In the name of Allāh,
the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Peace and Blessings of Allāh on Mohammad.
DEDICATED TO
Allāh–the Glorious and the High,
Lord of the worlds
AND TO
Mohammad–who brought the world
to our feet and eternity to our arms
*

                    MOHAMMAD  BEATS ‘AISHA
(See also Critic on Mohammad’s sex life; women;  Qur’an).
Christian and other critics charge that ‘Aisha said Mohammad struck (beat) her. And they used part of Hadith to support their charge. The Hadith states:
“… He (Muhammad b. Qais) then reported that it was ‘A’isha who had narrated this: Should I not narrate to you about myself and about the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)? We said: Yes. She said:
“When it was my turn for Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) to spend the night with me, he turned his side, put on his mantle and took off his shoes and placed them near his feet, and spread the corner of his shawl on his bed and then lay down till he thought that I had gone to sleep. He took hold of his mantle slowly and put on the shoes slowly, and opened the door and went out and then closed it lightly. I covered my head, put on my veil and tightened my waist wrapper, and then went out following his steps till he reached Baqi’. He stood there and he stood for a long time. He then lifted his hands three times, and then returned and I also returned. He hastened his steps and I also hastened my steps. He ran and I too ran. He came (to the house) and I also came (to the house). I, however, preceded him and I entered (the house), and as I lay down in the bed, he (the Holy Prophet) entered the (house), and said: Why is it, O ‘A’isha, that you are out of breath? I said: There is nothing. He said: Tell me or the Subtle and the Aware would inform me. I said: Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be ransom for you, and then I told him (the whole story). He said: Was it the darkness (of your shadow) that I saw in front of me? I said: Yes. He struck me on the chest which caused me pain, and then said: Did you think that Allah and His Apostle would deal unjustly with you?….” –(Muslim #2127).

ANSWER:
Clearly, this striking could hardly be taken as one of beating or to cause injury to ‘Aisha even though it caused her  pain; it is obviously a reflexive action when two people are talking and one is somewhat disappointed.
The rest of the story confirms this: and then he, the Prophet said: Did you think Allāh and His Apostle will deal unjustly with you. This answer clearly shows that the Prophet was disappointed that ‘Aisha believed he would sneak away to another of his wives when it was her turn to be with him, and thus may have gestured in disbelief with his hand and caught her on the chest.

In continuing the Hadith, the Prophet informed ‘Aisha that Gabriel came to him with Divine instructions to go and pray for the “inhabitants of Baqi’” and explained his reason for not waking her. The narration ended with ‘Aisha saying:
“I said: Messenger of Allāh, how should I pray for them (how should I beg forgiveness for them)? He said: Say, Peace be upon the inhabitants of this city (graveyard) from among the Believers and the Muslims, and may Allāh have mercy on those who have gone ahead of us, and those who come later on, and we shall, God willing, join you.”
Clearly, any person with a shred of intelligence can discern that this hadith is not a case of “wife-beating” or of “domestic violence.”

That the Prophet never beat any of his wives is evidenced from this hadith in which Bokhari records a long narration in which ‘Umar’s wife told him that his daughter, Hafsa, “argues with Allāh’s Apostle (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) so much that he remains angry for a full day.” Whereupon ‘Umar went to Hafsa who admitted, “we argue with him.”
To which her father advised her “Don’t be betrayed by the one who is proud of her beauty because of the love of Allah’s Apostle (peace be on him) for her (i.e. ‘Aisha).” (Bokhari, Vol. 6, # 435).
It is doubtful that ‘Aisha and Hafsa would have “argued” with the Prophet and to the extent that “he remains angry for a full day” if he was “beating” them. (See Islam-wife beating).
For beating the Christian wife to bring her into  “silence” and “all subjection” see Christianity-subjugates women

CHRISTIAN AND OTHER CRITICS ALSO CHARGE  THAT  MOHAMMAD CONDONED WIFE-BEATING:
 “Sahih al-Bukhari 5825—Narrated Ikrima: Rifaa divorced his wife whereupon Abdur-Rahman married her.
Aisha said that the lady came wearing a green veil and complained to her (Aisha) and showed her a green spot on her skin caused by beating. It was the habit of ladies to support each other, so when Allah’s messenger came, Aisha said, “I have not seen any woman suffering as much as the believing women. Look! Her skin is greener than her clothes!”
When Abdur-Rahman heard that his wife had gone to the prophet, he came with his two sons from another wife. She said, “By Allah! I have done no wrong to him, but he is impotent and is as useless to me as this,” holding and showing the fringe of her garment.
Abdur-Rahman said, “By Allah, O Allah’s messenger! She has told a lie. I am very strong and can satisfy her, but she is disobedient and wants to go back to Rifaa.”
Allah’s messenger said to her, “If that is your intention, then know that it is unlawful for you to remarry Rifaa unless Abdur-Rahman has had sexual intercourse with you.”
The prophet saw two boys with Abdur-Rahman and asked (him), “Are these your sons?” On that Abdur-Rahman said, “Yes.” The prophet said, “You claim what you claim (that he is impotent)? But by Allah, these boys resemble him as a crow resembles a crow.”
And the critic charges:
Notice that the story is about a woman whose Muslim husband beat her until her skin turned green. Aisha takes the woman to Muhammad, hoping that he would deal with the problem. But instead of punishing or even rebuking the woman’s husband, Muhammad instead criticizes the woman who was being beaten. No wonder Aisha says that Muslim women are treated worse than pagan women.

