The word:
أَيْمَٟنُ is the broken plural of
يَمِينٌ.
It is derived from Root: "ى
م ن". Learned Ibn Faris in his famous Lexicon
(مقاييس
اللغة) describes its basic perception
as under:
الياء والميم والنون: كلماتٌ من
قياسٍ واحد. فاليَمين: يَمين اليَدِ. [و]
يقال: اليَمِين:
القُوَّة
واليُمْن البَرَكة، وهو ميمون
واليمين:
الحَلِف، وكلُّ ذلك من اليد
اليُمْنى
|
He described that the
basic perception infolded therein is of right hand which signifies
power, force, and authority. That the right hand connotes
prosperity and blessedness. Further, that right hand connotes
"oath".
An obligation, a responsibility, an oath is normally and reflexively pledged by raising right hand,
or striking right hand on the palm of another person.
It is customary in many societies. Interestingly power-authority and
responsibility/obligation are inseparably associated, and an equal
accountability of subject is attached. In English also, the word "hand"
connotes "guardianship", "authority",
"the power, responsibility, or
care of somebody (usually used in the plural)"
Notwithstanding same word refers
to "the right hand" and
connotes
"the oaths", it will cause
no ambiguity
in the text since both are different in essence. "Oath" is abstract noun while "right
hand" is a concrete noun. The
abstract is that which exists only in our minds; that which we cannot
know through our senses. It includes qualities, relationships,
conditions, ideas, theories, and states of being, fields of inquiry and the
like. Concrete words refer to
things we can touch, see, hear, smell, and taste. "Oath" is either a
statement of fact or a promise. A promise is a commitment by someone to
do or not do something. Therefore, when:
أَيْمَٟنُ
is used as the Subject of a transitive
Verb:
مَلَـكَتْ,
there is absolutely no reason that
someone be confused to take it as "oaths" instead of "authority
and responsibility to administer the affair of the object person".
Moreover, the subject of verb could never be "أَيْمَٟنُكُـم"
and "أَيْمَٟنُـهُنَّ"
if the intent was to indicate becoming the owner-possessor of something.
Grand Qur’ān has clarified it by the use of
singular noun:
يَـٰٓأَيُّـهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ |
إِنَّـآ أَحْلَلْنَا لَكَ أَزْوَٟجَكَ ٱلَّـٟتِىٓ ءَاتَيْتَ أُجُورَهُنَّ |
وَمَا مَلَـكَـتْ
يَمِينُكَ مِمَّآ أَفَـآءَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ |
The purpose of address, by using Adjective
resembling participle signifying his personal status in life including
period before assignment of Messenger, is to inform him: "This
is to confirm that Our Majesty have affirmed - validated your wives as
lawful for you." It is a declarative - telling sentence. The addressee
had already married women who are in his wedlock. It is conveying
Ex-post facto sanction for the marriages the addressee had entered.
The paragraph unity is maintained when every other sentence would give
specific information than the topic sentence that maintains the same
focus of attention as the topic sentence. Specific information about: أَزْوَاجَكَ "your
wives" is mentioned: "the
wives whom you had paid their wedding gifts - determined and settled
obligations;". This is adjectival portrayal of the preceding noun Wives.
It subtly conveys the fact of consummation of marriages. However, it
does not indicate the earlier position or relationship of the honourable
wives as to who they were.
The next sentence is conjunct to previous verbal sentence by particle: وَ The
use of conjunction helps link sentences with particular logical
relationships to achieve cohesion.
The sentence (مَا مَلَـكَـتْ يَمِينُكَ)
conjunct to sanctification of wives signifies such
woman who was in the wedlock of Non-Believing husband and had migrated
taking asylum in Muslim society. Authority and responsibility to
administer their affair thenceforth rested with Islamic state.
The prepositional phrase: مِمَّا relates
to elided circumstantial clause for the object of preceding verbal
sentence. It thus validates the marriage with wife who was from amongst
emigrant believing women in the wedlock of non-believer having taken
asylum whose responsibility was specifically placed upon him by Allah
the Exalted.
The women
married with non-believer becoming:
مَا مَلَـكَـتْ أَيْمَٟنُكُـمْ can be recurring. They are the liability and
obligation of Muslim Society, whenever they are in such circumstances.
Therefore, such Women were excluded from the prohibition imposed upon
the Elevated Messenger for reason of possibility of further escape
migration of married women in the wedlock of non believers to Muslim
society:
لَّا يَحِلُّ لَكَ ٱلنِّسَآءُ مِنۢ بَعْدُ |
وَلَآ أَن تَبَدَّلَ بِـهِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَٟجٛ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ
حُسْنُـهُنَّ |
إِلَّا مَا مَلَـكَـتْ يَمِينُكَۗ |
وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَـىٰ كُلِّ شَـىْءٛ رَّقِيبٙا
٥٢ |
4. The
elided object in Relevant Clause:
مَا مَلَـكَـتْ أَيْمَٟنُكُـم
referent to emigrant women can be referent
to domestic servant, both male and female.
