Islam Teaches Domestic Violence?

This is so untrue. Refer to the Qur'an, Chapter 60 (Al-Mumtahanah), verses 8-9

Peace be upon you dear readers. n_n Hi !!! How are you guys? I'm sorry it took me a while to write a new post. I do have a few ideas and subjects to write about but I barely have enough time for my studies, let alone updating my blog frequently. Haha. However, this means you should look forward to more interesting updates from me. n_n   My sincere apologies too, to some of my readers who requested me to write on certain things because I cannot do it now, but if God wills it, I will write it as soon as I find the time. n_n By the way, please pray for me and also my friends because in about one week, we'll be having our first exam in 2nd year. Scary. ε=ε=(っ*´□`)っ We need all the lucks we can get, thank you. n_n

The story began last Friday, right after the Friday prayer, the Imam of the masjid where I prayed invited the men to perform another optional or voluntary prayer to wish to Allah for the safety of a Muslim Malaysian couple detained in Sweden for allegedly hitting their son. There are rumors saying that they never hit their son, just reminding. Only Allah and the family know the truth. It's said that the couple will be charged tomorrow. I can't help but wonder why is it taking so long for the trial to begin though. Hmm. However, I do hope that their case will be resolved without much difficulty. May Allah bless them. My intention in writing this post is to clear some misunderstandings related to this case, to the best of my knowledge, of both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Some of the misunderstandings I want to address are, Islam is a violent religion that teaches its followers to beat their wives and kids, which is often misunderstood by non-Muslims, then about some Muslims who said that there's no such thing as beating your kids when they don't want to pray in Islam and finally, should Muslims obey the laws of non-Muslim country when they're living there.

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Islam is a violent religion that teaches its followers to beat their wives and kids. Is it true?

Dear readers, Islam is a religion of peace sent by Allah through his messengers. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the final prophet, completed his task by leaving two things for the whole world to read, follow and make a habit out of them, the Al-Qur'an and Hadith. These things, if followed, will prevent us from going astray. My cherished non-Muslim readers, I strongly suggest you to get a copy of Al-Qur'an and read it for yourself. You will see that not even a sentence tells the Muslims to be violent. If you find anything like that, go ahead and find a Muslim to attack him. If Allah wills it, I'm sure he or she will give you an answer or answers to justify it. 

Friendly reminders to my Muslim brothers and sisters, do not answer if you are unsure or don't know the answer. Tell the inquirer that you need some time to check with more knowledgeable people and you will get back to it once you have the answer. To say you don't know is more noble than giving incorrect answers for me. n_n   Please let me share with you one verse of the Qur'an that may have been the cause behind this misunderstanding. 

“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend from their means. Therefore, the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in the husband’s absence what Allah orders them to guard. As to those women on whose part you see ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (then) refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them; but if they return to obedience, seek not against them means. Surely, Allah is Ever Most High, Most Great.” [An-Nisa' ; 34]

Even though this verse showed a lot of positive things but still, many non-Muslims and also some Muslims often mistook it as a violent teaching partly because of the word 'beat them'. Dr. Ahmad Shafaat explained this verse in very much details especially the beating part. Summary of his long explanation:

1. Beating is to be done after due admonition and suspension of sexual relations and therefore by husbands who have some moral standards and have sufficient control over their sexual passions. Moreover, this beating is not to go on and on but is to be tried as a last step to save the marriage. Once it is clear that it is not working it is to be abandoned in favor of some other steps involving relatives of the husband and the wife mentioned in the next verse (4:35).

2. The beating should not cause injury, bruise or serious hurt. Some scholars said that the beating should be largely symbolic and should be administered with a folded scarf, miswak (a teeth cleaning twig / kayu sugi) or some such things.

3. The wife has no religious obligation to take the beating and she can always ask for and get divorce any time.

4. If the husband exceeds the limits set down by Qur'an and Hadiths, the wife can take him to court and if ruled in favor, she can apply the law of retaliation and beat the husband as she was beaten. 

5. Some Muslim jurists said that beating is permissible but not always advisable because Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) intensely disliked the action. 

So, to my Muslim brothers, do not use this verse to justify yourself for wife battering. To my non-Muslim friends, please take note that, Qur'an doesn't simply tell its followers to beat people. It's only done as a last resort and not to mention all the rules and requirements which need to be fulfilled before beating them. I'd say it's most likely not done at all in a devout Muslim family. Plus, if the wife return to obedience, no further actions should be taken against them and no excuses should be made to punish them.

