Death for adultery

Submitted by Fay Voshell (United States), Feb 28, 2009 at 09:33

Jennifer,

Thanks for the links. I appreciate your digging into this further.

Yes, the description of the execution is appalling; but even more appalling were some of the comments that either entirely distanced Muslims from such atrocities; or as in the case of one Muslim woman who responded, actually supported the execution, saying the princess deserved death because she broke Muslim customs.

I think it's a good idea to contrast the views of the founders of Christianity and the Muslim faith. When faced with the Pharisees' demand a woman whom they caught in adultery be stoned to death in accordance with their laws, Jesus suggested the man without sin be the first to throw a stone. One by one, the woman's accusers left. Some scholars speculate most of the men probably were former customers. Be that as it may, Christ gently rebuked her and told her not to sin by repeating her offense. By his actions, he overturned the law demanding stoning.

Mohammed, on the other hand, though heavily influenced by Hanifism's and the Jewish/Christian monotheistic thinking, adopted many of the Arab customs and practices of his day and incorporated them into his theology. He absorbed many of the prejudices of his day against women and made them part of holy writ, approving of wife beating, setting an example for child marriages (common in 7th century Arabia and still practiced today), and enforcing draconian sentences for adulterers. This is to say nothing of the sentence for theivery, which is amputation.

It's disastrous that no effective Muslim reformer has appeared for this incredibly critical time--though there are certainly courageous individuals who speak out, often at the risk of their lives. On the contrary, since the late sixteen hundreds, Wahabism, which insists on maintaining and enforcing the seventh century mores Mohammed espoused and practiced, has never been stronger.

Fay Voshell

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