Comments on: The “Flawed” Jewel of Medina http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2008/10/the-flawed-jewel-of-medina/ Looking at Muslim women in the media and pop culture Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:20:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: John http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2008/10/the-flawed-jewel-of-medina/#comment-2385 John Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:15:23 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/?p=1253#comment-2385 "Though again, to be fair, there are no sex scenes. With all the fuss, I was expecting pages and pages of heaving bosoms." I don't belive a nine year old has heaving bossoms so why would you expect that? “Though again, to be fair, there are no sex scenes. With all the fuss, I was expecting pages and pages of heaving bosoms.”

I don’t belive a nine year old has heaving bossoms so why would you expect that?

]]> By: Sobia http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2008/10/the-flawed-jewel-of-medina/#comment-2384 Sobia Wed, 28 Jan 2009 05:04:56 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/?p=1253#comment-2384 @Jan: Not sure what you mean by "typical western mind-set which is dominated by lustful thinking." I'm Western and my mind-set is not lustful. Please explain as this is offensive. @Jan:

Not sure what you mean by

“typical western mind-set which is dominated by lustful thinking.”

I’m Western and my mind-set is not lustful. Please explain as this is offensive.

]]> By: Jan http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2008/10/the-flawed-jewel-of-medina/#comment-2383 Jan Wed, 28 Jan 2009 04:42:16 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/?p=1253#comment-2383 I read only a couple of chapters in this book and thought wow, what a friendly and great way to start a new kind of propaganda against Islam and muslims. The author has the courage to write about something which occured about 1400 years ago and yet she doesn't even try to leave her typical western mind-set which is dominated by lustful thinking. I read only a couple of chapters in this book and thought wow, what a friendly and great way to start a new kind of propaganda against Islam and muslims. The author has the courage to write about something which occured about 1400 years ago and yet she doesn’t even try to leave her typical western mind-set which is dominated by lustful thinking.

]]> By: c. angel http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2008/10/the-flawed-jewel-of-medina/#comment-2379 c. angel Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:15:21 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/?p=1253#comment-2379 yay ethar! yay ethar!

]]> By: Mahmood http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2008/10/the-flawed-jewel-of-medina/#comment-2380 Mahmood Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:24:04 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/?p=1253#comment-2380 I remind all Muslims to keep cool headed, as this allegation has already been proved untrue by Allah (SWT) in the Holy Quran. However, this is a test for the Muslim community from Allah (SWT) on how they re-act - mainly the Muslim Leaders! How about turning off the oil taps in Saudi and let's see if Ms Jones has time and senses left to imagine such filth - too much greed and time is Satan's handy work. Moreover, being a women I request Ms Jones to reflect inside herself and position herself in Ashia (RA) position - would she want to be labeled as such as the accounts presented of Ashia (RA) never took place. I strongly believe she has earned the wrath of Allah (SWT) for petty gains and not to bridge the divide between Muslims and non-Muslims as she claims! People now a days would go out to sell their mothers to gain few cheap pounds/dollars by writing such filth. I regards this not as freedom of speech but freedom of insult of other fellow human beings, especially of those who died in the struggle to up hold Allah (SWT) religion for us to remain on path to eternal bliss and not eternal blaze! <strong>[This comment has been edited to fit within moderation guidelines.]</strong> I remind all Muslims to keep cool headed, as this allegation has already been proved untrue by Allah (SWT) in the Holy Quran. However, this is a test for the Muslim community from Allah (SWT) on how they re-act – mainly the Muslim Leaders!

How about turning off the oil taps in Saudi and let’s see if Ms Jones has time and senses left to imagine such filth – too much greed and time is Satan’s handy work.

Moreover, being a women I request Ms Jones to reflect inside herself and position herself in Ashia (RA) position – would she want to be labeled as such as the accounts presented of Ashia (RA) never took place. I strongly believe she has earned the wrath of Allah (SWT) for petty gains and not to bridge the divide between Muslims and non-Muslims as she claims!

