Hit them - Qur'an 4:34

dunno what kind of scholars this guy has consulted, and why they gave such lame excuses like miswak or hadkerchief, u guys live in 21st century and u dont know about a pre-emptive strike?? well here is an example...
you have a wife who goes out quite often to the market
you know that she is exceptionally flirtatious with a certain guy who is also flirtatious with her, you dont know how long this has been going on and dont know what exactly is going on between them.
so one day you sit her down and talk to her," listen i know you and that guy are flirting each other a bit too much for my comfort, so stop it" and so on...
it doesnt stop, but neither did you catch them actually at it..
so you stop sleeping with her at night and tell her why it is so...
it still doesnt stop in fact now your wife stands up to you and begins defending that guy also going as far as to say that that guy is a lot more man than you..
she even says so what if i sleep with the guy, whats it to you?
wont you even beat her now???

and believe me i know of many such incidents with the sole exceptions that the guys actually killed their wives, now, what do you think about the verse now???
islam actually stops you from killing your wives until proven that she is sleeping out.
and unlike in western countries, people usually marry only once in their life in the sub-continent, and when your wife is sleeping with another, people dont think like, what the hell, there are many more. they are actually devastated.

This is gross misinterpretation of what Holy Qur'an says! Furthermore, only a person who is educated regarding Qur'an and Hadith (teachings of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him) can understand the context. The verse that is mentioned comes from a chapter in the Qur'an called "The Women". The section mentioned is providing mandates regarding women, their husbands and their rights. The actual verse reads: Chapter 4, verse 34, section 6
"Men are guardians for women because God has exalted them, and because men must spend out of their wealth on women. So the virtuous women are obedient and guard themselves in the absence of their husbands with the help and protection of God. As to women whose disobedience you fear, admonish them and then separate them from your beds, and chastise (some translate beat) them. Then if they submit to you, do not seek a way of excess against them. Surely God is the Most-High, the Supreme".

Anyone educated in Islam and who has thoroughly studied the Qur'an knows that it is the Hadith that provides how we should practice what is found in the Qur'an. For example, Muslims are instructed to pray in Holy Qur'an. However, the method of HOW to pray is NOT found in Qur'an but is taught through Hadith. The Qur'an cannot be practiced and understood without Hadith.

What does the hadith say about this verse? When a man came to the Messenger of God and questioned him, he was instructed: 1. First speak to your wife about the matter. 2. Separate from her at night so that she understands your displeasure and perhaps it will encourage her to stop. 3. Chastise (some say beat). The man then asked, "Oh Messenger of God, How can I do this?" and the Messenger of God peace be upon him explained that he could not cause bodily harm to her. The man asked about beating her and the Messenger peace be upon him responded, it should be with nothing larger or heavier than a miswak which in modern day terms is a toothbrush.

Now, if some nut case wants to take this examples as they can beat their wives up as long as they don't bruise their face and hands, then that is their problem. That has nothing to do with the Almighty Creator, the Holy Qur'an, the Hadith or the Muhammad the Messenger of God!!!!!!!!!!!

See that is the beauty of being an American Muslim. We understand the power of education and can use it at any time. My parents converted to Islam. I was raised Muslim but my parents made sure that my siblings and I were educated secularly and Islamically. The bottom line is in many other countries their are still high illiteracy rates in many parts of the world. Many people who call themselves Muslims have never read the Holy Qur'an from cover to cover nor do they undertand it. They sit and listen to some scholar and then grow up, reach adulthood and spew whatever they were taught. They don't know what is Islamic, cultural or just a flat out lie.

I like to take the path of intelligence. Walking that path has taught me that Christian, Muslim or Jew...... Black, White or Yellow....... There are a lot of idiots in the world but that doesn't mean you should entertain them.