‘Husbands, beat your wives so they will mend their ways,’ Egyptian cleric advises

Abd Al-Rahman explains Islam’s rules for smacking one’s spouse, ‘as a last resort before divorce,’ citing practices of prophet Muhammad

By Greg Tepper 4 September 2012, 9:04 pm

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Egyptian cleric Abd Al-Rahman explaining how to beat one's wife (screenshot: MEMRI)

Egyptian cleric Abd Al-Rahman recently explained on Al-Nas television how a man is permitted to beat his wife.

“A good woman, even if beaten by her husband, puts her hand in his and says: ‘I will not rest until you are pleased with me.’ This is how the Prophet Muhammad taught his women to be,” Al-Rahman said in comment aired in August, according to a translation provided by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

“Islam instructs a man to beat his wife as a last resort before divorce, so that she will mend her ways, treat him with kindness and respect, and know that her husband has a higher status than her,” he said.

“I say to every husband: Do not rush to beat her whenever a problem arises. O servant of Allah, Allah said: ‘Admonish those of them on whose part you fear disobedience, refuse to share their beds, and beat them.’ One should not beat out of anger.”

Al-Rahman said that beating one’s wife is a matter of discipline. He said that the Prophet Muhammad beat one of his wives, Aisha, in order to instill discipline, not because he enjoyed it.