The Issue of Beating Women in the Other Religions

The matter of beating women is not restricted to a specific time or place. That is why it is not related to a specific era or a specific society, but it exists in all societies and eras without any exception. And whoever wants to study the place of women in ancient societies, there are many books that refer to this subject and the place of a woman in ancient Roman, Greek, Chinese, Indian society etc.

How did Judaism and Christianity treat the phenomenon of beating women, which was widely spread in ancient societies, even in the society of Jesus Christ? Did Jesus Christ ever speak about the prohibition of beating women? Are there texts in the Bible, either Old or New Testament, that prohibit the beating of women or even refer to it as a repugnant act? From the specialized study it seems that there is no reference to that subject.

As a result, does a Jew or a Christian man sin if he beats his wife, according to his religion? And what is his punishment according to the verses of the Bible? Of course he does not sin as there is no verse in the Bible, neither in the New nor in the Old Testament that suggests something like that.

Furthermore, the husband is not even condemned according to the state law, nor is he punished, except if there are signs of violence in his wife’s body, such as fractures, bruises or wounds. But in the case that there are no manifest marks in her body, how can she prove that she was the object of violence? In other words, the imperceptible beating is not condemned neither religiously nor legally by the Jews or Christians.

Let us also take a look into Buddhism and other religions of the Far East. Is there any reference in their holy texts that condemns the beating of women?

Of course there is no religious text in any religion that prohibits the beating of women, except Islam! Even after moving the judgment of beating women from the category of the prohibited to the category of the repugnant, Islam still remains the only religion that clearly states that the beating of women is a repugnant act! But all the other religions do not refer to this subject, neither as something prohibited, nor repugnant.

Furthermore, there is no religion that sets limits for the man as to whether he should beat his wife, except Islam. In other words, if a Jew or Christian or Buddhist loses control in a moment and beats his wife, what are the limits that he should not transgress? Has Judaism, Christianity or Buddhism set limits for the man who lost his self-control and beat his wife, such as not to leave marks on her body, hit her face etc.? Of course not.

Someone who sees the reality of our everyday life will find a huge percentage of Jew, Christian or Buddhist men who beat their wives. Take a look, dear reader, at the lawsuits that take place in the police stations and courts in Europe and America, and you shall see an astronomical number of men who have committed domestic violence against their wives and children.

Even in the Arab society before Islam, men used to beat their wives with lashes as though they were slaves, and this was something common; neither prohibited, nor illegal. But when the Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) came, he condemned that matter with high austerity. Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

“Some of you lash their wives as a slave, and may wish to have sexual intercourse with them at the end of the day.”

In this hadith the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) condemns and reprimands the man who beats his wife in the morning and wishes to have sexual intercourse with her in the night!! In other words, how can you be rude and harsh at her in the morning and then expect and wish her tenderness and company in the night?!!!