Jihadi Du Jour: The Islamist World View

Appearing on Oprah Winfrey's TV show in 2001, Jordan's westernized Queen Rania claimed that women in Islam are equal to men, and that we in the West have serious misconceptions on the role of women in the Islamic world. At the time she said: "Islam views women as full and equal partners to men, so rights are guaranteed by Islam."

Islam views women as full and equal partners to men, so rights are guaranteed by Islam. Really?!?!? Does Her Majesty actually believe that, or does she wish to believe it? Is she just saying it because she is talking to a Western audience? How does one reconcile Queen Rania's statement with the sad reality of women's daily life in the Islamic world, or in the Islamic communities in the West?h How does one reconcile the Queen's words with the words of the Qur'an?

Following are a few passages from the Qur'an - from many such - on the status of women:

Surah 4:3

And if you fear that you cannot do justice to orphans, marry such women as seem good to you, two, or three, or four; but if you fear that you will not do justice, then (marry) only one or that which your right hand possesses. This is more proper that you may not do injustice. (Maulana Muhammad Ali translation)
If you fear that you cannot treat orphans with fairness, then you may marry other women who seem good to you: two, three or four of them. But if you fear that you cannot maintain equality among them, marry one only or any slave girl you may own. This will make it easier for you to avoid injustice. (N. J. Dawood translation)

Maulana Muhammad Ali, comments on the above:

3a. - This passage permits polygamy under certain conditions, it does not enjoin it.

It does not obligate the practice of polygamy, but it permits it. So a man, according to his means, may marry up to four wives... does this sound full and equal to you, gentle reader?!?!?

Sura 4:34

Men are the maintainers of women, with that Allah has made of them to excel others and with that they spend out their wealth. So the good women are obedient guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded. And (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the beds and chastise them. So if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Surely Allah is ever Exalted, Great. (Maulana Muhammad Ali translation)
Men have authority over women because God has made the one superior to the other, and because they spend their wealth to maintain them. Good women are obedient. They guard their unseen parts because God has guarded them. As for those from whom you fear disobedience , admonish them and forsake them in their beds apart and beat them. Then if they obey, take no further action against them. Surely God is high, supreme. (N. J. Dawood translation)

Men have authority over women because God has made the one superior to the other. With all due respect to Her Majesty, Queen Rania, that does not sound like Islam views women as full and equal partners to men. What do you think, gentle reader?

The word nushūz is translated above as desertion and as disobedience it refers to a woman withholding her conjugal services. While no husband would be pleased with such refusal, most husbands would desist but should such behavior persist they would divorce her. Islam allows the man to beat her in order to get her to submit. Sounds like rape to me!

In some Islamic countries (like Saudi Arabia) women may not drive, may not travel without permission from their husbands (or fathers, if they are not married). On what authority?

Sura 33:33

And stay in your houses and display not (your beauty) like the displaying of the ignorance of yore, and keep up prayer, and pay the poor rate, and obey Allah and his messenger. Allah only desires to take away uncleanness from you, O people of the household, and to purify you a (thorough) purifying. (Maulana Muhammad Ali translation)
Stay in your homes and do not display your finery as women used to do in the days of ignorance. Attend to your prayers, give alms and obey God and His apostle. Women of the Household, God seeks only to remove uncleanliness from you and to purify you. (N. J. Dawood translation)

Although the above admonitions were meant for Muhammad's wifes, the above verse came to be interpreted as referring to all women. Do you still think, gentle reader, that women in Islam are full and equal partners to men?

How does one explain the video below then?

In all fairness violence against women has all too often reared its ugly face throughout the West, and was/is being perpetrated by westerners. The difference is that unlike those in Islam the cowards who engage in violent behavior against women can find neither find a shield behind their culture nor behind a religion. The difference lies in the fact that in European countries the incidence of violence against women has risen geometrically in proportion to the percentage of Muslim immigrants. In Australia Sheikh Al-Hillaly described western women as "uncovered meat" and, therefore, as the guilty ones when raped by Muslim. Such misogynistic attitudes have no place in the west, or anywhere else, in this the 21st century!

There is nothing honorable about "honor killings" and no western culture, no western religion offers refuge or justification for such an act. To the west it not an honorable act, rather a case of despicable murder. Yet, honor killings are prevalent throughout Muslim lands and spreading fast into Islamic communities in the West. In Queen Rania's own kingdom, which averages 20 honor killings a year, they just had the 8th one this year:

Jordan's Criminal Court has charged a 19-year-old man with stabbing to death his sister in what is believed to be an honor killing.

Judge Jihad al-Dridi charged the man Monday with premeditated murder and the possession of a dangerous weapon.

Al-Dridi said the man confessed to repeatedly stabbing his 22-year-old sister to cleanse the family honor because she left the house too often.

The victim is the eighth person to be killed in honor crimes this year.

About 20 women are killed annually in Jordan by male relatives. The conservative society tolerates the killings and perpetrators often receive light sentences.

The name of the man and the victim were not revealed due to the sensitivity of the case.

In 2002 the United Nations Development Programme published a report which covered most of the Muslim world. It was conducted by Arab and Muslim academics of both genders. The report points to the mistreatment of women as one of the reasons for the poverty and backwardness of Muslim lands.

I have no doubt that Jordan's King Abdullah and Queen Rania have a loving marriage, I have no doubt they show mutual respect. I need look no further than my next door neighbors, he's a college professor and former Palestinian terrorist (who was jailed by the Israelis, but became disillusioned by the Palestinian leadership and their greed, after he was freed), she's a Southern girl whose father was a proud member of the KKK. She never met a Jew, let alone a Muslim, until she went to college but she grew up hating anyone who was not white and Christian. Today she is a proud Muslima.

The three of us have breakfast, together, almost everyday morning. They have the key to my place and I to theirs. She wears a hijab, not a niqqab, they have a loving marriage founded on mutual respect. I do not mean to accuse every Muslim of mistreating his wife, I merely point out the cultural/religious sources for the treatment of women by some Islamist elements.

Chaim