Rifa'a divorced his wife whereupon 'AbdurRahman bin Az-Zubair
Al-Qurazi married her. 'Aisha said that the lady (came), wearing a green veil
(and complained to her (Aisha) of her husband and showed her a green spot on
her skin caused by beating). It was the habit of ladies to support each other,
so when Allah's Apostle came, 'Aisha said, "I have not seen any woman suffering as much as the
believing women. Look! Her skin is greener than her clothes!" When 'AbdurRahman heard that his wife had gone to the
Prophet, he came with his two sons from another wife. She said, "By Allah! I have done no wrong to him but he is impotent and is
as useless to me as this," holding and showing the fringe of her garment, 'Abdur-Rahman said, "By Allah, O Allah's Apostle!
She has told a lie! I am very strong and can satisfy her but she is disobedient
and wants to go back to Rifa'a." Allah's Apostle said, to her, "If that is your intention, then know that it is unlawful for you
to remarry Rifa'a unless Abdur-Rahman has had sexual intercourse with you." Then the Prophet saw two boys with 'Abdur-Rahman and
asked (him), "Are these your sons?" On that 'AbdurRahman said,
"Yes." The Prophet said, "You claim what you claim (i.e.. that
he is impotent)? But by Allah, these boys resemble him as a crow resembles a
crow," Sahih
Bukhari, Vol. 7, Book 72, Hadith 715
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of
the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and
that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
There
is nothing in the mentioned hadeeth that indicates that Muslim women were
tortured and beaten by their husbands and that it was common during the
lifetime of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, let alone him approving
or denouncing it. The statement of ‘Aa'ishah "I
have not seen anyone suffering as much as the believing women," means
suffering life's hardships, according to Al-Qastallaani in his book Irshaad
As-Saari Lisharh Saheeh Al-Bukhari (8/435).
‘Aa'ishah's statement, "Her skin is greener than her
clothes!" may refer to the marks caused by a beating, and it may also mean
that she was emaciated (very skinny). Al-‘Ayni commented
on the hadeeth, saying, "The greenness of
the skin could have been because she was very skinny or because she was beaten
by her husband ‘Abd Ar-Rahmaan." [‘Umdat Al-Qaari Sharh Saheeh Al-Bukhari 6/22]
Scholars
brought forth this hadeeth as evidence supporting the fact that in case of an
irrevocable divorce with major separation (third divorce), it is
impermissible for the divorced couple to remarry until the woman marries another
man and that second marriage is consummated (and she later becomes divorced or
widowed and wishes to remarry her first husband). The scholars' concern for
this hadeeth was in relation to this religious ruling. As for the ruling on
beating wives, it is known from many other texts indicating that it is
absolutely prohibited for the husband to severely beat his wife under any
circumstances and that the permissible disciplinary beating is not severe and
is deemed allowable in certain cases as the last resort after exhorting her and
then abandoning her in bed.
It
has been reported on the authority of Jaabir that
the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, "…If they do that, then beat them, but
without causing injury or leaving a mark."
[Muslim]
The
Maaliki scholar Ad-Dardeer wrote:
"Exhortation means to gently advise the disobedient wife to
obey her husband and avoid the mistakes that she is making. If exhortation
proves to be ineffective, then the husband is entitled to abandon her in bed,
i.e. refrain from engaging in intimacy with her, in the hope that she
reconsiders her actions and refrains from her disobedience. If forsaking her in
bed proved to be ineffective, then it is deemed allowable for the husband, as a
last resort, to discipline her by lightly beating her without causing any
physical harm. Beating in this context must be without hurting, breaking a
bone, or leaving marks on the body, while avoiding hitting the face or
especially sensitive places at any cost. It is impermissible for the husband to
severely beat his wife even if he knew that it is the only effective way
to make her stop her disobedience. If he did do so, then she is legislatively
entitled to request a divorce and he is liable for Qisaas (retribution). The
order of these stages of disciplining methods must be followed, and the husband
should not opt for a latter method unless he believes that the former one is
ineffective."
