Is beating wives allowed in Islam?

Question

I read a verse in Quran (4:34) that says: "As to those women on whose part you fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, advise them, refuse to share their beds, and beat them"

In the explanation for that verse, there was a story about a woman who complained to prophet Muhammed that her husband had beaten her and then god revealed that verse to prophet Muhammed so that he returned her back saying that he can not do nothing for her because that was the ruling from god.

If this is the case, why Muslim apologists tell us that beating wives is not allowed in Islam?

I am sorry, I have read the verse and the explanation over and over many times and I could not find anything about that Miswak. Actually it tells that the man had beaten her and left marks on her face. You can read it by yorself (it is in Arabic):

http://quran.al-islam.com/Tafseer/DispTafsser.asp?nType=1&bm=&nSeg=0&l=arb&nSora=4&nAya=34&taf=KATHEER&tashkeel=0

helper
Is there a verse in the western civilization constitutions to allow beating wives? I am talking about teachings not practice. Ive looked at most constitutions for most Western civilizations and I could not find anything that allow for beating wives.

chacalaka
The link for the verse and the story behind it is already provided above in PLAIN ARABIC.

Answer 1

I am sorry this is still the major problem I have with the Koran. The major strength that the Koran has is that is suppose to be the exact words of God as told to Mohammad. It does say that under a certain circumstance it is okay to hit your wife. It doesn't say you can burn them or kill them and it is questionable what is meant by "hit". But these are suppose to be the words of God and I have to believe that in all Gods wisdom he would be a lot clearly about what he meant there.

Muslims often will say that you need to read the Koran in it's original Arabic to truly understand it, but that's crap. That's like a kid asking a question in class and the teacher saying "well I think it would be better if you looked it up yourself." Either God said it's okay to hit women or he didn't; nothing I learn will change that fact. So if he didn't say it then they shouldn't let translations be printed that suggest he did.

I was very close to converting until I read that. Modern day Muslims have told me very many stories about how that has to do with the times and blah blah blah. But you can't have it both ways, either they worship a God who says it's okay to hit women or the Koran is fallible just like the Bible.

Answer 2

Presenting a verse as a stand alone, will not enable you to understand what the intended message in trying to convey. You have to take it within context, so if you could please present me the whole surah/bunch of verses, I will gladly explain them to you.
And can you please present me with the source for the story about the abused woman and the prophet? We do know that he said that "You have rights over your wife, and she has rights over you".
Finally, remember that what you've read is a double translation from classical Arabic to modern Arabic, and THEN to English. Obviously the meaning can be obscured there. It's also possible that the translator added his own interpretation in parenthesis and this interpretation got merged with the translation which was placed in the secondary source, from where you read whatever it is that you did.
I hope this clears any misconception that you may have come across.

Answer 3

Yes at the same time they are to follow those rules of
talking to him , advising them, refusing to share the bed and then to beat them but only with what is called Miswak. Miswak is like a tooth brush.
Only addition to that story is that the Man was adived he can not beat his wife black and blue but the limit he has is he can
only use the stick as long as the tooth brush(Miswak)

At the same time Women have restrictions on going thru those steps they have full authority if want to just start beating their husbands

Answer 4

That is not the way to understand this issue. The prophet PBUH never hit a wife, a servant, a boy or any thing and he is still the best example for Muslims today. In very limited conditions when all possible ways are tried to save a marriage and failed, it is permissible to the husband to strike his wife very gently by his finger and not on the face to indicate that things reached its limits and only after that is divorce. Now compare this rare and limited condition allowed for saving a marriage to these data from the western civilization of today:
Nearly 25 percent of women said they were assaulted by a current or former intimate partner, according to a report released by the National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in July 2000. This research was based on the National Violence Against Women (NVAW) Survey on intimate partner violence in the United States. The survey was conducted through telephone interviews with a nationally representative sample of 8,000 women and 8,000 men about their experiences with intimate partner violence.

A summary of the findings are quoted from the report, below. To receive Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence by Patricia Tjaden and Nancy Thoennes, National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, July 2000, go to http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/181867.htm or call NCJRS at 800-851-3420 (877-712-9279 For TTY users).

Answer 5

Make a move take your dictionary, see the meaning of the verb DARABA, you will find hundreds of meaning, then compare what would you say to a person complaining about being beaten.
Would you say worst thing or good thing to relief her?

The dictionary says to beat, strike, hit, shoot, fire, shell, bombard, play, make music, type, sting, seperate, part, impose, to turn away from, leave, forsake, abandon, avoid, or shun. and lots more
Now read the verse again
4:34 And if you fear disloyalty and ill conduct on their part, advise them, refuse to share their beds, and turn away from them.
4:34 And if you fear disloyalty and ill conduct on their part, advise them, refuse to share their beds, and leave them or abandon them.
If you complain about being beaten I think the result would be not to be beaten, So why althou having hundreds of meaning you choose only the beating one.

Answer 6

Read the Bible, it completely supports the beating, and even the killing, of wives and children when they misbehave. If we followed the Bible as many Fundamentalist Christians claim we should should, such abuses would be entirely legal in 'Christian' countries. It is the secular government that has enforced rules about the rights of women and children.

Answer 7

Beating your wife was once alloweed and encouraged under the Catholic church. The phrase "rule of thumb" came from this practice because the church said that you couldn't beat your wife with a stick that was bigger around than your thumb!

Answer 8

I have no idea
But if it is than the vast majority of Arabs are in the clear

Answer 9

Yes!

Answer 10

wife beating is not allow in islam