Servants of Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him)

Disobedience to Women? [Note: Special thanks to John Andaluso for clarifying some points mentioned below]. Introduction: “Abu ’Abdillah (al-Sadiq) said that women were mentioned before the Messenger of Allah and He said,  ' Disobey women in lawful matters (Ma'ruf) before they command you to do unlawful acts and you must seek refuge with Allah against the wicked women and remain on your guard with the good ones of them.'" عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) قال: ذكر  رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله)  النساء فقال: اعصوهن في المعروف (1) قبل أن يأمرنكم بالمنكر وتعوذوا بالله من شرارهن وكونوا من خيارهن على حذر This hadith, which is also almost exactly the same as Sermon 80 of Nahj al-Balagha, discussed in part 2 of this series, has been interpreted in various ways previously, some even deriving incorrect conclusions from it. In this part, I shall state my view of this tradition and it's meanings, God willing. I divide this hadith into two parts to simplify it's explanation.

  Sermon 80 Introduction: [Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 80] ومن   كلام   له  ( عليه   السلام ) بعد   فراغه   من   حرب   الجمل،   في   ذم   النساء مَعَاشِرَ   النَّاسِ،   إِنَّ   النِّسَاءَ   نَوَاقِصُ   الاْيمَانِ،   نَوَاقِصُ   الْحُظُوظِ،   نَوَاقِصُ   الْعُقُولِ :  فَأَمَّا   نُقْصَانُ   إِيمَانِهِنَّ   فَقُعُودُهُنَّ   عَنِ   الصَّلاةِ   وَالصِّيَامِ   فِي   أَيَّامِ حَيْضِهِنَّ،   وَأَمَّا   نُقْصَانُ   عُقُولِهِنَّ   فَشَهَادَةُ   امْرَأَتَيْنِ   مِنْهُنّ   كَشَهَادَةِ   الرَّجُلِ   الْوَاحِدِ،   وَأَمَّا   نُقْصَانُ   حُظُوظِهِنَّ   فَمَوَارِيثُهُنَّ   عَلَى   الاْنْصَافِ   مِنْ   مَوارِيثِ الرِّجَالِ ;  فَاتَّقُوا   شِرَارَ   النِّسَاءِ،   وَكُونُوا   مِنْ   خِيَارِهِنَّ   عَلَى   حَذَر،   وَلاَتُطِيعُوهُنَّ   فِي   المَعْرُوفِ   حَتَّى   لاَ   يَطْمَعْنَ   فِي   المُنكَرِ Imam ‘Ali said  after the Battle of Jamal: “O’ people! Women are deficient in Faith, deficient in shares and deficient in intelligence.  1)As regards the deficiency in their Faith, it is their abstention from pray

  Objectification of Women? Introduction: [al-Kafi Volume 5 page 335] Narrated Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah: “Imam al-Ridha’ once said to me, ‘If you want to marry,  marry a woman of large buttocks.’” الحسين   بن   محمد،   عن   معلى   بن   محمد،   عن   أحمد   بن   محمد   بن   عبد   الله   قال :  قال   لي   الرضا  ( عليه   السلام ):  إذا   نكحت   فانكح   عجزاء ) ‘Abu ‘Abdullah said that the Commander of the Faithful said:  “Marry woman of brunette color, wide buttocks and of medium height.  If you dislike her, her mahr is on me.’” محمد   بن   يحيى،   عن   أحمد   بن   محمد   بن   عيسى،   عن   مالك   بن   أشيم،   عن   بعض   رجاله   عن   أبي   عبد   الله  ( عليه   السلام )  قال :  قال   أمير   المؤمنين ( عليه   السلام ):  تزوجوا   سمراء   عيناء   عجزاء   مربوعة   فإن   كرهتها   فعلي   مهرها These ahadith may seem discriminatory and/or misogynistic to many at first glance. One may even end up making incorrect conclusions by reading these traditions without analysis.  In this series I wi