a woman to prostrate to her husband. By Him in whose hand is Muhammad’s soul, a woman does not fulfil her Lord’s right until she fulfils her husband’s right. Even if he sought intimacy with her while she was seated on a camel saddle, she should not refuse him.”

Talq ibn ‘Alī reported that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Whenever a man calls his wife to fulfil his need, she should come to him, even if she is tending the oven.”

Abū Hātim narrated it in his Sahīh, as did al-Tirmidhī, who said: “This is a good hadith.” In al-Sahīh, Abū Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“If a man calls his wife to his bed and she refuses to come, and he spends the night angry with her, the angels curse her until morning.”

There are many hadiths from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—on this subject. Zayd ibn Thābit said: “The husband is called a master in Allah’s Book,” and recited His words, Exalted is He:

“And they found her master at the door.”

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb said: “Marriage is bondage, so let each of you consider to whom he entrusts his cherished daughter in bondage.”

Al-Tirmidhī and others narrated that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Treat women well, for they are captives in your care.”

Thus, a woman’s position with her husband resembles that of a slave or captive. She may not leave his home without his permission, whether it is her father, her mother, or anyone else who tells her to do so. The imams agree on this.

If a man wishes to move elsewhere while fulfilling his obligations and observing Allah’s limits in his treatment of his wife, and her father forbids her to obey him in this, she must obey her husband rather than her parents. Both parents are acting wrongfully: they have no right to forbid her from obeying such a husband. Nor may she obey her mother if she tells her to seek release from the marriage or to harass him until he divorces her, such as demanding from him, by way of maintenance, clothing, and the dowry, what