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The Characteristics of the Pious Wife

Part 5 Shaikh Abdur-Razzaaq Bin Abdul Muhsin Al-Badr continued Firstly that which I shall begin with is what has come in soorah An-Nisaa, with regards to the mention of the characteristics of the pious wife. Allaah (Tabaaraka-Wata-aalaa) said: Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient to Allaah and to their husbands, and guard in the husbands absence what Allaah orders them to guard [Nisaa; Ayah:34] This section of the verse gathers (various) affairs in this subject matter. It embraces its evidences and gathers every virtuous characteristic and noble quality for the righteous woman. So this noble and blessed text shows us that the righteous wife is the one in whom are gathered two characteristics. The first characteristic is bounded to her relationship with her Lord and the second characteristic is bounded to her relationship with her master-her husband. As for her relationship with her Lord, this is with regards to the statement of Allaah: Devoutly obedient And devout obedience is to be diligent upon obedience to Allaah, being preserved upon worship of Allaah, adhering to obedience to Allaah, and being attentive to the Islamic duties and obligations of the religion and not neglecting and ignoring them. All of this falls under the statement of Allaah: Devoutly obedient On the other hand, with regards to the statement of Allaah: And guard in the husbands absence what Allaah orders them to guard. That is guarding the rights of her husband and master in his absence and likewise in speech; she guards him with regards to his wealth, his bed, his rights and obligations. And this (action/deed) that occurs from her of guarding (her husband) is (carried out) by the Tawfeeq of Allaah, His facilitation, Aid and Guidance; and that is why He (Allaah) said: And guard in the husbands absence what Allaah orders them to guard Indeed the affair (i.e. righteousness of the woman) is neither attached to it being worthy of (taking place), nor through proficiency, brightness or smartness, rather it is through the Tawfeeq of Allaah, His Guidance and Facilitation. This reminds us of that which I mentioned a little while ago, that righteousness and guidance are (attained) through the Tawfeeq of Allaah, His Facilitation, His Aid and Him making it easily (obtained). And included in the statement of Allaah: devoutly Obedient is the womans preservation of the Islamic duties and the obligations of the religion.

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There is a hadeeth of the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) with regards to this, and it is what has been collected by Ibn Hibbaan in his saheeh from the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah (radiyallaahu-anhu) that the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: If the woman prays her five daily prayers, fasts the month of Ramadan, guards her chastity and obeys her husband, she will enter paradise from any of its doors she wishes Imaam Ahmad narrates in his musnad from the hadith of Abdur-Rahmaan Bin Awf (radiyallaahu-anhu) that Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: If a woman prays her five daily prayers, fasts the month of Ramadaan, guards her chastity and obeys her husband, it will be said to her: Enter paradise through any of its doors that you wish Therefore congratulations to the Muslim woman with regards to this noble promise and ample favour and goodness, which Allaah has promised her. (They are) these four deeds which can be counted on the fingers of one hand and not two. If she guards these four deeds, it would be said to her on yaumul qiyaamah: Enter paradise through any of its doors that you wish And is it not the reality with regards to the woman who is sincere to herself that she (would) concern herself with these characteristics, and (would) give importance to such endowments and is diligent in fulfilling these duties?; Guarding her five daily prayers, guarding her fasting the month of ramadaan, guarding her chastity and the rights of her husband, in order that she may attain this blessed promise and ample goodness, and so that it is said to her on yaumul qiyaamah: Enter Paradise through any of its doors that you wish Indeed the foundation of righteousness in the woman and her being righteous in the (presence of her Lord) is attached to the perfection of her obedience, her seeking to get close to (Allaah) and being diligent upon worship of (Allaah). This righteousness and steadfastness is the secret behind her happiness; it is the secret behind her prosperity and success in her entire life, as it relates to her marriage life, the uprightness of her children and progeny, and her living a blessed salubrious life. And for this reason it is emphasized for the one who wishes good for his/her soul; and it is emphasized for those in charge of the affairs, who wish for goodness for their daughters, that they bring up their daughters upon righteousness and steadfastness; upon guarding the acts of worship and paying attention to the prescribed duties of Islaam, especially the five daily prayers and the fasting of the month of Ramadan; and being distant from everything that bears (a bad) influence upon the chastity and nobility of the woman; and it is what has been transmitted in this hadeeth that She guards her chastity And there are many amongst the women who are orientated towards giving importance to outward appearance/fashion when consenting to marriage. She is orientated towards the appearance/fashion of (other) daughters of her social class and those similar to her; (saying) such and such did; (or) in the marriage of such and such they did it like this. She is orientated by her views towards such considerations and thus bringing about extravagance, self-indulgence, an increase in overspending and waste of wealth in addition to what may also occur of evil and forbidden affairs.

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This starting point and introduction to marriage is the cause of a decrease in blessings, (and it is a cause) of little goodness (in marriage) On the contrary when the woman and her family distance themselves from that; avoiding extravagance, disobedience and sin, and there is neither inconvenience and overspending nor extravagance in spending, then in this case goodness is accomplished and (receiving) blessings is warranted. And that is why it has been transmitted in an authentic hadeeth of the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) in Sunan Abee Daawood from Uqbah Ibn Aamir (radiyallaahu-anhu) that the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhiwasallam) said: The best of marriages are the easiest ones And in another hadeeth, the Prophet (sallal-laahua-layhi-wasallam) said: The women with the most blessing are the ones easiest to provide for [Ahmad: 25120; Nasaai; 9274] Therefore the best of women are those whose affair is easy. And for this reason it is incumbent upon the woman, and upon her father and mother to aim at making things easy, and not to make things difficult in marriage and marriage ceremonies. (And that they aim for) humility and not exaltation and loftiness, and (that they aim for) for gentleness and perseverance and not to be given to overspending and self-indulgence; for this affair has its effects on marriage life. And if there is ease and making things easy, and being distanced from overspending, then this is a call for the beginning of blessings and continuation of good. And if the marriage began with overspending, selfindulgence, disobedience and various types of sins, then this is from the greatest causes of deprivation of blessings, and Allaahs refuge is sought. TO BE CONTINUEDINSHAA-ALLAAH