If the woman comes from such a background (family) where they do not have the habit of working (carrying out the household chores) on their own, it will be incumbent upon the husband to provide her with food. If such a woman demands a domestic helper to carry out the chores and the husband has the means, it will be necessary for the husband to provide her with one. The same ruling will apply to a woman who due to some illness is not able to carry out the household chores. However, if she is from such a family who work on their own, it will be Waajib for the wife to carry out the household chores (cooking, cleaning etc.). Similarly, if the husband does not have the means to provide a domestic helper then too it will compulsory for the wife to fulfill the household duties.

Our advice would be that the husband and wife should try their utmost to help out each other as is narrated regarding the best of human beings, Rasulullaah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, that he would give a helping hand to his blessed spouses in fulfilling the household duties. Together with helping each other, the couple should appreciate, acknowledge and share kind words for whatever they do for each other as this would be a means of peace and love within the home. Rasulullaah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam has encouraged us to appreciate when somebody does a favour for us:

من لم يشكر الناس لم يشكر الله عز وجل

If you cannot be grateful to the servants of Allah, you can never be grateful to Allah Ta'aala (being grateful to the servants of Allah Ta'aala is a stepping stone to get to being grateful to Allah).

One very important point that the Fuqaha mention after mentioning the above-mentioned ruling is that the greatest of all beings, Rasulullaah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, distributed work in the home of Ali Radhiallahu Anhu and his beloved daughter, Fatima Radhiallahu Anha. He gave the work outside the home to Ali Radhiallahu Anhu and the household duties to Fatima Radhiallahu Anha. He gave his beloved daughter the responsibility of the household duties despite the fact that she is the leader of all women in paradise. We learn from this that if the work is divided fairly between the spouses in a manner that none of the two is overburdened with work and together with that there is some sought of acknowledgement, then you will have a blissful marital relationship.

AND ALLAH TA'AALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST

ANSWERED BY: Abdullah Badat

Islamic Date:27 جمادى الأخرى 1440  English Date: 5 March 2019