Islam Under Scrutiny by Ex-Muslims

Women's Paradise

In recent times, Islamists in all over the internet have been extolling how good Islam is for women. They will spare no pain to tell women how kind, just, progressive, non-discriminatory and fair Islam is towards women. They have invented these essays after they were shamed by a few essays on the pathetic treatment of women in the Quran and the Hadith. After reading these essays of the Islamists, any woman will wonder where can they find such paradises for themselves. The Islamists will never tell them where these paradises are or if any such paradise exists  at all or not. To give credibility to the messages written by these Islamists towards our mothers, sisters, and wives, we need an absolute proof of where can we find such Islamic treatment for our women. So let us have a look at the conditions of women in one of the Islamic paradises, Iran.

In this paradise (Jannat) the women have been awarded with the following 'nek' from Allah: (please refer http://www.homa.org/wings/irisituation.html for more details)

  1. Hijab has been forced on every woman whether she likes it or not. Wearing no hijab may invite severe punishment. And what that punishment can be? Let us hear from the mouth of Prosecutor-General, Abolfazl Musavi-Tabrizi. "Any one who rejects the principle of hijab in Iran is an apostate and the punishment for an apostate under Islamic law is death" (August, 15, 1991)

  2. Women are baby-growing fields. Unbelievable isn't it. Let us hear from Ayatollah Mutahari. He said, "The specific task of women in this society is to marry and bear children".

  3. Women are banned from studies such as Engineering, Agriculture, Archaeology, Restoration of historic monuments, handicrafts and many other fields.

  4. Provisional marriage is lawful. A man may have four "permanent wives" and as many "provisional wives" as he likes.

  5. The marriage age for the girls was reduced to 13 and then further reduced to 9 years. This is in keeping with the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who at the age of 51 married a 6 years old child (Ayesha) and had sex with her when she became 9.

  6. Iranian women cannot marry foreigners without the written permission from the Ministry of Interior.

  7. Divorce is an indisputable right of men and a woman can be divorced without any prior consultation.

  8. A married woman cannot travel, work, join organization, go to college or visit her friends and relatives without husband's permission.

  9. Married women cannot travel overseas without a written permission from their husbands. This written permission must be presented to the authorities. The authorities are also considering banning all women from traveling overseas for higher study.

  10. A husband can inflict any physical violence or any other form of torture on a woman. You say 'this is absolutely cruel and unacceptable in Islam'. Let us hear from an Islamic scholar on this matter. Hojatoleslam Imani, a top religious leader says, "A married woman should endure any violence or torture imposed on her by her husband for she is fully at his disposal. Without his permission she may not leave her house even for a good action (such as charitable work). Otherwise her prayers and devotions will not be accepted by God and curses of heaven and earth will fall upon her."

  11. Women are stoned to death if their husbands charge them for adultery. A woman was stoned to death even when no man was found to have committed adultery with her. A Mullah took only sixty seconds to arrive at the decision and she was stoned the next day. Before stoning her to death the mullahs shaved her head and she was buried in mud up to her shoulder. Her husband and her two small children witnessed this 'rahmat' of Allah.

  12. Women political prisoners are treated as war criminals. So, they are captives (right hand's possession). Therefore, their guards can do whatever they like. Their captors regularly and systematically rape them (the women prisoners).

  13. Virgin girls who are sentenced to death are not executed till their captors had sex with them and rendered them un-virgin. Since virgin girls go to heaven when they die, the Mullahs want to make sure that these girls can never enter paradise after they are executed. It is alleged that this type of sexual intercourse with virgin girl prisoners takes place on a daily basis.

  14. A report by the Organization of Women against execution in Iran gives the following data for the period from 1981 to 1990.

1428 women executed

187 were under the age 18

9 girls under the age 13

The youngest girl executed was 10 years

The oldest woman executed was 70 years.

The so-called moderate Islamists say that these are not 'real Islam.' They assert that those actions by the Mullahs of Iran are distorted images of Islam. To find the truth we just need to look at the Holy Scriptures to see if these Mullahs in Iran are right or wrong in the interpretation of the Allah's laws.

