On Charity and Vice
2:215 is about charity, and it reflects the saying “Charity begins at home”:
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“They ask you as to what they should spend. Say: Whatever wealth you spend, it is for the parents and the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, and whatever good you do, Allah surely knows it.”
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Verses 2:216 to 2:218 were covered in the Chapter about Jihad.
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2:219-220 are really one long verse, which was miraculously cut in two in the middle of a sentence:
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“They ask you about wine and gambling. Say: in both of them there is much harm and benefit for men, and their harm is greater than their benefit. And they ask you as to what they should spend. Say: What you can spare. Thus does Allah make clear to you the signs, so that you may reflect”
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“on this world and the hereafter. And they ask you concerning the orphans. Say: To set their affairs right is good, and if you intermix with them, they are your brethren. And Allah knows the mischief-maker and the pacemaker, and if Allah had pleased, He would certainly have caused you to fall into a difficulty. Surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.”
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Drinking wine or any alcoholic beverage is prohibited for living Muslims.
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Unlimited supply of wine will, however, be the reward of those who earn the privilege of entering Paradise, a 24/7 brothel with 24/7 happy hour, where rivers of pure water, milk and wine flow under the Heavenly gardens full of fruit trees the likes of which cannot be found on earth.
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Those Muslims who miss out on Paradise will not have wine in the next world either.
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When it comes to gambling, the question is more specific. It concerns a game called Maisir, which was played by drawing arrows and winning a camel, the flesh of which was distributed between the winners. This was a popular pass-time for the pagans, and seemed pagan in nature, so prohibiting it was expected of Muhammad.
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These verses also contain some advice regarding charity: spend no more than you can spare. This may be good and practical advice, but it leaves the door open to refusing charity, as the surplus is not easy to quantify objectively.
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It is another example of the Islamic principle of making the burden of religious observance as light as possible: The Believers need not practice charity towards the poorer and needier if they do not believe they can spare it.
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This principle is reiterated quite a few times in the Quran, and in our surah it is the subject of the last verse (286).
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The Quran does not quantify the amount or the rate to be given as charity, and not even the obligatory poor-tax (“Zakat”).
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Some Islamic commentators are of the opinion that all surpluses must be made available to the state, and people of authority and understanding will re-distribute this surplus among the needy.
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From observing today’s Islamic nation, it seems that people of authority do hold much of the surplus, the origin of which is almost exclusively oil revenues. How much understanding is manifested by their leaders and how much of the surplus reaches the needy, I will leave to you to ponder.
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Looking after the affairs of orphans is an oft repeated topic in the Quran. Some commentators point to the fact that Muhammad was an orphan.
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In the Scriptures there are many passages, especially in the books of the prophets, dealing with the treatment or mistreatment of orphans and widows, the most vulnerable in the society.
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The Quran says significantly less about the treatment of widows.
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Laws Regarding Marriage
2:221 “Do not marry idolatresses, until they believe. A believing slave-girl is better than an idolatress, though you may admire her. And do not wed believing women to idolaters, until they believe. A believing slave is better than an idolater, though you may admire him. Those call unto the Hell, and Allah calls unto Paradise, and pardon by His leave. And He makes clear His signs to the people, perhaps they will remember.”
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This is pretty self explanatory. If Muhammad wants his new community of Muslims to grow, inter-marriage with pagans will not be helpful.
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2:222 deals with avoiding women during their menstruation period. Men should stay away from them during this time. But during other times, 2:223 tells us that men can do with their wives pretty much what they like:
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“Your wives are your field: go in, therefore, to your field as you will, but do first some act for your souls. And fear Allah, and know that you shall meet Him. And bear these good tidings to the faithful.”
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The last sentence was addressed to Muhammad. The reason for its inclusion is not clear to me. Isn’t Muhammad expected to bear all of Allah’s good tidings to the faithful? What makes this one special?
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At any rate, the idea expressed in 2:223 is not very easy to swallow for women. Islamic commentators claim that comparing a woman to a field comes to indicates that the husband sows his seed in her.
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However, the instruction to “go in there as you will” seems to give licence to do more than just sowing the seed, in terms of deriving sexual pleasure from women. Sowing seeds in the field is done only in the right seasons, and in the right measure, and not as you will.
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The source for this simile could have been a discourse in the Mishnah, where scholars likened the insemination of the wife by the husband to sowing a seed in the ground.
