06-02-2004, 12:22 AM
Bismillah
As salam alaikum
Jazaki Allah Intuition for this answer.
As mentioned in the article, permissibility does not mean that it is encouraged or allowed except in extreme cases. We are allowed to eat pork if it is the only food source and we are starving but that does not mean that we get to have bacon and porkchops all day. When it is allowed, it is only a light tap. To me, this is only used when a wife is completely out of control (borderline nuts). To the woman it should serve as an awakening by the fact that her husband who has never touched her except out of tenderness and love is so exasperated with her actions that he taps her. If you are trying to tell someone something and they continue to keep their back to you, what do you do? You tap them to get their attention. Same thing here.
I would never ever hit my wife. The idea is repulsive to me so please do not let bad examples taint the religion with their trying to justify their sin. There used to be an American saying that was used to justify beating children, "Spare the rod, spoil the child." Did that mean that all Americans believed in beating children? Allah Forgive me if I am wrong.