The subject of a Friday sermon by Hazrat Ameerul Mumineen (may Allah be his Helper) was establishing on a society based on fairness and justice. With regards to this he said about the rights of husband and wife:
“In a Hadith Hazrat Zuhair (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said that right hands of the Gracious God Who is Just will be on the pulpits of light (both the hands of Allah the Exalted will be counted as right) and these people deal with their family and whoever they are made to supervise, with justice. (Muslim, Kitabul Emarat)”
Huzoore Anwer added: “Men should remember that in accordance to this Hadith if they wish to be recipients of the blessings of Allah the Exalted and wish to be worthy of the spiritual light of Allah the Exalted, then they should fulfil their obligations with the requisites of fairness. They should pay the dues of tarbiyyat of children, they should take interest in their children and should make them a valuable part of society. If they do not do so they will be unjust with no sense of fairness.
“Some people living here in England, Germany and other countries of Europe are apparently considered very sincere and pious by society, among friends and also in the eyes of office-holders of the Jama’at. Yet, they have abandoned their wives and children back in Pakistan with no knowledge of how they are surviving or some people have abandoned their families here with no knowledge of how they are surviving. When asked, they say the wife was very quarrelsome or cite various other faults. Even if it is accepted that these people are right, fairness and justice require that as long as she is the wife, it is the man’s responsibility to meet all her needs. It is for the man to fulfil the needs of the children in any case. If he is chastising the wife, what are the children being punished for that they should suffer from pillar to post? Such men should fear God. I wish to make it clear that neither such behaviour is appropriate after one becomes an Ahmadi nor can such matters be tolerated after it is brought to the knowledge of the Nizam (administration system) of the Jama’at. In any case we have to follow the teaching that Islam has given us and which has been revived by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in this age and expounded to us.
“A Hadith narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Holy Prophet (pace and blessings of Allah be on him) said: ‘The best among believers is that person who has the best manners among them and the best among you are those who have excellent deportment with their wives.’ (Tirmizi, Kitabu Ridha’ Babu ma jaa’a fi haqil mar’ate ‘ala zawjiha)”
“The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said (addressing men): ‘It is a big sin to break someone’s heart and the matters relating to girls are very sensitive. When parents bid farewell to their daughters and entrust them to others, imagine what hopes their hearts carry. These can be gauged from the commandment of:
‘“…and consort with them in kindness…” (4:20) (Al Badr, Vol. III, p. 8 July 1904. Ref: Tafseer The Promised Messiah, Vol. II, p. 216)”
(Friday sermon delivered on 5 March 2004 at Baitul Futuh, London Published in Al Fazl International 19 March 2004)