By Muhammad Fathi
In Islam, the relationship between husband and wife is a strong bond to be nurtured with kindness, love and mercy. It is so significant that Allah Almighty mentions it in the Qur’an as one of His great signs in the world:
{And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought} (Ar-Rum 30:21)
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the role model for every Muslim in all aspects of life. When you read about the Prophet’s treatment of his wives, you will be amazed by the great level of care, gentleness, love and compassion he showed them. The following collection of hadiths highlight glimpses of his guidance in this regard:
She Deserves the BEST Treatment
- Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“The most complete of the believers in faith, is the one with the best character. And the best of you are those who are best to their women.”(At-Tirmidhi and authenticated by Al-Albani)
- Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“The best among you is the best towards his wife, and I am the best of you to my wives.” (Ibn Majah and authenticated by Al-Albani)
- Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said :
“A believer must not hate a believing woman (i.e., his wife); if he dislikes one of her traits he will be pleased with another.” (Muslim)
- `Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn Al-`As (May Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“The world is but a (quick passing) enjoyment; and the best enjoyment of the world is (to have) a pious wife.” (Muslim)
Express Your Love
- Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, which of the people is most beloved to you?’
He answered: “`A’ishah.”
He was asked, ‘And among men?’
He said: ‘Her father.‘ (Ibn Majah and authenticated by Al-Albani)
- `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “Never did I feel jealous of any of the wives of the Prophet except for Khadijah, although I have never seen her.”
She added, “When Allah’s Messenger slaughtered a sheep, he said: Send it to the friends of Khadijah.”
One day `A’ishah mentioned Khadijah in a way that made the Prophet upset. He told `A’ishah, “I have been granted her love (by Allah)”.
Render Love into Actions
- `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah would give her a vessel to drink, when she was menstruating, then he would look for the spot where she had put her lips on and put his lips on the same spot. (An-Nasa’i and authenticated by Al-Albani)
The Prophet’s Care for Children
- Anas narrated that the Prophet had a Persian neighbor who was good in cooking soup. One day he prepared some soup and invited the Prophet to it. `A’ishah was present so the Prophet suggested to the neighbor that she should join them. The neighbor refused to include her in the invitation. The Prophet, therefore, declined the invitation.
The Persian repeated the exclusive invitation for the Prophet who, once again, declined the invitation.
In the third attempt, the Persian neighbor invited both the Prophet and his wife, `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). Then, the Prophet accepted his invitation and went with `A’ishah to the man’s house. (Muslim)
- Al-Aswad asked `A’ishah about what the Prophet used to do at home. She replied. “He used to serve his household but when it was time for the prayer, he would get up for prayer.” (Al-Bukhari)
Have Fun with Her
- `A’ishah reported that she accompanied the Prophet in a travel when she was still slim. The Prophet told people to move forward and then he asked `A’ishah to race with him. They had a race and `A’ishah won.
In a later travel, when `A’ishah had forgotten the race and had already gained weight, the Prophet told her to race with him again. She declined, “How can I race with you while I am in such a condition?” The Prophet insisted and they did have a race. The Prophet won this time. He laughed then and said, “Now, we are even.” (Authenticated by Al-Albani)
A’isha reported:
It was the day of `Eid and some Ethiopians were playing with shields and spears. Either I requested Allah’s Messenger or he himself asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then he let me stand behind him; my cheek was touching his cheek and he was saying, “Carry on, O Bani Arfida (i.e., Ethiopians)!” When I got tired, he asked me if that was enough. I replied in the affirmative and he told me to leave. (Al-Bukhari)
Love that Transcends Time
- Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when something was brought to the Prophet, he would say, “Take it to so-and-so because she was a friend of Khadijah (his deceased wife)…” (Authenticated by Al-Albani)
- `A’ishash (may Allah be pleased with her) reported:
Once, Halah bint Khuwailid (the sister of the Prophet’s first wife, Khadijah) sought permission to enter. The Prophet recognized and recalled the manner of Khadijah when she sought permission to enter. So, he was deeply moved and said, “O Allah, may she be Halah bint Khuwailid!” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Source: Aboutislam.net
