Malak Abuzeid :
Your pain is real, and I'm so sorry. No child deserves to be hurt like this, and yes, the Quran commands us to honor parents, but scholars are very clear: that command does not mean you accept abuse. Parents can be ungrateful and cruel to their children too, and there are scholars today who speak openly about toxic and abusive parents and how to protect yourself from them. Obedience has limits. Your wellbeing matters in Islam.
On the "deficient in intelligence" point, I want you to know that many hadith scholars actually classify that specific narration as weak (da'if). It doesn't hold up to scrutiny. The very first person the Prophet ﷺ ran to after the terror of the first revelation trembling and overwhelmed was Khadijah (RA). He didn't just consult her, he followed her judgment completely. She assessed the situation, reassured him, and led him to Waraqah ibn Nawfal. A man who supposedly believed women were intellectually deficient would not have done that. That one moment alone speaks volumes.
As for the broader issues, patriarchy and male supremacy didn't stay outside the door when tafasir were being written. Scholars were human, shaped by their cultures and times, and some interpretations reflect that more than they reflect revelation. Separating the tradition of men from the Word of God is hard work, but it's necessary, and many Muslim women scholars are doing it today.
Don't let the people who failed you also steal your relationship with God. You deserve to find Islam on your own terms.
2026-04-22 08:30:19