Sexual atrocities in Islam
Kai Hagbard 2004
Introduction
We are all presented to the perpetual declaim of Muslims, that Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance and justice (in which I should already correct myself, since the claim is not solemnly Islamic, most spokespeople, teachers and the media articulate to us the same message, in which they beautify Islam in the same manner). Some Muslims would probably be quick pointing to all the focus on terrorism and the Taliban phenomena. However, none of the negative suggestions have yet sought to criticize the religion of Islam itself, or have they? One would expect that observable features of Islam originate from the root itself. By this I do not intend to judge all Muslims. Indeed most of the Muslim community, certainly in the West, deplores a lot or even all the issues related to the dark side of Islam, which we observe today and which I will bring up in this short article.
A clear and honest assessment of the Islamic religion does reveal that Islam may indeed contain various positive features, which indeed are common and present in virtually, almost every religion. However, positive aspects do not out-rule the negative proportions, and sadly this is often the understanding of the Muslim, at least in dealing with Islam.
A closer look at the matter helps us to deduce that Islam is not a religion of peace, at least when we consider the negative proportion of it, and that is my present conclusion.
What I mean is, that the Muslim usually claims that Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance, justice and purity. I would like to challenge that claim by pointing out just one aspect of the dark side of Islam, that of sexual atrocities in Islam, or what some would refer to as the Sexual Philosophy in Islam.
The spirit in Islam and Christianity
Women are your fields: go, then, into your fields whence you please. (Qur'an 2:223)
The strong words in Sura 2:223 indicate not necessarily a wrong desire but a wrong attitude. Sexual activity in all fairness should be a mutual activity, highly motivated by each others needs and perpetual holy and pure lust. The Koran however, encourages the men in a totally different manner: Women are your fields: go, then, into your fields whence you please. (Qur'an 2:223, Dawood)
I must say that here I prefer the biblical description:
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife (1 Cor.7: 3-4).
Thus the Bible focuses on mutable understanding, that is the emphasis not of ones self but the marriage partner. These passages thus clearly differentiate between the spirit in Islam and the spirit in Christianity.
Polygamy and Concubines
No student of Islam can avoid seeing that sex permeates virtually almost every bit of the Islamic religion. We have the prophet of Islam himself, who is given special privileges to marry as many women he feels, plus concubines; Sura 33: 50-22 states:
O Prophet, We have made lawful to you the wives to whom you have given dowries and those whom your right hand possesses, of whatever spoils of war that Allah has given you; and the daughters of your paternal uncles and paternal aunts, and of your paternal and maternal aunts who migrated with you; and any believing woman who gives herself to the Prophet, if the Prophet wishes to take her in marriage. This is only for you and not any other believer. We know the duties We have imposed on them concerning their wives and those whom their right hand possesses, so that there should be no fault in you. Allah is the Forgiving and Merciful.
You may defer any of them (your wives) if you please and invite any of them if you please. If you seek any you have put aside there is no fault in you. So that it is likelier they will be comforted, and not sorrow, and every one of them will be pleased, and all are pleased with what you give them. Allah knows what is in your hearts. Allah is the Knower, the Clement.
It shall be unlawful for you to take more wives or to exchange your present wives for other women, though their beauty pleases you, except those whom your right hand possesses. Allah is watchful over everything (Sura 33: 50-52).
However, this same privilege is not provided for the ordinary Muslim male who has to satisfy himself with no more than four women, plus concubines (the concubine are those whom his right hand owns or controls).
"Do not marry off but from one to four, and add no more. If you are afraid you will not deal fairly, if you marry more than one, then marry one only or those your hand controls so that you will not act unjustly."al-Tabari 4:232-233.
"Forbidden to you [in marriage] are your mothers and [own] daughters, your sisters, your aunts paternal and maternal, your brother's daughters, your sister's ... and [already] wedded women, save what your right hands own. So God prescribes for you. Lawful for you, beyond all that, is that you may seek, using your wealth, in wedlock and not in licence. Such wives as you enjoy thereby, give them their wages apportionate; it is no fault in you in your agreeing together, after the due apportionate. God is All-knowing, All-wise" (Sura al-Nisa´ 4:23,24).
In other words a Muslim is permitted to marry up to four wives in addition to those his right hand possesses; these are the concubines, typically women taken as slaves in an act of war.
Some Muslims have pointed to the above passages in an attempt to defend the matter, in stating that a man is allowed to marry only four women’s say, he is able to deal with them all equally and justly.
