—the daughter of Muḥammad, the noblest of humankind—were to steal, I would indeed cut off her hand.” This is justice at its highest: no verdict ever issued by any human being can rival the Prophet’s ﷺ impartiality, for it shuts down every pretext, connection, and attempt at intercession. It is a manifest proof of the perfection of his fairness ﷺ.

What especially matters here is that during the Farewell Pilgrimage the Messenger ﷺ delivered a monumental sermon in which he clarified many of Islam’s rulings and etiquettes. Shaykh ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad ibn Ḥumayd—may Allah have mercy on him—who served as Chief Judge of this kingdom in his day, produced a concise yet valuable commentary on that sermon; whoever wishes should consult it.

5/277 – Muʿāwiyah ibn Ḥaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, what is the right of a wife over one of us?” He replied, “That you feed her whenever you feed yourself, clothe her whenever you clothe yourself, do not strike the face, do not revile her, and do not forsake her except within the house.” A ḥasan (sound) hadith recorded by Abū Dāwūd. He added, “Do not revile her” means: do not say, “May Allah disfigure you.”

6/278 – Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The believers with the most complete faith are those who are best in character, and the best of you are those who are best to their wives.” Recorded by al-Tirmidhī, who graded it ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ.

[Explanation]

The author—may Allah’s mercy be upon him—relates that Muʿāwiyah ibn Ḥaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ about the wife’s right over her husband. The Companions, may Allah