People now a days would go out to sell their mothers to gain few cheap pounds/dollars by writing such filth. I regards this not as freedom of speech but freedom of insult of other fellow human beings, especially of those who died in the struggle to up hold Allah (SWT) religion for us to remain on path to eternal bliss and not eternal blaze!

[This comment has been edited to fit within moderation guidelines.]

]]> By: Samreen http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2008/10/the-flawed-jewel-of-medina/#comment-2378 Samreen Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:51:41 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/?p=1253#comment-2378 Ethar firsts of all I would like to show my gratitude for a very comprehensive and informative review about Sherry Jones piece of work. I remember when some one told me there is a new book about Hazrat Aisha , I was so excited but what I found was false , inaccurate words put together by Sherry Jones. I don't have a problem with historical fiction but I do have a problem with the deliberate misinterpretation of history.Sherry Jones has produced a piece of her so-called research which is full of inaccuracies and false facts, I would not even cluster it is as a novel. Although she has claimed that she has conducted EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, well I think forget about research here if she even knew a little a very little about Hazrat Ayesha , the content of this novel would have been very different, informative and great edition in history. Its not the question of good or bad intension its about what a writer can depicts, influence and add to the literacy , it involves respect ,devotion, extensive careful research and a great deal of accuracy to write about history , I highly acknowledge the decision by Random house and completely agree with Dr Spellberg's opinion, that sherry Jones has "made fun of Muslims and their history. <strong>[This comment has been edited to fit within moderation guidelines.]</strong> Ethar firsts of all I would like to show my gratitude for a very comprehensive and informative review about Sherry Jones piece of work. I remember when some one told me there is a new book about Hazrat Aisha , I was so excited but what I found was false , inaccurate words put together by Sherry Jones. I don’t have a problem with historical fiction but I do have a problem with the deliberate misinterpretation of history.Sherry Jones has produced a piece of her so-called research which is full of inaccuracies and false facts, I would not even cluster it is as a novel. Although she has claimed that she has conducted EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, well I think forget about research here if she even knew a little a very little about Hazrat Ayesha , the content of this novel would have been very different, informative and great edition in history.
Its not the question of good or bad intension its about what a writer can depicts, influence and add to the literacy , it involves respect ,devotion, extensive careful research and a great deal of accuracy to write about history , I highly acknowledge the decision by Random house and completely agree with Dr Spellberg’s opinion, that sherry Jones has “made fun of Muslims and their history.

[This comment has been edited to fit within moderation guidelines.]

]]> By: adam deen http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2008/10/the-flawed-jewel-of-medina/#comment-2367 adam deen Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:12:10 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/?p=1253#comment-2367 have been inundated with emails about the recent release of the polemical, not to say highly distasteful, Jewel of Medina. My main concern relating to this issue is that someone out there is going to do something crazy. We know that four people have already been arrested in London over an alleged attack on the publisher – I am praying there will be not further incidents. Why do Muslims fall for it every time? Why do we always get duped by “let’s see what we can do to wind up Muslims and get a story from a random hot-head?” ..... read the rest on : http://adamdeen.blogspot.com/2008/10/jewel-of-madina-here-we-go-again.html have been inundated with emails about the recent release of the polemical, not to say highly distasteful, Jewel of Medina. My main concern relating to this issue is that someone out there is going to do something crazy. We know that four people have already been arrested in London over an alleged attack on the publisher – I am praying there will be not further incidents.
Why do Muslims fall for it every time? Why do we always get duped by “let’s see what we can do to wind up Muslims and get a story from a random hot-head?” …..

