The Qur'an and the Oppression of Women

The oppression of women in the Qur’an goes hand in hand with Muhammad’s enhanced status, as a prophet of the Arabs, and his newly-found financial independence.

For some fifteen years, the injunctions of the Qur’an remained silent on the issue of women. Muhammad was at the time in a monogamous marriage to Khadija, a wealthy woman some fifteen years his senior, who supported him financially for over two decades. The Qur’an alludes to Muhammad’s poverty in one of its earlier verses:

“And he found thee
In need, and made
Thee independent” 92:8

Muhammad, who married Khadija when he was twenty-five years old, was a bachelor for longer than was the tradition at the time probably because of his poverty. He is said to have been rejected as a suitor when he asked for the hand of his cousin Umm Hani.

As Muhammad became independent financially and was able to provide for himself and his wives in Medina, the Qur’an downgrades women to a lower status because “men support them from their means” and allows husbands to beat their wives.

4: 34“ Men are the protectors and maintainers of women,
Because Allah has given the one more(strength)
Than the other, and because they support them
From their means.

Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient,
And guard in (the husband’s ) absence
What Allah would have them guard.

As to those women on whose part ye fear
Disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first)
(Next), refuse to share their beds,
(And last) beat them (lightly);

But if they return to obedience,
Seek not against them means of (annoyance):
For Allah is Most High, Great (above you all) ”
Al-Nisaa or Women 4:34

It is no wonder that a tradition of Muhammad relays that he saw women being strung up by hooks thrust through their tongues by a demon. Their crimes were to mock their husbands and to leave their homes without their husbands’ permissions. [1]

Under such abominable conditions, can anyone in truth judge Muslim women for leaving their homes without their oppressors’ permissions?

sources;
[1] ) see 15th century Persian illustration of Muhammad and women in hell http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/islamic_mo_full/