Progressive_Islam

This could be anything for me is.

Jesus, why people considered him as god, who was on cross and what happened in resurrection?

What happened in 9/11?

Who was real terrorism and evil in this life according to Allah?

Why some Muslims countries have always problems like war, natural disasters and provoty in Africa.

My personal life.

FOR THE LOVE OF ALLAH Almighty, I’m tired of hearing it! Especially since it mostly comes from non-Muslims and uneducated, ignorant muslims.

Just the other day I came across a video about Nigerian Muslims celebrating the “Ojude Oba” festival (celebrated by the Yoruba people 3 days after Eid al-Adha) in their traditional clothing and music, and in the comments were mostly non-Muslims confused as to why it didn’t seem “Arab” enough.

“O mankind! We created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another.” (49:13)

“And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your languages and colors. Surely in this are signs for those who know.” (30:22)

The Prophet (SAW) used to wear Yemeni cloaks, Roman armor, Egyptian shawls, Persian garments, etc.

When he saw the Ethiopians playing with drums and spears outside the mosque, he held the chin of Aisha (RA) and said “let the Jews know there is leniency in our religion.” (Musnad Ahmad 24854)

We need to push against this narrative that western media propagates which is that Islam is tied to Arab culture. It does so much unimaginable harm. Islam was not just for the Arabs, but for all of mankind. A lot of people in my country are also leaving Islam because they view it as an imperialistic, Arab supremacist religion. Racism against Arabs is increasing so much in my country because of this, it’s sad.

Alhamdulillah however, all around the Muslim world there is diversity. Cultures and traditions have been long preserved since Islam came across countries in Central Asia, west Africa, Southeast Asia, china, east Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, etc.

Let’s keep it like that, how it’s been for centuries.

P.S: When I mean “Arab culture” I mean Saudi Arabian and Emirati culture. I’m aware Yemeni, Omani, Kuwaiti cultures are all vastly different from one another and such.

This guy simply has brought Muslims a long way and been successful in portraying a better picture of Islam and Muslims, on how it has always preferred for the wellness of the humanity, oh but yes the extremists who are the slaves to the capitalists wanna talk trash on him now, how absurd and stupid!

And where does this information come from?

Is it the Quran, or Hadiths?

As the title suggests, if you come across islamaphobia on the internet or in person, how do you respond to it?

Do you clap back at them, or just ignore them?

I honestly get disheartened everytime I see islamaphobia on the internet.

I know most are trolls who do it for engagement, while others are bots.

There's also been a study that showed negative news can shorten your lifespan 😭.

And I've also noticed reddit is the worst one, everyone outside of the Muslim subreddits are really racist and islamaphobic, it's so tiring to see.

I've been reflecting on verses in the Qur'an that seem tied to 7th-century Arabian society, like the one in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:282) where the testimony of two women is equated to one man in financial contracts.

Some scholars argue this was due to the context of the time—when women generally had less exposure to financial matters—not because women are inherently less reliable.

My question is: Can we understand verses like these as context-specific applications of broader, timeless values—like justice, fairness, and protection of rights—rather than fixed rules for all times?

Note: This post is not a call to reject hadīth literature in its entirety, but rather an invitation to approach it with critical scrutiny and historical awareness. I will present the views of both contemporary Islamic and academic scholars later. For now, the following points highlight serious concerns raised by respected Sunni voices regarding two of the most prominent hadīth compilers.

