cling to his Lord, earnestly imploring Him to guide him to the Straight Path, to make him firm with the steadfast word in this life and in the Hereafter, to keep his heart constant upon His religion, and not to let it deviate after He has guided it.
9 – Hadith 918 shows that recompense matches the deed: because a man inclined toward one wife over another in this world, he will appear on the Day of Resurrection with one side of his body drooping. As you act, so will you be treated.
10 – Hadith 917 proves that the Prophet ﷺ does not control the guidance of hearts or the granting of success; that belongs to Allah alone, as He, Exalted is He, says, “You cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills” (Al-Qasas 28:56). The Prophet ﷺ guides only by Allah’s permission, through instruction and clarification, as the Almighty says, “Indeed, you surely guide to a straight path” (Al-Shūrā 42:52).
11 – Hadith 918 also recommends limiting oneself to a single wife if one fears being unable to act justly between two spouses, so as not to fall short in one’s religious duty; Allah, Exalted is He, says, “But if you fear that you will not be just, then (marry) only one” (Al-Nisāʾ 4:3).
12 – The Commentary on al-Muntahā states: “The basis for apportioning nights is the night itself, for it is when a person returns home, finds repose with his family, and sleeps in his bed, whereas the day is for earning a living and attending to affairs. Allah, Exalted is He, says, ‘And out of His mercy He made for you the night and the day, that you may rest therein and seek of His bounty’ (Al-Qaṣaṣ 28:73). The day follows the night and is therefore included in the division, for it is reported that Sawda gave her day to ʿĀʾisha (agreed upon). ʿĀʾisha said, ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away in my house and on my day,’ yet he died during the daytime, which is counted with the preceding night.”
Benefit: Shaykh ʿAbd Allah ibn Muhammad said: A husband is obliged to maintain equality among his wives in spending and clothing, and there is no harm in appointing one of them to oversee the others if she is more trustworthy and better suited to the task.