Mosque Deters Women from Seeking Protection at Shelter

Muslim women are staying away from a domestic violence crisis centre since a mosque opened next door.

The Auckland Shakti Asian Women's Centre in Onehunga helps women escape violent domestic situations but women are too scared to go because they may be recognised by their husbands or relatives attending the mosque. READ MORE.

Campaigns against Polygamy Showing Signs of Success in Indonesia

Jakarta, 2 Feb. (AKI) - A growing number of Muslim women are choosing to file for divorce rather than continue in a polygamous marriage, according to data from Islamic courts in Indonesia.

The number of women who cited polygamy as a reason for seeking divorce rose from 813 in 2004 to over 1,000 in 2006, according to Nasaruddin Umar, senior representative of Indonesia's religious affairs ministry.

“There has been a significant increase in divorce because women have been rejecting polygamy in recent years,” he said, quoted by the Indonesian daily, The Jakarta Post. READ MORE.

If Your Father Hates the Wife You Love . . .

Sunan Ibn Majah 2088--It was narrated that Abdullah bin Umar said: "I had a wife whom I loved, but my father hated her. Umar mentioned that to the Prophet, and he ordered me to divorce her, so I divorced her."

Sunan Ibn Majah 2089--It was narrated from Abdur-Rahman that a man's father or mother . . . ordered him to divorce his wife, and he made a vow that he would free one hundred slaves if he did that. He came to Abu Darda while he was praying . . . Then he asked him, and Abu Darda said: "Fulfill your vow and honor your parents." Abu Ad-Darda said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah say: '(Honoring) one's father may lead one to enter through the best of the gates of Paradise; so take care of your parents, (it is so, whether you take care of them) or not.'"

Muhammad Sells a Slave Whose Master Had Promised Him Freedom

Sunan Ibn Majah 2512--It was narrated from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah sold a Mudabbar [i.e. a man who had been promised freedom after his master's death].

Sunan Ibn Majah 2513--It was narrated that Jabir bin Abdullah said: "A man among us promised freedom to a slave after his death, and he did not have any property other than him (this slave). So the Prophet sold him, and Ibn (Nahham), a man from Banu Adi, bought him."

Muslim Population in the UK Rising Ten Times Faster than the Rest of Society

If anyone was worried about the recent violent protests by Muslims in the UK, imagine what things will be like ten or twenty years from now. According to recent statistics, the Muslim population in the UK is growing ten times faster than the rest of society.

The Muslim population in Britain has grown by more than 500,000 to 2.4 million in just four years, according to official research collated for The Times.

The population multiplied 10 times faster than the rest of society, the research by the Office for National Statistics reveals. In the same period the number of Christians in the country fell by more than 2 million. READ MORE.

Sharia in Practice: Letting Muslim Girls Burn for Lack of Modesty

In Saudi Arabia, Sharia is enforced through a variety of means. The Commission for the Protection of Virtue and the Suppression of Vice (CPVSV) is the organization specifically dedicated to upholding the finer points of Islamic law in everyday life. The enforcers of this organization are known as mutaween, but another apt title would be The Sharia Gestapo.

Here's a snippet of what Time had to say concerning some of their more controversial actions:

TIME MAGAZINE:
"The most scandalous case in recent years involved the deaths of 15 Saudi girls at a school in Mecca, Islam's holiest city, in 2002. Eyewitnesses said that when a fire broke out, mutaween refused to allow the girls to flee, or rescuers to go inside, on the grounds that the students were not wearing the required garments to preserve their modesty. The government, however, absolved the commission of blame." READ MORE

I wonder what will happen if Islamic Law takes over the world?

Saudi Arabia: Authorities Arrest Convert to Christianity

LOS ANGELES, January 28 (Compass Direct News) – Five months after the daughter of a member of Saudi Arabia’s religious police was killed for writing online about her faith in Christ, Saudi authorities have reportedly arrested a 28-year-old Christian man for describing his conversion and criticizing the kingdom’s judiciary on his Web site. READ MORE.

