THE CULTURE CHAMELEON

ISSUE 5 VOLUME 5 May- 2010

(PART 1)..………………………..1

 REFORM THROUGH REVOLUTION

…………………………………. 3

 O UR COMMUNITY. I MAM M AHDI

(AJFS) M ASJID– CAMPBELLTOWN
…………………………………... 6

 P ATHOLOGY OF DIVORCE––
P ART 4– DOES I SLAM CONDONE
V IOLENCE A GAINST W OMEN?.….. 7

Viewpoint
The Culture Chameleon
Praying at home or the Masjid and then sneaking out to party. worst of which is turning away totally from Islam, rejecting it com-
Wearing HijÁb around family and then turning into a fashion diva pletely. We are not exaggerating. It’s a reality and those who deny it
at school. One person, two are either wilfully
worlds and a desperate blind or pitifully na-
struggle to juggle them ive.
both. It is time that we ad-
This is the reality which dressed the situation
many Muslims living in. We ? seriously. First there
can call them ‚cultural cha- must be awareness of
meleons‛ or describe them the reality and knowl-
as having ‚split personali- edge of its causes. The
ties.‛ Whatever the label, the next step is to know
situation is the same … with often tragic consequences. We are not what to do when faced with it directly. And finally, we need to
just referring to your community brother or sister’s devastating know how to nip the problem in the bud – because an ounce of
death, but rather we refer to the many grievous examples of teens prevention is better than a pound of cure.
running away from home, getting into drugs and much more – the
Continued on page 2 >>>>

