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Saudi Author Zaynab Hifni Talks about Women, Sex, and Taboos in Saudi Society. For me, the most interesting bit of the discussion is the following exchange about hadith - the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad and the the major source for Islamic law and theology after the Qur'an:
Zaynab Hifni: "Let me go back to our religious heritage, or rather, our religious law. 'Aisha would sit with the men, and the Prophet Muhammad would say: You can learn half of the religion from her."
Interviewer: "That hadith is unreliable."
Zaynab Hifni: "An unreliable hadith?! I believe in that hadith, because it appeared in the collection of Al-Bukhari or of Al-Muslim, I think."
Interviewer: "If it had, it would not be considered unreliable."
Zaynab Hifni: "I think it appeared in one of the two."
Interviewer: "OK, but this is an unreliable hadith that did not appear in either source."
Zaynab Hifni: "Let me tell you something. OUR PROBLEM IS THAT EVERYTHING IN FAVOR OF WOMEN WE CONSIDER AN UNRELIABLE HADITH, WHERE AS ANY HADITH THAT FAVORS MEN - LIKE THE ONE THAT SAYS, "WOMEN ARE LACKING BRAINS AND FAITH" - IS CONSIDERED A 100 PERCENT RELIABLE HADITH. WHY? BECAUSE IT HARMS WOMEN. THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE." (emphasis added by me)
For far too long men have had a monopoly over the interpretation of religious texts. Over the years this has led to a patriarchal religious hierarchy in almost all faiths which propogates a misogynistic perversion of the original message of the religion. Thankfully, many women are now fighting for equal access to religious institutions and like the woman in this video an equal say in interpreting religious texts. But a great deal of work is required to unravel centuries of institutionalised sexism.
(btw - I wouldn't normally post something from Memri TV for reasons I have explained before - see my comment here - but I'm making an exception for this clip!)
Zaynab Hifni: "Let me go back to our religious heritage, or rather, our religious law. 'Aisha would sit with the men, and the Prophet Muhammad would say: You can learn half of the religion from her."
Interviewer: "That hadith is unreliable."
Zaynab Hifni: "An unreliable hadith?! I believe in that hadith, because it appeared in the collection of Al-Bukhari or of Al-Muslim, I think."
Interviewer: "If it had, it would not be considered unreliable."
Zaynab Hifni: "I think it appeared in one of the two."
Interviewer: "OK, but this is an unreliable hadith that did not appear in either source."
Zaynab Hifni: "Let me tell you something. OUR PROBLEM IS THAT EVERYTHING IN FAVOR OF WOMEN WE CONSIDER AN UNRELIABLE HADITH, WHERE AS ANY HADITH THAT FAVORS MEN - LIKE THE ONE THAT SAYS, "WOMEN ARE LACKING BRAINS AND FAITH" - IS CONSIDERED A 100 PERCENT RELIABLE HADITH. WHY? BECAUSE IT HARMS WOMEN. THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE." (emphasis added by me)
For far too long men have had a monopoly over the interpretation of religious texts. Over the years this has led to a patriarchal religious hierarchy in almost all faiths which propogates a misogynistic perversion of the original message of the religion. Thankfully, many women are now fighting for equal access to religious institutions and like the woman in this video an equal say in interpreting religious texts. But a great deal of work is required to unravel centuries of institutionalised sexism.
(btw - I wouldn't normally post something from Memri TV for reasons I have explained before - see my comment here - but I'm making an exception for this clip!)
NOWHERE in the Qur'an or hadith does it say: "Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man."!!!