Wife Beating in Islamic Law: Difference between revisions

So that the meaning is clear, three translations of this verse are provided below. The word 'beat' in the arabic is daraba (beat, strike, hit<ref>daraba - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume5/00000062.pdf Lane's lexicon] Book I page 1777</ref>).

All three translations agree with each other and establish that the Qur'an promotes wife-beating. The Qur'an states two methods must be used to make the wife become obedient and if they do not work, then wife-beating is permitted. It also states men have authority over women, and women are to be obedient, thus establishing an authoritarian structure with the husband as head of the wife. The reason given for this is that Allah created men superior to women and because men are maintainers of women.

====Job beat his wife (38:44)====

===Wife-Beating in the Hadiths===

In our first hadith, [[Muhammad]] causes his wife [[Aisha]] physical pain by striking her in the chest. The word used here is lahada, which means he pushed violently or struck her chest<ref>lahada [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume7/00000204.pdf Lane's Lexicon] page 2676</ref>.

Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) came and sought permission to see Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him). He found people sitting at his door and none amongst them had been granted permission, but it was granted to Abu Bakr and he went in. Then came 'Umar and he sought permission and it was granted to him, and he found Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) sitting sad and silent with his wives around him. He (Hadrat 'Umar) said: I would say something which would make the Prophet (peace be upon him) laugh, so he said: Messenger of Allah, I wish you had seen (the treatment meted out to) the daughter of Khadija when you asked me some money, and '''I got up and slapped her on her neck. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) laughed''' and said: They are around me as you see, asking for extra money. Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) then got up '''went to 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) and slapped her on the neck''', and 'Umar '''stood up before Hafsa and slapped''' her saying: You ask Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) which he does not possess. They said: By Allah, we do not ask Allah's Messenger peace be upon him) for anything he does not possess. Then he withdrew from them for a month or for twenty-nine days. Then this verse was revealed to him:" Prophet: Say to thy wives... for a mighty reward" (xxxiii. 28). He then went first to 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) and said: I want to propound something to you, 'A'isha, but wish no hasty reply before you consult your parents. She said: Messenger of Allah, what is that? He (the Holy Prophet) recited to her the verse, whereupon she said: Is it about you that I should consult my parents, Messenger of Allah? Nay, I choose Allah, His Messenger, and the Last Abode; but I ask you not to tell any of your wives what I have said He replied: Not one of them will ask me without my informing her. God did not send me to be harsh, or cause harm, but He has sent me to teach and make things easy.}}

{{Quote|Ibn  Ishaq:  p 496|As for Ali he said “Women are plentiful, and you can easily change one for another.  Ask the slave girl; she will tell you the truth.” So the Apostle called Burayra to ask her and  Ali got up and gave her a violent beating, saying, ‘Tell the Apostle the truth.’”}}

"I was a guest (at the home) of 'Umar one night, and in the middle of the night he went and hit his wife, and I separated them. When he went to bed he said to me: 'O Ash'ath, learn from me something that I heard from the Messenger of Allah" '''A man should not be asked why he beats his wife''', and do not go to sleep until you have prayed the Witr."' And I forgot the third thing."}}

#Muhammad provided tacit approval of wife beating by not scolding Muslims for beating their wives

#Muhammad forbid Muslims from questioning men who beat their wives

#Muhammad allowed others to hit his wives (the very women whom all Muslims adore and refer to as "the Mother of believers")

To be sure, domestic violence is indeed against the teachings of Islam, and murder of family members is especially repugnant. The Qur'an teaches that men should remain with their wives in kindness, or separate from their wives with kindness, and specifically that they should not stay with their wives in order to do harm to them (2:229, 2:231). It offers a vision of spousal equality when it prescribes a decision making process within the family of mutual consultation (2:233), and labels both husband and wife with the term "zauj" (4:1 and others) and describes them as protecting garments for one another (2:187).}}

===The best among you are those who don't hit their wives===

{{Quote|[http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/pamela_k_taylor/2009/02/aasiya_hassan_domestic_violenc.html Aasiya Zubair Hassan, Domestic Violence and Islam]<BR>Pamela K. Taylor, The Washington Post, February 27, 2009|Physical and/or emotional abuse has no place in this vision of marriage. Indeed, when women came to the Prophet complaining of their husband's treatment, the Prophet admonished the men saying that those who treated their families poorly were not among the best of men. Mu'awiyah al-Qushayri, one of the companions of the Prophet, reports "I went to the Apostle of Allah and asked him, 'What do you say about our wives?' He replied, 'Feed them with the food you eat, clothe them as you clothe yourself, and do not beat them, and do not revile them." (Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 11, the Book of Marriage, Number 2139)}}

===Daraba means to "send away"===

Bakhtiar's argument is particularly strong.}}  

===Muhammad never hit a woman===

Her answer is that we have misunderstood 4:34, and that we have to look at what the Prophet actually did after that month's separation -- which was to offer his wives the choice of divorcing him or remaining with him while resolving to avoid the behaviors he found so objectionable. While, she translates "daraba" as "to go away from them," (which is the most common usage of the term in the Qur'an), it seems that it might be better rendered as "to strike a bargain with them."}}

===Beat them only lightly, with a miswak===

===Muhammad's farewell sermon===

==Conclusion==

{{Core Women}}