Laleh Bakhtiar on the Misinterpretation of 4:34 in the Quran

[lalehbakhtiar]

Thank you. May He continue to bless you as well.

[boffan1988]

God bless you, Dr. Bakhtiar.

[lalehbakhtiar]

Thank you. May God continue to bless your efforts.

[jacoubdj]

Dr. Laleh, Many thanks for all your painstaking efforts and patience to render this great holy book- The Quran.

The criticism you received is part of the success your achieved. Please keep up you awesome passion and spirit and dedication to this religion. Btw, I have just ordered 3 of your translation books of Al Ghazali. I will keep you informed of my opinion once i finished reading the books.

[lalehbakhtiar]

Thank you for your message. However, it seems that you have forgotten the many stories of the various difficulties the Prophet had with his wives. One story is about the honey. He did not beat them but went away from them for a time so they would know how serious the situation was.

[lalehbakhtiar]

Thank you for your message. However, it seems that you have forgotten the many stories of the various difficulties the Prophet had with his wives. One story is about the honey. He did not beat them but went away from them for a time so they would know how serious the situation was.

[amuslimguy]

Dr. Bakhtiar, you raise some good points, but I must take exception to your argument that the Prophet must not have followed the Quranic instruction if it indeed meant beating (even lightly) in the physical sense. Logically speaking, since the instruction is conditional, that means that certain behavior first has to emanate from the wife. Of course, his wives were the best of the believers and certainly wouldn't have elicited the sequence of responses outlined in the Quran.

[lalehbakhtiar]

I was sent this email by floyde91: ok so if Allah wanted us to understand it as " separate from them" or "divorce them" why did He choose a word which lead to so much misinterpretation instead of using a word that everyone would have properly understood ? and replied to it below.

[lalehbakhtiar]

The Prophet had no trouble understanding what the word meant. He understood it to mean “go away” and let the emotions subside. In addition, God uses three other words in the Quran to mean strike or hit. Why didn't He use one of them in this verse? If you want to read the arguments I present as to why the word means “go away” you can go to the kazi.org website and get a free copy of the Introduction to the Sublime Quran emailed to you.

[sirjambo]

"this does not make sense"

The purpose of islamic scholars is to make sense out of nonsense.

The profit DID hit his favorite 9 year old wife.

He also said among other terrible things like;

A man will not be asked as to why he beat his wife.

[niecemuslim]

@sirjambo  please give evidence of what you say. What hadith are you referring to?

[sirjambo]

@niecemuslim

"please give evidence of what you say. What hadith are you referring to?"

That he had a 9 year old wife?

That he hit her?

That he said a man will not be asked as to why he beat his wife?

What happens when I show you the true hadiths?

[QuranVsHadith]

@sirjambo .,.there is no such thing as a TRUE HADITH... if there are then PROVE what BUKHARI et. al wrote are actually SUNNAH..

[sirjambo]

@QuranVsHadith "there is no such thing as a TRUE HADITH."

The muslims decided a long time ago that there are true hadiths.

It's not me who says they are true since I am not a muslim.

If you are one of the very few muslims who does not believe in hadiths then you have a problem.

You as a muslim are required to believe both allah and your profit.

You can't choose 1 and forget the other.

[schergat]

@sirjambo thats not true. just coz you dont believe in hadiths doesnt mean u dnt believe in the prophet :S the prophet is mentioned throughout the quran, therefore believing in allah as well as prophet mohamed

[QuranVsHadith]

@sirjambo Musilms did not decide that there were true Hadith...

Hadith were Manufactured by a devient 200 years after the death of the Prophet Mohammad. they were discarded as as false till around 1350 AD when they were recompiled by a CULT of people who believe in deviating ISLAM and Popularized by the Devient Abdul Wahab around 1750 AD.

SO NO the ONLY thing I have to believe in is the QURAN.. if some DEVIENTS believe in it.. does not mean I have to be a DEVIENT as well

[sirjambo]

@QuranVsHadith "Musilms did not decide that there were true Hadith."

Yes they did sorry for you.

"Hadith were Manufactured by a devient 200 years after the death..."

When was your quran that you now have written?

I can asure you that your profit did not have one.

"SO NO the ONLY thing I have to believe in is the QURAN."

So how would you even know to pray?

Without the hadiths the quran is even more convoluted.

[popliteus20]

sham inquiry is a wonderful thing isnt it, laleh ? :) to have a barbaric, under-developed language - where each word has so many meanings, you can make the quran mean absolutely anything. stonings, child marriage, murdering apostates, all non-muslims bound for hell... none of that changed.

