Obedient Wives Club
Encyclopedia
The Obedient Wives Club is an international Islamic organisation dedicated to teaching wives to be submissive to their husbands. It was formed in 2011, establishing branches in Malaysia, Singapore
, Indonesia
and Jordan
. It was founded by Global Ikhwan, a business conglomerate associated with the banned Malaysian sect al-Arqam
. As of October 2011, the club had an estimated 800 members in Malaysia.
The club promotes polygamy
. It has published an explicit 115-page sex manual, titled Islamic Sex, Fighting Against Jews To Return Islamic Sex To The World, which encourages group sex
between a man and his multiple wives. The club argues that the sexual submission of a wife to her husband will reduce the likelihood of the husband engaging in adultery; one of the group's leaders publicly suggested that it is a wife's responsibility to perform sex like a "first-class whore". In November 2011, the manual was banned by the Malaysian Home Ministry. Malaysia's women's minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil
has criticised the club, saying "To hinge fidelity, 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." Some mainstream Muslim organisations in Malaysia have also disparaged the club, although the Mufti
of the state of Perak
offered support for the club's objectives, saying "Wives must be very obedient to their husbands."
The club opened a branch in Singapore
in June 2011, attracting a handful of members. The country's Islamic Religious Council
responded to the branch's establishment by saying "Happiness in a marriage goes beyond receiving sexual fulfilment from one's wife." The club expanded into Indonesia
at about the same time, claiming to have approximately 300 members.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. It was founded by Global Ikhwan, a business conglomerate associated with the banned Malaysian sect al-Arqam
Al-Arqam
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...
. As of October 2011, the club had an estimated 800 members in Malaysia.
The club promotes polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
. It has published an explicit 115-page sex manual, titled Islamic Sex, Fighting Against Jews To Return Islamic Sex To The World, which encourages group sex
Group sex
Group sex is sexual behavior involving more than two participants. Group sex can occur amongst people of all sexual orientations and genders...
between a man and his multiple wives. The club argues that the sexual submission of a wife to her husband will reduce the likelihood of the husband engaging in adultery; one of the group's leaders publicly suggested that it is a wife's responsibility to perform sex like a "first-class whore". In November 2011, the manual was banned by the Malaysian Home Ministry. Malaysia's women's minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil
Shahrizat Abdul Jalil
Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil is a Malaysian politician and the current Minister of Women, Family and Community Development in the Malaysian cabinet...
has criticised the club, saying "To hinge fidelity, 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." Some mainstream Muslim organisations in Malaysia have also disparaged the club, although the Mufti
Mufti
A mufti is a Sunni Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law . In religious administrative terms, a mufti is roughly equivalent to a deacon to a Sunni population...
of the state of Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
offered support for the club's objectives, saying "Wives must be very obedient to their husbands."
The club opened a branch in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in June 2011, attracting a handful of members. The country's Islamic Religious Council
Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura
The Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura , also known as the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore is a statutory board in Singapore...
responded to the branch's establishment by saying "Happiness in a marriage goes beyond receiving sexual fulfilment from one's wife." The club expanded into Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
at about the same time, claiming to have approximately 300 members.