The Roles Of The Husband And Wife

In this English translation and interpretation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, however, he emphasizes the husband's role as a "protector" who should deal compassionately with a "misbehaving" wife: "Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to …

…after infants and children and it is certainly unfair to a woman to load herself, or to be loaded, with more than what she can shoulder. It is true that the basic function of the married woman in Islam is to manage the household and bring up children. Nevertheless, this does not contradict the rights of the woman to sell, buy, teach, learn, and defend her country as a man does if she has to.