Editorial
AssalÁm ‘Alaykum! down and lower your gaze for indeed this is FÁÔima proceeding to Para-
dise. She then will ask the Almighty: O my Lord! I would like my status
Welcome once again to the Month of Jamadi Al-Awwal Al-Fajr be known in this Day. Thus, the Almighty Allah addresses her: O daughter
Newsletter! This time round we are back with more to enlighten of My beloved! Look back and find whoever there is a love in their heart
you about the issues facing our community. We have been continu- for you or for any of your offspring to take their hands and enter them
ing on our regular columns on the pathology of divorce (violence into Paradise. It is on that Day the she will be as selective as a chicken
against women), the chapter of modesty and the life of our Prophet. selects the good seeds over the spoiled ones. Then the Almighty Allah will
Mohamed Tufayl this month gives us a poignant reminder of the address those who loved the holy FÁÔima (as): Look back and find who-
Islamic revolution in Iran whist continuting on the theme of rais- ever loved your for the love of FÁÔima, whoever fed you for the love of
ing our children; we have the first part of a two part series on the FÁÔima, whoever clothed you for the love of FÁÔima, whoever offered you a
‚culture chameleon‛ a phenomenon we see every day! drink for the love of FÁÔima … then take their hands and enter them into
Paradise.‛ Imam BÁqir (a.s) then added: ‚On that Day none will be left
We would also like to take advantage of the section here to send save the one who has been doubtful (about the status of FÁÔima), or the
peace and blessings upon Lady FÁÔima Al-Zahra (as) on this special one who has been KÁfir or hypocrite.‛ Biharul-AnwÁr, vol.8 p.51
day in which she departed this world. With reverence to the Leader
of all women of the Universe (Sayyeda-an-NisÁ al-‘AlamÐn) I would We hope you enjoy this month’s issue, and we strongly encourage
like to inspire you with the following hadith: readers to provide us with feedback. You may contact us through
info@al-fajr.org.au - May Allah be pleased with us all Inshallah
JÁbir; the companion of the Prophet (saw), asked Imam BÁqir (as) to
inform him of the status of Lady FÁÔima (as). Part of the Hadith WassalÁm
reads: ‚On the Day of Judgment people will be ordered: Bend your heads Mustafa Barakat and Abidali Mohamedali (editors)
 Al-Fajr – Vol. 5 (5)- May 2010
CAUSES
Although each situation is different, there is a general list of what
can cause this worst nightmare of any Muslim parent.
1- Lack of strong Islamic foundation in the home:
As with most things, it begins in your own backyard. If we aren’t
raising our children as Muslims with a strong understanding of
what it means to be a Muslim, then we can’t expect them to be
happy about having to follow strict rules all the time. It’s also
important to note the difference between Islam and culture. If we
don’t pray five times a day or encourage our kids to pray, yet
freak out if a female family member walks out with her head un-
covered, then we really need to straighten out our priorities.
2- Double standards:
Related to the first point, here we’re talking about when parents
are setting a double standard for themselves and their children: in
public they seek to integrate themselves within Western society, to
achieve the Western societies dream of big house, fancy car and
being best friends with the Joneses next door; yet at home they are
obsessed with their children following cultural practices that
aren’t even necessarily Islamic. It should be no surprise, then,
when the children follow in their parents’ footsteps and start liv-
ing a double life themselves.
3- Lack of personal understanding / conviction of Islam:
This is another major factor in youth straying from Islam. Again
related to the first point – if we don’t have a strong Islamic foun-
dation in the home, then there will be most likely a lack of under-
standing of what exactly it means to be a Muslim. If we don’t
know the reason behind something, how likely are we to do some-
thing if you view it as restrictive and interfering? If we tell our
children to pray because if they
don’t they will burn in Hell,
then, they won’t be doing it out
of love for Allah (SWT) – they
will be doing it out fear and
not even fear of Allah (SWT),
but fear of the parent!
Similarly, if you tell a girl she
has to wear HijÁb because oth-
erwise she will ‚stain the family’s
honour‛ or something like that,
then once she’s exposed to the
Western mentality of freedom (and total lack of anything resem-
bling honour) she won’t give two hoots about the HijÁb or your
notions of honour. On the other hand, if your child has a per-
sonal relationship with Allah (SWT) and knows exactly why we
do some things and stay away from others, they will be far more
willing to tough it out and continue to obey Allah (SWT).
4- General teen rebellion:
Sometimes, teens can just be teens. Common sense is a rare thing
amongst youth these days and it shows… sadly, some take it too
far – beyond the streaked hair, Tattoos and pierced bellybutton
(hey, as long as it’s covered up by HijÁb, be cool with it!) – and
make some really bad choices. Being intoxicated by the passions
of youth we never ponder for a moment that we shall we ques-
tioned by Allah (SWT).
5- Insecurity:
This is something which affects people everywhere, regardless of
2
their race, religion or even age. The desire to want to ‚fit in‛ and
become an accepted member of the crowd is human nature – some-
times it can be a good thing; other times it can be so harmful and
detrimental. For girls, the issue is often about body image and
beauty, which is why HijÁb becomes such a struggle. For guys, it can
be about proving their ‚manliness‛ (by pursuing other girls or get-
ting involved in ‘tough guy’ activities like drinking alcohol, drugs
etc).
Build your child’s self-esteem at home and let them know that they
don’t need to seek approval from anyone except Allah (SWT). Com-
plimenting ones children, praising them, letting them be confident
in their faith and in themselves. Tell your son that he’s cool. Tell
your daughter that she’s beautiful. Don’t demean them or belittle
them; honour them as the Holy Prophet (saw) honoured his daugh-
ter Sayyida FÁÔimah (as) by giving her his sitting place.
6- Bad companions:
The Holy Prophet (saw) said: ‚The example of a good companion and a
bad one is the bearer of musk and the worker on the bellows. A bearer of
musk would give you some, you might buy some from him, or you might
enjoy the fragrance of his musk. The worker on the bellows, on the other
hand, might spoil your clothes with sparks from his bellows, or you get a
bad smell from him.‛
Undoubtedly, the kind of people your kids hang out with will have
a huge influence on them – especially at school, which is what a
teen’s life pretty much revolves around. Non-Muslims (and even so-
called ‚Muslims‛) who have totally different standards of morality
will definitely make life difficult for your kid: challenging Islam
and belittling all that it stands for. While we know that many will
say it’s a great Da’wah opportunity or that it builds character and
can be a way to strengthen faith, the reality is that not all youth are
strong enough to emerge the company of
such people unscathed. Sadly, we have
lost too many of the younger generations
to ShaytÁn’s misguided lifestyle and we
can’t use a minority of successful young
Muslims to deny that reality. The Mes-
senger of Allah (saw) informed us that :
‚A man follows his friends religion, you
should be careful whom you make friends
with.‛
7- The “Adolescent” Myth:
This mentality is one of ‚I’m young, let
me have fun and then I’ll be religious when I’m older!‛ It’s an atti-
tude of irresponsibility, immaturity and misunderstanding of Islam
and the purpose of our lives. By absolving oneself of responsibility,
it’s easier for teens to indulge in the harÁm without feeling so guilty
about it. Thus, it’s obviously very important to instil a sense of re-
sponsibility and dutifulness to Allah (SWT) in our youth – basi-
cally, to abolish this kind of mentality. The Holy Prophet (saw)
said : ‚An intelligent person is the one who calls himself to account and
does deeds to benefit him after death and a foolish person is he who follows
his desires and hopes from Allah (SWT).‛
SYMPTOMS
How do you know if your child, your sibling or your friend is a
‚cultural chameleon‛? It can be difficult to spot it, but however
much a kid can try to sneak around, those closest to them can usu-
ally figure out what’s going on. We shall discuss the symptoms and
solutions next month, InshaAllah
 Al-Fajr– Vol. 5 (5)- May-2010 3

