A Wife’s Service to Her Husband: Between Obligation and Excellence

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, is it obligatory for a wife to serve her husband, or is it a matter of excellence (ihsan) toward the husband?

Answer:
This depends on the custom of the society. A woman’s service to her husband depends on the custom of the society. The female Companions used to serve their husbands. It is not mentioned that a woman refused to serve her husband or to attend to the affairs of the house. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), was assigned work in the house, and the grinding affected her neck. It is narrated that she carried the grinding stone. She is the daughter of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). She asked the Messenger to give her a servant, but the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not give her one. She asked to be given a servant from the public treasury, but he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not give her one. He guided her to go to the remembrance of Allah, the glorification (tasbih) and the exaltation (tahليل), and that this would help her. This indicates that the women of the Companions, or the daughter of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), would stay in the houses and perform work in the houses. Yes.