Quran tells men to beat wives?
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Know what? That the verse 434 tells the husband to beat his wife. The question is why the verse tells the husband to beat his wife? As I understand, it has to do with the issue of adultery and the rights of innocent third party. This is what BH is also saying.
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Salaam All;
I call it the much abused verse, meaning the verse 34 of chapter 4. I will refer from a continuous sequence of verses from 32 to 36 of chapter 4. The two verses preceding to the verse 34 of the chapter 4. And the two verses that follow after verse 34 of chapter 4. All this five verses would be in blue color like this.
My personal belief is that the verse is on adultery and the rights of the third innocent third party, ".... and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. ...." (34) chapter 4.
And don?t covet those things in which God has bestowed His gifts more freely on some of you than on others To men is allotted what they earn, and to women what they earn But ask God of His bounty. For God has full knowledge of all things! (32) chapter 4
Women are allowed to work and keep this money for them. Own property, etc. Taking care of home and children is 24/7. So, the husband has to compensate the wife for both these chores, plus personal allowance. If she wants to work outside the house then the husband has to provide someone to take care of the children and home. If she wants to forgo this right and money, it is her choice, if she wants to contribute toward the house from her money, then again it is her choice. Whatever the case, the onus of financial burden is on husband, thus "...protectors and maintainer's..... "
To protect the innocent third party and injury to them. So in Koran the first right given to the innocent third party, meaning the children. "... And, the child shall have rights as an heir from his father, as his father from his fathers. ..." (233) chapter 2.
The above rights, first conveys the name of father, as the mother is known. One can appreciate the stigma attached in the past when the father was not known. The child's rights of his/her upbringing. Inheritance from parents, and so on. Even when women marry they retain their own family name. Koran instructs that even when we adopt, then we should let the child to keep this right and tell them the truth, unless there are compelling reasons not to do so.
If adultery, results in an illegitimate child, whose identity is concealed from the trustee of the will, that could result in the other children's inheritance and probably other inheritors interest being shared with that child. Also, the father has to pay for the upbringing of the illegitimate child. Thus, again the interest of the father are harmed as well as the interest of the other children. So, to continue on from the verse 32 of chapter 4, to the following verses 33 and 34 of chapter4.
To (benefit) everyone, We have appointed shares and heirs to property left by parents and relatives. To those, also, to whom your right hand was pledged, give their due portion. For truly God is witness to all things! (33) chapter 4
Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because God has given the one more than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what God would have them guard. As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, (first) admonish them, (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 the most high, the great. (34) chapter 4.
As I stated above my belief is that the verse 34, is a continuation of the verses on adultery in chapter 24. Basically, the above verse implies that the righteous women should guard their chastity while their husbands are at work. If one of the companion (wife/husband) accuses the other companion (wife/husband) about adultery, then it falls in the category of the verses 1 thru 10 of chapter 24. However, after that if the husband still suspects the wife during his absence, then first he should admonish, consult, advice, and discuss with her. Failing so, he then should have physical separation in time and space, thus not sharing the bed with her. So the issue to consider here is sex, ".... (next) refuse to share their beds, .....
In Islam sex is good and God forbids either companion in marriage to use sex as a tool. One of the reason we marry is for sex. So, before beating the wife, here God is telling the husband to withheld the sex first, as both the companions require sex. Here God is telling the husband to go against the tenant of not using sex as a tool. But denying sex is harmful to both the companion's interests as sex is like food and the body requires it on a regular basis.
And failing everything else, he is then to lightly beat her, as the last resort before the divorce. So, in the last resort the above verses from 32 to 34 of chapter 4 continues on with the following verses 35 and 36 of chapter 4
If you fear a breach between them, appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family, and the other from hers; if they wish for peace, God will cause their reconciliation For God has full knowledge, and is acquainted with all things (35) chapter 4.
And then a reminder to the arbiters and both the companions (husband and wife), especially to the husband. A further reminder is the below reference to, "the companion by your side, ...." applies first to the wife and then it is inclusive of children and other dwellers of the house.
Serve God, and join not any partners with Him; and do good - to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and what your right hands possess For God loves not the arrogant, the vainglorious (36) chapter 4.
Also chapter 4 contains two other verses on adultery, verses 15 and 16.
Hope this hopeful, Mohamed
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Salaam All,
To quote Liaquat Ali from the above link provided by Wakas
I approach the Qur'an holistically, instead of atomistically, and I believe that there is coherence in its narrations.
In the atomistic approach to the Qur'an, it does not matter what a particular verse is talking about as long as one has the external knowledge of the circumstances of revelation.
However, when one looks at Qur'anic verses anticipating coherence, then he wonders why would 432 is talking about income and property, 433 talking about inheritance, 434 and 435 talking about marital discord, 436-439 talking about taking care of all kinds of people in all kinds of situations, and to not be stingy, not to be show-off, and then closing the thought in 440 in a very characterist Qur'anic way?
Both of my friends Liaquat Ali and Wakas are subtly reminding me that the verses continue on from verse 36 until the verse 40 of chapter 4. Thus beginning from verse 32 and ending with verse 40 of the chapter 4, making a total of nine verses.
So here are rest of the four verses
(Nor) those who are stingy or enjoin stinginess on other humans, or hide the bounties which God has bestowed on them; for We have prepared, for those who resist faith, despised torture ;-
Not those who spend of their substance, showing off to other humans, but have no faith in God and the last day If any take the evil for their intimate, what a dreadful intimate the evil is! .
And what burden were on them if they had faith in God and in the last day, and they spent out of what God had given them for sustenance? For God had full knowledge of them .
God is never unjust in the least an atom's weight; if there is any good (done), He doubles it, and gives from His own presence a great reward .
I am speechless by the work being done by Liaquat Ali, Wakas, Hussein and the others. I can say that their reward is from God only
He that does good shall have ten times as much to his credit He that does evil shall only be recompensed according to his evil no wrong shall be done unto (any of) them .
Ameen, Ya'Rabbi
Mohamed
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If the text does mean that a husband beats his wife, I see no reason from context to believe it is speaking of anything other than catching her in the act of adultery and having her face the punishment allotted to adulterers discussed in other places in our Lord's word.
It in no way is a cart blanche permission to beat your wife over any little whimsy. Let's say for the sake of argument that daraba should be translated as "leave" or "seperate". NOw, from context it seems sexual impurity is involved in the situation. You still have the laws commanding that she receive 100 lashes provided the witness qualification is met. If my wife was unfaithful towards me I probably would leave her and it seems that the context is speaking of just such a thing---aan unfaithful wife, so technically the translation as "leave" is not erroneous necessarily, but translating daraba as "beat" makes perfect sense as well cosidering the command to flog aduterers and adulteresses.
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I have written an article on verse 434 of the Qur'an, a verse which has commonly been misinterpreted to justify violence against women. I have created a website to publish this article www.quranverse434.com
