In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Nawawi records in his book Meadows of the Righteous:
باب الوصية بالنساء
Chapter on instruction regarding women.
Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/109
Allah Almighty said:
وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ
Treat them with good conduct.
Surat al-Nisa’ 4:19
And Allah said:
وَلَن تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَن تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ ۖ فَلَا تَمِيلُوا كُلَّ الْمَيْلِ فَتَذَرُوهَا كَالْمُعَلَّقَةِ وَإِن تُصْلِحُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
You will never be able to maintain justice between your wives, no matter how keen you are. So do not totally incline towards one leaving the other in suspense. And if you do what is right and are mindful of Allah, surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Surat al-Nisa’ 4:129
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
اسْتَوْصُوا بِالنِّسَاءِ فَإِنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ خُلِقَتْ مِنْ ضِلَعٍ وَإِنَّ أَعْوَجَ شَىْءٍ فِي الضِّلَعِ أَعْلاَهُ فَإِنْ ذَهَبْتَ تُقِيمُهُ كَسَرْتَهُ وَإِنْ تَرَكْتَهُ لَمْ يَزَلْ أَعْوَجَ فَاسْتَوْصُوا بِالنِّسَاءِ خَيْرًا
Treat women well, for woman is created from a rib and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion. If you try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain curved. So treat women with kindness.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3331, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abdullah bin Zam’ah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
بِمَ يَضْرِبُ أَحَدُكُمْ امْرَأَتَهُ ضَرْبَ الْفَحْلِ أَوْ الْعَبْدِ ثُمَّ لَعَلَّهُ يُعَانِقُهَا
How does one of you beat his wife as he beats the stallion camel and then embrace her?
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6042, Grade: Sahih
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَا يَفْرَكْ مُؤْمِنٌ مُؤْمِنَةً إِنْ كَرِهَ مِنْهَا خُلُقًا رَضِيَ مِنْهَا آخَرَ
A believing man does not despise a believing woman. If he finds something in her character he dislikes, he will be pleased by something else.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1469, Grade: Sahih
‘Amr bin al-Ahwas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said during his farewell sermon:
أَلَا وَاسْتَوْصُوا بِالنِّسَاءِ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّمَا هُنَّ عَوَانٌ عِنْدَكُمْ لَيْسَ تَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُنَّ شَيْئًا غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَأْتِينَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُبَيِّنَةٍ فَإِنْ فَعَلْنَ فَاهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِي الْمَضَاجِعِ وَاضْرِبُوهُنَّ ضَرْبًا غَيْرَ مُبَرِّحٍ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلَا تَبْغُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلًا أَلَا إِنَّ لَكُمْ عَلَى نِسَائِكُمْ حَقًّا وَلِنِسَائِكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ حَقًّا فَأَمَّا حَقُّكُمْ عَلَى نِسَائِكُمْ فَلَا يُوطِئْنَ فُرُشَكُمْ مَنْ تَكْرَهُونَ وَلَا يَأْذَنَّ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ لِمَنْ تَكْرَهُونَ أَلَا وَحَقُّهُنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تُحْسِنُوا إِلَيْهِنَّ فِي كِسْوَتِهِنَّ وَطَعَامِهِنَّ
Surely, I enjoin you to treat women well, for they are like your captives. You do not have any right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear obscenity. If they do so, you may forsake their beds and then ‘strike’ them without hurting them, but if they obey you, then you may not do so. You have rights over your wives and they have rights over you. Among your rights over them is that they do not give their beds to anyone but you, and they do not let anyone you dislike enter your homes. Among their rights over you is that you treat them well, clothe them, and feed them.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1163, Grade: Sahih
Mu’awiyah al-Qushayri reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, what are the rights of women over us?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
أَنْ تُطْعِمَهَا إِذَا طَعِمْتَ وَتَكْسُوَهَا إِذَا اكْتَسَيْتَ أَوْ اكْتَسَبْتَ وَلَا تَضْرِبْ الْوَجْهَ وَلَا تُقَبِّحْ وَلَا تَهْجُرْ إِلَّا فِي الْبَيْتِ
That you feed them when you eat, you clothe them when you clothe yourself, you do not strike her face, and you do not rebuke her or boycott except inside the house.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 2142, Grade: Hasan
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
أَكْمَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِيمَانًا أَحْسَنُهُمْ خُلُقًا وَخِيَارُكُمْ خِيَارُكُمْ لِنِسَائِهِمْ خُلُقًا
The most complete of believers in faith are those with the best character, and the best of you are the best in behavior to their women.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1162, Grade: Sahih
Iyas ibn Abdullah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَا تَضْرِبُوا إِمَاءَ اللَّهِ
Do not strike the maidens of Allah.
But Umar came to the Messenger of Allah and he said, “Women have become emboldened toward their husbands.” So the Prophet gave them permission to strike them. Then, many women came to the family of the Messenger of Allah and complained about their husbands. The Messenger of Allah said:
لَقَدْ طَافَ بِآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ نِسَاءٌ كَثِيرٌ يَشْكُونَ أَزْوَاجَهُنَّ لَيْسَ أُولَئِكَ بِخِيَارِكُمْ
Many women have come to the family of Muhammad complaining about their husbands. These men are not the best among you.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 2146, Grade: Sahih
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
