Islam is often portrayed as a peaceful and righteous religion, but beneath this image, there are teachings that some believe are harmful, unfair to women, and violent. Rather than being a divine message, some argue that the Quran and Hadith reveal Islam as a human-made religion that promotes oppression, exploitation, and violence. This article highlights five of these teachings, backed by verses from Islamic texts, to show how the religion has been criticized for its treatment of women, children, and peace.
Islam shamelessly endorses the enslavement of women and their use as sexual property. The Quran, in Surah An-Nisa 4:24, declares:
âAnd [forbidden to you are] all married women except those whom your right hands possess.â
This phraseââwhom your right hands possessâârefers to captives taken in war, explicitly permitting Muslim men to keep these women as sex slaves. Surah Al-Muâminun 23:5-6 doubles down on this depravity, praising men who âguard their private parts except from their wives or those whom their right hands possess.â Consent is irrelevant; these women are reduced to objects for male pleasure.
Beyond sexual exploitation, Islam sanctions the buying and selling of women like livestock. In Sahih Muslim 3371, Muhammad himself is depicted trading slaves, including females, normalizing this vile practice. This isnât some historical footnoteâitâs a foundational teaching that groups like ISIS have revived to justify mass rape and enslavement.
Why Itâs Inhumane: Sexual slavery and human trafficking are terrible acts that take away a womanâs basic rights and dignity. The fact that Islam allows these practices shows a lack of kindness, treating women like war prizes instead of respecting them as equals.
Islamâs contempt for women extends into its rituals, as seen in a revolting Hadith from Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 9, Number 490. Narrated by Aisha, it states:
âThe things which annul the prayers were mentioned before me. They said, âPrayer is annulled by a dog, a donkey, and a woman (if they pass in front of the praying people).â I said, âYou have made us (i.e., women) dogs.ââ
This teaching equates women with animals, implying their presence is so filthy it disrupts a manâs communion with God. Even Aisha, Muhammadâs wife, recoiled at the insult. Yet, this misogynistic drivel remains a revered part of Islamic scripture.
Why Itâs Inhumane: Comparing women to dogs and donkeys isnât just rudeâitâs a clear way of putting them down and making them seem less important. This kind of teaching encourages a mindset where women are seen as lower than men, not worthy of equal respect. It seriously damages Islamâs claim of having strong moral values.
Islamâs founder, Muhammad, is hailed as the perfect man, yet his personal life is a cesspool of depravity. His marriage to Aisha is the most damning evidence: Sahih Bukhari 7:62:64 confirms he married her at six or seven and consummated the marriage when she was nine. This isnât loveâitâs pedophilia, a predatory act that no civilized society could excuse.
Muhammadâs lust didnât stop there. He amassed 9 to 13 wives, far exceeding the Quranic limit of four (Surah An-Nisa 4:3) that he imposed on othersâa blatant hypocrisy. His marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh, his first cousin and the ex-wife of his adopted son Zayd, adds another layer of sleaze. Surah Al-Ahzab 33:37 conveniently justifies this union, claiming divine approval after Muhammad pressured Zayd to divorce her. This isnât prophetic virtue; itâs a sex-obsessed abuse of power.
Why Itâs Inhumane: A pedophile and serial womanizer as a role model is a catastrophe for any religion. Muhammadâs actions have legitimized child marriage and polygamy, inflicting untold suffering on women and girls across Muslim societies. His life is a testament to Islamâs rotten core.
Islamâs brutality toward women and children is codified in its texts. Surah An-Nisa 4:34 grants men the right to beat their wives:
âMen are in charge of women… As for those from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them and forsake them in beds apart, and beat them.â
This isnât disciplineâitâs legalized abuse, a green light for domestic violence that leaves women trapped and battered.
For rape victims, justice is a cruel mirage. While the Quran doesnât directly address rape, Surah An-Nisa 4:15 demands four male witnesses to prove adulteryâa rule often twisted to apply to rape cases in Islamic law. Without four men to testify, victims are silenced or even punished, while rapists walk free.
Child marriage, though not explicitly mandated, is propped up by Muhammadâs marriage to Aisha. This precedent has condemned countless girls to early wedlock and sexual exploitation, their childhoods stolen by a religion that worships a pedophileâs example.
Why Itâs Inhumane: Beating wives, abandoning rape victims, and marrying children are acts of savagery. Islamâs endorsement of these practices reveals a misogynistic, predatory system that thrives on the suffering of the vulnerable.
Islamâs hatred for outsiders and dissenters is chilling. Surah At-Tawbah 9:5, the âVerse of the Sword,â orders:
âAnd when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush.â
This isnât peaceâitâs a call to slaughter anyone who rejects Islam. Similarly, apostasy carries a death sentence, as per Sahih Bukhari 9:83:17:
âThe blood of a Muslim… cannot be shed except in three cases… and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims.â
Leave Islam, and youâre marked for executionâa tyrannical denial of free thought.
Jihad, often whitewashed as spiritual struggle, is repeatedly framed as violent conquest. Surah Al-Baqarah 2:216 states:
âFighting is prescribed for you, and you dislike it. But it is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you.â
This glorification of war has spawned centuries of bloodshed, from medieval conquests to modern terrorism.
Why Itâs Inhumane: Murdering non-Muslims, executing apostates, and mandating violence breed extremism and division. Islamâs obsession with domination makes it an enemy of peace and humanity.
These five teachings, including sexual slavery, the mistreatment of women, Muhammadâs controversial actions, violence against women and children, and the promotion of intolerance and jihad, challenge the image of Islam as a religion of peace.
Islam is a cruel, fake religion that pretends to be good but is built on violence and evil. Its books arenât sacredâtheyâre full of hate, allowing horrible things like marrying kids and killing people. Muhammad, who they call a prophet, was just a brutal man who hurt women and set a terrible example that still harms millions.
Islamâs talk of âpeaceâ is a big lieâits past is bloody, and today it spreads fear and oppression. It doesnât deserve respect; itâs a curse on the world that needs to be stopped. Every moment Islam continues, it pulls us into darkness, trapping women, silencing voices, and praising violence. Islam must be condemned and dismantled, or it will devour everything we hold dear.
