Chapter: On Companionship with Wives

Linguistically, the term ʿishrah denotes gathering together and mingling; any company of people may therefore be called a ʿashrah or maʿshar. In our context, however, it means the affection and closeness that bind husband and wife. Each spouse is required to deal with the other according to maʿrūf (recognized kindness): he must not withhold the other’s due, show distaste when giving it, or follow it with hurtful words or actions. Allah the Exalted says, “And live with them in kindness” (Q 4:19), and He says, “And for them is a right similar to that which is upon them, in accordance with kindness” (Q 2:228).

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The best of you are those who are best to their families.” He ﷺ also said, “Had I been commanded to order anyone to prostrate before another, I would have ordered a wife to prostrate before her husband, because of the magnitude of his right over her.” And he ﷺ said, “When a woman spends the night away from her husband’s bed, the angels curse her until morning.”