By Bonnie Malkin in Sydney
Last Updated: 8:01PM GMT 22 Jan 2009
Self-styled cleric Samir Abu Hamza, who runs the
Islamic Information and Services Network of Australasia in
In a lecture titled "The
Keys to a Successful Marriage", which has since been posted on the
internet and viewed thousands of times, Mr Hamza said men could beat their wives, "to shape them
up", but should try not to draw blood or bruise them.
He also said women "must
respond" if their husbands wanted to have sex, and ridiculed laws that
prohibit rape within marriage.
"In this country if the
husband wants to sleep with his wife and she does not want to and she hasn't
got a sickness or whatever, there is nothing wrong with her she just does not
feel like it, and he ends up sleeping with her by force ... it is known to be
as rape," Mr Hamza
said.
"Amazing, how can a person
rape his wife?" His comments have been condemned by Islamic women's groups
and Kevin Rudd, the prime minister, has called for an immediate public apology.
"Under no circumstances is
sexual violence permissible or acceptable in
However, Mr
Hamza, whose organisation
offers spiritual advice, prayer facilities and boxing, karate and gym classes
for Muslims, has refused to retract his statements.
In the sermon Mr
Hamza initially tells his listeners "don't hit
your wife".
But he goes on to detail how men
should hit their wives, according to his interpretation of Islamic teachings.
He says it is permissible to hit
women as a "last resort" but that "the beating the Mohammed
showed is like the toothbrush that you use to brush your teeth".
"You are not allowed to
bruise them, you are not allowed to make them bleed.
"You don't go and grab a
broomstick and say that is what Allah has said."
Ramzi Elsayed,
Islamic Council of Victoria state president, said Islam did not condone
violence against women or making a wife have sex with her husband against her
will.