Egyptian Cleric Nabil Al-Mursi: Wife Beating in Islam Is Meant to Discipline, Not to Punish or Humiliate

Egyptian cleric Nabil Al-Mursi, interviewed on the Egyptian Al-Rahma TV channel, said that the Prophet Muhammad had defined the steps to disciplining one's wife: "Do not beat her in the face, do not make her ugly, and when you leave the conjugal bed, stay inside the house!" Stressing that this was intended for disciplinary purposes only, he promised: "If you follow this method when your wife is disobedient, you will surely resolve the issue to the satisfaction of both sides." The show aired on October 13, 2018.

Nabil Al-Mursi: The Prophet Muhammad said: "Do not beat her in the face, do not make her ugly, and when you leave the conjugal bed, stay in the house!"

Interviewer: Do not beat her in the face…

Nabil Al-Mursi: Do not make her ugly…

Interviewer: And leave the conjugal bed…

Nabil Al-Mursi: …but stay inside the house! If you add this to what is written in the Quran, you understand how to leave the conjugal bed, how to admonish, and how to beat – because beatings are carried out in order to teach and discipline, not in order to punish or humiliate. Some people think that this gives them a license to humiliate their wives, but this is not true. This is why the Prophet Muhammad defined the issue as follows: "Do not beat her in the face, do not make her ugly, and when you leave the conjugal bed, stay inside the house!" If you follow this method when your wife is disobedient, you will surely resolve the issue to the satisfaction of both sides.