Wife Beating in the Qur'an

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The Qur'an's fourth chapter, An-Nisaa' النساء, deals with a number of issues relating to men and women, and the relationship between husband and wife. Amongst these issues is the issue of when it is permissible for a husband to physically strike or beat his wife. One verse in particular, 4:34, lays out a three-scheme for how husbands, fearing nushuuz نشوز or disobediance from their wives, are to deal with them. In summary the steps are to first admonish her, then banish her to a different bed, and finally to beat her. The admonition is layed out in a matter-of-fact, very practical way, and it can thus be assumed that the Qur'an's audience was not highly disturbed nor surpised by this holy injunction for domestic violence. Over the centuries the mufassirun have taken up this verse and different scholars from different schools have come to different conclusions on the meaning of the verse vis-a-vis the three-step formula and what the meaning is exactly of nushuuz. All of the traditional scholars agree, however, that one way or another beating is an option that is available to the man. Modern progressive Muslims, under the influence of modern secular liberalism and its firm conviction that wife beating is never acceptable, have however rejected this tradition. Rather, they have sought a number of strategies to come to the conclusion that the Qur'an, and Islam as a whole, does not allow wife beating. These strategies include appeals to the hadith, appeals to peculariar juristic decisions, and linguistic reinterpretation of the verse, going so far as to lie about the meaning of the word "daraba" in this verse.

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Introduction

The Qur'an takes up the issue of wife beating in two seperate passages. The first is [Quran 4:34]:

Yusuf Ali translation: Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).


Pickthall translation: Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.


Shakir translation: Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great.


Sahih International translation:Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand.

All of the agreed upon, relied upon Muslim translations of this verse into English agree that this verse instructs men on when and under what circumstances they are commanded to beat their wives. The verses sets out a three-part program for men dealing with "nushuuz" or disloyalty/disobediance. The three steps outlined are to first to admonist or sternly advise them to stop, then to seperate in the bedroom from them (somehow, commentators take up the question of what this means) and then, finally, to beat them. Yusuf Ali adds the word "lightly" to his translation, a word which is not found in the text of the verse. Rather, this word is found in the Farewell Sermon of the Prophet and a number of Hadith relating to the issue of wife beating. The particular turn of phrase here is "ghayr mubarrih" غير مبرح, a phrase meaning something like "not violently" or "not intensely." The scholarly consensus around this verse and the related traditions is that it is allowed and even instructed from Allah to strike a disobedient wife, however this strike must not cause grievous damage. The definitions of "grevious" or "serious" damage is subject to discussion by the commentators. The cause of the revelation, as will be seen below, leaves no doubt however that despite Muhammad's own wish on the matter it is the will of Allah that men strike their disobedient lives.


A second verse deals with the issue but much more obliquely.

They will say, "Exalted are You! You, [O Allah], are our benefactor not them. Rather, they used to worship the jinn; most of them were believers in them." But today you do not hold for one another [the power of] benefit or harm, and We will say to those who wronged, "Taste the punishment of the Fire, which you used to deny." And when our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, they say, "This is not but a man who wishes to avert you from that which your fathers were worshipping." And they say, "This is not except a lie invented." And those who disbelieve say of the truth when it has come to them, "This is not but obvious magic." And We had not given them any scriptures which they could study, and We had not sent to them before you, [O Muhammad], any warner.

ibn Kathir notes on this verse that Allah gave Ayub (Job) the option to hit his wife with a bundle of twigs without having to carry out his promise to beat her 100 blows:

(And take in your hand a bundle of thin grass and strike therewith (your wife), and break not your oath.) Ayyub, peace be upon him, got angry with his wife and was upset about something she had done, so he swore an oath that if Allah healed him, he would strike her with one hundred blows. When Allah healed him, how could her service, mercy, compassion and kindness be repaid with a beating So Allah showed him a way out, which was to take a bundle of thin grass, with one hundred stems, and hit her with it once.
Tafsir of ibn Kathir on Qur'an 38:41-44

This verse was later used in hadith and Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) to discuss alternatives to several hadd punishments in the case of frail, vulnerable people. These discussions, however, did not very often touch on the propriety of rightness of wife beating; discussions on this topic tended to proceed from the discussions around 4:34.

Linguistic Analysis of Verse in Arabic

Asbab An-Nuzuul of the Verse

Tafsirs of the Verse

Modern Tafsirs

Abul A'la Al-Maududi (1903-1979)

Classical Tafsirs

Evidence from the Hadith

Modern Views and Perspectives on the Meaning of Qur'an 4:34

See Also


External Links

References