Sura al-Baqarah 2:223 Your women are a tilth for you (to cultivate) so go to your tilth as ye will, and send (good deeds) before you for your souls, and fear Allah, and know that ye will (one day) meet Him. Give glad tidings to believers, (O Muhammad)

The translation is by Pickthall. This sura clearly says what a woman is all about. Yes, she is nothing but a paddy field to grow paddy. In case you may think that this translation is not reliable, let us look at the translation by Yusufali: 

Your wives are as a tilth unto you, so approach your tilth when or how ye will; but do some good act for your souls beforehand; and fear God. And know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give (these) good tidings to those who believe. 

Are the Iranian Mullahs wrong in treating women as paddy fields? I invite Islamic writers to prove that what the Iranian Mullahs do to the women is against the Quran. 

What goes on a child's mind when he/she watches his/her beloved mother is beaten mercilessly by the child's own father? The experience is extremely disturbing. But what is more disturbing is that when he grows up and finds that what his/her father did to his/her dearest mum was really inspired by the Quran.

Sura an-Nisa' 4:34 ...As to those women On whose part ye fear Disloyalty and ill-conduct Admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); But if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For God is Most High, Great (above you all).

In the translation of the above verse the word 'lightly' was added by the translator Yusufali. The original verse does not contain any such (lightly) word. Yusufali was so embarrassed that he added 'lightly' to make the verse more civilized.  

In the above verse Islam has sealed the fate of women. They are an object to be used as desired and if necessary should be subjected to corporal punishment if she refuses any whim and fancy of her owner. She has very little chance to escape from the tyranny of a religious bigot and a cruel person. And what happens to the tyrant and the perpetrator who inflicts physical punishment to her? The Quran is absolutely silent on this matter. I ask any Islamic writer to prove that what the Iranian Mullah said about the physical torture of women by men (in item 10) above is against Islamic rule. 

In a civilized society any physical/mental abuse of a spouse or a child is a criminal offense. The culprit is arrested by police and tried in a court of law and punished accordingly. In Australia, where I live, wife beating (rather spouse beating) and child abuses are serious criminal offenses and the Govt. Authorities waste no time in removing to a safe place the victims from the abusive spouse. The whereabouts of the victims remain a top secret till the matter is settled by the court. This is the secular law. The Quran or any other religious scripture does not inspire this law. If we go by the Quran, this law to protect women and children from abusive spouse is surely not Islamic.  

Having sexual intercourse with captives is halal. You say this is absolutely un-Islamic. Let us search the Quran. 

[4:24]

And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hand possess. ...(Translation by Pickthall)

Also (prohibited are) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess: ....(Translation by Yusuf Ali)

You say in modern world there are no such things as the possession of the right hands. Think again. Quran is eternal. The world may change but Quran cannot change. The Iranian Mullahs understand Quran much, much better than you and me. Is not any woman that opposes any Islamic ruling (read Allah's law) is waging a war against Allah? Are not the Mullahs fighting the enemies of Allah? So, when they defeat the enemy (captured rebel woman) she becomes the possession of the right hands (captives) of them. And Allah has permitted them to have sexual intercourse with these captive women.

Menstruation is an illness (disease)

[2:222]

They question thee (O Muhammad) concerning menstruation. Say it is an illness, so let women alone at such times and go not in unto them till they are cleansed. (Translation by Pickthall)

They ask thee concerning women's courses. Say: They are a hurt and a pollution: So keep away from women in their courses and do not approach them until they are clean. (Translation by Yusufali) 

This verse is not only completely unscientific; but also a gross insult to all women of the world. How do the millions of working women feel when they see this divine message! There can be no message more misogyny than this verse from the Quran. This verse literally means that all our mothers, sisters and wives suffer from permanent disease. A corollary of this verse will be that when a woman reaches menopause (that is her menstruation ceases) she becomes disease free! Since a woman reaches her menopause between 55 to 60 years of age, doesn't this mean that when a woman reaches her old age she is cured of her permanent illness that afflicted her when she reached her puberty. What a great logic!! 

