Surah 4:34
"Men are supervisors of women because God has favored some of them over others, and because they have contributed from their wealth. Righteous women are obedient, watching over (affairs) in the absence (of their husbands) because God has watched over (them). (As for) those women whom you fear may be rebellious: admonish them, avoid them in bed, and (finally) strike them. If they obey you, do not seek (any further) way against them. Surely God is most high, great."
4.34 â (As for) those women whom you fear may be rebellious
The Quran prescribes for men a way of dealing with wives who show rebellion (nushÅ«z). The three stages are first admonishing them, then sleeping separately from them, and finally striking them. The Arabic original of the word translated here as âstrikeâ is the plural imperative form of á¸araba, a verb that is commonly defined as âto beat, strike, or hit.â
- from The Quran with Christian Commentary: A Guide to Understanding the Scripture of Islam