What are the obligatory roles of a wife?
Question
What are the obligatory roles of a wife?
Does she have to clean and do all house work? Did Islam make that obligatory? What does she have to do according to Islam?
Thank you
Answer
A wife has a right upon her husband as he has a right upon her. The rulings of Islamic law (shari'ah) are not to be handled by seeking the prophetic traditions (hadiths) and legal evidences that puts one in the right and holds the other accountable. This makes religion a means of pressuring one's spouse into submitting to the wishes of the other while disregarding one's duties.
Marital life is based on tranquility, mercy, love and mutual consideration of feelings more than on demanding rights. The true understanding of marital life and the noble manners that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us that a wife is required to be mindful of Allah the Almighty regarding her husband. She is to know that treating her husband kindly and patiently is one of the gates that will lead her to Paradise. A wife should also know that she is the lawful (halal) means of fulfilling her husband's sexual gratification, and thus she must not prevent herself from him.
It is also impermissible for her to make her husband feel that he comes at the end of her priorities.
On the other hand, a husband is to take into consideration his wife's weakness and hard work all day in household chores and attending to the children's needs. He must be merciful to his wife and not burden her with more than she can bear. Through such mutual sincere feelings, spouses can fulfill their obligations and duties as prescribed by Allah the Almighty. It is erroneous to deliberately drag unrest into martial life. Allah Almighty says, "He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good" (Qur'an 2:296].