A London mosque has been referred to the Charity Commission following the publication of sermons encouraging husbands to physically discipline their wives for disobedience, according to a complaint lodged by the National Secular Society (NSS). The Hackney Islamic Community Centre, a registered religious charity, faced scrutiny over three videos posted on its YouTube channel in 2023, when it operated under the name Masjid Imam an-Nawawi.

The NSS flagged the content as potentially promoting misogyny, homophobia, and the endorsement of violence linked to accusations of witchcraft. The sermons were removed from the channel after the complaint was submitted to the regulator.

In one sermon viewed by The Times, Yasin Munye described a failure by wives to comply with their husbands as a "major sin" and advocated for physical discipline as a corrective measure. He specifically cited refusal to engage in intimacy or leaving the home without a husband's consent as examples warranting such treatment, advising that husbands lightly hit their wives to establish authority.

Munye also condemned homosexual acts between men, labeling them “one of the most evil acts” with the death penalty prescribed under sharia law. In a separate sermon, he asserted the reality of “sihr” (magic or witchcraft) and stated that execution was the prescribed punishment for witches under an Islamic government.

Another speaker, Abu Sa’ad Muhammad, highlighted what he termed the “unfortunate reality” in the United Kingdom, suggesting that wives had become oppositional to their husbands and warning that even a single slap could provoke police involvement.

The Hackney Islamic Community Centre holds charitable status, which exempts it from paying tax on its income. Financial accounts indicate the centre received £191,097 in the year ending March 2025.

Megan Manson, the NSS’s head of campaigns, criticized the organisation, stating that the mosque had been allowed to renew its charitable registration despite hosting lectures that advocate violence against women, deny wives the right to refuse sex, and support capital punishment for homosexuality and witchcraft accusations.

The Charity Commission acknowledged receipt of the complaint and said it would review the allegations before deciding whether to initiate a formal statutory inquiry.

Representatives for the Hackney Islamic Community Centre were contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.