Life & Style

#TryBeatingMeLightly: Pakistani women react to CII bill with powerful portrait series

Here's what will happen if you 'lightly beat' a modern-day woman

Life&Style May 30, 2016

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Here's what will happen if you 'lightly beat' a modern-day woman. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

Not all men want to "lightly beat" their defying wives, as proposed by the Council of Islamic Ideology, but just in case they do, these portraits of empowered (and threatening) Pakistani women, serve as fair warning that laying a finger on your wife will have its consequences.

Photographer Fahhad Rajper has captured twelve inspiring professionals to portray the consequences of "lightly beating" a modern-day woman, in a series of portraits titled "Try Beating Me Lightly."

CII proposes husbands be allowed to 'lightly beat' defying wives

1. Adeeqa Lalwani: Digital storyteller

"#TryBeatingMeLightly, I'll become the destruction you will never forsee."

Adeeqa is a Digital Storyteller. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

2. Farah S. Kamal: Education consultant

"#TryBeatingMeLightly and tell me if you would like yourself to be beaten up lightly?"

Farah is an Education Consultant. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

3. Amber Zulfiqar: Travel and lifestyle blogger

"#TryBeatingMeLightly and take a punch in the a**!"

Amber is a travel and lifestyle blogger. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

4. Priyanka Pahuja: Product designer turned digital marketer

"#TryBeatingMeLightly and I'll run a car over you with my 7 years of driving experience!"

Priyanka is a Product Designer turned Digital Marketer. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

5. Sumbul Usman: Social media manager

"#TryBeatingMeLightly, you won't survive to see the morning."

Sumbul is a Social Media Manager. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

6. Shagufta Abbas: Doctor

"#TryBeatingMeLightly - I'll break that hand you raised at me. Remaining damage? I'll leave it up to Allah."

Shagufta is a Doctor. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

'Gentle beating' of wife is no violence, says CII chief

7. Fizza Rahman: Senior brand manager

"#TryBeatingMeLightly, I will beat you up lightly too, that too in public. I am very particular about gender equality."

Fizza is a Senior Brand Manager. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

8. Erum Khan: Blogger

"#TryBeatingMeLightly, and be ready to face the consequences."

Erum Khan is a Blogger. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

9. Sundus Rasheed: School teacher and radio jockey

"#TryBeatingMeLightly, and you'll regret it for the rest of your miserable life."

Sundus is a school teacher and radio jockey. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

Muniba Mazari found the perfect way to respond to CII's 'light beating' proposal

10. Sadiya Azhar: Digital marketer and blogger

"#TryBeatingMeLightly - Beat me with your intelligence, if you may. Beat me with your wit. Beat me with your smile. Beat me with your kindness. But if you dare to beat me even with a feather, I'd really beat the shit out of you."

Sadiya is a Digital Marketer and blogger. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

11. Alvera Rajper: Medical student

"#TryBeatingMeLightly - Tell me how would you feel if someone beats your daughter up lightly?"

Alvera is a medical student. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

12. Rabya Ahmed: Photo blogger

"I'm the sun. Touch me and I will burn you like hell fire. I am light, you will try, but you can never stop me. You can never contain me.
I am the kind of woman they name hurricanes after. I dare you, #TryBeatingMeLightly."

Rabya is a Photo-Blogger. PHOTO: FAHHAD RAJPER

Still want to 'lightly beat' your wife?

PHOTO: GIPHY.COM

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

COMMENTS (41)

Bilal | 8 years ago | Reply Its alwaya about a a husband and wife not about men and women. So be at home make your child a goor person so that he dosent beat his wife . Stop fooling people by taking advantage of these kind of immoral acts

Bilal | 8 years ago | Reply Touch me mr.husband and i the wife will ripmu apart. All hail feminism and we are not sexist

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Uzair | 8 years ago | Reply Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand. (4:34)

Daiseystar | 8 years ago | Reply @Faraz: Everyone are Muslims here it's just they know there rights

Mustafa Baluch | 8 years ago | Reply Try beating me lightly, and I will give you a hug and make you forget all your worries. #beingpositive #harbingerofgenerations #empoweredwoman

Suleman | 8 years ago | Reply Nobody asked the underprivileged / rural women for the reaction who are actually beaten up, lightly or violently, bill or no bill, they have been beaten up before for thousands of years, and will be after for another thousands!! If you tell them about the bill, they will think you are crazy - like somebody suggesting that there is gold hidden in a 1000 rupee note. The only way to stop this is to create financial and social security for them, that's when men will come to their senses and stop looking at women as their farm land to till on!

delhuss | 8 years ago | Reply Any kind of violence is counter productive. You achieve much more by love and understanding than you can ever achieve by violence. It's not just the beating of women, but the beating of children which should be banned in schools and in the home. Casual violence is, unfortunatly, all too common in south asian households.Violence demeans both the victim and the prepetrator and is the last refuge of the helpless, or the oppressed, or the frustrated, or the powerless.

werewolf | 8 years ago | Reply Is this a post to discourage beating or are you daring men to try it?

