Those who champion some evil system find themselves willing to defend all manner of wickedness in order to justify positions which ordinary mortals, armed with common sense, quickly recognize as evil.
A case in point is the treatment of women in Islam. Recently an “expert” in Islamic law, Dr. Ziyad Miqdad, was interviewed on Al-Aqsa TV in Gaza (you can watch the video here). Employed as a “scholar” at the Islamic University of Gaza, Miqdad serves as the head of the Fatwa Committee at the university, and presumably sits on the “faculty of Law and Sharia.” (It’s impossible to verify this on the university’s dated and incomplete official website.)
In the televised interview on July 8th, Miqdad is asked to justify wife-beating, which he does with conviction. He has to, you see, because wife-beating is sanctioned in the Qur’an and Islamic holy tradition teaches that Muhammad both engaged in it and recommended it to his close companions. Wife-beating is actually a good thing, the Muslim expert contends.
Before we dissect his argument, let me remind you of what the Qur’an has to say about wives in particular, and women in general.
The key chapter, entitled “The Women,” grants men the right to marry up to four wives at any one time (4:3), and grants men authority over women (the Hilali-Khan translation among others renders this “men are in charge of women”) for two reasons: first, men excel women [though we are not told precisely how]; and second, men spend from their property to maintain them (4:34). Hence, “virtuous” women show themselves to be obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah has commanded them to guard (this somewhat cryptic statement applies primarily to a wife’s private parts, which she is to guard chastely for her husband alone). The rest of this problematic verse contains the permission granted husbands to beat their wives. Let me quote it in full:
“And those you fear may be rebellious admonish; banish them to their couches, and beat them. If they then obey you, look not for any way against them; God is All-high, All-great.” (Arberry translation).
The first thing to note here is that Muslim husbands can take action against their wives if they fear rebellion (this word is capable of numerous related meanings: ill-conduct, arrogance, disloyalty, disobedience, desertion). There doesn’t have to be objective evidence of a wife’s rebellion against her husband, only the husband’s fear that this might be the case.
The actions prescribed in this verse are seen by most Muslim commentators as steps of escalation until the wife submits in obedience once again. First, the husband is to warn his wife of the consequences of her willfulness; should that admonition be unsuccessful, he then escalates her punishment by refusing to share the marital bed with her (i.e., cutting off any physical intimacy and favored status among other wives, if any); should that still fail to bring her to willing submission, he is to beat her until she is ready to obey.
The Arabic text does not give any qualifiers to the verb, variously translated as “beat, strike, smite.” To lessen the barbarity, translators aware of Western sensibilities have added the adverb “lightly” though the text does not justify this interpolation.
Let us return to the interview with Miqdad, who must offer justification for this inhumane and chauvinistic divine command. The goal of beating (which is always a last resort, he says) is to “correct the wife and warn her that she did something wrong.” She is to blame, and if her behavior is not amended, she will be the cause of the destruction of the family and of the adverse futures for the children and the marriage itself. “”The purpose of [wife] beating is to warn the wife that the life of the family is in danger, and that the martial relations are in danger, and that she should be cautious and not let the family be destroyed….” She must mend her ways so as to protect family life.
It never enters Miqdad’s mind that the husband might have acted in ways that destroy the harmony of the family; if there is any familial discord, the wife is at fault and she must change her ways or face her husband’s displeasure. This is the will of Allah.
Of course, according to Miqdad and many other Islamic apologists, the wife is not supposed to become the husband’s punching bag (though nothing in the Qur’an prevents this). According to Islamic tradition, wife-beating comes with certain caveats: husbands “… should avoid hitting sensitive parts like the face or vital organs;” “it should not be a hard and vindictive beating;” in fact, the Islamic scholar says, “it should be a therapeutic beating rather than a vindictive one.” After all, he remarks, “we are talking about your wife.” Quoting an old Egyptian saying, “The beloved’s fist is as sweet as raisins,” Miqdad implies that wives actually appreciate being beaten by the husbands, because it is a sign of love. It shows them how much they are valued by their men.
I’ll let these final words speak for themselves:
“The husband’s beating of his wife – if it happens at all – should be like a guy beating his sweetheart. Join me in picturing what beating someone you love should look like. It is like when a father beats his son, or when a mother beats her daughter for doing something wrong.”
Like a guy beating his sweetheart, like when a father beats his son, when a mother beats her daughter – these are all therapeutic beatings, though. Nothing vindictive is allowed.
In Miqdad’s world, in the world prescribed by Allah, there’s “a whole lotta beatin’ goin’ on.”
