A lady asked me to comment on wife beating in Islam. While I feel that a scholar should be consulted on matters relating to shariah, I decided to respond to the query from my mediocre understanding of the ethics of chivalry. In my reckoning, if one were to follow the footsteps of the messenger (upon him, peace) to the letter, a need to beat a woman would never arise. In fact, beating of any human is deemed sinful, so women are no exception. So, in crux, beating is out of question. However, there is a dire need to ponder upon the meaning of the word wadribouhounna in Surah Nisa that is often interpreted as beating. Moreover, one must(!) read it in the context and understand the various stages that precede it. Its also worthwhile reading The Etiquettes of Marriage by Imam al-Ghazali to understand the true nature of marital companionship.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 14:23:42 +0000