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Islamic vs. Western Marriage Roles and Obligations of Husbands and Wives Essay

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Introduction

Marriage is a union of people who agree to abide by specific cultural, religious, or political norms to sustain their relationship. The idea of marriage in Islam is for spouses to live in unity, peace of mind and body, and maintain affection and mercy for one another. In fulfilling the rights of marriage, specific expectations and obligations accorded to spouses ensure that each party contributes to a wholesome experience in marriage for tranquility in the union.

The Islamic doctrines about marriage are still inclined toward conservative religious discourse whereby the rights and obligations between a husband and wife are definite and aligned with traditional and ethical norms. The Islamic focus on marriage is extensively dominated by a patriarchal culture, which differs significantly from the Western egalitarian style, which supports ideas such as civil rights, democracy, and procedural justice.

Rights and Obligations of Husbands in The Islamic Marriage Context

In the Islamic religion, a couple confers to specific assigned duties and roles to ensure the marriage remains functional. The husband is the family’s supervisor, which means he is obligated to act as the guardian of the wife and the children. As it is inscribed in the religious book, the Quran, men are given the masculine advantage to protect and ensure the family’s best interests are granted as needed. In the bracket of protection, the man is responsible for catering to the family’s needs, including the basics and luxuries, to ensure the family lives a comfortable and enjoyable life. Their financial obligation helps ensure that men strive to fulfill the needs of their families as a sole role delegated to them individually.

The husband is also an educator and a priest in his house. Husbands are expected to follow the steps of the prophet Mohammad in the Quran, considering that he was a good custodian, negotiator, tinker, and head of state. In line with these qualities, husbands must be knowledgeable about the Quran to ensure they guide the family in faith and ethics. The man is also expected to provide spiritual support by encouraging acts of worship, including prayers and fasting, to foster a spiritually enriching environment for the family to be established. By fulfilling these obligations, they complete the task of being educators for the growth and expansion of their families.

Husbands are expected to uphold the principles of Islam and encourage adherence and total regard for its guidelines. The religion is established on the belief in the oneness of Allah, his prophets, angels, the Quran, and the day of judgment. A husband is expected to be intellectually inclined to the precepts and ensure that they upholds the principles so that their teachings and focus on life are shaped by their religious belief. By exercising these roles, they guide the family in righteousness and fulfill the mandate given to them by Allah.

The role of an individual in marriage determines their position in decision-making depending on their control over a functional unit. After fulfilling the protection, financial obligation, and other integral family-oriented roles, the husband achieves the right to decision-making. Islamic marriage accords the man full rights to make final decisions that impact the family depending on the issue. The reason is that with the wisdom related to effective management of a family structure, the husband is considered mature enough to make rational decisions that will not harm the family and extended relations.

Roles and Obligations of a Wife in Islamic Marriage

A wife is considered a family’s backbone, considering she extends a lineage, nurtures the family, and is a significant confidant. Such attributes enable the woman to be the epitome of a stable marital union due to the delicate responsibilities embedded in her title as a woman. The wife is expected to take care of the household by engaging in cooking, cleaning, and childbearing activities. The woman should also care for herself and adorn her body with perfume and clean garments to entice the husband as part of the domestic role. This responsibility ensures that the woman’s position in sustaining a functional home is sustained by implementing the crucial upkeep duties.

Submission is another integral principle in Islam, which also applies to marriage. The wife is considered second in command in the house after the husband, which indicates that she functions under the husband’s order. Therefore, the woman is expected to obey the husband in matters that do not contradict the Islamic regulations about marriage. The wife is not supposed to oppose the husband in any way, considering that the man is measured to have more wisdom and his decisions inspired by Allah, who ordained him to be the head of the family, like the prophet Mohammed sent to deliver his people from eternal judgment.

Another integral duty of a wife is to be a spiritual support system to the husband. A wife who completes all five prayers for the day and engages in Tahajjud, the voluntary extra prayer, guards her integrity and respects the husband is promised eternal paradise. Prayer and chastity express love and unity within marital relationships, resulting in a harmonious marriage. The reason is that prayer is an action of supplication and devotion that invokes Allah’s blessings and guidance toward a better marital engagement. The prayer traditions in Islam also promote continuous dua or prayer for specific aspects of life, including health, success, and wisdom from the almighty.