Kashif | 8 years ago | Reply The ugly ones are the most bitter

Mark | 8 years ago | Reply I absolutely don't understand why bring out unnecessary rules such as 'beat your wife lightly'. Seriously, instead of criticizing theses women by saying their over reacting, shun these pathetic 'aged religious readers' who absolutely feel the need to issue such laws to prove they are men. Pathetic !!!

Dr. HOUSE | 8 years ago | Reply How come one becomes a "Digital Marketer" or a "Social media manager" ? I mean what qualifications you need to have and where to get such jobs???

shahgul | 8 years ago | Reply If refusing to get beat up is extremism, I am an extremist and proud of it.

Rabi'a Keeble | 8 years ago | Reply @Faraz: All the women speaking are Muslim, you just don't want to accept that women are not yours to frighten and control anymore.

someone | 8 years ago | Reply @Mr. Khan: so your interpretation is different from that of CII , what makes you right and them wrong ? they are following the teachings they see as right and you are doing the same , and lastly on what basis are you pointing fingers at these women ? the way they think and dress ? i am sure they can say same thing about you

Kamran | 8 years ago | Reply Awesome!!! The urge to beat your better half is the first sign you are losing manliness. See a psychiatrist. Couples can live with respect or part ways. That's what Islam tells you!

Prada | 8 years ago | Reply All these women are educated. That is the exact reason why clerics do not want women to be educated !

Noor-ul-Ain | 8 years ago | Reply That's quite unfortunate that our so called law making bodies have nothing to do constructive and doable therefore, such kind of bills are being proposed. They just propose bills for their own motifs and gains. They have no concern with what's happening in Pakistan or with the real issues of PAKISTAN. These kind of bills / proposal are intentionally being passed just to divert the attention of a layman from their core issues. being a contentious citizen of Pakistan, i give no value to these kind of bills. It would not be wrong to say that the CII members are just bunch of illiterate MULLAHS / MOLVIS who have no basic idea of ISLAMIC Teachings at all. They are not even qualified to be the members of CII thus this proposed bill is out of question. These MULLAS / MOLVIS have wrongly interpreted the ISLAM and spreading wrong impression of MUSLIMS in the whole world. In islam both man and women are equally bound to respect each other and both have their corresponding duties owed to each other. I request our MULLAHS please dont pollute, betray and misguide US.

Concerned Pakistani | 8 years ago | Reply @Waseem Bukhari: In case you haven't followed the proposal of the cleric careful, allow me to remind you that Maulana Sheerani insists a woman should be beaten 'lightly' but without breaking any bone in her body. So what Sheerani is stating is that you can batter them black and blue and it would all be fair and light. Break a bone and you have crossed the limits of Shariah. How would you like to see your sister or mother a sore black and blue (but without a broken bone)? How would you feel if your brother-in-law whips your sister and then comes to dine at your table? And what if he tells you that he had to beat your sister to make her obey. What do you do? Shake his hand? Tell him he's doing an excellent job as a Muslim beating your sister? Are you that shameless? Are you more a Muslim if your women are beaten? Where are your senses? What are you even saying?

XoF | 8 years ago | Reply Feel pity and sorry for such women/people aiding negativity towards deen and religious scholars. Their statements reflect alot about their family backgrounds and values with ignorance which can be clearly seen in their messages and faces. These wannabee social media quicke judges must be given a lesson by educated sober one's to analyse matters and rulings in deapth instead of acting ignorant of what instant images comes in their mind about a matter. A person who is dear to a thing never exposes its flaws in open, which in this case isnt a flaw.. this shows the level of knowledge and love for deen they have....Allah guide these women.

Bilal Tariq | 8 years ago | Reply At least they have got good display pictures for their social media accounts

Shahid | 8 years ago | Reply Their unthoughtful, irresponsible quick responses have badly marred their chances of getting married or getting along their present ones. Expevted much more sense to say the same. Pretty Indians

Shaan | 8 years ago | Reply Half of the are kinda stupid themselves. they will eventually ended up in getting a beating for their own pleasure.

sana | 8 years ago | Reply @Khan how about telling men NEVER to hit their wives? your comment doesnt make any sense

M sheikh | 8 years ago | Reply Try teaching the men to live according to the sunnah first and treat their women with love, respect and kindness and then you will see that NO TYPE OF BEATING will be necessary after all.

Razia Fareed | 8 years ago | Reply All men are Evil and Pakistani males are devil.They don't trust on them. Father, husband, son and lover all exploit the girls and ladies, in home, in office and on streets as well. All girls should stand for their rights and crush the male dominated society. I wonder about a city even without a single man.

