October 2017 On 13 October 2017, the
Berita Harian newspaper published an article titled
How to Deal with Stubborn Wives (translated title) by
Ustadh Mohammed Zaid Ishak, the executive Imam of Masjid Al-Mawaddah. In the article, the Ustadh responded to a question asking how one should deal with a stubborn wife; his response was that it was permissible to hit a stubborn wife as a last resort if distancing oneself from her did not work out. The response of the Ustadh was met with uproar and massive controversy on social media platforms. The incident prompted an immediate response from
Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency's
Member of Parliament,
Faishal Ibrahim, and head of the Office of the Mufti, Irwan Hadi, denouncing spousal violence of any form. Mohammed Zaid Ishak later clarified that the ruling he had introduced was not meant as an excuse for a husband to beat his wife, adding that it was a classical Islamic ruling and one should look in a modern context regarding similar matters. Beforehand, Yusop had attacked a jogger, slashing his forearm, and attempted an attack on another man whom managed to escape. Yusop, who was under the influence of drugs, was apprehended by the police after he was subdued at the mosque, receiving a sentence of nine months and two weeks jail. ==Accessibility==