Only therapeutic beatings, however.
Read the rest here.
OTTER says
Evil can only be destroyed by fire.
Walter Sieruk says
First, the words spoken by that Muslim man further reveal that Islam is a religion of brutal, cruel ,vicious male selfish ruthless misogyny. Many propagandists still have the gall to say the bogus claim that
“Islam respects women.” That claim is not only a false claim but it’s also total balderdash..
Second,when this Muslim male had actually approved of wife abuse calling it “Therapeutic” really proves true the wisdom of the saying which is that “Evil is always looking for an excuse.”
Wellington says
Just one more disgusting feature about Islam. What an absolutely horrible excuse for a religion. Besides, whether Mohammed actually existed or not, what Islam instructs its followers to do is so many times utterly repulsive, another example being death for apostasy as evidenced by Sura 4:89.
Loathsome belief system. Easy call. There is no Allah. Mo may have never existed (and if he did this is just as bad). And the Koran is a hate manual.
BTeboe says
And if they really piss you off you’re allowed to kill them, but only in a therapeutic way.
gregbeetham says
Yes, as long as it isn’t vindictive.
revereridesagain says
The beatings will continue until morale improves or the wives learn some really sophisticated untraceable poisoning techniques. Waiting for any “World Peace and Justice”-type organizations to interfere is a guaranteed waste of time.
IanB says
The poisoning of Mo himself is the best example. Let all abused Muslim women follow that example.
gravenimage says
Of course Muhammed was reportedly poisoned by a non-Muslim woman. All too many Muslimahs embrace Islam just as male Muslims do. Many sadly support FGM, forced veiliing, and even wife beating and “Honor Killing”.
tim gallagher says
It is sickening language, no doubt about that. “Therapeutic beatings”. Stripped of the slimy bullshit, it means that if a woman steps out of line in any way whatsoever, she gets the crap beaten out of her by her knuckle dragging husband and it is called “therapy” ( totally misnamed – barbaric thuggery is barbaric thuggery). islam is nothing but a load of primitive crap and should have stopped poisoning the human race ages ago. Well, the load of crap should never have existed, but it definitely needs to go. Islam drags the progress of the human race back into grotesque barbarism.
Eva says
She doesn’t have to put a foot out of line, he just has to ‘fear’ she might.
tim gallagher says
That’s true, Eva. The misogyny in islam, along with so much of the content of Islam, is primitive garbage which should have died out ages ago. The use of the word therapeutic by this Muslim creature is beyond sickening.
gravenimage says
True, Eva and Tim.
gregbeetham says
I’m not surprised by some despicable lying disciple of Islam trying to justify the barbarism of a cult that was invented by desert bandits for desert bandits.
What I have previously been surprised at is the cowardice of our institutions but I guess in a war normally those weasels are hiding in the rear area where they are safe from harm while they make sure others go and get killed; but with the influx of the bandit cult into our society that they themselves in their naivety largely engineered suddenly they could be exposed to repercussions and I guess predictably the weasels try to offer concessions in order to save their own worthless skin; not that that will actually work of course but they are too stupid with self inflicted ignorance to realize that.
I’m going to love watching the chickens come home to roost, and come home to roost they shall.
Keith O says
Personally, I would find it very therapeutic to flog the crap out of dickheads like this Miqdad turd.
I guess the line from the Christian bible that says something about “do unto others” etc only applys to the male mudslimes when they are on the receiving end of a therapeutic beating
nicholas tesdorf says
Dr. Ziyad Miqdad deserves to get a therapeutic beating for making this suggestion.
gravenimage says
Therapeutic Beatings, Anyone?
………….
This is hardly the first Islamic apologia for wife beatings.
There is this:
“How to Beat Your Wife…”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2019/09/how-to-beat-your-wife-or-beat-me-daddy-eight-to-the-bar
Then, the day before yesterday, Muslim apologist “Falsafa” told me to “educate yourself with reputable scholars such as Sheikh Hamza Yusuf and unbrainwash yourself”. I looked up this great scholar and found his apologia for wife beating:
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2021/07/omar-and-other-democrat-representatives-call-for-establishment-of-special-envoy-to-combat-islamophobia#comment-2361671
(this comment and the one following).
Direct link here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fj39A5_7RI&ab_channel=ByChoiceMuslim
Of course, “Falsafa” never said how hearing this learned thug advocate beating women would make me think better of Islam… In fact, he never replied to this post at all.
