--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Divinely sanctioned wife-beating “There…" description: "\"“Divinely sanctioned wife-beating “There is no basis in Islamic theology to support domestic abuse of any kind,” declared Qanta A. Ahmed, author of In ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/robert-spencer-14900_domestic-abuse_divinely-sanctioned-wife-beating-there-i_1863254.jpg" --- # Divinely sanctioned wife-beating “There is no basis in… ![“Divinely sanctioned wife-beating “There is no basis in Islamic theology to support domestic abuse of any kind,” declared Qanta A. Ahmed, author of In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor’s Journey in the Saudi Kingdom, in May 2009.43 But it all depends on one’s definition of “abuse:”…” quote by Robert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/robert-spencer-14900_domestic-abuse_divinely-sanctioned-wife-beating-there-i_1863254.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/robert-spencer-14900_domestic-abuse_divinely-sanctioned-wife-beating-there-i_1863254.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/robert-spencer-14900_domestic-abuse_divinely-sanctioned-wife-beating-there-i_1863254.jpg) > ““Divinely sanctioned wife-beating “There is no basis in Islamic theology to support domestic abuse of any kind,” declared Qanta A. Ahmed, author of In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor’s Journey in the Saudi Kingdom, in May 2009.43 But it all depends on one’s definition of “abuse:” wife-beating exists in all cultures, but only in Islam does it enjoy divine sanction. The Koran tells men to beat their disobedient wives after first warning them and then sending them to sleep in separate beds (4:34)—a punishment that suggests the Koran regards women as sexually insatiable and needing to be kept under control. This is, of course, an extremely controversial verse, so it is worth noting how several translators render the key word here, waidriboohunna:              Pickthall: “and scourge them”              Yusuf Ali: “(and last) beat them (lightly)”              Al-Hilali/Khan: “(and last) beat them (lightly, if it is useful)”              Shakir: “and beat them”              Sher Ali: “and chastise them”              Khalifa: “then you may (as a last alternative) beat them”              Arberry: “and beat them”              Rodwell: “and scourge them”              Sale: “and chastise them”              Asad: “then beat them”              Dawood: “and beat them”” [Robert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-spencer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote claims Islam uniquely sanctions wife‑beating, citing translations of a Quranic verse, while noting scholarly dispute over the term “abuse.” **In simple terms:** Islam is said to permit domestic violence, unlike other cultures where it lacks divine endorsement. Key Takeaway Question the interpretation of religious texts and advocate for gender equality. Themes religion gender interpretation violence Mood critical thought‑provoking Type controversial analytical When to use this quote - legal reform - faith education - interfaith dialogue - human rights advocacy Key Concepts Quranic exegesis translation variance cultural norms Questions to Reflect On - How do translation choices affect religious law? - Can faith traditions evolve to reject violence? A Different Perspective Interpretations vary widely; some argue the verse is metaphorical or context‑specific, not a literal command. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse-wife-574659/) [Domestic abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/domestic-abuse/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Koran Tells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/koran-tells-2522333/) [Sanction Koran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanction-koran-2522332/) [Sanctioned Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanctioned-wife-2522331/) [Suggests Koran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggests-koran-2522334/) ## Related quotes > [The Holy Koran tells us, 'O mankind! 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It is devastating to be abused by someone that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/domestic-violence-causes-far-more-pain-than-the-visible-marks-of/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [But whether you stay or go, the critical decision you can make is to stop letting your partner distort the lens of your life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/but-whether-you-stay-or-go-the-critical-decision-you-can-make-is-to/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) ## More by Robert Spencer > [The principal organs of the Left...has consistently been warm and welcoming toward Islamic supremacism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-spencer/the-principal-organs-of-the-left-has-consistently-been-warm-and/) [Robert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-spencer/) > [“Women are inherently crooked? 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Ahmed, author of In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor’s Journey in the Saudi Kingdom, in May 2009.43 But it all depends on one’s definition of “abuse:” wife-beating exists in all cultures, but only in Islam does it enjoy divine sanction. The Koran tells men to beat their disobedient wives after first warning them and then sending them to sleep in separate beds (4:34)—a punishment that suggests the Koran regards women as sexually insatiable and needing to be kept under control. This is, of course, an extremely controversial verse, so it is worth noting how several translators render the key word here, waidriboohunna:              Pickthall: “and scourge them”              Yusuf Ali: “(and last) beat them (lightly)”              Al-Hilali/Khan: “(and last) beat them (lightly, if it is useful)”              Shakir: “and beat them”              Sher Ali: “and chastise them”              Khalifa: “then you may (as a last alternative) beat them”              Arberry: “and beat them”              Rodwell: “and scourge them”              Sale: “and chastise them”              Asad: “then beat them”              Dawood: “and beat them”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Spencer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-spencer/divinely-sanctioned-wife-beating-there-is-no-basis-in-islamic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Domestic abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-spencer/divinely-sanctioned-wife-beating-there-is-no-basis-in-islamic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/robert-spencer-14900_domestic-abuse_divinely-sanctioned-wife-beating-there-i_1863254.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/robert-spencer-14900_domestic-abuse_divinely-sanctioned-wife-beating-there-i_1863254.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/robert-spencer-14900_domestic-abuse_divinely-sanctioned-wife-beating-there-i_1863254.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Divinely sanctioned wife-beating “There is no basis in Islamic theology to support domestic abuse of any…” — Robert Spencer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Robert Spencer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-spencer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Divinely sanctioned wife-beating “There is no...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-spencer/divinely-sanctioned-wife-beating-there-is-no-basis-in-islamic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-spencer/divinely-sanctioned-wife-beating-there-is-no-basis-in-islamic/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```