We can go on citing verses after verses from the Holy Scriptures to illustrate how anti- feminine and how hostile Islam is towards all women. What we observe being done to the women of Iran and Afghanistan shocks every civilized person Muslim, non-Muslim alike. Islamists not living in these countries have very little idea of what 'real Islam' is doing to every sister, mother and wife of the men in  these paradises. Most of the Islamists living in the West have a very utopian idea of the treatment of women according to the Islamic rules. What we are witnessing in these Islamic paradises is the practical application of the Quran and Hadith. Can any western Islamist (new Mullah) prove that what their compatriots at these Islamic heavens doing are anti-Quran and anti-Hadith?  

The ominous message sent by the Mullahs of this Islamic Jannat is very plain and straight. Any woman who still thinks that Islam affords her the freedom, liberty, equality, justice, her mental and physical well being is simply fooling herself. She is simply surrendering herself to a pack of wolves and the only destination these wolves will send her is to hell. That is for sure. The sad thing is that the hell that these Mullahs will send her will be in this world. She does not have to die to go there. She has to endure the suffering of hell-fire after the Mullahs have stripped her of her human dignity and reduced her to nothing but a piece of meat then to a piece of fertile crop field and eventually to a hapless destitute. 

Even the prophet said that majority of women will be in hell.  

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet said " I was shown the Hell-fire and that the majority of its dwellers were women who were ungrateful" (Sahih Bukhari 1:28)

This is what is reserved for women by Allah!


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Abul Kasem is an Bengali ex-Muslim and academic. He has contributed in Leaving Islam - Apostates Speak Out and Beyond Jihad - Critical Voices from Inside. He has also written extensively on Islam in various websites and is the author of five e-Books: A Complete Guide to Allah, Root of Terrorism ala Islamic Style, Sex and Sexuality in Islam, Who Authored the Quran? and Women in Islam. Mr. Kasem leaves in Sydney, Australia. He can be contacted at abul88@hotmail.com.


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Name: Infidel Indian
Date: Friday October 03, 2008
Time: 09:54:43 -0700

Comment

Muslimah Shabana Azmi doesnt feel discriminated by Sharia (partially enforced in India ) but feels severely discriminated because she didnt get the flat of choice among the unbelievers (where she probably feels more safe than among her own peace loving co-religionists).


Name: Ballard
Date: Friday October 03, 2008
Time: 10:21:43 -0700

Comment

This article is eye opening. I HATE ISLAM AND MUHAMMAD SO MUCH FOR ALL THE SUFFERINGS MUSLIM WOMEN HAVE SUFFERED AND ARE SUFFERING!


Name: Beowulf
Date: Friday October 03, 2008
Time: 10:30:00 -0700

Comment

The rules of islam and sharia are against women in every way. Muhammad did not liberate women. Actually he consigned them to a permanent second class status relative to men.


Name: Walter Sieruk
Date: Friday October 03, 2008
Time: 10:43:08 -0700

Comment

"Women are denied their social and economic rights in the name of Islam..."[1] Also "Physical abuse of women in Muslim culture is very common and occurs at all levels of the social ladder."[2] Sources [1] INFIDEL by Ayaan Hirsi Ali p.279 [2] NOW THEY CALL ME INFIDEL by Nonie Daraish p.74


Name: Good articlr Mr. Kasem
Date: Friday October 03, 2008
Time: 12:30:26 -0700

Comment

Enlightening article, filled with evidence and very well written. It is the women in islam who have to be emancipated if islam is to be defeated. Sir, is there someway you can get more women. especially islamic women to read such articles? They are the target audience for this article because islam discriminates so much against women.


Name: Women fight for your Rights!
Date: Friday October 03, 2008
Time: 12:36:43 -0700

Comment

Muslim are not allowed to read the Quran during their menstruation or to attain Mosques for Prayer --- Muslim women may be beaten and raped by their husbands at any time - at least according to the quran --- Muslim women have no rights to keep their children after a divorce -- the illiteracy rate of muslim women is even higher than that of muslim men --- muslima in western countries, fight for your rights to wear a headscarves and your right to show, that you support all this islamic sh*t against women rights!


