Thread by @fariha_ab1

In an extension of my last thread on women’s testimony, let’s analyze this (disturbingly popular) hadith claiming that women’s intellect & piety are less than men, and so there will be more women in hell. What’s the truth behind this report?

#WomenInIslam #ReclaimingIslam

https://twitter.com/fariha_ab1/status/1654749148845953025

I’ve discussed hadith literature on women before. Briefly, authenticity of any hadith is assessed on its (a) chain of narrators (b) content: any content that contradicts Quran or basic logic must be rejected even if chain of narrators is sound.

https://twitter.com/fariha_ab1/status/1646469985877868546

Looking at (a), Musnad Ahmed says that this dialogue took place not between the Prophet & a group of women but between him & the wife of Abdulah Bin Masud. Sunan Darmi calls it the saying of Abdulah Bin Masud. Such contradictions cast doubt that these words are of the Prophet.

When assessed on reason & logic (known as ‘dariat’), it becomes further evident that such words are wrongly attributed to the Prophet.

Firstly, it contradicts the principles of justice & equality established by the Quran in several places, like in 33:35.

The basic teachings of Islam on fundamental beliefs, virtues, and rewards are not gender-specific. Instead, they hold both men and women equally accountable for their deeds to God.

If women had lesser intellect, why would their accountability, reward & punishment be the same?

Secondly, it presents a flawed, circular logic: women’s intellect is less as their testimony is half and their testimony is half as their intellect is less? Women’s faith is weak since they don’t pray or fast during periods but they do so since their faith asks them to.

One could safely maintain that the above-mentioned tradition fails to satisfy logic and common sense and needs to be discarded in the light of ‘darait’.

Reference:
- Islam and Women, Dr. Farooq Khan
bit.ly/37yZlSv