Marriage guides promote domestic violence

Some Sydney Islamic bookshops and online stores are selling guide books to marriage which encourage domestic violence.

A Current Affair reports one of the books, titled An Excellent Husband, contains a passage that advises it is okay for husbands to beat their wives.

"The Muslim husband wins the heart of his wife so she does not disobey him in anything.

"If they are guilty of open lewdness, then refuse to share their beds ... beat them, but not severely," the passage reads.

But Rebecca Kaye, an Australian who converted to Islam seven years ago, told the program the reference to beating in the book was a misinterpretation of a verse from the Koran.

"Islam does not promote the beating of women," she said.

"In Islamic ... and non-Islamic households, domestic violence is a crime."

"That's regardless of what appears in these books ... or those who use religion to excuse an attack on a woman."