Palestinian Children's Television: The Martyred Bunny

Here's what children are watching in Palestine right now. I just want to say that there is absolutely nothing to worry about here. Nothing whatsoever.

Why Did Muhammad Torture and Mutilate the Apostates of Uraynah?

In the comments section of a previous post, Bassam defended the historicity of the healing of a group from Uraynah. Since we're discussing this event, I thought it would be a good time to address Muhammad's reason for torturing and mutilating these men. Muslims typically claim that the men were mutilated because they had mutilated one of Muhammad's herdsmen. But is this the true reason? The Hadith, as usual, paint an inconsistent picture.

Let's begin with the basic story:

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4029--Anas bin Malik narrated that a group of eighty people from Ukl came to the Prophet, but the climate of Al-Madinah did not suit them and they fell sick. They complained about that to the Messenger of Allah and he said: "Why don't you go out with our herdsmen and drink the milk and urine of the camels?" They said: "Yes (we will do that)." They went out and drank some of the (camels') milk and urine, and they recovered. Then they killed the herdsmen of the Messenger of Allah, so he sent (men after them) and they caught them and brought them back. He had their hands and feet cut off and branded their eyes, and left them in the sun to die.

While this Hadith doesn't clearly state the reason for the punishment, the following Hadith does:

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4040--It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "Some Bedouin from Uraynah came to the Prophet of Allah and accepted Islam, but the climate of Al-Madinah did not suit them; their skin turned yellow and their bellies became swollen. The Prophet of Allah sent them to some milk camels of his and told them to drink their milk and urine until they recovered. Then they killed their herdsmen and drove off the camels. The Prophet of Allah sent (men) after them and they were brought back, then he had their hands and feet cut off, and their eyes were branded." The Commander of the Believers, Abdul-Malik, said to Anas, when he was narrating this Hadith: "Was that (punishment) for Kufr or for sin?" He said: "For Kufr."

So we can see that the punishment was not for attacking the herdsman, but for leaving Islam! But wait, there's more:

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4042--It was narrated that Aishah said: "Some people raided the milk camels of the Messenger of Allah. He caught them and had their hands and feet cut off and their eyes gouged out."

Here it seems that the men were tortured and mutilated simply because they dared raid Muhammad's camels. But we have yet another reason:

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4048--It was narrated that Anas said: "The Prophet only had the eyes of those people gouged out, because they had gouged out the eyes of the herdsmen."

Bassam, of course will go with this reason, since it seems the least unjust to him. The problem, of course, is that even Allah believed that Muhammad's punishment was unjust:

Sunan an-Nasa'i 4047--It was narrated from Abu Az-Zinad that the Messenger of Allah had the (hands and feet) of those who drove off his camels cut off, and their eyes gouged out with fire. Allah rebuked him for that, and Allah, Most High, revealed the entire verse: "The recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger."

Why bother defending a man so brutal that even Allah (certainly no stranger to brutal punishments) must rebuke him? (Notice that the only reason given for the punishment in this Hadith is that the men drove off Muhammad's camels.)

*****NOTE: BE CAREFUL IF YOU WANT TO AGREE WITH ALLAH AND SAY THAT MUHAMMAD WAS WRONG FOR TORTURING, MUTILATING, AND EXECUTING THESE MEN. IF YOU DO, YOU'RE SURE TO GET THE STANDARD MUSLIM RESPONSE: "BUT THE BIBLE . . ." (AS IF THIS ANSWERS THE OBJECTION AND REMOVES THE BRUTALITY!)*****

Muslims in Malmo

Watch the progression of events in this video about demonstrations in Malmo, Sweden.

(1) Jews have a peaceful demonstration (backed by a permit) singing songs and hurting no one.
(2) Muslims (with no permit) gather in much larger numbers and start hurling rocks, eggs, bottles, and eventually a rocket.
(3) The police, knowing they have much less to fear from a group of Jews than a group of Muslims, tell the Jews to leave.



