What does the Quran teach about women? Some are trying to see it teaches value, peace and respect. But look again:
- Quran 4:24 — Permits sexual relations with female captives, even if they are presently married (“those whom your right hands possess”)
. - Quran 4:34 — If a man only fears disobedience from his wife, husbands can “strike/scourge” them
. - Quran 65:4 — Allows men to marry, have sexual relations, and divorce a little girl all prior to puberty
. - Quran 2:282 — One man’s witness is equivalent to two women’s witnesses.
. - Quran 4:11 — A son receives twice the share of a daughter.
. - Quran 4:3 — A man can have up to four wives simultaneously.
.. - Quran 2:228 — States that men have a “degree” over women.
. - Quran 23:5–6 — Permits sexual relations with wives and female captives
. - Quran 70:29–30 — Repeats the distinction between wives and female slaves as lawful sexual partners.
. - Quran 4:15 — Prescribes confinement of women found guilty of sexual immorality until death or until God provides another way.
. - Quran 24:31 — Commands women to dress modestly and cover their adornments if they don’t want molested. (If they don’t dress this way, it’s their fault).
. - Quran 33:59 — Commands believing women to draw their outer garments over themselves.
. - Quran 33:33 — Tells the Prophet’s wives to remain in their homes and not display themselves as in former times of ignorance.
. - Quran 2:223 — Gives husbands broad discretion in having multiple sexual positions: “Come to your tilth as you wish.”
. - Quran 2:230 — Requires a woman divorced three times to marry another man before returning to her first husband.
. - Quran 4:176 — Male relatives receive larger shares than female relatives.
. - Quran 24:4–9 — A husband may accuse his wife of adultery through mutual oaths without producing the normal four witnesses.
. - Quran 33:50 — Grants Muhammad special marital privileges of unlimited women not given to other muslim men.
. - Quran 66:5 — States that if Muhammad divorces his wives, God may replace them with better women
It gets worse in the hadith. But let’s just stick for the Quran for now.