Disciplining A Wife- Advice Or Commandment?
If it were a commandment then every divorce directive mentioned in Quran should’ve been subjected to this as a proper caveat the way it has been done with every inheritance directive, where every such directive is subject to first payment of loan and/or will of the deceased. Since Divorce directive stands in isolation, therefore, this directive would only mean an advice in case a husband sees some hope of redeeming his family.
I’m going to right 4:34 here so it’s easier to search this for reference later An-Nisa’ – 4:34 Arabic ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٰمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعۡضَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ وَبِمَآ أَنفَقُواْ مِنۡ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمْۚ فَٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ قَٰنِتَٰتٌ حَٰفِظَٰتٌ لِّلۡغَيۡبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ ٱللَّهُۚ وَٱلَّٰتِى تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَٱهۡجُرُوهُنَّ فِى ٱلۡمَضَاجِعِ وَٱضۡرِبُوهُنَّۖ فَإِنۡ أَطَعۡنَكُمۡ فَلَا تَبۡغُواْ عَلَيۡهِنَّ سَبِيلًاۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّا كَبِيرًا