Does islam permit to the husband to beat his wife? according to this surah or am I wrong?

13 Comments

1. Moses says:

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   The passage as translated by picktahl 4:34 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. 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.

   you can not include the words in brackets (…) those are added by people and not part of the translation as a matter of fact those words are not even from the Original translations.

   I understand it to mean that as a husband you try and save the marriage as best you can. Using strong persuasion but i do not see it as physical force.
2. True Creed says:

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   copy pasted from http://aashiqerasool.tripod.com/id8.html

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   A lot has been talked about ISLAM permitting to hit women on this forum, well here is an answer to that.

   Allah says: "And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect." (Ar-Rum: 21)

   However, the controversial verse in QURAAN which allegedly permits hitting of wives is:

   Almighty Allah says: "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 to guard. As to those women on whose part you 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 and Great (above you all). If you fear a breach between them twain, appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family and the other from hers. If they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation; for Allah has full knowledge and is acquainted with all things." (An-Nisa’: 34-35)

   It is important to note that even this "light strike" mentioned in the verse is not to be used to correct some minor problem, but it is permissible to resort to only in a situation of some serious moral misconduct when admonishing the wife fails, and avoiding from sleeping with her would not help. If this disciplinary action can correct a situation and save the marriage, then one should use it.

   It is interesting that this fourteen -centuries-old qualifier of "light strike" is the criterion used in contemporary American law to separate a light and harmless tap or strike from "abuse" in the legal sense. This makes it clear that even this extreme, last resort, and "lesser of the two evils" measure that may save a marriage does not meet the definitions of "physical abuse," "family violence, " or "wife battering" in the 20th century law in liberal democracies, where such extremes are so commonplace that they are seen as national concerns.

   When the COMPANIONS(R.A) of PROPHET MUHAMMAD(P.B.U.H) asked to explain them about the limit they should excercise, HE(P.B.U.H) used the words "dharban ghayra mubarrih" HE(P.B.U.H) is known to have explained at various places in HADEES as:-
   1.NO HITIING ON THE FACE AS THIS IS NOT JUST A VERY DELICATE PART BUT ALSO A VITAL MEDIUM OF IDENTITY OF A PERSON.
   2.NO BREAKING OF BONES AND NO CAUSE OF PAIN SHOULD RESULT FROM HITTING
   3.NO SCARS SHOULD BE THERE ON THE BODY.
   4.FINALY, THE EXPLANATION WAS SUMMED UP AS YOU CAN HIT ALMOST LIKE YOU HIT SOMEONE WITH COTTONWOOL.
   Infact, PROPHET MUHAMMAD(P.B.U.H) is known to have commented in his HADEES "How does anyone of you beat his wife as he beats the stallion camel and then embrace (sleep with) her?” (Al-Bukhari, English Translation, vol. 8, Hadith 68, pp. 42-43)

   Islamic teachings are universal in nature. They respond to the needs and circumstances of diverse times, cultures and circumstances. Some measures may work in some cases and cultures or with certain persons but may not be effective in others. By definition, a "permissible" act is neither required, encouraged or forbidden. In fact it may be to spell out the extent of permissibility, such as in the issue at hand, rather than leaving it unrestricted or unqualified, or ignoring it all together. In the absence of strict qualifiers, persons may interpret the matter in their own way, which can lead to excesses and real abuse. Any excess, cruelty, family violence, or abuse committed by any "Muslim" can never be traced, honestly, to any revelatory text (Qur’an or Hadith). Such excesses and violations are to be blamed on the person(s) himself, as it shows that they are paying lip service to Islamic teachings and injunctions and failing to follow the true Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)."

   Remember to look at Islam as a whole and not to focus on just one verse or hadith without seeing others related to the subject. Also, don’t judge Islam by what you see Muslims do, but by what the Qur’an and sunnah say they should do. May Allah guide you and us all to the truth!
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   I like the explanation that site gives. Salam
3. ucrags84 says:

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   Regardless of what even a Mullah interprets Islam’s rules on Women’s conduct in Islam, it would be unacceptable to beat your wife.

   One should take religion with a grain of salt, and some context. It’s not a substitute for common sense, and certain universal human norms. Like Islam doesn’t really permit the killing of innocent civilians even though extremists interpret it so.

   Bottom line, a good Muslim doesn’t beat his wife.
4. Iranian princess (X ALLAH) says:

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   allah says beat your wife daily
   Quran 4/34
5. ॐ obscured ॐ says:

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   Wahabbism permits this practice !i
6. magicofdawn (again) says:

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   Yes, islam permits wife beating. Muhammad did it too. Muslims like to deny this but there is a hadith that describes it. Aisha, Muhammad’s favorite wife, tells the story.

