Sheik Gamal Qutub Explains Why Men Who Murder their Adulterous Wives Should Get Reduced Sentences while Women Who Murder their Adulterous Husbands Should Not

The following are excerpts from an interview with Egyptian Cleric, Sheik Gamal Qutub. MBC TV aired this interview on June 9, 2005

Sheik Qutub:If a husband catches his wife committing adultery with another man. After all, he's her husband

Guest: But there were no four witnesses.

Sheik Qutub:There is a solution to this as well. The husband can take the place of all four witnesses, and swear four times. This is assuming that he's telling the truth. That's one thing.

As for the lack of parity everyone's talking about (between men and women who kill their adulterous spouses) -- I think these claims are unjustified. How come? In order for the husband to be released and his punishment to be reduced from murder to a misdemeanor, the killing must take place on the spot.

For example, a guy enters the room and catches his wife committing adultery, but then leaves for one hour. If he returns and kills her, this is a crime of murder. The killing must take place on the spot, when there is evidence.

This is impossible when a woman catches her husband. Why? Because the person found with her husband might be his second wife, in which case, this would not constitute adultery. She might not know all four of his wives.

Guest: But if he marries a second wife, it's supposed to be with her consent.

Sheik Qutub: With or without her consent. If it is proven that the two were married... The wife cannot be sure of that when she walks in on him. In such a case she would be considered a real murderer.

Host: But if she kills him, this means that she did not know that he was married to another woman. The Egyptian law requires the sheik performing the marriage to notify the first wife.

Sheik Qutub: The question of notification is still unregulated. A man gets married, and the sheik notifies the first wife, but the address is wrong, and she doesn't get the notification.