Welcome to the forum. welcome

Welcome to the forum.

Welcome

Welcome to the forum. welcome

This is a late reply but I think it's necessary.

Your response was insulting and inflammatory. I assumed this forum was a place for civil and logical debate.I hoped that you could have given a better argument than comparing me to Sunni's and calling me an extremist.

And yes as far as my understanding goes and based on the text itself polygyny is permitted under the conditions I stated earlier.

Obviously marriage is mentioned in other parts of the Quran.

Also, in the Qur'an, God talks to people in general, not one person only.

What do you mean by that? Where is it explicitly stated?

Concerning anna/sarah_bd_gemini's friends interpretation and translation there seems to be some irregularities.

Translation/ Interpretation of 4127

{And they seek a ruling regarding the women, say ?God will give you a ruling regarding them and what is being recited to you in the Scripture regarding the orphans of women whom you wish to marry, but have not given them (the women) what was decreed for them; as well as the weak from the children That you stand for the orphans in equality.? Whatever good you do, then God is aware of it.}.

It is giving a license to men to marry the mothers of orphans (meaning marry the widows, in order to properly take care of their orphan children). God is exempting these men from paying the dowry.

The ayah clearly states that God is instructing Muhammad to say that God will give instructions about these women, there is nothing about exempting them from paying their dowry. She's jumping to conclusions.

Another problem is her interpretation of 43

yatama sole, unmatched, single, lonely, jaded, one without parents; Root word atamm means more complete, more perfect, perfectly prepared, totally ready; Root word Tamm meaning consummate, of full value, self contained, needing no completion; Root word Tamma means to or become complete, completed, finished, done, to be performed, be accomplished, to come to an end;
Hans Wehr Arabic English Dictionary 4th Ed. page 117-118 (tamma)

The context of the ayah is 'Marriage' to Women......who are independent, prepared and ready for marriage

She uses every other definition for yatama except for orphan even though it is used several times in the Quran to describe children without parents. She picks and chooses definitions to suit her purpose instead of trying to be true to the text.

Yatama is the gender non specific plural for orphans.
Yateem is the masculine form for orphans.
Yateema is the feminine form for orphans.

Her and her friends translations/interpretations aren't really based on any kind of intellectual honesty.
When I study the Quran I try my best to seek the truth of what God is trying to instruct me to do my own beliefs or agendas don't come into play. Reason is my only tool when understanding the Quran.

You seem to be pushing this feminist agenda. The initial intentions behind the Women's Movement we're positive but over the years the movement has become a platform to create enmity and division between men and women where all men are characterized as oppressors, abusers, potential rapists, less intelligent, and obsolete. All the while promoting a culture of female supremacy instead of real equality. I'm not saying women can't run businesses or be president but if she wants to be a wife and mother what comes first?

ImamQuranonly is very passionate about his views but I agree that 43 allows polygyny under no conditions except for a four wife limit, financial feasability, and fair treatment.

I'm not very knowledgable about Arabic but the The Monotheist Group and Abdullah Yusuf Ali translation that I have both infer it.

The Monotheist Group
"And if you fear that you cannot be just to the orphans, then you may marry those who are agreeable to you of the women two,and three, and four. But if you fear you will not be fair, then only one, or to whom you are commited to by oath. this is best that you do not face financial hardship."

Abdullah Yusuf Ali
"If you fear that you shall not be able to deal juslty with the orphans,marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice."
Please ignore the words the parenthese.

Why the lack of specificty? In 423 later in the chapter there is a specific list of women a man is prohibited from marrying " your mothers, and your daughters, and your sister, and your fathers sisters....." but open ended when marrying multiple wives. I would imagine the translation would say "their mothers" or something similar but describes women as a collective. That's assuming the intended definition of orphan is children without a father.

But it makes sense when you think about the roles men and women have in marriage. 434 and 2187 are good examples.

The Monotheist Group
" The men are to support the women by what God has bestowed on them over one another and for what they spend of their money. The upright women are dutiful; keeping private the personal matters for what God keeps watch over. ...."

"It has been made lawful for you during the night of fasting to approach your women sexually. They are a garment for you and you are a garment for them. ...."

A man's role is that of a provider. So if a situation arose where most men could only care fore one wife but others could support more then why not? Another thing to remember is that we are all human we're designed to be attracted to each other and marriage is what God has given us to stay away from temptations and indulge in our sexuality in a pure way.

Thank You mmkhan.

I had considered going to the masjid nearby but it's nearly impossible to find out when arabic classes are held there I signed onto an email list for times but never got a reply. Getting in contact with the imam is also difficult because he's only present on Friday and I don't frequent the masjid because of the heavy Sectarian/Hadith rhetoric.

I started with "The Qur'an A Monotheist Translation". You don't have to worry about (parentheses) or .

I've read translations of the Quran but I want to be able to read the original text.

Salam

I grew up in a "traditional" muslim household and had faith in God and the authenticity of the Quran but never tried to educate myself on my own religion. There was alot of confusion and doubt as I started to question the practices of traditional islam. Two years ago I decided to read the Quran to completion so I could determine whether islam was the right path for me. Initially it was slow going but with each ayah the confusion I encountered subsided and I wanted to read more. I would stay up late into the night barely awake just so I could finish a chapter. I'm glad I've found the Quran again and this forum. Hopefully God will guide all of us to a greater reward in the hereafter.