The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 315
Wo<mark>men</mark> 315 even a hundred daughters he is still anxious to have a son for <mark>his</mark> salvation, and, according to <mark>his</mark> faith, a hundred daughters are not equal to one son. . . . Moreover, <mark>Man</mark>u. Shästar clearly says that if a <mark>wife</mark> turns against her husband, tries to poison him, or for some other just cause, the husband h<mark>as</mark> the right to divorce her. T<mark>his</mark> is also the practice of all descent Hindus, that they divorce their wives if they find them unch<mark>as</mark>te and adulterous. . Throughout the world, hu<mark>man</mark> nature h<mark>as</mark> approved the authority of the husband to divorce the <mark>wife</mark> for just cause. But, at the same time, the husband is responsible for providing all the needs and a<mark>men</mark>ities for <mark>his</mark> <mark>wife</mark>, <mark>as</mark>. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur'ān: 224 وعلى المولودِ لَهُ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكسْوَتُهُنَّ * 'The husband is responsible for providing all the needs of the <mark>wife</mark> in respect of food and clothing. '. T<mark>his</mark> shows that <mark>man</mark> is <mark>his</mark> <mark>wife</mark>'s guardian and benefactor and is responsible for her well-being. For her, he is like a m<mark>as</mark>ter and provider. <mark>Man</mark> h<mark>as</mark> been blessed with stronger natural powers than a wo<mark>man</mark>, t<mark>his</mark> is why he h<mark>as</mark> ruled wo<mark>man</mark> ever since the world w<mark>as</mark> created. The naturally superior faculties which have been <mark>given</mark> to <mark>man</mark> have not been <mark>given</mark> to the wo<mark>man</mark> in the same degree. . The Holy Qur'an enjoins that if <mark>man</mark> h<mark>as</mark> <mark>given</mark> <mark>his</mark> <mark>wife</mark> a <mark>mountain</mark> of <mark>gold</mark> <mark>as</mark> a <mark>gesture</mark> of <mark>his</mark> <mark>affection</mark> and kindness, he is not supposed to take it back in c<mark>as</mark>e of divorce. . T<mark>his</mark> shows the respect and honour Islām <mark>gives</mark> to a wo<mark>man</mark>; in fact, <mark>men</mark> are in certain respects like their servants. They have been com<mark>man</mark>ded in the Holy Qur'ān: 225 عَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ : 224. Al-Baqarah, 2:234 [Publisher]