ANSWER:
First, all the woman had was only ONE SPOT of green on her body. It is doubtful that if she was beaten she would have only one spot of evidence.
(Perhaps Abdur Rahman tried to take her by force and she got bruised in the attempt. Or it might have been self-inflicted to garner sympathy/support in her case for a divorce –much like present-day woman ripping her garment and self-inflicting herself and then cry rape and/or wife-abuse to land the man in jail).

That instead of punishing or even rebuking the woman’s husband, Muhammad instead criticises the woman who was being beaten.
Why should Mohammad have punished or even rebuked the woman’s husband?
The woman unjustly denies the husband his marital rights (even while he was fulfilling his obligation to provide for her) and on top of that she barefacedly lied on him and even lied to the Prophet that the man was impotent –though he had two sons to show he was UN-strong; and if he was impotent why would he be demanding conjugal rights?– just so she could get out of the marriage.
The Prophet’s punishing or rebuking the husband would only have served to encourage the wife to engage in lie/deceit. Some people might submit that it would have been appropriate that the Prophet also give her a flogging.

It is rather strange that ‘Aisha would say “I have not seen any woman suffering as much as the believing women” considering that (as noted in the above presentation) she and Hafsa argue with the Prophet without the Prophet ever laying a finger on any of them.

(Depending on when this incident occurred). It is rather queer that ‘Aisha would say, ”Muslim women are treated worse than pagan women,” seeing that Islam liberated women and has given her rights that leave her nothing for which to strive; given her rights alongside man from the cradle to Jannah.
Allah says:

• man and Woman were created from the same essence–(Qur’an 4:1), and instilled with the same laws –such as the five senses and susceptibilities to hunger and disease– one cannot be superior to the other. How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• reverence the womb that bore you (not the loins that emitted you)–(Qur’an 4:1); and Prophet Mohammad taught that paradise lies at the feet of mothers’ (not at the feet of fathers’)–(Ibn Majah, #2771). How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• men and women are garments to the other–(Qur’an 2:187). Garments protect, comfort, beautify and conceal the body’s imperfections. Since men and women are to protect, comfort, beautify and keep each other’s flaws private. How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• men and women are friends one of another–(Qur’an 9:71). Friends do not oppress one another: friends liberate and protect one another. How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• women have rights similar to those against her–(Qur’an 2:228). People who have mutual rights cannot subjugate the other. How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• women have rights to inheritance, and full control over her earnings–(Qur’an 4:7, 11, 177; 4:32). How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• women have moral and spiritual equality with men–(Qur’an 3:194, 197; 24:30, 31, 55; 33:35; 49:13; 57:12, 18, 19). How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• Allah has put love and compassion between man and woman, and that man may find peace of mind in her–(Qur’an 7:189; 30:21). The man who abuses his wife, causes her distress or puts her under duress cannot find love and compassion and comfort in her. (This verse also condemns marital rape). How is this “worse than pagan women?”

• Islam saved the daughter/woman from infanticide–(Qur’an 6:151; 17:31; 81:8-9). How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• Islam liberated woman from Zihar –whereby her husband compared her to his mother’s backside and deserted her–(Qur’an 33:4). How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• Islam liberated woman from Ila –in which a husband takes an oath to indefinitely suspend conjugal relations with his wife–(Qur’an 2:226). How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• Islam liberated woman from being inherited against her will by her late husband’s elder son or male relations–(Qur’an 4:19; Bokhari Vol. 6, #103). How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• Islam liberated woman from being forced to claim a divorce so her husband could regain his dowry; and Islam requires that she be treated kindly–(Qur’an 4:19). How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• Islam liberated woman from being married to her late husband’s son–(Qur’an 4:22). How is this “worse than pagan women?”
• Women have three degrees of excellence over men: There is a report of a man asking the Prophet
  “Who is more entitled to be treated with the best companionship,” to which the Prophet said, “Your mother.”
  The man said, “Who is next?” The Prophet said, “Your mother.”
  The man further said, “Who is next?” The Prophet said, “Your mother.”
  The man asked for the fourth time, “Who is next?” The Prophet said, “Your father”–(Bokhari Vol. 8, #2).
  How is this “worse than pagan women?”

Islam esteems womanhood as the symbol of purity and motherhood as the gateway to Paradise. (See Islam-women). In contrast to Islam, Christianity is brutally and rabidly misogynistic (see Christianity-subjugates women).
(See also Critic on Mohammad’s sex life; women;  Qur’an).

(Notably, in the Hadith the Prophet told the woman that “it is unlawful for you to remarry Rifaa unless Abdur-Rahman has had sexual intercourse with you.” For divorce in Islam, see Islam-divorce).