Falsehood of Islam

By: Bijla Singh

Point 3 - Polygamy and Divorce

1. Polygamy

Polygamy is not only an unfair practice but a great injustice to women. If Islam is all about equality then the same right must be given to women. Why should men have the right to keep multiple wives for no reason? Had the principle of equality existed in Islam women would’ve been given the same rights with same conditions. It is not as if all women are or were poor. For example, Khadija, Mohammad’s first wife, was a wealthy woman.

As an interesting footnote, Islam was the first religion to introduce a limitation on Number of Wives. Hindus, Christians, Jews and other Idolaters had no restrictions on the number of wives they could have according to their scriptures.

Then why was Mohammad made an exception? Why did he have 12 wives besides sex slaves and concubines? Was Allah’s so-called “revealed” message not for him? Mohammad is perhaps the first and the only “prophet” who did not live the very message he “delivered”. Guru Sahib on the other hand lived the lifestyle He preached to humanity.

2. Divorce

Divorce in Sikhism is considered a very grave matter.  When the marriage takes place the husband and wife agree in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee to stay with each other and love and honour each other for life.  If marital discord takes place, the community intervenes.  Panj Pyaaray can be asked to help resolve the situation. In the extreme and very rare case where one side simply refuses to reconcile one party may ask the permission of the Sangat or Panj Pyaaray to divorce and re-marry. 

The author is focused on the absence of instructions for divorce in Sikh scripture.  We repeat:  Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee does not cover the intricacies of such mundane non-spiritual matters.  But how is this discriminatory to women if there is no written system for divorce that affects both men and women equally? Sikhi teaches us how to become rational and moral beings. Guru Sahib has taught His Sikhs how to think in a moral way. This shows how much free thinking Guru Sahib has given to His Sikhs. It is a fact that divorce is not a simple thing as it involves lives of two human beings. There can be many different situations and circumstances related to divorce. Stating every different situation is ridiculous because a divorce can involve a simple reason to many complex reasons. There can be numerous possible solutions to one case. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee is not a rule book. Gurbani teaches us how to think and how to tackle every problem and find the best solution possible. This is why Guru Sahib gave the power to Sikhs to make decisions that are best for everyone. Gurbani gives freedom of free thinking whereas archaic and inflexible rules would not. 

On the other hand, it is Islamic laws that not only make women suffer and cause them pain but trap them in loveless marriages. If a man says “Talaq” three times to his wife, they have to get divorced. This cannot be reversed which makes it clear that any Muslim under the influence of frustration or anger can simply destroy the relationship and the lives of his children. A woman on the other hand has no right or say in this. If Islam was really all about equality then the woman would also have the right to say the same word three times to get a divorce. But this is not the case. Man has more rights and final say. There is little to no room for thinking and communication. Once the word “Talaq” has been said it brings the hell process only for women. Divorced woman cannot remarry her previous husband. She first has to marry someone else, consummate the marriage and get divorce in the same manner and only then she can remarry her previous husband.

This practice of inequality makes women suffer so much. Assume a man says “Talaq” three times in anger and gets a divorce. Now, he wants to remarry his wife and the woman wants the same as they both love each other very much. But this cannot happen. The woman has to marry someone else and consummate the marriage. If she gets a divorce from her newlywed husband only then she can remarry love of her life. If her new husband refuses to give divorce, her whole life is ruined and she is forced to spend her life with someone she doesn’t love. This is what traps a woman in a loveless marriage because the husband has no such punishment. Even if the woman gets a divorce the very next day, she still has to undergo humiliation as she will have to spend a night with someone she doesn’t consider her life partner. It is a woman who gets trapped, punishment and is forced to go through humiliating and barbaric process. Where is the so-called equality? It exists no where in Islam.

Point 4 – Waheguru is Everywhere

Singh makes a ridiculous accusation of Muslims, which is that “Muslims face the west, towards the Qibla, because God lives there.” Again, this is entirely a creation of his own mind. How can an omnipresent creator “live” in the first place, or inhabit a small area of his own creation? This defeats logic and rationality.

Then perhaps Muslims can explain the reason for facing towards Qibla. What good purpose can facing a certain direction serve? How does it increase one’s spirituality? If for Muslims god is everywhere then why not face any direction? What was the reason behind changing the direction of facing from Jerusalem to Kaaba?

For Sikhs to state that God is “all pervading and is in all directions. God is omniscient, omnipotent and loves all”, what does that mean? When they say God is pervading, Do they mean God is in impure things, such as excreta? Do they mean that God is in an Adulterer, or a Murderer. When they say God loves everyone, do they mean Non-Sikhs as well?

The answer is very simple: the light of God is within everyone and can be discovered by meditation on Naam. Waheguru (God) loves all because He is without hatred unlike Allah in Islam.

Amongst all is the Light-You are that Light. By this Illumination, that Light is radiant within all. Through the Guru's Teachings, the Light shines forth. That which is pleasing to Him is the lamp-lit worship service. ||3|| (Ang 13)

What is pure and what impure? To God nothing is pure and nothing is impure.  Animal excreta are used for burning when dried, and as manure it is spread over fields, which is absorbed by the plants whose fruits and crops we eat. Once we eat this, we excrete this back out. So God’s cycle is the nitrogen cycle as you read in science. We breathe nitrogen, excrete nitrogen, and that nitrogen goes into the soil, which goes into the plants and those plants we eat again. So what is excrement and what is impure? If you think excreta are impure then you shouldn’t eat crops, fruits or even drink water, which is full of animals and organisms’ excreta. For a Sikh the source is God and everything merges back in God.

We ask Muslims: If Allah created earth then did he not create everything that exists in the earth including excreta, tobacco and wine which is considered haram (unlawful) in Islam on earth but this haram is given as a reward in paradise? If Muslims believe that source of God’s light is not in everyone (murderers or adulterers) then doesn’t that make God limited? In the article Muslims have stated that God is omnipresent and then ask if God is in excreta? On one hand, they say God is the creator of the creation and on the other hand limit Him to only “pure” things? It is God who has created human beings then we must ask: Who created the “impure substance” (blood) in the human body?

Muslims raised an objection on the characteristic of God.

Sikhs also believe that God takes the form of a man in their scriptures, but how can this be? How can the Creator limit himself to a creation, and then serve the creation?

Muslims have failed to understand the implied meanings. According to Sikhi, God has no form of His own but all forms belong to Him. In other words, He has created every form in the world and has the power to assume any form without taking birth. God in Sikhi is not limited to a distant place called heaven but is present everywhere and has all the powers. The Shabad implies that God is our father and mother and takes care of us in every way. He gives us birth and provides food to eat and gives us liberation. This is not a service but His love for us. He takes care of us and saves us if the need arise.

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