Beat your children if they don't want to pray. Is there such a thing in Islam?

Yes there is.

"Narrated by 'Amru Bin Syu'aib, from his father, from his grandfather he said, the Prophet (pbuh) said, "Command (teach) your children to pray when they are seven years old and beat (cane) them if they do not pray at the age of 10 and (at that age), separate their beds." (Sunan Abu Dawud, Isnad Hasan)

It's not a surprising thing for some Muslims to have not heard of this hadith since the education system nowadays is not focused on Islamic teaching anymore. However, please take note, this hadith exist therefore you cannot go and attack other Muslims saying they're kufr for creating something new in Islam.

In a paperwork by Y.B.S.S Dato' Haji Murtadza, Mufti of Negeri Sembilan, available in Web Rasmi Jabatan Mufti Kerajaan Negeri Sembilan, he wrote about 'Pendidikan Anak Dengan Solat'(Education Of Children Using Solat). He said this hadith explained about three things parents should do in the early education of their children namely *again, I'm summarizing it* :

1. Command to perform the prayers when they're seven years old

He said this command is directed to the parents where they should tell their children to pray after teaching them the requirements and rukun of solat. Islam encourages Muslims to teach their children the basics when they are still young and before they are preoccupied with works.

2. Beat them if they do not pray when they're at the age of ten

It's basically a concept of punishment for being careless. For information of non-Muslim readers, the five daily prayers are one of the most important commandments by Allah for the Muslims and to abandon the prayers is a very sinful act. That's the wisdom behind teaching the kids to pray when they are young so that they don't feel burdened by it when they're older. However, please remember that parents should not directly punish their kids when they don't perfom the prayers. Parents should try giving advices, tell stories of the Companions, and other things to their children. In fact, Islam encourages parents to be gentle (according to other hadiths and Qur'anic verses) and try to avoid from beating their kids in any way so that their children's psychological health are not disturbed. Beating the kids should come as a last resort and just like with the wives, it should not cause injury, bruise and serious hurt.

3. Separate their beds

Chilren who are ten years of age must (wajib) be given different beds especially between brothers and sisters. This aims to give them early exposure about social manners and aurah (intimate parts of human body).

Should Muslims obey the laws of non-Muslim country when they're living there?

Again, the answer is yes. Syeikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah wrote in Muslims Living In Non -Muslim Lands,

"It is absolutely essential that you respect the laws of the land that you are living in... You are living in a land in which the people are very serious about their laws, and if you break the laws, this can result in you being tried as a criminal and being sent to prison and being completely humiliated as a Muslim where non-Muslims are putting you in a cage and preventing you from your own human dignity of freedom and other things. So, it is essential that we remember that."

Sheikh Salman al-Oadah said,

"The Muslims living a non-Muslim country, even if they originally entered that country by means of forged documents, are considered to be living in their adopted country under a covenant. They must, therefore, comply with the laws of their country of residence without, at the same time, disobeying Islamic Law."

Both of these Muslim scholars said more or less the same thing. So in the case of Malaysian couple being detained in Sweden, I'd say *simply my own thought* they should just follow the laws in Sweden. My reason is, it's a sunnah and not wajib. A person will not be punished for not doing things which are sunnah and in this case, if you do it, you'll get punished. All the more reasons not to do it. Avoiding harms is also a sunnah right? However, please don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying we shouldn't follow sunnah and I'm not saying the couple is wrong *come on guys. it's an allegation, a claim made without proof* and I sincerely hope the trials will go on well for them. May Allah bless them.

Law abiding? Haha

Well, with all these explanations, are you still going to say Islam teaches domestic violence to its followers? I hope not and I pray that at least this post make the readers *and me* more interested to study about Islam. I am really sad when people say Islam is a violent religion. I hope after this, my dear Muslim brothers and sisters, we will improve ourselves, do good deeds and show good examples to the non-Muslims out there so that they're attracted to Islam. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) attracted all the Arabs in his time with his beautiful personality and we should follow him as close as we can. Please forgive me if I aggrieved any of you. Wallahua'alam. Allah knows the right.


~Jaw~