THE RIGHTS OF HUSBAND AND WIFE

6. The Rights of Husband and Wife ~ 128 ~ responsibility that a man has to fulfill in regard to his wife till his last breath. What is this responsibility? It is that man will maintain and protect his wife for life. In the family organization the shari’ah has basically entrusted the woman with looking after the house, bringing up and training the next generation. This task is not a profitable one. That is why a woman’s maintenance is entrusted to her husband. If a woman had to shoulder both the responsibility of looking after the house as well as making money, she would not be able to perform either of the two duties properly. That is why her economic maintenance has been entrusted to her husband so that the proper upkeep of the home and family is guaranteed. At the beginning of marital life a man makes this pledge symbolically by giving the woman a sum of money in the form of mahr. 108. Qur’an, 4:4. MAINTENANCE The specific monetary form of the symbolic pledge is called “maintenance.” Each office brings with it