Name: salman
Date: Friday October 03, 2008
Time: 14:26:33 -0700

Comment

2:223 Your wives are like a land which produces a harvest. You should cohabit together when both spouses desire to do so. But keep this in mind that procreation is not the sole purpose of life. You should also see what you have sowed here is to be reaped in the Hereafter according to the Laws of Allah. You should keep in mind that the Hereafter is a reality and glad tidings are for those who adhere to Allah???s Laws. 4:34 As stated earlier, women own what they earn but due to biological reasons, they are incapacitated for considerable periods of time, to earn a living. Due to this fact it is obvious and natural that the responsibility for maintaining the family is vested in men. When women are given such protection then they must fulfill their functions as women faithfully and safeguard their potentialities. If notwithstanding all this, those in authority apprehend defiance on the part of women with regards to the performance of their natural functions, they should, in order to correct such a behaviour, first admonish the women, then, if required, separate them temporarily from their husbands, or intern them, and finally, if necessary, punish them otherwise. Allah???s Laws must prevail. If they submit to them then seek no occasion against them. 4:24 Also forbidden to you in marriage are those women who are already married except those whom you already possess. These are the Divine Laws. Except for these women, all others are lawful for you in marriage provided you pay them their dower and marry them for the purpose of leading a conjugal life and not for the mere satisfaction of your lust. Pay the dower to the women whom you take into marriage. By mutual agreement, the original dower may be altered. Allah???s Laws are based upon knowledge and wisdom. 2:222 They ask you about (sexual intercourse during) menstruation. Tell them to refrain from it since during this period women are not in their normal physical condition. When this period is over, approach them in the manner suggested by Allah???s Natural Law. If you did not act thus before, do so now. Allah???s Law approves of those who forsake the wrong path and adopt the right one.


Name: america never had a female president in 200 years .
Date: Friday October 03, 2008
Time: 16:00:47 -0700

Comment

america never had a female president in 200 years but pakistani muslims elected female head of state. muslims are ahead in female empowerment.


Name: muslim
Date: Friday October 03, 2008
Time: 23:49:52 -0700

Comment

like someone said, Alquran is like supermarket, everyone can make their own judment from it. even your self :) i have my own interpretation and many other scholar in islam have different oppinion from what you quote in "islamic scholar" here. to explaint the ayaat you presented here is easy but then again you will call me doing taqiya, so i wont bother unless someone ask me nicely. the Utopia that you call from western muslim is indeed what prophet muhammad mean to. but being distorted by stupid iranian, saudis, afghan dan many arabs dan aafrican muslim in practice. that is the reason behind backwardness in islamic nation. when true islam being practice then you will see what is call rahmatan lil alamin in form of prosperity, equality and justice to human being. except maybe non-muslim :) which probably going to be second class citizen in this case. :)) peace


Name: vbv
Date: Saturday October 04, 2008
Time: 01:27:20 -0700

Comment

Indian muslim women like Shabana Azmi, and the various college educated women cry hoarse with full might that islam was the only creed/cult that gave respectability to women in this world. There are of course muslim mullahs and propagandists like Zakir Naik, Israar Ahmed, Deedat who profess islam gave dignity to women and westernized and educated women are no better than "whores" (those are their words ,not mine- you have to watch Peace TV to listen to their tirades). Why ,because they have no "shame, haya" or modesty, they compete with men, they don't wear 'hijab' or 'burqah', they mingle with men freely, and so on.... With this kind of perverted mind, how can any dignity be proffered on women? For them democracy is bad but Sharia law is the only way out as Sharia is "divinely ordained" and cannot be challenged! Indian muslim women have not borne the brunt of Sharia, like in Iran, Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan (especially under the Taliban). They are defending the indefensible ,the utter backwardness and barbarianism. I do not wish them such a horrible fate ,but at least the should not be hypocritical about it!


Name: eye opening.
Date: Saturday October 04, 2008
Time: 03:13:48 -0700

Comment

Can any muslims rational girl still accept islam?


Name: hindus and buddhist not muslimsr ahead in female empowerment
Date: Saturday October 04, 2008
Time: 06:42:35 -0700

Comment

hindus and buddhists elected indira etc...in india and sri lanka to power, this proves kafir hindu-buddhist r a head in woman empowerment.


