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One of the
great expositions of Almighty Allah’s divinity is the creation of the
spouse.
The system of procreation is in itself unique as well
as divine.
Mind boggling is the fact that the entire human race
has been extracted from a single couple; Nabie Adam u and Sayyidah
Hawwa radiallahu anha . Some relationships can only be nurtured with
love. Other relationships need added compassion or loyalty.
Encapsulating all of the above, Allah Ta’ala says:
“And of the signs of His (supremacy) is that He has
created for you spouses from your own kind, so that you may attain
tranquility there from. He has also created between you (the spouses)
love and compassion. Indeed in these are signs for those who ponder.”
(Surah Rum: 21 )
Once, upon
learning of some husbands abusing their wives, Nabie
salallahu alayhi
wasallam
said:
“The best of you is he who is the best towards his
wife”
(Sahih Ibn Hibbaan, #4186, 4177 )
In one
narration Rasulullah
salallahu alayhi wasallam
said:
“Those (who abuse their wives) are not the best of
you.”
(Sunan Abi Dawud, #2139 )
He
salallahu alayhi
wasallam
even said: “I am the best among you towards my wives.”
The question is : which of the
two contrasting titles do we deserve?!
Just as our
beloved Prophet
salallahu alayhi wasallam
was a role model for outside the home, so too was he a model within
the home. The extent of his flexibility with his beloved wives
actually sets the tone for compassion and understanding in every
marriage!
Love, like every other thing, is
despised only when applied in the incorrect manner. But if it is
articulated in the proper way, one is actually rewarded for it.
Rasulullah
salallahu
alayhi wasallam
being the paragon that he is, even raced with his beloved wife,
Sayyidatuna ‘Ayeshah radiallahu anha . She says: “He did so on two
occasions, once allowing me to outrun him.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, #2571; Sahih Ibn Hibbaan, #4691 )
Despite his
unimaginable burden of Prophethood and Leadership, “Whenever
Rasulullah
salallahu alayhi wasallam
would be at home, he would always have a smile on his blessed face.”
(Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d)
He would
assist in the daily chores.
(Sahih Bukhari #676)
How often do we do so...?
She further
elaborates: “He (would express his love by even) drinking from the
same side of the cup as I did . He would even lie in my lap and recite
Qur’an”.
(Sahih Muslim # 690-691)
Did such acts of love ever cross
our minds?!
The
exhortation of Rasulullah
salallahu alayhi
wasallam
towards considering the rights of the wife are so many that
practically every book of hadith has a complete chapter dedicated to
this topic. In fact, Imam Nasai rehmatullah alayh and others have
compiled separate books on this.
Perhaps the
magnitude of importance that Rasulullah
salallahu alayhi
wasallam
attached to this could be understood from the fact that he
distinctively reminded the ummat of it during his final sermon. His
words were: “Behold! Treat your wives kindly, for they are only with
you to fulfil your needs...if they are obedient to you,
then do not search for reasons to ill-treat them.
Behold!
Like you have rights over your wives, so do they upon
you..
Their rights are:
that you are kind towards them as well as feed and clothe them.
(Sunan Tirmidhi, #1163)
Ignorance of these sublime
sunnats and failure to adopt them have led to the alarming rise in
marital breakdowns…!
The code
of conduct for a Muslim husband is quite clear; He never resorts to
physical or even verbal abuse.
(Sunan Abi Dawud #2137)
Unfortunate are those who fail in this regard. It is they who are
not
“the best of you”! |