Q: Does Islam give permission to a husband to beat his wife? If so, in which cases can he beat his wife? What is the punishment on the Day of Judgement for a wife if she disobeys her husband? I heard that if a husband tells his wife not to go to her mother’s place, she should obey and not go. Is it true?
A: The hadith states that when the wife disobeys her husband then he can beat her by making a knot on the edge of his shawl and then tapping her lightly with this part of the shawl. But violent or severe beating is haraam and not allowed. A wife who disobeys her husband for no valid reason is cursed by Almighty Allah, and if she dies without taubah and without pleasing her husband, she will be deprived of Allah’s Mercy on the Day of Judgment. A man should allow his wife to see her parents at least once a week. This is her right. If he stops her from going more than once a week, she has no alternative but to obey him.
