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Is it not wrong for Al-Qurtubi to describe women as "markūb" (ridden/mount) in his interpretation of the ewe verse in Surat "Sad"?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The meaning of the verse in Fatwa No. 157435, and the preponderant opinion therein, is that "al-na‘jah" (ewe) is to be interpreted as the well-known "shāh" (sheep). Al-Qurtubi’s statement does not contradict the honoring of women, for likening women to wild cows and gazelles was an exaggeration of their beauty, and enjoying a woman is not a debasement but rather a fulfillment of her need, similar to the Quran’s description of spouses as "garments" for each other.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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