This has to be said. I don't dislike Muslims, but I really, really dislike Islam

The reason I want to focus on today is the level of misogyny in the religion.

Now I'm not a feminist (the modern feminists really get on my nerves) but this has to be said, Islam is a religion that treats women like trash and I don't know why any woman would willingly remain a Muslim, or married to a Muslim.

Here's a short excerpt from a speech by our president here in Nigeria, who can barely speak coherent English with his thick Northern Nigerian accent. The Northern part of the country is plagued by illiteracy, Islam, Islamic terrorism, sharia law, a caste system, and so much more. He's one of the few that managed to make it up the ranks by enlisting in the military.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3aWWpG-ISU]
I think this is the mindset of any typical Muslim man. I can't believe the PRESIDENT would say this in the presence of Angela Merkel, who is a WOMAN, and also a leader of her country.

I also have to add that from personal experience, all the married Muslim men I've met (with the exception of one, but then they're a young couple) have serious marital problems. I don't expect any less from a religion where men are allowed to beat their wives if they 'misbehave'. I know of a father that forced his daughter to go to Arabic school instead of having a normal education- and that made his wife divorce him. Thank goodness it didn't happen in the North. She'd probably have been whipped by the Sharia police publicly and forced to go back to her husband.

I wish all those annoying feminists would go after Muslims, and focus less on causing trouble in developed societies where women's rights are actually recognised.

Sorry (but not sorry, really) if you're offended by this but its what I perceive to be true from first hand experience.

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Miram · 31-35, F

Not offending, I just think it's rather naive.

I grew up in Algeria, your neighbor, and if you know anything about it, you would know about the war in 90s.

I am an ex muslim, now outside of Africa.

I am also a feminist supporting feminists in Arab countries through both, political activism and financial support.

The false seperation between western feminsm and feminsm in Africa only exists in your head. We are trained and encouraged by westerners. It all started through workshops organized by foreign universities and female students who were educated abroad, some at the hands of more experienced women rights activists. There are also homes built in North Africa for women who need shelters from abuse and violence.

That aside, it's our responsibility, African women and men to lead the change not outsiders. They can only help. They should prioritize their own countries.

Why are some women still Muslims despite the misogyny? They see their religion differently, some because of fear. It doesn't matter when it's a choice.

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Miram · 31-35, F

@rickfreeman15 I called it remote because it's far from the north. Don't take it personally.
Do you expect western feminists to reach your country knowing they have only been around north Africa in a decade? It's not that easy. And yes, the conditions there don't help yet. Half of your country is unstable, the rest is questionable. And you have that president which you do seem to dislike. How are westerners supposed to establish influence there when you can't even run your own territory?
It's easy to blame other people and hold them responsible.

[quote]And yes, its working. Without specifically mentioning egalitarianism or feminism, Nigerian media (well, in the south) is successfully empowering both men and women to see that they don't exist to serve specific, laid out purposes for the other gender. More women have careers now. There are women in politics, and by next year we might see the first female governor of a state. [/quote]

I am reading into articles now and it seems there are feminist organizations, national. You attribute progress to your own preferences in presence of other factors. It's inconsistent to claim there are problems that need tending to, only to switch to claiming things are good and well.

I am still waiting for your answer 😕

rickfreeman15 · 22-25, M

@Miram Half is unstable, I agree. But apart from the oil producing states, there's nothing questionable about the rest. You ignorantly claimed that a foreigner can't come anywhere here without getting kidnapped, and after educating you could just admit you were wrong. Also, let me make it clear that I NEVER blamed anyone for any problems we might face here in Nigeria, I don't know where you got that from. I said feminists are NEEDED in backwards, Muslim communities, and not in the West. You cab reread the opening post if you misunderstood anything.

Also, because things are improving doesn't mean there are no problems. I don't see how hard it is to understand that. Progress is being made but the problems of some of the traditional gender roles haven't been resolved completely.

What am I doing? In places where I work, and on campus (I'm still an undergraduate) I challenge the outdated way of thinking. I discuss about these topics on Nigerian forums. You don't expect me to leave my job and wave banners on the street. I sign petitions like the ones created by the BBOG movement which is mounting pressure on the government to rescue the girls abducted by Boko Haram, and advocates for more emphasis on girl-child education in the North. I do the best I can by engaging in one on one discussions with people.

I'm not going to talk about this anymore, because this post was specifically about ISLAM and WOMEN. This discussion on feminism has dragged on too long.

