"Women Are Short Of Faith And Intelligence"— Muhammad Said
The Egyptian contemporary scholar Sheikh al-Sha’rawi stresses the fact that
Muhammad uttered this statement. This is recorded in Vol. 4, p.21 of his famous
book, "You Ask And Islam Answers". Al-Sha’rawi, who is regarded as the Sheik of
Islam, relies on the former recognized scholars. We encounter the following
dialogue in the Sahih of al-Bukhari (Vol. l, p. 83) and in the Mishkat al-Masabih
(p.15) which took place between Muhammad and some women:
"Muhammad said: ‘I have seen that you, in spite of being deficient in mind and
religion, rob even a wise man of his senses.’ They said: ‘Allah’s messenger,
where lies our deficiency of reason and faith?’ He said: ‘Is not the evidence
(testimony) of a woman equal to half the evidence of a man?’ They said: ‘Yes.’
He said: ‘This is because of the deficiency of your minds (mental status). Is
it not a fact that when you enter the period of menses, you neither observe
prayer nor observe fast?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ Then he said: ‘This is the
deficiency in your faith."’
"Women are short of faith and intelligence!" A strange statement uttered by
Muhammad which is an obvious insult to the women who asked him! Why, Why,
Muhammad? He responds with the above-mentioned, weird reasons. If God does not
command women to fast or to pray during their menstrual period, why should He
regard this matter as a lack of faith and religion? Is it because they obey
God’s orders? Or is prayer a mere physical exercise of standing up and
prostrating? Or is it a matter of lifting the heart up to God at any time?
What about the woman’s testimony in court? According to Islamic law, the testimony
of a woman is equal to one half of a man’s testimony. This is one of the
incomprehensible, unjustifiable Qur’anic laws which is regarded as another
insult to women. If Muhammad attempted to justify this on the basis of women’s
lack of faith and intelligence, it would be an excuse which is worse than an
offense. Thus, when Muhammad tried to justify his attitude, he really rendered
women another insult especially by claiming that a woman is equal to half a man.
Taken from http://answering-islam.org/BehindVeil/btv3.html#CH3 (Note: We do not necessarily endorse this site or its views.)
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