By Rick Dewsbury
24 March 2012
An Islamic 'marriage guide' book has sparked outrage - by advising men on the best ways to beat their wives.
A Gift For Muslim Couple tells husbands that they should beat their wives with 'hand or stick or pull her by the ears'.
But the book has faced a backlash from moderate Muslims who claim that it encourages domestic violence.
The 160-page book claims to be a 'presentation for newlyweds' or couples who have been together for some years. It is written by Maulavi Ashraf Ali Thanvi, who is understood to be a prominent Islamic scholar.
According to the book's blurb: 'The book... deals with the subject of marriage and after marriage relationship, as well as the various pitfalls of marriage, causes of breakdown and their causes.'
It also claims to give 'real life incidents' and advises on 'different aspects of family life and how to run the institution of marriage successfully'.
But within the book's opening pages it states that 'it might be necessary to restrain her with strength or even to threaten her.'
It continues: 'The husband should treat the wife with kindness and love, even if she tends to be stupid and slow sometimes.'
The author then gives the 'rights of the husband'. According to the book, these include his wife’s inability to leave 'his house without his permission'.
She must then 'fulfill his desires' and 'not allow herself to be untidy ... but should beautify herself for him'.
Worryingly, the book advises men that they should scold their wives. According to the book, they may also 'beat by hand or stick, withhold money from her or pull (her) by the ears.'
It the adds that men should 'refrain from beating her excessively.'
The book came to light after going on sale in a Canadian book store. It is understood to have sold out there.
However, it is widely available from Islamic online book stores.
Canadian political campaigner Tarek Fatah said that the shop should be banned from stores.
'I wouldn’t say it’s hate, but it is inciting men to hit women,' he told the Toronto Sun.
'This is new to you, but the Muslim community knows that this is widespread, that a woman can be beaten. Muslim leaders will deny this, but...'
According to the some interpretations of the Koran, domestic violence is allowed in Sharia Law.
The worrying scale of violence against Muslim women was highlighted this week by a report claiming that almost 1,000 Pakistani women and girls were murdered in honour killings last year.
Hundreds were killed by fathers, husbands or brothers, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan claimed.
Many cases are covered up by relatives and sympathetic police officers and the true toll is believed to be much higher.
In 2006, Banaz Mahmod, from Mitcham, south London, was strangled on the orders of her father and uncle because they thought her boyfriend was unsuitable.
Cousins Mohammed Saleh Ali and Omar hussain, both 28, were jailed for a minimum of 22 and 21 years respectively for the honour killing of the 20-year-old Iraqi Kurd.
