Many people assume that the participation of husbands and wives in household duties and in raising children is a Western, civilized practice that only emerged in the modern era.
However, did you know that our noble religion commanded and encouraged men to uphold this lofty character trait centuries ago, and that it is part of the conduct of the Prophets (peace be upon them)?
Al-Muhaddith Al-Noori reported, narrating from *Jami' Al-Akhbar*, on the authority of Ali (peace be upon him), who said:
《The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) came to us while Fatimah (peace be upon her) was seated by the cooking pot, and I was sorting lentils.
He said :
"O Abu Al-Hasan."
I replied: "At your service, O Messenger of Allah."
He said : "Listen, for I only speak that which my Lord has commanded me.
There is no man who assists his wife in her household affairs except that, for every hair on his body, Allah (God) grants him the reward of one year of worship—fasting by day and standing in prayer by night. And Allah bestows upon him a reward equal to that which He granted to the patient ones, to Prophet Dawud, to Ya'qub, and to 'Eisa (peace be upon them).
O Ali, whoever serves his family members in the home without feeling disdain, Allah records his name among the martyrs. And Allah decrees for him, for every day and night, the reward of one thousand martyrs. And for every step he takes, Allah records for him the reward of one Hajj and one Umrah. And Allah, the Most High, grants him, for every vein in his body, a city in Paradise.
O Ali, one hour spent in serving the household is better than the worship of one thousand years, and better than one thousand pilgrimages and one thousand Umrahs.
It is better than emancipating one thousand slaves, and better than participating in one thousand military expeditions. It is better than visiting one thousand sick persons, and attending one thousand Friday prayers, and one thousand funeral processions. It is better than feeding one thousand hungry people, and clothing one thousand destitute people, and equipping one thousand horses in the path of Allah. It is better for him than giving one thousand dinars in charity to the poor, and better than reciting the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, and the Qur'an. It is better than ransoming and freeing one thousand captives, and better than sacrificing one thousand camels for the poor. And he shall not depart from this world until he sees his station in Paradise.
O Ali, whoever does not feel disdain in serving his family shall enter Paradise without reckoning.
O Ali, serving one’s family expiates major sins, extinguishes the wrath of the Lord, serves as the dowry for the Hour Al-'Ayn, and increases one’s good deeds and ranks.
O Ali, none serves his family except a truthful believer, or a martyr, or a man for whom Allah intends goodness in this world and the Hereafter.》
Source:
Mustadrak Al-Wasa’il by Al-Mirza Al-Noori, Vol. 13, pp. 48–49, Hadith No. (14706)
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