Much emphasis is made on the duties of a wife in Islam. So I felt there’s a need in the Muslim societies to talk about the rights of a wife in Islam!

The West might be proud of being the champion of so-called “women rights”, yet Islam protects the rights of a wife in the most beautiful way.

It is easy to think of marriage with a rose-tinted view. As much as the union is one that is firmly rooted in Islamic practice, people do get carried away by the worldly ideals of “love” and “romance” to a point of sometimes being unable to consider practical reality.

Entering into the union of marriage is most definitely a beautiful and sacred act, encouraged by Islam. Yet, to give the solemnity of this happy union its due consideration, it is important to also look at the rights and responsibilities of both parties when it comes to being a spouse.

More specifically, this article takes a look at the rights of a wife in Islam. Yes, unsurprisingly, women are more influential than anticipated. As they embark on a journey towards being a wife in Islam, they hold more rights and personal agency than the secular world would ever imagine.

Though marriage is a happy union sanctioned by the almighty Creator, it helps to go into it, with full knowledge of your rights and duties. Attention all married or soon-to-be-married Muslimahs, this one is for you.

Rights of a Wife in Islam

1. The right to accept a marriage proposal

Narrated by Anas (ra): “A woman came to the Prophet offering herself to him in marriage, saying, “Have you got any interest in me (i.e. would you like to marry me?)” Anas’ daughter said, “How shameless that woman was!” On that Anas said, “She is better than you for, she presented herself to Allah’s Apostle (for marriage).”   

At the very outset, a wife in Islam gets to decide if in fact she will be getting married in the first place. Sisters don’t be left in the dark, thinking that you have a lack of personal agency when it comes to choosing the circumstances around your marriage.

There is a common misconception that a woman needs to merely accept any marriage proposal that comes her way. Especially because marriage is a sunnah practice and favoured in Islam. Many ahadith strongly encourage the youth to seek marriage, and the parents to accept proposals from good matches. Yet, the rights of a woman are protected and firmly entrenched in Quran and Sunnah and a woman has the right to accept or reject a proposal of marriage at any offered time.

2. The right to Mahr (Dowry)

“And give the women [upon marriage] their [bridal] gifts graciously. But if they give up willingly to you anything of it, then take it in satisfaction and ease.” [An-Nisa’: 4]

According to Islamic law, the rights of wife in Islam suggest that women have the right to receive a mahr or bridal gift from their spouses which is normally agreed and decided upon at the stage of negotiating a marriage. It is a symbol of love, honour and intention, and should never be confused with the idea of buying a woman or some type of archaic form of ownership, an act that Islam reviles and dislikes.

Often times, the mahr or bridal gift is a concept that is taken out of context and vilified as an incorrect practice, but in actual fact, it is the right of a married woman to receive one.

The mahr may take the form of money or gifts and goes directly to the wife, not to her family or her parents.  This is usually negotiated in terms of the bride’s expectation before the marriage takes place. Pending a few exceptions, the gift of assets/money/kind is a property for keeping for the wife in Islam.

3. The right to considerate and kind treatment

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“Allah is pleased when a husband plays with his wife, due to this he fixes thawaab (good reward) for them or he establishes halal rizq (lawful sustenance) for them.” [Hadith]

Other than financial sensibilities and the act of marriage itself, there is one simple fundamental right that a woman has in marriage and that is the right to kind and considerate treatment.

Kindness is due to a woman as a wife in Islam in a number of ways. For example, a husband should never travel thus leaving his wife unattended for longer than four months. Umar Ibn Al –Khattab (RA) one of Islam’s greatest caliphs once related that a decent space of time to be absent from one’s wife, if tied up on unavoidable matters, was four months.

Also, the wife is expected to put her best foot forward when it comes to grooming and beautifying her physical appearance for her husband. A man needs to be kind and considerate enough to give a woman the time and space to do so, in addition to grooming himself.

Even when it comes down to household chores and embracing her husband’s family, the woman, as the wife in Islam, has the right to ease into this slowly, instead of being forced to do so by her husband. Listen to brother Nouman Ali Khan’s take on this in the video below!