read the rest on :

http://adamdeen.blogspot.com/2008/10/jewel-of-madina-here-we-go-again.html

]]> By: GCS http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2008/10/the-flawed-jewel-of-medina/#comment-2381 GCS Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:58:45 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/?p=1253#comment-2381 Ms. Jones has, again, exploited a legitimate work of history, based on the earliest Arabic sources to forward her lies about Aisha. Dr. Spellberg's book does not suggest that "all histories are interpretation," but rather argues that devout Muslims interpreted the events about the lie made against Aisha within certain critical parameters. All Sunni scholars agree that she had no dalliance of any kind in the desert. There is only consensus on that within the Sunni community. On whose word do they rely? Aisha's. Her account is called the "longest hadith," it's in the first person, and it appears in the most authentic written religious sources, including the Sira, the Prophet's biography. Oral tradition, by the way, was considered a more reliable way to preserve the truth than paper because, as Jones has proved, falsification of the past is as easy by the pen as the tongue.Most of what we know about the Islamic record was written down after the fact. Muslims created their own "fact-checking" system to make sure they got the best accounts on paper. Jones' account contradicts the most sacred Sunni history and condemns Aisha to the status of an almost-whore, when the point of the story is her truthfulness, chastity, and innocence. If she groped and was groped by Safwan, her young rescuer, in the desert, (see the "Jewel," which does have sex scenes) then she was, an adulteress in her heart. Jones details Safwan squeezing of her breasts, the rubbing of genitals, which means that she lied to the Prophet about what she had done in the desert, even if there was no actual intercourse. This makes her a liar and the Qur'an a false vindication. If Aisha lied, God lied! For interpretation, check out tafsir, qur'anic commentary, on the Qur'an 24:11-20, where all Sunni sources believe it refers consistently to Aisha's innocence and vindication. Why call her al-siddiqa, the truthful woman, otherwise? <strong>[This comment has been edited to fit within comment moderation guidelines.]</strong> Ms. Jones has, again, exploited a legitimate work of history, based on the earliest Arabic sources to forward her lies about Aisha. Dr. Spellberg’s book does not suggest that “all histories are interpretation,” but rather argues that devout Muslims interpreted the events about the lie made against Aisha within certain critical parameters. All Sunni scholars agree that she had no dalliance of any kind in the desert. There is only consensus on that within the Sunni community. On whose word do they rely? Aisha’s. Her account is called the “longest hadith,” it’s in the first person, and it appears in the most authentic written religious sources, including the Sira, the Prophet’s biography.
Oral tradition, by the way, was considered a more reliable way to preserve the truth than paper because, as Jones has proved, falsification of the past is as easy by the pen as the tongue.Most of what we know about the Islamic record was written down after the fact. Muslims created their own “fact-checking” system to make sure they got the best accounts on paper.
Jones’ account contradicts the most sacred Sunni history and condemns Aisha to the status of an almost-whore, when the point of the story is her truthfulness, chastity, and innocence. If she groped and was groped by Safwan, her young rescuer, in the desert, (see the “Jewel,” which does have sex scenes) then she was, an adulteress in her heart. Jones details Safwan squeezing of her breasts, the rubbing of genitals, which means that she lied to the Prophet about what she had done in the desert, even if there was no actual intercourse. This makes her a liar and the Qur’an a false vindication. If Aisha lied, God lied!

For interpretation, check out tafsir, qur’anic commentary, on the Qur’an 24:11-20, where all Sunni sources believe it refers consistently to Aisha’s innocence and vindication. Why call her al-siddiqa, the truthful woman, otherwise?

[This comment has been edited to fit within comment moderation guidelines.]

]]> By: » MMW Weekly Roundup 10/10/08 Talk Islam http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2008/10/the-flawed-jewel-of-medina/#comment-2382 » MMW Weekly Roundup 10/10/08 Talk Islam Sun, 12 Oct 2008 17:45:12 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/?p=1253#comment-2382 [...] week on MMW, we discuss the polarizing politics of Muslims who speak against Islamism, provide a kick-ass review of The Jewel of Medina (it’s especially kick-ass because we have an audio clip of Ethar’s [...] [...] week on MMW, we discuss the polarizing politics of Muslims who speak against Islamism, provide a kick-ass review of The Jewel of Medina (it’s especially kick-ass because we have an audio clip of Ethar’s [...]

