Gardens of the Righteous — Page 68
68 80. GARDENS OF THE RIGHTEOUS 279. Mu'awiah ibn Haidah relates: I asked the Holy Prophet: What is the right of a wife against her husband? He said: Feed her when you feed yourself; clothe her when you clothe yourself, do not strike her on her face, do not revile her and do not separate yourself from her except inside the house (Abu Daud). 280. Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: The most perfect of believers in the matter of faith is he whose behaviour is best; and the best of you are those who behave best towards their wives (Tirmidhi). 281. Iyas ibn Abdullah relates that the Holy Prophet admonished: Do not strike the handmaidens of Allah. Some time later Umar came to him and said: Women have become very daring vis-a-vis their husbands. So he permitted their chastisement. Thereafter a large number of women came to the wives of the Holy Prophet and complained against their husbands. The. Holy Prophet announced: Many women have come to my wives complaining against their husbands. These men are not well-behaved (Abu Daud). 282. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn 'As relates that the Holy Prophet said: The world is but a provision and the best provision of the world is a good woman (Muslim). 35. . On a Husband's Right concerning his Wife. Allah, the Exalted, has said: 119. · Men are appointed guardians over women, because of that in respect of which Allah has made some of them excel others, and because the men spend their wealth. So virtuous women are obedient and safeguard, with Allah's help, matters the knowledge of which is shared by them with their husbands (4. 35). 283. Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: When the husband calls his wife to his bed and she does not come and he spends the night offended with her, the angels keep cursing her through the night (Bokhari and Muslim). Another version is: When a woman spends the night away from her husband's bed, the angels keep cursing her through the night. . Still another version runs: The Holy Prophet said: By Him in Whose hands is my life, when a husband calls his wife to his bed and she refuses him, He Who is in heaven is offended with her till her husband is pleased with her. 284. Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: It is not permissible for a woman to observe a voluntary fast when her husband is at home, except with his permission. Nor should she permit anyone to enter his house without his leave (Bokhari and Muslim).