Here you go sister fatwa from Islam Today team.
Al-Salam `Alaykum wa Rahmah Allah wa Barakatuh.
This is a case of mistranslation. The word lahada used in this had�th means �to push with the palms of the hands�. It does not mean �hit, strike� like daraba. This is the kind of misunderstanding that can never take place among Arabic speakers.
Even with the mistranslation, however, the context of this had�th should be clear enough to show us that he did not hit her in a punishing or violent way.
He just shoved her a bit while speaking to her. It was more a rough gesture than a hit, the type people who are close to each other use when they horseplay or kid around. She had been acting silly because of her jealosy. He neither yelled at her, nor hit her, nor even scolded her here. He simply chided her a bit for her silly behavior then very calmly explained to her why he had gone out. This is clearly obvious from the story. This story, indeed, is proof of his clemency and his easygoing nature.
The word used in the had�th is ladaha � which means �to push with the palms of the hands�.
Al-Nawaw� writes in his commentary on this had�th:
The word ladaha � and in some narrations it is lahaza which has roughly the same meaning� means: �to push�. Lazaha means to push someone�s chest with the palms of both hands together. Lakaza and wakaza have similar meanings.
When it comes to hitting, it was `’ishah herself who said: �Allah�s Messenger (peace be upon him) never once struck a servant of his nor a woman, nor did he strike anyone with his hand.� [Sah�h Muslim (2328), Sunan Ab� D�w�d (4786), Sunan Ibn M�jah (1984), as quoted from Sunan Ibn M�jah]
This shows that `’ishah herself did not consider his nudging her here to be hitting her.
And Allah knows best.
Fatw� Department Research Committee of IslamToday chaired by Sheikh `Abd al-Wahh�b al-Turayr�
ffended: )