In this piece, Christian Concern's Director of Islamic Affairs, Tim Dieppe, discusses the release of an undercover recording, which shows a Cardiff imam asserting that sex slaves are permissible in Islam.
An undercover reporter recorded the teaching of Cardiff Imam Ali Hammuda at a halaqa, or religious study circle, advertised for teenage boys. The recordings were made in October 2014, but have only just been made available. Hammuda is suspected of contributing to the radicalisation of three British jihadis who worshipped at his mosque before leaving to join Islamic State in 2014.
In the recording, Hammuda is heard saying the following:
"One of the interpretations as to what this means is that towards the end of time there will be many wars like what we are seeing today, and because of these wars women will be taken as captives, as slaves, yeah, women will be taken as slaves.
"And then, er, her master has relations with her because this is permissible in Islam, it's permissible to have relations with a woman who is your slave or your wife."
Hammuda's teaching on this is in line with the teaching and practice of Muhammad. In the Qur'an, Muhammad is told:
"O Prophet, indeed We have made lawful to you your wives to whom you have given their due compensation and those your right hand possesses from what Allah has returned to you [of captives]" Surah 33:50
As the text in this translation explains, "those your right hand possesses" are captives. This privilege for Muhammad is also extended to all Muslim men in Surah 4:24:
"And [also prohibited to you are all] married women except those your right hands possess."
This means that sex is permissible with female captives regardless of their marital status. Similar permission is given in Surah 4:3, and again in Surah 23:5-6 and Surah 70:29-30:
"And they who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed."
We know that Islamic State takes these verses at face value and encourages abuse of female slaves. One former Islamic State slave has recounted her horrific ordeal of being abused every day.
Earlier this year, a female Islamic professor from Egypt stated that Allah allows Muslim men to rape slaves taken in a legitimate war, in order to humiliate them. She is not the only one, in 2011 a female Kuwaiti politician elucidated on the supposed benefits of sex slaves, saying that "it's of course true" that "the prophet of Islam legitimized sex-slavery." Examples of other Muslim clerics making the same argument could be multiplied.
Ali Hammuda is merely teaching what the Qur'an and Islamic tradition says, and what Muhammad practiced. Most Muslims, however, do not know that this is what the Qur'an teaches. Muslims are not usually encouraged to read the Qur'an in their own language and are often very unaware of its teachings. Many would be shocked to read that this is what Muhammad taught. The internet has made the Qur'an much more readily available than it has been before so that people can now check it out for themselves. Many are put off Islam as a result. It is helpful and loving for people to be confronted with the truth about what Islam teaches. We should not pretend that these teachings are not in the Qur'an or that they are somehow un-Islamic.
Jesus, in contrast with Muhammad, owned no slaves and lived a celibate life. His followers have always taught that sex is reserved for monogamous life-long marriage between a man and a woman. We should therefore confidently proclaim that Christianity provides a far better moral foundation for society than Islam.
Related Links:
The Rise of the 'Lone Jihadist' by Tim Dieppe
Yes, boys, you CAN have sex slaves: Outrage as British Muslim cleric at mosque where Cardiff jihadis were radicalised tells teenagers that 'captives' are permissible under Islam in vile sermon (Mail)
IS 'Sex Slave' Victim Tells Of Months Of Abuse (Sky)
Allah allows Muslims to rape non-Muslim women in order to humiliate them, claims Islamic professor (Zee News)
Muslim Woman Seeks to Revive Institution of Sex-Slavery (Middle East Forum)