Islam and Adultery - An Examination of Muhammad’s Marriage Privileges.

Rebuttal to Sam Shamoun's and Dimmitrius's article

Islam and Adultery

An Examination of Muhammad’s Marriage Privileges

They Wrote

God’s pure Word, the Holy Bible, condemns the coveting of another man’s wife:

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17 NIV

"You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Deuteronomy 5:21 NIV

It also says that those who have lustful desires for another man’s wife are guilty of adultery:

"You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28 NIV

The Quran says that Allah gave Muhammad certain privileges not given to anyone else:

O Prophet! Lo! We have made lawful unto thee thy wives unto whom thou hast paid their dowries, and those whom thy right hand possesseth of those whom Allah hath given thee as spoils of war, and the daughters of thine uncle on the father's side and the daughters of thine aunts on the father's side, and the daughters of thine uncle on the mother's side and the daughters of thine aunts on the mother's side who emigrated with thee, and a believing woman if she give herself unto the Prophet and the Prophet desire to ask her in marriage - a privilege for thee only, not for the (rest of) believers - We are Aware of that which We enjoined upon them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess - that thou mayst be free from blame, for Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful. S. 33:50 Pickthall

The Quran also mentions that Allah wed Muhammad to Zaid’s wife after the latter had divorced her:

And when you said to him to whom Allah had shown favor and to whom you had shown a favor: Keep your wife to yourself and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; and you concealed in your soul what Allah would bring to light, and you feared men, and Allah had a greater right that you should fear Him. But when Zaid had accomplished his want of her, We gave her to you as a wife, so that there should be no difficulty for the believers in respect of the wives of their adopted sons, when they have accomplished their want of them; and Allah's command shall be performed. There is no harm in the Prophet doing that which Allah has ordained for him; such has been the course of Allah with respect to those who have gone before; and the command of Allah is a decree that is made absolute: S. 33:37-38 Shakir

According to the Muslim sources, the Zaid mentioned above is Zaid ibn Haritha, a former slave of Muhammad’s first wife, Khadijah, whom Muhammad emancipated and adopted as his son. The Muslim sources say that Muhammad went to visit Zaid and found his wife, Zaid b. Jash, unveiled and admired her beauty. Zainab heard Muhammad praise her beauty and shared it with her husband. This made Zaid uncomfortable and decided to divorce her in order that Muhammad could then marry her. For more on this topic, please consult this page <http://www.light-of-life.com/eng/reveal/r5405et9.htm>.

One of Islam’s premiere Muslim commentators, al-Qurtubi, enumerates the privileges Allah gave Muhammad. The following is taken from the Commentary of al-Qurtubi on Surah 33:50. All bold and capital emphasis ours.

And any believing woman who dedicates herself to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed (Nikah) her; this only for thee, and not for the Believers (at large).

As for what was granted and made lawful (by Allah) to the prophet -pbuh- they are 16 issues:-

· First: To be fair with the spoils.

· Second: To (forcefully) take a fifth of a fifth or just a fifth (of the spoils of war).

· Third: "Al Wisal" (Dimitrius- the fast or fasting. This usually refers to fasting or abstaining from food.)

· Fourth: To take more than four women.

· Fifth: To marry, "Yas-tan-kih" (or have intercourse), with a woman who verbally pronounces her dedication (to the prophet).

· Sixth: To marry, "Yas-tan-kih," without the presence (or permission) of a legal guardian.

· Seventh: To marry, "Yas-tan-kih," without a dowry.

· Eighth: To marry (and have intercourse) during a state of ritual consecration and purification.

· Ninth: The annulment of an oath he may make to his wives.

· Tenth: If Muhammad looks at a woman (and desires her) THEN IT IS NECESSARY FOR HER HUSBAND TO DIVORCE HER AND FOR MUHAMMAD TO MARRY HER. Ibn Al A’raby said, "This is what the servant of the two holy mosques has also said, as was clear to the scholars FROM THE STORY OF ZAID which also had this meaning."

