An update on this story. “Cleric Abu Hamza under fire again,” by Mark Dunn for the Herald Sun, January 24 (thanks to JE):
EMBATTLED cleric Abu Hamza came under fire again yesterday for his radical views on rape, with his website claiming Muslim wives could “laugh off” unwanted sex and that rape could be confused with having a “pushy husband”.
In response to the sex-on-demand and wife-smacking controversy sparked by Mr Hamza’s lectures, his Islamic Information and Services Network of Australasia website published an article saying the media had no right to question his marital teachings.
The article stated: “If a husband enters upon his wife in a manner she does not approve, she might go as far as to contact police and accuse him of rape, or accept it with laughter and embarrassment.”
It added that spousal rape was hard to define and could just be a case of being married to a pushy husband.
Tu Quoque Alert:
The response claimed Jewish attitudes to a husband’s right to sex, or his right to physically punish his wife, were similar to that preached by Mr Hamza.
Regular lecture attendee Musa abu A’isha said Mr Hamza often preached tolerance, peace and the need to treat women well.
Others who have known Mr Hamza described him as a radical with a bigoted agenda.
“I can say with confidence that this man does not speak for all Muslims and he certainly does not speak for me,” said one former female student of Mr Hamza.
Glad to hear it. It is unfortunate, however, that the Australian media doesn’t consider the normative character in Islam of Hamza’s remarks:
“Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them.” — Qur’an 4:34
Muhammad said: “If a husband calls his wife to his bed (i.e. to have sexual relation) and she refuses and causes him to sleep in anger, the angels will curse her till morning.” — Bukhari 4.54.460
Although Mr Hamza would not take further questions on his views, the response on his IISNA website suggested Muslim wives defined rape differently from non-Muslim women.
“The relation between husband and wife – any husband and wife – is an exclusive and closed union, meaning their relationship can only be intervened upon the request or intent of one of the spouses. No one else has the right to interrupt them,” it said.
“So if a Muslim couple agrees to live their life by Islamic teachings, then they are completely free to do so in the privacy of their home.”
Or at least the husband is.