Friends of both parties also play a big role in disagreements between husband and wife and marriage problems. Huzoore Anwer (may Allah be his Helper) said in one of his Friday sermons:
“Some problems also arise due to the friends of a husband and wife. These friends have questionable characters which imperceptibly harm the relationship of the husband and wife. This is the way Satan tries to mould households to his ways imperceptibly.”
(Friday sermon delivered on 12 December 2003 at Baitul Futuh, London Published Al Fazl International 6 February 2004)
Huzoore Anwer (may Allah be his Helper) related a Tradition concerning the same subject and said:
“In another Tradition Sulaiman bin Amr bin Ahwas said that his father Amr bin Ahwas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said during the Farewell Hajj: ‘Listen! You have a right over your wife, similarly, your wife has a right over you. Your right over your wives is that they are not to allow anyone whom you dislike on your bedding (furniture) and not allow anyone whom you dislike inside your houses. And their right over you is that you should treat them kindly with regard to their clothing and food.’ (Tirmizi, Kitabu Ridha’ Babu ma jaa’a fi haqil mar’ate ‘ala zawjiha)
“This Tradition signifies that if a home is to be run on fairness and justice then both husband and wife will have to look out for each other and protect each other’s rights. Women only have those women come to their houses who are their friends but should see that they are not those whom their husbands do not like to visit the house and they should not keep appropriate or inappropriate friendships with them. If the husband does not like those individuals to visit the home, they should not visit. Women should not mind these matters for the sake of happiness and accord of their husbands and should accept what the husbands say. The second thing mentioned in this Hadith is that it is the obligation of the husbands to fulfil the rights of the family and take care of household expenses and their clothing etc.”
(Friday sermon delivered on 5 March 2004 at Baitul Futuh, London. Published in Al Fazl International 19 March 2004)