Light beating for wives?

LIGHT BEATING FOR WIVES?

[Two video links also given below with modern scholars explaining the issue]

Our dear Prophet (pbuh) was a perfect human. And hence it is said that he never raised his hand on any of his wives. There is a controversy today about some scholars saying that a Muslim husband can "lightly beat" his wife. Many so-called educated but naive Pakistanis are reacting to it. The main concern is that the media has highlighted "light beating" and blown it out of proportions when in fact many other things were discussed also with regards to protection of women and women's rights in the bill proposed by Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).

Sadly, the so-called educated in Pakistan don't bother to read Qur'an with translation. So we should first read Qur'an with translation. Beating a wife lightly is mentioned in Qur'an and not a creation by scholars. However, it is only allowed in exceptional cases of wife's disloyalty or ill-conduct and as a last step. Dr. Zakir Naik said in an old lecture that the husband could use toothbrush without any agression (for example). And when it comes to light beating, then our Prophet's (pbuh) teachings also need to be studied minutely as to what, why and how.

A husband's character is to be questioned too first. Is he himself loyal to his wife and not playing any games? If he does not care to be ethical and a gentleman himself, then he loses any right over his woman.

Here read Surah Al-Nisa, verse 34: "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 guard. As to those women on whose part ye 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 Great (above you all)." - TRANSLATION BY ABDULLAH YUSUF ALI

Lastly, there is much more emphasis in Islam about treating your wives with love and kindness, than being harsh towards them. So don't panic please. Harshness is never there in fact, only disciplining them in exceptional cases when they are disloyal or show ill-conduct to their husbands. Our dear Prophet (pbuh) said:

Now some detailed insights by scholars on the topic :

1- A 20-minute talk by Nauman Ali Khan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1azySjz4edk

2- A 5-minute talk by another scholar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2sZrrXeMZo&feature=share

Our media is not presenting the whole picture and they are not sharing the Qur'anic verse above. All they are trying is to present the Islamic scholars as clerics who want dominance over women. If the media want the public to trust what it is relaying, then it should be fair in approach rather than distorting the facts. For in the end, the Almighty is going to judge us on a day the length of which will be 50,000 years.

- S Roman Ahsan.