4:34
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"Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great."
I keep asking myself what God means by that verse. Does he mean that men are physically stronger?
I'm confused since I though I had it all figured out.
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Salaam,
It is saying how men are such because it is their duty to provide financially. I'm not sure if it really has to do with any physical manifestations that often differentiates among the sexes. They are the maintainers because they are financially responsible for them.
Joe
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Salaam,
It is saying how men are such because it is their duty to provide financially. I'm not sure if it really has to do with any physical manifestations that often differentiates among the sexes. They are the maintainers because they are financially responsible for them.
Joe
"Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great."
I got my doubts about that. I keep thinking that it has to do with the physical differences between men and women.
I always thought that God meant (cause the word "unseen" keeps playing with my mind) the men are the caretakers and "guard" semen (their "property") and they pass this on to the women. Which on their turn "guard" the "unseen". If they're not obedient (another one that's hard to figure out) they may beat them.
Obedient=unfaithful? Desertion=???? <--- how do I have to translate this word?
Maybe it's easier to figure it out then I think it is, but I just have my doubts about the word "maintainers", since women can also take good care of themselves.
?
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Peace,
For years the feminist movement has urged women to compete with men to gain 'equality' - which to me has mostly meant equality of opportunity rather than equality of 'status'.
There is an admission now by prominent feminists such as Germaine Greer that the movement has failed and that if she could do it again she would wish to be a mother. The biggest fraud that feminism has comitted on women is the belief that conception is just as easy after 30 as it is before. This is simply untrue as many women who were trapped in the 'corporate' or 'carreer' dream discovered and will discover.
Women and men are reproductively unequal. A man spends 5 minutes (if that) in the reproductive effort whereas a woman is committed for 9 months of gestation and years of raising offspring. A man can reproduce to the end of their lives, while the woman has a short window period realistically up to about 40. That is the biological reality. There is no escaping the reality.
I don't think this means in any way that there is an intellectual inequality or inequality of rights etc. The system promotes equality of opportunity but it states also the reality of the situation and makes it clear that men are responsible for the care of women to redress the inequality in biological commitment between the sexes.
I hope that has made things clearer.
Regards.
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Maybe it's easier to figure it out then I think it is, but I just have my doubts about the word "maintainers", since women can also take good care of themselves.
Peace Latifah,
You are thinking conveniently of modern times where a single pregnant woman living in the western world gets government handouts, can shop at the convenience store and get by.
Think instead of the raw biological reality. A pregnant woman living in the desert - how far can she really go - how well could she care for herself in isolation?
The man has a duty of care - 5 minutes vs 9 months. Greater mobility vs. lesser mobility etc.
Take care (of yourself).
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Thanxz both for your explanation.
Maybe I indeed made it harder then it looked like. It's too bad that some men take advantage of those words and think they're indeed priviliged by God to be the "boss" of the women.
Because I believe in God being righteous I didn't think he would mean it like that. But thought to simple (or to hard) about it, while it's actually the truth when it comes to the present time and the past.The Quran is timeless... although people change.