Family
Further information: Rights and obligations of spouses in IslamThe Qu'ran states that unless a wife is guilty of open sexual transgression, a believer should not subject his wife to harsh treatment, even if he dislikes his wife. If a believer behaves in a good manner to his wife even though he doesn't like her, the Qur'an used the word Asā (‘عَسَى’), which implies in this context a promise from God of a great reward.
Modern scholars say that the Qur'an instructs husbands to deal with their wives according to good conventions and traditions of a society and emphasize the importance of taking counsel and mutual agreement in family decisions.
Similarly, it is attributed to Muhammad:
- Fear Allah in respect of women.
- The best of you are they who behave best to their wives.
- A Muslim must not hate his wife, and if he be displeased with one bad quality in her, let him be pleased with one that is good.
- The more civil and kind a Muslim is to his wife, the more perfect in faith he is.
In many Islamic societies, there is a division of roles creating a woman’s space in the private sphere of the home and a man’s in the public sphere. A woman's primary responsibility is usually interpreted as fulfilling her role as a wife and mother, whereas a man’s role is to work and be able to financially support his wife and family.
Read more about this topic: Gender Roles In Islam
Famous quotes containing the word family:
“It seems to me that upbringings have themes. The parents set the theme, either explicitly or implicitly, and the children pick it up, sometimes accurately and sometimes not so accurately.... The theme may be “Our family has a distinguished heritage that you must live up to” or “No matter what happens, we are fortunate to be together in this lovely corner of the earth” or “We have worked hard so that you can have the opportunities we didn’t have.””
—Calvin Trillin (20th century)
“The politics of the family are the politics of a nation. Just as the authoritarian family is the authoritarian state in microcosm, the democratic family is the best training ground for life in a democracy.”
—Letty Cottin Pogrebin (20th century)
“The family circle has widened. The worldpool of information fathered by the electric media—movies, Telstar, flight—far surpasses any possible influence mom and dad can now bring to bear. Character no longer is shaped by only two earnest, fumbling experts. Now all the world’s a sage.”
—Marshall McLuhan (1911–1980)