Maajid Nawaz takes down caller who thinks women are 'weaker' than men

16 February 2020, 14:15 | Updated: 16 February 2020, 14:36

This caller tells LBC it is "of course" it's alright to beat your wife as long as you don't make her bleed or bruise her, and she should obey her husband.

During a debate over Sharia law being kept apart from UK law, one call to Maajid Nawaz had to be heard to be believed.

Ali called Maajid Nawaz to say he found the LBC presenter too critical of Islam.

Maajid came back and said the caller was right, that he wanted "reform of Islam," and he didn't think the way women were treated was right.

Ali said under "Islamic law women have got plenty of rights."

The caller said it was right that a woman can only have half the inheritance of a man because "when she gets married she gets half from the husband as well."

When Maajid asked the caller if he agreed a "sister should only have half the inheritance of her brother," Ali was quick to say "of course."

So Maajid asked, "do you think a wife should obey her husband?"

And Ali's reply "she has to obey her husband," adding women should bow to their husbands.

The caller said, "everybody has got to endorse that."

Shockingly, when Maajid asked if he thought a husband has the right to beat his wife the caller said: "if she disobeys, he can only beat her then the blood should not come."

The LBC presenter was quick to say "so, it's OK to beat your wife as long as you don't draw blood?"

Amazingly the caller said "she shouldn't get a bruise."

Maajid followed up by asking the caller to clarify, "is it OK to beat your wife as long as you don't draw blood and you don't bruise her?"

"Of course," was Ali's shocking reply.

He said it was like a "wake up call."

A visually annoyed Maajid Nawaz listened to Ali as the caller said "a man has got the upper hand over a woman in Islam."

But when the caller said a woman has more rights under Islam, this caused the LBC Presenter to fire back and question him how he expected to keep a straight face when he said that.

The caller again said a woman has more rights.

"You can hit her, she can't divorce you, she gets half the inheritance of a man, but she still somehow has more rights than a man does?" Maajid asked.

Ali ended the call by saying women are "weaker than men," adding "strength-wise, brain-wise, everything. How many scientists are there that are women?"

When Maajid asked the caller if he was married and if his wife was happy, he said "sometimes she gets upset."

To find out Maajid Nawaz's come back watch the full clip in the video at the top of the page.