Job Discussion Forums

[sheikh radlinrol]

One of my students (32 years old, Spanish female lawyer) told me yesterday that Islam doesn't ''distinguish'' between men and women and that women can have four husbands if they wish. Apparently, she was told this by her former Arabic teacher, an Algerian. I'm sure this is nonsense and can't imagine why this man should have told her this. She is a serious, intelligent woman. She insists that it's a cultural (not religious) issue and that women are only prevented from marrying more than one man by their situation of economic inferiority in Muslim nations. I didn't want to contradict her but said I would ask posters on Dave's to comment.

[veiledsentiments]

Since presumably this woman can read (even in Arabic?), I'd suggest that she try starting with the Quran where she will find the key answer. It is not tradition, but interpretation. My English translation pretty clearly says 4 wives... and unless the women are getting wives, I don't think that there is likely a stretch of the text to give her four husbands. But, I'd have to leave the final answer to those who can read the text in original Arabic. In all my years of contact with the area and readings, I have never seen any suggestion of such an interpretation. Not even the female scholars who have been writing re-interpretations of the texts of the Quran and the reliability of various Sunna have suggested this idea - at least not those that I have read in English.

Of course, the most bizarre of her suggestions is that Islam doesn't "distinguish between men and women" when there are few, if any, religions that distinguish more and fit the members of each sex into restrictive - to my opinion - slots. Of course, much of that discrimination comes from Sunna that appear suspect to many and could be considered traditions as they don't come directly from the Quran.

Interesting claim though... I always wonder about these Arabic teachers outside of the Muslim world who pass on these ideas that are so far from the realities of life in places like the Gulf.

But, who knows... it might just be common sense that has kept Muslim women from getting 4 husbands. I can't think of anything less desirable than that...

VS

[scot47]

She is talking nonsense.

[miski]

She is talking rubbish- initially men took on more than one wife as their husbands etc were killed in war, or for progeny if they had a barren wife....or simply as chattel....and when the Koran was revealed, this verse was an order to begin limitations. And the first limitation was no more than four.

I think what this woman means is that it does not say in Koran that women canNOT have four husbands and so she is interpreting it as women CAN. However, the tradition back then was NEVER for women to marry more than once, only for men, 3,4,5,6,7,times ( look at Suleman pbuh). So when the Koran says that men should have no more than 4 wives, this was to limit an already exisiting phenomena.

[007]

[sheikh radlinrol]

Thanks for the replies. What I found most difficult to understand was why this Algerian guy was giving her this nonsense. Your comments will be passed on.

[miski]

Maybe she was married and he fancied her
lol.

[scot47]

Surely a religious scholar would not stoop to this merely to induce her to remove her knickers ? What a wicked thought !

[miski]

A man is a man in no matter what guise.

[sheikh radlinrol]

[sheikh radlinrol]

[johnslat]

But I thought clothes made the man.

Which raises the question: what then makes the woman?

(Please remember - this is a family forum.)

[15yearsinQ8]

what makes a woman?

accessories. why of course
gees, men are so stupid

[miski]

Bling bling..................

[ntropy]

...and I've been told that a man's word in a court of law is worth two women's.