"God has heard the saying of her that disputes with you ( Muhammad ) concerning her husband , and complaines unto God . And God hears your colloquy . Allah is Nearer, Knower ."

(Sourah Al Mujadala/The dispute)

Aicha (peace be upon her), the wife of the Prophet, and known in Islam as the mother of all beleivers, has reported that a woman called Khaoula Bint Tâalaba went to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to complain to him about the ill-treatement of her husband. After long years of domestic struggle and shared life, and as she reached old age, her husband began to repudiate her saying that she is to him like " the back of his mother". This was a common expression used by men in the pre-Islamic era to repudiate and, even, divorce women who are no longer young and attractive to them. This forbidden practice is called in Islam "Dihar", signifying the "repudiation of women". This brave woman went to the Prophet (pbuh), and began to complain how she has been good to her husband during all these years of marriage, and the degree of pain she feels about it, and expresses her refusalto be subjected to such humilation. During her complaints, God, the Almighty, revealed this Qur'anic verse to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to show him how to handle this situation, and confirm to him that this practice should be forbidden in Islam.

To all those who spread misinformation and lies about the status of women in Islam, I suggest you to read closely this verse and ponder over it. Feminism is not a new trend in human history, it was a movement, which flourished with the advent of Islam, supported by a divine message. This woman called Khaoula might not be the only woman to be treated this way, but she was brave enough to take the first step towards exposing the humilation that women in the pre-Islamique era went through. She did not send a message to the Prophet or complain to any one of his wives, but went, directly, to him, and talked to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) about her intimate relationship with her husband. Islam gave her the right to express herself and be heard. This divine message also came with the notion of "social reform", as God exposed to the Prophet the problem of"Dihar", and ordered him to abolish this practice.

The Qur'anic verse does not stop in, merely, exposing the problem and forbidding this pre-Islamic pratice, but sets penalties to men in case they want to carry on their relationships with their wives. God says in the same Surah in Qur'an:

"Those who repudiate their wives and afterwards would go back on that which they have said ;in that case the freeing of a slave before they touch one another . Unto this you are exhorted ; and Allah is informed of what you do .And he who finds not, let him fast for two successive months before they touch one another ; and for him who is unable to do so ( the penalty is ) the feeding of sixty needy ones . This, that you may put trust in Allah and His messenger . Such are the limits ( imposed by Allah ) ; and for disbelievers is a painful doom ."

According to Islam, the repudiation of a woman does not give the man thr right to "touch her" untill he pays the penalties set by God:

 1-freeing a slave.

(if not) 2-fasting two successive months.

 (if not) 3-feeding 60 needy person.

Look, how the wisdom of God treats repudiation, not as we witness, nowadays, a man can humilate his wife, and then have sexual relationship with her whenever he wants, and with her agreement (foolish women!). The solutions set on behalf of women goes beyond the situation itself, and extends to freeing a slave, or enduring the hardship of fasting 2 successive months!, or feeding 60 poor people!. The man has to go through one of these penalties either material or spiritual (fast) as an acknowledgement of the ill-treatement and an attempt to gain her compassion. It is educating in some sense, as it would push him to feel the harm she endured from him, and restore the missed love and respect between the two couples.

If the man does not comply, God announces a 'painful doom" to "disbeleivers". Look, God does not call such men 'rebellious' or 'disobedient', but disbeleivers. He who does not treat his wife well, insult, or repudiate her is disobeying and rebellious to God.

The Prophet Muhammad says:

"Paradise lies at the feet of mothers"

A woman should respected, obeyed as well (by her family), if treated otherwise only divine punishement follow, and divine Punishement is heavier than any human laws.

A. Siham