   It’s recorded in Sahih Muslim (authentic hadith!), Book 4 Number 2127. It’s very long, so I will only print the part about Muhammad hitting Aisha. I will list the source so you can verify and see the whole thing.

   "…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?…"

   EDIT: It amazes me that Muslims have the audacity to defend this kind of behavior. Any decent and reasonably intelligent person would know not only that a woman will be hurt when a man hits her and it does not matter where she is hit, but that her chest is sensitive. Plus we should remember that Aisha was a child while Muhammad was a fully grown man (for lack of a better word!). Also, Muslims boast how they are not allowed to hit in the face so Muhammad was careful to make sure there would be no visible signs of abuse. He was a coward as is any man that hits a woman or in the case of Aisha, a child.
7. MS says:

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   Look, the Bible, which is read by "people of the Book" who believe in the one God of Ibrahim, PBUH, says that people who mix fabrics should be put to death.

   So…I mean…really. Allah/Khoda/Yaweh or whatever one might like to call him…or HER… gave us all brains with the idea that we might USE them. The Quran is the FIGURATIVE word, not the LITERAL word.

   Back in the day, that kind of crap might have been acceptable in a brutish and stupider society where people were not self-actualized and they were, to put it bluntly, DUMB as boxes of rocks. Today, people are blessed with intelligence and that kind of behavior is no longer acceptable.

   People used to "dry clean" their clothing with URINE back then, too. How would you feel about continuing THAT practice as well?

   You don’t beat a human any more than you keep slaves, engage in ritual human sacrifice, or punish someone for mixing polyester and cotton. You’ll find all of that nonsense in "Holy Books." though. They’re NOT the final word, they were written to appeal to a specific audience at a specific time, and they are subject to interpretation, using the BRAINS that we were all given.
8. Yaseen says:

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   He struck her on her chest, yes perhaps. Remember, when one wishes to inflict physical pain, the last place you would hit or strike the person is on their chest. You would smack them in the face or hurt their backs. Secondly, you are not nearly intelligent enough to interpret the Hadith and its actual meaning. The pain referred to is emotional pain, not physical.
9. MUhammed K says:

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   not at all absolutely

   The key word that is commonly mistranslated is iDRiBuhunna. In almost all translations, you will see it translated as "scourge," or "beat" or "beat (lightly)". The verb DaRaBa is a multiple-meaning verb akin to English ‘strike’ or ‘get.’ The Quran uses the same verb with various meanings, such as, to travel, to get out (3:156; 4:101; 38:44; 73:20; 2:273), to strike (2:60,73; 7:160; 8:12; 20:77; 24:31; 26:63; 37:93; 47:4), to beat (8:50), to beat or regret (47:27), to set up (43:58; 57:13), to give (examples) (14:24,45; 16:75,76,112; 18:32,45; 24:35; 30:28,58; 36:78; 39:27,29; 43:17; 59:21; 66:10,11), to take away, to ignore (43:5), to condemn (2:61), to seal, to draw over (18:11), to cover (24:31), and to explain (13:17). It is again interesting that the scholars pick the meaning BEAT, among the many other alternatives, when the relationship between man and woman is involved, a relationship that is defined by the Quran with mutual love and care (30:21).

   wife beating is NOT permissible in Islam which is in Glorious Quran.
   perhaps it is permissible in suuni doctrine called hadith books.which is NOT scripture.

   Glorious Quran is VERY Clear about explaining laws/commands,there are no grey areas.
   the question is how light the beating should be, how much force should be applied while beating , and how would one define "light" in the process of beating !!!!!! so as one doesnt transgress !!!

