Qur'an is a case in point. I didn't read the Qur'an in Arabic but in English. Different translations may I add. And tafseers. And I read some hadiths too.
When I first found out about chapter 4 verse 34 I was so surprised I quickly dismissed it as anti-Islam propaganda. For those who are not familiar, here is the verse:
Sahih International
Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand.Muhsin Khan
Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah and to their husbands), and guard in the husband's absence what Allah orders them to guard (e.g. their chastity, their husband's property, etc.). As to those women on whose part you see ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next), refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them (lightly, if it is useful), but if they return to obedience, seek not against them means (of annoyance). Surely, Allah is Ever Most High, Most Great.Pickthall
Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.Yusuf Ali
Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) 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 Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (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 Allah is Most High, great (above you all).Being me, I had to cross-check everything and I didn't find the answer I was hoping for.
I used 4:34 because it's a perfect example of how different people interpret the Qur'an.
Here are the interpretations I came across:
1) the verse means what it means i.e beat them
2) slightly apologetic but still true to the original version is 'beat them lightly'
3) for some Muslims it means 'leave them'
Having had an Arab boyfriend who happens to be a native Arabic speaker I asked for clarification and I received one. It means 'beat them [lightly]". He said that the beating should be light but that's indicated in the hadith while the Qur'an simply says 'beat them'.
So what am I getting at? On one hand I like the flexibility of interpretation that Qur'an seems to give but on the other hand I can't help but wonder whether God couldn't have been more clear while passing down his message?
Qur'an is supposed to be like a guide book. What kind of guidance is it when different people arrive at different conclusions? For example if you belong to group 3 you will probably say that those in group 1 are not following the 'real Islam' and vice versa.
What's the point then if you cannot be 110% sure that your interpretation is the correct one? Bear in mind that everyone claims they have done their research and have proofs to support their arguments.
How do you find out the truth? After all we are not talking here about petty stuff, it's a matter of heaven or hell.
Qur'an claims to be the final revelation and to be honest I would expect Allah to be far far more clear on how he wants me to behave. I really think Allah could have done better (if it was Allah in the first place).
11 comments:
It's a very tricky verse, I agree. I once read that in a time when beating your wife was very normal, putting two steps before you could hit her was very revolutionary. Maybe some verses of the Quran are for a specific time, and others are more universal. At least, that is what I believe. Maybe that's heresy to orthodox Muslims, but that's their problem then. I think God is very aware that people can't stay the same throughout the ages.
I think you are brave. I'm in a period where I just don't have the energy anymore to try to find explanations for the many things that don't feel right, and as a result, my imaan (faith) is very low :-/ I use imaan specifically, because it's not my faith in God that is wavering, but my faith in Islam :-/
Take care, hun! x
hi Safiyah,
I used this verse only cause it's perfect for showing how different people interpret exactly the same text differently. I have so much to say on that verse that it deserves a separate post :-)
it might have been revolutionary back then but since then we moved on, right? so at this point in time what am i supposed to do with this verse? (not being rude here, just thinking out loud)
as for verses being time specific. that's a tough one cause I don't know how to differentiate between them. I don't see Qur'an giving me any indications.
me? brave? why? :D
Safiyah darlin... let me tell you this... i'm an absolutist. when I was seriously considering converting I said to myself: this is the belief system that I will adopt as an adult and it needs to be watertight. If there is one thing I disagree on/doesn't feel right/discrepancy/mistake, I will NOT convert until my questions have been answered sufficiently.
I also knew there would be people around me who would question my decision and I had to be prepared to answer all their queries. This means I had to be sure of my decision first. My reasoning would have to be indestructible :-) "Allah knows best/we as humans are not capable to understand the wisdom behind certain verses" is not good enough for me.
as you can see that didn't quite work out and here I am... i started this blog to somehow again verify and legitimise the position I arrived at.
to the point :-) I think you can still believe in God without following any of the major religions (that's where I am, sort of). I don't know you but I feel you are a very very good person, sensitive and empathetic towards others. You have your moral compass inside you.
Personally, I would rather live not knowing the ultimate truth than follow and believe sth that I can't fully accept. I know those whispers in my head would kill me from the inside out. But that's just me.
