Men have authority over women because God.....

The bible did put it that way. In the old testament, Hebrew. My opinion is to follow the word of God no matter how much people disagree or times change. His word is everlasting and true.

r u muslim? I think some rule is there in all religions about this....but this rules can be followed in ideal case only...if ur hubby is drinking and beating u...how can anybody follow such rules.... some rues shud be there in life to live ife happily

My oppinion is that we are all created equal and the man should not have authority over women. But you can also find this sort of suggestion that the male should have authority over his wife in the Bible. I read up about it and this is because around the time the Bible was written, there was a concept they now call Federal Headship. This is the idea that the male represents his descendants. I'm a Christian but I chose not to hold this idea, I don't believe men should have any written authority over the female, but rather we respect each other as necissary. But there are males and females alike from different religions that still hold the idea.

Lets just say that my point of view is about 90 degrees off from there. I believe we are equals and that means a good solid friendship. I don't think one should be subservient to the other. Just not the way I was raised.

Hello Coffeechat.Are you still there.? I hope so. The conversation is old but I wish to add: That I think it is very important that God in His Word explicitly tell us that we are all equal. That men and women are equally gifted, that boys and girls should not be separated at schools, They have equally valuable capacities , skills and rights, although they mostly produce different things. That difference will also be diminished when tools are given to women to do hard work, needing much muscular powers. If God Himself doesn't take this up, (I believe He has) there will be disputes, which doesn't lead anywhere. People will refer to this and that quote from their own writings and many will get so frustrated, because in their own writings contary information is written, often thousands of years ago. I was so happy to find this principle in the Bahai Writings." There must be equality between men and women" Mankind is like unto a bird, one wing is woman, the other wing man. Both must be equally strong, otherwise mankind cannot fly" Bahai Writings When I found it I could cope with all the injustice that has been done to women by the patriarcs of old and their followers. And I can forgive. Thank you. Lailamaria

I am Christian and God orders us to submit to our husbands as man submits to God. Husbands are ordered to love thier wives as Christ loved the church. I don't know how I would feel if I was Islamic. Are Islamic women aloud to work? I have provided much for my husband and my family financially.

Actually to understand Quran on women issues you have to understand why it was written so. I am not a muslim but I have read quraan and to understand this verse you have to read it in full. "Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more strength than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient and guard in the husband's absence what Allah would have them to guard. As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next), refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them means (of annoyance); for Allah is most High and Great (above you all). If you fear a breach between them twain, appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family and the other from hers. If they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation; for Allah has full knowledge and is acquainted with all things." Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more strength than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient and guard in the husband's absence what Allah would have them to guard. As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next), refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them means (of annoyance); for Allah is most High and Great (above you all). If you fear a breach between them twain, appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family and the other from hers. If they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation; for Allah has full knowledge and is acquainted with all things. The rules for the above ayaah in Surah An Nisa are: The husband has to first show his discontent verbally, then by refusing to share the bed, and if she STILL doesn't get it after all that, he can take a piece of light bark (miswaak) that is toothbrush sized (used to clean the teeth actually) and tap her on the HAND. That's it, anything more than that is HARAM. It is important to read the section fully. One should not take part of the verse and use it to justify one's own misconduct. THIA VERSE NEITHER PERMITS VOILENCE NOR CONDONES IT. It ACTS AS A GUIDE to ways to handle delicate family situation with care and wisdom Generally, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to discourage his followers from taking even this measure. He never hit any female, and he used to say that the best of men are those who do not hit their wives. In one hadith he expressed his extreme repulsion from this behavior and said, "How does anyone of you beat his wife as he beats the stallion camel and then embrace (sleep with) her?" (Al-Bukhari, English Translation, vol. 8, Hadith 68, pp. 42-43) It is also important to note that even this "light strike" mentioned in the verse is not to be used to correct some minor problem, but it is permissible to resort to only in a situation of some serious moral misconduct when admonishing the wife fails, and avoiding from sleeping with her would not help. If this disciplinary action can correct a situation and save the marriage, then one should use it . Dr. Jamal Badawi, professor at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and a cross-appointed faculty member in the Departments of Religious Studies and Management, has analysed his verse as: "If the problem relates to the wife's behavior, the husband may exhort her and appeal for reason. In most cases, this measure is likely to be sufficient. In cases where the problem persists, the husband may express his displeasure in another peaceful manner, by sleeping in a separate bed from hers. There are cases, however, in which a wife persists in bad habits and showing contempt of her husband and disregard for her marital obligations. Instead of divorce, the husband may resort to another measure that may save the marriage, at least in some cases. Such a measure is more accurately described as a gentle tap on the body, but never on the face, making it more of a symbolic measure than a punitive one." Islaam actually favors equality of men and women. You can not misquote it like this. Read other verse on women and their rights at this site: http://www.hashmitrust.com/htm/women&quran.htm

No this is not true as per Islam females are mere things thats why this came to ur mind..... well other religions give equal liberty to fems... Both are the wheels of life dear. Equality should be there.

Well, i guess that i could agree to a point. I only mean that i think that it is obedient in a way to have supper ready for him and take care of the house and such! I think that the woman would be considered the frame of the house and the man is what holds it all together! I guess that i am not really obedient myself but if i am treated right then i will take care of him to the fullest if you could consider this to be obedient!!

While this may be the Islamic view it is not at all shared by many other cultures and beliefs. Most assuredly not the christen view. While it use to be a fairly widely held view point it was mostly mens viewpoint and women baught into it because they had little choice. They were raised by men and women who beleived this to be true so of course that is what they beleived. They were stay at home moms and thier only means of support was the man they could marry. That has long sense past.....for the good or bad.....now woman in most countries are more than capabile of sistaining themselves and are not so reliant on men. And under the eyes of god neither are truly meant to have authority over the other as this is a belief concocted by humans. And of course it benefits men so some insist on it.

well the answer is easy: any ideology or religion/creed that defends inferiority of any race or gender is despisable on itself. I am not an expert on islam, but i believe that the Qoran doesn't say that men are superior to women, it's the interpretation some freaks do of it that makes women to be subdued. Besides, many of you keep on making the same mistake: RELIGIOUS BOOKS CANNOT BE TAKEN LITERALLY. They were written centuries ago, when perhaps it was accepted that women were inferior, or that if u looked at me and i didn't like it i could kill you. It is the spirit of those books what must remain, not customs that belong to past times.

That is only I think one side of the story. This is talking about the right government as far as man and woman in the marriage. To have peace and harmony in marriage, a right governmental structure should be established. It is just like in a corporation -- everybody could not be President or Manager, one has to be the head, to have two heads is not acceptable. However, having said that, MAN must have the burden of making he is responsible and loving to his wife. Obedience can only succeed if the leader is a good leader. Marriage is a two-way traffic. Both has to do their resposibilities to make it successful and lasting.

I have reported you for your hatred ........ Man and women both have equal rights in Islam in numbers but the nature is different like man is responsible for the wealth so the women for the household and children while man is responsible for security so the women is the responsible for childrens basic education and there are several things which make this relation more strong and more adorable unlike yours which have no roots no respect no system ..........only FREEDOM

I don't believe that man is superior to woman. I'm Catholic and I believe that God created man and woman to complement each other, not to dominate one another.