Name: great article
Date: Saturday October 04, 2008
Time: 06:43:31 -0700

Comment

very great article, not good alone, but great article


Name: women and equality in islam q-2.222 says women who menstruate r actually ill and sick...how false is that ?
Date: Saturday October 04, 2008
Time: 07:05:39 -0700

Comment

women and equality in islam q-2.222 says women who mensturate r actually ill and sick...how false is that ? will the filthy liars muslims never accept what is written in their own fake book and accept that women get the raw end of the deal in islam ? at least women shud acree to this fact....here is the sura..... 2:222 They question thee (O Muhammad) concerning menstruation. Say: It is an illness, so let women alone at such times and go not in unto them till they are cleansed. And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as Allah hath enjoined upon you. Truly Allah loveth those who turn unto Him, and loveth those who have a care for cleanness....


Name: scrutator
Date: Saturday October 04, 2008
Time: 12:42:02 -0700

Comment

Muslim women are supposed to gladly suffer discrimination as Allah's wishes ! Vis a vis muslim men, muslim women are discriminated in 6 clear areas: (1) Man can have upto 4 wives, a woman cannot have multiplte husbands. (2) Men can divorce their wives by uttering the word 'talaq' thrice without giving any reason, a woman cannot divorce her husband on her own, no matter how deceitful, lecherous and unfaithful he is ! (The only recourse she has is the long-winded and cumbersome process of 'Khula' divorce, for which she may apply in a Sharia court; even if she wins, she loses her 'mehr' amount, as well as custody of the children. (3) Men may have Christian/Jewish spouses, women are not allowed to have such spouses. (4) The Quran gives the right to a man of beating his wife if he suspects 'rebellion', a wife has no such right, no matter how deserving the husband is of a good thrashing ! (5) In Sharia Law, a man's witness is equal to that of two women ... a clear inequality (6) From a deceased parents' property, the Sharia stipulates a brother will inherit twice what his sister will inherit. There are many other instances of violation of women's rights (such as wearing the burqa, be ever ready for sex at her husband's demand, etc.), yet muslim women and (esp. white) female converts are supposed to forever applaud, admire and praise the noble Allah for the righteous way in which He has drawn up the rules !! Because 'not one word of the Quran' can be altered or modernised, such inequities have to remain till Islam exists. However much Islamists attempt to cover up for the Quran's defiencies (by a play on words and by pointing out to questionable rules in other religions), muslim men and women will have to endure inequities and inhumane edicts and suffer the consequences of diminished progress silently. Humanism, inc. women's rights, will never improve in muslim societies till, as the Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen rightly says, 'the Quran undergoes wholesale revision'; or till Islam is finally abolished.


Name: it saddens and sickens me
Date: Saturday October 04, 2008
Time: 13:19:11 -0700

Comment

To read that this is still going on in this day and age for/to women. The covering that women are forced to wear, to "protect them" from unbelievers are more like markers to any cultist that sees them, knows that they can be raped and they can't say a word. You forgot to mention that in the article. Any woman that is raped must remain silent because if she tries to bring justice to her, SHE IS THE ONE ACCUSED OF HAVING SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE, not the man that raped her. And on top of that, SHE MUST PROVIDE 4 MALE WITNESSES to prove that she was raped. NO OTHER WOMEN CAN BEAR WITNESS TO THIS CRIME. And these people that follow this cult say that it is the best religion, only for the men.


Name: q-2:222 why a menstrating woman is unclean and how do u purify a menstrating woman...any clues ??
Date: Sunday October 05, 2008
Time: 05:45:49 -0700

Comment

q-2:222 why a menstrating woman is unclean and how do u purify a menstrating woman...any clues ?? pls u muslims dont give fake crap like allah said so...tellme with scirntific backing...and more important how to u purify a menstraing woman or whose cycle is over ? wash her in zam-zam or bathe her in water and detergent or how ? pls give koranic proof how to purify a woman and why its necessary, bcoz menstruation is a natural cycle and to discriminate based on this is a crime against woman and all women.


Name: khadija and islam wud she be doing business as per shariat
Date: Sunday October 05, 2008
Time: 05:48:14 -0700

Comment

khadija was muhamed first wife and a businezz woman, i wonder if she wud be allowed to do business under islamic shariat and show her face to all ? surely she wud have been liberated and sent to home and some man take over the business. if islam is so liberating, they why saudi woman still cant drive or why women in iran and saudi etc have to wear hijab ? is hijab sexually or socially uplifting ?


 
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