Egyptian Cleric Sa’d Arafat: Islam Permits Wife Beating Only When She Refuses to Have Sex with Her Husband
Following are excerpts from an interview with Egyptian cleric Sa’d Arafat, which aired on Al-Nas TV (Egypt) on February 4, 2010.

Aflam ca nevasta poate fi batuta doar daca refuza sa se culce cu sotul.

Sa’d Arafat: „Profetul Mohamed a spus: Nu o lovi peste fata si nu o poci. Uite cum este ea cinstita: daca sotul isi bate nevasta, nu trebuie sa ii dea peste fata. Chiar si cand o bate, el nu trebuie sa o insjure. Este incredibil! O bate pentru a o disciplina. Mai mult, nu trebuie sa fie mai mult de zece lovituri, iar el nu trebuie sa-i rupa oasele, sa o raneasca, sa o stirbeasca sau sa-i dea la ochi. E o deontologie a bataii. Daca o bate pentru a o cuminti, el nu trebuie sa-si ridice mana mult. Trebuie sa o loveasca de la nivelul pieptului. Toate acestea cinstesc femeia. Are nevoie de disciplina. Cum trebuie sa o disciplineze barbatul? Prin admonestare. Daca nu se potoleste, el trebuie sa refuze sa imparta patul cu ea. Daca nu se pocaieste, el trebuie sa o bata, dar sunt reguli ale bataii. E interzis sa o lovesti peste fata sau sa o slutesti. Cand o bati, nu trebuie sa o injuri. Islamul interzice asta.

Interviewer: „With what should be beat her? With his bare hand? With a rod?”

Sa’d Arafat: „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. These are all choices made during the process, but beatings are allowed only as a last resort. […] „The honoring of the wife in Islam is also evident in the fact that the punishment of beating is permissible in one case only: when she refuses to sleep with him.”

Interviewer: „When she refuses to sleep with him?”

Sa’d Arafat: „Yes, because where else could the husband go? He wants her, but she refuses. He should begin with admonishment and threats…”

Interviewer: „Allow me to repeat this. A man cannot beat his wife…”

Interviewer: „…over food or drink. Beatings are permitted only in this case, which the husband cannot do without.” […]