Loyal readers of my blog know very well that I do post general knowledge about Islam every now and then, to help clear the picture of Muslims that has become –thanks to the irresponsible media and racism in the world- a very blurred and ugly one.
Apparently, a report published on al-Arabiya’s website showing the statistics of a survey in Jordan on wife-beating took more attention than it should.
The report(AR), via our friend Mariam, says that over 80% of Jordanian women support wife-beating!
What do I think? I think it’s extreme BULLSHIT! If more than 80% of Jordanian women support it, why neither I nor any one of the people I know in school, university, work, through family, neighbours or elsewhere were suffering wife-beating! Or maybe I, and the ones I know, and my friends and the people they know, and their friends and the people they know in different neighbourhoods are all within the 20% who does not support wife-beating! Maybe, why not!

Unlike what this report is trying to show, Jordanian women both Christians and Muslims enjoy a great deal of freedom, democracy and respect. There are different faces of family violence in Jordan and in the Arab world in general, just like there is family violence in Europe and the US.
Anyway, I’m very proud to say that unlike many other countries Jordan has several campaigns to fight family violence, and provides shelters for women who are being subject to abuse or physical/sexual harassment.
Of course family violence and wife-beating come for many reasons such as violent personalities, personal mentalities, some wrong habits inherited along with tradition, or the illiterate backward surroundings!
What I found so typical is the unnecessary relating of this report to Islam! Jeff advised me to read some comments on this subject. Frankly, I wasn’t shocked of the amount of anti-Muslim comments posted. Anyway since this isn’t the first time –and probably not the last- that Islam and Muslims are being held responsible for everything, I would only like to say few things for those who are interested in knowing the right thing. If you’re not interested, this isn’t your place.

Why do people, just LOVE attacking Islam. Did anyone force them to convert to Islam? Guys, if you think it’s a shitty religion, if you choose to follow the rumours of it being full of violence, discrimination, and terror, then you’re free, why waste your time and ours on your attacks! Can’t you simply live in peace and let us enjoy our lives?
When it’s something pro-Islam, no one mentions it, when it’s against Islam, the whole world knows about it. When a Nobel Prize winner is Muslim, when a great scientist is Muslim, when a popular personality is Muslim, no one notes it. When there is a suspicion that a crime/terrorist attack was performed by a Muslim, it becomes an international scandal!
Many people repeat: “in Islam women are inferior, they are nothing”, and start quoting things that don’t suit the situation, they take a verse, cut most of it, strip it out its context and voila: a creative sentence to be used against Muslims.
But something like the prophets’ advice to men in handling women gently as if they were glass! NO ONE repeats it! Something like: Islam was the first religion to give women the right of divorce if they didn’t want to continue with their husbands! NO ONE talks about that.
I hear no one talking about women’s position in Muslim history, when they went to fight with men, or when they were asked for their opinion in serious matters!

The number of people who devote themselves to fight Islam just amazes me!! They spend money, effort and time just to try to prove it’s really bad! I don’t understand the magnet that attracts all kinds of people once I post something pro-Islam! I get bombarded with pointless questions and silly claims. Few are the ones who look for a fruitful discussion and ask to know not to fight!

To all those who think Islam is the reason behind wife-beating, check out the statistics of surveys of women being hit constantly in France, wives beaten to death in USA! Or well, maybe Muslims there did all these things, right!
It’s really pathetic that people who call for democracy are the only ones who practice racism.
I said it once and will say it now and forever: Religion is peaceful by nature, and Islam is no exception. If you want to get this, it’s great. If not, it’s up to you, but before you accuse or condemn, refer to correct sources and know what you’re talking about before making a fool out of yourself.

One last question, if you give a person a knife, what would that person do with it? (s)he’d either use it to cut things while cooking, or open tins, or simply keep it there for self-defence in case (s)he were attacked. OR, (s)he’d go threaten others, blackmail them, or even kill them!
The knife is the same, but was used in different ways, and so is religion. Don’t put the blame on religion, nor its instructions, it’s the people and their misapplication that are to blame.
And learn to respect each other’s religions, because, really, it’s a shame to waste each others time offending and attacking.