๐ Why Is One Woman’s Testimony Worth Half a Man’s?
๐ณ♂️ Traditional Islamic Explanation:
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Women are more “emotional” or “forgetful.”
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The second woman is there to remind the first in case she errs.
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This rule primarily applies to financial contracts, but it set a legal precedent across Sharia.
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The reasoning is said to be protective, not discriminatory.
But let’s examine it critically.
⚖️ What This Actually Implies
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Assumes women are intellectually or psychologically inferior
– It institutionalizes the idea that women are more prone to error or memory lapses. -
Makes a blanket legal ruling based on gender — not individual competence
– No room for women who are judges, accountants, lawyers, or business professionals.
– One man with no training > Two women with expertise, by default. -
Contradicts observable reality
– Memory, intelligence, and credibility are not based on gender.
– This rule would disqualify female scientists, CEOs, or experts simply for being women. -
Reinforces inequality in broader Islamic law
– Women’s testimony is restricted or discounted in:-
Hudud cases (criminal)
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Divorce
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Marriage contracts
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Apostasy or blasphemy trials
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Codified into Sharia across all major schools
– Not just a verse — it became law under Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki, Hanbali jurisprudence.
๐ Common Muslim Apologetic Responses — And Why They Fail
๐ฃ “It was just for that specific situation!”
๐ง False — The verse may be contextual, but Sharia made it universal.
Even today, in places like Saudi Arabia and Iran, women’s testimony is legally limited.
๐ฃ “Women weren’t used to financial matters at the time!”
๐ง Irrelevant — A just, divine system shouldn’t base eternal laws on 7th-century economic familiarity.
If it's circumstantial, then it should not be universal.
๐ฃ “It’s to protect women!”
๐ง Nonsense — You don’t “protect” someone by undermining their credibility by default.
You protect people by treating them equally under the law.
✅ The Logical Conclusion
A truly divine law should not:
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Devalue half of humanity
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Institutionalize sexism
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Assume inferiority based on gender
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Contradict what we know about individual variation and cognitive capacity
๐ Surah 2:282 is not justice. It’s codified inequality.
And its survival in Islamic law today is proof that the Quran is not eternal truth — but historically conditioned patriarchy.
Let me know if you'd like a breakdown by legal school or a post titled:
“Quranic Gender Inequality: 7 Verses That Prove It Was Man-Made”
Because this isn’t just one verse — it’s a pattern.
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