Some Muslims argue that Guru Sahib did not speak against certain harmful practices, but this claim does not withstand scrutiny. Guru Sahib’s teachings in Gurbani clearly denounce immoral and unjust customs, both past and present, because the divine message is rooted in eternal principles that form the foundation of true morality.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji provides clear guidance against:
Yet Gurbani does not need to list every individual wrongdoing, for that would confine its message to specific times and places, making it appear limited once those practices disappeared. Instead, Gurbani offers universal principles that remain relevant across all eras and societies, surpassing the Quran by providing timeless moral clarity.
By contrast, Muhammad, the founder of Islam, rather than abolishing certain entrenched evils, 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 permitted and at times normalized under his guidance. Moreover, he did not challenge deeply rooted social evils such as the caste system, widow burning, the dev-dasi tradition, female foeticide, or systemic inequality faced by women. The Quran itself, in several places, imposes restrictive norms on women, undermining their autonomy and subjecting them to divorce processes that are degrading and unjust. Women are often reduced to the status of property rather than 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 Muhammad, the founder of Islam, to Aisha, daughter of Abu Bakr, Islamic historical sources provide specific details. Aisha is reported to have been married to 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 Muhammad 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 such as Sahih Bukhari 2:24:542, 3:36:483, 3:46:724, and Sahih Muslim 8:3383 reveal a troubling reality: Islam enshrined slavery as part of its religious framework. Captive women could be taken for sexual use, and slaves were categorized alongside animals as property exempt from taxation. Muhammad, the founder of Islam, himself owned numerous slaves (Zad al‑Ma’ad), treating human beings as instruments of power and utility. Rather than abolishing slavery, Islamic teaching normalized and sanctified it, embedding exploitation within its moral code.
These sources reveal a troubling endorsement of sexual exploitation under the guise of divine sanction. Men are declared free from blame for relations with captive women “whom their right hands possess,” reducing them to sexual objects alongside wives. In Sahih Muslim 8:3371, Muhammad, the founder of Islam, permits his followers to engage with captive women from Banu Mustaliq, provided they practice withdrawal (‘azl), shifting concern to conception rather than consent. Abu Dawud 11:2153 delays intercourse only until a menstrual cycle passes, treating women as commodities to be “cleared” for use, while 31:4006 allows slave‑girls to be exposed and exploited without shame. Together, these rulings embed exploitation within Islam’s moral framework, stripping women of dignity and sanctifying practices that contradict universal principles of justice and equality.
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 and empowers humanity to discern right from wrong across all ages. Their teachings stand as a beacon of justice, equality, and dignity, unequivocally opposing practices such as idol worship, casteism, and the subjugation of women.
In contrast, Muhammad, the founder of Islam, and the Qur’an’s directives did not dismantle the entrenched social ills of their time — including slavery, polygamy, and the exploitation of women — but often incorporated them into the religious framework, presenting them as divinely sanctioned. While Gurbani elevates the human spirit with eternal principles, the Islamic tradition, as reflected in its texts and Muhammad’s life, leaves a legacy marked by ethical compromise and institutionalized inequality. The divide between these two paths is stark: one offers timeless liberation and equality, the other remains bound to historical limitations.