Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
Thank you for your patience. This Reading was so very much tougher than I could ever have anticipated.
COMMENTS:
1. Our reading continues with what the Qur’an highlights most beautifully as God’s intent in verses 27-28:
‘God yureed/wills to turn in Mercy to you…’ ‘God yureed/wills to lighten for you (your load)…”
When we read such verses we feel humbled, realizing that what He wills for us is so much better than what we will for ourselves and each other, and the difficulties we end up creating!
2. Verse 29 begins by addressing Those Who Have Attained Faith, and along with verse 30 commands them not to dishonestly consume each other’s rightful earnings or assets, nor to kill/destroy themselves for God is to them Unceasingly Merciful.
3. Verse 31 gives us a general rule: Some matters have broader implication and effect on society than others. If we avoid committing the ‘kaba-er,’ ‘the most heinous of the things we are forbidden to do/the great sins’ (Yusuf Ali/ Muhammad Asad), our misdeeds will be covered, AND we shall be ‘admitted to a Gate of great honor/enter an abode of glory’ (Y.Ali /M.Asad).
There are misdeeds that carry greater implications than others, these are the ‘great ones’ كبائر (‘kaba-er’ plural of ‘kabeera’ كبيرة).
4. Verses 32 continues speaking to Those Who Have Attained Faith, telling them not to wish for what God has bountifully granted some people above others, since ‘those who are in stride’/رجال rijaal, men are entitled to the shares they earn and ‘those who follow’/ نساء nisaa’ women are entitled to the shares they earn, so seek of God’s bounty for indeed God has full knowledge of everything (see ‘rijaal’ Blog Post Day 19, ‘nisaa’ Blog Post Day 26).
Some historian-commentators who spoke about this have said that this verse may be one reason why women went to battle during the Prophet’s time, peace upon him, so that they could gain larger earnings in the booty of war. No one can know their intention (which in all likelihood involved earning the honor and reward of defending their Prophet and their faith), but the fact that this was even mentioned puts the term ‘rijaal’ into practice as it was understood during those times. (Nusaiba Bint Ka’b, Um ‘Amara, for example, was the Khazrajite woman who during the battle of Uhud, defended Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him as he was surrounded by the enemy, and was wounded 13 times. Her mother was on the battle-field too, bandaging her daughter each time she went down. It is reported that one of her wounds took a year to heal. Such women are ‘rijaal’ indeed!’ (See Day 19 for definition)
5. Verse 33 is related to the inheritance, that each person has ‘mawaali’ close relations/followers, and those to whom you have pledged your troth عقدت أيمانكم explained by Muhammad Asad as ‘spouses.’[1] Yusuf Ali (note 544) relates this verse to the time of its revelation when, after the Prophet’s emigration to Yethrib, peace upon him, he established links of brotherhood between the ‘Muhaajireen/Emigrants’ and the ‘AnSaar/Supporters,’ seeing that the blood-relatives they had left behind Mecca were now their enemies. The bond was formalized by sharing each other’s inheritance. Later after the community in Medina had been solidly established and relations with Meccans were resumed, blood-ties were re-established and formalized with the return of inheritance.
6. Verse 34 is another of those oft-misunderstood verses. If readers do not mind a small headache, just put three words (wife- beat -Qur’an) in Google and see what you get! What a tragedy it is that so many of us Cognizant Humans make so little use of our cognizance!
“Al Rijaal are ‘qawwaamoon’ over Al Nisaa with what God has bestowed some of them above others and with what they spend of their means..”
Before we start, let us define the crucial word ‘qawwaamoon’ .قوّامون
The root-verb[2] ‘qawama’ has two denotations, ‘qawm’ meaning a certain people, and ‘qiyaam’ meaning standing fast, erect, and determined. ‘They say about the first, that it is a ‘qiyaam’ of compulsion, and of the second that it is a ‘qiyaam’ of decision.” How eloquently put: We do not choose our lineage. Each of us is ‘compelled’ to be born of a certain ‘qawm/people,’ but we can certainly choose and determine what we stand up for: It is we who choose our ‘qiyaam!’
Here we might recall HQ 2:238[3] (Day 20), the command to uphold and maintain the ‘Salaat/communion,’ specifically the ‘central/ balanced/ wusTaa’ communion, where the verse ends by telling us to ‘stand fast’ for God in a state of compliance/qunoot.’ So here is one more choice: We not only determine what we stand up for, but we also determine HOW we stand!
Back to today’s verse:
We notice the noun-form ‘qawwaam’ (فعَّال) which indicates being constant in ‘qiyaam;’ constant in what we are standing to do.[4] When followed by ‘على/ upon,’ the word is understood to be about ‘standing fast upon something to see it through,’ as in HQ 3:75, where Ibn Manthoor explains the term ‘عليه قائماً’ as ‘diligent in attendance.’ [5]
The latter explanation -being in attendance- seems to what famous contemporary Islamic scholars lean towards, such as Ahmad Kubeisi and Mutwalli Al Sha’rawi.[6] They say this word not only means ‘providers’ but also ‘caretakers who are standing in service of women.’
