Each party's responsibilities
Every right of one is an obligation of the other. Read this list in pairs.
| Husband | Wife |
|---|---|
| Provide nafkah zahir and batin (material and intimate maintenance) to each wife. | Safeguard the husband's trust, herself and the household. |
| Be just in turns, housing and treatment. | Obey in what is right (ma'ruf) — not in sin. |
| Treat her well: "Be gentle with women" (al-Bukhari 3331). | Guard the dignity and privacy of the household. |
| Teach and lead in religion — beginning with himself. | Cooperate in raising the children. |
| Protect from harm, including harm from himself. | Not admit anyone into the home without the husband's consent. |
| Responsible for those in their care: "Each of you is a guardian" (al-Bukhari 893; Muslim, Kitab al-Imarah). | Be grateful and not demand beyond his means. |
Be gentle with women
The Prophet ﷺ repeated it twice in the same hadith. Good treatment is not an optional extra to maintenance — it is part of it.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3331At a glance
What is hers from day one
- Mahr — her absolute right, not her family's
- Full maintenance from the day of the akad
- Housing separate and suitable
- Opening nights — seven (bikr) or three (thayyib)
- Equal rotation after that
- Marriage registration
- The existing wife's rights are not reduced
The new wife — what is hers from day one
Mahr (dower)
Her absolute right, given to her, not to her family.
Full maintenance
Begins on the day of the akad, not after registration or once things have settled.
Suitable housing
Separate and suitable, according to the husband's means.
The opening nights
Seven nights if bikr, three nights if thayyib — al-Bukhari 5213; Muslim, Kitab ar-Radha'.
Equal turns thereafter
Not the time left over from the first household.
Marriage registration
Without it, the marriage is not officially recognised and her rights are hard to claim. See Women's Rights.
Sources & references
For questions on Islamic rulings, please refer to the mufti's office or your state Islamic religious office.
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