Description
Book SynopsisIn this pivotal, courageous, and timely analysis, which works diligently and minutely to separate truth from falsehood, right from wrong, the moral from the immoral, and the ethical from the unethical, John Andrew Morrow provides an exhaustive study of the second part of the Quranic text, 4:34, the Wife Beating Verse.
Trade ReviewMorrow’s work of excellent scholarship and research is a must-read for those who want a clear understanding of the real meaning of the Qur’anic verse 4:34. -- Laleh Bakhtiar, Resident Scholar, Kazi Publications, Chicago
What John Andrew Morrow has done is important and, in my view, it is so far the most comprehensive discussion/exposé of different possible readings of the second part of 4:34. -- Ziba Mir-Hosseini, Professorial Research Associate, Centre for Islamic and Middle Eastern Law, SOAS, University of London
John Andrew Morrow, in this valuable work, discusses the perception management played on Qur’anic verses and Islamic sources regarding violence against women, and he reveals the truth. -- Abdülaziz Bayindir, Founder of the Süleymaniye Foundation and Professor of Islāmic Law at the University of Istanbul
Any Muslim who sees Muhammad as an exemplar of mercy and justice is routinely charged by Islamophobes with engaging in “whitewash.” There’s no way, however, that Dr. John Andrew Morrow can be accused of this offense, seeing that the darker aspects of Muslim history and jurisprudence have never been more starkly contrasted with the true sunnah of the Prophet than in the present book. Though Muhammad is known never to have beaten his wives, traditional fiqh (jurisprudence) and tafsir (Qur’anic commentary) have for the most part conveniently ignored his example, routinely taking the Arabic verb daraba in Q. 4:34 as literally meaning “to beat,” even though it is used 58 times in the Qur’an to denote many other things, and “to beat” is not even its most common meaning. Unfortunately, it is the rare Muslim “feminist” who will question this interpretation -- but if Muslim women are so attached to male authority, maybe Dr. Morrow can teach them the real meaning of feminism, and Muslim men the real meaning of chivalry. Once again the author incisively demonstrates that the supremely human example of the Prophet Muhammad is the one truly Islamic pathway to a just and equitable Islam. -- Charles Upton, Author of The Virtues of the Prophet, Day and Night on the Sufi Path, The System of Antichrist, and Dugin against Dugin
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Permissions
Observations
Preface
Introduction
Chapter One: Interpret the Verse by the Verse
Chapter Two: Interpret the Verse in Light of Directly Related Verses
Chapter Three: Interpret the Verse in Light of the Qur’ān as a Whole
Chapter Four: Interpret the Verse in Light of Prophetic Traditions that Prohibit Disciplinary Domestic Violence
Chapter Five: Interpret the Verse in Light of Prophetic Traditions Permitting Disciplinary Domestic Violence
Chapter Six: Interpret the Verse in its Historical Context
Chapter Seven: The Reformist Reinterpretation
Chapter Eight: Interpret the Verse in the Spirit of Islām as a Whole
Chapter Nine: Interpret the Verse Allegorically
Chapter Ten: Vocalization and Variants
Conclusions
Appendix 1: Predictors of Domestic Violence: Community and Societal Factors
Appendix 2: Predictors of Domestic Violence: Individual Factors
Appendix 3: Predictors of Domestic Violence: Relationship Factors
Appendix 4: Norms and Beliefs that Support Violence Against Women
Appendix 5: Assessing Risk in Domestic Violence Cases
Appendix 6: The Cycle of Violence
Appendix 7: Forms of Intimate Partner Violence
Appendix 8: When to Suspect Spousal Abuse
Appendix 9: Guiding Principles of Care for Healthcare Providers
Appendix 10: Why Women Stay with their Abusers
Appendix 11: When Women Leave
Appendix 12: Preventing Domestic Violence
Appendix 13: How to Help
Appendix 14: Combating Domestic Violence
Appendix 15: Is Islām Inherently Misogynistic?
Appendix 16: The Ṣūfī Prescription for Overcoming Domestic Violence
Works Cited
Index
About the Author