We know that the Prophet, peace upon him, helped with housework, milked his goat, mended his clothes and sandals, and did whatever he had to do outside the house too. As for how he treated a wife, we know about that as well, and many of us remember one wife’s father who rebuked his daughter because, when he approached to visit, he heard her voice through the walls while her husband’s voice, the Prophet’s voice, was too soft to be heard. The Qur’an praises the Prophet directly in HQ68:4: “You are indeed of an exalted standard of character.” Also in HQ21:107: “We have sent you but as a mercy to the Worlds (Peoples) ‘alameen’ (Blog Day 36).
Back to our verse: Sha’rawi explains that, when the verse says, “..with what God has bestowed some of them (m.pl) above others (m.pl) and with what they (m.pl) spend of their means…” it does NOT specify gender (masculine plural applies to a group of both genders), which makes it quite clear that this ‘qiwama’ قوامة or ‘being in attendance/service’ (whether physical, financial etc..) is interchangeable and can apply either way. So, ‘Men are caretakers in service of women,’ but the verse shows the interchangeability of that. We might agree, for our service to each other is indeed interchangeable, and we serve each other all the time in different ways. Men and women, husbands and wives, parents and children, serve each other interchangeably, and we all depend on one another in ways that change throughout our lives. Even the most able-bodied of men could be incapacitated and lie in waiting for a mouthful to be spoon-fed to him by his wife or daughter. Who has the ‘qiwama’ قوامة then? It is interchangeable.
HOWEVER, the wording (original Arabic only) makes it very clear that this part of the verse is a statement, NOT a recommendation or a command. So, let us set our preconceptions aside for one minute, display ALL the meanings we know in examination of this verse, and see how it works (including definitions of ‘rijaal’ Blog Post Day 19, ‘nisaa’ Blog Post Day 26).
LITERALLY:
“الرجالل The men/active persons قوّامون stand fast, attend to/ oversee النساء the women/those who follow with what God has bestowed upon some of them more than others and with what they spend of their means…”
If we left the narrower meaning related to gender, and took the broader meaning we will find that this statement of fact has worked since time immemorial, even in societies where women ruled because:
Active persons, industrious persons, persons who use their means, their intellect, their knowledge, will stand fast, will be attending to and overseeing those who are tailing them. And the world will always have both: those who are Leaders overseeing the rest, and those who follow. And the roles will be reversed when the active become inactive, and gradually lag behind. It is role reversal, governed by the use of what God has bestowed and what is spent of one’s means.
Is that a valid explanation? Let me know what you think.
Hopefully when we have time someday, I’ll tell you about the beauty of the Arabic language and how the Qur’an can reflect at each period of time what suits its generation. This has been proven with every scientific discovery. What we know today helps us understand what the Qur’an said almost 1,500 years ago.
Now let us ask: Who is this verse addressed to?
We just read in verse 29: ‘O you Who have attained Faith,’ so it is addressed to the community of faith, to a SOCIETY of responsible men and women, most of whom are guardians and PARENTS; most of whom are NOT husbands. Had the verse even mentioned the word ‘husband’ or ‘wife’ one might conclude it was addressing husbands, but all it gave us was plural nouns in the general masculine and feminine.[7]
Let us now continue with the linguistic, literal interpretation, word by word:
· ‘Saalihaat’ صالحات: (females) principled, virtuous, fit or competent (as in 21:90).
· ‘Qaanitaat’ قانتات: (females) compliant in their Faith and Accountability to God, also upright. [8]
The Qur’an gives us a feminine example of ‘Qunoot’ in Lady Mary (HQ3:43), and a masculine example in Prophet Abraham (HQ16:120),[9] peace upon them both.
We must remember that Qunoot is only to God, as the verses tell us:
Everything in the Exalted Expanses and on Earth is His, and is ‘Qaanit’ to Allah[10] (see all recurrences of the word قنت in Tanzil).
· ‘Haafithaat lilghayb’ حافظات للغيب (females) protectors of the unseen (from everyone, so that unseen is probably their wombs).
· ‘Nushooz نشوز [11] is to rise/stand up, variations of which appear in four Qur’anic verses. We read HQ 2:259 a while back, in which the verse drew attention to bones [of the dead] saying, see “…how We raised them then clothed them with flesh…” while HQ58:11 tells Those Who Attained Faith “….Rise/Stand up, when told to rise/stand up..” In the other two verses however, both today’s verse and HQ 4:128 which we’ll talk about later,‘nushooz’ is reprehensible, apparently related to violating the sanctity of the womb. There are several indications for that which we’ll discuss fully when we reach the end of this verse.
For now, let us simply understand that a woman who demonstrates ‘nushooz’ is the polar opposite of one who is ‘Qaanit.’ Let us then reflect upon the fact that Lady Mary,[12] peace upon her, was among the ‘Qaaniteen,’ in fact, she shall always be THE personification of female ‘Qunoot.’ Lady Mary was in perfect compliance to God, the incomparable guardian of her sacred womb (HQ 66:12).
