Through Force or Faith? — Page 293
Chapter 7 — Novelty in the Teachings of Muhammad 293 Kit a bun Nik a h, Chapter on the wedding feast [waleemah], Tradition No. 1898) Likewise the widows did not have the same status in Bible as the virgins. The priests were forbidden to marry the widows (Leviticus 12:24) and thus they were discriminated against. On the contrary, Islam has put great emphasis on marriage of widows: َو اوُحِكْنَا ىٰماَيَاْلا ْمُكْنِم And marry widows from among you ( S u rah an-N ū r, 24:33); And the Holy Prophet s as had married Khadija ra who was a widow and fifteen years senior in age ( S ī rat Ibn Hish ā m ). Prior to Islam women did not have the right to marry on their own. They were married wherever their guardians wanted. The Bible is replete with such examples where women were mar- ried without their consent; the father was allowed even to sell his daughter (Exodus 21:7–11), or to marry her with someone as a reward ( Judges 1:12; 1 Samuel 17:25), or to give away his daugh- ter as wages for his services (Geneses 29:15-20); obviously it was the father who took all the advantage, and there was nothing for the daughter. In contrast, the Holy Prophet s as made it essential to obtain consent of the bride for her marriage whether she was a virgin or widow or a divorcee. ( Bukh ā r ī , Kit a bun Nik a h, Chapter: The father or guardian cannot give a virgin or matron in marriage without her consent, Tradition No. 4741; Muslim, Kit a bun Nik a h, Chapter: Seeking permission of previously married woman by consent a virgin by silence,Tradition No. 2546; Bukh ā r ī , Kit a bun