Idiot's Guide to Islam: Women

Today I seemed to come back with a lot of pictures of women. I have questions still, but I got a hold of my CHUmate's "Idiots Guide to Understanding Islam." As I skimmed through I found a couple interesting things to note. As well I felt there was a promotional tone in the writing as I got the sense that the author was an authority from within Islam. Indeed the book, with the orange trim cover like other Idiot's Guide books, is written by Yahiya Emerick an American professor who has converted to Islam.

I did get a few trivia nuggets: A Harem actually means the part of the house "where women can be assured of privacy." Arranged marriages are not required by Islam, rather it's a cultural tradition that exists in many Muslim and non-Muslim countries.

According to Emerick, female circumcision, which occurs for the most part in regions of Africa is a "pre-Islamic cultural relic that Christians Muslims and animists engage in equally."

As well the perception that women have half the worth of men comes from a verse in the Quran that says a woman should conduct no business with a man without a second woman present to function as a witness so that she (woman 2) "can remind (woman 1) details in a court situation." That's what it says.

Wife Abuse: The more I read, the more I detect proselytising intent and bias. The author contends that spouse abuse against females is a world-wide issue and not just a problem in Islam. That is certainly the case. Then he gives a quote from the Quran that says to "slap" your wife when she misbehaves. Then in his own words says this is just misunderstood scripture since women are good 99 percent of the time. Yikes.

In conclusion, I think this book sucks. The author, if he has a point to make, fails terribly. Perhaps it truly is an Idiot's guide.

In any case, my pictures are from a rainy day trip 30 minutes out and 30 back. What you see is not uncommon at all here in central-south-east Iraq.