THE RIGHTS OF HUSBAND AND WIFE

6. The Rights of Husband and Wife ~ 139 ~ says: “Of the worldly goods, there is nothing better than a virtuous wife.”121 119. Bukhari, Sahih, Kitab aI-Jumu’ah, (Fath aI-Bari, 2/304). 120. An-Nasa’i, Sunan, Kitab an-Nikah, 6/68. 121. Ibn Majah, Sunan, Kitab an-Nikah, 1/596. GIVING IMPORTANCE TO THE INWARD RATHER THAN THE OUTWARD On the subject of their wives, the Qur’an enjoins men: “Treat them with kindness; for even if you do dislike them it may well be that you may dislike a thing which God has meant for your own good.”122 The same point has been made in a hadith: “No believing man should hate a believing woman. Even if he does not like one of her habits, another of her ways will be of his liking.”123 To put it differently, this teaching means that even if outwardly unpleasant, a wife should not cause aversion, because God has not made anyone imperfect in all respects. All men and women, if deficient in some respects are gifted in other respects.