1. Imam al-Bukhārī Deleted and Altered Hadīths

The renowned Sunni hadīth scholar Shaykh al-Hadīth Habībullāh Dervī (d. 1428 AH) openly acknowledges that Imām al-Bukhārī made unjustified alterations to hadīth texts:

"Imām al-Bukhārīs deletion of Zayd ibn Thābit's narration and alteration of that hadīth was an unjustifiable action." (101)

2. Imam al-Bukhārī Deliberately Distorted Narrations

Shaykh Dervī further accuses Imām al-Bukhārī of manipulating the words of individuals he viewed as personal or theological opponents:

"Mā shā Allāh! Imām al-Bukhārī was very skilled at deleting and altering the statements of his rivals." (83)

3. Imam al-Tirmidhī Corrupted Doctrinal Foundations

According to Shaykh Dervī, Imām al-Tirmidhïs hadīth compilation had a corrupting influence on Sunni theology. He claims that respected Sunni scholars were misled or harmed through their reliance on al-Tirmidhï's work:

"Imām al-Tirmidhī corrupted the doctrines of Sunnī Imāms through his hadīths. This even resulted in a respected scholar such as Shaykh al-Aynī losing his reputation due to reliance on Imām al-Tirmidhīs 'şahīh' collection." (23)

4. Imam al-Bukhārī's Silence on the Accuracy of His Hadīth Recordings

The eminent Shāfiī muhaddith Imām al-Khațīb al-Baghdādī (d. 463 AH) narrates an incident in which Imām al-Bukhārī was questioned about the accuracy of his hadīth recordings. Al-Bukhārī boasted that he would only write down hadīths after traveling to another region to verify them. However, when asked directly whether he had written them down in full or accurately, he gave no answer:

"Al-Bukhārī said: 'There may be a hadīth I heard in Basrah but which I later wrote down in Syria; and there may be a hadīth I heard in Syria but which I later wrote down in Egypt.' He was asked: 'O Abū 'Abd Allāh, did you write the hadīths completely?' He remained silent."

5. Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalānī Reports al-Bukhārī's Uncertainty and Reliance on Memory

The great Shāfiī Sunni muhaddith and Shaykh al-Islām, Imām Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalānī (d. 852 AH), documents two more incidents that raise concerns about Imām al-Bukhārī's recording methods and his reliance on memory rather than immediate transcription. In the first report, the governor of Bukhara recounts a conversation with al-Bukhārī that mirrors the earlier incident noted by al-Khațīb al-Baghdādī:

“Muhammad ibn Ismāīl [al-Bukhārī] said to me: 'There may be a hadīth I heard in Başrah but which I later wrote down in Syria; and there may be a hadīth I heard in Syria but which I later wrote down in Egypt!' I asked him: 'O Abū 'Abd Allāh, did you write the hadīths completely?' He remained silent." (201)

In the second incident, a firsthand witness observed al-Bukhārī attending a scholarly gathering, listening to hadīths without writing anything down. When asked why, someone replied:

"When he [i.e. al-Bukhārī] returns to Bukhara, he'll write down from his memory what he heard!" (194)

6. Al-Bukhārī Reported Contradictory Versions of Hadīths Under a Single Isnād

Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalānī points out a strange and troubling habit in al-Bukhārīs methodology. He notes that al-Bukhārī would sometimes report two different versions of a hadīth under a single chain of narration (isnād):

“What is unusual about al-Bukhārī is that he would fully report the hadīth with a single isnad, but give two [different] versions [of that hadīth]!"

7. A Sunni Faqīh Warned That Reading Sahih al-Bukhārī Could Lead to Apostasy

A striking statement is reported by the eminent Sunni hadith master, Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalānī (d. 852 AH), in his historical chronicle Inba al-Ghumar. He records that a respected Hanafī jurist, Shaykh al-Multī al-Hanafī (d. 803 AH), issued a severe warning regarding Şahih al-Bukhārī.

"He [Shaykh al-Multī al-Hanafi] said: 'Whoever reads Şahih al-Bukhārī will become a heretic."

