Some believe beating women breeds respect [Archives:2005/843/Opinion]

By Hamood Al-Hashimi
There are many advanced social systems set by Islam for dealing with almost all phenomenas realized in the Muslim society. Islam is a religion of rules that deals with all aspects of life as well as reforms of the human soul despite emergence of variables.

There are several phenomenas perceived in families such as the beating of wives, which is practiced by husbands due to the lack of awareness and faith in Allah. Some husbands tend to put solutions for making the marital life a success even by the use of illegal methods.

One can find that some people tend to beat their wives in order to get rid of any psychological pressure and sufferings. Beating wives causes disgust to some individuals while many others see it as a good solution for some matrimonial problems.

Allah (Subhanah Wa Ta'ala) distinguished human beings from animals by bestowing on them the ability to speak and negotiate to find what is right and what is wrong. If the husband fails to use the style of dialogue and negotiation with his marriage partner and resort to beating, he is not a legible partner.

The physical beating of wives is believed to be the result of a state of anger in the man, a kind of boast before one's relatives or society or failure to deal with any problem. Some husbands believe that beating their wives breeds obedience and respect and help them impose their dominance over them.

When asking one, “why do you beat your wife, sister or daughter?” he tends to give some justifications that can only convince himself as saying: “any woman should be treated like this, otherwise, she will be a strong opponent. She has to have patience and tolerate me.”

This problematic issue is greatly manifested in Yemen as men are seen not to show any respect to women, a mother, wife, sister or daughter. Many people of other nationalities revealed they endured bad economic situations, psychological and mental sufferings, but they did not extend their hands and hit women as Yemenis do, particularly as they live in the country of belief and wisdom whose government strongly adheres to the teachings of Islam.

The Yemeni woman is not treated with respect by her man! Why? Because it is she who should have patience and stand by her husband and therefore is treated with disrespect. From my fair point of view, divorce is the best solution for a large number of cases.

Here given a story that arouses surprise and curiosity. It is the story of a woman who works in a Women Wears Shop in one of the Arab countries. She is married and a mother of three children and says that her husband is a drunkard and accuses her of infidelity. “At the end of every month, he comes to beat me at the shop, take all the money I have gained and feels disgusted of my affiliation to Islam,” cried the woman. She admired her affiliation to Islam as it is a religion that legislates divorce, which is not exercised by people affiliating Christianity.

She expressed deepest thanks and gratitude to Allah after she was divorced and got rid of such an immoral Christian. She was reported as saying: ” All I read and heard of religions compelled me to acknowledge that only Islam is the religion that stresses more on the protection and dignity of the woman.

Views look differently about such a phenomenon, as there are supporters, there are many objectors to the beating of women. The teachings of Islam care for dealing elegantly and fairly with women and avoids physical torture since it is against her dignity. There are some steps to be followed by any man before he resorts to beating his wife as an ultimate solution, starting with cultivated words, advice, and then warning of the anger and torture of the Creator. If these possibilities do not work, the husband can break relations and set apart with her but he should never resort to beating.

We should not forget the health education expected to be adopted by the husband to enable his wife to understand his mood well and to instruct her of what is preferable and what is hateful.
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