The Qur´an says, "If you fear that you will not act justly towards the orphans, marry such women as seem good to you, two, three, four [at a time]; but if you fear you will not be equitable, then [marry] only one or what your right hands own, so it is likelier you will not be partial" (Sura al-Nisa´ 4:3).
However, despite of some positive consideration, this type of defense is hardly valid, since we are still dealing with a one-man-to-four-women relationship. Secondly, Muslim males would hardly feel sexually limited by the fact that despite of a one-man-to-a-one-women marriage relationship he would still have access to a number of sexual concubines as well, typically women taken as booty after a war.
In Sura 48:20 the Muslims are allowed to plunder the enemy after a military victory, the plunder (the booty) consisted not only of material values but also human especially women, who went into slavery. It becomes evident that among Muslims, they possessed more than their legal wives, the concubines (what their right hand possessed), was equally a common reality in the household:
Sura 70: 28:30 says:
For none is secure from the punishment of their Lord, who guard their privates except from their wives and what their right hands own, for these they are not blameworthy.
Also Sura 23:5-6:
Prosperous are the believers, who are humble in their prayers; who turn away from idle talk; who give charity, who guard their privates, except with their wives and what their right hand possess, and then they are not blamed.
And Sura 4:24
And (forbidden to you) are married women, except those whom your right hand owns. Such Allah has written for you. Lawful to you beyond all that, is that you can seek using your wealth in marriage and not fornication. So whatever you have enjoyed from them give them their obligated wage. And there is no fault in you in what ever you mutually agree after the obligation. Allah is the Knower, the Wise.
We do not deny that positive considerations is presented as well, not every aspect in the text is negative, especially the notion on orphan girls in Sura 4:3. However, the negative parts do not cover over the bright side. The matter in a nutshell is: no man has the right to own another woman, especially for sexual purposes. That is at least when we focus on the use of concubines or female slaves whom the Muslim owner was allowed to rape. The matter on orphan girls is tricky as well. Do we really need to marry orphans in order to provide for their needs? As a matter of fact would not the marriage with young girls or even children prove that the provider has some sick desires! And in case the text refers to the children of widows, the question remains the same: do we need to marry widows in order to provide for their needs?
The bottom line is that Muhammad and his followers, practiced sexual activities with slaves and concubines, and the following text proves that Muhammad practiced sexual activities with his slaves outside any marital covenant, in this case the slave Mariyam:
"He (Muhammad) used to visit her (Mariyam) there and ordered her to veil herself, [but] he had intercourse with her by virtue of her being his property. (Tabari vol.39, p.194)"
According to Tabari vol.39, p.194 the Lord of Alexandria gave a young Christian girl as a gift to Muhammad, her name was Mariyam. Muhammad never married Mariyam but rather enforced her to engage in sexual activity, which lead to birth of a son who died 18 months later.
Also Muhammad’s closest followers engaged in similar activities, e.g. Ali who had sex with a beautiful slave girl whom he happened to suddenly catch his eyes on and lust after, this gave him the right to rape, since she was a slave and thus his property, and Muhammad seemed to have no objections what so ever (Sahih Bukhari vol.5#637):
Narrated Buraida: The prophet sent Ali to Khalid to bring the Khumus (part of the war booty) and I hated Ali, and Ali had taken a bath (after a sexual act with a slave girl from the Khumus). I said to Khalid, "Don't you see this (i.e. Ali)? When we reached the prophet I mentioned that to him. He said, "O Buraida! Do you hate Ali?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Do you hate him for he deserves more than that from the Khumus."
There is certainly no excuse here, these girls were slaves, taken as prisoners or sold as slaves, after being separated from their families and loved ones, simply to become sex slaves, of those who supposedly are to represent the last and true religion of God here on earth, Islam. I would certainly think twice about the religion I am following, since such atrocities would never be permitted or legally constintutionalized by the all-knowing Creator, who possess any sense, love or compassion.
Rape of female slaves and concubines
Keeping girls as concubines with the intention of sexual misuse should be bad enough, but the matter becomes worse. We may wonder if not the above is a clear similitude to legalized rape, and such was exactly the main intention.
Muhammad once said to his followers: you will see, Allah will soon give you their land, their property and their women to sleep with (Ibn Hisham, vol.II, p.182).
