Marriage is a partnership and the effort has to be made from both sides with sincerety to make it work. All relationships are prone to conflicts now and then and maritial relations even more so. Issues of compatibility keep cropping up.
Following the Sunnah is the ideal way for making sure there is harmony, peace, tranqulity and affection within a household. The rights of husband and wife were laid down based on Hadiths and were actually practiced by the prophets, its easier said than done in these times, but, that does not mean that we consider it impossible.
In this day and age we are much more selfish than the appearance we give on the surface, all women feel good when reading how a husband should behave and vice versa, we instead should ponder on our own self and try to concentrate on the what is required of us before we read about what is required from ones spouse. The need to correct others is always compelling but the key is to first correct ourselves and leave the the other person to do so as well. This will result in a better relationship between the husband and wife.
When we show courtesy, we get same from the other side, when we show love and affection, we get same from the other side. However, if we demand those things first and try to return it on that condition we are basicall making fools of ourselves and in the process achieve nothing.
For instance take the case of "respect", it is always to be earned, it cannot be given on a silver platter to anyone. You cannot force anyone to respect you as whatever respect the other had for you can be gone in seconds if such demand is made. This is something which is different from love and affection which really requires one to take a step first and than expect same in return.
My brothers and sisters, in order to have a good relationship one has to consider a common phrase in Urdu which I recall is something like this, "pehlay apni gereban me jhaank kar to dekheen"
I just thought I should put forth my opinion which is by the way just my opinion and anyone can agree or disagree. My intentions however are very clean when I say what I said in the foregoing paragraphs.
May Allah guide us to take the right path where we may find the true happiness from within.
