He treated his wives with kindness and good character. He would send girls of the Ansār (the Helpers) to ‘Ā’ishah to play with her. Whenever she wanted something unobjectionable, he would go along with her. When she drank from a vessel, he would take it, place his mouth where hers had been, and drink (1). When she ate meat from a bone—a bone with meat still on it—he would take it and place his mouth where hers had been. He would recline in her lap and recite the Quran with his head resting there, sometimes while she was menstruating. During her menstruation, he would instruct her to put on a waistcloth, then be physically affectionate with her. He would also kiss her while fasting.

Among the expressions of his gentleness and good character towards his family were that he allowed her to play and let her watch the Abyssinians playing in his mosque, while she leaned against his shoulder. He raced her on foot twice while travelling, and once they jostled each other as they left the house.

Whenever he intended to travel, he would draw lots among his wives and take along whichever wife’s lot was drawn. He did not make up any missed nights for the others. This is the view held by the majority of scholars (2).

He would say:

“The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best of you to my family” (3).

He would sometimes reach out his hand to one of his wives in the presence of the others (4).

After praying ‘Asr, he would visit his wives in turn, draw close to them, and see how each of them was faring.