Fearing the ‘nushooz’ of a girl/woman means that we would have observed her general behavior and anxiously see her headed towards deviation or self-destruction. She has not committed the nushooz yet, but does seem to us to be headed that way, which is why her nushooz is ‘feared.’ In that case, we, as her guardians/parents who know where she is headed, must intervene in the best manner possible so she changes direction.[13]
· ‘Hajara’ هجر means to leave, to send away, to pull something tightly together, to speak to someone in a severe way.[14]
· ‘MaDhaajiع’ مضاحع plural of ‘maDhjaع’ means resting place (as in HQ 3:154, 32:16).[15]
This is NOT the ‘marital bed,’ which is فراش/ firaash in Arabic.[16] The way to read this would be that when you (guardians) fear deviance/self-destruction/nushooz from the girls in your care, you would then caution/advise, and ground them (away from the influence of wayward friends; today you’d make sure she has no internet). Grounding must take place in the (maDhjaع) the girl’s usual resting place/room, which is a clear indication that she is to be in her home, neither pushed out nor denounced.
· ‘Dharaba’ ضرب most often means to hit/strike in the figurative sense.[17] As for literal physical hitting, ‘Dharaba’ would be an unusual word to use because the richness of the language gives each bodily location which is ‘hit’ a verb of its very own (similar to saying ‘slap’ in English, which means ‘hit the face’).[18]
‘Dharaba’ is mostly used figuratively as in to ‘hit the road,’ ضرب في الأرض /Dharaba fil ard to ‘strike- or go on strike,’ ضرب- أضرب /Dharaba – ADhraba AND to form something, or actually re-form metal into coins or jewelry ضرب المعدن-النقود.
Check out the root-verb in Tanzil and you’ll see all 53 verses and be able to compare. Notice that, of these, 29 are about ‘striking an example’ ضرب مثلا /Dharaba mathalan.[19]
- We also have a Hadeeth of our Prophet ﷺ in which he is reported to have said: “Command your children to pray when they are seven years of age, and “iDhribuhum عaleyha’ upon it when they are ten years of age… ”
The Prophet ﷺ had said, ‘iDhribuhum,’ which commentators explained as ‘hit/beat them,’ but then the words ‘iDhribuhum aleyha/upon it’ were explained -in the commentators’ own words- as ‘iDhribuhum ala tarkiha/beat them upon NOT doing it,’ seeing that it was difficult to understand beating someone upon praying.
I think we may have missed the beauty and eloquence of what the Prophet was saying, peace and blessings be upon him. The term ‘dhuriba aleyha’ literally means to be ‘instilled into one’s nature/made a force of habit/molded upon,[20] (صيغ صيغة) which would render the Hadeeth as follows:
“Command your children to pray when they are seven years old, and ‘iDhribuhum aleyha’ ‘accustom/habituate/mold them’ upon it when they are ten.”
Back to our explanation, which starts out with a statement of fact, and then gives us the best picture of Active and Faithful Womanhood. Then, it advises society on how to deal with girls/women when they show clear signs of impending deviance or self-destruction.
Firstly, we would start by advising these girls/women, then we would disconnect them from the influence of wayward friends, which is why they might be grounded but only in a place where they are comfortable (the resting-place as a condition for grounding), the ‘hajara’ here perhaps denoting ‘the silent treatment’ (although more than one scholar have posited for the word ‘hajara’[21] “harsh or severe rebuke”), and finally we would do everything possible to reform/ habituate them to the higher values, using all positive means to do that. Interestingly, one connotation of the word ‘dharaba’ is to move fast!
We actually have a LIVE example on how wayward companions of the Prophet ﷺwere reformed by their entire community, given ‘the silent’ treatment’ by one and all, purposefully left alone by their loved ones in the story of the ‘three who stayed behind.’ الثلاثة الذين خلفوا)[22]
It is important to note that in our above verse with regard to these girls/women, we should have seen signs that make us ‘fear’ FOR them. They have not ‘deviated’ yet, but it is obvious to us that they are in danger of doing so. Taking all that into consideration, this is a recourse (not a punishment), although it could be an escalating recourse– to help avert a dire predicament before it is too late. Some of us have seen this danger encroach upon young girls, all the way to the ultimate violation of their guardianship of the ‘gheyb,’ the guardianship of their wombs, and the life-changes which would ensue.
It is important to keep in mind that hitting others is a grave misdeed, one demanding retribution and always reprimanded by the Prophet, peace upon him. He set an example for his soldiers before the Battle of Badr by lifting his shirt to allow for retribution against himself, having just poked a soldier in the belly with his tooth-stick while getting him into file formation.[23] When he reprimanded a slave-owner who had slapped his slave, he told him that the atonement for doing so was to give that slave his freedom.[24]
How cross-reference from the Qur’an and the Arabi language show us that ‘Nushooz’ in HQ4:34 is a violation of the womb’s sanctity:
- To better understand the title ‘Qaanitaat’ we look to the only female mentioned in the Qur’an as one who embodied ‘Qunoot,’ Lady Mary.
- To better understand the concept of female ‘guardianship of the unseen’ we look to God’s command that Faithful women ‘guard their ‘furooj/privates.’
Here again we recall that Lady Mary was the guardian of her ‘farj/privates.’
