Contradicting Religious Views

By Syed Akbar Ali

I got the following article from here. What I want to point out is that this article is also written by some "religious" scholar.

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Two days ago I posted the news story about the 62 year old man who died trying to escape from the khalwat squad. Some really sick commenters wrote in saying basically that the man deserved to die. And these people think they are Muslims. Kera hutan pun malu.

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Then I also posted the information on the Nikah Mishar or temporary marriage (aka vacation marriage or travelling marriage, that is practised by the Arabs.) Somehow the khalwat freaks have gone quiet on this one.

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Former Mufti of Perlis Dr Mohd Asri has come out strongly against the khalwat squads. His concluding remarks on the khalwat squad are quite fierce. Dr Asri says:

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"8. Maka, tindakan mana-mana pasukan pencegah maksiat peribadi seperti khalwat, minum arak dalam keadaan sembunyi sehingga menyebabkan kematian adalah satu dosa. Maka anggota operasi perlulah didakwa dan dibicara atas tuduhan menyebabkan kematian. Mereka ini telah menyebabkan mungkar yang lebih besar iaitu kematian kerana ingin mencegah kemungkaran kecil iaitu ‘khalwat’ dan menggunakan kaedah pencegahan yang dilarang oleh agama iaitu mengintip."

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"Maka anggota operasi perlulah didakwa dan dibicara atas tuduhan menyebabkan kematian" !!

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Saya setuju sekali Dr Asri. OK here is that article on hijab. It is written by one Ibrahim B Syed, PhD of the IRFI Inc. It is very short.

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IS HIJAB COMPULSORY?

Related Articles in IRFI : Women in Islam: Hijab, Issues: Hijab

Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph. D.

President

Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc.

7102 W. Shefford Lane

Louisville, KY 40242-6462, USA

E-mail: IRFI@INAME.COM

Website: http://WWW.IRFI.ORG

One of the verses in the Quran protects a woman's fundamental rights. Verse 59 of Surah A1Ahzaab reads: "O Prophet! T'ell thy wives and daughters and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when outside) : so that they should be known (as such) and not molested".

According to the Quran, the reason why Muslim women should wear an outer garmcnt when going out of their homes is that they may be recognised as "Believing" women and differentiated from streetwalkers for whom sexual harassment is an occupational hazard. The purpose of this verse was not to confine women to their homes, but to make it safe for them to go about their daily business without attracting unsavoury attention.

Older Muslim women who are past the prospect of marriage are not required to wear "the outer garment". "Such elderly women as are past the prospect of marriage, there is no blame on them if they lay aside their (outer) garments, provided they make not wanton display of their beauty; but it is best for them to be modest; and Allah is One Who sees and knows all things". (24:60).

The Quran does not suggest that women should be veiled or they should be kept apart from the world of men. On the contrary, the Quran is insistent on the full participation of women in society and in the religious practices.

Morality of the self and cleaniness of conscience are far better than the morality of the purdah. No goodness can comc from pretence. Imposing the veil on women is the ultimate proof that men suspect their mothers, daughters, wives and sisters of being potential traitors to them. How can Muslim men meet non-Muslim women who are not veiled and treat them respectfully, but not acccord the same respectful trcatmcnt to Muslim women?

To wear the Hijaab is certainly NOT an Islamic obligatory on women. It is an innovation (Bid'ah) of men suffering from a piety complex who are so weak spiritually that they just cannot trust themselves!

Muslim women remained in mixed company with men until the late sixth century (A.H.) or 11 th century (A.C.). They received guests, held meetings and went to wars to help their brothers and husbands, and they defended their castles and bastions.

It is part of the growing feeling on the part of Muslim men and women that they no longer wish to identify with the West, and that reaffirmation of their identity as Muslims requires the kind of visible sign that adoption of conservative clothing implies.

For these women the issue is not that they have to dress conservatively, but that they choose to. In lran, Imam Khomeini first insisted that women must wear the veil and chador, but in response to large demonstrations by women, he modified his position and agreed that while the chador is not obligatory, MODEST dress is.

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End of article.

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What I would like to point out is this : when it comes to religion, the scholars have as many different and contradicting opinions as there are stars in the sky. The views that have been expressed about the khalwat, travellers marriages (nikah misyar), temporary marriages (nikah mutaah), the views about hijab, purdah etc are clear examples of some of these contradictory beliefs among the religious scholars.

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So for all you crazies, lunatics and Talibans out there, jangan lah gian sangat nak jadi kapir. Think first before you talk. Where is the proof that what you say is correct? Do you have any evidence? What type of evidence do you have? Fairy tales are not evidence. Be careful.

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Would you recommend that your daughter or your sister become a partner in nikah misyar? Yes or no? If no, why not? Because there are religious scholars who argue that nikah misyar is permissible. On the other hand the same religious scholars will insist that women must wear the hijab. Or that it is lawful to use the khalwat squads. So which one is which? Who is right?

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So ultimately you choose to follow what you like to believe in. You follow your own ego. That is religion.

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Answer this simple question : what evidence do you have for what you say? Go and check it again. Is it real evidence? Who guarantees it for you?