Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity

by Nabeel Qureshi

24: “Forbidden for you are women already married, except such as your right hands possess. Allah has enjoined this on you.” 23:6: “(Successful indeed are those believers who guard their private parts) except from their wives or those whom their right hands possess.” 70:30: “(Worshipers guard their private parts) except from their wives and from those whom their right hands possess; such indeed, are not to blame.” I took the verses to Ammi and asked what the phrase meant. She said it referred to the female servants that Muslim men had married, but that didn’t fit. In the verses, wives were clearly separate from those whom the right hands possessed. When I pushed back on her interpretation, she deferred to scholars in the jamaat. I left Ammi, agreeing to ask them when the next opportunity would arise. In the meantime, I knew I had to research this on my own. The scholars had not been comprehensive before, and I had no reason to think they would be now. Of course, David had given me his interpretation, but I knew it was wrong. It had to be wrong. He was arguing that “those whom the right hands possessed” were slave women, captured by Muslim conquerors. According to him, 23:6 and 70:30 meant Muslim men could have intercourse with slave women that had been captured as spoils of war. Not stopping there, he argued that 4:24 annulled the marriages of captive women so Muslims could have intercourse with them even if their husbands were still alive. The mere suggestion was outrageou...