Story of a married Couple-Sana and Khalil:
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful married couple. They both were very pious and loved each other deeply. After some days of marriage, Sana felt bored at home. She wanted to do something for the ummah. One night after dinner, She asked her husband’s permission to do a job, but Khalil said nothing.
The next day Khalil did not go to his office. He had locked himself in the room, and Sana heard so many noisy voices from inside the room. But Sana had no idea what was going on.
After the Maghrib prayer, Khalil asked Sana to get ready. While driving, he asked Sana what books she liked to read. She told him that she liked to read Islamic literature. Soon after, Khalil went to an Islamic bookstore and asked Her to buy some books. Next, they went to Barnes and Noble’s bookstore and collected many different kinds of books. She also buys some Middle Eastern, Indian, and Chinese cookbooks.
That evening they ate dinner together at their favorite Restaurant, and after this, they went to the masjid to pray. When they returned home, Khalil carried all the books they had bought earlier and placed them in the room. He asked Sana to go to sleep, but she could hardly sleep! She wondered what was happening and was tempted to go to the room and see but had eventually fallen asleep. At around 4 am, Khalil called for Tahajjud prayer. Afterward, he asked her to close her eyes, took her to the room he had been in all day, and asked her to open her eyes. She opened her eyes and was amazed to see a lovely small library. Her husband had made her an office at home! He had even bought a laptop for her and set everything up, ready to use!
Khalil turned to her and said,
“Dear Sana, I love you for Allah Subhana Wa Ta’ala. I am also responsible for you and always want to protect you. You have asked my permission to work, and I respect you. However, I want to make you happy. I hope you like my gift. I do not want you to work for any other man but me. Still, I will not force you if you feel you want to work outside the home. It would, however, make me upset.”
Responsibility of Men:
Allay says in Surah An Nisa about the responsibilities of men over women,
ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٰمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ ۚ فَٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ قَٰنِتَٰتٌ حَٰفِظَٰتٌ لِّلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ
“Men are the protectors and maintainers [qawwaamoon] of women because Allah has given the one more [strength] than the other, and because they support them from their means…” (Qur’an 4:34)
Sana smiled and frankly said that he could work for her. She thanked him for the arrangements and agreed to work at home. Every day when Khalil came home, he would find his wife busy with books taking in the knowledge and wisdom they gave her.
Over time, she started to give him advice from what she had learned and which was to prove beneficial for his company. Khalil also taught her about his business and even allowed her some responsibility with some of the projects at work. He generously paid her for her little work and spent lots of time with her so she would not feel alone.
This arrangement worked successfully for a married couple both husband and wife; in time, they had four beautiful children.
One day, Khalil had a car accident and suffered a knee injury. The doctors said he could not walk for at least six months. Sana did all the homework alone and took care of her husband. After a month, they suffered from a financial crisis, and Sana asked her husband to join a school for teaching. Her husband permitted her.
Tips from Sana’s Life as a Married Couple
Sana would work all day at the school and then come home to care for her children and Khalil. Over time her husband recovered from the accident and thanked Sana for everything. Now he was able to go to work. Sana left her job and stayed at home. Khalil was grateful for what she had done and thanked her for being such a wonderful and supportive wife.
The Prophet (Pbuh) made every individual in the Islamic Society responsible for those under his or her authority so that no one, man or woman, may evade responsibility as a married couple (Ideal Muslimah, 190).
He (PBUH) said:
“Each of you is a shepherd responsible for those under his care. A ruler is a shepherd; a man is the shepherd of his family; a woman is the shepherd of her husband’s house and children. Each of you is a shepherd responsible for those under his care.”
(Bukhari and Muslim).
The Prophet (Pbuh) indeed spoke the truth about married couple, he said:
“This world is nothing but temporary conveniences, and the greatest joy in this world is a righteous woman.” (Muslim 10/56)
Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said:
“O, people! Fear Allah concerning women, Verily, you have taken them on the security of Allah and have made their persons lawful unto you by Words of Allah! It is incumbent upon them to honor their conjugal rights and not to commit acts of impropriety which, if they do, you have the authority to chastise them, yet not severely. If your wives refrain from impropriety and are faithful to you, clothe and feed them suitably.” (Ar Raheeq Al Makhtum Page 541)
