CAIRO — A fatwa on the variety of instances a husband should have intercourse together with his spouse in line with Islamic legislation, which was issued Oct. 5 by a Fb web page involved with issuing unofficial non secular fatwas, has sparked controversy in Egypt in current days.
The fatwa got here in response to a question posted by a Fb person on the Qutooff Fem web page, an unofficial physique, saying that her husband avoids having intercourse together with her and claims that it isn’t his obligation to take action, and she or he is embarrassed to maintain asking him.
A sheikh affiliated with the Fb web page replied, saying that there are totally different views on this topic, as some say a husband ought to have intercourse together with his spouse as soon as each month, whereas others recommend that he ought to accomplish that as soon as each 4 months.
The web page shortly blocked feedback and eliminated the share choice for the put up after all of the controversy it sparked. Nevertheless, the put up had already gone viral.
The Egyptian Dar al-Ifta, the official physique for issuing non secular fatwas, stated in a put up on its official Fb web page Oct. 18 that Sharia made the intercourse between a person and a lady a common right between spouses, noting that neither of them can resolve on their very own, it must be consensual.
Dar al-Ifta cited Surah Al-Baqarah from the Quran, noting, “And ladies have rights just like their obligations,” explaining that this noble verse signifies that each husband and spouse have marital rights, together with the correct to have intercourse, which isn’t outlined in a selected time-frame.
Magdy Ashour, adviser to Egypt’s grand mufti, responded to the controversial fatwa in an interview with “Al-Hekaya” present on MBC Egypt Oct. 18, saying, “Extremist ideology neglects women. Marital intercourse is reciprocal; each women and men ought to get pleasure from it.”
Ashour described the fatwa as “irregular,” noting that its function is to attract individuals’s consideration, even whether it is of false origin, because it goals to impress, not elevate consciousness.
He denied all claims concerning the husband having to have intercourse together with his spouse solely as soon as each 4 months, explaining, “A husband ought to perceive his spouse from a single look and fulfill her wishes and marital rights, with out her having to ask.”
Ashour cited a scene from the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad when he went to the home of his companion Uthman bin Mazoon and located his spouse’s garments worn out. Aisha — one of many Prophet’s wives — requested her concerning the cause for that. The girl stated that Uthman prays at night time and fasts through the day and doesn’t strategy girls. So the Prophet instructed him that he has time to hope, quick, strategy girls and suggested him to observe his Sunnah.
“So long as there is no such thing as a legit or well being excuse, the husband should fulfill his spouse’s wishes, and vice versa,” Ashour stated. “We at Dar al-Ifta are engaged on confronting the extremist ideology that perceives girls as second-class residents.”
Reda el-Danbouki, director of the Women’s Center for Legal Guidance and Awareness, instructed Al-Monitor that any such fatwa views girls as a reproductive machine who doesn’t have the correct to get pleasure from intercourse.
He stated many in society are affected by clerics whether or not they’re involved with issuing official or unofficial fatwas, which is why the state must take a stance and fight these unofficial platforms as they incite in opposition to girls.
Danbouki famous, “It’s essential to warn these platforms to rethink the non secular opinions they publish, which can trigger issues which might be troublesome to manage or change later. Penalties ought to even be imposed on violators, particularly since most of those fatwas are simply unfounded [laws].”
He added, “We should implement the provisions of the constitution, together with Article 53 and Article 11, and the legislation on equality and nondiscrimination, along with establishing a nondiscrimination fee. Additionally, some provisions of the Penal Code that severely punish girls in comparison with males in some acts — equivalent to adultery talked about in Article 276 — should be amended.”
Danbouki concluded, “All these steps will contribute to altering how society perceives girls, who are sometimes seen as inferior to males and merely a device to serve their lusts.”
