Do not revile your wives

"...And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses, etc.) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect, etc.) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise."

[Qur'aan Suurah 2: Portion of Ayah 228]

Mu'awiyah asked the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam: What right does a woman have over a husband? 

He sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam said: He should feed her when he eats and clothe her when he clothes himself (i.e. purchase clothes for her); he must not strike her face, nor must he revile her or say hurtful words to her, and he should not forsake her except in their home. 

Abu Daawud said: The meaning of "Do not revile her" is as you say "May Allaah revile you."


Arabic of the Hadiith

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو قَزَعَةَ الْبَاهِلِيُّ، عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ الْقُشَيْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا حَقُّ زَوْجَةِ أَحَدِنَا عَلَيْهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَنْ تُطْعِمَهَا إِذَا طَعِمْتَ وَتَكْسُوَهَا إِذَا اكْتَسَيْتَ - أَوِ اكْتَسَبْتَ - وَلاَ تَضْرِبِ الْوَجْهَ وَلاَ تُقَبِّحْ وَلاَ تَهْجُرْ إِلاَّ فِي الْبَيْتِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ ‏"‏ وَلاَ تُقَبِّحْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ أَنْ تَقُولَ قَبَّحَكِ اللَّهُ 


Sunan Abi Daawud Hadiith No. 2142
Musnad Ahmad Hadiith No. 19511
Sheikh al-albaani graded it hasan


Ibn Jariir and Abu Haatim have reported that Ibn Abbaas said: I love to dress up and look good for my wife just as I love that my wife would dress up and look good for me and this is because of the saying of Allaah:

And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses, etc.) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect, etc.) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. 

[Qur'aan Suurah 2: Portion of Ayah 228]