Islamic Love Dot Com Blog: What is a Woman's Role in Islam?

Clothing provides physical protection and covers the beauty and faults of the body. Likewise, a spouse is viewed this way. Each protects the other and hides the faults and compliments the characteristics of the spouse.

To foster the love and security that comes with marriage, Muslim wives have various rights. The first of the wife's rights is to receive mahr, a gift from the husband which is part of the marriage contract and required for the legality of the marriage.
The second right of a wife is maintenance. Despite any wealth she may have, her husband is obligated to provide her with food, shelter and clothing. He is not forced, however, to spend beyond his capability and his wife is not entitled to make unreasonable demands. The Qur'an states: "Let the man of means spend according to his means, and the man whose resources are restricted, let him spend according to what Allah has given him. Allah puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him." (65:7)God tells us men are guardians over women and are afforded the leadership in the family. His responsibility for obeying God extends to guiding his family to obey God at all times.A wife's rights also extend beyond material needs. She has the right to kind treatment. The Prophet (pbuh) said: "The most perfect believers are the best in conduct. And the best of you are those who are best to their wives." God tells us He created mates and put love, mercy, and tranquility between them.

Both men and women have a need for companionship and sexual needs, and marriage is designed to fulfill those needs. For one spouse to deny this satisfaction to the other, temptation exists to seek it elsewhere.

Islam has given many laws that keep the family life as strong as the a tree . all are connected with one another , the stem , the branches and fruits are all , here , concerned , there are laws that bind them all , mix them all finally melting them all into a strong unit of the society .

The prophet says" Among my followers the best of men are those who are best to their wives, and the best of women are those who are best to their husbands. The word ( best ) here means the most pious , the best in God's eyes , a method to urge husbands to act well towards their wives .

Once Mu'awiyah asked the Prophet, peace be upon him: "What are the rights that a wife has over her husband?" The Prophet, peace be upon him, replied: "Feed her when you take your food, give her clothes to wear when you wear clothes, refrain from giving her a slap on the face or abusing her, and do not separate from your wife, except within the house." Once a woman came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, with a complaint against her husband. He told her: "There is no woman who removes something to replace it in its proper place, with a view to tidying her husband's house, but that God sets it down as a virtue for her. Nor is there a man who walks with his wife hand-in-hand, but that God sets it down as a virtue for him; and if he puts his arm round her shoulder in love, his virtue is increased tenfold." Once he was heard praising the women of the tribe of Quraish, saying: " . . . because they are the kindest to their children while they are infants and because they keep a careful watch over the belongings of their husbands."

If her husband is straying from the will of Allah, advise him on the points and keep praying (making dua). Insha Allah, he will become a true Muslim soon.