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The topic of that discourse was not the treatment of women, and if this is indeed the source for 2:223, then it is yet another example of misunderstood Mishnah commentary receiving divine status.
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I must note that our verse also recommends that the husband should nourish his spiritual side as well, and not be lost in lust.
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Oaths and Vows
2:224 and 2:225 deal with oaths taken in the name of Allah: the believers are requested to refrain from those:
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“Do not make Allah a target for your oaths, if you be righteous. Make peace between men. And Allah hears and knows.” This sounds like one of the Ten Commandments, which prohibits taking the name of God in vain.
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2:225 continues with the theme, assuring the believers that oaths uttered unintentionally will be forgiven, but those with intention of the heart will be punished:
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“Allah will not take you to task for a slip in your oaths, but He will take you to task for what your hearts have earned. And Allah is forgiving, tolerant.”
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This verse seems to all but cancel the previous one. If 2:224 is a law, it cannot be enforced, as all you have to do is claim that the oath you made was a slip of the tongue and you are forgiven.
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How to Treat Women
The subordinate status of women to men in the new religion was not too much out of line with that in existing ones.
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Difficulties arise when reform is contemplated to keep with the times, as the teachings of the Quran may not be altered, and reform is all but impossible.
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So while the status of women under other belief systems has improved with the passage of time, it remained mostly unchanged under Islamic religious laws and in Islamic theocratic regimes.
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2:226-227 “For those who forswear their wives, a wait of four months. If they revert, Allah is forgiving compassionate. And if they have resolved on a divorce, then Allah is hears and knows.”
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After four months of forswearing, that is, rejecting her, the man must either resume the marital relationship or divorce the wife.
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2:228 “And the divorced women should keep themselves in waiting for three courses. And it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allah has created in their wombs, if they believe in Allah and the last day. And their husbands would do better to take them back in the meanwhile if they wish for reconciliation. And they have rights similar to those against them in a just manner, and the men are a degree above them, and Allah is mighty, wise.”
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Waiting (abstaining) three courses or the time equivalent thereof will help determine fatherhood in case she is pregnant. Men and women have the same obligation to behave “in just manner”.
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Men, however, are a degree above women. This degree above women is reflected in the Quran in matters of inheritance, legal procedures, dress code, discipline, freedom of movement and others.
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This is a good place to embark on a quick side trip to see what the Quran says about the treatment of women, to put things into context. 4:34 defines the woman’s place in the household, and instructs the Believers on how to discipline their wives:
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“Men are above women because Allah has preferred them over the others, and because they spend out of their property. The virtuous women are obedient, guarding the home in the absence of their men, as Allah is guarding them. But those you fear may be rebellious, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them. Then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them, as Allah is high, great.”
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There is much variation in the English translation of this verse, which is a result of its problematic nature.
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My choice of the word “above”, is also translated as “The maintainers of”, “in charge of”, “protectors of”, “guardians over”, “responsible for”, “the managers of the affairs of”, “stand superior to”, “are superior to”, “have the pre-eminence above”.
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The phrase “preferred them” may sound unclear in English, but in the Arabic text it is clear, since “them” is in masculine form, meaning that men are the preferred sex. This is in agreement with 2:228 above, where Allah puts men a degree above women.
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Women showing signs of disobedience are to be disciplined by means commensurate with the degree of their insubordination: Admonish, Isolate, Strike. Here too, the variation in the translation of the Arabic word “idriboohuna” points to a problem with this verse.
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Present day Islamic scholars and Islamic apologists engage in semantic acrobatics, with some of them claiming it is a light touch and doesn’t hurt at all. Others maintain that the beating should be light enough so it does not leave a visible mark.
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The fact is that this word really means to strike, to beat, to deliver a blow. Deal with it.
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In contrast, 30:21 is much more pleasant: “And one of His signs is that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest in them, and He put between you love and compassion. Indeed, there are signs in this for a people who pay attention.”
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This is undoubtedly based in the biblical narrative in Genesis 2:22, where God created Eve out of one of Adam’s ribs. Love and compassion between the Believing man and his mate is a good thing.
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So too is 7:189, where Allah tells us about the miracle of pregnancy and childbirth (even though in the next verse he admonishes them for giving the newborn children pagan names).
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In 24:31 and 33:59 women are required to behave modestly, and be appropriately clad. This is the origin of Islamic laws regarding full body covering for women, and who she may be escorted by when going out of doors.
