Misogyny in Islam

In Islam, there is no opportunity for women to hold leadership positions; the Jamaat Amir has said it correctly

The Amir of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, has said — “We respect women a lot, but Allah did not create women in a way that they can become Prime Minister. Therefore, accepting women’s leadership is in no way possible.” Where exactly is his fault here? You women or the so‑called civil–moderates who are criticizing him — are you doing it knowingly? His party’s name is Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami — of course they will speak according to Islam; that is very natural. On the other hand, those who are secular in body but want to run the country according to the Medina Charter, who do not want to make any law against Sharia — they are the real hypocrites and pretenders. In this line, Awami League and BNP — both are cattle from the same shed, hypocrites and pretenders.

If you accept Islam, then you must also accept this — Islam does not consider women qualified for leadership. This is how it is in the Qur’an and Hadith. Even if you don’t like it, this is the truth. You cannot touch the root; instead, you criticize the people who practice it. Allah and Prophet Muhammad have given these instructions, which every Muslim is obligated to follow. Otherwise, you will no longer remain a Muslim — you will become a kafir. Now, if you say that you want leadership based on women’s merit, even if that means the top position — then you have stepped outside Islam, outside Allah’s decision, outside the Prophet Muhammad’s guidance. That means, according to Islamic ideology, you are no longer a Muslim — you will become a kafir.

If you want to criticize, then criticize Islamic ideology, Allah, Prophet Muhammad, the Qur’an, Hadith, Tafsir, Ijma, and Qiyas. Can you? If not, then stay silent. You want to remain in Islam but not follow Islamic principles — that is extreme hypocrisy. In Islam, women are never considered complete human beings; the seat of leadership is far beyond that. According to Islam, the head of state (Khalifa/Imam-e-Azam) must be a man. As the basis for this, there is a hadith in Sahih Bukhari — “A nation that appoints a woman as its leader will never succeed.” Check this link to read the answers of the Grand Muftis of Saudi Arabia. It is clearly stated there that Islam gives no opportunity for women to hold leadership.

Mishkat al-Masabih (Mishkat)

Section-18: Administration and Judiciary – Chapter: First Subsection
3693-[33] Narrated from Abu Bakrah (RA). He said: News reached the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that the people of Persia (Iran) had appointed the daughter of Khosrow as their empress. Then he (peace be upon him) said: That nation can never be successful which entrusts its affairs to a woman. (Bukhari)[1]

[1] Sahih: Bukhari 4425, Nasa’i 5388, Tirmidhi 2262, Silsilah al-Sahihah 2613, Irwa 2456.
Hadith status: Sahih (Authentic)

Below I am giving some Hadith and Qur’anic references; check for yourselves how much “exalted honor (!)” and “supreme dignity (!)” your great religion Islam has given to women. That is why I say — before criticizing those who practice Islam, try criticizing Allah and Prophet Muhammad if you can.

One of Islam’s claims is about Ayyam al-Jahiliyyah — according to them, in the dark pre-Islamic era, daughters were buried alive in Arabia. In all civilizations, children are considered innocent. Yet they were forcibly buried alive! That girl child too will face severe punishment in Hell in the afterlife, only because she was born a daughter.

Sunan Abu Dawood (Islamic Foundation)
Chapter 18: Regarding the Children of Polytheists
4642. Ibrahim ibn Musa (rh) … narrated from Amir (RA). He said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: The girl who was buried alive and her mother — both are in Hell.

Hadith status: Sahih (Authentic)
Narrator: Sha‘bi (rh)

One of Islam’s unscientific and bizarre doctrines is that previously, if fish, meat, or any perishable item was left exposed for a long time, it would not rot. But because of women, it began to rot — especially because wives disobey their husbands.

Sahih Bukhari (Tawheed)
Chapter 60: Prophets (‘A) – Section 60/1a: Allah’s Words
3330. Narrated from Abu Hurairah (RA): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If it were not for the Children of Israel, meat would not have become rotten. And if it were not for Hawwa (Eve), no woman would ever betray her husband.*
(5184, 5186) (Muslim 17/19 Hadith 1470, Ahmad 8038) (Modern Publications: 3084, Islamic Foundation: 3092)

* The Children of Israel used to receive quail meat abundantly from Allah. Yet they stored it, which caused the beginning of meat decay. And Mother Hawwa influenced Adam (‘A) to eat the forbidden fruit.

