Question: Can you explain the duties of a wife in detail? Does a woman’s husband have more right over her than her parents?
Answer: My master A’lā Ḥaḍrat, Imām-e-Aĥl-e-Sunnat, Maulānā Shāĥ Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الـرَّحْمٰن explained the duties of a wife: The marital right of a husband over his wife is the greatest of all rights, after the rights of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, it is even greater than her parents’ right. Obeying his instructions in these matters and safeguarding his honour is her important duty. She cannot visit anyone other than her Maḥārim relatives without his permission. If she has to visit her parents (without permission) then she can visit them once every eight days, from morning to evening. She can visit her brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties once a year. She cannot go anywhere at night without permission (even her parents’ home). (With her husband’s permission, she can visit these people every day, even at night) The Noblest Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: If I commanded anyone to prostrate to anyone other than Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ then I would command a wife to prostrate to her husband. Another Ḥadīš states: If blood and pus flow from a husband’s nostrils and reach his heels and his wife licks his body clean, then she will still not have fulfilled her duty to him. (Fatāwā Razawiyyaĥ, vol. 24, pp. 380)
Question: Explaining a wife’s duties is common, but it is uncommon for people to talk about a husband’s duties! Are there duties that a husband must fulfill towards his wife?
Answer: Yes of course, just as Islam has established duties for wives regarding their husbands, similarly, there are duties for husbands regarding their wives; such as providing for her (i.e. arranging food