Darul Uloom Trinidad & Tobago

History has shown that it is Islam which has granted a very high and noble status to a wife. The Quraan itself describes the beautiful relation of a husband to his wife and the relation of a wife to her husband in the following words:

“They (your wives) are your garments and you are their garments.” (2:187) In another verse the Quraan states, “Your wives are a tilth unto you”. (2:223)

Another verse states, “It is He who created you from a single person and made his mate of a like nature in order that he may dwell with her in love.” (7:189) Allah says in another verse, “And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquility with them and has placed love and mercy between your hearts.” (30:21) These verses show that the relationship between the husband and wife, should be one which is filled with love, mercy and kindness towards each other. While a man is ordered to fulfill the rights of his wife, the wife is also requested to please him, to be obedient to him (in lawful matters) and to strive to become virtuous. The Messenger of Allah is reported to have said, “Next to fear of Allah, the believer finds nothing better for him than a virtuous wife. If he bids her, she obeys him, if he looks at her, she pleases him, if she takes a promise from him, she fulfills it, and if he is absent from her, she guards herself and his property.” (Ibn Majah)

Another tradition states that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.) said, “When a woman performs her five times salaat, fasts the month of Ramadhan, guards her chastity, and obeys her husband, she will be asked to enter Paradise through whichever door she likes.” (Hadiith)

The husband is also requested in Islam to treat his wife with love and kindness and to maintain her property. Abu Hurairah (R.A.) reported that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.) said, “The most perfect of the believers in faith is he who is the best in conduct, and the best of you are those who are the best to their wives.” (Tirmizi). Another tradition states that the Messenger of Allah said, “(As for) a dinar you have spent in the way of Allah and a dinar you have spent in emancipating a slave, and a dinar you have given to a poor man in charity, and a dinar you have spent for your family, the greatest of them in reward is that which you have spent for your family (Muslim). In another tradition, the Messenger of Allah said, “Let no believing man hate a believing woman. If he hates one trait of her character, he shall be pleased with another that is within her.” (Muslim)

Islam has also outlined that women have certain rights over men similar to that which men have over them. The Holy Quraan states, “And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them according to what is equitable.” (2:228). A tradition states that Hakim bin Muawiyah reports from his father that he said, “Oh Messenger of Allah! What right has the wife of one among us got over him? He said, it is that you shall give her food when you have taken your food, that you shall clothe her when you have clothed yourself, that you shall not slap her on the face, nor revile her, nor leave her alone except within the house.” (Ahmad, Abu Daud, Ibn Majah) Another tradition states that the Messenger of Allah said, “Fear Allah regarding women. Verily you have married them with a trust of Allah and made them lawful with the word of Allah. You have got rights over them, and they have got rights over you in respect to their food and clothing according to means.” (Bukhaari, Muslim)

The wife therefore enjoys many rights in her marital life. She has full right to the dower as the Quraan states, “And give women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift.” (4:4) She is entitled to inheritance after the death of the husband. She is entitled to full maintenance during the marital relation and also during her waiting period in the case of divorce. She can also obtain Khul’a and can also seek dissolution of her marriage for valid reasons. She has legal rights of owning property, managing it and disposing of it without reference to her husband. In view of all these rights Allah has made the husband the “Ameer” over his wife and family, the Holy Quraan states, “Men are the governors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given one more strength than the other and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient and guard in (the husbands’) absence what Allah would have them guard.” (4:34)