Why CII, Pakistan Recommending ‘Gentle Beating’ Of Wife Is A Matter Of Concern?

Recently, Pakistan’s Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) had made a remark on laws recommending á light beating’ for women. The remark had drawn flak, sparking outrage among people.

What is CII?
CII is a constitutional body of Pakistan. The Council of Islamic Ideology is a constitutional body that advises the legislature whether or not a certain law is repugnant to Islam, namely to the Quran and Sunna. The council also makes recommendations to bring current laws into conformity with Islamic injunctions.

In a bid to defend the recommendation, the council’s Chairman Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani, in a Press Conference on Thursday said, “Do not try to relate our proposal (on beating women) with violence. Light beating does not mean violence.”

He said that both men and women should refrain from violence, however, he didn’t back down the recommendation on ‘light beating’. He explained to The Express Tribune that the husband should resort to ‘light beating’ without causing any harm, if, after a lot of attempts, the wife does not mend her ways. According to Maulana Muhammad, a husband can hit her wife with light things like a handkerchief, a hat or a turban.

Why is it a concern?

Statements like these by an organization which is respected and followed by millions of people is dangerous. It influences people and their mindset. With strong faith, people seek words of advice and wisdom from such organizations. And if they continue to preach such measures, then a large percentage of its followers will believe them and practice these actions at home.

All of us have to denounce such practices where one person is required to hit another, no matter how ‘lightly’ it is. Besides, this practice of beating is derogatory for women. There’s no doubt that statements like these echo how patriarchal the society is that it subjugates and objectifies women. A man cannot justify violence upon women as merely ‘light beating’. And even if such things are allowed, then the wife can also mildly beat her husband and not just vice-versa. Women play equally important role in a marriage.

Lastly, there cannot be any definition of light beating. Something that is light for one person, may not be the same for another person.

The Logical Indian heavily condemns such dictums made by religious leaders on society and praise the women of Pakistan who are openly denouncing it. It is high-time people of Pakistan openly denounce such kind of religious orders because we live in a progressive society and there is no place for things like this in the 21st century.