Abused Woman Denied Divorce on Grounds That Koran Allows Men to Beat Their Wives

A female judge in Germany cited the Koran in her refusal to allow a Muslim woman permission to file for an immediate divorce over abuse by her husband, saying that the Koran allows a man to beat his wife. The woman in question said her husband not only beat her but also threatened to kill her.

Germans are outraged by the judge's decision. Top newspaper's headlines read: "Where are we living? Woman judge allows beating in marriage and invokes the Koran." And a government official said: "When the Koran takes precedence over the German Basic Law, then I can only say: Goodnight Germany."

A bias complaint against the judge was upheld, and another judge will now hear the case. That judge's interpretation may soon be outdated.

A new English-language version of the Koran reinterprets some words that feminists say have been used to justify the abuse of women. Specifically, the word "idrib" is often translated as "to beat." This version says it means, "to go away." Laleh Bakhtiar, the translator, hopes that her version will help make Islam friendlier toward women

Source for post: Fox News.