A good wife is the greatest happiness and good fortune for a man in this world. A good wife is one who helps her husband in obedience to God and also provides for him peace of mind in all of his works. As the Prophet said, “The whole world is an object of gain, and the best object of gain in the world is a good wife.”
She brings complete peace.
Islam has encouraged men to strive for their wives to be virtuous and pious. Being a loving and pious wife is the most important quality. All other attributes are supplementary and secondary. If a woman is weak in protecting herself, she will become defective and blacken her clean face in society. The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) insisted a lot on promoting religion.
He stated, “Whoever Allah bestows a righteous wife, Allah helps him in half of his religion, so he fears Allah in the other half.”
He stated also, “Four things are among happiness and excellent fortune: a pious wife, a spacious house, a good neighbour, and a well-mannered and obedient ride. Four things are among undesirable fortune: bad ride, cramped house, bad woman, and bad neighbour.”
He stated, “Men marry a woman for 4 reasons: wealth, high family, beauty, and religiosity. So succeed in marrying a pious woman.”
Sauban (R.A.) said:
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ
Give good news of a painful torment to those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah’s cause.
“When this verse was revealed, we were with the Prophet (peace be upon him) on a journey. One of his companions said, This verse was revealed about gold and silver. If we know which wealth is better, let’s adopt it. Then Prophet said, “The best wealth is a tongue that remembers Allah, a grateful heart, and a woman of faith who helps him in his faith.”
Indeed, helping each other in obedience to Allah creates mutual understanding between husband and wife and takes it to the top. This cooperation is a sign of Islamic society, as Allah says in the Quran:
وَتَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ ۚ
Cooperate with one another in goodness and righteousness; do not cooperate in sin and transgression.
How good is the cooperation between husband and wife? Prophet is also urging us to make each other religious and motivated to worship in marital life. And he said:
“May Allah have mercy on the person who got up at night and prayed and woke up his wife, so she also prayed, and if his wife refused to get up, he sprinkled water on her face. Also, may Allah have mercy on the woman who gets up at night and prays, then wakes up her husband, so he also prays, and if he refuses to get up, he sprinkles water on his face.”
