Quran Surah 4:34

Surah 4-34: A Sufi Interpretation.

"As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and ill-conduct: First, admonish them; second, refuse to share their beds, and finally, beat them lightly."

Does the Qur’an encourage wife beating? Do men have the right to inflict physical violence upon their wives?

We put forward that Surah 4:34 does not condone wife beating. On the contrary! Unfortunately, this verse has been used by men for centuries to validate domestic violence.

According to the Rose Crescent tradition, Surah 4:34 has various meanings, depending on the station of the soul the reader is on (or from what particular chakra it is being refracted through).

Let us recall that the Qur’an has at least 18,000 interpretations, and is interpreted differently in different worlds, at different stations, and differently when read by angels, jinn, wali (saints), sinners, demons and devils. In the Glorious Qur'an Allah speaks to all beings, reaching them at their levels, attempting to provide them with the means to advance to higher stations. Thus, the Qur'an is like a ladder, extending from the highest heavens to the deepest pits of hell.

The Station of Hell

If a man is in hell, and his life is consumed with power, violence, anger and hate, and the devil has his soul in his clutches, then he will no doubt read this verse and believe that it has given him permission to beat his wife. If you are reading this right now, and you belong to those who think you have the right to beat your wife, then, dear friend, you should wake-up and realize that you are spiritually in hell. And if you wish to crawl out of that position and towards the light, then reflect on the following:

First – Surah 4:128 gives the wife who fears ill-treatment from her husband the right to divorce him. Why would Allah grant the man the right to beat his wife and then grant the wife the right to divorce him?

Second – if you follow the Sunnah, even to the point of how you clip your beard, then why haven’t you realized that the Prophet (PBUH) never beat or mistreated his wives?

Oh, you Taliban man! Do you not recall how the Prophet (PBUH) acted when He suspected Aisha’s (may all of the angels of heaven sing her praises) betrayal? How dare you who scourge your wife/wives claim to follow the sunnah, you despicable fool! You, oh Taliban man, you who are more concerned with the length of your beard and the times of your prayer than the manner in which you treat your wife/wives, you should know that even now the serpents of hell have wound themselves around your ankles and are drawing you deeper into the abyss of which you are blind to. Those who persist in beating their wife/wives are the true hypocrites, and should take Surah 4:145 to heart. But even in hell there is hope, oh man. Reach out and grasp the ladder that the Light has provided, move to the next station.

The Station of Egotism (Maqam an-Nafs):

At this station the verse actually sets boundaries and a process of reconciliation. Let us recall that it was delivered in a culture in which killing your wife for adultery (which is what is implied here) would have been quite common. In such an environment, the Qur’an encourages men to first speak with their wives and then withhold sexual favors. The final rule is to withdraw for a period of time from your wife. This is supported by verse 35 in which the break is on the verge of being permanent, and arbiters must be called in before the divorce. Thus, at the Station of Egotism, the passage reads:

“As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and ill-conduct: First, admonish them; second, refuse to share their beds, and finally, retreat from them for a time. (35) But if you fear a permanent break, appoint arbiters, one from his family and the other from hers. If they wish for peace, God will cause their reconciliation. For God has full knowledge of all things.”

(Note also the gender equality as the arbiters are called from each family). Of course, one could argue that there are problems here. The text seems to position men above women. Let us review the opening to the passage:

"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women..."

For the man in hell, the text is understood to mean his superiority. He reads it as positioning his power over women. However, when he moves to the Station of Ego he finds that the verse calls for him to use his strength, not to beat but to protect. Let us recall that the Recital was introduced in a culture where women were routinely beaten, killed, and traded like cattle. The Qur'an, at the Station of Ego, thus attempts to have men see themselves as protectors (both physically and economically) of women. In that society and in that era, this thought, coupled with the process of reconcilliation outlined above, was truly revolutionary for the common man!

But what of the person who is spiritually advancing?

The Station of the Heart (Maqam ar-Ruh):

At this Station the passage encourages the man to overcome his own self, his hurt, anger, resentment and, leaving himself, to fly to his beloved wife, abandoning his egotistical self in the process:

"As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and ill-conduct: First, admonish them; second, refuse to share their beds, and finally, (fly from yourself and) beat a path back to her. But if you still fear that a permanent break is inevitable (after you have forgiven and loved), then call arbiters…"

The Station of the Pure Spirit (Maqam-ar-Ruh):

At this station the passage is no longer about marital problems, but is about the relationship between the Spirit (Ruh) [– the higher self] and the Soul (naf) [– and lower terrestrial self]. Here the text reads:

"The Spirit (Ruh) is the protector and maintainer of the Soul (Naf)...As to the Soul which is prone to disobedience and ill-conduct: First, apply reason (logos) to yourself [in other words, be mentally grounded in the law, ethics, etc.]; second, follow the path of abstinence (including fasting); and finally scourge yourself with ordeals [in order to gain mastery over your flesh]. But if you fear that your soul and spirit are irreconcilable, then call counselors to assist you, individuals of wisdom drawn from both those versed in the law and those of the emotions (e.g. poetry, art, music, etc)."

Because the Holy Qur’an has 18,000 known interpretations, each spiraling deeper and deeper towards the Divine Center we could continue. For those who would like, we suggest that you take this verse and do a shamanic journey (Surah 6:35) to your personal Sufi master in the higher spiritual realms to uncover deeper interpretations.

So mote it be!

