2:282 A female witness is ? a man?
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The Quran says you need 4 witnesses in order to have a conviction regardless if the witness is male or female, (244) (2413), If you don't have 4 witnesses, you should get whipped 80 times.
However (2282) says in the middle of the verse that "get two witnesses of your own men, and if there are not two men then a man and two women such as you choose for witnesses - so that if one of them errs, the other can remind her.... "
Now in context my reading of 2282 is that it relates to contractual transactions and obligations, the context in which we have the witnesses is for the purpose of drawing up a contract, the Quran actually tells us to draw up contracts when we deal with each other with future obligations and thus we need witnesses, but why is the value of 1 male witness equal to 2 female witnesses? With regards to other instances where we need witnesses, crimes and acts of adultery so forth, the Holy Quran does not mention the sex, merely to present 4 witnesses.
Sharia law has used 2282 to justify that a female witness is ? a man (in most forms of Sharia law to get a conviction, you need 4 male witness or the equivalent 8 female witnesses!!) regardless that this specific verse which is used as justification 2282 relates with contractual transactions only, crimes as such are from my understanding of the Quran is not on the basis of sex.
My question is why does 2282 considers in lieu of one man, you need two women?? Is Sharia law correct in applying this specific Quranic ruling to all areas needing witnesses, and thus making a female witness is ? a man, needing 8 female witnesses instead of 4?? Personally I disagree with Sharia law in this respect, but I would like to know of the opinions out there? what do you folks think about it?
Salams
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I agree with you that this is not to be taken as a generalization.
However, I read another message within the verse. Not just about numbers, but quality. The testimony of a female when she errs is not void. She can be reminded by another one. and can also remind her. Mind you, they are two if they err. If one does not, then there is no need for the other.
I take it as thus quality of witnesses is not gender-based, but truthfulness/justice. However, a female testimony is not void if it contains an error that could be amended by another female's testimony. This does not apply to male witnesses.
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Allah knows better than us what He has created. Responsibilities of men and women are different. Due to her responsibilities she is more likely to err than a man that is why the other woman is necessary for the issue of witness. Allah has also given a relaxation to women, in case one is not available then the second can go to Court.
This particular verse also asks us to observe what Allah has prescribed different roles for men and women in a society.
Peace all, Hamsa
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434 Men are the protectors and maintainers of women.
Isn't it a different responsibility of men?
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This verse suggesting believers men and women what kind of society they should build. In an Islamic society you'll have no problem regarding your allowance inshaAllah.
And also western socities, media and hate for foolishness of traditionalists have effected our ability to observe the verses of Quran independently.
With Respect, Hamsa
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This verse suggesting believers men and women With Respect, Hamsa
Where did you get this "believing"? When God speaks of "believing" men and women, He says so clearly. This is one reason why I do not take it as "men" and "women". It is too much generalization for such an important role.
are we translating the words for "men" and "women" wrong?
Yes
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Where did you get this "believing"? When God speaks of "believing" men and women, He says so clearly. This is one reason why I do not take it as "men" and "women". It is too much generalization for such an important role.
YesIF the word believers is not there in the verse then that verse is not for the believers??
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I'll wait
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peace
Due to her responsibilities she is more likely to err than a man
so what are you saying
that God created women weaker? that because women have responsibilities they would err in certain situations? and men wouldn't?434 Men are the protectors and maintainers of women.
i think that goes for people 1400 years ago.
i don't know how it was back then, but today a woman doesn't meed a man, she can take care of herself.
speaking of women being half a man, how come in sura 4 where it is mentioned about inheritance, how come women get less then men?
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peace
I think that we are translating the words for "men" and "women" wrong. I know my knowledge of arabic is next to non existent but I feel that the word for men, in the language of the quran (I don't know what it is, so let's call it Y) and the word for women (X) have been influenced by culture.
For example, all the words for left handedness are derived from negative words. What meant clumsy, or evil, became "left handed" because of the view of left handedness. And all the positive words came to represent right handedness. I'm a lefty btw, so I feel very strongly about this.
So, it's possible that Y used to mean "strong" or something like that, and and X used to mean "weak" or something similar. Because of the cultural views of arabs and persians etc the words came to represent the sexes.
This is just a thought of course. I'm waiting for Samia to post her long story. -
Salaam Elke
Yes, to the first question.
"nasa'a" nuun seen hamza means to be late.
"nasiya" root nuun seen waw means to forgetThe first is the root for "nisaa'", can be used to mean women
The second is the root for "niswa" or "nuswa" only used for "women" as in 1230