Some Muslims argue that Guru Sahib did not speak against certain “evil practices,” but this claim is entirely false. Guru Sahib’s teachings clearly denounce immoral and unjust practices, both past and present. This is because the divine message in Gurbani is rooted in eternal principles that form the foundation of morality.
The Guru Granth Sahib provides clear guidance against:
However, listing every individual wrongdoing is unnecessary, as it would limit the divine message to specific times and places, rendering it irrelevant once those practices are abolished. This is why Gurbani surpasses the Quran, it provides universal principles that remain applicable across all eras and societies.
It was Prophet Muhammad who, rather than putting an end to certain harmful practices, incorporated many of them into his own life and into Islamic teachings. Practices such as polygamy, the ownership and sexual exploitation of slaves, dowry, and child marriage were not only permitted but at times normalized under his guidance. Furthermore, he did not oppose deeply entrenched social evils like the caste system, widow burning, the devdasi tradition, female foeticide, or the systemic inequality faced by women. The Quran, in several places, imposes restrictive norms on women, undermining their autonomy and subjecting them to a divorce process that is often degrading and unjust. Women are frequently reduced to the status of property, rather than being recognized as individuals with equal dignity and rights.
The following verse from the Qur’an has been interpreted by many Islamic scholars as permitting sexual relations with pre-pubescent girls who have not yet begun menstruation.
The Qur’an, in Surah At-Talaq (65:4), addresses the concept of ‘iddah (Arabic: العدة), which is a prescribed waiting period a Muslim woman must observe after divorce or the death of her husband before she can remarry. The verse states: “And those who no longer expect menstruation among your women, if you doubt, then their period is three months, and [also for] those who have not menstruated. And for those who are pregnant, their term is until they give birth. And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him of his matter ease.” According to this verse, the waiting period for women who have ceased menstruating (e.g., due to menopause) or those who have not yet menstruated is three months, while for pregnant women, it extends until childbirth. Islamic scholars interpret “those who have not menstruated” as referring to prepubescent girls who have been divorced, though such cases are rare and subject to historical and cultural context.
Regarding the marriage of the Prophet Muhammad to Aisha, daughter of Abu Bakr, Islamic historical sources provide specific details. Aisha is reported to have been married to the Prophet Muhammad at a young age. According to a narration in Sahih Muslim (Book 8, Hadith 3311), Aisha stated: “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married me when I was seven years old, and I was taken to his house as a bride when I was nine, and I had my dolls with me.” The marriage was consummated when she was nine, and she remained with the Prophet until his death, at which point she was eighteen years old. This account is also supported by similar narrations in Sahih Bukhari (e.g., Book 67, Hadith 5133).
The Qur’an, in Surah An-Nisa (4:24), declares: “And [forbidden to you are] all married women except those whom your right hands possess. This is the decree of Allah upon you. And lawful to you are [all others] beyond these, provided you seek them [in marriage] with [gifts from] your property, desiring chastity, not illicit sexual relations.” This disturbing verse exposes a dark side of Islamic law, blatantly sanctioning the exploitation of enslaved women by allowing Muslim men to forcibly marry captives, ripping them away from their families and former husbands, under the guise of divine approval. Crafted in the barbaric context of 7th-century Arabia, it reduces women to mere property, offering a loophole for lustful conquest while pretending to promote “chaste” unions with a token dowry. Such a decree paints a grim picture of a religion that endorses slavery and the violation of basic human dignity, locking women into subjugation under the flimsy pretext of godly ordinance.
Qur’an 4:24 and hadiths like Sahih Bukhari 2:24:542, 3:36:483, 3:46:724, and Sahih Muslim 8:3383 reveal Islam’s ugly truth: it enshrined slavery as divine will. Men could prey on captive women, slaves were lumped with horses as tax-free property, and the Prophet shrugged at their sexual exploitation. Muhammad owned dozens of slaves (Zad al-Ma’ad), treating humans as tools for power and pleasure. Far from abolishing slavery, Islam glorified it, exposing a rotten core beneath its pious facade.
This shows Islam’s vile endorsement of rape under a thin veil of divine sanction. Men are free from blame for violating captive women “whom their right hands possess,” reducing them to sexual objects alongside wives. In Sahih Muslim 8:3371, Muhammad shrugs as his men lust after captive women from Banu Mustaliq, approving their rape with ‘azl—a callous nod to forced sex as long as conception’s avoided. Abu Dawud 11:2153 delays rape only until a menstrual cycle passes, treating women like livestock to be “cleared” for assault, while 31:4006 lets slave-girls be ogled and used without shame. These rulings reveal Islam as a predator’s creed, sanctifying rape and stripping women of humanity under the Prophet’s own watch, a moral abyss masquerading as holiness.
In light of the evidence, it becomes clear that the Sikh Gurus, through the timeless wisdom of Gurbani, provided a universal moral framework that transcends specific evils, empowering humanity to discern right from wrong across all ages. Their teachings stand as a beacon of justice, equality, and dignity, unequivocally opposing practices like idol worship, casteism, and the subjugation of women. In stark contrast, Prophet Muhammad’s actions and the Quran’s directives not only failed to dismantle the social ills of his time, such as slavery, polygamy, and the exploitation of women, but often enshrined them as divine will, tethering Islam to a 7th-century moral quagmire. While Gurbani elevates the human spirit with eternal principles, the Islamic tradition, as evidenced by its texts and the Prophet’s life, reveals a troubling legacy of sanctioned oppression and ethical compromise, leaving a stark divide between the two paths.
