Extremely controversial topic that will always be taken out of context. Some (a lot aka Christians and Dawkins) will take it out of context implying that Men have the right and left to knock their wives out Mike Tyson style. However, the Qur'an is obviously referring to it as ONE of the last resorts before divorcing a very abusive,ill-conducted wife. (The other resort being just divorce)
Now, I have always wondered. Is the beating to be taken literal? Or is there another meaning? Both sides could make sense.
However, the true question remaining is that if we were to truly beat.. what fashion should it be in? Darab makes it very vague in a sense.
Translators have always used "Lightly" Many critics accused Muslims of "arbitrarily cherry-picking" as the word lightly does not appear. But we actually do have proof that it is indeed Lightly and there is no shame from the side of the translators.
Guillaume’s translation of Ibn Ishaq's "Sirat Rasulallah":
"You have rights over your wives, and they have rights over you. You have the right that they should not defile your bed and that they should not behave with open unseemliness. If they do, God allows you to put them in separate rooms and to beat them, but not with severity. If they refrain from these things and obey you, they have right to their food and clothing with kindness. Lay injunctions on women kindly, for they are your wards having no control of their persons."
“The Life of Muhammad”, Oxford, 1955, page 651. (Translation of one of the earliest accounts of prophet Muhammad, apparently written about 150 years after his death)
Straight from the Man who the words of the Qur'an were revealed to from Gibril.
Might i remind you that the Prophet mentioned LIGHTLY beat them to the wives WHO DEFILE YOUR BED.
Defile : To violate the chastity of.
Basically the wife who sleep with another man.
If this is not mercy then i don't know what is. Maybe this Hadith could have saved O.J Simpson from trial lol.
اَللّٰهُ أَعْلَم
