From the moral standpoint one of the least satisfactory
features of Islam is its attitude toward women. The ancient Arabs, like many
other peoples, seem to have set no limit to the number of wives a man might
possess. Women were regarded by them as mere chattels, and female infants were
frequently put to death. Mohammed recognized polygamy, but limited the number
of legitimate wives to four. At the same time Mohammed sought to improve the
condition of women by forbidding female infanticide, by restricting the facilities
for divorce, and by insisting on kind treatment of wives by their husbands.
"The best of you," he said, "is he who behaves best to his
wives." According to eastern custom Moslem women are secluded in a
separate part of the house, called the harem. [32] They never appear in
public, except when closely veiled from the eyes of strangers. Their education
is also much neglected.
[32] Ancient Athenians had a similar practice.
SLAVERY
Slavery, like polygamy, was a custom which Mohammed found
fully established among the Arabs. He disliked slavery and tried in several
ways to lessen its evils. He declared that the emancipation of Moslem slaves
was an act of special merit, and ordered that in a war between Moslems the
prisoners were not to be enslaved. Mohammed also insisted on kind treatment of
slaves by their masters. "Feed your slaves," he directed, "with
food of that which you eat and clothe them with such clothing as you wear, and
command them not to do that which they are unable to do." The condition of
Moslem slaves does not appear to be intolerable, though the slave traffic which
still exists in some parts of Africa is a disgrace to Islam.