And here's some more about Muslims in Malmo:



I know, I know. "David, how dare you mention any of this? David, a Jew once threw a rock at me, so it's okay for these Muslims to throw rocks back. David, how dare you inform people of what's happening in Europe? David, you don't live in Sweden, so you have no right to post a video about Sweden." And so on.

Responses to the Prosecution (Persecution?) of Geert Wilders

Pat Condell Defends Wilders


Robert Spencer Defends Wilders

Pam Meister Defends Wilders

And, speaking against Mr. Wilders, we have these insightful comments from Sami Zaatari:

"hate or love it, Islam is here to stay, you can be as sick of it and the Muslims as much as you want, were here to stay folks, and just on a side note, the recent new mayor of rotterdam, the second most populated city in Holland is a Muslim, hurraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. :) :) :) :), thats just the icing on the cake."

Muhammad's Reason for Not Forbidding Ghilah

The following Hadith gives us a glimpse of Muhammad's method of forbidding and accepting various practices:

Sunan an-Nasa'i 3328--It was narrated from Aishah that Judamah bint Wahb told her that the Messenger of Allah said: "I was thinking of forbidding Ghilah until I remembered that it is done by the Persians and Romans"--(one of the narrators) Ishaq said: "(They) do that--and it does not harm their children."

Ghilah refers to having sex with a woman who is breastfeeding. Muhammad says that he was thinking of forbidding the practice. But then he remembered that the Persians and Romans do it, so he didn't forbid the practice. Apparently, if he hadn't remembered that the Persians and Romans practice Ghilah, he would have condemned it, and Muslims today would say that Allah forbids Ghilah.

Isn't it obvious that this had nothing to do with any divine insight on Muhammad's part, and that what he rejected and accepted was simply a matter of his all-too-human thought processes? If so, why are Muslims so obsessed with following Muhammad's regulations (especially when they include pagan practices, such as bowing to the Ka'ba, etc.)? Here Muslims will say, "We follow Muhammad's regulations because he commanded us to follow his regulations." But that's exactly my point. As this Hadith shows, Muhammad's reasoning had nothing to do with revelation. Why, then, accept his command to follow his regulations?

Sunan Abu Dawud and Jami At-Tirmidhi on Sex with Captives

SUNAN ABU DAWUD

Sunan Abu Dawud 2150—Abu Sa’id al-Khudri said: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) sent a military expedition to Awtas on the occasion of the battle of Hunain. They met their enemy and fought with them. They defeated them and took them captives. Some of the Companions of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) were reluctant to have intercourse with the female captives in the presence of their husbands who were unbelievers. So Allah, the Exalted, sent down the Qur’anic verse: “And all married women (are forbidden) unto you save those (captives) whom your right hands possess.” That is to say, they are lawful for them when they complete their waiting period.

Sunan Abu Dawud 2166—Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that a man said: Apostle of Allah, I have a slave-girl and I withdraw the penis from her (while having intercourse), and I dislike that she becomes pregnant. I intend (by intercourse) what the men intend by it. The Jews say that withdrawing the penis is burying the living girls on a small scale. He (the Prophet) said: The Jews told a lie. If Allah intends to create it, you cannot turn it away.

Sunan Abu Dawud 2167—Muhairiz said: I entered the mosque and saw Abu Sa’id al-Khudri. I sat with him and asked about withdrawing the penis (while having intercourse). Abu Sa’id said: We went out with the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) on the expedition to Banu al-Mustaliq, and took some Arab women captive, and we desired the women, for we were suffering from the absence of our wives, and we wanted ransom; so we intended to withdraw the penis (while having intercourse with the slave-women). But we asked ourselves: Can we draw the penis when the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) is among us before asking him about it? So we asked him about it. He said: It does not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up to the Day of Resurrection will be born.

