cta-image

Donate

Donations from readers like you allow us to do what we do. Please help us continue our work with a monthly or one-time donation.

Donate Today
cta-image

Subscribe Today

Subscribe to receive daily or weekly MEMRI emails on the topics that most interest you.
Subscribe
cta-image

Request a Clip

Media, government, and academia can request a MEMRI clip or other MEMRI research, or ask to consult with or interview a MEMRI expert.
Request Clip
memri
Feb 10, 2005
Share Video:

Al-Azhar Sheik Farhat Al-Munji Explains Wife-Beating in Islam

#556 | 02:41
Source: Dream TV (Egypt)

The following are excerpts from an interview with Al-Azhar cleric, sheik Farhat Al-Muniji. The interview was aired by Dream TV (Egypt) on February 10, 2005:

Interviewer: Just as Islamic law permits a husband to leave his wife's bed, it also permits him to beat her in certain cases, and to leave her bed in other cases…

Sheik Farhat Al-Said Al-Munji: This wife-beating – I don't want anyone to blame us, because people are watching us all over the world… This wife-beating used to be carried out with a handkerchief. The husband used to hold a handkerchief. They would beat with the tip of a toothpick.

Interviewer: But some people say that the Prophet Muhammad banned the beatings, and that he never beat any his wives.

Sheik Farhat Al-Said Al-Munji: Obviously, he didn't, but why does one beat one's wife? Beatings with a handkerchief and so on were permitted for wives who doll themselves up, wear lipstick and preen before their husbands. At this point the man says, "I don't care about you or the things you do." That's how she knows that she's become vulgar to him, that he doesn't want her, and that he hates her. He lets her know this by beating her with whatever… a handkerchief, a piece of clothing, or something… This is the Islamic law. But taking a cane and flogging her feet or beating her – this is wrong.

Interviewer: But even if this is done with a handkerchief or a toothpick, it still doesn't give the wife the right to beat her husband.

Sheik Farhat Al-Said Al-Munji: This is true, the wife is the one who...

Interviewer: But today there are some women who say, "I'll beat you like you beat me, I'll curse you like you curse me."

Sheik Farhat Al-Said Al-mMnji: This is what's called… What women demand, and it's called "equality" - "You slapped me once, I'll slap you twice. You did this to me, I'll do that to you," and this becomes… A man doesn’t want to marry another man... The best thing in a woman is her submission and weakness. A man loves a woman's weakness. He loves her weakness, tranquility, and quietness…

Interviewer: This is the so-called 'male culture.' They'll be saying that Sheik Farhat Al-Munji calls for… that he wants this male culture, to that wives will be beaten and weak…

Sheik Farhat Al-Said Al-Munji: No! Did I say beatings? I didn't say beatings.

Interviewer: Why does the husband want a weak wife? So he can take all out his complexes on her? They will say that. They will have entire programs about this. Just wait a couple of weeks and you'll see.

Sheik Farhat Al-Said Al-Munji: The wife doesn't want… What I mean by weakness is… I told you a man doesn't want to marry another man. A man wants someone who will be his partner, who'll be calm and obedient, and then they will both cooperate. Why was the issue of the husband's guardianship brought up? Because a ship with two captains is bound to sink.

Share this Clip: