What is Right Hand Possession or Maa Malakat Ayimanukum in Quran? Wanton Practices That Apostles And Reformers Wanted Changed Were Considered Confronting Paradigms By Practitioners
By
Rashid Samnakay, New Age Islam
3 July 2021
The
Scripture Quran In No Uncertain Terms Forbids A Human Being From Imposing
Itself As Maula- Master Over Another Human Being, Male Or Female
Main
Points:
1. Sexual
Relation is strictly restricted within conjugal Marriage with ONE spouse at a
time, without exemption.
2. Slavery,
captivity of both male and female, to serve the owners multiple purposes has
been an established practice since time immemorial.
3. The meaning
for “your right hand possess” is etched in concrete as 'your property that you
posses'.
4. Extra
marital relationship is forbidden.
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Entrenched
and Wanton practices of society, when challenged by Reformers are universally
opposed since large sections of that society consider them as privileges which
were handed down to them by their forefathers; as they were then in vogue. This
is often pointed out in Quran Eg.7:28 etc. Consequently this mindset has been
the bane of Reformers through the ages who attempted to bring paradigm shifts
in their own society's behaviour for the better.
For
example, Slavery, captivity of both male and female, to serve the owners
multiple purposes has been an established practice since time immemorial, and
slaves are and were from ancient times, considered as mere 'property objects'.
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A subset
within those services from captives has been the use of female slaves by male
owners as concubines and sexual objects to be used for gratification without
any moral and ethical qualms. This was the case in most of the civilised
societies of the past too.
To abolish
the sordid, immoral and inhumane practice, attempts have been made throughout
human history, even by ordinary well meaning Reformers. Nevertheless slavery
has always bounced back in all its ancient meaning and forms.
Among
Muslims, sexual servitude obtained from females and to be availed freely, uses Maa
Malakat Ayimanukum – a phrase often repeated in the Scripture Quran as
being the justification for it. It has been debated for and against for
centuries, and now on this forum, in excellent articles and penetrating
comments and questions.
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Also Read: The Law on Adultery in the Quran
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But the
entrenched and ancient mindset that gives the meaning for “your right hand
possess” is etched in concrete as 'your property that you posses', and so
refuses to go away from the human vocabulary that it is belief of the so called
learned Believers; as is the case in most of the world Religions too.
Since most
of mankind is Right-handed, so much so that in some cultures writing or eating
with Left hand is considered wrong; the phrase Right-hand denotes the written,
signed and sealed agreement between the parties and NOT a property title deed!
Sexual
gratification is considered as an integral part and even a “must” of marriage
agreement and so the male in particular has assumed the Right to demand it.
This notion is so strong that, it is facilitated and resorted to polygamous
marital relationship among Muslims; hence the extension to four wives, caped by
slaves and captive females as property for the gratification of an Animal
instinct.
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Also Read: Should
Muslims Be Following A Sharia Which Promotes Religious And Sexual
Discrimination?
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However an
overall review of the entire subject of marriage and Sexuality, in the text and
context of the Scripture Quran, whether in and out of the marital sphere; in
the right frame of mind, demonstrates that like many other commands, this reference
in the Book to Right Hand Possession of property is given a paradigm change
from its ancient and general meaning and contrarily places an extra burden on
the wealthy and well-to-do Believers to undertake protective responsibilities
towards the less fortunate such as widows, war prisoners and slaves. But for
pragmatic purposes it limits the maximum dependents taken under care to four
only, including the first as a married wife. This quantum 'four' by no stretch
of imagination means four wives!
The nexus
of sexual service from females, as purported by the learned people, mainly
males, is that hand-me-down mindset established for self-serving male sexuality
and supremacy through history. One example is of the phrase in the Book; Ar-Rijaalu
Qawwamuna a'lal Nisa...:4-34: Men are maintainers of women...taken as
blanket coverage of male rights over female, as the word Qawwamuna,
derivative of Qaim is given the meaning of “male establishment over
female” as an authority. Yet the whole context throws a complete opposite idea
with the command of extra responsibility placed on males for equitable
protection of females to compensate for their natural, physical, biological and
economic weakness and not as an extra privilege and perk for sexual
gratification.
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Also Read: Why Is Liwat
(Sodomy) So Horrifying?
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Thus the
Right hand Possession for sexual gratification taken by males from females is
the exercise of male power as any reference to male-female relationship in most
Religions and cultures cannot be imagined without sexual connotations.
This extra
marital relationship is forbidden. And placed by the Book strictly in the
marriage-bed and that too with only one spouse from the choice of four under
one's care. The Malakat Ayimanukum is not a sugar and cream coating over
and above the polygamous marriage of four wives that is promoted falsely in
Religions and Muslim practices universally. A comedian recently coined an apt
phrase for this practice humorously by saying “ Aik Haath Ki Chaar Ungliyan
Aor Aik Anguttha”! Here the Angutha/Thumb reference is noteworthy!
Marriage- Nikah
and Malakat Ayimanukum – Right Hand Possession are two different and
distinct packages; one of conjugal marriage and the other of societal
obligations under emergency conditions and have a strong moral protective and
economic basis for mankind as a whole.
The Nikah/
Marriage, unfortunately has always been given the exclusive meaning, from
ancient times, to mean primarily the Right to sexual relationship and for its animal
gratification, and also for the purposes of procreation as its important
function, as a male Right to satisfy this instinct. Whereas in Human
intelligent terms it is to be considered thoughtfully for mutual benefit.
The
monogamy and protective responsibility of a man and Leader is demonstrated by
the Apostle Muhammad's conjugal marriages to two different women, years apart,
and the birth of his children from those two only; in spite of the many “Wives”
and concubines, young and old, allotted to him as his “possession” of many
females.
Please see:
The issue
of Slavery as understood generally is closely tied up with this subject and any
justification given for its practice today is slanderous, immoral and inhumane,
irrespective of ancient practices of forefathers.
Further
segmentation of gender within it takes it beyond the pale of human 'reasoning';
particularly in this day and age of enlightenment.
And
further, the Scripture Quran in no uncertain terms forbids a human being from
imposing itself as Maula- Master over another human being, male or female. That
title is strictly the prerogative of the Creator of the Universe 6-62, 10-30
etc.
To conclude
therefore:
I) Sexual Relation
is strictly restricted within conjugal Marriage with ONE spouse at a time,
without exemption ... ii) Possession of Humans as Slaves/Property by other
humans is forbidden. and...iii) Therefore the two, three or four refers to the
maximum limit of three extra dependent females taken under man's capable
protection, without the conjugal rights.
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A
regular contributor to NewAgeIslam.com, Rashid Samnakay is a (Retd.) Engineer
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