The foundation of marriage in Islam is to promote bliss between individuals united in marriage. Therefore, pleasure and gratification are accounted as an integral endeavor that preserves good relationships. The woman is, thus, expected to fulfill the sexual needs of their spouse, be faithful, and not bring out any excuses when the husband is inclined to sexual acts. However, this role is not fixated on the woman as the husband is also required to fulfill the other party’s needs. The Quran prescribes they should not lengthen their salah or prayer and forestall their husbands from sexual relations. Therefore, sexual fulfillment is a role weighted on the wife and should be made available upon each party’s request.

The wife is essential in marriage since she helps with the continuity of the family lineage. Rearing and edifying children is an integral role left to the wife as a responsibility. Women are expected to bear children for their husbands as Allah provides them, and the Quran prohibits abortion, meaning that each time the woman conceives, she must bear the child. The wife is also expected to care for the children by ensuring they are clean and nourished and educating them on the ethics of Islam and the importance of shared duties. Such obligations ensure that the principles of Islam are shared through generations to ensure the stability of the religion.

The many responsibilities and duties inscribed for a wife do not infringe on her rights, considering that religion also provides her some freedom. The role of women in the contemporary world has ensured wives are self-sufficient, financially independent, and career-inclined. However, Islamic society does not endorse working in a higher order as of greater importance or satisfaction than bringing up edified children inclined in the ways of Allah. For this reason, most Islamic women consider home-based businesses rather than contemporary office-based ones to ensure that the children get the best nurture possible. Women also have a right to expression, which allows them to contribute to specific matters concerning growth and development. The reason is that the Quran emphasizes that men and women are equal in the presence of Allah. Therefore, freedom of expression and career choice are integral rights for women, bringing equality to Islamic marriage.

Marriages in the Islamic and Western principles focus on shared goals and values. The reason is that Islam helps spouses adhere to ethical standards of relations through which their spouses may learn from their ways. For instance, the Quran encourages husbands to prioritize the happiness of their spouses to ensure stability and growth. Such requirements strengthen shared values and create an integral sense of partnership. Likewise, the Western philosophies of marriage are dictated to compatibility, whereby people have to exhibit shared values and build a strong bond through different shared values and aspirations.

Comparison Between Islamic Marital Rights and Obligations and Western Society

Similarities

The rights and obligations of husbands and wives in marriage in the Islamic religion correlate to some extent due to the emphasis on human value in both contexts. According to Patoari, Allah created both man and woman without any subordination from one another. This principle aligns with the contemporary family roles in Western society, which are focused on human rights and freedom. The reason is that in Islam, wives have free speech and freedom to express themselves. Therefore, a wife can express any concerns arising from a specific aspect of their union, and the husband is expected to listen and support them in making rational decisions.

The contemporary roles in Western society support this respect for individual decision-making. Kolpashnikova et al. mention that over the past 50 years, the family roles in Western society have evolved to ensure that no member of the family, even the children, is mistreated. In the egalitarian Western society, husbands and wives can express their concerns freely to ensure that everyone is contented with the direction taken by the family, and this aligns with the Islamic precepts of freedom of expression for all.

The man’s role in Islam and contemporary family engagement is to support and protect. The Quran identifies the man as a foundation in a family, considering that he must be loyal to his family and ensure their protection from financial and other insecurities that endanger them. In the Western context, a man is also expected to maintain and protect his wife from any harm, such as violence, and support in all endeavors that promote the family’s wellness. As Kolpashnikova et al. explain, man is the masculine powerhouse that ensures the safety of his wife and children. This factor indicates that the aspect of man being the support system and the symbol of authority is maintained in Islam and Western family contexts.

Differences

The roles and obligations of individuals following the Islamic religion may be similar to those of Western society, including freedom of expression and shared responsibilities. However, Islamic marriage is rooted in religious teachings and conservative patriarchal doctrines that significantly distinguish between the two approaches. On the contrary, in the Western system, husband and wife have equal power in decision-making, and any verdict made on a specific issue must be mutually agreed upon by both individuals for its successful implementation. For example, a man cannot decide where the family will relocate without consulting his wife. This focus is contrary to the Islamic perspective, whereby the man can decide on such matters without consulting the spouse as long as this idea is valid.