It should be noted that although it is allowable for the husband to beat his disobedient wife in certain situations, it is better to avoid doing so. Al-Bayhaqi wrote,
"Ash-Shaafi‘i commented on the version
of the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Abu Sa‘eed, saying, 'It seems that
the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, forbade beating as a choice and
deemed it allowable only in case he fears her aggravated disobedience and that
his choice for them was that they do not beat, as he said, 'The best of you
will not beat (their wives).'" [Ma‘rifat
As-Sunan wal-Aathaar]
Allaah
knows best.
Brother Karim replied in detail
In the above Hadith, there are few
points to notice and mention:
1- The man failed to follow Noble
Verse 4:34 which was sent by Allah Almighty to protect women from harmfull men.
2- The woman was trying to get back
with her first husband. In Islam, if a woman gets divorced or divorces herself
from her husband through the Islamic court by “Khala'”, then the only way she
can get back with her husband, or her husband gets back to her is by HER
MARRYING ANOTHER PERSON, HAVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH HIM, AND THEN GET A
DIVORCE FROM HIM. This is to guarantee that divorce would not be a joke among
Muslims.
3- The woman was claiming that her
second husband was sexually no good. The husband disputed that, and brought his
two sons from another marriage as a proof that he can perform sex. The Prophet
peace be upon him then told the woman “by Allah, these boys resemble him as a
crow resembles a crow”.
4- Aisha’s opinion about the woman’s
bruise doesn’t prove or disprove anything. She got angry because she saw
another woman badly beaten, which is perfectly fine and acceptable. But her
emotions and opinions are not Islamic Verdicts!
Many authentic hadith proof that
Islam liberated women and made them free. See hadith Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 11,
Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah), Number 2138 & 2139.
In ‘Sahih Muslim, Book 018, Number
4251’ we see that a woman in islam is even allowed to take from her husband’s
property without his knowledge if he falls below this basic level of supporting
her. Also Umar Ibn khattab told the prophet that ‘women had the upperhand over
men in Medina in’ in Sahih Bukhari,Volume 7, Book 62, Number 119′ , the prophet
showed a smile after hearing this.
This clearly proofs that ayesha’s(ra)
reaction was based on emotions, which is normal and perfectly fine. We also
have to notice that in pre-islamic (before islam) time women were depressed by
the arabs, Islam came to liberate those women and to give them many rights.
Unfortunately some muslim men (still today) fail to follow the true message of
Islam, instead of this they follow their evil (pagan) cultural practices and
customs! , this has nothing to do with Islam! Islam honours women and clearly
fobids the cruel beating of wives!
Secondly the hadith tells only one
part of the incident, it doesn’t mention anything about the decision made by
the prophet after this incident , simply because only one part of the story is
known and written down. So it’s rediculous to say that Islam and the prophet
allowed wife beating, as a matter of fact the opposite is true!
Noble Verses and Sayings about the
prohibition of wife beating:
The following Noble Verses and
Sayings from the Noble Quran and Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him
respectively seem to very well support the above interpretation:
“…Do not retain them (i.e., your
wives) to harm them…”(The Noble Quran, 2:231)
“If a wife fears cruelty or desertion
on her husband’s part, there is no blame on them if they arrange an amicable
settlement between themselves; and such settlement is best; even though men’s
souls are swayed by greed. But if ye do good and practise self-restraint, God
is well-acquainted with all that ye do.” (The Noble Quran, 4:128)
Narrated Mu’awiyah al-Qushayri: “I
went to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and asked him: What do you say
(command) about our wives? He replied: Give them food what you have for
yourself, and clothe them by which you clothe yourself, and do not beat them,
and do not revile them.” (Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 11, Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah),
Number 2139)
Narrated Mu’awiyah ibn Haydah: “I
said: Apostle of Allah, how should we approach our wives and how should we
leave them? He replied: Approach your tilth when or how you will, give her
(your wife) food when you take food, clothe when you clothe yourself, do not
revile her face, and do not beat her.”(Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 11, Marriage
(Kitab Al-Nikah), Number 2138)
“on the contrary live with them on a
footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye
dislike a thing, and God brings about through it a great deal of good.” (The
Noble Quran, 4:19)…..
