—may Allah be pleased with them—whenever they asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, did so in order to act, not merely to gain information. This contrasts with the attitude of many people today: they ask so that they might know, yet only a few of them actually practice what they learn. Whatever one comes to know of Allah’s law will stand either for him or against him. If he puts it into practice, it will testify in his favor on the Day of Resurrection; if he neglects it, it will testify against him and he will be taken to task for it.

The Companions often questioned the Prophet ﷺ about matters of their religion, and the Quran records numerous examples: “They ask you what they should spend” (al-Baqarah 2:215); “They ask you about the orphans” (2:220); “They ask you about menstruation” (2:222); “They ask you about the new moons” (2:189). In every case they sought to learn Allah’s ruling so that they could apply it to themselves and to their families.

Here Muʿāwiyah asked, “What is the right of a wife over one of us?” He ﷺ replied, “That you feed her whenever you feed yourself and clothe her whenever you clothe yourself.” In other words, do not reserve clothing for yourself to the exclusion of her, nor food for yourself to the exclusion of her; she is your partner, and you must spend on her just as you spend on yourself. Many jurists even hold that if a man fails to provide for his wife and she petitions the judge for annulment, the judge may dissolve the marriage, for he has fallen short in fulfilling her rightful due.

He ﷺ further said, “Do not strike the face and do not revile her.” Thus, if a reason for disciplining her does arise, he may not hit her on the face, and the blow must not be severe.