- To better understand what it means when someone ‘fears nushooz,’ seeing preliminary signs of a reprehensible action (which we are trying to define), we look to other verses. HQ 4:128 is the only other verse where ‘nushooz’ is reprehensible.[25] Studying it we derive clarity, and feel we can finally understand the word ‘nushooz’ (mentioned in both HQ4:34, 4:128) as violation of the womb’s sanctity:[26]
“And if a woman fears from her ‘baعl’/conjugal spouse[27] (either)‘nushooz/deviation,’ or ’iعraaDh/turning away,’ then there is no blame upon them to reconcile between both a reconciliation, and reconciliation is good, for ever-present is covetousness in the (human) Selves, but if you (all) perform ultimate goodness (beyond the call of duty) and are aware, then (know that) indeed God is, of all that you do, All-Knowing (and fully acquainted with the subtleties).
CONTEXT: Here the person fearing ‘nushooz’ is definitely a wife, fearing ‘nushooz’ from her ‘baعl,’ who in Arabic is not referring to her spouse as a mere ‘mate/zawj,’ but as one who has sexual intercourse with her.[28]
- The traditional understanding of this verse is that both ‘nushooz’ and ’iعraaDh’ are similar, the one stronger than the other, in that she fears that her husband has no desire for her, which is a setback to be overcome in a reconciliatory manner, perhaps by her returning his gift to him, or by asking to stay on as a wife in name only -without intimacy- while giving him the green light to be with someone else.
- Research however, seems to give the word ‘nushooz’ another light, seeing that it is something she fears her conjugal partner is about to physically enact in her regard. She fears he might either do ‘nushooz’ OR leave her.
Here we look back to H:2:222-223,[29] verses which were revealed to assert the ease of interaction with women during menses (some followers of Previous Compilations had strict guidelines).[30] Here we see the ‘when’ and ‘how’ of intercourse between spouses:
During menses, the husbands should NOT have intercourse with their wives, and can do so once she is ritually ‘pure.’ That is when her husband can approach her FROM WHERE GOD HAS COMMANDED (vaginally), where there can be ‘Harth/cultivation’ (of love; progeny.. etc).
Now, putting everything together, we see that ‘nushooz’ seems to be about a husband’s deviation in the intimate relationship by:
- Approaching his wife for intercourse during her menses, which is forbidden.
- Approaching her non-vaginally, which is forbidden.
That is how we get clarity from both the Qur’an Mubeen and the lissaan Arabi Mubeen:
- A husband’s impending sexual ‘nushooz’ is dealt with by ‘mending and reconciling’ if possible so HE DOES NOT violate the sanctity of the womb (HQ4:128).
- A girl/woman’s impending ‘nushooz’ is dealt with by convincing and reforming her so SHE DOES NOT violate the sanctity of the womb (HQ4:34).
- Men firstly (and also women) are asked to lower part of their gaze and ‘safeguard their privates’ (men specifically being warned that God knows well what they contrive) so neither men nor women violate the sanctity of the womb (HQ24:30).[31]
Now back to HQ4:34, which might be understood as such:
“’Al Rijaal/The Men/active persons’ ‘Qawwamoon/stand fast over/attend to/oversee’ ‘al Nissaa/the women/those who follow’ with what God has bestowed/faDhala[32] upon some of them more than others and with what they spend of their means, so the ‘SaliHaat/virtuous/principled’ (f.) are Qanitaat/compliant (to God), Hafithaat/safeguarding al gheyb/the unseen by what God has safeguarded, and those (f. pl.) whose ‘nushooz/deviation’ you (pl.) fear, then ‘ithoohun/caution them, and ‘uhjuroohun/leave them to be alone/ground them’ in the ‘maDhaaji/place of rest, and ‘iDhriboohun/reform /habituate them (without delay), then if they (f.pl) obey you (pl.), then do not unduly pursue (pl.) against them any course, for God is indeed High, Great (above you all).”
Violating the sanctity of the womb is serious and -when feared- does deserve all the precautions mentioned in the verses above: Please note that in both verses (HQ4:34, 4:128) IT IS THE FEMALE WHO IS GUARDIAN OF HER WOMB, and it is her prerogative to safeguard it, even when the one who threatens its sanctity is her husband.
At any rate, to be properly understood, verses 29-35 must be read together, bearing in mind all the connotations we have discussed. What was presented here is by no means final. Let each of us continue to use our resources.
After having dug very deep in our attempt to understand this verse, we now continue, offering readers an abstract from the Yaqeen Institute titled “Women in Islamic Law: Examining Five Prevalent Myths.”[33] Besides its valuable information, it showcases the Prophet ﷺ as an example of non-violence against women.
7. Verse 35 VERY CLEARLY continues its address to society, saying that if you (m.pl) fear a breach between them (both), taken to mean the married couple, you should send an arbiter from either side to discuss an understanding, and if both partners truly desired reconciliation, God will help them to it.
This tells us two things:
Firstly, that since this is a continuation and no new people are being addressed, the verses must be STILL addressing guardians/society, and NOT husbands.
Secondly, that whenever reconciliation doesn’t take place despite sincere go-between/arbitration, it means that at least one side doesn’t want to reconcile.
