Domestic violence forbidden in Islam and it is mentioned early in the Quran

SHAH ALAM - Domestic violence is forbidden in Islam and the position of Islam on the issue is drawn from the Quran as well as prophetic practices.

American Muslim scholar Sheikh Uthman Farooq said domestic violence has been mentioned very early in the Quran as something that Allah SWT forbids.

He said in the Quran, Allah SWT has set a system in dealing with issues in the household and it was never to resort to abuse or violence.

"If you look at the Quran, Allah SWT sets a system to deal with issues in the household and it is never to resort to abusive violence.

"Rather, first to separate the beds, to give advice, to seek consolation. In the Quran it mentions about getting someone to mediate between spouses to protect the women," he said in and interview with Sinar Daily.

He said Prophet Muhammad SAW had set a beautiful example as he had never hit his wife and children.

Rather, he said, the Prophet SAW had said that "the best of us (men), are those best with their wives".

He said the Prophet SAW would speak nicely to his wife and solved the issue in the household.

"The Prophet SAW was so loving that he will take food and feed his wife with his own hands and as his wife (Aisyah RA) narrated, he would help around the house," he said.

Sheikh Uthman said although Islam acknowleged the need to have discipline in a household, Allah forbids abuse.

He also believed that domestic violence could be tackled if Islamic principles were practiced and if Muslim communities followed the sunnah and examples set by the Prophet SAW.

"If we were to practice the beautiful sunnah of our Prophet SAW, then I believe we would be able to get rid of this problem (domestic violence) once and for all.

"When we see these beautiful examples (set by the Prophet SAW), we will be able to get rid of the ills of society," he added.