Sunan Abu Dawud 2168—Jabir said: A man from the Ansar came to the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: I have a slave-girl, and I have intercourse with her, but I dislike her to conceive. He replied: Withdraw you penis from her if you wish, for what is decreed for her will come to her. After a time the man came to him and said: The girl has become pregnant. He said: I told you that what was decreed for her would come to her.

JAMI AT-TIRMIDHI

Jami At-Tirmidhi 1132—Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri narrated: We got some captives on the day of Awtas, and they had husbands among their people. They mentioned that to the Messenger of Allah, so the following was revealed: And women who are already married, except those whom your right hands possess [4:24].”

Jami At-Tirmidhi 1137—Jabir bin Abdullah narrated: “We practiced Azl while the Qur’an was being revealed.” . . . Malik bin Anas said: “The permission of the free woman is to be requested for Azl, while the slave woman’s permission need not be requested.”

Jami At-Tirmidhi 3016—Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri said: “On the Day of Awtas, we captured some women who had husbands among the idolaters. So some of the men disliked that, so Allah, Most High, revealed: ‘And women already married, except those whom your right hands possess . . . . [4:24]’”

Jami At-Tirmidhi 3712—Imran bin Husain narrated that the Messenger of Allah dispatched an army and he put Ali bin Abi Talib in charge of it. He left on the expedition and he entered upon a female slave. So four of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah scolded him, and they made a pact saying: “[If] we meet the Messenger of Allah we will inform him of what Ali did.” When the Muslims returned from the journey, they would begin with the Messenger of Allah and give him Salam, then they would go to their homes. So when the expedition arrived, they gave Salam to the Prophet, and one of the four stood saying: “O Messenger of Allah! Do you see that Ali bin Abi Talib did such and such.” The Messenger of Allah turned away from him. Then the second one stood and said as he said, and he turned away from him. Then the third stood before him, and said as he said, and he turned away from him. Then the fourth stood and said as they had said. The Messenger of Allah faced him, and the anger was visible on his face, he said: “What do you want from Ali?! What do you want from Ali?! What do you want from Ali?! Indeed Ali is from me, and I am from him, and he is the ally of every believer after me.”

A Former Muslim's Thoughts on Sex with Captives

Here's a letter from a woman who left Islam based on moral considerations.

When I was in my 6th grade, I was unhappy at certain things that I got to know about the way women are treated in Islam. This included the property rights and divorce procedures. But never in my entire life had I known that Muslims actually used to rape prisoners of wars and this was sanctioned by the Prophet. All, in my entire life, I read in my Islamic books that Muslims treated prisoners with kindness and this and that. I don’t find any sort of kindness in raping women who were captured. READ MORE.

Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim on Sex with Captives

SAHIH AL-BUKHARI

Sahih al-Bukhari 2229—Narrated Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri that while he was sitting with Allah’s Messenger (an Ansari man came) and said, “O Allah’s Messenger! We get female captives as our share of booty, and we are interested in their prices, what is your opinion about coitus interruptus?” The Prophet said, “Do you really do that? It is better for you not to do it. No soul which Allah has destined to exist, but will surely come into existence.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 4138—Narrated Ibn Muhairiz: I entered the mosque and saw Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri and sat beside him and asked him about Al-Azl (i.e., coitus interruptus). Abu Sa’id said, “We went out with Allah’s Messenger for the Ghazwa of Banu Al-Mustaliq, and we received captives from among the Arab captives and we desired women and celibacy became hard on us and we loved to do coitus interruptus. So, when we intended to do coitus interruptus, we said, ‘How can we do coitus interruptus without asking Allah’s Messenger while he is present among us?’ We asked (him) about it and he said, ‘It is better for you not to do so. There is no person that is destined to exist, but will come to existence, till the Day of Resurrection.’”