Miram · 31-35, F

My claims would be based on ignorance if I wasn't following valid sources.

I never said westerners can't be there without being kidnapped, but the chances of that happening are extremely high hence the current security alerts.

Blame is in misplacing responsibility.

I think those are all great efforts. I know i have been bit harsh on you and I can see it irritates you.
I apologize for that.

I personally prefer focusing on women's rights in Islamic contexts. You can take it as you please but I don't care one bit about men's rights there (Algeria, Tunisia, Morroco, Saudi Arabia..) except for the obligatory military service. Why? Because they already have their rights and you can't focus on EVERYTHING alone.

I see organisations as complimentary, there are HO that focus on the other aspects.

Even free activists like you, they aren't moving towards different goals. It's the same, a better country and more freedoms for all.

------

My shift starts now but I will comeback in my break to post about Islam and women instead of feminism. Don't block me yet 😏

Miram · 31-35, F

[quote]Islam is a religion that treats women like trash and I don't know why any woman would willingly remain a Muslim, or married to a Muslim.[/quote]

The quran can be interpreted in various ways, you already know that I guess.

In your argument with Ahmed, you opted for the literal definition of the word "اضربوهن" in the quranic verse instructing husbands how to treat wives that reject them (so did I).
I encountered variations, the last one I remember was written by the scholar Mohamed Abduh. According to him it should be done with a straw, not extreme , avoids the face and doesn't leave any marks. So translations made later on used that definition of the word instead.

Now the interpretation should always take into account the historical context of the verse, right? That's where the problem starts. Some of the events confirm the violent nature of the teachings. They are often ignored or suppressed by the scholars. The verse you questioned for instance was revealed when a woman was [b]punched in the stomach[/b] by her husband. She went to complain to the prophet. He initially told her father to hit her husband the same way. But then Gabriel came with that verse and the prophet changed his mind.

Many Muslims, women and men, have to ignore the information in order to normalize the teachings, most of them actually don't even know the context, they aren't aware of the contradictions in the approaches used for the interpretations. They know what they are told. They are selective in their beliefs due to the cognitive bias or prior indoctrination.
That and the Hadiths promising women of a happy ever after later on if they obey their husbands and be patient. It's an opiate.
Also poor education coupled with fear of shunning and becoming an outcast. Feeling the life style is not problematic, many women seem to prefer being dependent and being treated like that as rude as it sounds.

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rickfreeman15 · 22-25, M

@SirAhmed I don't know why it hurts you so much that I'm saying the truth, when I LIVE in a country where I SEE DAILY what Muslims do. You keep BLABBING that I know nothing. Guess the truth really hurts, huh? Would you even believe me if I NARRATED all the horrible things done by Muslim men in the name of religion? Probably not. As far as you're concerned I'm just an infidel that deserves to be beheaded. A kafir.

SirAhmed · 31-35, M

@rickfreeman15 I don’t think you should be beheaded because you’re infidal. I think you should be penetrated for be an ignorant moron. I do live In a Muslim Christians Jewish country. And you can find a lot of Christians Nigirians works and lives here. If we’re that horrible why we did behead them ? Why we didn’t kick them out ? P.S do you know how many Muslim have been killed in Middle Africa. Especially Nigeria ? Nope because you’re an ignorant and you’re so damn labeled

rickfreeman15 · 22-25, M

@SirAhmed the fact that there are some moderate Muslims who cherry pick what and what to obey in the Quran doesn't mean there aren't those who absorb everything and kill others for it. I live in a country with LOTS of Muslims as well and I'm recounting my own first hand experience. Instead of addressing the points one by one, you want to get violent. And the fact that Muslim groups don't openly speak out against terrorism means they tacitly support it. The apex Muslim group here, MURIC, marches and protests against petty things like hijabs and cartoons, and even get violent, but will NEVER organise similar 'one million man marches' against terrorism. I'm not even talking about terrorism here, I'm talking about women. How can a president dismiss his wife's opinion and tell her she belongs in the kitchen? Why are all the Muslim men (with the exception of one) I've met horrible to their wives? Almost turning them to slaves? The sharia police system in the North is worse than ever. Why is Northern Nigeria a shadow of what it used to be since the arrival of Islam? Maybe you can tell people from the West that they're just ignorant and listen to the media but I LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS SHIT and can see what Islam does for myself. And all I've seen is negative.

SW-User

Oh boy. This is bound to promote a lot of offended thoughts. I don't hate those who are Islamic but even so...I feel what I feel about their religion. I will always give my due respects.