Jamaat al-Muslimeen International Press Release
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has Forbidden Violence Against Women
Dear imams of masjids
assalamu alaikum
An appeal for you to speak out in your Juma' khutba.
I bring to you a matter of great urgency which is affecting many
among 50% of our population: our wives, mothers, sisters, daughters and
the female believers at large. There are men who physically beat the women
in their families, particularly their wives. Children who see their mother
being beaten have their entire picture of life de-stabilized. The boys then
grow up to be men who beat their wives and girls to be women who mentally allow
themselves to be victims.
Such conduct by Muslim men is an open violation of the teachings of
Islam and destroys the entire fabric of family life and the life of the
entire community.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has specifically forbidden men from hitting
women. If a man keeps on hitting his wife, he is openly defying the
Prophet (pbuh) and if he does not sincerely repent would be outside the fold of
Islam. The words of the messenger are clear in authentic Hadith:
Muawiya al-Qushairi narrates that: I went to the messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings be on him, and asked him: what are the rights of
our women on us? He replied: "Feed and clothe them as well as you
do yourself, and do not beat them, and do not abuse them."
Sunan of Abu Dawud, kitab in-nikah
To another questioner, the messenger said:
"...if you are eating and dressing well yourself, make sure she
does too, and do not abuse her to her face, and DO NOT BEAT HER.
Sunan of Abu Dawud, ibid.
Elsewhere, he said flat out to Ayas bin Abdullah bin Zabab:
Do not beat the maidservants of Allah (Sunan of Darimi)
Even in cases of conflict which could lead to divorce, Allah has
commanded the believing men NEVER TO BE HARSH TO THEIR WIVES:"la ta'adulu
hunna" in Arabic which means "do not treat them with harshness" and
even in such conditions to "ashiru hunna bil ma'ruf" Arabic for "live with them
in kindness and justice" (Both commands occur in sura 4 verse 19).
Only in cases of sexual immorality (nushuz in Arabic) a symbolic
physical disciplining of women who had come out of jahiliyya was allowed in
4:34, but sura Noor was its nasikh when it made the woman's oath equal
to the man's in allegations of sexual misconduct. 4:34 does not provide any
basis for domestic violence against women.
Dear imams: We are Muslims, and the example for us is the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh), and he never hit a woman in his whole life. This Sunnah is
attested to by authentic hadith:
'Ayesha narrates that the messenger, peace and blessings of
Allah be on him, never hit a woman or a freed slave (or servant). He
only raised his hand in Jihad in Allah's way. (Sahih Muslim, kitab
al-Fadail)
Tell the Muslim community, if they feel physically strong, there is no
way they are allowed to hit women. Go and take part in Jihad if you are
strong. Go to Palestine, or Bosnia/Kosova, Kashmir, southern Sudan,
Iraq ...
(withdraw US troops from our region).
Sincerely
Kaukab Siddique, Ph.D
Ameer, Jamaat al-Muslimeen
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2000-08-29 Tue 18:34ct