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Quran 33.50 Rape war prisoners


Perhaps we struggle to understand why our Islamic neighbors can justify having sex with prisoners of war. Of course, we speak of muslim men having sex with women prisoners of war. We call it rape, since it is in no meaningful way consensual sex. The opposite (women having sex with men prisoners of war) would be silly, for some reason.

 The reason is that the Quran offers cover for this behavior:

"O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and those whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war whom Allah has assigned to thee; and daughters of thy paternal uncles and aunts, and daughters of thy maternal uncles and aunts, who migrated (from Makka) with thee; and any believing woman who dedicates her soul to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her; this only for thee, and not for the Believers (at large); We know what We have appointed for them as to their wives and the captives whom their right hands possess; in order that there should be no difficulty for thee. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Qur'an 33:50

 It is not entirely clear that the women captives view this rape as merciful.

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