8. Sunni Ulema Accused Imām al-Bukhārī of Hadīth Corruption (Tadlīs)

One of the most serious charges against Imām al-Bukhārī comes from within the Sunni tradition itself. The eminent Sunni muhaddith and Shaykh al-Islām, Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalānī (d. 852 AH), documents in his work Tabaqāt al-Mudallisīn that another major hadith master, Imām Abū 'Abd Allāh ibn Mundah, explicitly accused al-Bukhārī of practicing tadlīs-a form of hadīth manipulation in which transmitters obscure or hide the actual source of a narration:

“Imām Abū 'Abd Allāh ibn Mundah accused Imām al-Bukhārī of tadlīs, saying: 'Imām al-Bukhārī would say "fulān (so-and-so) said this" and "fulān said that." This was tadlīs by Imām al-Bukhārī.' But Ibn Mundah didn't stop there. What's clear is that Imām al-Bukhārī himself admitted the following: he reported hadīths he did not personally hear; or hadīths he deemed didn't meet his personal criteria; or he narrated mawqūf reports (statements of Companions) as if they were marfű (Prophetic), saying 'he said to me' or 'they said to us'. I came to know this by reading his book."

9. More Sunni Scholars Accuse Imām al-Bukhārī of Hadīth Corruption Through Tadlīs

The accusations of hadīth manipulation against Imām al-Bukhārī were not isolated to Ibn Mundah. Another towering Sunni authority, the renowned muhaddith and historian Imām al-Dhahabī (d. 732 AH), also explicitly charged al-Bukhārī with committing tadlīs-the concealment of transmission gaps or the use of ambiguous phrasing that compromises isnād reliability.

In his biographical compendium Mīzān al-/tidāl, Imām al-Dhahabī states bluntly:

Imām al-Bukhārī frequently practiced tadlīs."

In another of his seminal works, Siyar A'lām al-Nubala, al-Dhahabī reaffirms this criticism, stating:

"No doubt, Imām al-Bukhārī narrated from him in his Şahīḥ. But he [i.e., al-Bukhārī] practiced tadlīs."

It is common to hear the claim that Şahīh al-Bukhārī is the most authentic book on earth after the Qur'ān, and that for it to contain even a single daïf (weak) hadīth is impossible. However, this perception will be challenged here. I will also cite academic scholarship to support the argument later. The case in question revolves around a narrator named 'Ikrimah. Many people assume that the primary reason for rejecting him is his affiliation with the Khārijite sect, but in reality, his weaknesses extend beyond that, particularly according to the principles of 'Ilm al-Rijāl as understood by scholars, including the Hanafīs. First, this 'Ikrimah is not the son of Abū Jahl, but rather the tābiī 'Ikrimah ibn 'Abd Allāh al-Madanī, who died in 105 AH. There are multiple defects attributed to him, which cast serious doubt on his reliability as a transmitter of hadīth:

1. Accusations of lying, reported by several contemporaries, including Ibn Sīrīn, Saīd ibn al-Musayyab, Saīd ibn Jubayr, and 'Alī, the son of Ibn 'Abbās.

2. He reportedly moved between royal households asking for money.

3. He was known to use coarse or indecent language.

4. He exhibited an obsessive tendency toward declaring others disbelievers (takfīr).

5. He was accused of harboring violent inclinations, including a willingness to kill fellow Muslims.

6. He reportedly did not perform prayers, as stated by his own student, Ayyūb al-Sakhtiyānī.

These are not minor criticisms, and his inclusion in Şahīh al-Bukhārī does not exempt him from scrutiny. Al-Bukhārī, while a towering scholar, was not infallible. Some reported details further illustrating his unreliability include:

1. He allegedly used vulgar terms like "shit" in response to questions about hadīth and legal matters-an unusual precedent among transmitters of knowledge.

2. Ibn 'Abbās reportedly called him khabīth (vile or corrupt), and it is confirmed that he propagated the Safarī branch of the Khārijites.

3. Imām Ahmad ibn Hanbal stated that 'Ikrimah used to frequent the courts of princes to ask for financial assistance and reaffirmed his sectarian affiliation.

4. Saīd ibn al-Musayyab is reported to have said that 'Ikrimah wanted to go on Hajj with a spear in hand to kill people around him. He also said that 'Ikrimah fabricated narrations in the name of Ibn 'Abbās.

5. 'Alī ibn 'Abd Allāh ibn 'Abbās also confirmed 'Ikrimah's tendency to fabricate narrations on behalf of his father.