Division of labor is another integral aspect that shows the difference between Islamic marriage precepts and Western traditions. In Islamic marriage, responsibilities are divided categorically based on gender. For instance, the man is responsible for the family’s financial support and protection, while the woman is in charge of the household duties and rearing of children.

As inscribed in the verses in the Quran, “Imam Sajjad said the rights of a wife upon her husband are to fill her belly, clothe her with garments and forgive her for any mistakes.” Such sentiments indicate that the man must provide and ensure peace is sustained in the marriage. However, the duties are shared equally in Western society, whereby couples negotiate duties based on personal preferences, skills, and availability. This approach allows equity and freedom to change based on circumstances as needed.

The rights to act intentionally and independent decision-making are also viewed differently in marriage, depending on the context. For instance, in Islamic marriage, the husband’s authority limits the autonomy and agency of the wife, considering that the husband makes some crucial decisions. Imam Muhammad Baqir (‘a) explains that a wife “must obey the husband, not give charity from his house without his permission, perform voluntary fasts without his approval and not deny him her body, even if she is on the back of a camel.” Such doctrines indicate that the authority of wives in autonomy and urgency is limited due to the influential authority of the male figure in their lives. However, western society supports individual freedom and allows both men and women to make independent decisions on specific aspects of their lives without any restrictions.

Western society’s egalitarian focus paves the way for principles such as democracy to prevail, which brings marriage equity. For instance, when a divorce occurs, men and women have equal rights to wealth gathered when married. The reason is that a wife is supposed to return mahr or dowry paid and everything she received from the husband from the time of marriage. This factor indicates that the right to possess wealth is limited as the man is considered the sole custodian when separation occurs.

Conclusion

Marriage is a sacred entity respected in Islamic and Western societies. Different roles and obligations are shared depending on the cultural, spiritual, or traditional context in which a specific community is inclined. For instance, Islamic marriage provides freedom of expression to maintain justice, supported by Western culture endorsing the egalitarian ideas of civil rights. The two societies also support the idea that the husband protects the family, assuming that masculine power enables them to fit in this role, ideally compared to women.

However, due to the freedom of egalitarian focus versus the restricted conservative provisions of Islamic marriage, the roles and responsibilities of spouses vary significantly. In Islam, the husband is responsible for financial provision, priesthood, and fulfilling the family’s needs. This differs from the Western perspective, whereby a husband can do any role. Despite the differences, the two approaches to marriage contribute to establishing marriages by reinforcing specific norms.

Bibliography

Ahmad, Gulzar and Armed Gulzar Massiha. “Marital relationship: The Islamic perspective and prevailing practices in Pakistan.” American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 4, no. 6 (2021):15-31.

Ali, Muhammad Ikbal. “Rights and Obligations of Husband and Wife According to Islamic Law in Constructing Sakina Family.” Al Mashaadir: Journal of Sharia Sciences 3, no. 2 (2022): 130-142.

Amini, Ibrahim. “An Introduction to the Rights and Duties of Women in Islam.” Islam Organization. 2023. Web.

Denson, Razaana. “–Part two.” Obiter 42, no. 2 (2021): 352-393. Web.

Kolpashnikova, Kamila, Muzhi Zhou, and Man-Yee Kan. “.” International Journal of Comparative Sociology 61, no. 5 (2020): 291-309. Web.

Mustapha, A. Raheem. “The Importance of Marriage (Zawaj) as a Socio-moral Institution in Islam.” Islamic Studies Unit (2020).

Patoari, Manjur Hossain. “.” Beijing l. Rev. 10 (2019): 1211. Web.

Robila, Mihaela, and Alan Taylor, Global Perspectives on Family Life Education”, in Global Perspectives on Family Life Education: Introduction, ed. Robila, Mihaela, and Alan Taylor (Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018), 1-14.

“Quran.” ClearQuran. 2023. Web.

Yadav, Akshatha, and Naveen Kumar. “The Role of Women in Today’s Society: A Review.” Quest Journals Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science 9, no. 6 (2021): 32-37.

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IvyPanda. 2025. "Islamic vs. Western Marriage Roles and Obligations of Husbands and Wives." February 4, 2025. https://ivypanda.com/essays/islamic-vs-western-marriage-roles-and-obligations-of-husbands-and-wives/.

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