How the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Treated His Wives

Many people wonder how the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), treated his wives and how he maintained fairness among them. The Prophet’s noble character and gentle manners brought happiness, comfort, and tranquility to each of his wives, as he understood how to treat women, recognized their delicate nature, and spoke to them with warmth and compassion.

He (peace be upon him) also supported them in doing good deeds for both their faith and worldly life.

Prophetic Sunnahs in the Prophet’s Treatment of His Wives:

1. Always trusting his wives and never suspecting them. In a hadith narrated by Muslim, the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade a man from returning home at night to surprise his family or to search for their faults.
2. Speaking kindly to his wife and drinking from the same spot on the cup as she did. This endeared ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) to the Prophet, and he did this with all his wives, though it was ‘Aisha who narrated this in her hadiths.
3. Honoring his wives’ families and friends. ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to honor the friends of Lady Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), slaughtering a sheep and distributing it among Khadijah’s relatives and friends as gifts.
4. Reciting ruqyah for his wives when they were ill, caring for them in times of hardship and weakness. ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: When any member of his family fell ill, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would recite the mu‘awwidhat over them.
5. Resting his head in his wife’s lap.
6. Wiping away his wife’s tears if she cried and comforting her. It is mentioned in the hadiths that when his wife Safiyyah was traveling with him and fell behind, she began to cry, so the Prophet (peace be upon him) gently wiped her eyes with his hand and soothed her.
7. Thanking his wives for everything they did for him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever does not thank people does not thank Allah.”
8. Caring for his wives during menstruation and postpartum periods. While the Jews would avoid women during these times, refusing to eat their food or sit with them at the same table, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about this. Then Allah revealed verse 222 of Surah Al-Baqarah: “They ask you about menstruation. Say: It is harm, so keep away from women during menstruation.” After this verse was revealed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed that men could do everything with their wives—eat, drink, sit together in the same house—except for intercourse during menstruation and postpartum bleeding.
9. Remaining committed to his wives, treating them kindly and not divorcing them.
10. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would adorn himself, clean his mouth, and use perfume for his wives. When he entered his home, he would use the siwak. When asked by his companions about beautifying himself for his wives and perfuming his mouth, he replied that Allah said in verse 228 of Surah Al-Baqarah: “And women have rights similar to those over them according to what is reasonable.”
11. Overlooking his wives’ faults and advising them gently to improve.
12. Calling his wives by the names they loved most and that were dearest to their hearts.

With this, we reach the end of our article. We hope we have conveyed some of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) advice on how to treat one’s wife. The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave much advice regarding women, including the well-known hadith: “Be gentle with the fragile vessels.”