My question is that should a woman listen to everything, be it correct or wrong, that her husband says. Please I need the answer.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Sister in Islam,
Allah has defined specific roles and rights for a husband and wife. The relationship of a husband and wife is founded on mutual love and rights. The husband is duty-bound to earn means of survival and subsequently cater for the needs of his wife from food, clothing and shelter[1]. Equally, the wife is responsible for acting faithfully and honestly in fulfilling the rights of the husband as well as in his belongings. Allah defines the ideal womenfolk as:
فالصلحت قنتت حفظت للغيب بما حفظ الله
Translation: the righteous women are dutiful, guardians in the absence [of the husband] with what Allah guarded.[2]
The woman must mirror the love and affection shown to her by her husband and try her utmost best in fulfilling his rights[3]. The importance of cherishing and maintaining this mutual relationship is found in the statement of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him):
لو كنت آمرا أحدا أن يسجد لأحد لأمرت النساء أن يسجدن لأزواجهن لما جعل الله لهم عليهن من الحق
Translation: If I were to command anyone to prostrate before anyone, I would have commanded the womenfolk to prostrate before their husbands due to the right of husbands ordained by Allah upon the women.[4]
It is incumbent on the woman to appease her husband in matters which do not contradict the Shariah[5]. However, the husband cannot oblige his wife to perpetrate acts contrary to the commandments of Allah[6]. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
لا طاعة في المعصية ، إنما الطاعة في المعروف
Translation: Verily the submission is in acts of goodness and not in committing wrongdoing[7].
Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) also said:
لا طاعة لمخلوق في معصية الله عز وجل
Translation: The creation must not be submitted to in the disobedience of Allah[8].
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hanif Yusuf Patel
Student Darul Iftaa
UK
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net
References
[1] قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: … ولهن عليكم رزقهن وكسوتهن بالمعروف
[Saheeh Muslim, 2469]
تجب على الرجل نفقة امرأته المسلمية والذمية والفقيرة والغنية، دخل بها أو لم يدخل
[Al-Fatwa al-Alamgiriyyah, 1:544; al-Fatawa at-Tatarkhaniyyah, 4:183]
[Fatawa Mahmoodiyah, 13:420; Ahsan al-Fatawa, 5:476; Radd al-Muhtar ala ad-Durr al-Mukhtar, 2:719]
[2] [Al-Qur`an, 4:34]
[3] ومنها وجوب طاعة الزوج على الزوجة إذا دعاها إلى الفراش لقوله تعالى ( ولهن مثل الذي عليهن بالمعروف ) قيل لها المهر والنفقة وعليها أن تطيعه في نفسها وتحفظ غيبته
[Bada`i as-Sana`I, 2:334]
[4] [Sunan Abi Dawood, 2140]
[5]وحق الزوج على الزوجة أن تطيعه في كل مباح يأمرها به
[Al-Bahr ar-Ra`iq Sharh Kanz ad-Daqa`iq, 3:221, H.M. Saeed Company]
[6] [Fatawa Mahmodiyyah, 12:417, Jami` al-Fatawa, 3:251]
[7] Saheeh al-Bukhari, 6830; Saheeh Muslim, 3923,
[8] [Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, 1101]