   The other word that has been traditionally mistranslated is the word NuSHuZ as "rebellion" or "disobedience" or "opposition" to men. If we study 4:34 carefully we will find a clue that leads us to translate that word as embracing a range of related ideas, from "flirting" to "engaging in an extramarital affair" – indeed, any word or words that reflects the range of disloyalty in marriage. The clue is the phrase before nushuz, which reads: ". . . they honor them according to God’s commandments, even when alone in their privacy." This phrase emphasizes the importance of loyalty in marital life, and helps us to make better sense of what follows. Interestingly, the same word, nushuz, is used later in the same chapter, in 4:128 – but it is used to describe the misbehavior of husbands, not wives, as it was in 4:34. In our view, the traditional translation of nushuz, that is, "opposition," will not fit in both contexts. However, the understanding of nushuz as marital disloyalty, in a variety of forms, is clearly appropriate for both 4:34 and 4:128. The word QaNiTat, which means "devoted to God," and in some verses it describes both man and woman (2:116,238; 3:17,43; 16:120; 30:26; 33:31,35; 39:9; 66:5,12). Though this word is mostly translated correctly as "obedient," when read in the context of the above-mentioned distortion it conveys a false message as if to imply that women must be "obedient" to their husbands as their inferior, while the word refers to obedience to God’s law. The word is mentioned as a general description of Muslim women (66:12), and more interestingly the description of Mary who, according to the Quran, did not even have a husband! (66:12).
   a good muslim doesnt beat wife,on the other hand if a man is allowed "religiously" to beat the wife does it make a bad muslim for he followed religion to beat wife !,is tehre something bad imbeded in religion too !!!! thats the question
10. Ruchjat K says:

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    Salam.You are right in surah 4 An Nisa verse 34 Allah spoke about nusyuz when the wife disobeyed her husband or doing bad deed such as going out from their home or left home, without the permission of her husband.The conflict between husban and wfe in line with the sutrah 4 verse 35 should be solved by (1)_giving advice from the husband to his wife (2)make a separate bed room in the same house between husban and wife for introspection of each other (3)if the 2 ways failed,the husband could beat his wife slightly without scar (4) if the last step failed,the husband could invite one person as advicer from his side and one person as advicer from the wife side.
    Both of them(hakam) should give the best and independent advice to the wife and husband how to solve the problem between both of them
11. The Ambition says:

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    its just to assert authority i guess..in some very very rare situations, women can take small things to be personal or over judge things, in which case if extremely necessary, the husband should try to get her back under her senses..I am not trying to be sexist at all, im just saying that the situation exists, and islam is so detailed and deep rooted into everyday, modern life, that it encompasses this too…

    you can only hit with the miswaak (twig, lesser than a toothbrush) and it should not break the skin, make it red, or leave a mark…its more the fact that its a "hit," rather than the violent side to it…of course, people will always take it the wrong way until they have fully understood the context of the verse, and the situation its presenting guidance to
12. Dan G says:

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    i think that we should look to the example Muhammad left us. Muhammads wife Aissha told that Muhammad struke her on the chest real hard ….and caused severe pain. Muhammad did not use this as a last resort but did so after the first admoniishment to her and after when she immediately told him the truth of the matter……hardly a man of peace…beating up his child bride after she told him what he wanted to know……The problem with muslims is their unwillingness to admit the truth of these things …muslims reject all things that Muhammad did even from first account witness even from his own wife…..
13. Ahmed Robertson says:

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    Ture creed, Ruchjat k, muhammad k gave good answer. I want to add something interesting.

    CAIRO — Two scholars and one renowned Islamic thinker believe wives can beat back their husbands in self defense.
    "The wife can use force in self defense to counter her husband’s violence," Saudi scholar Abdel-Mohsen Al-Abyakan told IslamOnline.net.

    "If the husband hits her she can hit him back and if he tries to kill her she can kill him in self defense if this is the only way to save her life."

    Abyakan stressed that a woman must use all other means to defend herself before resorting to counter-violence.

    "(She can) talk, scream, seek help from neighbors or call the police or those able to defend her."

    Islam & Wife Beating
    Al-Azhar, the highest seat of learning seat in the Sunni world, agrees that women have the right to counter violence in self defense.
    "A wife has the legitimate right to hit her husband in self defense," Sheikh Abdel-Hamid Al-Atrash, the head of Al-Azhar’s Fatwa committee, was quoted as saying by Egypt’s Al-Masri El-Youm daily.

    "Every person has the right to self defense, whether that person is a man or a woman…because all humans are equal before God."

    Martial Arts

    Turkey’s influential Fethullah Gülen has suggested that women should learn martial arts to defend themselves against domestic violence.

    "I wish women would take karate, taekwondo or judo courses," Gülen told the Zaman daily.

    "If he hits once, she should hit him twice."

    Gülen said Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) and his companions never beat their wives.

    "It is a violent act to beat one’s wife," he said, advising victims of domestic violence to seek divorce.

    "Those women, if they don’t have kids, should get divorce."

    In June, American Foreign Policy magazine unveiled its list of the world’s Top 20 Public Intellectuals, with Gülen coming in the first place.

    "An Islamic scholar with a global network of millions of followers, Gülen is both revered and reviled in his native Turkey," it said introducing him.