When Muhammad said that woman are “deficient of the mind”, in what way did he mean?

Question

Bukari: “”the prophet said, "isn't the witness of a woman equal to half of that of a man?" the women said, "yes." he said, "this is because of the deficiency of a woman's mind."” http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/sunnah/bukhari/048.sbt.html#003.048.826

Did he mean that they had less brain matter or that because he deprived them of educational resources and normal interaction with the outside world, they were made ignorant by his means?

Answer 1

Mohammad shows circular reasoning in many of his utterances especially about women. This may be linked to the fact that he felt unwanted by his mother and the need to dominate women or to make them feel as unwanted as he once was. Some of his circular utterances are regarding the woman's witness being half of that of a man(purportedly showing deficient intelligence!)
Menstruation is also seen as a sign of deficient intelligence! Don't be surprised if a Muslim comes up with a polemic like "but how do you know this (that menstruation is not a sign of deficient intelligence) ?"

Answer 2

Big Man! is full of it. Women are not slower to emotional and mental reaction. And the stronger endurance thing isn't true either. Why can't we all just see people as individuals, and seek a Creator through studying how organized the universe is, and not rely on religions for the answer.

Answer 3

No offense regarding the relevance of a 12th century statement to present day, but there may be truth in this from the prophet's perspective during his time. This is because women at that time were not educated, and not allowed to discuss on matters that does not concern the home and homemaking. They are told that in society, they will only be homemakers and mothers, so they are not given the chance to learn anything else. So therefore they can't expect intelligent conversation from a woman.

Even Paul in Romans says that a woman should just cover her face and not speak in church, least she may shame her husband. I mean, it's no longer relevant in the day where we have women pastors and evangelists.

It's not a physiological thing, it's a perspective thing and it was relevant during their time because women were second-class citizens then who were not given a chance to prove themselves in other places except the home.

Answer 4

I don't hear any Muslim women complaining about it. Women played a significant role in Islam, the first convert of Islam was indeed a woman. Many of the hadiths of Islam are narrated by women. A woman of Islam has the respect of her Muslim brothers in a way that people out side of the religion maybe can not understand. We are not toys we are worshipers and devotees to God, the same as the men.

Answer 5

Man and woman had equal brain, no less no more, becasue God made it so, The problem is not with the woman, the problem is with Muhammad, he utter things which he does not understand fully, because he think woman is no better than man, Bu the scripture reveals that woman must be subjective to man. This is not being woman is inferior to man.

Answer 6

Now you are totally wrong in understanding it

Well in Quran there are atleast 5 such cases are mentioned where Allah has mentioned witness without mentioning gender ..while in other few cases males are preffered , and for still other cases females are preffered as witness.
in this verse gender is not mentioned and male females are taken equal


[5:106] O you who believe, witnessing a will when one of you is dying shall be done by two equitable people among you. If you are traveling, then two others may do the witnessing. After observing the Contact Prayer (Salat), let the witnesses swear by GOD, to alleviate your doubts: "We will not use this to attain personal gains, even if the testator is related to us. Nor will we conceal GOD's testimony. Otherwise, we would be sinners."
"here too it is taken equal to male"
24:6 ,7,8,9] As for those who accuse their own spouses, without any other witnesses, then the testimony may be accepted if he swears by GOD four times that he is telling the truth.The fifth oath shall be to incur GOD's condemnation upon him, if he was lying.She shall be considered innocent if she swears by GOD four times that he is a liar.The fifth oath shall incur GOD's wrath upon her if he was telling the truth


Now about property and murder cases two female witness are taken to be equal to one male and why?? because females have less knowledge of property business.and seconly in murder cases they get terrified easily that why it is better to ask two ladies instead of one as they can't mention it properly

Still in some cases females witness are enough taken .Like about hidayah hazarat Aisha's witness is taken to be authentic and there is no need to confirm it after she said it was like that....and again for some life matters femals are considered more authntic than males like giving bath to a femal dead body, ladies problem, or getting them burried..for that only femals can be witness..

i guess it is clear to you now that wht is this all about...........please don't try make fun of our religion.you come here with difficient things and mention it as if you know that all......please get some knowledge before posting such questions. and if you can't then no need to point out it.

Answer 7

im not so sure that wt ur saying is right u r ignorant ( no offence) to believe sth like that from a site duuuh.
and oh just to know b4 the prophet and b4 islam in that time arabs used to kill women and bury small girls alive as soon as they are bored when muhammed came he stoped all these habits and gave the woman all the rights including the right to participate in wars ( they r not obliged )

Answer 8

That's allot of lies, God creates only perfection. Now the devil tries and fights to twist it and perverse it. Women have no deficiency at all.

Now hammad sounds like he got a few deficiencies himself. Lord knows we don't need anymore false prophets. Whew! God Bless. Love. Amen.

Answer 9

he meant that women talk too much and when we get together sometimes we get the story mixed up. So it could take two women together to get the right story out.

Answer 10

Not really.... it is a fact that women have a stronger endurance level than men...however, when it comes to emotional(mental) stablisation, men a faster reactors.... therefore the judgement("witness") of a woman is sometimes clouded....