6. Saīd ibn Jubayr similarly accused 'Ikrimah of fabrication. Both he and Saīd ibn al-Musayyab lived in the same region and time period as 'Ikrimah, so they were well acquainted with him.

7. Ibn Sīrīn called him a kadhdhāb (liar). Yahyā ibn Saīd also confirmed this accusation. Ibn Abī Dhib said, I saw 'Ikrimah, and he was not thiqah (trustworthy).

8. Imām Mālik explicitly rejected 'Ikrimah's narrations, stating it is impermissible to accept his hadīth. Mālik personally knew and saw him. Ahmad also described his narrations as mudțarib (inconsistent or contradictory).

9. Ayyūb confirmed that 'Ikrimah did not pray. Other accounts describe him as mentally deficient, a beggar, and someone who traveled to Samarkand to collect money from royalty.

10. 'Ikrimah himself admitted that he only accepted money from princes.

11. In one instance, he fabricated a story and attributed it to Ibn 'Abbās. When people admired the story, he reportedly confessed, "I made it up."

We have established that 'Ikrimah is a severely weak narrator, and the majority of scholars have cast doubt on his reliability. Despite this, Imām al-Bukhārī makes a questionable claim:

*"There is no one among our companions except that he uses 'Ikrimah as proof. Al-Nasāī said: He is trustworthy." (*Tahdhīb al-Kamāl fī Asmā al-Rijāl 20/289)

And, al-Bukhārī himself relies heavily on 'Ikrimah in his Şahīh. As noted:

"A group declared him trustworthy, and al-Bukhārī relied on him. As for Muslim, he avoided him and narrated from him only in conjunction with others. Mālik also avoided him and only narrated from him in one or two hadīths." (Mīzān al-Itidāl fī Naqd al-Rijāl 3/93)

Not only did al-Bukhārī overlook the overwhelming scholarly consensus on 'Ikrimah's weakness, but he also made an inaccurate generalization by claiming that "all" of his peers accepted 'Ikrimah as reliable when that is not the case.

BukhariGate Part 1: Sahih Bukhari is NOT so Sahih -Mufti Abu Layth | https://youtu.be/X6SfFYRljeY2kv93MLs8Nlaiwm6

BukhariGate Part 2: Sahih Bukhari is NOT so Sahih -Mufti Abu Layth | https://youtu.be/lijbMTxUEOw

Are Sahih Bukhari & Muslim 100% Authentic? Dr. Shabir Ally answers | https://youtu.be/-DB_mxLqLgc WEpqS0dLRUhM2OHU

Ending Over-Reliance on Hadith | Shaykh Atabek Shukurov | https://youtu.be/Mb2MOsjzetQ

The Rise of Hadith Forgery | Dr. Shabir Ally | https://youtu.be/7RnJ0iZZVYw iUnrPDNGYR6alIFS

Problems Arising from Weak or False Hadiths | Dr. Shabir Ally | https://youtu.be/bnCQqTVKvu0

Oxford Scholar Dr. Joshua Little Gives 21 REASONS Why Historians are SKEPTICAL of Hadith | https://youtu.be/Bz4vMUUxhagYtfYlwPIVSSoRXx3

21 Reasons Historians are Skeptical of Hadith (Review) | https://youtu.be/V511ekpifQ0

Dr. Jonathan AC Brown - Q&A: Is Sahih Bukhari 100% Correct? (Only 3-4 hadith are disputed) | https://youtu.be/m15MhaYuLEwRH2JG8EMal6k4M1W

Kitāb Tabaqāt al-Mu'tazila - https://archive.org/details/tabaqat-moatazila/page/n14/mode/1up

Some contradictions in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim refuting the baseless excuse by some scholars that no further work needs to be done on Hadith - https://asimiqbal2nd.wordpress.com/wp-content /uploads/2009/06/contradictions.pdf

A Collection of Scientific Criticism on Sahih al-Bukhari - https://www.diwan.com.af/en/a-collection-of -scientific-criticism-on-sahih-al-bukhari/