The Possessive Phrases:
أَيْمَٟنُكُـم
or
أَيْمَٟنُـهُـمْ or
أَيْمَٟنُـهُنَّ , or
يَمِينُكَ
used
as subject of verb:
مَلَـكَـتْ ,
will never signify "your/their hands possessed, owned". Women are not a
commodity that somebody could own or possess them. When this verb is
used to indicate taking or holding the possession of some object, its
subject will never be
أَيْمَٟنُـ
or
يَمِينُ
. We can find the evidence of its use even in Qur’ān:
أَوْ مَا مَلَـكْتُـم مَّفَاتِحَهُۥٓ |
The activity inherent in this Verbal
Sentence yields relationship between the Subject and
Object. The Subject has attained
the authority upon and is managing affair of the Object who becomes sort
of a
Ward. We will first
try to know the identification and characteristic traits of Women who
are the Object of Verb:
مَلَـكَتْ
by taking the General Relative Pronoun:
مَا as
referring to a woman, or women or man/men. This verbal sentence is used 15 times in
14 Ayahs (appended at end). We will quote the Ayah where
this sentence occurs first time because the relational field helps understand
semantics. The first occurrence
conveys us the perception that they are such Women who cause relatively
lesser liability upon the husband if taken into Matrimonial Bond. Let us proceed with first occurrence:
وَإِنْ خِفْتُـمْ أَ لَّا تُقْسِطُوا۟ فِـى ٱلْيَتَـٟمَىٰ
|
فَٱنكِحُوا۟مَا
طَابَ لَـكُـم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَٟثَ وَرُبَٟعَۖ |
-
Thereat, it is
imperative upon you the men
to enter in matrimonial bondage; that which seemed pleasing, delightful
and fairly good for you
[2:235], with such women who
have since expired the Prescribed Obligatory Period,
circumstantially two two, and three three, and four four.
|
فَإِنْ خِفْتُـمْ أَ لَّا تَعْدِلُوا۟ |
أَوْ مَا مَلَـكَـتْ
أَيْمَٟنُكُـمْۚ |
The conjunction particle "أَوْ"
is manifestly for (التخيير)
giving someone the option, providing with freedom of choice and
alternative. It conjuncts the relative clause to:
فَٱنكِحُوا۟ .
Firstly, rules are
prescribed to cope a peculiar situation arising in the society. Father-Orphans
have become in abundance in the society. Father-Orphans emerge
when women have become widows.
The Tribe or Society is apprehending that they might not justly manage
affairs and upbringing of such children. Under the circumstances,
marriages with widows has become rightful and beneficial
course for the society. It is obvious; however, that many might not be
able to sustain this additional burden imposed by the injunction, for
physical reasons and financial constraints. Asking such men to marry
widows might create apprehensions for them of not dispensing justice and
fairness to such wed wives.
An amendment is
introduced in the said Provision of Law to cater for those who might suffer
impracticability, or apprehension of injustice or unfairness if made to
marry widows. They are asked to Marry only one, or if one cannot afford marry a widow that might incur liability of orphans
also, he is advised to opt for marrying a woman in the category:
ْمَا مَلَـكَـتْ أَيْمَٟنُكُـمْ
"She, upon whom the right hand of
you people have the authority for ordering and managing
her affair."
Grand Qur’ān is the only book in the world that has built
in lexicon for its important words and terms. It exposes the perception
and meanings of its important words and terms in a picturesque manner.
It exposes the meanings by using it in different
semantic fields whereby one can perceive all its dimensions relating to
substance as well accident including metaphorical aspect. It exposes the
perception and meanings of most of its words picturesquely by
relationships and contrasts.
The first time mention of verb:
مَلَـكَتْ has referred its
object as those women whom taking into marriage will be economically less burdensome. Its object in second time mention refers to
women who are already in the married state yet are excluded from the list of
sanctified women that are ineligible to be taken in wedlock:
وَٱلْمُحْصَنَٟتُ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ
إِلَّا مَا مَلَـكَـتْ أَيْمَٟنُكُـمْۖ |
-
Further, all the Protected-Wedded: those already in married state
in the Womenfolk are forbidden upon you people (the
believers).
Only those Married believer Women in the
wedlock of non-believer are excepted from this prohibition who have
been given asylum and are now under
the authority/governance and responsibility of
you people (Muslim State) for handling and managing their affairs.
|
كِتَٟبَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُـمْۚ |
وَأُحِلَّ لَـكُـم مَّا وَرَاءَ ذَٟلـِكُـمْ |
The injunction as to in
what frame of mind the permissible women are to be sought explicitly
debars debauchery and satisfaction of sex maniacs by use of wealth. The
circumstantial adverb:
مُّحْصِنِيـنَ
refers a person who desires to marry for making a family unit.
The first and foremost social-unit is Husband and Wife.
The third time mention (مَلَـكَتْ)
has distinguished and characterized them as presently married women who have
taken asylum and have become ineligible to continue in the matrimonial bond
of her non-believing husband, and unmarried women who are house-maids:
The act of verb (النِّكَاحُ-Root:
ن
ك ح) signifies
the mutually consented Marriage-Bond between a man and women; witnessed,
endorsed and authenticated by the society, the third party to the
agreement-union-bond. This "Union-Bond" grants permission, and renders
sanctity of purity in establishing a particular matrimonial relationship which
is otherwise not permissible; and is a grave sin if done by a man and a
woman without the Union-Bond. Like the effect of basic perception of the
Root, the romantic look in the eyes caused by gradual dissolving of slumber
therein; and inciting odour emerging by the absorption of earlier drops of
rain on dried land, the Marriage-Bond: النِّكَاحُ results
in romantic attachment between a man and woman, culminating in intercourse.