Mike says
Psys , as others , were told in schools ,that man is a rational animal . One day , they ask themselves: are men realy rational beings or could they rather be rationalising peoples? They tested peoples if , in a situation , would follow logic or would follow the group or be fearful or take the solution that gives them the immediate gain. The answer was : Humans are rationalising peoples over rational. This means that , most of the times , peoples wil give themselves reasons for their conduct , false reasons , sometime lieying consciously to themselves , sometimes not aware they are lieying to themselves , as long as they have the candy they want . ( One day , I saw 30 teachers , in an assembly , changing the rules of a school so they could get rid of a teacher , then once the teacher was gone , come back to the usual statu quo . This is rationalisation , not logic . We all do it but some do it more often than others .
gravenimage says
Mike, no humans are conpletely rational. But a society that respects and teaches reason is far more likely to be rational in aggregate to one that–as in Islamic societies–are taught to reject and despise reason, and that horrors like wife beating are sacralized.
Alfredo says
This Ziyad Miqdad is a perfect candidate for a therapeutic mugging in the public square to let HIM have a taste of the medicine prescribed by his beautiful religion of peace. ☮️
A swift but “light” kick in the nuts would be very therapeutic for him.
Mike Ramirez says
Every facet of the Islamic ideology points to it being a dangerous Religious Cult and should be classified as such. Instead, it is granted protected religion status by ignorant leaders in Western societies. Islam will continue to teach hatred and call for subjection and death for all non-Muslims and destruction of non-Muslim societies. Meanwhile, within Muslim communities, Wife Beating plus cruel and unusual punishments will be sanctioned against dissenters of any rule and death penalty for apostates will be carried out. Wait! There’s More: Child Marriages continue; Honor Killings continue; Female Genital Mutilations (FGM) continue; Mandatory Daily and especially Friday Prayers continue with punishments for those who miss Friday Prayers; Strict Toilet Etiquette Rules continue; Fear of Dogs continue; Obligatory Zakat Payments continue for gainfully employed Muslims with a portion (1/8th) of payment designated for funding Jihad against the unbelievers; Body Coverings for women of Hijab, Burka or Niqab continues; Mandatory Beard Growth for men continues; and the list goes on. Is this not a religious cult with a totalitarian, supremacist, global-domination goal?
BTeboe says
And they control the individual 24/7/365 from cradle to grave. I sometimes troll Islamists by telling them they’re too stupid to think on their own due to all the inbreeding and therefore need someone telling them what to do, when to do it, etc.
gravenimage says
Islam is a religion by every definition–there is no definition saying that religions are all benignant. This does not mean that the west has to accept savagery like wife beating–or death for apostacy, child marriage, FGM, .forced veiling, or any of the rest of this barbarism.
We need to rigorously enforce our own civilized laws–we don’t need to change the definition of our words for Islam in order to do this.
Giacomo Latta says
”It is like when a father beats his son, or when a mother beats her daughter for doing something wrong.”
So, totally unlike parents being permitted to kill their offspring, then?
Mike Ramirez says
There are laws against child abuse (beatings, mental and emotional cruelty, imposing imprisonment and not allowing child free access to live without fear, etc.) This type of inhumane treatment goes on in all societies and is not restricted to religious cults; it happens in Atheist societies as well. Parents of abused children should be arrested and prosecuted for child abuse and child endangerment. Children should be guided early on to learn right from wrong and disciplined in a way that teaches respect for others without having to resort to beatings that Giacomo Latta refers to.
libertyORdeath says
Sounds a lot like how people treat dogs…hit them to let them know that they did something wrong. How else would they understand their indiscretion?
Mike Ramirez says
Another great tragedy: Animal Cruelty. Prevalent in Islam is the command to kill dogs, especially black dogs that are thought to be devils, according to the Ahadith. The exception is being able to keep guard dogs for protecting agricultural fields. Related Hadith mention that “angels will not enter a house where there is a dog” and also where there are pictures. The spirit-being, Jibreel, was prevented from visiting Muhammad at his house because there was a puppy inside, according to the Hadith. Hmmm…since dogs are believed to be able to detect danger and sense evil, there should be no doubt about what kind of spirit-being Jibreel really was.
gravenimage says
Grimly true, Mike–Islam is terribly cruel to women, children, and animals–anyone who is vulnerable.
Mike Ramirez says
Why Muslims hate dogs: Info posted Feb. 21, 2008 on Daniel Pipes’ Blog & other sites:
http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/120729
gravenimage says
Good piece from you at Daniel Pipes. Grimly spot on.
Mike Ramirez says
Thank you, gravenimage. Very tragic for all, humans and animals, who are subjected to the death cult of Islam.
gravenimage says
So true.