Sahih al-Bukhari 4350—Narrated Buraida: The Prophet sent Ali to Khalid to bring the Khumus (of the booty) and I hated Ali, and Ali had taken a bath (after a sexual act with a slave-girl from the Khumus). I said to Khalid, “Don’t you see this (i.e., Ali)? When we reached the Prophet I mentioned that to him. He said, “O Buraida! Do you hate Ali?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Don’t hate him, for he deserves more than that from the Khumus.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 5210—Narrated Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri: We got female captives in the war booty and we used to do coitus interruptus with them. So we asked Allah’s Messenger about it and he said, “Do you really do that?” repeating the question thrice, “There is no person that is destined to exist but will come into existence, till the Day of Resurrection.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 6603—Narrated Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri that while he was sitting with the Prophet a man from the Ansar came and said, “O Allah’s Messenger! We get slave-girls from the war captives and we love property; what do you think about coitus interruptus?” Allah’s Messenger said, “Do you do that? It is better for you not to do it, for there is no living creature which Allah has ordained to come into existence but will be created.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 7409—Narrated Abu Sa’id al-Khudri that during the battle with Bani al-Mustaliq they (Muslims) captured some females and intended to have sexual relation with them without impregnating them. So they asked the Prophet about coitus interruptus. The Prophet said, “It is better that you should not do it, for Allah has written whom He is going to create till the Day of Resurrection.” Qaza’a said, “I heard Abu Sa’id saying that the Prophet said, ‘No soul is ordained to be created but Allah will create it.’”

SAHIH MUSLIM

Sahih Muslim 3371—Abu Sirma said to Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Allah he pleased with him): O Abu Sa’id, did you hear Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) mentioning about al-‘azl? He said: Yes, and added: We went out with Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) on the expedition to the Bi’l-Mustaliq and took captive some excellent Arab women; and we desired them, for we were suffering from the absence of our wives, (but at the same time) we also desired ransom for them. So we decided to have sexual intercourse with them but by observing ‘azl (withdrawing the male sexual organ before emission of semen to avoid conception). But we said: We are doing an act whereas Allah’s Messenger is amongst us; why not ask him? So we asked Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him), and he said: It does not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up to the Day of Resurrection will be born.

Sahih Muslim 3373—Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported: We took women captives, and we wanted to do ‘azl with them. We then asked Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) about it, and he said to us: Verily you do it, verily you do it, verily you do it, but the soul which has to be born until the Day of Judgment must be born.

Sahih Muslim 3383—Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man came to Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: I have a slave-girl who is our servant and she carries water for us and I have intercourse with her, but I do not want her to conceive. He said: Practise ‘azl, if you so like, but what is decreed for her will come to her. The person stayed back (for some time) and then came and said: The girl has become pregnant, whereupon he said: I told you what was decreed for her would come to her.

Sahih Muslim 3432—Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported that at the Battle of Hunain Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) sent an army to Autas and encountered the enemy and fought with them. Having overcome them and taken them captives, the Companions of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) seemed to refrain from having intercourse with captive women because of their husbands being polytheists. Then Allah, Most High, sent down regarding that: “And women already married, except those whom your right hands possess (iv. 24)” (i.e. they were lawful for them when their ‘Idda period came to an end).

Sahih Muslim 3433—Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) sent a small army. The rest of the hadith is the same except this that he said: Except what your right hands possess out of them are lawful for you; and he did not mention “when their ‘idda period comes to an end”. This hadith has been reported on the authority of Abu Sa’id (al-Khudri) (Allah be pleased with him) through another chain of transmitters and the words are: They took captives (women) on the day of Autas who had their husbands. They were afraid (to have sexual intercourse with them) when this verse was revealed: “And women already married except those whom you right hands posses” (iv. 24).

Six Pastors Killed, Forty Churches Burned in Nigeria

Of course, this has nothing to do with Islam, even though Muslims were killing and burning in the name of Islam. And it has nothing to do with the fact that Muhammad commanded his followers to "fight those who do not believe" (Qur'an 9:29). We should just take this as an isolated event (despite the fact that things like this are happening across the Muslim world). Shame on me for even mentioning the murder of my Nigerian brothers and sisters.