I hope you get to a place where you feel at peace with your decision, whatever that place will be :-) if you ever need anything, give me a shout :-) hugs xx
You are very sweet, mashaAllah :) You are brave for several reasons, and the most important of them is that you chose your values and authenticity above living a life that just wasn't you for someone you obviously love(d) a lot, and that takes real courage! It can be very tempting to just do what it takes to be together with the love of your life, but you resisted it, and stayed true to yourself. It was hard, I'm sure, but you managed, and that really deserves my admiration ;-)
Take care, dear! x
awww thank you hun! that's so so nice of you :'-) take care and have a good day x
He said the translation of the Arabic word, right? To beat them {lightly)? Then that's clear isn't it? And for the Hadith to confirm that is just confirming the meaning through the way that the Prophet (Pbuh) lived and to show the sunnah. Some translations of the Qu'ran are used to misguide people. And the Qu'ran is getting corrupted that way but the fact it stays the same in Arabic holds true to it being perfected, right? And that it is a Muslims duty/many do know and can recite the whole Qu'ran in Arabic? Is that not protection then? I think Allah's word is clear it's people who obscure it and change the words to suit their own desires/wants.
Hi, Sorry, I know this is an old posting of yours, but it my first time reading and feel strongly to respond. Thanks for humoring me.
I responded on one of your more recent posts about how I find my own answers to these type of concepts...
Wife beating? How could the Quran, God, even give permission no matter how lightly?! Well... This is how I looked at it (take it as you will):
God is saying that a woman should guard what is expected from her (her chastity, her husband's integrity, property, money), and if in her husband's absence she disobeys this (which means she has sex with another man, sells her husband's property without his permission, or squanders his money for example) God is giving the husband a reasonable course of action which DOES NOT immediately start with beating the wife to death... Sorry, but really? In reality, if a wife sleeps with another man, what do you think the husband to do? I think God is informing men of what they can/not do in the case of extreme breach in contract.
Lastly, I don't plan to break my contract with God or my husband, so in the end this ultimately doesn't concern me. Right?
This of course, was my interpretation because I want to believe in the goodness of God, not the evilness of humanity.
The truth is what makes you feel good at night, am I wrong? To me, this is the truth because it makes me feel good when I close my eyes. I no longer question God, because I stopped listening to the thousands of interpretations of everyone else and listed to my own reasoning and interpretation. My interpretation of the Quran is beautiful, because it is mine. I don't care if anyone else disagrees with it. And that is why I feel God made the Quran to be interpreted differently by so many. Because, if I had to believe in the same interpretation of the Quran as say, those who use it to justify hate, then I wouldn't have reached God in the capacity that I have now, and that would have been sad (in my opinion).
Respectfully,
Steph
you're welcome Steph, 'I aim to please' - that's my motto ;-)
the post is about different interpretations and 4:34 illustrates this point very well. people interpret this verse to mean either as 'beat them', 'beat them lightly' or 'leave them'. All those interpretations cannot be true. how is it that there are so many interpretations? isn't Qur'an supposed to be clear in it's meaning?
I don't want to put words in your mouth but are you essentially saying that a man is allowed to beat his wife?
the fact that this particular verse will never concern you doesn't make the verse invalid altogether. It's in the Qur'an and it's considered God's word. it also affects millions of lives around the world every single day.
can you tell me briefly, what a woman can do when a husband disobeys/misbehaves?
your last paragraph is very interesting. yes, your interpretation of the Qur'an is beautiful because you made it so, you made it pretty so that it can make you feel good at night. But does it make your interpretation true and valid?
That's what I'm interested in. Truth. I'm not prepared to do bending backwards and such. It means what it means and I either accept it and I become a believer, or I don't.
Also... don't you think that if a particular text can be interpreted to justify hate and violence, there is something seriously wrong with the text itself? That it might not actually come from God or has been corrupted?
I will stop here :-) thanks again for stopping by and taking the time to comment! take care :-)
First of all I appreciate that you intend to understand the Quran and are taking the religious research seriously; that too in an era which is fully dominated by materialists.
But I feel you have opted a really longer root. I would start from your last sentence:
"if it was Allah in the first place"
When my people made me doubt the teachings I myself started to investigate whether the Quran was really the word of God?
I think this is the shortest route in the journey of truth. Understanding the Quran becomes is easier when you realize you are not reading an ordinary book therefore I recommend that you should first demand the proofs in favor of the Quran being the word of God.
