What Are the Rights of a Wife Over Her Husband?
Maintenance according to his means, kind treatment, fair division of time in polygamous marriages, her mahr in full, and that he not harm her — with excellence, not mere adequacy, as the standard.
Where there is a genuine difference of opinion, it is named as such rather than smoothed over.
The evidence
The Quran commands living with them in kindness (4:19) and adds that you may dislike a thing in which Allah has placed much good.
In the Farewell Sermon he ﷺ instructed the men to fear Allah regarding women, describing them as a trust taken with the word of Allah.
Maintenance is according to capacity: “let the man of means spend according to his means” (65:7) — the standard is his ability, not her expectations or his preference.
In practice
- The measure given in the Sunnah is “the best of you is the best to his family”.
- Rights are due independently of whether the other party fulfils theirs.
- Financial provision does not discharge the obligation of kind treatment.
None of this is complicated. The difficulty is entirely in the doing, and the doing starts with one repetition today.
Go deeper. Thousands of answers, searchable by topic and reviewed before publication, are at Islamic Q&A — qa.hisnulmuslimapp.com.
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Can a Woman Refuse a Marriage Proposal Chosen by Her Family?
Yes, absolutely. Her consent is a condition of validity, and the Prophet ﷺ annulled a marriage contracted against a woman’s will when she brought the matter to him.
What Are the Rights of a Husband Over His Wife?
Cooperation in the marriage, guarding his property and honour in his absence, not admitting into the home those he dislikes without reason, and responding to him within the bounds of health and ability.
What Are the Conditions of a Valid Marriage Contract?
The consent of both parties, a wali for the bride on the majority view, two witnesses, and a mahr. The offer and acceptance must be clear and in the same sitting.
Is It Permissible to Delay Having Children?
Yes. Temporary contraception by mutual agreement is permitted by the majority, based on the Companions practising ‘azl during the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime without prohibition. Permanent sterilisation without medical need is a different matter and generally prohibited.