Obedient Wives Club
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The Obedient Wives Club (OWC) is an international
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
ic
faith-based organization A faith-based organization is an organization whose values are based on faith and/or beliefs, which has a mission based on social values of the particular faith, and which most often draws its activists (leaders, staff, volunteers) from a particula ...
which claims to promote harmonious families by teaching wives how to be submissive to their husbands. Composed of up to 3000 members, this group currently operates in Malaysia,Lai, Isabelle. "Obedient Wives Club to offer sex lessons." Asiaone. Asia One, 5 June 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2012

/ref> Indonesia,Wee, Teo Cheng. "Obedient Wives Club Produces Islamic Sex Guide." Jakarta Globe. N.p., 13 Oct. 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2012

/ref> Singapore, Australia, Kazakhstan, and Jordan, though it has plans to open chapters in England and France in 2013. In October 2011, the Obedient Wives Club published a highly controversial book called ''Islamic Sex'', which encouraged wives to act like "first class whores" in order to keep husbands from straying. This book is currently banned in Indonesia and Malaysia. Despite the book only being available to its club, some of its content has been made known, sparking fierce debates online.


History

On June 3, 2011, a business firm called
Global Ikhwan Al-Arqam is a Malaysian-based Islamic religious sect, founded by Ashaari Mohammad. The sect was banned by the Malaysian federal government on 21 October 1994. More than 5 Al-Arqam members including Ashaari Mohammad (leader of movement) were a ...
established the first chapter of the Obedient Wives Club in
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...
, Malaysia. Originally intended to help the female staff become good wives and productive employees, the group's main goal was to revolutionize the way Muslim wives viewed sex within marriage.Rondonuwu, Olivia, and Razak Ahmad. "Preaching good sex, Obedient Wives Club spreads word across Asia, Reuters." Reuters India. Reuters, 24 June 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2012

/ref> Global Ikhwan, which also founded a controversial
polygamy Crimes Polygamy (from Late Greek (') "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, sociologists call this polygyny. When a woman is married ...
club, has been closely tied to the religious Islamic sect Al-Arqam which was banned in Malaysia in 1994. The Obedient Wives Club denies allegations that they are trying to revive Al-Arqam. Though the Obedient Wives Club is an Islamic organization, they are open to any woman, regardless of their denomination.Ahmad, Razak. "Malaysia's Obedient Wives Club angers women's rights groups , FaithWorld." Analysis & Opinion , Reuters. N.p., 5 June 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 201

/ref> The Obedient Wives Club claims to fight
divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...
,
domestic violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...
, and other social ills by teaching wives how to please their husbands. As one member put it, "A man married to a woman who is as good or better than a prostitute in bed has no reason to stray. Rather than allowing him to sin, a woman must do all she can to ensure his desires are met."


Controversy

In October 2011, the Obedient Wives Club published a 115-page book, guiding wives through the physical and spiritual aspects of sex. This book, titled ''Islamic Sex'', quickly stirred controversy. Many groups, such as
Sisters in Islam Sisters in Islam (SIS) is a Malaysian civil society organisation committed to promoting the rights of women within the frameworks of Islam and universal human rights. Its efforts to promote the rights of Muslim women are based on the principles ...
,Ryan, Erin Gloria. ""Obedient Wives Club" Teaches Women Advanced Doormattery Skills." "Obedient Wives Club" Teaches Women Advanced Doormattery Skills. Jezebel, 5 June 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2012

 Aware (the
Association of Women for Action and Research The Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) is a not-for-profit organisation that advocates for gender equality and provides critical support services for women in Singapore. It is a registered charity with Institute of Public Charac ...
) and the
Islamic Religious Council of Singapore The Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS), also known as the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (IRCS), is a statutory board of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth of the Government of Singapore. As a majlis, its role is to look afte ...
, criticized the book, calling it backwards and disrespectful to women and men. In particular, they disputed the club's assertion that if wives serve their husbands like "first class prostitutes" they will be able to maintain happy marriages. Critics argue that the values being promoted by the club involve objectification of women, and places unfair responsibility on wives. They further argue it reduces Islamic marriage to a sexual exchange. As a representative of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore said, "Happiness in a marriage goes beyond receiving sexual fulfillment from one's wife." Minister Shahrizat Jalil of the Women, Family and Community Development agreed, noting "To hinge
fidelity Fidelity is the quality of faithfulness or loyalty. Its original meaning regarded duty in a broader sense than the related concept of ''fealty''. Both derive from the Latin word ''fidēlis'', meaning "faithful or loyal". In the City of London f ...
, domestic violence and the fulfillment of a husband’s responsibilities purely on a wife's capacity to be obedient, stimulate sexual arousal … is not only demeaning to wives, but to husbands as well." In conjunction with the launch of the book, a stage performance glorifying Islamic sex took place. In the performance, the performers claim that Islamic sex is "many times more amazing than the forbidden sex of the Jews" also raised eyebrows. Other groups have criticized the book for promoting
group sex Group sex is sexual behavior involving more than two participants. Participants in group sex can be of any sexual orientation or gender. Any form of sexual activity can be adopted to involve more than two participants, but some forms have their ...
between a man and his wives. However, the Obedient Wives Club claims that this is a purely spiritual exercise and not a physical reality. In November 2011, the Malaysian government banned the book.


Islamic basis

The Obedient Wives Club claims that Islam promotes sex within marriage, noting that "You odhave said that all these acts are halal, pure, beautiful and like a prayer etween a man and a wife"


Future plans

The Club's parent organization moved its headquarters to
Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...
, Saudi Arabia.Jakarta Post. "Dreams of the Obedient Wives Club , The Jakarta Post." Home , The Jakarta Post. Jakarta Post, 22 June 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2012

/ref> They hope to keep expanding throughout
South East Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
.


See also

*
Ashaari Mohammad Haji Ashaari Mohammad (30 October 1937 – 13 May 2010) was the leader of the Malaysian-based Islamic religious sect Al-Arqam. The sect was banned by in Malaysia by the federal government on 21 October 1994. He and other Al-Arqam members were ...
*
Duty A duty (from "due" meaning "that which is owing"; fro, deu, did, past participle of ''devoir''; la, debere, debitum, whence "debt") is a commitment or expectation to perform some action in general or if certain circumstances arise. A duty may ...
*
Gender inequality Gender inequality is the social phenomenon in which men and women are not treated equally. The treatment may arise from distinctions regarding biology, psychology, or cultural norms prevalent in the society. Some of these distinctions are empi ...
*
Islam in Malaysia Islam in Malaysia is represented by the Shafi‘i school of Sunni jurisprudence.
*
Polygamy in Islam Traditional Sunni and Shia Islamic marital jurisprudence allows Muslim men to be married to multiple women (a practice known as polygyny). Scriptural basis The verse most commonly referred to with the topic of polygamy is Verse 3 of Surah 4 An ...


References

{{Reflist Islam in Malaysia Patriarchy Polygyny Organizations established in 2011 Complementarianism Women's rights in Islam Women in Kuala Lumpur