Viewpoint
Reform through revolution both stood for one message, one cause – Submission to One God
and freedom from injustice. The latter was the source while the
by MuhammmadTufayl Mohamedali
former is only a model that reflects what the source aimed to pro-
Adopted at a time when tensions between the two superpower poles
duce and establish. It was, this very platform upon which Imam
that the World was divided into was at its peak, The Iranian Revolu-
Khomeini (ra) directed the revolution and when in an interview
tion established The Islamic government in Iran, with this basic
he was asked – ‘do you intend to take Iran 300 years back?’ he replied
motto. Neither the West nor the East1 was sufficient to provide jus-
‚I wish to take it back even further, to 1400 years‛ – implying clearly,
tice – only Islam could, can and will continue do so.
that it was indeed the government of the Prophet Muhammad
(saw) on which he wished to design, the government of his nation
Though a controversial figure, even in the Islamic World, the leader
– and it is because of his dedication,
of the Islamic Revolution and foun-
diligence and his vision, aided by Allah,
der of Islamic Republic of Iran –
that today we see a nation that stands
Imam Khomeini (ra) has much to
for Islam and is a base for spreading of
offer. Aside from his political in-
the teaching of Ahlul-Bayt (as).
volvement, in the running of the
government, he was a symbol of
Needless to say, the relationship of poli-
spiritual and moral purity and an
tics and Islam is inseparable, a statement
example in every area of life – a mod-
mentioned by Imam Khomeini (ra)
ern day example of what is expected
himself many times, when explaining
of the companions of Ahlul-Bayt
the effects and intentions of the West in
(as). Modern, because most readers
imposing imperialism over free peoples
of this article will admit, that they
of Islam – he said that it is in the divi-
can all relate to the life and experi-
sion of religion and politics that the
ences of this companion, because at
West has failed and it is this very ideol-
one point in time, he was their con-
ogy that has sadly been imprinted in
temporary.
many – due to the ongoing influence of
western ideology. Islam is a wholesome
Indeed, the ways and examples estab-
concept that encompasses all the re-
lished by the Ahlul-Bayt (as) are
quirements and laws of running a fam-
something that we are all familiar
ily, a community, a nation and indeed,
with and that we all try in some way
competent to govern the entire globe –
or the other to adopt. However, it
to separate different components, is in
makes this task much easier, when
itself an injustice and a misunderstand-
we can, instead of looking only at
ing of what Islam represents – it is a
history books, turn to the scholars,
socio-political, economic-cultural, social
who are the closest practitioners of
-scientific way of life and in the words
the ways and examples established by
of Imam Khomeini (ra) is ‘the highest degree of civilization’1.
the Ahlul-Bayt (as), easier because they are more knowledgeable in
this field and secondly because we have the advantage of being able
The lessons, available are many but suffice to say that a successful
to relate to them in the 21st century. Through them, we can see how
overturn of a corrupt regime is impossible without a revolution.
we should live and conduct ourselves – though, it may be appreci-
Applied in an individual context, each individual must initiate a
ated that national differences and ways of life differ, the world in
revolution against his self in order to be able to establish the req-
the 21st century is more or less flat. The East today is just as Western
uisite purity and moral qualities, which will enable the growth of
as the West itself, and this is because of a myriad of factors, which
a peaceful, just and harmonious society. A revolution inevitably
have enabled the Western ideology to seep into the lives and cul-
involves sacrifice and loss, but the loss of corruption in the proc-
tures of people all over the World1. With the collapse of the Com-
ess is a greater benefit, and the sacrifice of the good in the process
munist ideology which was another extreme, Western ideology won
goes not unnoticed for Allah says ‘and most surely We are a vigi-
a temporary monopoly. It was amidst this environment that the
lant multitude’ (Al Qur’an 26:56).
stand of Islam was made, right there in the secure zone of the West,
which directly challenged the Western Imperialism imposed on it –
On a closing note, the leadership of Imam Khomeini (ra) saw not
a classic reflection of the rise of Islam, when the Arabs and their
only an establishment of an Islamic government, but also in the
pagan ways had been established not only on the lands, but also in
process reflected on in minor scale the great revolution of Kar-
the psychology of people, before Islam rose to challenge and shatter
bala, by Imam Íusain (as) – the father of free men! The lessons
these, under the leadership of the great Prophet MuÎammad (saw).
from the revolution of Karbala are unending but suffice to say
that Islam survives on revolutions, and revolutions survive on
This refusal to accept foreign influence is similar to the domination
sacrifice for only one truth – service to and submission to Allah
that which was rejected internally in Arabia 1400 years ago and pre-
pared the fertile ground for the introduction of Islam – because Continued on page 4 >>>>
 Al-Fajr– Vol. 5 (5)- May 2010 4