Criticism of Hadith - https://www.irfi.org/articles3/articles_4701_4800 /criticism%20of%20hadithhtml.htm

Appendix 19 by The Final Testament, by Rashad Khalifa, PhD https://www.masjidtucson.org/quran/appendices /appendix19.html

Hadith & Sunnah are satanic innovations that are not from the Prophet - https://www.masjidtucson.org/submission /perspectives/hadith/

STONING FOR ADULTERY: CONTRADICTIONS AND CONFUSIONS GALORE IN THE AHADITH - https://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_51_100 /stoning_for_adultery.htm

WHICH HADITH DO YOU BELIEVE? - https://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_151_200/which _hadith_do_you_believe.htm

52 Weak Ahadith https://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_251_300/52 weak_ahadith.htm

Research: 8000 Female Hadith Scholars - https://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_1051_1100 /research_8000_female_hadith_scholars.htm

Not Acting Upon a Hadith: Any Excuses? - https://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_1301_1350/not _acting_upon_a_hadith.htm

BUKHARI AND EARLY HADITH CRITICISM - https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE %7CA78131769&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r& linkaccess=abs&issn=00030279&p=AONE&sw=w& userGroupName=anon%7E69d46cb5&aty=open-web -entry

A Summary of Early Sunni Hadith Criticism - https://islamicorigins.com/a-summary-of-early -sunni-hadith-criticism/

How reliable are Hadith? Some are contradictory. - https://www.mohammedamin.com/Community _issues/How-reliable-are-hadith.html

Review of "A Textbook of Hadith Studies: Authenticity, Compilation, Classification and Criticism of Hadith" by Mohammad Hashim Kamali - https://www.mohammedamin.com/Reviews/A -Textbook-of-Hadith-Studies.html

Review of "Authentication of Hadith - Redefining the Criteria" by Israr Ahmad Khan - https://www.mohammedamin.com/Reviews /Authentication-of-Hadith-Redefining-the-Criteria .html

Hadith of 73 sects Analyzed by Shaykh Salah al-Din bin Ahmad al-Idlibi - https://primaquran.com/2024/01/12/hadith-of-73 -sects-analyzed-by-shaykh-salah-al-din-bin-ahmad-al -idlibi/

Shaykh Muhammad bin Yahya al-Husayni al-Ninowy: "Hadith on 73 sects is fabricated." - https://primaquran.com/2024/01/12/shaykh -muhammad-bin-yahya-al-husayni-al-ninowy-view-on-the-hadith-on-73-sects/

The Nature and Role of Hadith: An Analysis of a Re-evaluation - https://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_301_350 /nature_and_role_of_hadith.htm

"How can we be sure that we have the actual uttering of the Prophet?" Dr. Jonathan Brown responds.... "You can't!" - https://web.archive.org/web/20220627234848 /https://primaquran.com/2018/08/08/how-can-we -be-sure-that-we-have-the-actual-uttering-of-the -prophet-dr-jonathan-brown-responds-you-cant/

My position on the hadith - https://primaquran.com/my-position-on-the-hadith/

Does the Qur'an instruct us to disregard all hadith ? - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/05/does-the -quran-instruct-us-to-disregard-all-hadith/

Salafi Shaykh Nasiruddin al-Albani admits: Bukhari has weak hadith and mistakes! - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/05/salafi-shaykh -al-abani-admits-of-course-bukhari-has-weak-hadith -and-mistakes/

Sunni intellectual giant: Ibn Hajar Al Asqlani questions hadith about 90 foot tall Adam. - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/04/ibn-hajar-al -asqalani-questions-hadith-about-90-foot-tall-adam/

Textual Manipulation of Hadith To Advocate Prayer Positions. - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/04/textual -manipulation-of-hadith-to-advocate-prayer-positions/

Did Imam Al Bukhari reject 99% of the hadith he came into contact with? - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/04/did-imam -bukhari-reject-99-percent-of-the-hadith-that-he -came-into-contact-with/