[popliteus20]

sham inquiry is a wonderful thing isnt it, laila ? :) to have a barbaric, under-developed language - where each word has so many meanings, you can make the quran mean absolutely anything. stonings, child marriage, murdering apostates, all non-muslims bound for hell... none of that changed.

[Batavian187]

Second wrong assumption she makes is that Muslims are wrong when they use the names Isa and Musa and that these actually mean Jesus and Moses this is wrong because the prophets mentioned have nothing in common with each other. The Biblical Jesus and Moses are not the same as the Qu'ranic ones.Saying Jesus is Isa and Moses is Musa as a Muslim is acknowledging the Biblical characters while Islam teaches these are false and they did not exist.

[Batavian187]

She makes two wrong assumptions as well, 1 is that she claims Muhammad emancipated woman.When in fact he took away rights pre-Islamic woman enjoyed.She gives the example of Khadija but she knows or should know this all took place pre-Islam.How could Muhammad have "given" her property rights if she already owned her own business? Also look at the position of pre-Islamic woman in Medina.

[lalehbakhtiar]

I don't do to the hadith. The Quran is enough for me and the Sira of the Prophet. The word daraba has 26 meanings in the Form 1. One of the meanings is: go away.

[lalehbakhtiar]

@lalehbakhtiar I now see the reply button. Thanks.

[limersbey]

@lalehbakhtiar The Sira condems Mohammed's behaviour (see the Satanic verses for example) as much as the Hadith Dr. Bakhtiar. Your rejection of the Hadith stems from the same motivation as your rejection of the established (clear!) meaning of Surah 4-34. The point still stands that your interpretation of the verse is false based on the object of the verb, which is a human body.

[floyde91]

@lalehbakhtiar ok so if Allah wanted us to understand it as " separate from them" or "divorce them" why did He choose a word which lead to so much misinterpretation instead of using a word that everyone would have properly understood ?

[lalehbakhtiar]

Yes the Quran is very clear. The Prophet by his behavior showed that the word daraba means: go away from them (f), not beat them. Over the centuries men who have wanted to beat their wives have misunderstood it.

I am hitting the Post button. There is no reply button on YouTube reply to comments.

[limersbey]

@lalehbakhtiar This is a falsehood. The word daraba can mean '"to go away from" and not "hit" in the same way the English "hit the road" does. It is the object of the verb that is important. In Arabic, as in English, when someone says "hit your wife", the verb means to strike at them physically.

If you want to talk about Mohammed's behaviour, you should consider the hadith where he hit his child wife Aisha on the chest for her disobedience.

[Batavian187]

@limersbey Yes when she had followed him to the graveyard i know the hadith.The whole idea that Muhammad never hit his wives is wrong.But also Muslim woman were far better off in Islam then non-Muslims ever were.So this disproportionate attention to the position of female Muslims seems rather strange.Especially coming from non-Muslims.Like Jews in WW2 having an argument about the position of German woman in the Third Reich and how disadvantaged they were compared to German men.

[limersbey]

@Batavian187 Your point is a red-herring. The position of women in Islam is inferior to men and violence against them is permitted if they are not obedient. Shifting the subject does not alter that fact.

[Batavian187]

@limersbey I didn't dispute that.What I meant to bring into consideration is that it's important to ask inferior comparative to who? From an Islamic standpoint the Muslim woman is of a higher status and has more rights then the non-Muslim male or female.It explains some of the odd commentary both historically and in modern times.

[limersbey]

@Batavian187 That depends on where these people are. In a Muslim-majority society then yes the Muslim women will have more rights than the non-Muslims, although not by much. In a non-Muslim, Western society then everyone should have much greater and equal rights under the law, Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

[limersbey]

@lalehbakhtiar The reply button is found by hovering over the comment you wish to respond to: it is to the right of the thumbs up/ thumbs down buttons.

[lalehbakhtiar]

I am not sure what you mean by that.

[limersbey]

@lalehbakhtiar It means you are trying to soften the meaning for Western and personal consumption. Additionally, the Quran says in many places that it is a clear message. You are blatently contradicting this claim if you say such a verse has been misinterpreted for more than 1400 years. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

By the way, you have to hit the "reply" button for others to receive notification of your response. I seen your first reply to chance.

[limersbey]

I think you're in denial Dr. Bakhtiar.

[lalehbakhtiar]

Thank you for your comments. The translation is called The Sublime Quran and you find it at either the Kazi Publications website or amazon.com

[afghanistanculture09]

khaileh mutashakor am khanom Laleh,

Very nice and understandable explanation of the verse. I totally agree with you that the translators mistranslated some English version of the Holy Quran and I totally appreciate your effort on this important subject. Would you please let me know where to find the new translation ,and under what name I can search? Merci

[lalehbakhtiar]

Exactly!

