The Abusive Book

 Bijla Singh

Proofs from Islamic Texts

The following quotes from some of many Muslim scholars prove that physically beating the wife is permissible in Islam by verse 4:34..

"God established the superiority of men over women by the above verse (the Qur'an 4:34) which prevents the equating of men and women. For here man is above the woman due to his intellectual superiority and his ability to administer and spend on the woman." (Tuffaha, Ahmad Zaky, Al-Mar'ah wal- Islam, Dar al-Kitab al-Lubnani, Beirut, first edition, 1985, p.36)

"A woman complained to Muhammad that her husband slapped her on the face, (which was still marked by the slap).  At first the prophet said to her:  "Get even with him", but then added:  "Wait until I think about it".  Later on, Allah supposedly revealed 4:34 to Muhammad, after which the prophet said:  "We wanted one thing but Allah wanted another, and what Allah wanted is best". (At-Tafsir al-Kabir, Ar-Razi on 4:34) 

Narrated Umar ibn al-Khattab:  The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said:  “A man will not be asked as to why he beat his wife.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 11, Number 2142)  

Narrated Zam'a, The prophet said, “None of you should flog his wife as he flogs a slave and then have sexual intercourse with her in the last part of the day.” (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 7, 132)

In the above verse, Mohammad did not forbid beating the wife. He only made it less severe than a slave beating so that men could have sex with their beaten wives the same day.

“Those of you, who are afraid of their disobedience which symptoms become evident to you, threaten them with the fear of God and banish them to beds apart and scourge them.” (Jalalan, Page 69)

“God preferred man over woman, and the reason for the bestowing of this verse (4:34) is a well-known episode which says that a man from the helpers beat his wife, whose name was Habiba, the daughter of Zayd. Her father took her to the apostle of God (to complain). Mohammad said: "Let us punish him." But God sent down this verse 4:34. The woman returned home without having her husband punished. Mohammad said: ‘I intended to do something (that is, to punish the man), but God willed otherwise, and what God wills is better.’” (Al-Baydawi, Page 111)

“In case of a husband’s ill-treatment [of his spouse], the Qur’an permits reconciliation of the spouses and arbitration, but in the case of the wife it allows scourging her.” (Ahkamal-Qur’an, Imam Shafi’I, Vol. 1, p.211)

“If admonishing and sexual desertion fail to bring forth results and the woman is of a cold and stubborn type, the Qur’an bestows on man the right to straighten her out by way of punishment and beating provided he does not break her bones nor shed blood. Many a wife belongs to this querulous type and requires this sort of punishment to bring her to her senses!” (You Ask and Islam Answers, Abdul–latif Mushtahiri, Page 94)

“If a woman is afraid that her husband may turn away from her or detest her, she will hasten to bring understanding and reconciliation. But if the husband is afraid that his wife may rebel against him, he hastens to bring mutual understanding by means of exhortation, then by abandonment of the bed, then by the scourging which deters.” (The Individual Guarantee in the Islamic Law, Ahmad Ahmad, Page 63) 

Narrated 'Ikrima: Rifa'a divorced his wife whereupon 'AbdurRahman bin Az-Zubair Al-Qurazi married her. 'Aisha said that the lady (came), wearing a green veil (and complained to her (Aisha) of her husband and showed her a green spot on her skin caused by beating). It was the habit of ladies to support each other, so when Allah's Apostle came, 'Aisha said, "I have not seen any woman suffering as much as the believing women. Look! Her skin is greener than her clothes!" When 'AbdurRahman heard that his wife had gone to the Prophet, he came with his two sons from another wife. She said, "By Allah! I have done no wrong to him but he is impotent and is as useless to me as this," holding and showing the fringe of her garment, 'Abdur-Rahman said, "By Allah, O Allah's Apostle! She has told a lie! I am very strong and can satisfy her but she is disobedient and wants to go back to Rifa'a." Allah's Apostle said, to her, "If that is your intention, then know that it is unlawful for you to remarry Rifa'a unless Abdur-Rahman has had sexual intercourse with you." Then the Prophet saw two boys with 'Abdur-Rahman and asked (him), "Are these your sons?" On that 'AbdurRahman said, "Yes." The Prophet said, "You claim what you claim (i.e.. that he is impotent)? But by Allah, these boys resemble him as a crow resembles a crow." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 72, Number 715)

Note that Muslims used to beat their wives severely during Mohammad’s times and Muslims women suffered more physical abuse than pagan women. The following quote from the Hadith shows that Mohammad himself beat his wife which caused pain.

…….He stood there and he stood for a long time. He then lifted his hands three times, and then returned and I also returned. He hastened his steps and I also hastened my steps. He ran and I too ran. He came (to the house) and I also came (to the house). I, however, preceded him and I entered (the house), and as I lay down in the bed, he (the Holy Prophet) entered the (house), and said: Why is it, O 'A'isha, that you are out of breath? I said: There is nothing. He said: Tell me or the Subtle and the Aware would inform me. I said: Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be ransom for you, and then I told him (the whole story). He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. He struck me on the chest which caused me pain, and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you? She said: Whatsoever the people conceal, Allah will know it….. (Sahih Muslim, Book 4, Number 2127)

Looking at the Quranic message and practices of Mohammad and his companions one does not need to wonder why Muslim women continue to suffer physical abuse at the hands of their husbands in many Islamic countries. According to Sandra Mackay in her book “The Saudis”, “The man's absolute authority over the women in his family is maintained through fear - the fear of physical brutality, the fear of economic insecurity.... My translator lowered her head and quietly said that if the men found out about the women's disobedience, they would be beaten.” (Page 138-139)

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