girl. Providing this evidence is necessary because according to the Qur’an sexual relationship, for a man, is only allowed with “azwaj” or with slave girls.
The word “Istamta`a be” is used for “Mut’ah”.
If “Mut’ah” is to be accepted as a part of the social setup of Islam, then evidences to substantiate the above two points must be provided. Once these evidences have been provided, we shall then look for the detailed guidance given in the Shari’ah (Qur’an and Sunnah) in this respect. This again would be necessary. For if “Mut’ah” was a part of the pre-Islamic Arab culture there must be a noun in the classical Arabic literature to denote it (which I have failed to find yet), just like the noun “Nikah”. The very existence of this noun is evidence of the fact that the Arab culture consisted of and recognized something called “Nikah”.
On the other hand, if “Mut’ah” was introduced and promoted by Islam (as reader’s response holds), then:
The Qur’an should not have used a verb of common usage (istamta`a), especially when it stood for some other meaning, to teach people about something which was being introduced for the first time;
The Qur’an or the sunnah should then have given the detailed law regarding this newly introduced concept of relationship between a man and a woman.
Without getting the above evidences, a Muslim who desires to live his life according to the clear teachings of his Lord, the Qur’an and the sunnah of His Prophet, cannot accept that the concept of “Mut’ah” has been promoted by the Qur’an, especially when there is clear evidence that the whole concept of “Mut’ah” is in contradiction to the Qur’an.
Ashes,
First let me congratulate you for being a very compassionate person and a true follower of the God who is one and is known by various name in various religions. The God has no label of any religion and doesn’t need any broker called prophet. So, you can still remain a devoutee of the God.
It’s unfortunate that you think the outsiders misinterprete the Quranic teachings and hate the Muslims. In fact Muslims are like any other person with the same instincts of life. However, they start going away from the rationality, and in turn humanity, because of Muhammad’s teachings. Those Muslims who don’t follow Muhammad’s teachings due to their non-Islamic ancestral traditions,don’t follow Muhammad completely and hence remain humane to some extent. It’s a simple equation – the more you follow Muhammad, the more inhumane you become and the farther you go from Muhammad, the nearer you got to the humanity. Muhammad and humanity cannot go hand in hand!
It’s for the humanity’s sake that many of us write at this site to make the people aware of the Muhammad’s inhuman and anti female teachings. I hope you understand the point and will help in propagating the message of love by separating the Muslims from Muhammad to bring them closer to Allah. In fact, Muhammad has made the Muslims his own slave by making them Muslim.
May Allah give you strength to break the shackles of Muhammad and experience the God of all the religions.
Ashes, you were mad on Outsiders rants against your faith. Here is my advice. just read what muslims themselves have to say about their faith. Google the following:formermuslimsunited.com, faithfreedom.org, wafa sultan, nonie darwish, ayaan hirsi ali etc etc.The ‘insiders’ will give a critical analysis of your faith so that you can stop blaming others for hate speach.Good luck with your marriage, dont humiliate the girl asking her to convert and all.
Hi every body.
Prompted by various texts here, I wish to narrate my life story.
Myself a muslim girl age 28 years, divorcee by a muslim guy and now working in a state transport company of Dunedin Newzealand and deeply in love with a Hindu guy from Malasiya. We both are associated with each other, having live in relationship incuding sexual encounters too.He wants to marry me immediately. My marriage with a muslim guy ended within one years duration because of restrictions on me and he enjoying like any thing, that was the discreminatory attitude.
My BF has no problem if I continue to believe in islamic faith. But I donot want to follow islamic traditions and wish to follow true path of any religion. Greatly influenced by Hindu religion, reading various texts of Ramayana and Geeta.
Please guide me, if I am correct to marry my Hindu BF?
My parents have no objections to marry my BF.
Reply to Sabra at https://www.interfaithshaadi.org/?p=4609
Sabra,
I congratulate you for the right decision and leaving Muhammad. I think you will have a happy marital life in this time.