All sex related activities outside the matrimonial bond (النِّكَاحُ)
are culpable and liable to criminal cognizance for punishment in the
Hereafter (except
self gratification-53:32).
After the conditional sentence
when someone is not financially strong to afford
النِّكَاحُ developing
matrimonial bond with believing married woman who has been given asylum, he
is advised another course to get married
(النِّكَاحُ)
in existing financial conditions:
The conjunction
particle is connector between protasis (condition) and apodosis (conclusion)
clauses. The prepositional phrase (مِن مَّا)
relates to elided verb followed by relative clause; and preposition is (التبيينية)
for the definition or explanation/clarification of a general or universal by
a special or particular term, the later being one of several objects that go
to make up the former. The next prepositional phrase (التبيينية)
coupled with possessive phrase serves as Circumstantial adverb for the
elided object pronoun of antecedent verb (مَلَـكَـتْ).
They are adjectively portrayed, for restriction purpose in choice, by
definite active participle: ٱلْمُؤْمِنَٟتِ
meaning the known believing women. Thereby, it reflects that:
فَتَيَٟتِ housemaids can also be
non-believing women. It stems from Root:
ف ت ى.
Renowned
lexicographer Ibn Faris stated it leads to perception (على
تبيين حكم) of clarifying, explicating some
order, jurisprudential ruling. He further stated (يدلُّ
على طَرَاوة وجِدّة) it leads to perception of
freshness, soft, and mental or physical power and quality of being modern.
Thereby he mentioned it denotes:
الفَتاء :الشباب young person. It
is used 21 times, 10 times to refer to young man (12:36;18:10;18:13;21:60);
and servants of state, or personal male and female servants
(4:25;12:30;12:62;18:60;18:62;24:33). It is used 11 times for seeking
explanation of dreams (12:41,43,46) and jurisprudential or otherwise ruling
(4:127(2);4:176(2);18:22; 27:32; 37:11;37:149).
Since such:
فَتَيَٟتِكُـمْ are not slaves and
captives but are members of some household, permission has to be granted
for taking them into fold of matrimonial bond
(النِّكَاحُ)
by the elders-guardians of that household along with the consent of
respective woman:
وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَٟنِكُـمۚ |
This advice is to a
person suffering paucity of resources who cannot marry women who cause
high financial liabilities. He can be successful in his desire if
prior permission is granted by the Guardians-House Masters holding in their hand
the authority and responsibility of managing affairs of such women presently serving as House-Maids.
The ninth time
mention again characterizes the objects of the verb as house servants and
serfs and clarifies that women had at their own free will had desired to
become self-protected by becoming housemaids.
وَلْيَسْتَعْفِفِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ
نِكَاحًا حَتَّىٰ
يُغْنِيَـهُـمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦۗ |
-
Take note, those
people should retain their selves continent and virtuous, who find
not wedding opportunity, till such time Allah the Exalted might
make them Self-Sufficient out of His Bounty.
|
-
And regards those Men and Women, being in
circumstance that you have the authority for ordering and managing their affair-your House-Servants, who seek
the proclamation of independence-self governance
—
|
فَكَاتِبُوهُـمْ إِنْ عَلِمْتُـمْ فِيـهِـمْ خَيْـرٙاۖ |
-
Thereby on their
desiring, you the Guardians-House Masters, subject to having found
in them sustainable ability-betterment, are hereby commanded to afford them the
mutually agreed Written
Proclamation of freedom-self governance
—
|
وَءَاتُوهُـم مِّن مَّالِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَاتَىٰكُـمْۚ |
وَلَا تُكْرِهُوا۟ فَتَيَٟتِكُـمْ عَلَـى ٱلْبِغَآءِ إِنْ
أَرَدْنَ
تَحَصُّنٙا لِّتَبْتَغُوا۟ عَـرَضَ ٱلْحَـيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَاۚ |
-
Further, you people
should not compel your
House-Maids towards debauchery since they had willingly opted
subjugation-became servant for security of chastity,
with the intention
that you might obtain apparent gains of worldly life.
|
وَ مَن يُكْرِههُّنَّ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مِنۢ
بَعْدِ إِكْرَٟهِهِنَّ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيـمٌۭ ٣٣ |
-
Mind it, should
someone forcefully compels them, thereby, it is a fact that for all
that forcefully done in the state of their abhorrence, Allah the
Exalted is the Forgiving, the Merciful. [24:33]
[accountability is for acts done with will, not
for those got done forcefully by others for which they will be
responsible]
|
The object
of the verb:
أَرَدْنَ
"they
willingly decided" is verbal noun:
تَحَصُّنٙا
of Form-V
which has reflexive causative meanings.
The subject receives back
the impact of action.
It generally depicts such
actions where the subject honestly and sincerely tries to transform
himself, and performs that action diligently. It has transformative meanings, Noun-ized; make
oneself to be Noun.
The meanings of form V are simply the
meanings of form II plus the word "himself."
Once instead of general relative
pronoun:
مَا
plural
masculine relative pronoun:
ٱلَّذِينَ,
which is the subject of antecedent verb, is used for relative clause: مَلَـكَتْ
and becomes the referent for the elided object (عائد).