Al-Daraqutni: The Sunni Imam who questioned Bukhari's collection https://web.archive.org/web/20210727062106 /https://primaquran.com/2017/11/08/al-daraqutni -the-sunni-imam-who-questioned-bukharis-collection/

Attacks upon Sahih hadith by Sufi Leaning Ashari Theologians - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/04/attacks-upon -sahih-hadith-by-ashari-theologians/

Hadith Narrators and Infallible Memories? - https://web.archive.org/web/20201031075402 /https://primaquran.com/2020/07/24/hadith -narrators-and-infallible-memories/

The man who could steal with ease....according to this hadith! - https://web.archive.org/web/20220628205457 /https://primaquran.com/2019/12/07/the-man-who -could-steal-with-ease-according-to-this-hadith/

The hadith of the 73 sects in light of the Qur'an. - https://primaquran.com/2024/01/12/hadith-of-the -73-sects-in-light-of-the-quran/

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf "We only have 500 hadith that are of the status of the Qur'an!" - https://web.archive.org/web/20220628213931 /https://primaquran.com/2016/12/29/shaykh -hamza-yusuf-we-only-have-500-hadith-that-are-of -the-status-of-the-quran/

Complete Salah (Prayer) based only on Sahih hadith impossible! - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/04/complete -salah-prayer-based-only-on-sahih-hadith-impossible/

A manuscript of the Musnad of Imam Rabe' bin Habeeb that was found. - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/04/a-manuscript-of-the-musnad-of-imam-rabe-bin-habeeb-that-was -found/

https://quranandbibleblog.com/new-page-hadith -database-problematic-ahadith-and-their-explanation/

Hi everyone, I have a question to ask Jews that believe Orthodox Judaism was true.

That now believe Islam is true?

What convinced you that Islam is true and that orthodox Judaism is false?

I ask because I’m thinking about converting to orthodox Judaism, but I’m also attracted to Islam.

There’s Jewish arguments that makes sense but there’s also Muslim arguments that makes a lot more sense especially the preservation of the Bible.

So may I ask what convinced you?

Please and thank you.

This seems to be getting worst.

The Aga Khan called it as Clash of Ignorance in Jul 03, 2008

https://the.akdn/en/resources-media/resources/speeches/dinner-hosted-his-highness-aga-khan-his-highness-the-aga-khan

https://x.com/sajjadkaswani/status/1940107831589679263

I've read about the kiling of this gay imam from numerous pages on Instagram, and I swear on Allah, all the comment sections were the exact same, infact they were worse!!

These people have no shame, they actually believe this was right and should be celebrated, no doubt Muslims are labed as terrorists all over the globe, such people prove it right.

Most people in France were cheering on the men, or saying that this woman deserved this, that anyways her hijab should be forbidden, that she should be happy because muslims are even more savage and agress daily french women (?).

Media are doing everything to dismiss it and say that she wasnt aggressed because of her hijab.

Are the disbelievers going to hellfire forever, and if so, wouldn’t this contradict Allah being All-Merciful?

Let’s be real, slavery has been around forever, way before Islam. Every civilization practiced it: Romans, Greeks, Persians, Africans, Indians, Chinese, Europeans—you name it. It wasn’t some rare exception, it was how the world worked for thousands of years.

So why did slavery even start? Simple: power, war, and economics. Tribes and nations that conquered others didn’t just walk away—they took people. Captives were turned into slaves, used for labor, sold in markets, or used as leverage. In most ancient societies, slaves were the backbone of the economy. They worked the fields, built cities, raised the homes of kings, and even fought wars. And if you couldn’t pay your debts, you could be enslaved too.

It was also a status symbol. The more slaves someone had, the more important they looked. This wasn’t unique to Arabia. Even philosophers and priests in ancient Greece and India owned slaves. So yeah, slavery was embedded deep into every society—socially, economically, and politically.