For more Rose Crescent commentary on the Qur’an, click here.

Qur'an Surah 2:11-15 The Mischiefmakers (A Sufi Interpretation)

Surah 2:11 profoundly reveals that:

11.When it is said to them: Make not mischief on the earth" They reply: "Why, we want to make peace." 12. Surely, they are the ones who make mischief, but they do not realize it.

Who are those who make mischief on the earth? What has been there role in the unfolding drama on this planet?

According to the Rose Crescent, Surah 2:11 should be interpreted on a number of levels. First, it speaks directly to a deep truth regarding the world of the spirit. Secondly, it provides us with insight into the history of humanity. Thirdly, it beckons us to examine contemporary affairs. And finally, it calls for us to examine ourselves. Let’s take a look at these four levels of interpretation:

(1) This verse alludes to one of the greatest mischief makers in the universe – the evil spirit Ahriman.

For more information on him, click here and here.

(2) Not long after the fall from the Garden of Eden, humans began a quest of domination of the earth and others. Deep in the heart of civilization is the seed planted by the fruit of dominion. Under the guidance of Ahriman, “civilization” has attempted to capture the resources of others, take the land of others, to war against others, to subjugate and enslave others. One of the earliest great kings of Ahriman was none other than Nimrod, “The Mighty Hunter” (Genesis 10:9). For the past 8,000 years “Ahrimanic civilization” has had one singular goal: the will to dominion.

Ahrimanic civilization is characterized by its emphasis on competition (rather than cooperation), domination and control of resources, and the conquest and control of the environment. It is based on a paradigm that in order for there to be “winners” there must be “losers.” It views the earth as a hostile enemy that must be controlled.

What we find, however, is that the house that Nimrod built is quickly collapsing from the fallacies of its own paradigm. Wars, global warming, pandemics will bring Nimrod down.

(3) With regards to contemporary affairs, it is not difficult to spot the mischief makers. They are all those politicians and “actors” (regardless of their religious or political affiliation/persuasion) who promote war(s), pollution, the destruction of the environment, etc.

Who are the mischief makers? They are the global corporations that pollute, that promote exploitation, poverty, that traffic in weapons, etc. They are the global politicians, soldiers and spectators who bask in war and war rhetoric. They are the corporations and their heads that actively oppose biodiversity.

What most people don’t realize is that in almost all situations the combatants on both sides are under the spell of Ahriman.

This, of course, leads us to the present conflicts in the Middle East, particularly the land of Iraq. There are many innocent people - innocent victims. Sadly, non-combatants are being killed every day. But the fact is that ALL of the combatants in Iraq (Sunni "insurgents", Shite militias, foreign jihadist fighters, Iraq democratic government, Mujahideen, Americans and allies) are acting as mischief makers. The same should be said about Lebanon as well, where clearly both Israelies and Hezbollah acted as mischief makers.

(4) According to the Rose Crescent, in order to be a Muslim (one who surrenders) one must follow the path of peace. Here is a short list:

To avoid being a mischief maker “thou shalt not”:

Kill...Hate...Willfully injure...Commit atrocities...Pollute...Torture...Seek thy profit at other's expense...Exploit others and the environment.

To be a peacemaker “thou shalt”:

Love thy enemies
Cultivate compassion
Promote peace
Protect the environment
Protect all species (human, animal and plant)
Encourage the well being of others

14. When it is said to them: "Believe as the others [i.e. the peacemakers] believe," they say: "We believe." But when they are by themselves with the evil ones [i.e. Ahriman, Shytan, the enemies], they say: "We're really with you. We were only joking."

Verse 14 points to the extreme duplicitous nature of the mischief makers. Peacemakers must be on guard and be not fooled. Today w find that the mischief makers have taken over the entire Abrahamic Faith and rule with little opposition within the religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

15. But the Spirit will boomerang their mockery on them, and give them rope in their tresspasses. Thus, they will continue to wander like blind ones (to and fro).


Verse 15 explains the patience of Allah in dealing with the mockery of the mischief makers as they pretend to love the Light, but in fact destroy the earth.

Thus, they will continue to wander like blind ones (to and fro).

The latter part of verse 15 points to the penalty that the mischief makers are under. The wandering to and fro is in fact the penalty of reincarnation. The more they destroy the earth in their self-interests, the more they are returned to it. They cannot escape it. The short-term profits that the use of fossil fuels brings over renewable energies will eventually catch-up to them personally. There is no where to hide. They will return to the very earth they destroyed until they either transform into peacemakers or become extinct as a civilization.

However, since we are all here (we have incarnated in this dimension), verse 15 convicts us all (unless we are of the Muttaqun - what the Buddhists call Bodhisattva - and have come incarnated to assist all sentient beings and promote the path of peace). We are, in fact, the mischief makers. We are the children of Nimrod. We have been destroying the earth. We are wandering to and fro, sentenced to the penalty of transmigration, with a seal placed upon our hearts.

What can I do?

The first and fastest thing you can do is to become a vegetarian. By not killing you immediately rebuke Nimrod, the mighty hunter. Then, choose to purchase organic fair trade produce whenever possible. Help animals and humans whenever possible. Plant trees, if possible. Clean trash. If you drive, buy an economy car. Reuse, recycle and buy recycled products. Support peace movements. Learn everything you can about non-violence.

For more Rose Crescent commentary on the Qur'an please click here.

For more information on the enemies click here.