It includes both male and female domestic servants:
يَـٰٓأَيُّـهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ |
لِيَسْتَـْٔذِنكُـمُ ٱلَّذِينَ
مَلَـكَـتْ
أَيْمَـٰنُكُـمْ |
وَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَبْلُغُوا۟ ٱلْحُلُمَ مِنكُـمْ ثَلَٟثَ مَرَّٟتٍۢۚ
مِّن قَبْلِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلْفَجْرِ وَ حِيـنَ تَضَعُونَ ثِيَابَكُـم مِّنَ
ٱلظَّهِيـرَةِ وَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلْعِشَآءِۚ |
-
Likewise, those
amongst you-in household who have not yet crossed over to
puberty: age of experiencing wet dream
—This restriction are
for three points in
time—
These three periods
in time are: before performing the Protocol of Servitude and
allegiance of True Dawn to Sun Rise
—The second time is at Mid-day-Noon of Noon selected by you people for laying
of clothes [from your
back-lower area]
—And third is after
the Ass-sa'laat:
Protocol of Servitude and allegiance of darkened Night.
|
ثَلَٟثُ عَوْرَٟتٛ لَّـكُـمْ |
لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُـمْ وَلَا عَلَيْـهِـمْ جُنَاحُۢ بَعْدَهُنَّۚ
طَوَّٟفُونَ
عَلَيْكُـم بَعْضُكُـمْ عَلَـىٰ بَعْضٛۚ |
-
There is no harm and
constraint for you people and for them
[restrained to disturb privacy] after these three timings,
that they are
frequent visitors for you, some of you visiting others in the house.
|
كَذَٟلِكَ يُبَيِّـنُ ٱللَّهُ لَـكُـمُ ٱلۡءَاَيَـٰتِۗ |
وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيـمٌ حَكِيـمٚ
٥٨ |
Again
housemaids in the service and under patronage of distinguished wives of
the exalted Messenger are mentioned:
لَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْـهِنَّ فِـىٓ ءَابَآئِـهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبْنَآئِـهِنَّ
وَلَآ إِخْوَٟنِـهِنَّ |
-
There is
not at all annoyance-blame for them-the Wives of the Elevated Messenger
of Allah the Exalted with regard to entry in places of
their fathers, and that of their sons, and that of their brothers —
|
وَلَآ أَبْنَآءِ إِخْوَٟنِـهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبْنَآءِ أَخَوَٟتِـهِنَّ |
وَلَا نِسَآئِـهِنَّ وَلَا مَا مَلَـكَـتْ أَيْمَٟنُـهُنَّۗ |
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَـىٰ كُلِّ شَـىْءٛ
شَهِيدًا
٥٥ |
5. The clause
مَا مَلَـكَـتْ أَيْمَٟنُكُـمْ and
فَتَيَٟتِكُـمْ "your housemaids" does not connote captive women - prisoners
of war (أُسَٟرَىٰ).
The clause
and noun
فَتَيَٟتِكُـمْ "your
housemaids" cannot be taken to connote captive women-prisoners
of war by any stretch of imagination.
وَٱلْمُحْصَنَٟتُ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ
إِلَّا مَا مَلَـكَـتْ أَيْمَٟنُكُـمْۖ |
-
Further, all the Protected-Wedded: those already in married state
in the Womenfolk are forbidden upon you people (the
believers).
Only those Married believer Women in the
wedlock of non-believer are excepted from this prohibition who have
been given asylum and are now under
the authority/governance and responsibility of
you people (Muslim State) for handling and managing their affairs.
[Refer 4:25]
|
The most lamentable aspect of some of
the translators and exegetes in Urdu and English languages is that they
merely plagiarized what non-believing pioneer translators of Grand
Qur’ān had said erroneously. First sentence was translated by the
pioneers in these words:
George Sale: Ye are also forbidden to
take to wife free women who are married,
except those women whom your right hands shall possess as slaves.
John Rodwell:
Forbidden to you also are married women,
except those who are in your hands as slaves
Please
notice that Sale and Rodwell erroneously and imaginatively added the
words "as slaves" as the object of verb. Many later plagiarists
substituted "slave women" with "captives, prisoners of war". Grand
Qur’ān is explicitly explicative and does not allow
translators and exegetes a right
to insert their intellect and memories in target text. Therefore,
insertion of words like "as slaves, captives, prisoners of war" is not
only erroneous but reflective of their dishonest scholarship.
The concept
of captivity, imprisonment, prisoners of war is embedded in Arabic Root:
ء س ر.
The basic perception infolded in the Root is to restrain
and arrest-confine-imprison someone. The lace or rope with which
something is tied or bonded; a shackle, restriction.
The concept of captives and prisoners of war is mentioned six times:
ثُـمَّ أَنتُـمْ هَـٟٓؤُلَآءِ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنفُسَكُـمْ |
وَتُخْرِجُونَ فَرِيقٙا مِّنْكُـم مِّن دِيَٟرِهِـمْ |
تَظَٟهَرُونَ عَلَيْـهِـم بِٱلْإِثْـمِ وَالْعُدْوَٟنِ |
وَإِن يَأتُوكُمْ أُسَٟرَىٰ تُفَٟدُوهُـمْ |
وَهُوَ مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَيْكُـمْ إِخْرَاجُهُـمْۚ |
Explicit
instructions - injunction are given about protocols of war and prisoners
of war:
مَا كَانَ لِنَبِىّٛ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَسْرَىٰ حَـتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ
فِـى ٱلۡأَرْضِۚ |
تُرِيدُونَ عَـرَضَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ٱلۡءَاخِـرَةَۗ |
وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيـمٚ ٦٧ |
The
instructions as to how Islamic State should handle and treat the
prisoners of war are also given:
يَـٰٓأَيُّـهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ |
إِن يَعْلَمِ ٱللَّهُ فِـى قُلُوبِكُـمْ خَيْـرٙا |
يُؤْتِكُـمْ خَيْـرٙا مِّمَّآ أُخِذَ مِنكُـمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَـكُـمْۗ |
وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٚ رَّحِـيـمٚ
٧٠ |
The
prisoners of war cannot be described by clause like this:
مَا مَلَـكَـتْ أَيْمَٟنُكُـم
مِّنَ
ٱلۡأَسْرَىٰٓ.
