The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 317
Women 317 Propagation of the Human Race through Marriage Again, the critic alleges that, according to the Qur'an, women are merely a means of sexual satisfaction and are like fields to be tilled. Just look how far this ill-thinking Hindu has gone in his malicious accusations, and how he fabricates words and ascribes them to the Holy Qur'an! To such a one we can only say: The curse of Allah be on the liars. What the Holy Qur'an has said is only that: نِسَاؤُكُمْ حَرْثٌ لَكُمْ فَأْتُوا حَرْثَكُمْ أَنَّى شِئْتُمْ 226 Your wives are your tilth for the purpose of procreation, so approach your tilth as you may desire, but keep in mind the requirements of tilth, that is, do not have union in any manner that might obstruct the birth of children. . . . Of course, if the wife is ill, and it is certain that preg- nancy would put her life in danger, or if there is some other valid reason, these will count as exceptions. Oth- erwise, it is strictly forbidden in the Shariah to obstruct the birth of children. Every sensible person can appreciate that a woman is de- scribed as tilth because children are born of her. One of the purposes of matrimony is that righteous servants of God may be born who remember Him. Another Divine purpose is that husband and wife may safeguard them- selves against illicit looks and conduct. There is a third purpose, which is that, because of their mutual attach- ment, they should spare themselves the pangs of loneli- ness. All these injunctions are present in the Holy Qur'an, we need not elaborate any further. [Chashma-e-Ma'rifat, Rūņānī Khazā'in, vol. 23, pp. 292-293] 226 Al-Baqarah, 2:224 [Publisher]