ImamAli(AS)stated:'Womenareentrustedtomen.andassuchare
notownersoftheir fortunesandmisfortunes.Theyarewith youlikea
trustofAllah;sodonothurtthemanddonotmake(thelife)difficultfor
them'."
A manwho hits hiswife, inflictssuch damage on her soul that she
mightsufferfromacomplex;andthefamilyloveandwarmthwouldal-
mostdefinitelyfadeaway.Howcanamanmaintainasoundmaritalre-
lationship with his battered and degraded wife? This is really shameful.
TheProphet (SA)of Allahstated:'Oyou(men)!how cananyof you
hit his wife and thereafter embrace her?"
Aman,unlesshavingaparticularrightoverhiswifesimilartothose
tobementionedinthischapterisnotlawfullypermittedtoforcehiswile
into doing anythingorto resort tophysical punishmentuponher dis-
obedienceForinstanceawoman,lawfullyisnotdutyboundtocarryout
housework such as cleaning, cooking, washing tip childcare knitting
sewing,etc.Althoughtilemajorityofwomendocarryouttheseworksof
ahousewifeontheirownthesearenotmandatory.Menshouldbegrate-
fultotheirwivesfortheirworkinthehouse.Therefore.nomanhasthe
righttoquestionorpunishhiswifewhenfacedwithherrefusaltocarry
out the housekeeping chores.
Islam recommends physical punishment of one's wife only in two
cases where his rights are violated:
Case1:AmanisIslamicallyandlawfullyallowedtoseeksexualsatis-
factionandpleasurefromhis wifeandtoderive allsortsofenjoyment
from thisrelationship.His wifeis lawfullyduty-bound toyield to her
husband'ssexualdesires.If awomanresiststosatisfyher husband,the
husbandshouldinitiallypersuadeherinanorderlymannerHowever,if
amanfeelsthathiswifeistryingtobemalicioustohim,andifhecannot
toleratethesituation.thenbyobservingtheprescribedstagescanpunish
her.
AllahstatesintieHolyQur'an;"And(asto)thoseonwhosepartyou
fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping
placesandbeatthem, theniftheyobeyyou, donotseekawayagainst
them; surly Allah is high, Great" (4:34)