Some One Asked Why In The Quran Allah Says Beat The WIVES

Question:
Could you please tell me why the Quran tells men to “beat them” meaning their wives? (chapter 4, verse 34)
Answer:
Thank
you for asking about Islam. It is our committment to try our best to
provide answers to questions to the best of our ability. However,
sometimes we come across questions for which we do not have answers. In
this case we will refer you to others who may be able to provide you
with proper answers.
Please be aware that we as Muslims, must never lie about anything, especially our religion.
Secondly,
we do have the original text of the Quran and the preserved teachings
of Muhammad, peace be upon him. This enables us to verify exactly what
was said, intended and taught by Muhammad, peace be upon him, as being
the religion of Islam.
Third,
I would like to remind myself and all who read this in the future that
not all questions are purely questions. Some contain statements and
implications, that may or may not be true.
Finally,
it is important to keep in mind anytime we discover something in the
answers to actually be better than what we already have, we should be
committed to change our position and accept that which is true over
that which is false and take that which is better for that which is
inferior.
After
taking all of the above into consideration, if we find that the answer
to this question provides us with a better approach to understanding
what Almighty God has provided us with as a way of life on this earth
and in the Next Life, we should then make the logical decsion to begin
to worship Him on His terms.
Having
said that, let us now look to the particular verse in question in the
original text (Arabic), followed by the phonetic sounds in Latin
letters and then finally, followed by a translation of the meaning to
the English language by experts in both Arabic and in Quranic meanings.

الرِّجَالُ
قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاء بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى
بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنفَقُواْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ فَالصَّالِحَاتُ قَانِتَاتٌ
حَافِظَاتٌ لِّلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ اللّهُ وَاللاَّتِي تَخَافُونَ
نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَاهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِي الْمَضَاجِعِ وَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلاَ تَبْغُواْ عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلاً إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّا كَبِيرًا (34)

Transliteration
Alrrijalu qawwamoona AAala
alnnisa-i bima faddala Allahu baAAdahum AAala baAAdin wabima anfaqoo
min amwalihim faalssalihatu qanitatun hafithatun lilghaybi bima hafitha
Allahu waallatee takhafoona nushoozahunna faAAithoohunna waohjuroohunna
fee almadajiAAi waidriboohunna fa-in ataAAnakum fala tabghoo
AAalayhinna sabeelan inna Allaha kana AAaliyyan kabeeran

Explanation (tafsir) of Sura 4:34
Here is the translation of
meaning of the verse as best can be defined according to the rules of
understanding Quran with the explanations following this translation:
“Men are the protectors and
maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the
other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means.
Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah), and
guard in the husband's absence what Allah orders them to guard (e.g.
their chastity, their husband's property, etc.). Regarding the woman
who is guilty of lewd, or indecent behavior, admonish her (if she
continues in this indecency then), stop sharing her bed (if she still
continues doing this lewd behavior, then), [set forth for her the clear
meaning of either straighten up or else we are finished and when she
returns to proper behavior take up sharing the bed with her again], but
if she returns in obedience (to proper behavior and conduct) then seek
not against them means (of annoyance). Surely, Allah is Ever Most High,
Most Great.”

