Islam: You Can Hit Your Wife But You Should Avoid Doing It With A Shoe
Via Martin, from MuslimsofCalgary.ca, there's the advice to avoid "hitting her with a shoe, etc." from "How to Make Your Wife Happy" -- a summary of a book by Sheikh Mohammed Abdelhaleem Hamed:

One wonders what the "etc." is -- a fireplace poker? A brick?

Here's the text on "Correcting Her Mistakes":

Correcting her Mistakes - First, implicit and explicit advice several times.

- Then by turning your back to her in bed (displaying your feelings). Note that this does not include leaving the bedroom to another room, leaving the house to another place, or not talking with her.

- The last solution is lightly hitting (when allowable) her. In this case, the husband should consider the following:

a) He should know that sunnah is to avoid beating as the Prophet PBUH never beat a woman or a servant.
b) He should do it only in extreme cases of disobedience, e.g. refusing intercourse without cause frequently, constantly not praying on time, leaving the house for long periods of time without permission nor refusing to tell him where she had been, etc.
c) It should not be done except after having turned from her bed and discussing the matter with her as mentioned in Qur`an.
d) He should not hit her hard injuring her, or hit her on her face or on sensitive parts of her body.
e) He should avoid shaming her such as by hitting her with a shoe, etc.

Note the bit on "leaving the house without permission." Women are possessions in Islam, and do not have autonomy or freedom.

Copy of the page is here, in case the original gets scrubbed.

More on wife-beating here. And P.S. Mohammed DID beat his wives -- and advocate wife-beating. For example:

Abu Dawud (2141) - "Iyas bin 'Abd Allah bin Abi Dhubab reported the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) as saying: Do not beat Allah's handmaidens, but when 'Umar came to the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: Women have become emboldened towards their husbands, he (the Prophet) gave permission to beat them."

At first, Muhammad forbade men from beating their wives, but he rescinded this once it was reported that women were becoming emboldened toward their husbands. Beatings are sometimes necessary to keep women in their place.

Your excerpt does say that Mohammed advocated beating wives, but technically doesn't say that he actually did it himself.

But that's somewhat unrelated to the point. Regardless of whether or not he beat his wives, it would seem to me, that if Muslims are under the impression that he never beat his wives (and assuming they're okay that one of his seven wives was a child), shouldn't they at least aspire to be like him?

Just trying to make an argument that might appeal to a Muslim.

Patrick at October 1, 2012 5:19 AM

Amy Alkon

http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/10/01/moderate_muslim_1.html#comment-3350430">comment from Patrick

There's some dispute about whether he beat his wives but it seemed he did hit Aisha, the one he married when she was 6 and had sex with when she was 9.

http://mukto-mona.net/Articles/kasem/wife_beating.htm

When sleeping with Aisha Muhammad surreptitiously left his bed and went to the graveyard at Baqi; Aisha spied and followed Muhammad; when Muhammad learned Aisha’s misdeed he hit her (beat her) on her chest that caused much pain to Aisha…4.2127

Amy Alkon at October 1, 2012 6:00 AM

Amy Alkon

http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/10/01/moderate_muslim_1.html#comment-3350441">comment from Amy Alkon

More -- this source has a lot:

http://www.australianislamistmonitor.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2244&Itemid=94

b) Mohammad also allowed others to slap his wives in his presence when they rebelled ( supposedly following his sex with slave Mary)

***Muslim Book 9, No 3506…….Then came 'Umar and he sought permission and it was granted to him, and he found Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) sitting sad and silent with his wives around him. He (Hadrat 'Umar) said: I would say something which would make the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) laugh, so he said: Messenger of Allah, I wish you had seen (the treatment meted out to) the daughter of Khadija when you asked me some money, and I got up and slapped her on her neck. Allah's Messenger (mav peace be upon him) laughed and said: They are around me as you see, asking for extra money. Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) then got up went to 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) and slapped her on the neck, and 'Umar stood up before Hafsa and slapped her saying: You ask Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) which he does not possess. They said: By Allah, we do not ask Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) for anything he does not possess. Then he withdrew from them for a month or for twenty-nine days. Then this verse was revealed to him:" Prophet: Say to thy wives... for a mighty reward" (33. 28). ...

Amy Alkon at October 1, 2012 6:04 AM

Gosh, Amy, you don't seem to take this "not praying on time" very seriously. Very lightly pushing them down the stairs will correct without shaming. If they weren't supposed to have bruises then why would their moon god require all that extra clothing?

Storm Saxon's Gall Bladder at October 1, 2012 7:40 AM

Amy Alkon

http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/10/01/moderate_muslim_1.html#comment-3350596">comment from Storm Saxon's Gall Bladder

Good point, Storm!

PS I saw a funny captioned photo the other day -- a bunch of women in burkas, completely covered (with the little fabric screen for the eyes -- not just a hole), being pulled somewhere in a mule cart.

Caption: "Girls' night out!"

Amy Alkon at October 1, 2012 8:25 AM

I love that the very FIRST example of "extreme cases of disobedience" is not letting him f___ her whenever he wants.

Kevin at October 1, 2012 12:16 PM

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