To Muslim women...

To Muslim women:

I have been looking at some things from the Qu'ran about women. Now I recognize that Islam at the time of its inception was far ahead of most other cultures and religions in the world in terms of women�s rights. But that was 1400 years ago, I am wonder what modern Muslim women say about some quotes in the Qu�ran today:

2:223 Your women are a tilth for you (to cultivate) so go to your tilth as ye will, and send (good deeds) before you for your souls, and fear Allah, and know that ye will (one day) meet Him. Give glad tidings to believers, (O Muhammad).

-or-

[2:223] Your women are the bearers of your seed. Thus, you may enjoy this privilege however you like, so long as you maintain righteousness. You shall observe GOD, and know that you will meet Him. Give good news to the believers.

Basically the message is the same, that women are only a means to an end for a man. The man thus can have sex with her whenever and however he wants. Now this part puts in some questions:

�so long as you maintain righteousness�

I suspect that this means this:

�send (good deeds) before you for your souls, and fear Allah,�

Not to be righteous in relation to the woman, but to be righteous as in fearing God. Basically if you are a believer of the faith and Allah, you are righteous.

Now is my analysis incorrect? Is there something missing, is there a contradictory quote from the Qu�ran? Or is the spirit of the Qu�ran greater then this one quote? As a Muslim woman how do you feel about a man having privilege?

Please help me understand what Muslim women think�

Edited by nico

Nico,

Here is a good tafsir that explains verse 2:233:

http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=2&tid=5921

In fact, you will find there can be much to learn by reading through the whole site www.tafsir.com.

It is always better to get one's knowledge of Islam from reliable, scholarly sources.  People here at this forum are just regular folk, and not scholars at all.

As far as how I feel about "a man having privliage", I do not know where you get such an idea.  Men and women are equal in the sight of Allah, they both have rights concerning the other - like a perfectly complementary pair, completing one another. 

I hope this was helpful.  Do look to reliable sources for your information to avoid much confusion.

Peace, ummziba.

A means to What end???

To those who call me ignorant, I never claimed knowledge so to call me ignorant is incorrect. I came from a point of ignorance and asking the wise for their advice.

Now like I said I am happy that you all have been able to give quotes from other parts of the Qu�ran which tell me the spirit of the Qu�ran in relation to women. But none of you have touched on this part of the quote:

Your women are the bearers of your seed. Thus, you may enjoy this privilege however you like, so long as you maintain righteousness.

That is the part of which I am having trouble with, so mind my ignorance but please help me understand. From what I read from that quote and what you wise people have told me seems to contradict, for instance:

Fearing Allah means to do the right thing by His creation. If the treatment to the woman is unfair then one cannot be righteous to God.

That makes sense to me, but it contradicting the first part of the quote to which a man may enjoy his �priviledge� however you likes�meaning does it not that there are no restrictions. Then the quote supports you but saying if the man remains �righteous� (which means?) do tell me what that means, from what I have been able to read thanks to Tafsir that most likely means not having sex in the anus with a woman, but all other acts of sex with a woman is ok�does this also include rape? If no�why not? Now lets not go stray away to other parts of the Qu�ran where women do have rights�lets stick on this quote so I may be able to understand from obviously wise members of the forum to educate me.