Some see this verse indicating that the female whose deviance was feared earlier (in verse 34) is married; it does seem to be a continuation speaking of an unnamed estranged twosome, presumably a married couple. Although that is possible, the fact remains that preceding verse 34 has nothing in it which would indicate that the girl/woman is married. This leaves the matter open so that each case can be dealt with individually by the persons most likely to bring about a positive result.
Looking at the broad picture: In today’s terminology, this whole issue sounds much like an ‘Intervention.’
Indeed. It is an Intervention by those who care most for a woman’s wellbeing (we saw the ‘Intervention’ which took place with the three men who lagged behind).
But if someone asks:
“If it’s an intervention, why did the Qur’an not lay ground for an intervention when males we care for are in danger?
- We might say that perhaps it’s for the same reason that HQ 4:11 spoke of a mother’s share of the inheritance, while the father’s share was not mentioned at all, him being considered a residuary heir:[34]
The standard being set around the female to ensure that she would not be wronged.
- We could also point out that guardians would be well-advised to apply similar methods in dealing with male youths who seem to be headed towards deviance and self-destruction. Advise them, remove the influence of wayward friends, ground them where they are comfortable, use the ‘silent treatment’ only if it works, reform them using any positive means after getting everyone they respect and care for on the same page … and hurry; time is not on your side.
That might be it: Foreseeable trouble merits that parents/guardians intervene, no matter the youth’s indignation. Our sons need us just as much as our daughters, and it is our duty to keep them safe from foreseeable trouble.[35]
- Or perhaps we can find the response to the question in the fact that God yureed/wills to turn to us in Mercy, and that He yureed/wills to lighten our load, and He yureed/wills ease for us… while it is we who keep complicating things, burdening each other and taking advantage of one another.
The answer might as simple as recalling the title of this Surah and how it was introduced:
This Surah -titled ‘The Women’- started off with a call to ALL Humanity to be aware of God, their Creator and Sustainer, and again to be aware of God in Whose name they plead with one another AND (to be aware of) the ‘wombs/al arHaam/الأرحام’. Hence the guardians’ fear of a girl/woman’s ‘nushooz’ is an integral part of their general Awareness, while the fear of a husband’s ‘nushooz’ is an integral part of a wife’s personal Awareness.
‘Womb-Awareness’ is what this is about! If anyone after all this evidence asks: ‘Why?’… we can answer in one sentence:
Because it is the female body that holds the most unseen and sacred of worldly treasures, and in helping HER safe-guard her treasure, we safe-guard all Life.
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ4:36-51.
Peace unto all!
[1] ‘Binding pledges:’ Aymaan’ here referring to pledges, and ‘عaqadat’ to having been bound.
It is worthwhile when one has time to look carefully at the expressions ‘malakat aymaanukum’ and ‘عaqadat aymaanukum,’ the same word in both considered so different; one referring to ‘slaves,’ and the other to ‘pledges.’
[2] معجم المقاييس: قَوَم: أَصْلَانِ صَحِيحَانِ، يَدُلُّ أَحَدَهُمَا عَلَى جَمَاعَةِ نَاسٍ، وَرُبَّمَا اسْتُعِيرَ فِي غَيْرِهِمْ. وَالْآخَرُ عَلَى انْتِصَابٍ أَوْ عَزْمٍ.
فَالْأَوَّلُ: الْقَوْم…وقُولُونَ: قَوْمٌ وَأَقْوَامٌ، وَأَقَاوِمُ جَمْعُ جَمْعٍ. وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ فَقَوْلُهُمْ: قَامَ قِيَامًا، وَالْقَوْمَةُ الْمَرَّةُ الْوَاحِدَةُ، إِذَا انْتَصَبَ. وَيَكُونُ قَامَ بِمَعْنَى الْعَزِيمَةِ، كَمَا يُقَالُ: قَامَ بِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ، إِذَا اعْتَنَقَهُ. وَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ فِي الْأَوَّلِ: قِيَامُ حَتْمٍ، وَفِي الْآخِرِ: قِيَامُ عَزْمٍ. وَمِنَ الْبَابِ: قَوَّمْتُ الشَّيْءَ تَقْوِيمًا. وَأَصْلُ الْقِيمَةِ الْوَاوُ، وَأَصْلُهُ أَنَّكَ تُقِيمُ هَذَا مَكَانَ ذَاكَ. بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ أَهْلَ مَكَّةَ يَقُولُونَ: اسْتَقَمْتُ الْمَتَاعَ، أَيْ قَوَّمْتُهُ. وَمِنَ الْبَابِ: هَذَا قِوَامُ الدِّينِ وَالْحَقِّ، أَيْ بِهِ يَقُومُ. وَأَمَّا الْقَوَامُ فَالطُّولُ الْحَسَنُ. وَالْقُومِيَّةُ: الْقَوَامُ وَالْقَامَةُ. قَالَ: أَيَّامَ كُنْتُ حَسَنَ الْقُومِيَّهْ.