Hadith status: Sahih (Authentic)

Sahih Bukhari (Tawheed)
Chapter 60: Prophets (‘A) – Section 60/1a: Allah’s Words
3330. Narrated from Abu Hurairah (RA): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If it were not for the Children of Israel, meat would not have become rotten. And if it were not for Hawwa (Eve), no woman would ever betray her husband.*
(5184, 5186) (Muslim 17/19 Hadith 1470, Ahmad 8038) (Modern Publications: 3084, Islamic Foundation: 3092)

* The Children of Israel used to receive quail meat abundantly from Allah. Yet they stored it, which caused the beginning of meat decay. And Mother Hawwa influenced Adam (‘A) to eat the forbidden fruit.

Hadith status: Sahih (Authentic)

Sahih Bukhari (Tawheed)
Chapter 60: Prophets (‘A) – Section 60/1a: Allah’s Words
3330. Narrated from Abu Hurairah (RA): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If it were not for the Children of Israel, meat would not have become rotten. And if it were not for Hawwa (Eve), no woman would ever betray her husband.*
(5184, 5186) (Muslim 17/19 Hadith 1470, Ahmad 8038) (Modern Publications: 3084, Islamic Foundation: 3092)

* The Children of Israel used to receive quail meat abundantly from Allah. Yet they stored it, which caused the beginning of meat decay. And Mother Hawwa influenced Adam (‘A) to eat the forbidden fruit.

Hadith status: Sahih (Authentic)

I have provided some sermons from the Muftis; listen to them. If you say that Mufti Kazi Ibrahim or Shaykh Abdur Razzak — teachers of many heavyweight scholars in Bangladesh — do not know Islam, then you moderate Islamists have nothing left to say.

According to Islam, when did meat first begin to rot? — Mufti Kazi Ibrahim. Video.

Shaykh Abdur Razzak bin Yusuf describes from the Qur’an and Hadith why Allah created women and what their duties are — women were created only to serve men, to entertain them, to bear children, and to raise children.

Islam says that for men, nothing is more harmful or disastrous than women.

Sunan Ibn Majah

Chapter 30 / Conflict and Calamity – Section 30/19: The Calamity Created by Women
1/3998. Narrated from Usama ibn Zayd (RA). He said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: I am not leaving behind any calamity more harmful for men than women.

Sahih al-Bukhari 5096, Muslim 2840, 2841, Tirmidhi 2880, Ahmad 21239, 21322, Silsilah al-Sahihah 2701.
Tahqiq by Albani: Sahih.

Hadith status: Sahih (Authentic)

In Islam, daughters receive half the share of sons in their parents’ property.

Sahih Bukhari (Islamic Foundation)

47 / Bequests – Section 1711: No Bequest for an Heir
2560. Muhammad ibn Yusuf (rh) … narrated from Ibn Abbas (RA). He said: (In those days) children inherited wealth, and for parents there was a bequest. Then Allah abolished that ruling according to His will and decreed: the share of a son is twice that of a daughter; for each parent one-sixth; for the wife one-eighth (if there are children), and one-fourth (if there are no children); for the husband half (if there are no children), and one-fourth (if there are children).

Hadith status: Sahih (Authentic)
Narrator: Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA)

In one Qur’anic verse, it is said that the beauty and attraction of the world has been created for “humankind” through women. Here, “humankind” clearly refers to men — meaning the statement is directed at men, and women are presented merely as objects of enjoyment or adornment for men. If you think this idea is deeply insulting and degrading to women — yet at the same time claim that the Qur’an is a perfectly holy and divine book — then that is nothing but sheer foolishness.

Do you know the translation of Surah Imran, verse 14?
[3:14] Beautified for mankind is the love of women, children, heaped-up treasures of gold and silver, branded horses, livestock, and fertile land. These are the pleasures of worldly life, but with Allah is the best place of return.

