Several years ago I was scheduled to debate Shabir Ally but the debate was abruptly canceled without explanation. Since then, I’ve made it clear several times that I was willing to debate him, but he never responded. Now we know why he has been ducking me: he knows what I say to be correct, and didn’t want to be put in the position of denying it in a debate.
Just as Shabir Ally says here, the Qur’an allows men to marry up to four wives, and have sex with slave girls also: “If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly, then only one, or one that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice” (Qur’an 4:3) The Qur’an teaches that Infidel women can be lawfully taken for sexual use (cf. its allowance for a man to take “captives of the right hand,” 4:3, 4:24, 23:1-6, 33:50, 70:30). The Qur’an says: “O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” (33:59) The implication there is that if women do not cover themselves adequately with their outer garments, they may be abused, and that such abuse would be justified.
Also, a Muslim wife may not refuse sex. A hadith depicts Muhammad saying: “If a husband calls his wife to his bed [i.e. to have sexual relation] and she refuses and causes him to sleep in anger, the angels will curse her till morning” (Bukhari 4.54.460).
And: “By him in Whose Hand lies my life, a woman can not carry out the right of her Lord, till she carries out the right of her husband. And if he asks her to surrender herself [to him for sexual intercourse] she should not refuse him even if she is on a camel’s saddle” (Ibn Majah 1854).
“‘No role of consent in marriage and slavery’: Video of Canadian Islamic cleric Shabir Ally justifying marital rape, sex slavery in Islam goes viral,” OpIndia, August 30, 2020:
In a video that has now gone viral on social media, a Muslim cleric in Canada can be seen justifying ‘marital rape’ in the context of Islam. The cleric is Shabir Ally, a Canada-based Islamic scholar and Imam.
Although the contentious video titled, ‘The Historical Roots of Female Slavery’ dates back to September 2016, it was recently shared on social media by the Twitter handle named ‘Ex-Muslims of North America.’ In the said video, Shabbir Ally discussed at length about ‘women’s right to consent in marriage’, ‘sex slavery in Islam’, and the implication of religious beliefs in ISIS.
There is no ‘consent’ in Islamic marriages, claimed Shabir Ally
In one such clip shared on Twitter, the Islamic scholar reflected on the idea of ‘feminism’. Citing the teachings in Islam, Shabir Ally said, “The woman’s main responsibility in a marriage is to fulfil the sexual needs of her husband. And for that reason the husband has the right and claim to this (referring to sexual intercourse). And she cannot refuse.” Through this claim, he demolished the concept of ‘consent’ in Islamic marriages.
Marital rape is ‘permissible’ though not ideal
Further, he cited interpreters of the Quran to suggest that even ‘marital rape’ is justified in the light of Islam. Ally stated, “Some speak of the possibility that the man can force himself onto his wife. And she cannot refuse because that is his ‘right’.” He then tried to ‘trivialise’ it by claiming that ‘marital rape’ is not an ‘ideal situation’ but then added that it is the duty of the woman to be ‘co-operative’ under all circumstances.
“When her husband calls her for that particular action, she should be ready and willing to engage,” Ally emphasised. He added that Prophet Muhammad has said that Allah watches the actions of the men when they have the ‘power over the women.’ In a shocking display of vicious indoctrination, Ally claimed, “The women are with them like slaves.”
Shabir Ally explains the significance of sex slaves’ in Islam
In another snippet of the same video, the Islamic preacher talked about the Islamic view on concubines (mistresses). He said, “A Muslim man can have up to four wives at once, in addition to the four wives, he can have an unlimited number of concubines which basically refers to women with slave status.”
“A woman-owned by her master has to freely give herself to the master. The master has the right to have sexual relations with her as though she were one of his wives,” he continued. When the show host Aisha Khaja asked Ally about the role of ‘consent’, the Islamic scholar dismissed it altogether.
He said, “The understanding is that by virtue of the fact that she’s owned, she does not have the right to consent or to withhold herself from her master.” Shabir Ally emphasised, “The master has the full right over her and her consent does not play anything in this relationship.”
Shabir Ally explains the rationale behind ISIS sex slaves
Towards the end of the video, Shabir Ally opined that several ‘respected’ Islamic scholars believe in the 21st century that the tradition of ‘sex slavery’ should have continued and it is a ‘divine’ right. “Theoretically, it is still applicable and they state so in clear terms. If there is a war between Muslims and non-Muslims today and the Muslims capture the non-Muslim women, then they will be made slaves. And the men will have the right to sexual congress with them.”…