(SWT) – and it is through the blood and efforts of revolutions and
revolutionists that evil is overcome, reformation is achieved and
peace is restored. In whatever context you look at it, internal or
external, individual or society, nation or global – freedom from
injustice and corruption can only be won through striving in the
path of Allah (SWT). Each of us has within us a revolutionist, and
each of us has within us our first revolution to lead – the examples
are many, the guidance and support is there for those who seek and
the results are evident, the question is – are we brave enough to re-
form through revolution?
References:
1- H. Ansari, ‘The Narrative of Awakening: A Look At Imam Khomeini’s Ideal,
Scientific and Political Biography (From Birth to Ascension)’, (The Institute for
compilation and publication of the works of Imam Khomeini (international Affairs
Department – I.R. Iran)

Our Community
This is the third instalment of a new Al-Fajr feature called ‘Connecting the dots’. Each week we will profile one of Sydney’s many
Shi’a Islamic centres. Please email us with your suggestions on interesting profiles or facts about your local centre on
abidalim@gmail.com.

Masjid Imam Mahdi - Campbelltown

by Abidali Mohamedali

Julie Karaki, a midwife by profession, got introduced to the Al- is frequented by

Mahdi mosque almost 9 years ago. ‚I was not raised with a mosque in people from all
my childhood I found it quite difficult to get used to what exactly the cultures and
mosque is and what it can provide.‛ walks of life. The
youth particu-
Soon though, she found a special bond and connection with the larly frequent the
Mosque. ‚It really helped me have a feel of how great a relationship one centre most often
can have with Allah (SWT) and how strong it can be if you frequently and have begun
visit His house‛. to play a signifi-
cant role in the
daily activities of
the Mosque.

‚I guess our major plan is to just be able to show the youth that the relig-
ion they have is a complete way of life and try to get them involved as
much as possible to better their relationship with the Almighty‛ To
achieve this, the mosque is embarking on several projects includ-
ing organizing youth camps and retreats in the near future. They
are also in the final stages of publishing their own website which
will be up in two weeks time.

