[KALKI]

Islam against Wife Abuse

by Yahya Abdul Rahman a.k.a. Shawn N. Smith

Since there are some in the Muslim community that believe it is halal to smack their wives around because the woman is the property of the man, an unislamic idea in the first place, I thought it would be good to send out this important reminder. I know many people would like to see this issue not talked about as it is airing our dirty laundry in public, but it must be talked about and dealt with as Allah commands us to stand up for justice even if it is against our ownselves. We in the Muslim community should not tolerate our sisters being abused in anyway and should actively take measures to insure that this abuse ceases.

If you know of someone who is being abused it is haram for you to remain silent and you will be held accountable before Allah if you do not speak out. I personally hold in contempt any man who beats his wife and then comes to the mosque with all his outward signs of piety with the false assumption he is practicing the sunnah. This man is nothing more than a two-bit hypocrite. As the old saying goes, "why does he not pick on someone his own size?" Cowards rarely do that.

I am reminded of a sister who was recently being being abused by her Muslim husband. She went to the Imam looking for divorce. What was the Imam's responce you ask? He said: "What have you done to your husband to drive him to do this to you?" Need I say more?

We are always screaming the rights of women in Islam (which I am convinced that most Muslims only play lip service to) and are also complaining that we as a community are sterotyped and misunderstood by western society, but if we are committing actions like this then what can we expect? If Muslim women the world over knew their rights in Islam and how they are being systematically abused and ripped off, there would be a massive revolution against men to re-assert their rights. In the years I have been Muslim I have personally heard enough horror stories to make me sick to my stomach.

I am tired of other Muslims apologizing for these abusive people, and we need to take active steps of rectify this sad situation.