The Grand Imam, in the sixth episode of his Ramadan Program broadcast on Egyptian TV: It is not permissible for a husband to order his wife to do what violates shari`ah

     His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, in the sixth episode of his Ramadan Program broadcast on Egyptian TV, said, “The key husband's right on his wife is her obedience to him. Though frequently addressed, this right is misunderstood by women rights activists, pointing out that wife's obedience here does not mean a slave-master obedience, but is rather a way for the wife to please her beloved husband. Also, this right is not absolute; but it is governed by two rules: namely, that the husband orders his wife with ma`rouf (i.e. in a fair manner), and that the order must be permissible in the Shari`ah. If a husband orders his wife to trespass the limits of the lawful and the unlawful, then the wife should not obey him.

     The Imam explained that fairness means that the husband's order to his wife is something permissible and that it should not result in harm for the wife. It is not permissible for him to ask her to drink alcohol, to commit any of the prohibited things, or to give him her money against her will. He pointed out that the Arabic word ma`rouf (fairness) is mentioned in the Qur’an in the cases of taking wives back in marital bond or in divorcing them. He stressed that marital conflicts and fights in cases of divorce have nothing to do with that Shari`ah ordained fairness between spouses.

     The Grand Imam's program is broadcast at 6:15 pm daily throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan. The program discusses a number of Muslim family issues, the rights recognized by Islam for husband and wife, and how to preserve the family entity as a basis for building a sound human community.