All of this is to affirm the husband’s authority over his wife and to affirm that women are, in our custody, as the Prophet ﷺ said: “They are captives in your hands.” (1) For this reason, the Prophet ﷺ frequently urged kind treatment of women, because a husband may behave arrogantly toward her on account of being her master. Thus, Allah ﷿ and His Messenger ﷺ urged him to live with her honorably and treat her gently. Listen to the words of Allah ﷿:

“If they obey you”—that is, in what is obligatory—“then seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Great.” [al-Nisa’ 4:34]

That is, remember, in your elevation over them, the elevation of Allah ﷿ over you; and in your sense of greatness over them, the greatness of Allah ﷿.

Does harm to her include harm to her property? Apparently, this is included. For example, if a woman owns sheep which have become lost or run away, and she needs to go after them in order to bring them back, while he wishes to have intimacy with her, we say: This is not permissible, because it causes her harm—unless you choose to guarantee her the value of that property should it perish; then there is no harm in it.

May she have physical intimacy with him and take pleasure in him? Yes, for just as he desires from her what he desires, she too desires that from him. The author only said, “have physical intimacy with her,” because the husband is the one charged with authority and maintenance over her, as Allah the Exalted says:

“Men are caretakers of women, because Allah has favored some of them over others.” [al-Nisa’ 4:34]

It is forbidden to have intercourse with her during menstruation or in the anus. He may compel her to perform the ritual bath after menstruation or impurity, and to remove hair and other things which the natural disposition finds repulsive, …

His statement, “He may travel with a free woman unless she stipulates otherwise”: “He” refers to the husband, and “a free woman” means a free woman, unless she stipulates