The environment of the mosque and the mixing of the commu-

nity with diverse cultural and language backgrounds is certainly a
real plus for the Mosque. The instructions are often translated
into Farsi and Arabic and members love to meet and greet new
people to the centre. They also host visiting lecturers and occa-
sionally have unique programs that are certainly worth the visit.
Today, being one of the most active members of the community in
Campbelltown, Sister Julie has made tre- ‚Our greatest plan is to get our children and
mendous strides in making others feel as 9 WATSFORD RD youth involved and educated about the real Is-
she feels. Being a teacher of the Islamic Campbelltown, Australia. lam as much as possible.‛ Her passion is conta-
studies classes and the president of the gious yet her humility is inspiring. ‚I just try
Fortnightly-
youth committee, she has brought the my best. ….. my aim is to try and allow these
- Lectures by Sheik Jihad - Wednesdays
mosque closer to the people. ‚I really just people (youths) to get to Know and love Allah
- Islamic movie nights - Fridays
wanted to get the children used to being in the (SWT) as much as He has allowed me to love
- Youth discussion nights - Fridays
mosque and Alhamdullillah they are involved and know Him, because there is nothing worth
- E Hawza Classes - Mondays
with it now and I often hear from their moth- (more than) this love‛.
Weekly -
ers that Mondays are the highlight of their - Children classes (ages 4-15) - Mondays
weeks‛ The Al-Mahdi mosque is situated a stones
- Dua Tawassul
throw from the Campbelltown CBD and
- Dua Kumayl
The Mosque was built over 10 years ago to station and is a mere 30 min drive down the
- Jumua' Prayers.
cater for the Afghan community but today M5 from the city.
 Al-Fajr– Vol. 5 (5)- May- 2010
Continuing from the last issue, we will analyse the topic of adultery and fornication, its evil nature and how we can avoid it
based on the teachings of the Holy Qur’an in Surah Nur
Repentance from fornication
By Mustafa Barakat- Based upon a lecture by Sheikh Mansour
Leghaei.
The prevalence of sexual promiscuity and indecent sexual behav-
iours in Australia is the cause of great concern. Boys and girls
form a very young age are encouraged, nay pressurised, into ille-
gitimate sexual relations.
"The maternity wards of Central Coast Hospitals are never free of un-
married teenage mothers with unplanned pregnancies..." recalls Dr. Ali
Samail from his obstetrics rotation during his last year of studies.
‚It’s unbelievable to see young unmarried girls heavily pregnant walk
in with their parents or partners- what prospects do their children have?‛
says a sister working as a receptionist at a medical imaging centre
in Sydney.
The epidemic is so widespread that the Australian Bureau of Sta-
tistics estimates that 32 % of births in 2005 were to couples who
were not married compared to 15% in 1985.1
Fornication in Islam is a mortal sin, as it is an indecent act and
an evil way of satis-
fying the sexual
urge. Allah (SWT)
has not only
warned His crea-
tion not to commit
such a transgression
but he has also
commanded us to
keep away from it.
Allah (SWT) says in
the Qur’an: “And
go not nigh to For-
nication, surely it is
an indecency and
an evil
way.” (Surah al-
‘Isrā’, 17:32)
Those who have not
kept away from illegitimately satisfying their sexual desire, will have to
face not only the worldly consequences but more frightening are the dire
warnings Allah (SWT) gives to those contemplating such actions. Allah
(SWT) says “And they who do not call upon another god with
Allah and do not slay the soul, which Allah has forbidden except
in the requirements of justice, and (who) do not commit fornica-
tion and he who does this shall (not only) meets punishment;
(But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubled to him,
and he will abide therein disdained for ever” (Surah Al-FurqÁn,
25:68-69)
However, Allah out of his Mercy has given humans an opportunity to
save themselves from whatever evil they have committed, by opening to
us the door of repentance. Allah (SWT) in the Qura’n has given us hope
5
by revealing the following news: “Say: O My Slaves who have trans-
gressed against themselves (by committing sins) despair not of
the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly He is Oft-
Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surah Az-Zumar, 39:53). It is impor-
tant to emphasise that despite the gravity of the sin, there is always room
for repentance.
We, therefore have the opportunity to escape facing the penalty by
seeking forgiveness, the stages of achieving this is what we call
repentance. The successful acceptance of repentance of our sins is
not easy–Imam ‘Ali’s (as) said: ‚Avoidance of sins is easier than seek-
ing (the acceptance of) repentance‛(V 154 Tuhaf al-Uqool).
Though it might be a struggle to achieve repentance it would be
highly unfortunate if a slave remains deprived of this Divine
Mercy even though the paths leading to it are open to him. On
the other hand if one appreciates the value of this gate of Divine
Mercy then he will benefit from it greatly, as repentance is an
elixir that not only removes the shameful stains of sins but it also
polishes the heart and the life of all those who sincerely repented
in this world.
In the context of fornica-
tion, Allah has particu-
larly invited the fornica-
tor/adulterer to repent.
Allah (SWT) says in the
Holy Qur’an: “And
those two persons (man
and woman) among you
who commit illegal sex-
ual intercourse, hurt
them both, and if they
repent and do righteous
good deeds, leave them
alone. Surely, Allah is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Mer-
ciful.” (Surah An-NisÁ',
4:16)
Not only does Allah for-
give and exclude the real
repentant, but He will also convert the evil deeds of that person
into good deeds “... Except those who repent and believe and do
righteous deeds. For those, Allah will change their sins into good
deeds and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surah Al-
FurqÁn, 25:70)
Again, not only does Allah (SWT) forgive those who repent and
convert their evil actions into good ones, He also bestows His
love and mercy upon them. Thus, the divine attribute of „Oft-
Forgiving‟ is almost always coupled in the Holy Qur’an with the
attribute of „Most Merciful’. The Almighty Allah states: “Verily
Allah loves those who return to Him in (full) repentance and He
loves those who purify themselves.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:222)
Continued on page 6 >>>>
 Al-Fajr– Vol. 5 (5)- May- 2010 6

It is actually highly recommended in Islam to conceal our sins and

Imam BÁqir(as) is narrated to have said: “Indeed Allah(SWT) is
happier- when one of His slaves repents -than a traveller who
finds his lost transport and provision in a dark night.” (al-Kaafi
2:435). Imam ‘Ali (as) in Dua Kumail cries to the Almighty, ‚Oh
Allah, I find no forgiver of my sins, no concealer of my ugly acts, and no
transformer of any of my ugly acts into good acts but You‛. This dua
has highlighted the fact that Allah has concealed our ugly acts
from the public view, so that we may maintain our honour and
dignity within the society.
for those who had committed illegal sexual intercourse to repent
between them and God rather than confessing their sin to the
court. All jurists are unanimous that if the fornicator repents be-
fore their crime is proven to the court all their charges will be
dropped. It is narrated from the Holy Prophet (saw) to have said:
‚The one who has repented from his/her sin is like the one who has not
sinned.‛ (Biharul-AnwÁr 2:154).
May Allah forgive all the believers from their sins – Inshallah. This
article will be continued with more details on the stages of repen-

This month, we shall continue our discussion on the major causes of domestic violence– That of the sore misconception that
Islam recommends violence against women.

