Understanding Islam — Page 140
ARE WOMEN VIOLENTLY OPPRESSED IN ISLAM? 138 have left untranslated in the above quotation, as it has multiple meanings. Al-Mufrid ā t F ī Ghar ī bil Qur ā n by Im ā m R ā ghib is the most widely accepted, authentic dictionary of the Holy Quran, and under the root letters for nush ū z, it has the following entry: ; ُ < ُ = ْ ز ُ a ا + ْ ? َ ) ْ أ ۃ ِ a 0 َ A ْ B ُ C َ 5 a ز َ و ْ E َ C َ 5 a و َ a ر َ & ْ G ُ a ; َ H ْ ' ِ C َ 5 a I َ # ْ a J َ 5 I َ K ِ 4 ِ a و َ a I َ L ْ M ِ C َ 5 a I َ M ْ 4 a ا ِ + N ٰ a P َ L ْ ) ِ ہ Nush ū z by a woman means: (1) She holds a grudge against her husband, and (2) rebels against him, and (3) has an extra-marital relationship. In other words, there are three stages of nush ū z which correspond to the three avenues the husband can take in order to save his marriage: 1. At the first stage of nush ū z , he should advise and admonish. 2. At the second stage, he should temporarily cease sexual relationships with the wife. 3. At the final stage of the wife’s rebellion from the marriage where she intends to, or begins