Meaning of the Words
For the three words fa'izu, wahjaru, and wadribu in the original, translated here ‘speak to them in a persuasive manner’, ‘leave them alone (in bed - fi'l-madage'),’ and ‘have intercourse’, respectively, see Raghib Lisan al-'Arab and Zamakhsari. Raghib in his Al-Mufridat fi Gharib al-Qur'an gives the meanings of these words with special reference to this verse. Fa-'izu, he says, means to 'to talk to them so persuasively as to melt their hearts.'
(See also v.63 of this Surah where it has been used in a similar sense.)
Hajara - Wahjaru (do not touch or moleste them)
Hajara, he says, means to
separate body from body, and points out that the expression wahjaru
hunna metaphorically means to refrain from touching or molesting them.
Zamakhshari is more explicit in his Kshshaf when he says, 'do not get
inside their blankets.'
Here is the translation of
meaning of the verse as best can be defined according to the rules of
understanding Quran with the explanations following this translation:
“
Men are the protectors and maintainers of women,
because Allah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they
spend (to support them) from their means. Therefore the righteous women
are devoutly obedient (to Allah), and guard in the husband's absence
what Allah orders them to guard (e.g. their chastity, their husband's
property, etc.). Regarding women guilty of lewd, or indecent behavior,
admonish her (if she continues in this indecency then), stop sharing
her bed (if she still continues doing this lewd behavior, then), [set
forth for her the clear meaning of either straighten up or else we are
finished and when she returns to proper behavior take up sharing the
bed with her again], but if she returns in obedience (to proper
behavior and conduct) then seek not against them means (of annoyance).
Surely, Allah is Ever Most High, Most Great.”
Let me begin by explaining
the English language is not powerful enough when it comes to
translating the meanings of the Arabic of the Quran. Nor for that
matter, is any other language on earth. So, all we have is translations
of meanings according to the best understanding of the translators.
The operative word in this verse in Arabic is "daraba."
While there are literally hundreds of uses for this word varying from
"tap" to "walk in stride" to "strike at something" to "set a clear
example", the only meaning that can be assigned to something in the
Quran must be according to the rules of Quran. And Allah has used the
same word a number of times with a consistent meaning. Let us examine
them.
Here is what we find from the scholars of the Arabic language:
Daraba (to have intercourse, not to beat)
Raghib points out that daraba
metaphorically means to have intercourse, and quotes the expression
darab al-fahl an-naqah, 'the stud camel covered the she-camel,' which
is also quoted by Lisan al-'Arab. It cannot be taken here to mean 'to
strike them (women).' This view is strengthened by the Prophet's
authentic hadith found in a number of authorities, including Bukhari
and Muslim: "Could any of you beat your wife as he would a slave, and
then lie with her in the evening?" There are other traditions in Abu
Da'ud, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ahmad bin Hanbal and others, to the effect
that he forbade the beating of any woman, saying: "Never beat God's
handmaidens."
Source: al-Qur'an: a contemporary translation by Ahmed Ali, Princeton University Press, 1988; pp78-79
Daraba (to set forth, to make a clear statement or proclamation)
One of the key rules of
understanding words of the Quran is to go to other places in the Quran
to investigate the usage in other places. This word is used by Allah in
other places in the Quran to mean "set forth" or "sets up for you" or
"makes known to you" - as is demonstrated in the following verses:
Surah Ar-Ra'd (13:17) yadribu Allahu al-amthala “Thus Allah sets forth a parable”
d [color=green]"yadirbu" is from the exact same root da-ra-ba]
Surah Ibrahim (14:24): Alam tara kayfa daraba Allahu mathalan .. “Don’t you see how Allah sets forth a parable?..”
And again in the next verse: Surah Ibrahim (14:25) wa yadribu Allahu al-amthala li-naasi
“..and Allah sets forth parables for mankind..”
[again the word yadirbu is from da-ra-ba]
Surah An-Nur (24:35) wa yadribu Allahu al0amthala lin-naasi
“And Allah sets forth parables for mankind..”
Surah Ar-Rum (30:28) Daraba lakum mathalan min anfusikum
“He sets forth for you a parable from yourselves..”
Surah At-Tahreem (66:10) Daraba Allahu mathalan lillatheena kafaroo..
“Allah sets forth an example for those disbelievers..”
In fact, the word daraba has not been translated to mean (beat) or (hit) or (strike) in any other verse of the Quran except this one.
The words for (beat) as in [to hit] found in Surah Baqarah 2:275 ... kama yaqoomu allathee yatakhabbatuhu ash-shaytanu mina almassi..
"..like the standing of someone beaten by the devil (Satan) leading him to insanity."
And in Surah Ta Ha 20:18 Allah Says, “Qala hiya Aasaya atawakkao Aalayha waahushshu biha Aala ghanamee waliya feeha maaribu okhra.”
"This is my stick, whereon I lean, and wherewith I beat down branches for my sheep and wherein I find other uses."
As you can see, these are not even related to the word (daraba).
Verses 34 and 35 in Surah
An-Nisaa' need to be read together to understand this is the proper
relationship between men and women in general and husband and wife
specifically.
Islam seeks to hold the
family together and to make peace and reconciliation between spouses.
The next verse makes it clear what to do in the case where it seems
that divorce may be the result of the uncorrected bad behavior. It
stresses appointing arbitrators from both sides and seeks
reconciliation.
The first part of 34 deals
with all men taking care of all women. Then goes on to explain the
wife's proper obedience to Allah because He is the One Who has ordained
this relationship of provision and protection for her and to be
appreciative and respectful of her husband, guarding herself and his
property in his absence. The man is told the proper way to behave when
he finds his wife not complying with decency and proper behavior of a
Muslim wife. He has a direct order to begin with admonishing her and
then if there is compliance to leave her be and don't give her a hard
time about it. However, if this continues, he should not have sex with
her and this makes it clear to her that he is most serious and this not
a joke. Again, if she comes around then he is to let it go and not
bother her about it. Finally, if she still insists on such lewdness and
bad conduct, he is to make it clear to her in no uncertain terms that
they are going to be heading for separation or even divorce unless she
comes back to proper behavior. Again, if she complies, then he should
not bring it up and return to the bed with her.
And of course, this is all
in an effort to translate one short but powerful phrase from Arabic to
English. The sources are quoted herein and there may be other
interpretations but the only acceptable ones are those based on the
teachings of the Quran and the prophet, peace be upon him.
And as always, Allahu 'Alim (Allah is the Knower)
Source: al-Qur'an: a contemporary translation by Ahmed Ali, Princeton University Press, 1988; pp78-79
In the past, some
translators of this verse have mistakeningly used the word "beat" or
"hit" or even "scourge" (as in the case of an old translation) to
represent the word "daraba" in Arabic. This is not the opinion of all
scholars especially Raghib and Zamakhshari as mentioned above and those
who are well grounded in both Islam understanding and the English
language.
34.
Men are the protectors and
maintainers of women, because Allâh has made one of them to excel the
other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means.
Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allâh and to
their husbands), and guard in the husband's absence what Allâh orders
them to guard (e.g. their chastity, their husband's property, etc.). As
to those women on whose part you see illconduct, admonish them
(first), (next), refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them
(lightly, if it is useful), but if they return to obedience, seek not
against them means (of annoyance). Surely, Allâh is Ever Most High,
Most Great.
The understanding now is
that some of the translations are not properly representing the spirit
of the meaning. Therefore, they cannot be considered to be the
representation of what has been intended by Almighty God.
Now we can properly
understand that Almighty God has commanded the men to provide for the
women and allow them to keep all of their wealth, inheritance and
income without demanding anything from them for support and
maintenance. Additionally, if she should be guilty of lewd or indecent
conduct, the husband is told to first, admonish her and then if she
would cease this lewdness. If she should continue in this indecency,
then he should no longer share the bed with her, and this would
continue for a period of time. Finally, if she would repent then he
would take up sharing the bed with her again.
And Allah is All Knowing of the meanings.

Thanks For You My Brother Smile

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