http://www.maryams.net/dervish/2008/10/28/self-defence-against-domestic-violence-is-halal/

haha…yes…perhaps in self-defense.

hahaha

I never thought of that. But knowing how some people feel about me I wouldn’t be surprised if it did. But yes, let’s really hope it doesn’t.

@ Dude:
Yeah, totally. And something like defending yourself against violence isn’t exactly an issue that should require scholarly permission…

@ Philip:
I agree with Sobia’s point that many people look to Al-Azhar as the highest authority, but that’s not the same as saying that it *is* the highest authority… The system isn’t centralised under one hierarchical body; Sunnis aren’t bound to accept decisions out of Al-Azhar over decisions from other places. That’s what I meant in questioning the way this was phrased.

@ souvenirsandscars:
Thanks for stopping by! I’m glad you came here to check if we’d talked about it (and I’m glad we didn’t disappoint!) Hope to see you commenting more And I hear you on the comments made on the original article… yuck!

@ Sobia:
Yeah, I agree with you… Just hope that your comment doesn’t start a whole debate in this comments thread over what that verse *actually* means

It’s a sad everyday reality for many women around the world, and I hope more women speak up and support each-other, because sadly I don’t feel like the “man-made high authorities” give that much of a damn, once in a while we’ll hear something, besides their not the ones getting beat down. And we don’t hear any “women-made high authorities” around whose words have any influence the public.

I’m happy a Woman has already stepped up to the plate and beat the man (lol) in reinterpreting the wife-beating verse in the Quran she translated. Because there is no such thing as “the” one and only correct interpretation of the Word of Allah, really only he knows what he truly meant. And I believe Islam is *woman friendly*, yes there’s those superior husband and inferior wife interpretations that some people believe but you have the option to choice the interpretation.

I thought the same thing- address the essence of the problem. “However, that shouldn’t really be more than a last resort, and should certainly never be a long-term solution.” Ohh no, definitly not a long term solution!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Too bad they didn’t give a short-term solution, it would probably be easier than defending ourselves / fighting back, no one should let the problem get that far along, it’s too dangerous and one’s life could hang in the balance.

I thought it was common-sense advice, but never the less I’ll appreciate it as a form of their support against domestic abuse. And the more support we can get the better, even if it’s tiny baby steps.

Except in self defense!

Great analysis Krista! I just wish once and for all all the Muslim authorities would just come out and say that a man cannot hit his wife ever and the verse in the Qur’an that has been used to justify wife-beating has actually been misinterpreted. It seems so easy.