Yep, nothing to worry about here. READ MORE.

Sahih Muslim 3240: Muhammad Sees a Woman

Here's an interesting Hadith:

Sahih Muslim 3240: Jabir reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saw a woman, and so he came to his wife, Zainab, as she was tanning a leather and had sexual intercourse with her. He then went to his Companions and told them: The woman advances and returns in the shape of a devil, so when one of you sees a woman, he should come to his wife, for that will repel what he feels in his heart.

The lesson Muhammad draws is that, when a man sees a woman and desires her, he should go have sex with his wife to satisfy his urges. But think about the irony here. Muhammad sees a woman and desires her, so he goes to Zainab, a woman who divorced her husband (Muhammad's adopted son) because she learned that Muhammad had desired her!

Notice also that, according to Jesus, Muhammad repeatedly sinned by committing adultery in his heart:

Matthew 5:27-8: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Apparently, Muhammad's numerous wives weren't enough to keep his desires in check.

Virgins in Paradise

Allah will give you lots of sex in exchange for lots of violence.

Certainly nothing to worry about here.

Holland: Criticizing Islam Is Unacceptable

Nakdimon translated the following article. It explains why Geert Wilders, who produced the short film Fitna, is going to be prosecuted for "hate and discriminatory statements" because he criticized the Qur'an. As recent events have shown, in the West, it's perfectly acceptable for Muslims to call for genocide against Jews. Criticizing the Qur'an, however, is now criminal.

Novum, Wednesday 01.21.2009 –

Geert Wilders should be prosecuted for hate and discriminatory statements. This is what the Amsterdam court decided Wednesday. The DA decided earlier not to prosecute the PVV leader. The DA now has to do so.

According to the court, there are sufficient indications that Wilders is guilty of criminal offenses. The court has come to that verdict because of, among other things, the rhetoric of the public statements of Wilders and the way he presented his views. He did it in a way which the court finds one sided, strongly generalizing, radical, fierce and frequently repeated. Therefore it could be seen as bigotry.

In addition, the statements of Wilders are also offensive to Muslims, because they are affected in their religious dignity. Wilders did this by attacking one of the symbols of the Muslim faith, the Koran.

Wilders compared the Koran to the book "Mein Kampf" by Adolf Hitler. The court believes that certain offensive remarks are not under the criminal law, but should be resisted in the social and political debate. This is not the case for the comparison with 'Mein Kampf', says the court, because it is so offensive to Muslims that it is of importance to prosecute Wilders.

The court does not believe that the freedom of speech is at stake with the decision to prosecute Wilders. The European Convention on Human Rights protects the right emphatically, but according to the court, in the European context, these statements are unacceptable. Prosecution also doesn't affect Wilders in his freedom of speech, provided that the possible sentence is proportionate.

Finally, the court considers that prosecution of Wilders serves the Netherlands. The hate speech in the democratic rule of law "is so serious that there is a public interest to draw a clear line in the public debate".

In July, a special discrimination section of the DA decided not to prosecute the PVV-leader for a number of statements in the media and in his film 'Fitna', against which several charges were pressed. Some chargers, including the anti-racism organization "Nederland Bekent Kleur", were not pleased with that decision of the DA and objected [to the verdict of] the court to nonetheless prosecute him.

Justice has received dozens of charges against Wilders in the last years. Those were for statements in de Volkskrant, De Pers and in an Internet column. Different people and organizations thought that the PM conducted an incitement to hatred and discriminated. The charges were gathered in Amsterdam and viewed by the discrimination section of the OM. They advised not to prosecute.

When the trial starts against Wilders is not yet known.

I have to confess that I'm quite pleased that Wilders is being prosecuted. I think the trial will draw much attention to what's going on in Europe. READ MORE.