The Ruling on Beating and Cursing the Wife

Question:
The questioner Abu Abd al-Rahman asks: What is the ruling on beating and insulting the wife? And is the wife divorced if the husband insults her?

Answer:
Insulting is not permissible, and cursing is not permissible, neither for the wife nor for anyone else. The believer is not one who insults, nor one who curses, nor one who is foul-mouthed or obscene. He keeps his tongue pure from cursing, so he does not curse his wife, nor does he curse his son, nor does he curse his animal, nor does he curse his house, nor does he curse any of the created things. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is not permissible for a person to curse. Especially one who is connected to him, such as his wife and his children; it is not permissible for him to curse them. Nor does he raise them to curse. He raises them with good morals and good speech.
As for beating, beating is for the defiant wife. Beating is only for the defiant wife. Allah the Exalted said: The third stage: if it is possible that she will stop her defiance through admonition, then that is sufficient. "And those women whose defiance you fear, admonish them." If admonition is not sufficient, he boycotts her, meaning he leaves her, does not speak to her, or does not sleep with her until she repents. This is the boycott. If the boycott does not benefit, he beats her with a non-harmful beating. As for beating the wife other than for defiance, this is not permissible.