[lalehbakhtiar]

Yes,

[MrAkhunaton]

(cont) I guess that to change the direction of a car allready at high speed rushing down a mountain is difficult, if not impossible. At least we, the individual, can still get out of that car and change direction ourselves. God keep (khoda hafez).

[MrAkhunaton]

It surprises me that at least the Ahmadiyya or the Submitters have not yet adopted your findings in their translations, they should. It reminds me of the discovery some years ago that the Sphinx in Gizah is at least twice as old than previously assumed, yet all the textbooks used for the "scholars" examinations still repeat the old dating. (cont)

[Yaiyasmin]

Salaam, I came across this video when I found your name on wikipedia under "muslim female scholars". I'm really happy to see women teaching Islam! I'd love to see more lectures from you.

[lalehbakhtiar]

Thank you MrTurk0001. Laleh

[MrTurk0001]

masallah this is what i have been saying for a long time that we have to be very carefull when we translate the quran we have to use the correct translation . because when man translates the quran witch is perfect in every way man makes mistakes ans thus makes the quran conrodictive. and the quran is free of contradictions . thank you that needed to be said . allahu akbar

[lalehbakhtiar]

Thank you. Unfortunately this is all I have for the time being.

[DrzeshanFarooqi]

sister I would love to have lectures from you on your Youtube videos!

[lalehbakhtiar]

Thank you for your comment! I compeletly agree.

[Agronbelica]

Amazing! I wish they would address the arguments you have put forth. Salam!!!

[lalehbakhtiar]

I am not an expert on this, but I know that the Quran has discouraged slavery. One of the important acts of charity in early Islam was to free a slave.

[Bahaimusic19]

@lalehbakhtiar Dear Laleh khanum, I am so happy to hear from you! Kheli mamnun for you video's! I recently had a discussion with a person who has a negative vieuw on islam, due to vers 4:34 and I didn't have a answer, now I do!!! :D I would like to ask you something concerning verse 2:230. It speaks of a divorce for the 3th time, does the honorable way of divorce also aplly for the first 2 times?

[Bahaimusic19]

@lalehbakhtiar Because I read something about woman having to wait, and men having a degree over them (woman)? Thank you for your time and your wisdom!

[lalehbakhtiar]

The verse does not refer to adultery. It just says: accuse the ones who are . . . In addition, you do not seem to be familiar with verse 24:60: And women who are past child-bearing, those who hope not for marriage, there is no blame on them if they lay down their garments, not as ones who flaunt themselves and their adornment, and that they have restraint is better for them. I am a grandmother! You will be responsible on the Day of Judgment for slandering a believer.

[wild0hawk]

@lalehbakhtiar i have a small issue if u could help i would be gratefull ,is there anywhere in the quran that tolerates or maybe even encourages slavery ?

[airpickone]

is this woman a kafr? because she does not wear hijab and yet she is meant to be correcting the Muslim world... what a joke.

[lalehbakhtiar]

@airpickone

I guess you are not familiar with the Quran. Chapter 24 verses 23-24, to be specific say: Truly, those who accuse the ones who are free, unwary, chaste female believers are cursed in the present and the world to come and for them will be a serious punishment on a Day when their tongues and their hands and their feet bear witness against them as to what they had been doing.

[airpickone]

@lalehbakhtiar I did not say that you committed adultery. I honestly was not sure if you were a Muslim or just a kafr giving there 'expert opinion' on Islam. Also you said you translated sufi books. I think that might explain a few things. Just like Imam Ruaf's wife Daisy Khan. Do Sufi's believe that hijab is not compulsory or do they sidestep that issue as well. By Allah (swa) I pray that Sufi's are guided on the straight path and away from this innovation and shirk that they commit today.

[boffan1988]

@airpickone Salafism is the innovation. Wake up from your brain washing.

[lalehbakhtiar]

Thank you. God bless.

[WhereIsTruth]

peace sister,

thank you for all your hard work. i love the Quran. i have been reading it and preaching with it and the Bible for four years now.

[lalehbakhtiar]

The verse addresses Muslim husbands, the man inside a marital relationship.

[Ous114]

Don't you think that the same people are being addressed in 4:34 and 4:35? notice the و in the beginning of 4:35.

[Ous114]

if 4:34 is addressing the husband then who is 4:35 addressing?

[Ous114]

Miss Bakhtiar: Who is the verse 4:34 addressing? is it addressing the Man inside a marital relationship or is it addressing people outside this relationship?

Hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks.