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Is the Hadith: "If I were to command anyone to prostrate to anyone, I would have commanded the wife to prostrate to her husband" authentic, and does it apply to all husbands, or does it have specific conditions, such as applying only to the pious husband who cares for his family?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The Hadith "If I were to command anyone to prostrate to anyone," indicates the wife's obligation to obey and respect her husband, but it does not mean that the woman should prostrate to her husband. This obedience must be conditional on the husband having fulfilled his wife's rights; otherwise, she has the right to demand her rights. A wife's consultation with her husband on matters of their life is permissible and can be beneficial. As for a man marrying a second, third, or fourth wife, it is a permissible right for him, and the wife is not to refuse obedience to her husband because of it. The Prophet's prohibition of Ali combining his daughter Fatimah with the daughter of Abu Jahl was a matter specific to him, for two reasons: harm to Fatimah and the Prophet, and fear of discord for her, while not prohibiting what is lawful.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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