The Pathology of Divorce– Does Islam Condone Violence against Women?

Series of Lectures presented by Sh. Mansour Leghaei– Written by Abidali Mohamedali

Wife bashing, a synonym in the colloquial Australian English, to

In this chapter, we shall try to discern the precise meaning of this
mean domestic violence is jarring to the ears, but is common in
verse and determine whether or not Islam condones violence
some circles especially the family court of Australia. Horrified
against women. We shall go through the verse word by word and
upon hearing this for the first time from the lips of a Muslim
suggest the correct English translation for the verse
trying to justify it, I decided to look up what the statistics are in
‚Muslim‛ countries. The statistics floored me!1 Domestic violence
is soaring in Muslim countries. Does Islam really condone vio-
lence against women? Have we not graduated from the days of
jahiliyah?

In this age of information, it is unfortunate that ignorance is still

strife about the treatment of women in Islam. Often it is the case
that such issues, such as domestic violence, are not discussed One of the very common questions raised primarily by women is
within groups of men due to the ‘macho’ nature of man where he in regards to the beginning of this verse which is commonly
has to ‘control’ his own affairs or that there are unspoken rules in translated as ‚Men are the maintainers of women..” The miscon-
the fraternity of men that a man has to live by to feel included. ception is that they think it says men are ‘superior’ to women.
Very often, and very ignorantly, anti-Muslim propaganda pre- This cannot be further from the Truth. The word ‚QawwÁmÙn‛ is
sumes that Islam condones violence against women and will mis- the exaggerated form of the word ‘al QÁim’ or literally the one
quote one verse of the Quran (Suratun NisÁ verse 34) to justify who stands up. This is a term used to express protection or guard-
their opinion. ing of something. This terminology has been used several times in
the holy Quran, most notably in the command for daily prayers
This fact has not only permeated the enemies of Islam, some ig- where Allah says ‚aqimus salÁt‛ – stand/protect/safeguard the
norant Muslims also unfortunately hold that opinion. There is prayer. The correct translation therefore is ‚Men are (to be) the
certainly a cultural component to domestic violence and that firm protectors and maintainers of (their) women..‛. The men
should not be confused with the teachings of Islam. These people then quip, why should the men maintain their women?
are condemned in the Holy Quran ‚Say: Shall We inform you of
the greatest losers in (their) deeds? (These are) they whose la-
bour is lost in this world's life and they think that they are well
Immediately, Allah (SWT) answers their question! Men have been
versed in skill of the work of hands.‛ (Kahf 18:103-104). These are
granted ‘fadhl’, meaning ‘to enjoy something more’ than others.
those who justify their misdeeds by misinterpreting the Qur’an,
Men are endowed, in general, with certain characteristics which
not only are they the real losers but they will never get the oppor-
they enjoy over women and vice versa. Men are endowed with
tunity to seek forgiveness for their actions.
physical ability and rationalisation as opposed to women who are
endowed with emotional intelligence and increased compassion
It is important therefore to thoroughly understand the teachings
(not to say that either do not possess the others’ quality, but that
of Islam in their true context and once understood, the beauty
the levels typically are concurrent). For this reason, because men
and exquisite intricacy and justice in the words of the Almighty
have a greater proportion of those endowments, their responsibil-
will make us appreciate that indeed the psychology of relation-
ity of protection, working and so on is increased and therefore
ship elaborated by the Almighty is not only the most effective if
must provide for their families. The translation therefore reads,
used correctly, but is insightful and appreciate of the nature of
man and woman. Continued on page 7 >>>>
 Al-Fajr– Vol. 5 (5)- May- 2010
“because Allah has provided one of them more than the other,
and because they spend (to support their wives) from their
means.”
Having understood the responsibilities of the man in a relation-
ship, what is the responsibility of the women? Allah (SWT) di-
vides these into three major characteristics/responsibilities:
 She has to be righteous( ) in her actions and speech
(in relationship with the Almighty)
 She has to be humble and obedient ( ) QunÙt is the
word used to define the mixture of humbleness and obedi-
ence. It is only this verse in the Qur’an, interpreters agrees,
that QunÙt is used not only for Allah (SWT) but for a
human (in this case the husband). By obeying the com-
mand of Allah (SWT) to be humble and obedient to ones
husband, one is indirectly obedient and humble to Allah
(SWT)!
 She has to ( ) Guard in the husband’s
