Book M - Marriage (7)

When and how to beat your wife

m10.12 When a husband notices signs of rebelliousness in his wife (nushuz. dis: p42) (O: whether in words, as when she answers him coldly when she used to do so politely, or he asks her to come to bed and she refuses, contrary to her usual habit; or whether in acts as when he finds her averse to him when she was previously kind and cheerful), he warns her in words (O: without keeping from her or hitting her, for it may be that she has an excuse. The warning could be to tell her: "Fear Allah concerning the rights you owe to me," or it could be to explain that rebelliousness nullifies his obligation to support her, "You're obeying me {def: (3) below) is religiously obligatory"). If she commits rebelliousness , he keeps from sleeping (O: and having sex) with her without words, and may hit her, but not in a way that injures her, meaning he may not (A: bruise her.) break bones, wound her, or cause blood to flow. (O: It's unlawful to strike another's face.) He may hit her whether she's rebellious only once or whether more than once, though a weaker opinion holds that he may not hit her unless there is a repeated rebelliousness.

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