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Are Wives Obligated to Cook and Clean?

17 July, 2019
Q It seems like wives in Islam are basically just owned cooking and cleaning maids. My husband orders me around and I have to serve him and his friends and family from sun-up to sunset and I am exhausted! While he works, then comes home and relaxes, I have been working all day in my job outside, and when I want to relax, he says no, I must serve him. Is this true? Is there really any evidence that a wife is required in Islam to cook, clean, take care of the kids, do everything always? How is that fair?? I work as hard as he does!

Answer

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty
17 July, 2019

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. 

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

In this fatwa:

1- If the husband thinks that he can demand his wife to do the cooking and cleaning after coming home from work, he is cruel and unjust.

2- The husband should help out in all the chores, including cooking and cleaning; nor can he expect you cook for his friends.

In responding to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:

It is wrong for your husband to think you are to serve him as if he is the master, and you are his slave. No. Allah makes it clear in the book:  “wives have rights in proportion to the rights of their husbands over them.” (Al-Baqarah 2:228)

Therefore, for your husband to think that you ought to cook and clean and everything at home after you have come home from work is ultimate cruelty and injustice. If he thinks that is Islam, he is guilty of the deadliest of sin: associating partners with Allah by falsely alleging things on behalf of Allah.

How can Allah order something unjust, cruel, and wicked? The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to do house chores as his wife Aishah says: when asked what the Prophet was doing at home; she said that he would be helping out the family in the family chores. And when the time for the prayer would arrive, he would head to the mosque.” (Al-Bukhari and others)

In another tradition we also read that the Prophet used to clean the house and even help out his wives in cooking: One day they were ready to pray, and then the Prophet told them to wait; he went home and came back, saying: I forgot to place the lid on the cooking pot!”

So, if anyone thinks that a person can demand his wife to do cooking and cleaning after coming home from work, he is cruel and unjust. You don’t need to spoil him; if he wants food, he should help out in all the chores, including cooking and cleaning; nor can he expect you cook for his friends. By doing so, he is guilty of spousal abuse. If he continues to do this, you have a right to divorce him.

Almighty Allah knows best.