absence what Allah orders them to guard.” Allah (SWT)
has ordered women to guard their chastity and the prop-
erty of her husband. This means that in the absence of
their husbands, women should not indulge in activities
that may diminish her chastity (such as chatting to strange
men, dressing immodestly etc.). This also means that a
woman is obliged not to behave differently when in the
presence of the husband or out of his presence such that
hadith mention that she is not permitted to even dress
differently or put a different perfume in the absence of her
husband.
If the woman does not meet the above responsibilities particu-
larly if she shows, ‚takhÁfÙna‛, signs of „no concern‟ to her re-
sponsibilities (disobedience). This refers to the first signals or
signs of a brewing dissent in a woman leading to ‘nushÙz’, literally
meaning „to stand and leave’. In this context though, it means
that she abandons or refuses to meet with her obligations. Ac-
cording to Islam therefore, the meaning of ‘nushÙz’ is
‚abandonment of either of the husband or wife from the obedience that
is compulsory on each one of them‛2.
Therefore, for a man to be ‘NÁshiz’ is that if he hits his wife, if he
is not providing for his wife, if he has an ill conduct with his
wife, etc. These are out of the context of this discussion and will
be tackled later. For a woman to be ‚NÁshizah‛ is if she does not
meet her two obligations:
 Avoids her husband sexually without any religiously ac-
cepted excuse (e.g. not in mood)
 Exits the house without the consent of her husband
(although jurists differ on the context). There is no obliga-
tion on ladies to do the home duties (unanimous accord-
ing to all jurists), although following the tradition of
FÁÔima al-Zahra (as) it is recommended for her to work in
the home.
7
If a woman fails to meet the obligations described above, Allah
(SWT) suggests three approaches to tackle the problem (note that
ignoring the problem will not make it go away!):
 Logical approach ( ) or literally “advise them”. This has
to be done mildly, wisely and repeatedly. It is insufficient to
advise them once and expect change or advise them harshly
and expect change. Even Prophet Musa (as) when commanded
to speak to Pharaoh was advised first to advise him gently and
mildly! Using a terms such as ‚fear God and come back (to bed)‛3
which a mild admonition. Similarly, providing her with ayÁt
and hadith regarding the punishments in the hereafter for her
disobedience. If this does not work, then men are advised to
use the:
 Emotional Approach: ( ) “and leave them
alone in the sleeping-places”. Humans all have an emotional
Achilles heel whereby a mere display of contempt, disgust,
dissatisfaction, distrust etc. can have a powerful influence, far
more than mere words (however logical they may be). Women
particularly, respond more powerfully to such emotions and
therefore, the second step to altering disobedient behaviour in
a wife is to withdraw emotional attachment. This ‘leaving
them’ or ‘wahjurÙhunna’ has to be done with dignity. Allah
(SWT) advises His prophet when referring to the hypocrites
that he should “have patience with what they say, and leave
them with noble (dignity).” (Surah Muzzammil: 10). It is
known that a man is cursed if he sleeps away from his wife
when he is in the same town as his wife and therefore this
verse does not mean sleeping elsewhere, Imam BÁqir (as) says
that the extent of this verse is that, instead of facing each other
when sleeping, the husband should turn his face away to dis-
play his displeasure and in extreme circumstances sleep on
another bed (or sofa). If this does not work then use the;
 Physical Approach: ( ) As this is the most
controversial part of the verse, it is important that the words
be translated accurately. The word ‘dharb’ has four possible
suggested meanings:
 It has been suggested by some jurists that it means „to hit‟
but this has been abrogated (mansukh) by hadith. We be-
lieve that it is impossible for a hadith to abrogate any verse
of the Qur’an and neither is there any abrogation in the
Qur’an itself (refer to introduction to Science of Quran
series of lectures by Sh. Mansour Leghaei for more detail)
and neither is there any support for this opinion.
 The second opinion is that it is an expression for sexual
intercourse. According to most Arabic dictionaries ‘dharb’
means ‘when something is on top of another’ additionally,
this word is used commonly in Arabic to mean intimacy
between animals. Although the literal meaning can be ac-
ceptable, the context in which this word appears in this
verse negates its literal meaning.
 The third opinion is that it means ‘reduce her maintenance’.
This opinion stems from a hadith from the Holy prophet
(saw) who says ‚I am surprised of a man who hits his wife but he
deserves more to be hit. Do not hit your wives with timber, for there
is a punishment in that, ‘hit’ them by reducing their food and cloth-
ing‛4 . This hadith is narrated in
Continued on page 8 >>>>
 Al-Fajr– Vol. 5 (5)- May- 2010 8

