Beat Them (Lightly)
From Submission
Gaius links to this column in the Washington Post by Asra Q. Nomani. She writes:
When dealing with a “disobedient wife,” a Muslim man has a number of options. First, he should remind her of “the importance of following the instructions of the husband in Islam.” If that doesn’t work, he can “leave the wife’s bed.” Finally, he may “beat” her, though it must be without “hurting, breaking a bone, leaving blue or black marks on the body and avoiding hitting the face, at any cost.”Such appalling recommendations, drawn from the book “Woman in the Shade of Islam” by Saudi scholar Abdul Rahman al-Sheha, are inspired by as authoritative a source as any Muslim could hope to find: a literal reading of the 34th verse of the fourth chapter of the Koran, An-Nisa , or Women. “[A]nd (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them,” reads one widely accepted translation.
The notion of using physical punishment as a “disciplinary action,” as Sheha suggests, especially for “controlling or mastering women” or others who “enjoy being beaten,” is common throughout the Muslim world. Indeed, I first encountered Sheha’s work at my Morgantown mosque, where a Muslim student group handed it out to male worshipers after Friday prayers one day a few years ago.
Verse 4:34 retains a strong following, even among many who say that women must be treated as equals under Islam. Indeed, Muslim scholars and leaders have long been doing what I call “the 4:34 dance” — they reject outright violence against women but accept a level of aggression that fits contemporary definitions of domestic violence.
Why is this issue so incredibly important?
Western leaders, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, have recently focused on Muslim women’s veils as an obstacle to integration in the West. But to me, it is 4:34 that poses the much deeper challenge of integration. How the Muslim world interprets this passage will reveal whether Islam can be compatible with life in the 21st century. As Hadayai Majeed, an African American Muslim who had opened a shelter in Atlanta to serve Muslim women, put it, “If it’s okay for me to be a savage in my home, it’s okay for me to be a savage in the world.”
The column provides for a great, highly interesting read.
If the majority of Muslims stop interpreting this verse as literally as possible it will indeed prevent Muslim men from being ‘savages at home’ and that might influence particular behavior in the outside world, but – perhaps more importantly – by interpreting this particular verse in a way such as Ms. Nomani wants it to be interpreted – loosely and more historically – it will open the door to such an interpretation of other violent or highly intolerant verses as well.
11 Responses to “Beat Them (Lightly)”
This is horrible. I find it very very disturbing that there are pamphlets handed out containing ways to beat your wife in the eyes of a smiling Allah.
On a second note, you gota give the Islamic people props for sticking to their traditions. The catholic church tried and eventually had a reformation, maybe we could find one in Islam sooner then later.
randal
I think that starting to ignore those parts of the Q’ran that don’t fit with modern thinking could start with, but must not end with, the treatment of women. The other two major monotheistic religions have survived without holding back the advance of civilization by tolerating the faithful ignoring a great majority of the rules. Only a very tiny minority of Catholics or Jews really try to obey EVERY rule in the Bible, it’s untenable. Most endevour to “be good” and maybe pay attention to the hot-button rules that the current religious leaders tell them to (in these times, abortion, homosexuality etc.). Jews especially simply could not advance if they were all orthodox, the Torah has rules about EVERYTHING. Many of them made sense, 2 thousand years ago.
Until the Muslim world learns to take their holy book as more of a moral story and not a literal rulebook they will be at odds with us. Sure not beating their wives would be a nice first step, but then they have to take a bunch of others to get out of the 9th damn century.
I agree.
Good point, Lynx. I once heard conservative commentator Pat Buchanan say that he didn’t support our efforts to democratize Iraq because he believes that much of the Muslim world still lives with a 12th century mentality. (Which is not to say that there aren’t many modern, tolerant Muslims) When we look at what Christianity has been through since the 12th century to arrive at its present day state of tolerance -the Reformation, the Crusades and the Inquisition, maybe it puts extreme Islam in perspective.
Our own country was an experiment in tolerance-based on the then radical philosophy of Locke and Rousseau-who proclaimed man had God-given rights. We were a country of mostly exiles from religious persecution-so of course that message was appealing. It is hard to near impossible for Americans to understand why tolerance and democracy are not seen in a virtuous light by Middle-easterners. We are as different as day and night, and the cultures will clash more as globalization forces them to collide.
I read this article earlier today – it’s excellent.
Another column. An outrageous column that the Washington Post felt fit to print.
Yeah, I read that one too.
Ugh, Tommy, that’s awful. My mother grew up in Fascist Spain and said that some of the worst and most opressive people were the women, who interiorized they’re own opression and felt powerful only by “owning” they’re own opression and pretending to think it was the best, lording over women who bucked fascist treatment. My auntie got stones thrown at her by WOMEN in a village for daring to wear pants.
Aside from her wacko views on veiling, which she is perfectly entitled to in a free society, I ask all of you to let the Washington Post know that it isn’t cool to be publishing pieces from terrorist sympathizers – at least not without any sort of disclosure of the person’s views. Please take a moment and let the Washington Post know how you feel about the matter. Thanks.
The fundies in the Ward Cleaver days used to beat their wives and children. Nutcases are nutcases…..
The fundies never cited Biblical scripture in doing any such thing, Rudi. Nice try.
PING:
TITLE: How a Muslim treats women
BLOG NAME: Don Singleton
So now they are saying Muslim women are Masochists, who enjoy being beaten. I wonder if they can show a poll of Muslim women that demonstrates that.
PING:
TITLE: Do Moderate Muslims Exist?
BLOG NAME: Flopping Aces
The thing this writer is forgetting is that many of the freedoms enjoyed centuries ago by followers of Islam have been thrown out by the conservative brand of Islam practiced today. Wahabbism is growing among the Muslim world, this is what the world se…
PING:
TITLE: Western female convert to Islam loves the veil, says Islamic women are ‘real’ feminists
BLOG NAME: Sister Toldjah
Just got done reading this opinion piece written by Islamic convert Yvonne Ridley, a British journalist who as captured by the Taliban shortly after the 9-11 attacks after sneaking into Afghanistan in an attempt to write a story on the oppressive natur…
PING:
TITLE: Western female convert to Islam loves the veil, says Islamic women are ‘real’ feminists
BLOG NAME: Sister Toldjah
Just got done reading this opinion piece written by Islamic convert Yvonne Ridley, a British journalist who as captured by the Taliban shortly after the 9-11 attacks after sneaking into Afghanistan in an attempt to write a story on the oppressive natur…