A woman in Islam is respected and honored, and the Messenger of Allah ‘peace be upon him’ commanded to preserve her rights in all her life phases, as a daughter (young girl), a wife, and a mother.

A wife is an Amanah to be respected and safeguarded by her spouse because she is a creation full of feelings and emotions. The husband must abide by Shariah in the way he treats her and follow the acts of our prophet in all his manners with his loved one. Some scholars called the righteous wife ‘the good deed of life’ (Hasanat al dunya) because a family house is not a real home without a wife ... a woman ... a mother. The level of a man’s goodness is linked to his way of treating and honoring his wife, and Prophet Muhammad ‘peace be upon him’ was the best. 

He said: 

So, let us learn from the biography of the prophet ‘peace be upon him’ and his actions, how to treat the wifey and what rights she has in Islam. 

Wife’s Rights in Islam

1.To be Honored and Treated Kindly

Allah ordered men to honor women and act upon them in kindness.

The husband should give his best to his wife, and consider her emotions especially during her menstrual period when she gets more sensitive and less physical interaction is applied. 

2.To be Respected, Loved, and Called with the best names

The prophet was never afraid to show his love for his wife in front of people. He has his famous saying about his wife Khadija ‘may Allah be pleased with her’, “Her love had been nurtured in my heart by Allah” (Muslim)

He used to give a nickname to his wife Aisha as well. He called her Humaira’ (the one with the pink cheeks), and ‘Ayesh’ sometimes. 

3.To Receive her Dowry (Mahr)

The husband should pay the dowry for his wife directly after marriage, as a form of honor and appreciation for her. It is not permissible for him to take anything from her dowry except with her consent and acceptance. In certain situations, she can forgive him (exempt him) from paying it, if the spouse could not afford it. However, men are not allowed to take back anything from what they have offered to the woman, not even in cases of divorce or separation. 

4.To Take Part in the House and Life Decisions with her Husband

A wife has her own point of view and opinion in everything in life, especially in her home matters, and she has the right to be heard and have her words taken into consideration. 

The prophet used to take advice and consultation from his wife on major issues, some of them were related to the Ummah and not just his house! He had ample room for discussion, that some conversations turned to arguments with the wife because they had a different opinion, and he was totally okay with that! 

5.To have Housing and Alimony

The spouse is responsible in Islam to offer all life needs for his wife. He should spend on her food, clothing, housing, medication, and all matters of life.

And in the Quran, Allah said:

6.To Have Complete Freedom in her Money

A woman has the ultimate freedom in her money (in what pleases Allah). She can save it, spend it or even donate it.  A wife has the choice to help her husband financially and get the Ajer of a Sadaqah (charity). Some scholars also said that she can pay her Zakat amount to her husband. 

7.To Have the Secrets of her House Kept

Just like a wife is not allowed to share the secrets of her house with others, especially intimate moments, it is the same rule for the husband. He has to respect privacy whether it was a good or bad thing that’s happening and to take the permission of the wife to share it.  

8.To be Supported and Understood (To be treated with politeness and endurance) 

Every person passes through rough times, especially women, with all the change that happens in their bodies and emotions. This might lead to a certain attitude that takes over her for a certain period, yet this should not cause hatred or aversion.

9.To get her Physical Rights 

This right holds two meanings: 

One: is to be honored in everything including her sexual relationship. And to this purpose, Allah has rewarded the spouse for his actions towards his wife. 

Two:  She also has the right to enjoy the good looking of her husband. Like a wife, a man is also required to take care of his appearance. Ibn Abbas said: “I used to wear my best clothes for my wife.”

A wife is NOT a maid. It is not her duty to clean the house, do the laundry, wash the dishes and take orders. She is highly valued, and by dint of her good manners and pure heart, she does all that next to taking care of her husband and children, and most of the time working outside. 

Your wife is your power. A woman is a man’s army when he needs support. So, the least to do is to give her her rights and treat her like a queen. 

Marriage is a give-and-take relationship that you have to feed with love and respect to receive it back. And the most important pillar in this relationship is to know your duties to complete them and your rights to ask for them. And always remember this hadith: 

*Share this article with your loved one to encourage him to follow the path of the prophet with his woman. * 

🍀 May Allah guide all our men and women to the right path in dealing with each other, following the acts of our beloved teacher, Mohammed ‘peace be upon him’. 🍀