A snapshot from the life of the Prophet
Media sources are familiar with the Qur’an as the sacred text of Islam, but they rarely reference the hadith, biographical anecdotes from the life of Mohammed that the majority of Muslims view as morally binding. Many passages reference the way Muhammed dealt with women (a selection can be found here); as a woman, I find them troubling, including the ones quoted below:
While on his way to pray, Mohammed passed a group of women and he said, “Ladies, give to charities and donate money to the unfortunate, because I have witnessed that most of the people in Hell are women.”
They asked, “Why is that?”
He answered, “You swear too much, and you show no gratitude to your husbands. I have never come across anyone more lacking in intelligence, or ignorant of their religion than women. A careful and intelligent man could be misled by many of you.”
They responded, “What exactly are we lacking in intelligence or faith?” Mohammed said, “Is it not true that the testimony of one man is the equal to the testimony of two women?” After they affirmed that this was true, Mohammed said, “That illustrates that women are lacking in intelligence. Is it not also true that women may not pray nor fast during their menstrual cycle?” They said that this was also true. Mohammed then said, “That illustrates that women are lacking in their religion.”
~ quoted from the reputable collection of Hadith by Sahih Bukhari, volume 1, book 6, number 30
The hadith are records of Mohammed’s specific words and actions in dealing with his friends, his wives, and his neighbors. It is important to realize that imams and Muslim scholars do not base their teachings from the Qur’an alone, but draw from the recorded hadith. With rare exception, the Islamic world holds the hadith collection of Sahih Bukari as completely trustworthy.
Mohammed: After I die, the biggest problem that I leave to man is woman.
~ Sahih Bukhari, volume 7, book 62, number 33
The condition of women across the Islamic world is heartbreaking. They are illiterate, abused, imprisoned, and silenced. Be informed, and get on your knees to pray for them.