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It seems to me that in Islamic tradition (Hadith), women are viewed and treated much more harshly. There are numerous Hadith traditions that denigrate women.
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One tradition quotes Muhammad addressing women, and telling them that Hell is filled with women, on account of their disobedience to their husbands and their loose lips.
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Another quotes Muhammad telling the Believers to treat their women as well as they treat their domestic animals.
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The Laws of Divorce
2:229 “Divorce is twice. Then honourable retention or setting free kindly. It is not lawful for you to take of what you have given them unless the couple fear they may not maintain Allah’s bounds. If you fear they may not maintain Allah’s bounds, it is no fault in them for her to redeem herself. Those are Allah’s bounds. Do not transgress them. Whosoever transgresses the bounds of Allah – those are the evildoers.”
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A man can divorce his wife and re-marry her twice. After the second divorce she may stay with him, or choose to go away, taking her wedding present. If a husband and wife fear that they cannot live together peacefully, it is ok for the wife to divorce her husband by returning the wedding gift.
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2:230 “If he divorces her finally, she shall not be lawful to him after that, until she marries another husband. If he divorces her, then it is no fault in them to return to each other, if they suppose that they will maintain Allah’s bounds. Those are Allah’s bounds. He makes them clear unto a people that have knowledge.”
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This is confusing. Are you confused? I am confused. So he married her for the third time after divorcing her twice. Our verse tells us that after divorce number 3, he cannot marry her again, unless she marries and divorces another man.
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They can return to each other’s arms if they think they can maintain domestic peace. When? After divorce number 3? After divorce number 4? Before all that? This poor woman was married at least 5 times and sent away at least 4 times with at least two different husbands.
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I hope there are people out there who “have the knowledge” on this matter. I certainly don’t.
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2:231-232 are two long verses with much repetition. Here is what I think they say: After a woman is divorced, and after she waits her tree periods, don’t imprison her against her will. Also, do not hinder her from re-marrying lawfully. Do not mock these laws, and fear God, as he knows everything.
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2:233 “Mothers shall suckle their children two years completely, for such as desire to fulfil the suckling. It is for the father to provide them and clothe them honourably. No soul is charged save to its capacity. A mother shall not be pressed for her child, neither a father for his child. The heir has a like duty. But if the couple desire by mutual consent and consultation to wean, then it is no fault in them. And if you desire to seek nursing for your children, it is no fault in you provided you hand over what you have given honourably. And fear Allah, and know that Allah sees the things you do.”
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I think we are still talking about divorced women, but I could be wrong, as this could apply to all parents and all children. This is perhaps the woman who during the three periods of isolation was found to be pregnant. The father is responsible for providing for up to two years of suckling, plus the other things listed in the verse.
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2:234 tells us that unlike a divorced woman, who must be in isolation for three periods, a widow must wait in isolation four months and ten days. The reason for this is not given.
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2:235 deals with the etiquette of courtship. Speak indirectly asking women in marriage or keep it in your heart, but when you make them a promise, do it in a lawful manner, and do not confirm the marriage tie until the writing is fulfilled.
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2:236-237 tell us that a divorce is required even if the marriage is not consummated. In such cases, the woman will receive as compensation half of the wedding gift agreed on, unless she decides to forfeit.
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Perform Regular Prayers and Provide for Your Widow
2:238-239 “Keep regular prayers and the middle prayer, and stand up truly obedient to Allah. But if you are in danger, then on foot or on horseback; and when you are secure, then remember Allah, as He has taught you what you did not know.”
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The middle prayer was a prayer that was added by Muhammad, on the way to institute the five daily prayers, in contrast to the three daily prayers in Judaism.
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These verses sound suspiciously similar to Jewish law in the Mishnah, dealing with rules of prayer (Tractate Berachot 4:4 and 4:5):
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“He who walks in a place of danger, must recite a short prayer …”, and “He who is riding on a donkey must get down. If he cannot get down, he must face the Holy of Holies, and if he cannot face the holy place, he must direct his heart there.”
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To remove any doubt – facing the Holy of Holies means facing Jerusalem, not Mecca.
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If this is the source for 2:238-239, you can see how the authors of the Quran didn’t get it quite right, again.
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2:240-242 conclude our chapter: Men must include in their will for their widows one year’s provision without expulsion, but if they decide to leave, they cannot make any claim. Divorced women should be compensated reasonably. “Thus Allah makes his commandments clear to you, so that you may understand.”