The reference link above contains translations from multiple translators. Will you say the translation is incorrect? Did all of them make the same mistake together?

According to the Qur’an, women were created as a source of companionship, comfort, and satisfaction for men. That means women are not presented as independent human beings, but rather as elements created to fulfill men’s needs. If the purpose of creating women is to give pleasure to men or relieve their fatigue, then this clearly portrays women as a kind of consumable object or a means of providing sexual comfort. What is said in Surah Al-A’raf, verse 189 makes this very clear. There is no room to claim mistranslation, because all renowned translators have conveyed almost the same meaning. Now the question is — which of these translations will you call wrong?

[7:189] He is the One who created you from a single person, and from it created its mate so that he may find tranquility in her. When he approaches his wife, she conceives a light burden and continues with it. When it becomes heavy, both of them pray to their Lord, “If You grant us a good child (in form and nature), we will surely be grateful.”

Now read some Hadith —

Sahih Muslim (IFA)

Chapter 18 / Breastfeeding – Section 9: Advice Regarding Women
3512. Narrated by Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Numayr al-Hamdani (rh) … from Abdullah ibn Amr (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: The world is a collection of enjoyments (consumable pleasures), and the best enjoyment of the world is a righteous woman.

Hadith status: Sahih (Authentic)

Islam says there is no such thing as contagious diseases like COVID, plague, pox, etc. There is also no such thing as good or bad omens. Rather, Islam says that misfortune for men or for humans lies in women, houses, and animals. Now tell me — when Islam considers women at this level, will it ever accept them in positions of leadership? In Islam, women are considered equivalent to animals.

Sahih Bukhari (Tawheed Publication)

76 / Medicine – Section 76/43: Determining Good or Bad Omens by Driving Away Animals and Birds
5753. Narrated from Ibn Umar (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: There is no contagion and no good or bad omens. Misfortune lies in three things — women, houses, and animals.[1] [2099; Muslim 39/34, Hadith 2225, Ahmad 4544] (Modern Publications – 5333, Islamic Foundation – 5229)

[1] Some women disobey their husbands. Some are barren. Some houses are afflicted by evil jinn, while others become troubled due to oppressive neighbors. Performing salah and dhikr in the house can protect from the harm of jinn. Some animals are disobedient and unruly.

Hadith status: Sahih (Authentic)
Narrator: Abdullah ibn Umar (RA)

Islam says women are like devils, equivalent to black dogs. If a woman walks in front of a believer during prayer, his prayer is invalidated. Islam even commands the killing of black dogs — there are other Hadith references for this.

Publisher: Tawheed Publication

Bulugh al-Maram – Section 4: Sutrah (Barrier) for the One Performing Salah – Description of Things That Invalidate Salah
231. Narrated from Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (RA). He said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: If a sutrah the size of the rear part of a camel’s saddle is not placed in front of the person performing salah, and if (an adult) woman, a donkey, or a black dog passes in front of him, the salah (its concentration) will be ruined. This is a portion of a long Hadith. In one part of it, it says: The black dog is a devil.

Hadith status: Sahih (Authentic)

Here I have given just a few references; there are dozens of such Islamic references from which it becomes very clear — if a state has female leadership, that state or nation can never be successful. Islam does not consider women to be complete human beings. Islam says women were created to satisfy men, to serve them, to bear children, and to raise children. In Islam, women are equivalent to devils, black dogs, or animals; women are considered inauspicious. So how can they ever be suitable for leadership — tell me?

The believing women of Islam accept all this hatred, denial, and neglect directed at them by Islam, and still practice Islam, accept Islamic politics, knowing fully well that they will never be able to hold leadership positions. These women have accepted that men are the controllers of women.

Now tell me — whose fault is it? Dr. Shafiq’s? Allah’s? Or Prophet Muhammad’s? Without addressing the root, will criticizing Dr. Shafiq reduce the influence of religion in society, or the disrespect, deprivation of rights, and loss of freedom faced by more than 50% of the country’s population?