Top PA religious official prohibits women from traveling without a male relative
Although the PA likes to present itself as a secular authority, its religious leaders use the official PA TV station to demand a male-dominated society, in which women must be obedient to their husbands as part of their obligation under Islam.
The PA’s Grand Mufti - who was appointed by PA Chairman Abbas himself - was asked on his weekly TV program if a man’s wife is allowed to travel to Dubai with her daughters without a male relative accompanying them. The PA’s top religious official answered that she is not. She would have to be accompanied by “a man from her family”:
Official PA TV host: “The first question is that his wife wants to travel to Dubai with her daughters without the presence of an accompanying man from her family – is this allowed?”
PA Mufti Muhammad Hussein: “There has to be an accompanying man from her family on the trip.”
[Official PA TV, Fatwa, Dec. 16, 2020]
Although the Palestinian Authority might be considered religiously moderate regarding women’s rights compared to other Arab states, top PA religious leaders, including Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor on Islam, have been given time on official PA TV to tell Palestinian men that they are permitted, albeit with restrictions, to beat their wives. Women are taught to obey their husbands, not to leave home without their permission, not to contact Israeli police if their husbands are violent, and even to not refuse their husbands’ demands for sex because it is a husband’s right “to enjoy his wife at any time,” according to the Abbas appointed PA Mufti.
Abbas' advisor Mahmoud Al-Habbash has explained on official PA TV that there are situations in which men are allowed to beat women, explaining that "as long as Allah permitted a certain type of beating, it is for the good. It is good for society and good for the woman and the man." He added that it is OK for husbands, fathers, and brothers to beat disobedient women.
Another of the PA’s religious figures has defended what he presents as Islam’s permission granted to husbands to hit their wives and threaten them - however stressing that it should not be a serious beating that leaves marks.
Academic lecturer on Islam and Mufti Sheikh Samih Hajjaj: “Let’s say that a husband senses that his wife is lying. First he needs to rebuke her and quote the Quran and Hadith on the ban on lying. If that does not work, he need to forsake her in bed... The [Muslim] scholars said that the beating can be with a small brush or a handkerchief, and the number of blows should not exceed 10.”
TV host: “Not with a stick or a pipe.”
Mufti: “No, no. Not in the face. Even when we hit with a handkerchief or small brush, Prophet [Muhammad] said: ‘Do not hit the face, and do not make her ugly.’ If you want to hit, hit [her] back or leg, hit in places that are not seen, and do not cause a permanent mark...”
[Official PA TV, Life, Nov. 24, 2016]
The practice of Palestinian men beating their wives or other female members of their family has even been endorsed publicly by a female host of official PA TV:
The PA Mufti in Gaza has also advocated wife beatings.
The Grand Mufti also has prohibited Palestinian women to contact Israeli police with complaints about violent spouses.
On a different occasion, the PA Mufti taught that a woman is not permitted to say no to her husband when he wants sexual relations, because “the husband has the right to enjoy his wife [sexually] at any time.”
The PA Mufti has also taught that women are not permitted to leave the house at all without the husband’s permission, because "a woman must [only] leave home at the discretion of her husband.”
Muhammad Hussein also serves as Deputy Secretary-General and acting Secretary-General of the PLO Popular National Conference of Jerusalem.
The following is a longer excerpt of the statement by Mufti Sheikh Samih Hajjaj cited above:
Academic lecturer on Islam and Mufti Sheikh Samih Hajjaj: “A man wanted to take revenge on [his] wife so he locked her in the bathroom. She is from a respectable family and he locked her up for 25 days. In the morning he would give her pita bread, a plate of red pepper, and a beating with a rubber pipe. In the evening he would give her a plate of red pepper, pita bread, and a beating with a rubber pipe. For 25 days. On the 25th day he didn’t pay attention and left the bathroom door open, may Allah protect us all. She fled to her parents’ home. ‘Why did you do this, sir?’ He said: ‘Didn’t you read the Quran? Allah said: “But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them”’ ... Even if he had acted gradually, he did not have to beat her in this way. ‘[First] advise them.’ Let’s say that a husband senses that his wife is lying. First he needs to rebuke her and quote the Quran and Hadith on the ban on lying. If that does not work, he need to forsake her in bed... The [Muslim] scholars said that the beating can be with a small brush or a handkerchief, and the number of blows should not exceed 10.”
TV host: “Not with a stick or a pipe.”
Mufti: “No, no. Not in the face. Even when we hit with a handkerchief or small brush, Prophet [Muhammad] said: ‘Do not hit the face, and do not make her ugly.’ If you want to hit, hit [her] back or leg, hit in places that are not seen, and do not cause a permanent mark... Prophet [Muhammad] did not hit a single man, woman, or child, other than during Jihad for Allah. If your role model is the Prophet, it would be better if you did not hit at all. Aside from that, this [man was] beating for revenge. The beating, according to Islam, is only to convey a message to the wife: ‘I am angry with you.’ That’s all.”
[Official PA TV, Life, Nov. 24, 2016]