The Right of Wife on Husband

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the right of woman on her husband for which when he yields is a man of good deeds. He (the Imam) said, ‘He must provide her sufficient food, clothes and forgive her if she acted ignorantly.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘My father had a woman who would disappoint him (the Imam) but he would forgive her.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once a woman came to the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, and asked about the rights of a husband on a woman. He (the Messenger of Allah) informed her and then she asked about her right on him and he (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘He must provide her sufficient clothes, sufficient food to protect her against hunger and if she committed a sin forgive her.’ She then asked if she had other rights besides these on her husband.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) replied, ‘No, there is nothing else.’ She then said, ‘No, by Allah I will never marry.’ She then left and the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, said, ‘Come back.’ She went back and he (the Messenger of Allah) said that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says, ‘If they maintain chastity it will be better for them.’ (24:60)”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), gave in marriage to me a slave-girl who belonged to ‘Isma’il, his son and said, ‘Be good to her.’ I then asked, ‘What is the meaning of ‘be good to her’?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Provide her with sufficient food, clothes and forgive her sins against you.’ He (the Imam) then said to her, ‘You must go (with him), may Allah keep you on the middle path in what is for him.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the rights of women on their husbands. He (the Imam) said, ‘He must provide for her sufficient food, sufficient clothes to maintain her dignity and must not make a repugnant face on her; and when he has followed these instructions he then by Allah has fulfilled her rights.’ I then asked about oil. He (the Imam) said, ‘That is every other day.’ I then asked about meat. He (the Imam) said, ‘That is once every three days which is ten times every month and not more.’ I then asked about dyes. He (the Imam) said, ‘Dye is once every six months and four sets (kinds) of clothes every year, two sets (kinds) for winter and two for summer and it is not proper to leave her home to suffer from the poverty of three things: oil for the head, vinegar and ghee and one mud (a certain measurement) of food for each meal, because that is how much I use for myself and my family and for every human being one time meal must be measured which he may consume or gift it or give as charity and one must feed his family of the seasons’ fruits. On ‘Id days one must provide additional food which is not consumed on other days.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Jibril advised me about women (so much) that I began to think of divorce as an improper act unless it is because of openly proven indecency.’”

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘. . . one who suffers from constraint in his sustenance must spend from whatever Allah has granted him.’ (65:7) He (the Imam) said, ‘He must provide her with basic necessities and clothes, otherwise, judgment for separation between them must be issued.’”

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘A man is not compelled, but for providing the expenses of his parents and children.’ He (the narrator) has said that Ibn Abi ‘Umayr has said, ‘I asked Jamil about the woman and he said that ‘Anbasah has narrated from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who has said that if one provides clothes for her which is sufficient to maintain her dignity, sufficient food to survive, she then must stay with him, otherwise, she is divorced.’”