The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 520
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 520 commandment of the Sharī‘at , 1 nor can they lay down a condition which is morally objectionable, or infringes upon the rights of a third party. 2 According to this principle, if a lady is unable to live with another wife, it is permissible in Islām for her to stipulate at the time of her marriage that her husband shall not take a second wife. In other words, either the husband shall not marry a second wife, or he shall divorce the first before marrying again. Furthermore, since Islām does not order polygamy, rather, only permits it in exceptional circumstances, and such a condition does not infringe upon the rights of a third person either, an agreement of this nature shall not be deemed unlawful. 3 12. Except for the administrative difference that a husband is the leader of the domestic hierarchy, Islām has afforded equal rights to both men and women. 4 Even in this domestic leadership, a husband is not completely unrestrained, rather, he has been ordered to treat his wife with love, good manners, kindness and forgiveness. 5 In his capacity as the leader of the household, although he has the right to take disciplinary action, this should be reasonable and necessary. 6 Good treatment of one ’ s wife has been so emphatically ordered that the Holy Prophet sa would often state: ٖ خَیْرُكُم ْ خََیْرُكُم ْ لِاَھْلِه “O Muslims! The best person from among you is he who is best in the 1 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābun-Nikāḥ, Bābu Idhashtaraṭa Shurūṭan Fil-Bai‘i Shurūṭan Lā Taḥillu, Ḥadīth No. 2168 2 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābun-Nikāḥ, Bābush-Shurūṭillati Lā Taḥillu, Ḥadīth No. 5152 3 * Al-Muwaṭṭā, By Imām Mālik bin Anas, Kitābun-Nikāḥ, Bābu Mā Lā Yajūzu Minash-Shuruṭi Fin- Nikāḥ, Ḥadīth No. 1125 * Chashma-e-Ma‘rifat, Rūḥānī Khazā’in, Volume 23, pp. 237-238 4 Al-Baqarah (2:229) 5 * An-Nisā’ (4:20-21) * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābun-Nikāḥ, Bābu Ḥusnil-Mu‘āsharati Ma‘al-Ahli, Ḥadīth No. 5189 6 * An-Nisā’ (4:35) * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābun-Nikāḥ, Bābu Mā Yukrahu Min Ḍarbin-Nisā’i, Ḥadīth No. 5204 * Sunanu Abī Dāwūd, Kitābun-Nikāḥ, Bābu Fī Ḥaqqil-Mar’ati ‘Alā Zaujihā, Ḥadīth No. 2142