They are described by
فِـىٓ أَيْدِيكُـم
where preposition is adverbial in the meanings of "عِنْدَ"
typically expressing present state of things. The Possessive Phrases:
أَيْمَٟنُكُـم
or
أَيْمَٟنُـهُـمْ or
أَيْمَٟنُـهُنَّ , or
يَمِينُكَ
used
as subject of verb:
مَلَـكَـتْ ,
will never signify "your/their hands possessed, owned". Women are not a
commodity that somebody could own or possess them. When this verb is
used to indicate taking or holding the possession of some object, its
subject will never be
أَيْمَٟنُـ or
يَمِينُ
. We can find the evidence of its use even in Qur’ān:
أَوْ مَا مَلَـكْتُـم مَّفَاتِحَهُۥٓ |
Linguists inform us that words have
collocative meanings which consist of associations a word acquires on
account of the meanings of the words which tend to occur in its
environment. Grand Qur’ān explains its important words by using it in
various semantic fields and certain collocates in the sentences by which
meanings are very predictable based on the set of words that are
juxtaposed together.
The
prisoners are not a commodity, they are human beings. The attitude and
conduct of righteous believers towards prisoners is highlighted as
selfless:
وَيُطْعِمُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ عَلَـىٰ حُبِّـهِۦ مِسْكِيـنٙا وَيَتِيمٙا
وَأَسِيـرًا .٨ |
-
And they feed, in attraction and
for seeking
appreciation of Him the Exalted,
indigent, father-orphan and captive-imprisoned
— [76:08]
|
إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُـمْ لِوَجْهِ ٱللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُـمْ جَزَآءٙ
وَلَا شُكُورٙا .٩ |
إِنَّا نَخَافُ مِن رَّبِّنَا يَوْمٙا عَبُوسٙا قَمْطَرِيرٙا
١٠ |
The forth time mention
of feminine verb (مَلَـكَتْ)
negates its object could be prisoners of war:
وَ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَ لَا تُشْـرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًۭٔاۖ |
وَ بِٱلْوَٟلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَٟنًۭا وَ بِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَـىٰ وَ ٱلْيَتَٟمَىٰ
وَ ٱلْمَسَٟكِيـنِ وَ ٱلْجَارِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَـىٰ وَ ٱلْجَارِ ٱلْجُنُبِ
وَ ٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلْجَنۢبِ وَ ٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ |
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالٙا فَخُورٙا
٣٦ |
The fifth
time mention of the relative clause under study categorically negates
that its object could ever be stretched to include prisoners of war. It
explicitly states what exactly is the difference between its subjects
and objects. It is difference of respective economic position. The
subjects are rich and feudal lords and the objects are men and women who
are tied in relationship of protection, guardianship and working and
providing services at homes and lord's estate or agricultural fields,
etc. It is the concept/phenomenon related to feudalism.
وَٱللَّهُ
فَضَّلَ بَعْضَكُـمْ عَلَـىٰ بَعْضٛ فِـى ٱلرِّزْقِۚ |
فَمَا ٱلَّذِينَ فُضِّلُوا۟
بِرَآدِّى رِزْقِهِـمْ
عَلَـىٰ مَا مَلَـكَـتْ
أَيْمَٟنُـهُـمْ فَهُـمْ فِيهِ سَوَآءٌۚ |
أَفَبِنِعْمَةِ ٱللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ
٧١ |
Its tenth
time mention is also about the relationship between lord and serf and
not prisoners of war:
ضَرَبَ لَـكُـم مَّثَلٙا مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُـمْۖ |
هَلْ لَّـكُـم مِّن مَّا مَلَـكَـتْ أَيْمَٟنُكُـم مِّن شُرَكَآءَ
فِـى مَا رَزَقْنَـٟكُـمْ |
فَأَنتُـمْ فِيهِ سَوَآءٚ تَخَافُونَـهُـمْ كَخِيفَتِكُـمْ أَنفُسَكُـمْۚ |
كَذَٟلِكَ
نُفَصِّلُ
ٱلْءَايَـٟتِ لِقَوْمٛ يَعْقِلُونَ
٢٨ |
It is
obvious from the above two mentions (at 5 and 10) that the object of
verb: مَلَـكَتْ
are
men and women of lower non-affluent class of society who provide service
as serfs and domestic servants. This division and its purpose is
specifically mentioned:
أَهُـمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْـمَتَ رَبِّكَۚ |
وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُـمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٛ دَرَجَٟتٛ |
وَرَحْـمَتُ رَبِّكَ خَيْـرٚ مِّمَّا يَجْـمَعُونَ
٣٢ |
The seventh time mention
of feminine verb (مَلَـكَتْ)
categorically negates its object could be prisoners of war since women
cannot be referred as masters/owners of war captives; it is the state
that holds the prisoners of war whereby its subject will always be
masculine:
وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَٟتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَٟرِهِنَّ |
وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَـهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْـهَاۖ |
وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَـىٰ جُيُوبِـهِنَّۖ |
وَ لَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَـهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِـهِنَّ أَوْ
ءَابَآئِـهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِـهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآئِـهِنَّ
أَوْ أَبْنَآءِ بُعُولَتِـهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَٟنِـهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ
إِخْوَٟنِـهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ أَخَوَٟتِـهِنَّ |
-
And they should not cause their bosom to be noticed (by removing
unsown sheet)
—Except for their husbands
—Or before their fathers, or fathers
of their husbands
—Or before their sons or the sons of
their husbands from other wives
—Or before their brothers, or sons of their
brothers, or sons of their sisters
—
|
أَوِ ٱلتَّٟبِعِيـنَ غَيْـرِ أُو۟لِـى ٱلْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ ٱلـرِّجَالِ |
Here the
"possessing hands" are of believing women. Obviously the prisoners of war
are mentioned by reference to masculine subject. Such people are
affectionate masters of their subservient. Such affluent people are accordingly
commanded:
وَٱلصَّٟلِحِيـنَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَآئِكُـمْۚ |
إِن يَكُونُوا۟ فُقَرَآءَ يُغْنِـهِـمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦۗ |
-
Notwithstanding, they are
presently in state of dependency-poverty,
should Allah the Exalted so desire, He the Exalted would make them self-sufficient
by grants from His Bounty.
|
وَٱللَّهُ وَٟسِعٌ عَلِيـمٚ
٣٢ |
It
is thus manifestly evident that
فَتَيَٟتِكُـمْ
"your housemaids" cannot be considered captive women -
prisoners of war by any stretch of imagination. Thereby, all translation
saying so are erroneous and misleading.
6. The noun:
فَتَيَٟتِكُـمْ "your
housemaids" does not connote
slaves.
Slavery
since prehistoric times has been a social institution as involuntary
form of human servitude. The characteristics of slaves are that their
labour or services are obtained through force; they are regarded as the
property of another person, their owner; and that they are
entirely subject to their owner's will. Therefore they could be bought,
sold, traded, given as a gift, or pledged for a debt by their owner.
It is strange scholarship of exegetes who
overlooking the explicit explanation and specification of clause
(مَلَـكَـتْ
أَيْمَٟنُكُـم)
converted them to refer women who have been
made:
مَمْلُوكَة slaves. Slaves are
characterized:
وَمَن رَّزَقْنَٟهُ مِنَّا رِزْقٙا حَسَنٙا فَهُوَ يُنفِقُ مِنْهُ
سِرّٙا وَجَهْرٙاۖ |
The
Adjectival Phrase: عَبْدٙا
مَّمْلُوكٙا portrays all
the characteristics of a Slave. Yet there be a Man in still worse
circumstances.
ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلٙا رَّجُلٙا فِيهِ شُرَكَآءُ مُتَشَٟكِسُونَ |
وَرَجُلٙا سَلَمٙا
لِّرَجُلٍٛ |
هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلٙاۚ |
بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُـمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
٢٩ |
The
described: عَبْدٙا
is from Root:
ع ب د which
denotes a relational signification that can be translated
as absolute "servitude-allegiance-subject" in reference to his Master.
And passive participle renders his physical being, taken as thing, as
the property of his master. Such person when identified becomes:
ٱلْعَبْدُ
.
The free person and slave are characterized by
these words:
يَٟٓأَيُّـهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ |
كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُـمُ ٱلْقِصَاصُ
فِـى ٱلْقَتْلَـىۖ |
ٱلْحُرُّ بِالْحُرِّ وَٱلْعَبْدُ بِٱلْعَبْدِ وَٱلۡأُنثَىٰ
بِٱلۡأُنثَىٰۚ |
The contra
of slave is called:
ٱلْحُرُّ
that stem from Root:
ح ر ر which signifies
contra. of bondage - slavery - menial, and what is void
of defect, fault and deficiency and incompleteness. Interestingly it
also signifies heat.
The fundamental property and attribute of heat - thermal energy is it is
always on move. When
Mūsā [alai'his'slaam]
was sent as the Messenger, his nation was considered and being treated
as slave nation by Pharaoh and ruling elite:
فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَنُؤْمِنُ لِبَشَـرَيْنِ مِثْلِنَا |
Moreover,
Grand Qur’ān has no where employed this word فَتَيَٟتِكُـمْ for slaves; the word used six
times
in possessive phrases
as second element for slaves is: رَقَبَةٍۢ from Root:
ر ق ب. It is always used with such word that signifies freeing them.
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٛ أَن يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنٙا إِلَّا خَطَــٔٙاۚ |
وَمَن قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنٙا خَطَــٔٙا فَتَحْرِيرُ
رَقَبَةٛ مُّؤْمِنَةٛ |
وَدِيَةٚ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَـىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يَصَّدَّقُوا۟ۚ |
فَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٛ عَدُوّٛ لَّـكُـمْ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٚ فَتَحْرِيرُ
رَقَبَةٛ مُّؤْمِنَةٛۖ |
وَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٛ بَيْـنَكُـمْ وَبَيْـنَـهُـم مِّيثَٟقٚ فَدِيَةٚ
مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَـىٓ أَهْلِهِۦ وَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٛ
مُّؤْمِنَةٛۖ |
-
And if the
person murdered by mistake belonged to a nation-community with whom there is a mutual
treaty between you people and them: the obligation is to submit
redemption money
in full without deformity, what was
agreed is to be paid to his family. And to set
free a
believing
Bondwoman-Serf-Servant.
|
فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْـنِ تَوْبَةٙ
مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ |
وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيـمٙا حَكِيـمٙا
٩٢ |
The very
fact Arabs coined the word "رَقَبَة"
from Root:
ر ق ب to refer "slave" suffices that they employed them as domestic
servants. Ibn Faris stated (يدلّ
على انتصابٍ لمراعاةِ شيءٍ. من ذلك الرَّقِيب، وهو الحافِظ)
it leads to the perception of rising for deference, consideration
-watching of a thing; it signifies controller, supervisor, and he is
defender, custodian, preserver. It is interesting that for the predicate
of elided but understood subject (كَفَّٟرَتُهُۥ)
of nominal sentence is possessive phrase:
تَحْرِيرُ
رَقَبَةٛ
from the same
Root:
ح ر ر which is the source of:
ٱلْحُرُّ
a free man. It is important to
note that at all places the "slave" woman who is to be freed is
specified as staunch believer. The act of freeing slave is adjudged as
psychologically uphill decision:
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ
١٢ |
An excerpt
from the history of slavery from encyclopaedia Encarta: (quote)
"Islam, established in the 7th century, recognized the institution of
slavery from the beginning. The Prophet Muhammad urged his followers to
use slaves kindly, however, and on the whole slaves owned by Muslims
were comparatively well treated. Most were employed as domestic
servants." (Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2006. © 1993-2005 Microsoft
Corporation.).
The ninth time
mention again characterizes the objects of the verb as house servants and
serfs and clarifies that women had at their own free will desired to be
self-protected by becoming housemaids.
وَلْيَسْتَعْفِفِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ
نِكَاحًا حَتَّىٰ
يُغْنِيَـهُـمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦۗ |
-
Take note, those
people should retain their selves continent and virtuous, who find
not wedding opportunity, till such time Allah the Exalted might
make them Self-Sufficient out of His Bounty.
|
-
And regards those Men and Women, being in
circumstance that you have the authority for ordering and managing their affair-your House-Servants, who seek
the proclamation of independence-self governance
—
|
فَكَاتِبُوهُـمْ إِنْ عَلِمْتُـمْ فِيـهِـمْ خَيْـرٙاۖ |
-
Thereby on their
desiring, you the Guardians-House Masters, subject to having found
in them sustainable ability-betterment, are hereby commanded to afford them the
mutually agreed Written
Proclamation of freedom-self governance
—
|
وَءَاتُوهُـم مِّن مَّالِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَاتَىٰكُـمْۚ |
وَلَا تُكْرِهُوا۟ فَتَيَٟتِكُـمْ عَلَـى ٱلْبِغَآءِ إِنْ
أَرَدْنَ
تَحَصُّنٙا لِّتَبْتَغُوا۟ عَـرَضَ ٱلْحَـيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَاۚ |
-
Further, you people
should not compel your
House-Maids towards debauchery since they had willingly opted
subjugation-became servant for security of chastity,
with the intention
that you might obtain apparent gains of worldly life.
|
وَ مَن يُكْرِههُّنَّ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مِنۢ
بَعْدِ إِكْرَٟهِهِنَّ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيـمٌۭ ٣٣ |
-
Mind it, should
someone forcefully compels them, thereby, it is a fact that for all
that forcefully done in the state of their abhorrence, Allah the
Exalted is the Forgiving, the Merciful. [24:33]
[accountability is for acts done with will, not
for those got done forcefully by others for which they will be
responsible]
|
The object
of the verb:
أَرَدْنَ
"they
willingly decided" is verbal noun:
تَحَصُّنٙا
of Form-V
which has reflexive causative meanings.
The subject receives back
the impact of action.
It generally depicts such
actions where the subject honestly and sincerely tries to transform
himself, and performs that action diligently. It has transformative meanings, Noun-ized; make
oneself to be Noun.
The meanings of form V are simply the
meanings of form II plus the word "himself."
Once instead of general relative
pronoun:
مَا
plural
masculine relative pronoun:
ٱلَّذِينَ,
which is the subject of antecedent verb, is used for relative clause: مَلَـكَتْ
and becomes the referent for the elided object (عائد).
