They said the stick must be this size (Picture: Hizb ut-Tahir)

A hardline Muslim women’s group has defended a lecture on men ‘hitting’ women, saying they meant it symbolically.

Primary school teacher Reem Allouche said men were authorised to discipline their wives by following a three step process: ‘Advise them first, leave them alone in bed, then hit them.’

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But she claimed this did not mean they were allowed to cause their wives pain, as they were only allowed to hit their wives with a stick the size of a lolly stick or with a folded handkerchief.

Taking a verse from the Quran as her basis, Ms Allouche said it was often ‘misunderstood or ‘misused’ but was actually a ‘beautiful blessing’.


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The two demonstrated how a ‘beating’ should be done, as one hit the other with a ‘sivaak’ tooth cleaning stick, similar to a lolly stick.



They said this was only justified in cases such as cheating or ‘admitting anyone to the home that the husband doesn’t like’ but that not cooking dinner was not sufficient grounds.

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Video of the lecture to members of Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia was posted online, causing a huge backlash as she and fellow panelist Atika Latifi were accused of condoning abuse.

Muslim groups working against domestic violence said it sent the wrong message and the video was covered in papers around the world.

However, the group said they would not ‘succumb to reinterpretations of Islam forced by liberal hounding. In fact, the greater the pressure, the greater our adherence to Islam must be.’

https://www.facebook.com/womenofhtaust/posts/1422195617833341

They said men were accorded the leadership role in families and thus: ‘He is permitted – not obliged and not encouraged – to hit her.’

Many Muslims took issue with the advice given, saying it wasn’t appropriate to condone any form of violence.

Young Melbourne Sufis asked them: ‘Please do some soul searching of how much of a negative impact you keep having on the wider Muslim community through your comments and actions.’

https://www.facebook.com/womenofhtaust/photos/a.125437324175850.37282.122830441103205/1407710955948474/?type=3

Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahir describes itself as a global political movement seeking to establish a caliphate in the Muslim world through peaceful means.

The group is banned in some countries, but not the UK and Australia.