· Eleventh: That the prophet released Safiyyah (from her captured status) and he considered her release as her dowry.

· Twelfth: To enter Mecca without being in a state of ritual purification.

· Thirteenth: To fight in Mecca.

· Fourteenth: That he is not inherited by anyone at all. This was mentioned in the oath of absolution for when a man approaches death due to illness, most of his possessions are taken away, so that he does not have more than a third left for him. But the possessions of the prophet remained for him, as is evidenced in the verse of inheritance and in Surat Mariam.

· Fifteenth: His marriage is still considered effective after his death.

· Sixteenth: If he divorces a woman she remains prohibited to everyone and may not be married, "Nikah," to someone else.

"Yas-tan-kih" comes from the word "Yan’kah." For it is said in different forms "Nakaha" and "Istan-kaha" just as it is said "Ajab" and "Ista-jab"… It is permissible to use the word, "Istan-kaha," to mean one whom requests marriage or one who requests sexual intercourse. (Source <http://quran.al-islam.com/Tafseer/DispTafsser.asp?l=arb&taf=KORTOBY&nType=1&nSora=33&nAya=50>; translation ours)

Original Arabic text:

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" ???? ?????????????? " ???? ?????????? , ?????? : ?????? ????????????? , ????? ?????? ????????????? , ???????? ????????????? . ???????? ???? ????? ?????????????? ????????? ????? ????????? , ???? ????? ???????? .

Conclusion

Allah granted Muhammad certain privileges, even the privilege of breaking Allah’s own commandments such as marrying more than four wives. But the most troubling privilege in the list is the one where Muhammad could cause a man to divorce his wife if Muhammad desired her and wanted to marry her. A Muslim cannot claim that this is simply al-Qurtubi’s erroneous interpretation or opinion since the Quran itself mentions how Allah wed Muhammad to Zaid’s divorcee. The traditions provide additional details and tell us that it was Muhammad’s desires for Zainab which led Zaid to divorce her.

To further complicate things, the Quran makes adultery permissible in specific cases:

Also (prohibited are) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess: Thus hath God ordained (Prohibitions) against you: Except for these, all others are lawful, provided ye seek (them in marriage) with gifts from your property, - desiring chastity, not lust, seeing that ye derive benefit from them, give them their dowers (at least) as prescribed; but if, after a dower is prescribed, agree Mutually (to vary it), there is no blame on you, and God is All-knowing, All-wise. S. 4:24 Yusuf Ali

Since this command applied to Muhammad and all the Muslims, this means that Muhammad and the others were allowed to have sex with married women whom they had either taken captive or owned as slaves.

The sad and tragic thing about this is that this command hasn't been rescinded, which means that Muslims are still allowed to rape married women they take captive or possess as slaves. See these articles <../Index/R/rape.html> for further discussion of this topic.

Thus, the Allah of Islam allows his messenger to covet his neighbor’s wife (actually his adopted son’s spouse) and thereby commit adultery in his heart. Allah even allowed Muhammad along with the other men (as well as Muslims of today) to commit adultery with married women whom they have enslaved or taken captive. In light of the teachings of the Holy Bible, the true Word of God, we are forced to conclude that Allah is not the true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob nor is Muhammad a true messenger.

Recommended Reading

http://./Responses/Menj/zaynab.htm <../Responses/Menj/zaynab.htm>
http://./Shamoun/zaid_zaynab.htm <zaid_zaynab.htm>
http://./Responses/Osama/lesbian.htm <../Responses/Osama/lesbian.htm>

My response:

To start off Sam and his freind Dimi dont have one solid argument. They are just trying to make arguments out of Muhammad privelages and so on. Every prophet was given things that other people were not, what is the problem with that? Infact this just proves that Muhammad was indeed a prophet of God since he was given privelages by God. God chooses to bestow his grace on whoever he wills, if he decides to allow some things for Muhamamd and not for others that is God's will, who are Sam and Dimmi to argue about God's will?

