In Islam you can inherit women?

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- King Koopa
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In Islam you can inherit women?
OP - December 25, 2009, 12:44 AM

I was told that in Pre-Islamic Arabia men could inherit women, is this true?

Supposedly Islam abolished this practice.

Read chapter 4 Nisa verse 19:

Pickthal:
O ye who believe! It is not lawful for you forcibly to inherit the women (of your deceased kinsmen), nor (that) ye should put constraint upon them that ye may take away a part of that which ye have given them, unless they be guilty of flagrant lewdness. But consort with them in kindness, for if ye hate them it may happen that ye hate a thing wherein Allah hath placed much good.

Am I reading this wrong? Is it regarding their inheritance? That makes no sense, you inherit their inheritance?

My questions:
If in fact it is about inheriting women then how has this verse made that practice any better? This is not an abolishment of a practice. It's a modified practice, one that can be rightfully implemented.

What actions constitute flagrant lewdness?

Won't this be misused by men? So any accusation of being flagrantly lewd means you will be inherited?

What the fuck does it mean to be inherited? I am man, let's change the verse to:

"It is not lawful for you forcibly to inherit the MEN (of your deceased kinswomen), unless they be guilty of flagrant lewdness"

What does this make me? Some sex slave? Property?`A domesticated animal?

So it's OK to forcibly inherit someone if my accusations stand correct?

Have you guys come across this verse before? What were your thoughts then? What are they now? What is muslim apology/explanation for this?
- King Koopa
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Re: In Islam you can inherit women?
Reply #1 - December 25, 2009, 12:46 AM

Another translation of this verse is:

Ahmed Raza Khan: Mohammed Aqib Qadri:
O People who Believe! It is not lawful for you to forcibly become the women's heirs; and do not restrain women with the intention of taking away a part of bridal money you gave them, unless they openly commit the shameful; and deal kindly with them; and if you do not like them, so it is possible that you dislike a thing in which Allah has placed abundant good.

Now you have instead become their heirs, which means what exactly? Basically, any way you twist and turn women were not independent and could not be independent either. It's really frustrating not reading this in Arabic nor understanding it in Classical Arabic.
- Heyjustlooking
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Re: In Islam you can inherit women?
Reply #2 - December 25, 2009, 03:04 AM

Ye i see your point the translation suggest that women are some sort of property that one can 'inherit' as it states in the verse but it also says not against their will so when I was a Muslim I never had much problem with the verse.

Your interpretation is a valid one, and reading it now I get the same impression. It makes men the judge of women and then gives them the right to impose themselves on them if they behave 'immorally'. Never heard muslim apology for this verse. You can take it to online scholars at islamonline.net and others but I doubt u will get a satisfactory explanation.

"The ideal tyranny is that which is ignorantly self-administered by its victims. The most perfect slaves are, therefore, those which blissfully and unawaredly enslave themselves."
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Re: In Islam you can inherit women?
Reply #3 - December 25, 2009, 03:46 AM

Blackdog, take a look at at verse 20 from the same sura. That is even sillier.

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- Manat
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Re: In Islam you can inherit women?
Reply #4 - December 25, 2009, 06:43 AM

The ayah refers to levirite marriage, which is when a man dies, his widow is obligated to marry one of his brothers. In this one instance, it's a favor Islam did to women, banning this practice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levirate_marriage

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- kaiwai
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Re: In Islam you can inherit women?
Reply #5 - December 25, 2009, 07:25 AM

Quote from: Manat on December 25, 2009, 06:43 AM
The ayah refers to levirite marriage, which is when a man dies, his widow is obligated to marry one of his brothers. In this one instance, it's a favor Islam did to women, banning this practice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levirate_marriage

Interesting, so females have the choice of who they get beaten by when they become a widow - neat!

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- King Koopa
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Re: In Islam you can inherit women?
Reply #6 - December 25, 2009, 09:06 AM

Thanks Manat!
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