لسان العرب: القيامُ: نقيض الجلوس. وقَوْمٌ: هو اسم للجمع. ونساء قُيَّمٌ. وقد يجيء القيام بمعنىالمحافظة والإصلاح؛ ومنه قوله تعالى: الرجال قوّامون على النساء، وقوله تعالى: إلا ما دمت عليه قائماً؛ أي ملازماً محافظاً. ويجيء القيام بمعنى الوقوف والثبات. يقال للماشي: قف لي أي تحبَّس مكانَك حتى آتيك، وكذلك قُم لي بمعنى قف لي، وعليه فسروا قوله سبحانه: وإذا أظلم عليهم قاموا؛ قال أهل اللغة والتفسير: قاموا هنا بمعنى وقَفُوا وثبتوا في مكانهم غير متقدّمين ولا متأَخرين، ومنه التَّوَقُّف في الأَمر وهو الوقُوف عنده من غير مُجاوَزة له؛
[3]حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّـهِ قَانِتِينَ ﴿البقرة: ٢٣٨﴾
[4] The noun-form (فَعَّال) which denotes superlative constancy is very familiar, appearing often in the Qur’an. In tradition, admirable acts include a person being ‘Sawwaam Qawwaam,’ meaning oft-fasting (by day) and long-standing (in prayer by night).
[5]وَمِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مَنْ إِن تَأْمَنْهُ بِقِنطَارٍ يُؤَدِّهِ إِلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ إِن تَأْمَنْهُ بِدِينَارٍ لَّا يُؤَدِّهِ إِلَيْكَ إِلَّا مَا دُمْتَ عَلَيْهِ قَائِمًا ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَلَيْنَا فِي الْأُمِّيِّينَ سَبِيلٌ وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّـهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿آل عمران: ٧٥﴾ لسان العرب: “ما دُمت عليه قائماً؛ أي مُواظِباً مُلازِماً”
[6] قال فضيلة الشيخ محمد متولى الشعراوي عن قوله تعالى : (الرجال قوامون على النساء بما فضل الله بعضهم على بعض وبما أنفقوا من أموالهم…)
“اذا قيل ان فلانا قائم على امر فلان ، فما معنى ذلك ؟ هذا يوحي بان هناك شخصا جالس ، والآخر قائم فمعنى قوامون على النساء …. انهم مكلفون برعايتهن والسعي من اجلهنوخدمتهن ، الى كل ماتفرض القوامة من تكليفات ،اذا فالقوامة تكليف للرجل .ومعنى : (بما فضل الله بعضهم على بعض ) ، ليس تفضيلا من الله عز وجل للرجل علىالمرأة كما يعتقد الناس ، ولو اراد الله هذا لقال : بما فضل الله الرجال على النساء، ولكنه قال : بما فضل الله بعضهم على بعض ) فأتى ببعض مبهمة هنا وهناك.”
[7] Despite that, many exegetes have explained this verse as addressed to husbands, and that ‘IDhribuhunna’ is about a husband admonishing his wife for her defiance or her insolence. Scholars have traditionally asserted that this is not an open concession given to husbands, but that there are strict guidelines regulating this measure, such as: With what a husband hits. How hard a husband hits. Which part of the wife’s body may a husband hit.
[8] قنت: طاعةٍ وخيرٍ في دين، لا يعدو هذا الباب. والأصل فيه الطَّاعة، يقال: قَنَتَ يَقْنُتُ قُنوتاً. ثمَّ سمِّي كلُّ استقامةٍ في طريقِ الدِّين قُنُوتاً، وقيل لطُولِ القِيام في الصَّلاةِ قُنُوت، وسمِّي السُّكوتُ في الصَّلاة والإقبالُ عليها قُنوتاً. قال الله تعالى:{وقُومُوا للهِ قَانِتِينَ} [البقرة 238].
[9] إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِّلَّـهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿النحل: ١٢٠﴾
[10] وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللَّـهُ وَلَدًا سُبْحَانَهُ بَل لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ كُلٌّ لَّهُ قَانِتُونَ ﴿البقرة: ١١٦﴾
[11] نشز: يدلُّ على ارتفاعٍ وعُلوّ. والنّشَز: المكان العالي المرتفِع. والنّشْز والنُّشُوز: الارتفاع.
[12] وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْقَانِتِينَ ﴿التحريم: ١٢﴾
[13] A ‘feared’ deed, an imaginary ‘yet-to-be committed’ crime cannot be penalized! The recommendations in 4:34 are definitely not punitive; there is no evidence yet of a misdeed and one cannot penalize anyone based on ‘fear.’ Compare that with the ‘penalization’ of witnessed-by-four-person adultery. Qur’an is very clear on fairness, as it is on broader issues of justice, including when and how battles take place in just cause. Moses’ guilt when he killed one of Pharaoh’s men in defense of his fellow Israelite is but one story bringing this issue to life for us (HQ 28:15-16).
[14] هجر: أصلانِ يدلُّ أحدهما على قطيعةٍ وقَطْع، والآخر على شَدِّ شيءٍ ورَبْطِه.فالأوَّل الهَجْر: ضِدُّ الوصل. وكذلك الهِجْران. وهاجَرَ القومُ مِن دارٍ إلى دارٍ. يقال هَجَرَ الرّجلُ. والهُجْر: الإفحاش في المَنْطِق، يقال: أهْجَرَ الرّجُل في مَنْطِقه.
