and accommodation etc. for her), paying her Maĥr, good treatment, teaching her about pious deeds, emphasising the veil, modesty and shame, keeping her happy in every permissible matter; all these are a husband’s duties towards his wife.

My master A’lā Ḥaḍrat, Imām-e-Aĥl-e-Sunnat, Maulānā Shāĥ Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الـرَّحْمٰن was asked: What are the duties of a husband towards his wife? He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه answered, ‘Providing (food, clothing and home) to her, Maĥr, good treatment, educating and emphasising her about pious deeds, modesty and veil, and prohibiting and frightening her from the opposite of these, encouraging her in permissible deeds, and if he is blessed with the ability to follow the Sunnaĥ of Allah’s friends, then he should tolerate her misbehaviour in issues excluding Islamic prohibitions, this is a great deed, although this is not one of his duties (i.e. he should not be lazy in prohibiting her from things that Islam has prohibited, but if his wife hurts him about other matters, then being patient is a great deed. However, this is not one of her rights).

(Fatāwā Razawiyyaĥ, vol. 24, pp. 371)

How to create peaceful environment at home

Question: From an Islamic perspective, how should a husband and wife live together so that feuds, disputes etc. do not take place?

Answer: A husband and wife should live together with tolerance and love, both should be mindful of each other’s rights, and fulfill their individual duties. A husband should not treat his wife like a ‘slave’, because even though Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ made husbands the masters of their wives, He عَزَّوَجَلَّ also said:

[Kanz-ul-Īmān (Translation of Quran)] (Part 4, Sūraĥ An-Nisā, verse 19)