Helping the Wives

From Risalatul huquq:

19. As for the right of your subject through mar-riage [i.e., your wife] is that you should know that God has made her for you a tranquility and comfort [in worry] and a friend and shield [against sins]. And, likewise, it is incumbent upon either of you to thank God for his/her spouse, and to know that the other is a favour of God upon you.
And it is obligatory to have good fellowship with this favour of God [i.e., your wife] , and to respect her and be kind to her although your [i.e., the husband's] rights upon her are greater and her obedience to you is more binding in all your likes and dislikes so long as it is not a sin. So she has the right of love and fellowship, and a place of repose [i.e., a house] so that natural desires may be fulfilled, and this in itself is a great [duty]. And there is no power, save in God.
 

The Rewards of Helping the Wives

God's Prophet (saw) told Imam Ali (a.s):

إسمَعْ مِنّي يا أبا الحَسَنِ! ومَا أقولُ إلاّ مِن أمْرِ رَبّي: ما مِنْ رَجُلٍ يُعينُ امْرأتَهُ في بَيْتِها إلاّ كانَ لهُ بِكُلِّ شَعْرَةٍ علَى بَدَنِهِ عِبادَةُ سَنَةٍ صِيامُ نَهارِها وقِيامُ لَيلِها وأعْطاهُ اللهُ مِن الثَّوابِ مِثْلَ ما أعْطى الصّابِرينَ وَداوُدَ وَيَعقوبَ وَعِيسى عَلَيهمُ السّلامُ.

"O' father of Hasan! Listen to me. I will not tell you anything but what my Lord has ordered me to. God will establish the reward of as many years of fasting in the daytime and staying up at night to pray, as there are hairs on ones body for helping his wife with the housework. The reward will be similar to what He has granted to the patient ones, the Prophet David (MGB), Jacob (MGB) and Jesus (MGB)." [1]

Surely, this reward will encourage believing men to help their wives, and abstain from being forceful and bossy.

God's Prophet (saw) said:

يا عَليُّ! مَن كانَ في خِدمَةِ العِيالِ في البَيتِ وَلَمْ يأنَفْ كَتَبَ اللهُ اسْمَهُ في دِيوانِ الشُّهَداءِ وَكَتَبَ لهُ بِكُلِّ يَومٍ وَلَيلَةٍ ثَوابَ ألفِ شَهيدٍ وَكَتَبَ لهُ بِكُلِّ قَدَمٍ ثَوابَ حِجَّةٍ وَعُمْرَةٍ وَأعْطاه ُاللهُ بِكُلِّ عِرْقٍ في جَسَدِه مَدِينَةً في الجَنَّةِ.

"O' Ali! God will record in the book of the martyrs the name of whoever serves his wife at home, and does not feel bad about it. God will establish the reward of one thousand martyrs for each day and night, and will grant him the reward of the pilgrimage to the Holy House of God for every step he takes in this regard. God will reward him with a city in Heaven that is as extensive as all the veins in his body are." [2]

God's Prophet (saw) said:

يا عَلِيُّ! خِدمَةُ العِيالِ كَفّارَةٌ لِلكَبائِرِ وَتُطْفِيءُ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ وَمُهورُ الحُورِ العِينِ وَتَزيدُ في الحَسَناتِ والدَّرَجاتِ.

"O Ali! Serving the wife is considered to be expiation for major sins. It will quench the Lord's wrath, and be considered as the nuptial gift for the 'Houris'. It will be a cause of raised ranks, and increased, recorded good-deeds" [3]

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[1] Jame as-Sa'adat, v.2, p.142.

[2] Jame as-Sa'adat.

[3] Ibid, p.143.

{Taken from Risalatul huquq published by Ansariyan: Pg 282-283 }