[15] ضجع: يدلُّ على لُصوقٍ بالأرض على جنْب، ثم يُحمَل على ذلك. ويقال: اضطَجَع يضطجع اضطجاعاً. ويقال تضجَّع السحاب، إذا أرَبّ بالمكان. وهو في شعر هذيل. ويقال أكَمَة ضَجُوع، إذا كانت لاصقةً بالأرض. والضجوع: أكمة بعينها.
[16] A ‘bed’ is called ‘firaash/-فراش in Arabic, which could definitely be used for the ‘marital bed,’ as in the reported saying/hadeeth of the Prophet ﷺ which was intended to safeguard the family unit and protect the innocent: ‘The (new-born) child belongs to the ‘firaash/marital-bed/الولد للفراش’ -This was understood to refer to a married couple being caretakers of a new-born, even when that child was conceived by the wife’s adultery. The wife’s husband raises the child as if it were his. See the Fatwa of Bin Baz in this regard.
[17] Many traditional Muslim scholars have shifted away from explaining the verse to mean the physical ‘beating’ of wives. Others, although agreeing that it is not about husbands and wives, but rather about guardians/parents and their daughters/wards, still do insist that it is about physical hitting, but only when necessary and in a ‘non-harmful’ manner. They said that ‘Dharaba’ does mean ‘to hit,’ so the obvious meaning should not be excluded.
[18] ضرب: أصلٌ واحدٌ، ثم يُستعار ويحمل عليه. من ذلك ضَرَبت ضرباً ويشبَّه به الضَّرب في الأرض تجارةً وغيرها من السَّفر. ويقولونَ إِن الإسراع إلى السَّير أيضاً ضرب. والطَّير الضَّوارِب: الطَّوالِب للِرِّزق. ومن الباب: الضَّرْب: الصِّيغة. يقال هذا من ضَرْب فلان، أي صيغته؛ لأنَّه إِذا صاغَ شيئاً فقد ضربه .ويقال للسجِيَّة والطبيعة الضريبة، كأنَّ الإنسان قد ضُرِبَ عليها ضرباً وصيغ صِيغة. والضّريبة: ما يُضرَب على الإنسان من جزيةٍ وغيرها.. يُحكى عن أبي زيد، أنَّ العرب تقول: أَضْرَبَ الرَّجُل في بيته: أقامَ.
[19] Then there are five verses related to Moses, peace be upon him, one of which we already encountered in HQ 2:61, when his people were impatient and were thereafter ‘struck with humiliation,’ and the other four describe his ‘striking out’ on a path/ striking with his staff the rock/ the sea. Physically hitting something/someone could be the case of him actually striking a rock with his staff (HQ2:60), but we notice that when he actually hit the person in defense of a fellow Israelite, the word used was not Dharaba, but ‘wakaza,’ which means punching someone in the chest.
[20]المقاييس لابن فارس: “ويقال للسجِيَّة والطبيعة الضريبة، كأنَّ الإنسان قد ضُرِبَ عليها ضرباً وصيغ صِيغة.”
[21] ‘Hajara and ahjara;’ Abu Ja’far al Nahhas. deceased 338 A.H. in his book ‘I’raab al Qur’an vol 1, p.453.
[22] The Qur’an refers to the story of the three companions of the Prophetﷺ (الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا), who were enjoying their harvest season, procrastinating about getting themselves ready for the Battle of Tabuk, until they realized that the Prophet’s army had left. There was no way for them to catch up. They felt mortified, lagging behind in town with the women, children, and hypocrites. When the Prophet returned, they couldn’t invent excuses as did the hypocrites, but rather, they apologized to him with regret in their hearts and truth on their lips. The Prophet acknowledged that they were the only ones who had spoken the truth, yet he neither admonished nor forgave them, telling them to await God’s command. Meanwhile, they were ignored by everyone as the Prophet had advised. Although they were repentant, the community’s ‘silent treatment’ made them miss everything they had taken for granted and realize whom they had let down, and how. The three men were treated as if they were invisible, not a single person in the entire town spoke one word to them, even in response, and the wives of the married among them were told to distance themselves from their husbands. In time, the two older men started stayed home, while the younger one kept attending all the congregational prayers for fifty days, till the very last night. Before dawn the next morning Qur’an was revealed HQ9:118 describing their pain and their repentance and declaring that God had indeed ‘forgiven them so that they might repent.’ The entire town rejoiced, a man on horseback was dispatched to give each of them the good news but someone had already climbed a hill and shouted out the good news, and it was that joyful call which reached them first. HQ9:43-46; 90; 102-105; 106; 118 see M. Asad’s note 155 in Ch.9.
This story is worth study as it holds multiple lessons, but right now, let us wonder at this alone:
We might be the ones asking for forgiveness, but when we do ask, we must know… that God had already forgiven!
[23] It was in preparation for the Battle of Badr, and the companion’s name was ‘Sawaad Ibn Ghaziyah.’ As the Prophet ﷺ was getting his soldiers into formation, he poked Sawaad with his tooth-stick to stand in line, and Sawaad pretended to be hurt, asking for retribution. When the Prophet bared his belly for him, instead of poking him back, Sawaad embraced and kissed the Prophet. When asked why he did that, he replied:
“O Messenger of God, you see what lies before us, and I may not survive the battle, so I wanted my final moment with you to have my skin touch yours.” This is one of the stories told to show the love of the companions for the prophet.