]]> By: Ethar http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2008/10/the-flawed-jewel-of-medina/#comment-2377 Ethar Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:28:38 +0000 http://muslimahmediawatch.wordpress.com/?p=1253#comment-2377 @ Hagar: I really wish you would please read my other review: http://www.egypttoday.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=8171 http://etharelkatatney.blogspot.com/2008/10/flawed-jewel.html I didn't go into much detail here because I assumed most readers of this entry would visit either link, but to summarize: Jones has made up some things in their entirety. The biggest distortion is her recounting of <i>hadith al-ifk</i>: (excerpt from my article) "According to historic account, Aisha accidentally leaves her necklace behind as the Prophet’s caravan gets ready to move. She goes back to fetch it, returning only to find that the caravan had left without her, not realizing she wasn’t in her litter because she was so light. Safwan ibn Al-Mu’attal, a man she had hardly ever spoken to, found her and took her home. Aisha was accused of adultery, and was eventually vindicated by God by means of a series of Qur’anic verses revealed to the Prophet (PBUH). In The Jewel of Medina, Jones spins this into a tale of star-crossed lovers: Aisha had been engaged to Al-Mu’attal as a child and was deeply in love with him. She made up the story about forgetting her necklace, because she had conspired with Al-Mu’attal to remain behind and run away with him. She eventually realizes how wrong she was and returned to Medina "clutching Safwan’s waist,” “loose hair lashing [her] face,” and “resting [her] cheek against [his] shoulder.” Scenes throughout the book involve Safwan flirting with Aisha, hugging her, and kissing her." Other made up things include Lady 'Aisha being a warrior, fighting with her sword, and the prophet's wives fighting for the position of <i>hatun</i>, which is a Turkish concept of the number one wife who gets to order the rest around. If you'd like to know more, please visit my other review. I interviewed Jones in it so she also gets a chance to explain her motivations. @ Iqra: Please do! And I'll be the first to review it :) I think that's the best response—if you don't like it, change it. Let's not just complain. And I'm very glad you enjoyed the article :) @ Hagar: I really wish you would please read my other review:

http://www.egypttoday.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=8171
http://etharelkatatney.blogspot.com/2008/10/flawed-jewel.html

I didn’t go into much detail here because I assumed most readers of this entry would visit either link, but to summarize:

Jones has made up some things in their entirety. The biggest distortion is her recounting of hadith al-ifk: (excerpt from my article)

“According to historic account, Aisha accidentally leaves her necklace behind as the Prophet’s caravan gets ready to move. She goes back to fetch it, returning only to find that the caravan had left without her, not realizing she wasn’t in her litter because she was so light. Safwan ibn Al-Mu’attal, a man she had hardly ever spoken to, found her and took her home. Aisha was accused of adultery, and was eventually vindicated by God by means of a series of Qur’anic verses revealed to the Prophet (PBUH).

In The Jewel of Medina, Jones spins this into a tale of star-crossed lovers: Aisha had been engaged to Al-Mu’attal as a child and was deeply in love with him. She made up the story about forgetting her necklace, because she had conspired with Al-Mu’attal to remain behind and run away with him. She eventually realizes how wrong she was and returned to Medina “clutching Safwan’s waist,” “loose hair lashing [her] face,” and “resting [her] cheek against [his] shoulder.”

Scenes throughout the book involve Safwan flirting with Aisha, hugging her, and kissing her.”

Other made up things include Lady ‘Aisha being a warrior, fighting with her sword, and the prophet’s wives fighting for the position of hatun, which is a Turkish concept of the number one wife who gets to order the rest around.

If you’d like to know more, please visit my other review. I interviewed Jones in it so she also gets a chance to explain her motivations.

@ Iqra: Please do! And I’ll be the first to review it :) I think that’s the best response—if you don’t like it, change it. Let’s not just complain. And I’m very glad you enjoyed the article :)

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