A Rose By Any Other Name: Islamic Wife Beating and Christian Child Spanking
Wife Beating Etiquette in Islam (video)
http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2011/06/22/wife-beating-etiquette-in-islam-video/
Islam – Wife Beating Etiquette
“Allah honored wives by instating the punishment of beatings. The Prophet Muhammad said: ‘Don’t beat her in the face, and do not make her ugly.’ See how she is honored? If the husband beats his wife, he must not beat her in the face. Even when he beats her, he must not curse her. This is incredible! He beats her in order to discipline her. In addition, there must not be more than ten beatings, and he must not break her bones, injure her, break her teeth, or poke her in the eye. There is a beating etiquette. If he beats to discipline her, he must not raise his hand high. He must beat her from chest level. All these things honor the woman. She is in need of discipline. How should the husband discipline her? Through admonishment. If she is not deterred, he should refuse to share the bed with her. If she is not repentant, he should beat her, but there are rules to the beating. It is forbidden to beat her in the face or make her ugly. When you beat her, you must not curse her. Islam forbids this.”
“With what should he beat her? With his bare hand? With a rod?”
“If he beats her, the beatings should not be hard, so that they do not leave a mark. He can beat her with a short rod. He must avoid beating her in the face or in places in the head where it hurts. The beatings should be on the body and should not come one right after the other…”
He goes on to back track and says it is only for one reason, but the Quran Sura 4:34 says,
“Men have authority over women because Allah has made the one superior to the others, and because they spend their wealth to maintain them. Good women are obedient. They guard their unseen [parts] because Allah has guarded them. As for those from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them to beds apart and beat them. Then if they obey you, take no further action against them. Allah is High, Supreme.” (Hat Tip: skai)
The rhetoric spewed by this Islamic religious zealot reminds me so much of the child spanking issue among Christians. I am tired of the semantics game where so many parents insist that they “spank”, but they do not “hit” or “beat” their children. They are so certain in their own minds that what they do is not abuse. Certain Christians have lots of little rules and rituals and recommended tools for the physical punishment of children, just like the Islamic fundamentalists have for beating women. Just today, a gentleman reassured me that as a father, he “did spank when it was needed and only on their buttocks.”
Islam and “The Rod”
http://www.tulipgirl.com/index.php/2004/03/islam-and-the-rod/
“Gary Ezzo teaches that children ought to be ‘chastised’ with a ‘biblical rod’ which he describes as ‘somewhat flexible, not stiff or unbending’ instrument (GKGW, p.220). Ezzo families sometimes describe this being a wide strip of rubber tubing, a rubber show sole, a thin razor strap, or a large glue stick.”
“Michael and Debbie Pearl similary suggest that ‘a light, flexible instrument will sting without bruising or causing internal damage. Many people are using a section of ¼ inch plumber’s supply line as a spanking instrument.’”
“Credenda Agenda suggests, ‘. . .wood seems the obvious choice. Look for something about a cubit long that flirts with flexibility, but be sure it’s strong enough. . .’ Volume 14, Issue 4″
“Both Ezzo and Pearl call for immediate obedience from children, followed by ‘chastisement’ with the rod if they don’t comply without delay.”
Another author who shares the same position on punishing children as Ezzo and Pearl is Douglas Wilson. His book, ‘Standing on the Promises’ was the catalyst that forced me to study this issue. In his chapter on the application of Godly discipline, he writes a scenario with the following quote from one of the characters,
“There are times when my wife spent the whole day with a wooden spoon in her hip pocket… Discipline must be painful. It must not inflict damage, so use a ‘flat’ wooden spatula. At the same time it must inflict pain- memorable ‘pain’. Don’t spank over diapers. Don’t spank with a little tap, tap, tap. Teach your wife to flick her wrist when she spanks, and teach her to think, sting.” p. 120-121
About The Author
Sickening. Completely agree on the unsettling similarities between the two.