It includes both male and female domestic servants:
يَـٰٓأَيُّـهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ |
لِيَسْتَـْٔذِنكُـمُ ٱلَّذِينَ
مَلَـكَـتْ
أَيْمَـٰنُكُـمْ |
وَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَبْلُغُوا۟ ٱلْحُلُمَ مِنكُـمْ
ثَلَٟثَ مَرَّٟتٍۢۚ مِّن قَبْلِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلْفَجْرِ وَ حِيـنَ تَضَعُونَ
ثِيَابَكُـم مِّنَ ٱلظَّهِيـرَةِ وَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلْعِشَآءِۚ |
-
Likewise, those
amongst you-in household who have not yet crossed over to
puberty: age of experiencing wet dream
—This restriction are
for three points in
time—
These three periods
in time are: before performing the Protocol of Servitude and
allegiance of True Dawn to Sun Rise
—The second time is at Mid-day-Noon of Noon selected by you people for laying
of clothes [from your
back-lower area]
—And third is after
the Ass-sa'laat:
Protocol of Servitude and allegiance of darkened Night.
|
ثَلَٟثُ عَوْرَٟتٛ لَّـكُـمْ |
لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُـمْ وَلَا عَلَيْـهِـمْ جُنَاحُۢ بَعْدَهُنَّۚ
طَوَّٟفُونَ
عَلَيْكُـم بَعْضُكُـمْ عَلَـىٰ بَعْضٛۚ |
-
There is no harm and
constraint for you people and for them
[restrained to disturb privacy] after these three timings,
that they are
frequent visitors for you, some of you visiting others in the house.
|
كَذَٟلِكَ يُبَيِّـنُ ٱللَّهُ لَـكُـمُ ٱلۡءَاَيَـٰتِۗ |
وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيـمٌ حَكِيـمٚ
٥٨ |
Again
housemaids in the service and under patronage of distinguished wives of
the exalted Messenger are mentioned:
لَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْـهِنَّ فِـىٓ ءَابَآئِـهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبْنَآئِـهِنَّ
وَلَآ إِخْوَٟنِـهِنَّ |
-
There is
not at all annoyance-blame for them-the Wives of the Elevated Messenger
of Allah the Exalted with regard to entry in places of
their fathers, and that of their sons, and that of their brothers —
|
وَلَآ أَبْنَآءِ إِخْوَٟنِـهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبْنَآءِ أَخَوَٟتِـهِنَّ |
وَلَا نِسَآئِـهِنَّ وَلَا مَا مَلَـكَـتْ أَيْمَٟنُـهُنَّۗ |
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَـىٰ كُلِّ شَـىْءٛ
شَهِيدًا
٥٥ |
7. All
Women other than sanctified are made permissible (اِحْلاَلٌ)
only for rendering them:
ٱلْمُحْصَنَٟتُ
wedded,
pearls of household.
No woman by any nomenclature is permissible for debauchery and making
her concubine-mistress.
The frame of
mind is described as circumstantial condition while seeking women:
وَأُحِلَّ لَـكُـم مَّا وَرَاءَ ذَٟلـِكُـمْ |
The injunction
as to how they are to be treated after marriage reiterates reaffirming
(stated in 4:24) that women are not permissible for debauchery and
satisfaction of sex maniacs:
وَءَاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْـرُوفِ
مُحْصَنَٟتٍٛ غَيْـرَ
مُسَٟفِحَٟتٛ وَلَا مُتَّخِذَٟتِ أَخْدَانٛۚ |
The lesson to be
remembered is that
Women are declared permissible only for: النِّكَاحُ
matrimonial bond witnessed by society (فَٱنكِحُوا۟
فَٱنكِحُوهُنَّ ;
يَنكِحَ
;أَنْكِحُوا۟
) with additional condition that it should
be as
مُّحْصِنِيـنَ
Men who seek women for taking them in
protective fold of
Matrimonial Bond-النِّكَاحُ rendering them a pearl of household.
But the fact remains that
there are Men and Women who are:
مُسَٟفِحِيـنَ
and
مُسَٟفِحَٟتٛ
.
Both are masculine and feminine plural Active
Participles. Their parent Root is "س
ف ح". Ibn Faris [died 1005]
stated:
يدلُّ على إِراقة شيء
والسِّفاح: صبُّ الماء بلا عَقد نكاح، فهو كالشيء يُسفَح
ضَياعاThat,
it leads to the perception of spilling, shedding, effusion of a thing. It refers to a man or woman who outpours "water"-attains
ejaculation-orgasm without
having entered in the Matrimonial Bond-نكاح whereby his
and her act assumes the
character of wasteful effusion. It characterizes sex maniac.
Moreover there are Men
and Women who are:
مُتَّخِذِىٓ أَخْدَانٍۢ
and:
مُتَّخِذَٟتِ أَخْدَانٍ . The first
element of these Possessive
Phrases is Active Participle of Form-VIII denoting vehemence and
diligence in performing the act. The Phrase signifies those Men and
Women who maintain secretively illicit sexual relationship, acting as
concubine.
8. Erroneous inferences blatantly contrary to
divine injunctions drawn from replica Ayahs 23:05 and 70:29.
It has manifestly been laid
down that sexual relation between a man and woman can be developed only
after entering into mutually consented Marriage-Bond signified by verbal
noun: النِّكَاحُ (Root: ن
ك ح). This "Union-Bond" is termed: مِّيثَٟقًا غَلِيظٙا
an agreement duly ratified by society, the third party and witness of
mutual agreement. It grants permission, and renders sanctity of purity,
in establishing particular matrimonial relationship;
otherwise not permissible and is a grave sin described by Verbal Noun:
ٱلزِّنَـىٰٓ, if done by a man
and woman without the Union-Bond, punishable both in the world and
Hereafter.
It is
lamentable that despite such an elaborate, explicit and self exegetical
injunctions that even descriptively explain when, where, and how to
perform sex preliminaries and intercourse with wed wives, some imported
into Islam the dirty concept of free sex with prisoners of war and
slaves by erroneously interpreting and inferring from these two Ayahs.