As for the verse Sam and Dimmi posted, the verse is not adultery, this is just their own lie they have added to it. The fact is during wars, when the Muslims were under constant attack and threats, they would defend themselves, so this would mean several battles. After battles of which they won there would be several captives which would include women and children, everything would come under the Muslims control. So basically all the women who were captured would be LEGAL for sexual intercourse, this is not adultery, this is applied in war times only. Now since Sam and Dimmi keep on bringing up the rule on your neighbors wife, let us see one highly embarrising incident which is recorded in the OT regarding king David.

2 Samuel 11:1-27

1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. 2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. 3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? 4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. 5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. 8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house. 10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? 11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. 12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. 13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. 16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. 17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also. 18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; 19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, 20 And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 22 So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for. 23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. 24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him. 26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. 27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

So two things to notice from this chapter:

1- David commits illegal sex and a clear direct violation of God's law which is punishable by death

2- David purposely puts Uriah who is the husband of the lady he had illegal sex with right in the front lines to make sure he is killed.

So hence David does two major sins. However let me just quote what every Christian will be saying which is:

27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

Every Christian will be saying God didnt like it, God was angry at David etc etc. As a matter of fact this argument backfires against the Christians badly, if God was indeed angry wit David then why did he not punnish him according to the law he made? Why did not God follow the law he established for every one to follow which is:

Which is punished by

"If a man commits adultery with another man's wife--with the wife of his neighbor--both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. (From the NIV Bible, Leviticus 20:10)

So hence why didnty God follow his own set of rules? Why did David get away with it? Christian will say nooooo David was punished, but thew law which is from God says the punishment is death. So hence DAVID GOT AWAY WITH IT. So why did god comprimise his own law? Or maybe this is a privellage given to David that he can commit adultery and is not bound by the law?

So my question to every Christian is was David punnished according to the law? Yes or No?

Now let me just counter a few arguments that I know Sam will bring up.

1- You claimed in this article that we should not question God's will, so why do you question God when it comes to the Bible?

I am basically using your own arguments against you, since you always bring Muhammad this and that, I have brought something from your Bible which is SOLID proof of adultery. So infact I am basically asking something very important, which is why did God comprimise his own law with David? This is God going against his own word in the Bible, so therefore I have the right to ask such a question. Not one Christian has an answer without having to admit the hard truth which is that God comprimised his own law in this situation.

2- Well you claim Muhammad was given privelages such as being able to have more than four wives, the Quran says you should take no more than 4 wives, so this is the God of Islam comprimising some of his own laws to suit Muhammad.

There is a huge difference between the Bible and the Quran on this. To start off the Quran specifically mentions that Muhammad has certain privellages which others dont:

So hence God makes it clear in the Quran that Muhammad has privellages and that he is not bound by all of God's rules such as taking 4 wives. So hence the Quran makes it clear, so there is no comprimise, God did not comprimise his law for Muhammad, he made it clear that Muhammad had privellages for him alone and no one else. So now I would like Shamoun to show me from the Bible that one of Davids privellages was that he was not bound by the law, specifically in the case of sleeping with his neihbors wife, if Sam can show me this, then he will prove me wrong in that the God of the Bible did not comprimise his law. However Sam will show that his God would allow David to commit adultery, so either way Sam and the Christians will still lose. They have no way out of this embarissing mess in the Bible.

So the fact is there is no comprimise when Muhammad is allowed something others are not, because the Quran mentions this so hence there is no problem. It is not like Muhammad went and did something bad which God didnt like, and then God didnt do anything about it, that is a comprimise. The fact is God made it clear Muhammad was allowed certain privallages so hence no comprimise.

Also, Osama Abdallah has already refuted Sam Shamoun's above absurdities in thorough details and showed his hypocrisy and double standards through his Bible at:

Was Prophet Muhammad's marriage with Zaynab bint Jahsh really a sin?

Is Muhammad a true Prophet? - On the topic of Sexual Immorality.