Islam does not condone marital rape, but instead teaches kindness and respect in conjugal relations, NGO Sisters of Islam said.

It says this to condemn those defending marital rape as permissible in Islam, following a DAP campaign against rape including by a husband against his wife.

"Forcing a wife to have sex is not only physical abuse but emotional abuse which is forbidden in Islam.

"Such statements permitting such assault in marriage goes against the objectives of the Quran which guarantees equal rights between husband and wife in the spirit of mawaddah wa rahmah (affection and mercy)," it said in a statement.

The term mawaddah wa rahmah comes from a verse of the chapter Ar-Rum (The Romans) in the Quran which states:

"And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought."

SIS cites verse 19 of the An-Nisaa’ (The Women) chapter which calls on kind treatment of women and speaks against forcing a woman.

It states: "O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion. And do not make difficulties for them in order to take [back] part of what you gave them unless they commit a clear immorality.

"And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them - perhaps you dislike a thing and Allah makes therein much good."

The same chapter also speaks of being kind and fulfilling responsibilities to "the companion at your side", which scholar al-Ghazali said refers to one’s wife.

"Al-Ghazali further said the wife must not be ill-treated either physically or emotionally," SIS said.

Critics of the DAP campaign said that Muslim wives have an obligation to obey and fulfill their husbands needs, and as such, cannot refuse sex.