"I can't help but wonder whether God couldn't have been more clear while passing down his message?"
Dear AA Muslimah,
The Quran was not revealed for an era or two but instead it is a guidance for mankind until it is the end of the worldly life. I don't agree that the message of the Quran is not clear.
In fact for me the Quran is an ocean of knowledge. We take from it according to our capacities. Some people daily go on an ocean for fishing and make their living through it but others who go without sufficient knowledge don't come back alive.
"The Qur'aan is a proof on your behalf or against you." [Sahih Muslim no. 432]
How can we claim that God's message is not clear while Allah almighty not only took the responsibility of preserving its words but He also protected its explanation. Praise be to Allah who hasn't revealed the Quran on a mountain but on the heart of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
On one hand you find Arabs who speak and understand the language of the Quran on other hand we have whole science of hadith which preserves the words, actions and even gestures of the last prophet (peace be upon him) of God to whom Allah gave the responsibility of explaining the Quran:
"You should explain to people what has been sent down to them." [Soorah an-Nahl (16): 44]
"Verily We have revealed the Reminder (Qur'aan) to you (O Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)) so that you may explain to the people what has been revealed to them." [Soorah an-Nahl (16):44]
Prophet Jesus peace be upon him was not the last messenger therefore we don't see the book revealed on him preserved in its actual shape nor we see any science of hadith which could provide us the true accounts of his daily life.
While if we doubt a translation we consult those who understand Arabic and if we still cannot comprehend the message we see its explanation in the life of the Prophet peace be upon him and after that we still have the ancient tafaseers as well.
And according to Ibn Taimeeyah the benefit of the ancient tafaseers is that;
a. Their expositions have not been influenced by foreign ideas.
b. They have not been affected by the political and theological disputes that marred the Tafseer of the later generations.
c. They are for sure, the best and purest expositions in the letter and spirit of the Qur'aan.
Now coming at the verses you brought as a reference in favor of your claim: We can clearly see that all translations state one meaning which is "beat them". If there is some difference that is because some translators provide word for word meanings and others explanatory meanings which mostly are written in brackets. So all are beneficial in one way or another.
Certainly, there are translators who make mistakes or intentionally try to please the "liberal" world. I am not Arab but I have learned the meanings of many Quranic words earlier I used to read the translations know I prefer understanding the Quran directly through the words of God. If we see any contradictions and faults in the translations we can not blame the Quran for them because the translations can never be considered the word of God.
After reading your post I read the translations of these verses in my native language as well. All these translations agree on the meanings that the word "Adriboo" means "beat them".
Now we have to discuss that what is "beat them"?
I will come back, insha-Allah. Meanwhile I recommend you to read An Introduction to the Principles of Tafseer.
Finally, thank you so much for awakening us. After reading your post I read many verses of this Surah. I felt the need to know more about the principles of tafseer.
Best Wishes
first of all Ibn Hanif thank you for taking the time to comment.
why do you think I should first demand the proofs in favour of the Qur'an being the word of God?
whether Qur'an is an ocean of knowledge or not has nothing to do with it being clear.
I am happy to accept the claim that Qur'an is clear. The Qur'an itself claims to be clear and free of ambiguity. But we get to the point when you have a verse such as 4:34 (it is only to illustrate different opinions, not to discuss the verse itself) and you have people claiming it says 'beat them'. On the other hand, you will have a group saying that God would have never ordained sth like this, plus the verse has been mistranslated for centuries and it really means 'leave them'. I'm not an arabic speaker so I kinda have to believe what those who do speak arabic tell me. It means that there are two possibilities, both can't be correct. that's what I am getting at. That a single verse can have many meanings, which sometimes make a really big difference. Do you see what I mean?
I'm sure you know that different people have different interpretations and they all can't be correct.
and no, we don't have to discuss 4:34 here :) it deserves a separate post :)
You're so welcome, Almost Muslimah.
[why do you think I should first demand the proofs in favour of the Qur'an being the word of God?]
I think I had some confusion in understanding your words.
Particularly when you said:
"I really think Allah could have done better (if it was Allah in the first place)."
You possibly wrote these words about different translations but not about the holy Quran itself.
I would love to see more discussions here. (but I don't always think I qualify to take part in them).
Though we see differences in the opinions but I loved the way most of your visitors shared their thoughts here.
Best wishes!
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