Kia pudy or kia pudy ka shorba | 8 years ago | Reply Not that i support these arguments bu cii man xannot be a man if he beats up a women as they are week and emotional But sisters seriously dont try that with a proper guy if he shows intention of lighly beating you run for the hills and dont look back coz wen you so called try to torture him or run him over with a car it wont be pretty for u

Andrew | 8 years ago | Reply I read all the comments thoroughly and twice in order to understand the crux of the matter. The fact of the matter is that even with my limited knowledge of Islam I have come to realize that it is a beautiful religion, providing equality to all irrespective of their status in society and a special respect towards women and their honour. These old men claiming to be religious scholars don't even know the basics of he beautiful religion called Islam. I agree and support the opinions of the ladies mentioned in the news article and would go far as to call these old men heathens because they are preaching a brand of Islam very closely resembling heathenism because Islam gave the woman a special place of honour. Show me a single person who is so righteous and so pious as to qualify to become judge jury and executioner. This bill is only pushing us further into darkness because of the heathenistic approach of these so called scholars who don't even know the basics of Islam

Azmat Ali | 8 years ago | Reply Women who put up with abuse primarily do so because they (a) do not have necessary support from their own families and therefore have no safe haven to return to, (b) feel, or are, incapable of maintaining themselves and any children she may have, on her own. (c) is scared of violence (physical hurt to her, her children or her family). All the women, commenting above, have no real expectation or possibility of being physically abused. The author should go ask that segment of the social strata where this actually happens and find out why those women would put up with it? What is the society doing to stop it? How can we each empower the women in our families to give them the strength and support to push back in abusive situations. Imagine how trapped / helpless a woman must feel to have to put up with an abusive relationship! I tremble at the thought.

Neha Suleman | 8 years ago | Reply Try beating lightly and il make sure that u have nothing remain in your filthy body to think about touching any women ever again. Senior Manager -Banker

Ahsan | 8 years ago | Reply Most of these girls are being aggressive in their response. By promoting such things they are not only generalizing all men but also giving representation to these stupid Mullahs for the men.

Khan | 8 years ago | Reply It needs to be understood that domestic abuse and violence against woman is a bitter reality of pakistan. All CII is trying to do is to make a code of conduct and tell all those abusive men to desist or only lightly beat their wive. Light beating is the maximum a man can do as the CII has advised. If every abusive man can follow the guideline of the CII, it will greatly reduce violence and domestic abuse against women. The men who never beat their wives or the women who are never beaten by their husbands are not the audience of this CII proposal.

Agha | 8 years ago | Reply @Waseem Bukhari: How idiotic. Even a child can understand that this is a SARCASM. Which you definitely don't understand i guess.

Rehman | 8 years ago | Reply @sadia farooq: u tried it ? did it work ?

Waseem Bukhari | 8 years ago | Reply In my opinion, the CII suggestion about husbands beating their wives 'lightly' is not correct at all. However, just going through this article reminds one how much EXTREMISTS the Pakistanis have become as a nation. Most of the women in the article are talking about "taking their husband's lives" or "beating the sh*t out of them" just for getting beaten lightly. Seems like gender equality and human rights does not apply to these women in such situations. If one person beats an other person lightly (irrespective of the gender), it doesn't give the 'beaten' person a license to 'kill' or harm the first person seriously. The feminists who are calling the CII suggestions to be wrong, doesn't bat an eye on such EXTREME response from the women. Height of Hypocrisy.....!!!!!!

Mr. Khan | 8 years ago | Reply A true Muslim man would love his wife/sister/daughter/mother according to the teachings of Islam, hence no beating would be required. Islam teaches us each and every aspect of life only if we live our life through it we won't have most of the social problems we are facing nowadays. All the women in the article are not representing Muslim women.

Muhammad Saleem Akhtar | 8 years ago | Reply That's right for you as one gender or the other but not collectively. If that's the war than former and the later both live alone. However, if that's about true beloved couple then it's outrageously detrimental. "Excess of everything is bad" and so the matter is above board. However, words like mentioned above don't really represent the all loving wives. To me, without solid reason any punishment isn't justifiable yet the converse of it can not be denied. The need of the hour is to create patience; not so-called controversy. In short "Loving wives don't care about anything just keeps on building their trust and coqure the heart. However, some exemptions are there.

Rehman | 8 years ago | Reply All these women should join MQM. MQM really needs them after last rangers Operation.

Hyder khan | 8 years ago | Reply Put red chilies powder in his eyes and nose as loved revenge for beating. That fellow will run to CII and kick them till they fall on the ground and weep.

Faraz | 8 years ago | Reply It look no muslim talking here

sadia farooq | 8 years ago | Reply #trybeatingmelightly a little oil and one match stick and say goodbye to your manliness :)

Rao | 8 years ago | Reply I guess people have taken CII proposal seriously. In Pakistan, many proposals are in cold storage of Parliament so dont worry. Keep enjoying the competion between two genders. After all, human beings need competition to have purpose in life. Humanity still has to learn to live in companionship.

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