An Islamic cleric from Melbourne has told followers it is permitted to force their wives to have sex with them and to hit them.

The lecture, titled "The Keys to a Successful Marriage" was delivered a few years ago but had recently been placed on the internet.

Samir Abu Hamza, who runs the Islamic Information and Services Network of Australasia in Coburg, said Islamic law permitted men to hit their disobedient wives as a last resort.

"You'll beat them... but this is the last resort after you have advised them for a long, long time, then you smack them, you beat them."

"You are not allowed to bruise them, you are not allowed to make them bleed."

Hamza told followers women must respond to their husbands whenever they ask for it.

"Even if her husband was to ask her for a sexual relationship and she is preparing the bread on the stove she must leave it and come and respond to her husband," he said.

He appeared to not understand what was wrong with a husband forcing himself onto his wife.

"Amazing, how can a person rape his wife?"

"In this country if the husband wants to sleep with his wife and she does not want to... it is known to be as rape."

Hamza advised the congregation not to become too physical with the beatings.

"This is just to shape them up, shape up woman."

Reports from News Limited said Hamza yesterday stood by his comments and blamed the controversy on a hidden Zionist agenda run by the media.

He reiterated his belief that a wife was allowed to be hit on the hand or leg.