So when someone says “Islam allowed slavery,” they’re ignoring a massive historical fact: Islam didn’t create slavery, it walked into a world already running on it. And expecting 7th-century Arabia to suddenly abolish it, while the rest of the world wouldn’t do that for over a thousand more years, makes zero sense.

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Why Didn’t Islam Ban Slavery on Day One?

Because the world wasn’t ready. Back then, slaves weren’t just servants, they were the workforce. If Islam had abolished slavery overnight, millions of people—including the slaves themselves—would’ve been thrown into chaos with no income, no social safety nets, and no infrastructure to survive. Islam took a realistic, long-term approach: regulate first, then reform, then eliminate.

Also, let’s be honest, no other religion banned slavery in its scripture either. Not Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism—you name it. So expecting Islam to do something completely revolutionary in an era when humanity wasn’t ready is just applying double standards.

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Islam Encouraged Freeing Slaves, Not Owning Them

There isn’t a single verse or hadith that tells Muslims, “Go buy slaves.” Instead, the Quran and Sunnah are filled with reminders to free slaves, treat them like family, and respect their dignity.

“But he has not attempted the uphill path. And what will make you know what the uphill path is? It is the freeing of a slave.” (Qur’an 90:11–13)

Muslims were even told to educate their slaves, feed and clothe them the same way they did themselves, and give them the option of working to earn their freedom. That’s not something you do for someone you consider “property.”

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The Claim About Sex Slaves is a Total Misread

People love pulling out verses like 4:24 and saying, “Look, Islam allows rape of slaves.” But those verses talk about permitted sexual relationships, not abuse.

The Quran mentions “wives and those whom your right hands possess” in the same breath, putting both under a lawful category of intimacy. That doesn’t mean forced sex is okay. In fact, Islam forbids forcing anyone, even your own wife.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Do not force your women (wives) to have intercourse. That is not appropriate in Islam.” (Ibn Majah 1920 – Sahih)

If that’s the standard with wives, why would it be any different with slave women? Consent matters in both cases.

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Captured Women Were Protected, Not Abused

Another common myth is that Muslims raided villages, killed men, and took women as sex slaves. That’s not how Islamic warfare worked.

Captured women were only taken from the battlefield, meaning they were active participants or supporters in war. Not innocent bystanders.

Islam gave those women shelter, food, protection, and the chance to be freed or even married. The Prophet ﷺ himself married two such women, Safiyyah and Juwayriyyah, after freeing them. They weren’t kept as “sex objects”—they became respected wives.

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Old Tafsir Isn’t Divine Revelation

A lot of critics throw in ancient Islamic commentaries to justify slavery or mistreatment of captives. But tafsirs are not the Quran. They’re interpretations by scholars from specific times and places, and many of them were written when slavery was still globally accepted.

Islam didn’t freeze in the 9th century. The core ethics of the Quran always aimed to lift people out of oppression. If a tafsir goes against that, maybe it reflects the scholar’s era, not the eternal message of Islam.

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Islam Treated Rape as a Capital Crime

Let’s make this crystal clear: rape is a major crime in Islam, regardless of who the victim is.

A man once raped a woman during the Prophet’s time. The Prophet ﷺ had him executed, and declared the woman innocent. (Abu Dawood 4379 – Sahih)

That’s the ruling. Death. So if rape results in execution, how could Islam possibly allow it in the case of slaves? It can’t. And it didn’t.

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The Bottom Line

Islam didn’t promote slavery, it walked into a world that ran on it. But instead of accepting it blindly, Islam: • Never told believers to acquire slaves • Pushed for gradual freedom and reintegration of slaves into society • Ordered kind treatment, education, and marriage for slaves • Forbade forced sex, even in marriage • Punished rape harshly, regardless of the victim’s status • Encouraged emancipation as a spiritual virtue

So no, Islam didn’t allow rape. And no, it didn’t glorify slavery either. It regulated a broken system, cleaned it up, and started pushing humanity toward a more ethical direction—long before the rest of the world followed.

People quoting verses without understanding context, ethics, or legal rulings are just twisting things to fit their agenda. Read the full picture, not just one line.