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fter causing a stir in neighboring Malaysia, the much-maligned Obedient Wives Club (OWC) has arrived in town on a mission to proudly flaunt its moniker.

One of the club’s leaders, Siti Fauzah, said during an interview at the club’s headquarters in Sentul City, Bogor, that the members’ mission was simply to be obedient to their husbands as part of their devotion to the Almighty.

“We would not need to be obedient to our husbands if it were not for Allah,” Siti said. She said that total obedience to one’s husband was one of the four conditions of a Muslim woman to reach happiness in the afterlife.

The other criteria are praying, fasting and covering one’s body, she said.

She said that the OWC had 300 members who are also members of Global Ikhwan Indonesia, a local branch of Global Ikhwan, which previously had its headquarters in Malaysia.

Global Ikhwan describes itself as an Islamic organization that “approaches people through business”.

Last year, Global Ikhwan Indonesia caused a stir when it launched a polygamy club.

Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called the polygamy club “misguided”.

Global Ikhwan Indonesia runs several businesses — minimarkets, production houses, mineral water factories, travel agencies and hotels — all of which are managed by its members.

“The company is like a big family,” Siti Fauzah said.

In the neighborhood, Global Ikhwan Indonesia set up a minimarket, a dental clinic, a film production house, a restaurant, a mineral water production center and a school.

Global Ikhwan has relocated from Malaysia to Haramain in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. This year the organization has opened offices in Jordan, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The OWC has become a target for criticism after advocating its members to be like “first class prostitutes” in bed with their husbands.

Siti said that teaching women to “serve their husbands like prostitutes” could in fact prevent husbands from looking outside of their marriage for ways to fulfill their desires. “We hope we can curb prostitution in this way,” she added.

Siti said a similar club for husbands would be unnecessary because “husbands know their obligations and what to do”.

Indonesian OWC chairwoman Gina Puspita told the Post that Global Ikhwan “educated” its male members, husbands of OWC members, to be faithful Muslims. “Only faithful male Muslims can teach their wives to be faithful,” she said.

Ruhaini Dzuhayatin, an expert on Islamic law from Yogyakarta State Islamic University (UIN) said that the club might have based its thinking on a misguided interpretation of the hadits (words and deeds of Prophet Muhammad).

“Hadits reflect the spirit of the age in which they were formulated. Interpretation of it should always be contextualized,” she said.

Ruhaini suggested that people should be careful when interpreting hadits because most of them were “very misogynistic”.

“Islam promotes gender equality and surely prohibits women from “unusual behavior; well, you know where,” Ruhaini said.

Ruhaini also alleged that Global Ikhwan was the incarnation of Al Arqam, also known as Darul Arqam, which was banned in Malaysia in the 1990s for being “anti-government”.

The organization, founded by the late Abuya Syeikh Imam Ashaari Muhammad At-tamimi, was part of a transnational group, which was well-known for being highly ideological, conservative and anti-Western politics and culture, she added.

Ruhaini said that the public should not give them more attention as it could increase its popularity. “More reaction from the public is just advertising for the club and also for Global Ikhwan,” she said. (msa)