It is stated in the book *The Woman and Her Rights in Islam* that Islam made it the right of the wife to refrain from serving her husband, her home, and her children. To what extent is this correct?
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The questioner : It is stated in the book "The Woman and Her Rights in Islam" that Islam made it the right of the wife to refrain from serving her husband and serving the marital home, including serving the children. In other words, Islam does not obligate the wife to perform these types of services, as is the case in the jurisprudential texts of the three schools: the Hanafi, the Shafi'i, and the Hanbali. This is the opinion of this author and his statement in his book. To what extent is this statement correct from the Islamic perspective?
The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. Before answering this question, I would like to say that a book written by a man, whatever his level of knowledge and religion, should not be attributed to Islam, nor should a fatwa issued by a scholar be attributed to Islam as if it were Islam itself. It is very possible that this opinion, which is claimed to be Islam, or this ruling, which is claimed to be the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, is not in accordance with the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, and is not from Islam, meaning from the Islamic rulings. Rather, it should be called jurisprudential rulings and the like, without being attributed to Islam in general. Because the one who speaks in the name of Islam is the Messenger of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him). As for the scholars, each expresses what he sees in the meanings of the Book and the Sunnah, and it is possible that what he sees is wrong.
Then we come to the answer to the question: Is the woman obligated to serve her husband or not? The scholars have differed on this issue. Some hold that she is not obligated to serve her husband, neither in a little nor in a lot, even in cooking lunch and dinner and the like; she is not obligated to do it. Others hold that she is obligated to do what custom indicates in this regard. So whatever custom indicates regarding service, whether in food, drink, clothing, or anything else that custom has established that women are bound by, such that one who refrains from it is considered contrary to what is known and harsh and severe, then she is obligated to do it. This is the stronger opinion: that it is obligatory for the woman to treat her husband in accordance with what custom indicates and what is customary among people, according to circumstances, according to times, and according to places. This is based on the saying of the Exalted: Just as it is upon the husband to treat her with kindness, and this varies according to times, places, circumstances, tribes, and customs, so she must also treat him likewise. Because Allah says: [Al-Baqarah 2:228] So they have what is upon them in accordance with kindness, and they have what is theirs in accordance with kindness.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Based on this, we may say at one time that it is obligatory for her to serve her husband in cooking, washing the dishes, washing his clothes, her clothes, and the children's clothes, and caring for her child and attending to his needs. And we may say at another time that it is not obligatory for her to cook, nor to wash her clothes, nor her husband's clothes, nor the children's clothes, according to the prevailing, customary custom. If you reflect on this, you will find that it is what the Qur'an and the Sunnah indicate. As for the jurisprudential opinions, jurisprudential opinions are applied according to their customs and habits. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) rule according to what they see as required by custom in their time. And if a person reflects on that, he will find it frequently in their words. They say "it is obligatory to do such and such" and "it is obligatory to do such and such," and if you reflect on it, you will find that it is according to what is customary in their time. Yes.
The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. Before answering this question, I would like to say that a book written by a man, whatever his level of knowledge and religion, should not be attributed to Islam, nor should a fatwa issued by a scholar be attributed to Islam as if it were Islam itself. It is very possible that this opinion, which is claimed to be Islam, or this ruling, which is claimed to be the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, is not in accordance with the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, and is not from Islam, meaning from the Islamic rulings. Rather, it should be called jurisprudential rulings and the like, without being attributed to Islam in general. Because the one who speaks in the name of Islam is the Messenger of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him). As for the scholars, each expresses what he sees in the meanings of the Book and the Sunnah, and it is possible that what he sees is wrong.
Then we come to the answer to the question: Is the woman obligated to serve her husband or not? The scholars have differed on this issue. Some hold that she is not obligated to serve her husband, neither in a little nor in a lot, even in cooking lunch and dinner and the like; she is not obligated to do it. Others hold that she is obligated to do what custom indicates in this regard. So whatever custom indicates regarding service, whether in food, drink, clothing, or anything else that custom has established that women are bound by, such that one who refrains from it is considered contrary to what is known and harsh and severe, then she is obligated to do it. This is the stronger opinion: that it is obligatory for the woman to treat her husband in accordance with what custom indicates and what is customary among people, according to circumstances, according to times, and according to places. This is based on the saying of the Exalted:
and live with them in kindness
وعاشروهن بالمعروفAnd due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable
ولهن مثل الذي عليهن بالمعروفThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Based on this, we may say at one time that it is obligatory for her to serve her husband in cooking, washing the dishes, washing his clothes, her clothes, and the children's clothes, and caring for her child and attending to his needs. And we may say at another time that it is not obligatory for her to cook, nor to wash her clothes, nor her husband's clothes, nor the children's clothes, according to the prevailing, customary custom. If you reflect on this, you will find that it is what the Qur'an and the Sunnah indicate. As for the jurisprudential opinions, jurisprudential opinions are applied according to their customs and habits. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) rule according to what they see as required by custom in their time. And if a person reflects on that, he will find it frequently in their words. They say "it is obligatory to do such and such" and "it is obligatory to do such and such," and if you reflect on it, you will find that it is according to what is customary in their time. Yes.