Bismillah:
Quote:"Men have authority over women because God has made the one superior to the other, and because they spend their wealth to maintain them. Good women are obedient. They guard their unseen parts because God has guarded them. As for those from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them and send them to beds apart and <b>beat them</b>. Then if they obey you, take no further action against them. Surely God is high, supreme." (Quran, 4:34)
Does this condone beating of wives?
Once, our Prophet pbuh was approached with questions <b>"What if the wife intentionally disobeys her husband in what Allah Almighty has permitted for him upon her? And what if the wife flirts with other men, or can't be trusted to honor her husband's dignity? How should it be dealt with?" </b> The answer to those two questions was the Qur'anic verses 4:34-35.
These Verses prove that Islam is by far the most merciful and rational religion to women, because it not only gives the woman 2 chances to repent before she gets beaten, but it also saves her from getting divorced and destroy her family.
The laws of 4:34-35 for the woman who <b>intentionally disobeys </b> her husband in what Allah Almighty has permitted for him upon her or <b>flirt with other men </b> are (1) Be warned at first; (2) Her husband doesn't sleep with her for few days (that he determines) if she does it again; and (3) Her husband must beat her if she does it the third time.
But you must also know that Allah the Almighty God clearly <b>prohibits for Muslim men to harm their wives</b>:
"...
Do not retain them (i.e., your wives) to harm them
...( Quran, 2:231)"
"If a wife fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part, there is no blame on them if they arrange an amicable settlement between themselves; and such settlement is best; even though men's souls are swayed by greed. But if ye do good and practise self-restraint, God is well-acquainted with all that ye do.
(Quran, 4:128)"
So brutally beating the wives and causing bruises and damages to their bodies is clearly <b>prohibited in Islam.</b>
Our Prophet PBUH did specify that the beating <b>must not include the face</b>. Hitting the face of any human being is not allowed in Islam. he pbuh said:
Narrated Salim: "....Umar said:<b>
'The Prophet forbade beating on the face.'
</b> ( Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 67, Number 449)"
Narrated AbuHurayrah: "The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: <b>
When one of you inflicts a beating, he should avoid striking the face
</b>. (Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 38, Number 4478)"
Even with slaves, if one slaps his slave in the face, then <b>he must set him free</b>:
"Zadhan reported that Ibn Umar called his slave and he found the marks (of beating) upon his back. He said to him<b>:
I have caused you pain. He said: No. But he (Ibn Umar) said: You are free. He then took hold of something from the earth and said: There is no reward for me even to the weight equal to it. I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who beats a slave without cognizable offence of his or slaps him, then expiation for it is that he should set him free.
</b> (Translation of Sahih Muslim, The Book of Oaths (Kitab Al-Aiman), Book 015, Number 4079)"
The above Sayings of our beloved Prophet pbuh preserve the human dignity from being compromised. There is no need to humiliate the person (<b>any person</b>) if you ever have to enter into a physical confrontation with him.
<b>Wife beating is not allowed in Islam for any reason,
except
for the case of the Qur'anic Verses 4:34-35 when the wife intentionally disobeys her husband intentionally in what Allah Almighty has permitted for him upon her or flirts with other men:</b>
Narrated Mu'awiyah al-Qushayri: "I went to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and asked him: What do you say (command) about our wives? He replied: [
b]Give them food what you have for yourself, and clothe them by which you clothe yourself, and do not beat them
, and do not revile them. [/b] (Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 11, Marriage, Number 2139)"
Narrated Mu'awiyah ibn Haydah: "I said: Apostle of Allah, how should we approach our wives and how should we leave them? He replied:
<b>Approach your tilth when or how you will, give her (your wife) food when you take food, clothe when you clothe yourself, do not revile her face, and do not beat her
.</b> (Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 11, Marriage, Number 2138)"
Also, Verse 4:34 states "…
but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all)."
Which clearly proves that the man can not bring the past of his wife as a tool against her to humiliate her or to discomfort her.
One important point: <b>The door of mercy and forgiveness in Noble Verse 4:34 is open for all women if they decide to repent. This clearly proves that Islam is a beautiful religion and a merciful one too. </b>
hope this answer your question.
Salam
Wael.
