goes without saying that women make up half of any society, and beget the other half, and so she is the whole society, indeed. While women underwent oppression, humiliation, and deracination in previous eras, the Prophet (PBUH) has defended, vindicated and ensured rights of women in a manner that exceeded their wild imaginations. Furthermore, the Prophet (PBUH) called for love, loyalty, mutual mercy and forgiveness, and overlooking household minor mistakes among spouses, so that homes can be established and sustained on strong foundations that can withstand heavy storms. Allah says, "… and consort with them with beneficence…" [An Nisaa' (The Women); 13]
Generally speaking, Beneficence means: every word and /or action denoting good, benevolence, philanthropy, clemency and mercy. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Let your piety to Allah be manifested in how you treat women, for you have taken them (in marriage) under divine covenant, ........." 7
The Prophet (PBUH) gave hints about women's nature, and so advised on tolerating their mistakes as saying, "Be beneficent to women." 8
The Prophet (PBUH) also said, "The best of you are the best to their households, i.e., wives, and surely I am the best among you to my household." 9
Another Hadith reads, "A male believer should not dislike a behavior of a female believer, i.e., he should not dislike her; if he really comes to dislike some behavior, another would be after his heart." 10
Another Prophetic Hadith, warning against doing injustice to women, reads, "The gravest sin in the eyes of Allah is for a man to marry a woman, quench his desire from her, then divorce her and go away with her dowry."
11
The Prophet (PBUH) led by example in terms of kindness and companionship with his wives. It is recorded that he told A'eshah (may Allah bless her), "I know the times when you are angry or satisfied with me." "How do you figure this out, Messenger of Allah?" she replied. "If you are satisfied, you would say 'Yes, I swear by Muhammad's Lord,' if you are angry, you would say, 'Yes, I swear by Abraham's Lord," he replied. In turn she replied, yes, by Allah I can't abandon but your name.
12
With such bountiful feelings and nice words, Muhammad (PBUH) was treating his wives. In return, they had the same feelings for him. On a trip, the Prophet (PBUH) raced A'eshah (may Allah bless her), for she said, "the Messenger of Allah raced me", and I beat him. This was prior to putting on weight. When I (A'eshah) put on weight, I raced him, but he won this time. So he said, 'A tit for tat.'"
13
The Prophet (PBUH) charged anyone who violated a woman any of her rights with a sin, as he said, "O Allah, I do seriously take the right of the two weak: an orphan and a woman."
14
As for family support, the Prophet (PBUH) made it obligatory for men to support (financially) his wife and children. He even made it of the best way to spend one's money, as he said, "A Dinar (monetary unit) you spend in the cause of Allah, another spent to free a slave, another spent for a poor, and another spent on your household… the best of these is the one you spent on your household." 17
The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Every expense you pay for the sake of Allah will be rewarded, even the bite of food you give to your wife." 18
He also said, "Every food you offer yourself, your child, your wife and your servant is an act of charity." 19
He also said, "A man quenching his wife's thirst shall be rewarded." Al Erbadh said, "(When I heard that Prophetic saying) I came to my wife, gave her a drink, and told her about what I have heard from the prophet (PBUH)." 20
Reference
7- 8- 9- Reported by Ahmad (2239). Reported by At Termithey (3891) and Abu Dawud (4452). Reported by Muslim (1550). Reported by Muslim (4867). Reported by Al Bukhari (2548) and Muslim (305). Reported Muslim (4651). Reported by Muslim (2137). Reported by Al Bukhari (4787) and Muslim (2671). Reported by At Termithey (3830) and Ibn Majah (1967). 10- Reported by Muslim (2672). 11- Reported by Al Hakem (2743). 12- Reported by Al Bukhari (5614) and Muslim (4469). 13- Reported by Abu Dawud (2214) and Ahmad (25075). 14- Reported by Ibn Majah (3668) and Ahmad (9289). 17- Reported by Muslim (1661). 18- Reported by Al Bukhari (54) and Muslim (3076). 19- Reported by Ahmad (16550). 20- Reported by Ahmad (16529).
Muhammad the messager of Allah by Prof. Dr. Ahmed Bin Uthman Al Mazyad Professor of Islamic Studies King Saud University
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