Al-Maktabah as-Salafiyyah

Islam Upon the Way of the Righteous Predecessors
- Purifying the Way

On the Different Types of Husband

The Hadeeth of the Eleven Women 
Sahih Muslim

Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-RaheemMuslim narrated the following hadith:

Isnad: Suleiman bin 'abd alRahman and 'Ali bin Hujr, 'Ibsai bin Bunus,
       Hisham bin 'Urwa, 'Abd Allah bin 'Urwah, 'Urwah

Narrated 'Aisha:

Eleven women sat (at a place) and promised and contracted that they 
would not conceal anything of the news of their husbands. The first 
one said, "My husband is like the meat of a lean weak camel which is 
kept on the top of a mountain which is neither easy to climb, nor is 
the meat fat, so that one might put up with the trouble of fetching 
it."  The second one said, "I shall not relate my husband's news, for 
I fear that I may not be able to finish his story, for if I describe 
him, I will mention all his defects and bad traits." The third one 
said, "My husband is a tall man; if I describe him (and he hears of 
that) he will divorce me, and if I keep quiet, he will neither divorce
me nor treat me as a wife." The fourth one said, "My husband is a 
moderate person like the night of Tihama which is neither hot nor 
cold. I am neither afraid of him, nor am I discontented with him." The
fifth one said, "My husband, when entering (the house) is a leopard, 
and when going out, is a lion. He does not ask about whatever is in 
the house."  The sixth one said, "If my husband eats. he eats too much
(leaving the dishes empty), and if he drinks he leaves nothing, and if
he sleeps he sleeps alone (away from me) covered in garments and does 
not stretch his hands here and there so as to know how I fare (get 
along)." The seventh one said, "My husband is a wrong-doer or weak and
foolish. All the defects are present in him. He may injure your head 
or your body or may do both." The eighth one said, "My husband is soft
to touch like a rabbit and smells like a Zarnab (a kind of good 
smelling grass)." The ninth one said, "My husband is a tall generous 
man wearing a long strap for carrying his sword.  His ashes are 
abundant and his house is near to the people who would easily consult 
him."  The tenth one said, "My husband is Malik, and what is Malik? 
Malik is greater than whatever I say about him. (He is beyond and 
above all praises which can come to my mind). Most of his camels are 
kept at home (ready to be slaughtered for the guests) and only a few 
are taken to the pastures. When the camels hear the sound of the lute 
(or the tambourine) they realize that they are going to be slaughtered
for the guests." The eleventh one said, "My husband is Abu Zar and 
what is Abu Zar (i.e., what should I say about him)? He has given me 
many ornaments and my ears are heavily loaded with them and my arms 
have become fat (i.e., I have become fat). And he has pleased me, and 
I have become so happy that I feel proud of myself. He found me with 
my family who were mere owners of sheep and living in poverty, and 
brought me to a respected family having horses and camels and 
threshing and purifying grain . Whatever I say, he does not rebuke or 
insult me. When I sleep, I sleep till late in the morning, and when I 
drink water (or milk), I drink my fill. The mother of Abu Zar and what
may one say in praise of the mother of Abu Zar? Her saddle bags were 
always full of provision and her house was spacious.  As for the son 
of Abu Zar, what may one say of the son of Abu Zar? His bed is as 
narrow as an unsheathed sword and an arm of a kid (of four months) 
satisfies his hunger.  As for the daughter of Abu Zar, she is obedient
to her father and to her mother. She has a fat well-built body and 
that arouses the jealousy of her husband's other wife. As for the 
(maid) slave girl of Abu Zar, what may one say of the (maid) slavegirl
of Abu Zar? She does not uncover our secrets but keeps them, and does 
not waste our provisions and does not leave the rubbish scattered 
everywhere in our house." The eleventh lady added, "One day it so 
happened that Abu Zar went out at the time when the milk was being 
milked from the animals, and he saw a woman who had two sons like two 
leopards playing with her two breasts. (On seeing her) he divorced me 
and married her. Thereafter I married a noble man who used to ride a 
fast tireless horse and keep a spear in his hand. He gave me many 
things, and also a pair of every kind of livestock and said, 'Eat (of 
this), O Um Zar, and give provision to your relatives." She added, 
"Yet, all those things which my second husband gave me could not fill 
the smallest utensil of Abu Zar's." 'Aisha then said: Allah's Apostle 
said to me, "I am to you as Abu Zar was to his wife Um Zar."

***