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However. Islam forbade this kind of marriage on the grounds that
it was a sort of fornication and that there was no dowry or engagemento
but the aim behind it was simply enjoyment and spending time in
pleasure.
Adultery
The widespread occurrence of adultery through the Peninsula
contributed to the oppression of women. since the man involved
generally went unpunished and society encouraged him to take pride in
his manly achievement with women. Moreover. his wife had no right to
prosecute him legally. However, it is probable that her relatives
sometimes took private action against'him. Furthermore, he might
be punished by the relatives of the woman with whom he committed
adultery. in revenge for her honour. 1 This state of affairsýagain_
illustrates contradictory elements within the society since the woman's
rights were sometimes protected yet sometimes disregarded. The
Islamic position on the question of adultery was revealed when Hind
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Bint Utba went to the Prophet to become a Muslim after the conquest of
Mecca. In the course of teaching her the basis of Islam. this verse
was revealed:
"Prophetl When believing women come to thee to take
the oath of fealty to thee, that they will not
associate in worship any other thing whatever with
God, that they will not steal, that they will not
commit adultery. that they will not kill their
children, that they will not utter slander. " 2
Hind's retortg "But Prophet of Godq could a free woman
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commit fornication ?" supplies evidence that in
Jahiliyyah. a wife or a free woman sometimes had a secret relationship
with a man without consent and it was considered as a kind of friendship
1. 'All, op. cit. # Vol. 5. Po 561
2. Q. 60 : 12
3. Zakria. op. cit.. P. 20
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