[24] On the authority of Ibn Umar that the Prophet ﷺ said: “He who beats a boy-slave for something he has not done, or (even) slaps him, then his (the owner’s) atonement is to emancipate him (the boy).” Narrated by Muslim.
وَعنِ ابْنِ عُمر رضي اللَّه عنْهُمَا: أنَّ النبيَّ ﷺ قَال: مَنْ ضَرَبَ غُلامًا لَهُ حَدًّا لَمْ يأتِهِ، أَوْ لَطَمَهُ، فإنَّ كَفَّارتَهُ أَنْ يُعْتِقَهُ رواه مسلم.
[25] In two of the four verses, the word ‘nushooz’ simply means to ‘rise.’
[26] وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِن بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَن يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحًا وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ وَأُحْضِرَتِ الْأَنفُسُ الشُّحَّ وَإِن تُحْسِنُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا ﴿النساء: ١٢٨﴾
[27]المقاييس لابن فارس: بَعَلَ: أُصُولٌ ثَلَاثَةٌ: فَالْأَوَّلُ الصَّاحِبُ، يُقَالُ لِلزَّوْجِ بَعْلٌ…وَمِنْ ذَلِكَ الْبِعَالُ، وَهُوَ مُلَاعَبَةُ الرَّجُلِ أَهْلَهُ.
وَالْأَصْلُ الثَّانِي جِنْسٌ مِنَ الْحَيْرَةِ وَالدَّهَشِ، يُقَالُ: بَعِلَ الرَّجُلُ: إِذَا دَهِشَ.
وَالْأَصْلُ الثَّالِثُ الْبَعْلُ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ: الْمُرْتَفِعَةُ الَّتِي لَا يُصِيبُهَا الْمَطَرُ فِي السَّنَةِ إِلَّا مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً.
وَمِمَّا يُحْمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا الْبَابِ الثَّالِثِ الْبَعْلُ، وَهُوَ مَا شَرِبَ بِعُرُوقِهِ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ مِنْ غَيْرِ سَقْيِ سَمَاءٍ..”
لسان العرب لابن منظور:“والأُنثى بَعْل وبَعْلة مثل زَوْج وزَوْجة .. وتَبَعَّلَت له: تزينتْ. وامرأَة حَسَنَة التَّبَعُّل إِذا كانت مُطاوِعة لزوجها مُحِبَّة له. والبَعْل والتَّبَعُّل: حُسْن العِشْرة من الزوجين. والبِعال: حديث العَرُوسَيْن. والتَّباعل والبِعال: ملاعبة المرءِ أَهلَه، وقيل: البِعال النكاح؛ ومنه الحديث في أَيام التشريق: إِنها أَيام أَكل وشرب وبِعال. والمُباعَلة: المُباشَرة. يقال للمرأَة: هي تُباعِل زَوْجَها بِعالاً ومُباعَلة أَي تُلاعبه..”
[28] The definition of the word ‘baعl’ speaks of the wife making herself attractive for her husband, of the couple’s pillow-talk and of their intimate conjugal ‘playfulness,’ and it also mentions intercourse directly. In a Hadeeth the Prophet forbids the fasting of pilgrims during the days of Feast/Eid after completing their Hajj, calling them ‘days of eating, drinking, and ‘biعaal/conjugal relationship,’ the latter being, of course, forbidden during Hajj.
[29] وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْمَحِيضِ قُلْ هُوَ أَذًى فَاعْتَزِلُوا النِّسَاءَ فِي الْمَحِيضِ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطْهُرْنَ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرْنَ فَأْتُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَكُمُ اللَّـهُ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ ﴿ ٢٢٢﴾ نِسَاؤُكُمْ حَرْثٌ لَّكُمْ فَأْتُوا حَرْثَكُمْ أَنَّىٰ شِئْتُمْ وَقَدِّمُوا لِأَنفُسِكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُم مُّلَاقُوهُ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِين ﴿البقرة: ٢٢٣﴾
[30] Pious men wouldn’t sit, eat, drink or even be handed an object by a menstruating woman, no matter how closely related. In some instances, women spent that time of month in outhouses.
[31] قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ ﴿النور: ٣٠﴾
[32] We might recall that ‘faDhl’ relates to an increase in something beneficial bestowed at a certain time upon a someone in terms of knowledge, resources, abilities.
[33] July 24, 2019; By Safiah Chowdhury,Tesneem Alkiekand, and Dr. Nazir Khan
[34] A residuary heir gets whatever remains of the inheritance after all the sharers are allocated their shares.
[35] The types of self-destructive behavior may be different among societies, but the range keeps growing. What long ago was about sex, alcohol and gambling, grew with drugs and speeding, and in some societies, gangs and guns. Today, thanks to the internet, we have gaming-binging (yes, look it up), body-image disorders, eating disorders, exercise-addiction (this too), online suicide games, and the list goes on.