book whose author is unknown, the hadith is mursal (chain is Prophet (saw) told her that he suffered the pressure of the grave
not mentioned) and the meaning is rather farfetched. due to her ill-conduct with his family.13
 The fourth opinion is that it means ‘hit them’ but with certain  ‚On the Day of Judgment some men will be resurrected as tyrants
conditions. This is the most plausible opinion of the meaning although they did not own more than a family.‛14
of this word.
1. The verse indicates permissibility, not obligation. For Women:
2. No jurist has ever accepted the general meaning of the ayah  ‚O Ali! If there is any evil, it is the tongue of woman.‛15
and therefore hitting has to be within the boundaries defined  ‚Whoever has a wife who hurts him, God will not accept any of her
by hadith. prayers or any of her good deeds until she pleases her husband or she
3. Light hitting is permissible if she has been confirmed to have will be the first to enter Fire.‛16
committed adultery or when  Hawla (a perfumer) was once visit-
all the other techniques have ing the house of the Prophet (saw)
not worked. The Holy Prophet crying. Upon inquiries by the wives of
has said ‚If she commits a con- the Prophet she replied that she had
firmed adultery, turn away from come not for business but to com-
them then hit them a hitting that plain to the Prophet about the treat-
is not hard (not arrogant but ment of her husband. The Holy
‘friendly’), if she regrets it, don’t prophet gave her a long sermon on the
take it any further‛5 rights of husbands and wives of which
4. A ‘friendly hit’ means accord- some part of it reads, ‚There is no
ing to Imam BÁqir (as) ‚means woman who is having an angry look
hitting with MiswÁk (light, toward her husband except that her kohl
small branch used for brushing (eyeliner) will be of the ashes of hellfire, O
teeth).‛6 Hawla, by the one who sent me as a
5. Hitting the face and other vul- Prophet and messenger, there is no woman
nerable limbs is forbidden. The who is refusing her husband except that she
Prophet (saw) has said ‚Any will be hung by her tongue and will be
man who slaps on the face of his nailed by fire. O Hawla, by the one who
wife, the Almighty Allah orders sent me as a prophet and messenger, there
the Angel in charge of Fires to hit is no woman who steps out of the house
his face seventy times inside the without the permission of her husband for
Hell fire.‛7 wedding (this is only an expression/
6. It is forbidden on him to hit example) except that God and the angels
his wife due to her verbal will curse her until she is drowned in the ocean of the curse of God.
abuse, or refusing to do the house work. SÁhibul JawÁhir says O Hawla, by the one who sent me as a prophet and messenger, there
‚the husband, in other than the right to tell his wife not to go out or is no woman who goes swimming (beach or mixed pool) and she is
the sexual right, has no right to punish her‛8 married except that she will swim in pool of leaping flames and will
7. If it causes her bruising or bleeding or fractures he is liable be withering in pain (like a fish on a frying pan)‛17
even when permissible to hit.
8. It is better for a man not to hit his wife (when permissible). We can conclusively state that Islam condemns violence against
9. It is better to divorce a woman than hitting her. Imam women and that there is no justification whatsoever, in the Islamic
KÁdhim (as) says that ‚an intelligent person is one who chooses the traditions, that supports the violence against women. The miscon-
bad when he has to make a choice between bad and worse‛. ceptions regarding this issue are entirely cultural and have no bear-
10.Hitting is the habit of Omar bin KhattÁb not the tradition of ing on Islam.
the Prophet (saw). Ayesha is narrated to have said ‚The Prophet References:
(saw) never hit any of his servants or wives or anything.‛9 Simi- 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_and_domestic_violence
larly, Zohri has narrated that ‚Omar was hitting his wives and 2. Ayatollah Al- Najafi –JawÁhirul-Kalam 31:200
3. TafsÐr al-Qummi
servants.‛10
4. Mustadrakul-Wasa’el (14:250) from JÁmiul AkhbÁr, Unknown author
5. Ibn MÁjah 1:594
Recommendations from the Prophet (SAW) 6. Majma’ul-BayÁn
7. Da’a’emul-IslÁm 2:217
For Men 8. Ayatollah Al- Najafi –Jawahirul-Kalam 31:205
 ‚Your wife is a trust of Allah with you, thus do not harm or prevent 9. Ibn MÁjah 1:638
10. al-Mosannaf 9:441
her (from her rights).‛11
11. Mustadrakul-Wasa’el 14:251
 ‚Whoever takes a woman (in marriage), he should honour her.‛12 12. Al-KÁfi 5:510
 Sa’d Ibn Ma’adh was a martyr who participated in battles of 13. Biharul-AnwÁr 6:220
14. Sharh Ibn Abil-Íadid on Nahjul-Balagha 6:338
Badr, Uhud, Khandaq and was killed right after the battle of 15. Al-Faqih 4:263
Bani-Quraydha. The prophet (saw) buried him, himself. His 16. Wasa’elu-Shi’a 20:163
17. Mustadrakul-Wasa’el 14:240-241
mother exclaimed that her son is so honoured. The Holy