A Muslim Woman’s Status in Her Husband’s House

When a Muslim man and woman get married, the woman, who is now the lawful and shariah wife of the man, has to leave her house and move in with her husband in his house. The science behind this reasoning is not for the woman to go through loss of her own family by embracing a new family, but is the fact that she will now begin a new life with her husband. And she will be given the task of making a HOME.

Allah has ordained that in a Muslim Marriage, the man provides for his wife and his family while the woman takes care of the house and raises a family. Hence in Islam women are considered as Home Makers. This is usually confused with the societal claims of the wife’s correct occupation or the role she has in the eyes of society who claim that the wife is the house wife. The literal meaning of the term ‘housewife’ is in layman terms, a woman who is married to a house. But in Islam a woman is not married to a house. As the very famous Islamic scholar once said:

In Islam, a woman is considered as a homemaker – She is not considered as a housewife, because she is not married to the house – Dr. Zakir Naik.

This saying above completely explains the status of women in her married house in Islam. By Islamic law she is not required to cook for her husband or clean the house. The fact that she does it is because of her love towards the family.

Allah says in the Quran, “Men are managers of the affairs of women because Allah has made the one superior to the other. (4:34)”  “and because they support them from their means”

So while the husband has the complete responsibility in managing the finances of the house, the wife cooks and cleans as a favour. That is why even the Holy Prophet encouraged that the believing husbands help their wives in their day to day affairs and with their children. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) helped all his wives in cooking and cleaning and even felt ecstatic when his daughter was helped in cooking by his son in law.

So the status of a woman in Islam is that of a Home Maker. A home which is a place where a family lives in love, harmony, understanding and patience. The woman ensures that the love is maintained, the harmony is intact, the understanding is always reigning and every situation is dealt with patience. A woman is Islamic marriages is a Home Maker, not a House wife.