Source: http://www.quransearch.com/karim/mistranslations_of_hadiths.htm
Note: In above response brother Karim
said
2- The woman was trying to get back
with her first husband. In Islam, if a woman gets divorced or divorces herself
from her husband through the Islamic court by “Khala'”, then the only way she
can get back with her husband, or her husband gets back to her is by HER
MARRYING ANOTHER PERSON, HAVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH HIM, AND THEN GET A
DIVORCE FROM HIM. This is to guarantee that divorce would not be a joke among
Muslims
Divorce was not granted
because the wife did not give a valid reason for a divorce. The reason she gave
was this:
By Allah! I have done no
wrong to him but he is impotent...
The husband argued that it
wasn't true:
By Allah, O Allah's Apostle!
She has told a lie! I am very strong and can satisfy her…
The Prophet (SAW) decided
on the side of the husband because he already had young sons so it was not
possible that he was impotent:
You claim what you claim
(i.e. that he is impotent)? But by Allah, these boys resemble him as a crow
resembles a crow.
The wife never argued for
"being beaten" as a cause of the divorce.
We read in the Sahih Hadith where Prophet Muhammed Pbuh never beat a woman or servant
ولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ شَيْئًا قَطُّ بِيَدِهِ وَلَا امْرَأَةً وَلَا خَادِمًا إِلَّا أَنْ يُجَاهِدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
“Aisha reported that Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him, never beat
anyone with his hand, neither a woman nor a servant, but only, in the case when
he had been fighting in the cause of Allah …” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 4296)
Tafsir Ibn Kathir, chapter 68:
Imam Ahmad recorded that `A’ishah said, “The Messenger of Allah never
struck a servant of his with his hand, nor did he ever hit a woman. He never
hit anything with his hand, except for when he was fighting Jihad in the cause
of Allah. And he was never given the option between two things except that the
most beloved of the two to him was the easiest of them, as long as it did not
involve sin. If it did involve sin, then he stayed farther away from sin than
any of the people. He would not avenge himself concerning anything that was
done to him, except if the limits of Allah were transgressed. Then, in that
case he would avenge for the sake of Allah.”
From the above Hadiths you can see Aisha (RA) has reported that Prophet
Muhammed Pbuh never Beat a Women or Slave. You can't get more clear then that.
The allegations made by anti Muslims that Prophet Muhammed Pbuh hit his wife
Aisha (RA) is a lie since Aisha (RA) has told us as recorded from the above
Hadith that Prophet Muhammed Pbuh Never hit a Women. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi
(3895) and Ibn Majaah (1977), also quoted in Imam Ghazzali's Ihya Ulum-Id-Din,
Marriage section:
"The best of you is the one who is best to his wife, and I am the
best of you to my wives."
Dr shabir Ally wrote a paper the text does not mean beat your wife The word beat can be found in other text e.g., Surah 20:17-18, Moses Pbuh replied he uses his staff to BEAT THE LEAVES (Wa ahushu)
Prophet Muhammed Pbuh was against any man beating his wife :
Narrated 'Abdullah bin Zam'a:
The Prophet said, "None of you should flog his wife as he flogs a
slave and then have sexual intercourse with her in the last part of the
day."
(Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Number 132)
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (3895) and Ibn Majaah (1977), also quoted in Imam Ghazzali's Ihya Ulum-Id-Din, Marriage section:
"The best of you is the one who is best to his wife, and I am the best of you to my wives."
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Take my advice with regard to women:
Act kindly towards women, for they were created from a rib, and the most
crooked part of a rib is its uppermost. If you attempt to straighten it; you
will break it, and if you leave it alone it will remain crooked; so act kindly
toward women".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet was on a journey and a
slave named Anjasha was chanting (singing) for the camels to let them go fast
(while driving). The Prophet said, “O Anjasha, drive slowly (the camels) with
the glass vessels!” Abu Qilaba said, “By the glass vessels’ he meant the women
(riding the camels).”[Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 229]
Comment: Leave a side beating he
forbade the camel driver to slow down.