For this reason according to several passages in the Hadiz (e.g. Sahih Bukhari vol.9#506; Sahih Muslim vol.2#3371) Muhammad’s followers used to seek permission and advice if after military victory they were allowed have sex with the girls taken in battle, in other words rape them. The reason for doubting, were the following: 1) the men were sometimes captives as well and would observe the raping, 2) secondly they were worried to make them pregnant. At one point Muhammad permitted the based on the grounds that Allah decided who gets created anyway; in other words: go ahead rape them. Secondly, as Muhammad clarified, Allah had legally given them these girls as a part of the booty, thus do not let their husbands hinder you.
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri that while he was sitting with Allah's messenger we said, "Oh Allah's messenger, we got female captives as our booty, and we are interested in their prices, what is your opinion about coitus interruptus?" The prophet said, "Do you really do that? It is better for you not to do it. No soul that which Allah has destined to exist, but will surely come into existence." (Sahih Bukhari, vol.3:432) (see also Bukhari Vol. 3, #718)
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri that during the battle with Bani Al-Mustaliq they (Muslims) captured some females and intended to have sexual relations with them without impregnating them. So they asked the prophet about coitus interruptus. The prophet said, "It is better that you should not do it, for Allah has written whom He is going to create till the Day of Resurrection". (Sahih Bukhari, vol.9:506) (see also Bukhari 5:459).
Narrated Buraida: The prophet sent Ali to Khalid to bring the Khumus (part of the war booty) and I hated Ali, and Ali had taken a bath (after a sexual act with a slave girl from the Khumus). I said to Khalid, "Don't you see this (i.e. Ali)? When we reached the prophet I mentioned that to him. He said, "O Buraida! Do you hate Ali?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Do you hate him for he deserves more than that from the Khumus." (Sahih Bukhari, vol.5:637)
Abu Sirma said to Abu Said al Khudri: "O Abu Said, did you hear Allah's messenger mentioning about al-azl (coitus interrupts)?" He said, "Yes", and added: "We went out with Allah's messenger on the expedition to the Mustaliq and took captive some excellent Arab women; and we desired them for we were suffering from the absence of our wives, (but at the same time) we also desired ransom for them. So we decided to have sexual intercourse with them but by observing azl" (withdrawing the male sexual organ before emission of semen to avoid conception). But we said: "We are doing an act whereas Allah's messenger is amongst us; why not ask him?" So we asked Allah's messenger and he said: "It does not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up to the Day of Resurrection will be born". (Sahih Muslim, vol.2:3371)
Abu Said al-Khudri reported that at the Battle of Hunain Allah's messenger sent an army to Autas and encountered the enemy and fought with them. Having overcome them and taken them captives, the Companions of Allah's messenger seemed to refrain from having intercourse with captive women because of their husbands being polytheists. Then Allah, Most High, sent down regarding that: "And women already married, except those whom your right hands possess (Quran - 4:24), (i.e. they were lawful for them when their Idda (menstrual) period came to and end).
(Sahih Muslim, vol.2:3432)
Abu Said al-Khudri said: "The apostle of Allah sent a military expedition to Awtas on the occasion of the battle of Hunain. They met their enemy and fought with them. They defeated them and took them captives. Some of the Companions of the apostle of Allah were reluctant to have intercourse with the female captives in the presence of their husbands who were unbelievers. So Allah, the Exalted, sent down the Quranic verse, "And all married women (are forbidden) unto your save those (captives) whom your right hand possesses". That is to say, they are lawful for them when they complete their waiting period."" [The Quran verse is 4:24]. (From the Hadith of the Sunan of Abu Dawud, vol.2:2150) (Abu Dawud, vol.2:2150)
Scholars have through out the years added their various interpretations and views on this particular last Hadith which stated that after the distribution of the spoils of war, a man may have intercourse with the female slave after she passes one menstrual period, if she is not pregnant. If she is pregnant one should wait till she delivers the child. This is the view held by Malik, al-Shafi and Abu Thawr. Abu Hanifah holds that if both the husband and wife are captivated together, their marriage tie still continues; they will not be separated. According to the majority of scholars, they will be separated. Al-Awzai maintains that their marriage tie will continue till they remain part of the spoils of war. If a man buys them, he may separate them if he desires, and cohabit with the female slave after one menstrual period.
However this last Hadith really reveals the diabolical nature as we see it practiced by Muhammad and his closest followers.
