Qiwamah
*Qiwamah* is a husband's charge to stand over his family's affairs and provide for them.
What it means for me: The verse in Qur'an 4:34 is the anchor scholars cite for this charge. Jurists describe it as a duty bound by justice and consultation, not a license for domination. Its financial side, chiefly maintenance, can lapse in certain circumstances. This is why a mufti asks for the specifics of a case before answering.
Example: A wife asks whether she must still hand over her salary to her husband. The answer separates qiwamah's duty to provide from any claim on what she independently earns.
Do not confuse with: Wali, the marriage guardian, and guardianship over property. A wali's role ends once the marriage contract is signed. Qiwamah begins with the marriage and continues through it. Qiwamah is also not a blanket claim of obedience. Jurists tie it to justice and providing, not command alone. Guardianship over a person's property is a separate legal role again, unrelated to marriage.
If scholars differ: Scholars differ on exactly when a wife's conduct suspends her right to maintenance. Some tie the suspension narrowly to leaving the home without cause. Others include a wider set of situations under the same principle.
See the term in context
Is the proposed analysis of the relationship between man and woman along the two axes of "Guardianship (Wilayah) and Maintainership (Qawamah)" (horizontal) and "Piety (Taqwa) and Knowledge ('Ilm)" (vertical) Islamically sound, considering the implications of conflating them on the role of both man and woman in society?
The perception of the superiority of men over women is generally correct. Men excel in endurance and rationality in dealing with problems. Allah has also singled them out for certain responsibilities, such as…
Is a husband entitled to prevent his wife from conceiving and compel her to use coitus interruptus without her consent? And is she obligated to feign marital happiness and reach orgasm despite her misery, his desire for permanent coitus interruptus, and her refusal to conceive? And should she continue to spend on the household and obey him in this matter, knowing of his disapproval? And is such a husband considered worthy of guardianship (qawamah) and obedience?
The husband has the right to obedience and guardianship over his wife as long as he fulfills his duties, the most important of which is financial support. If he refrains from providing support, the wife is permitted to…
Is it permissible to give women the responsibility of qawamah (guardianship/authority) for disciplining male children who have not reached puberty or after puberty, as well as the responsibility for girls?
It is permissible for a female teacher, whether she teaches girls or young boys, to discipline them, because the authority to discipline is not forbidden for women. The jurists have mentioned that a mother may hit a…
Questions that use it
To what extent is a man entitled to interfere in his wife's personal affairs, and must a woman obey her husband in matters she dislikes, if it does not pertain to the marital bed? And what is the correct understanding of Qawamah (guardianship/maintenance)?
Is it permissible for the husband to exercise his right of Qawamah in this manner, by preventing his wife from leaving to attend to her needs, or from visiting her family and communicating with them, and by refusing to divorce her except through Khul‘? So, who leaves the house in the event of divorce or Khul‘, and who has the right to child custody?
How can one achieve balance between the self-reproaching soul (an-nafs al-lawwamah) and the soul that incites to evil (an-nafs al-ammarah bi's-su'u)?