In Islam Unveiled I discuss the widespread acceptance of wife-beating in the Islamic world, stemming from the Qur’anic sanction given it in Sura 4:34. Here is further confirmation that this practice is still widely accepted, and a welcome indication that the light of world opinion shining on this practice (witness the fact of the article itself) may help ultimately to end it.
Note also that this imam and his muezzin don’t seem to be familiar with the tradition oft-cited by American Muslim apologists, in which Muhammad is supposed to have directed his followers to beat their wives with nothing larger than a miswak, a stick used for cleaning the teeth.
From the Daily Star of Bangladesh, with thanks to Fanabba:
An imam of a city mosque let his underling beat his wife black and blue right before him Tuesday night for her failure to meet his dowry demands and not giving nod to his intended second marriage.
Hafez Maulana Saiful Islam, imam of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital Jame Mosque, and his assistant Aman Ullah looked on nonchalantly while muezzin Abdul Kader assaulted and critically injured Sabina Islam, wife of Saiful, in the mosque.Sabina’s father Sirajul Islam filed a case with Ramna Police Station Wednesday under the Women and Children Repression (Prevention) Act accusing Saiful, Kader and Aman. Of them, police yesterday evening arrested Aman from the mosque. The other two are absconding.
In reaction to the arrest, a gang led by Kashem, president of BSMMU Hospital workers’ union, last night staged a showdown with Sabina in the hospital, where she is undergoing treatment.
Witnesses said five angry men, apparently instigated by the imam, tore medical reports of the bruised woman and snatched away other documents from her. Before leaving the scene, they ordered the doctors to immediately release her from the hospital and her family members to vacate the imam’s living quarters.
“We are living under awful pressure and constant fear of assault from them,” said Sabina’s sister Shahida Akhtar, who is looking after the victim’s two children, Shammi and Sakib, in absence of their mother.
Shafi, a BSMMU employee, confirmed, “Saiful and his men are threatening with death to whoever tries to help the poor woman and her kids.”