Muhaririz said: "I entered the mosque and saw Abu Said al-Khudri. I sat with him and asked about withdrawing the penis (while having intercourse), Abu Said said: We went out with the Apostle of Allah on the expedition to Banu al-Mustaliq, and took some Arab women captive, and we desired the women, for we were suffering from the absence of our wives, and we wanted ransom; so we intended to withdraw the penis (while having intercourse with the slave-women). But we asked ourselves: "Can we draw the penis when the apostle of Allah is among us before asking him about it?" So we asked him about it. He said, "It does not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up to the Day of Resurrection will be born."" (Abu Dawud, vol.2:2167)
One needs hardly to be a scholar to grasp the horrific scene of these older women and young girls, some married and some not, being held hostages while their husbands and family members are or either slaughtered or separated away from them. In stead of being shown sympathy from these so called men of God who are to constitute the glorious rule of Allah on earth, the followers of Muhammad actually ask for permission increase their torment and rape these women. They however prove hesitant since in case of impregnating them, they will loose their ransom, that is, they will not be able to sell them on the slave market. In other words women, young and old, married or not, were literally raped by Muhammad’s followers prior to their future destiny, then to be dragged to the slave market and sold as concubines. Muhammad’s reply clearly prove himself not be a the last prophet of God or a prophet of God at all: He said, "It does not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up to the Day of Resurrection will be born."" Being a man of God one would expect a different response and attitude to the matter, but no, have Muslims ever pondered over this hideous reality?
Another matter that shoots up here would be the age of these girls who were raped by the Islamic army.
It’s a fact that Muhammad who is the supposed to be the ‘all together lovely’, the example of man-kind in any particular act and habit, actually engaged in sexual intercourse with a nine year old girl.
His youngest wife Aisha was 6-7 years old when she married Muhammad and nine years of age when the marriage was consummated and Muhammad and she had their first act of intercourse. The following Hadith’s confirm the matter:
From Bukhari vol. 7, #65: "Narrated Aisha that the prophet wrote the marriage contract with her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old. Hisham said: "I have been informed that Aisha remained with the prophet for nine years (i.e. till his death).""
Bukhari vol. 7, #88: “Narrated Urwa: "The prophet wrote the (marriage contract) with Aisha while she was six years old and consummated his marriage with her while she was nine years old and she remained with him for nine years (i.e. till his death).""
Bukhari vol. 5, #234 says: "Narrated Aisha: The prophet engaged me when I was a girl of six. We went to Medina and stayed at the home of Harith Kharzraj. Then I got ill and my hair fell down. Later on my hair grew (again) and my mother, Um Ruman, came to me while I was playing in a swing with some of my girl friends. She called me, and I went to her, not knowing what she wanted to do to me. She caught me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house. I was breathless then, and when my breathing became all right, she took some water and rubbed my face and head with it. Then she took me into the house. There in the house I saw some Ansari women who said, "Best wishes and Allah's blessing and a good luck." Then she entrusted me to them and they prepared me (for the marriage). Unexpectedly Allah's messenger came to me in the forenoon and my mother handed me over to him, and at that time I was a girl of nine years of age."
Aisha reported: Allah’s Messenger married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house at the age of nine…. (Sahih Muslim, vol.2:3309)
From Abu Dawud, Vol. 2, #2116: "Aisha said, "The Apostle of Allah married me when I was seven years old." (The narrator Sulaiman said: "Or six years."). "He had intercourse with me when I was 9 years old."
The question that pops up in my mind after reading such passages is: how many rape victims from Muhammad’s military victories were twelve years old? Eleven years old? Ten years old? Nine years old? Perhaps younger? Who knows.
However, the question, everyone, including the Muslim needs to ask himself is: wetter this is the prophet he wants to follow.
No Christian hides the fact that previous prophets, such as Abraham or David did terrible mistakes, in other words, in its historical analogy, Muhammad’s mistakes do not necessarily deprive him of prophet hood. However, there are two things to state here. David killed and even engaged in adultery, however, even David never engaged in legalizing such atrocities. Secondly, Christians do not seek to follow David, in the same way as we follow our Lord Jesus Christ, who never killed, raped, destroyed, robbed, took lives or destroyed futures.
Is my interest here simply to provoke the Muslim or offend his belief? No! My only intention is to challenge the Muslim to rethink his religion and his prophet, and I would say that the passages above are sufficient in challenging any follower of Muhammad to think twice before he even considers to take further steps for his religion.
In a nutshell, the Muslim needs to reconsider wetter his religion and path of living is not merely and solemnly a path of deception and finally destruction.
Jesus neither engaged in or encouraged such atrocities, not even ones: and indeed he calls himself: The Way, the Truth and the Life.
Kai