Section: A woman is not obligated to serve her husband by kneading, baking, cooking, or the like. Ahmad explicitly stated this. Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah and Abu Ishaq al-Juzajani said that she is obligated to do so, and they argued based on the story of 'Ali and Fatima, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) decreed that his daughter Fatima should perform the household tasks, while 'Ali should perform the work outside the house. Al-Juzajani reported this via various channels. Al-Juzajani said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If I were to order anyone to prostrate to anyone, I would have ordered the woman to prostrate to her husband. If a man ordered his wife to move from a black mountain to a red one, or from a red mountain to a black one, it would be her duty to do so." He narrated it with his chain of transmission and said: If this is the command for his obedience in matters with no benefit, how much more so for the provisions of his livelihood? Moreover, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to command his wives to serve him, saying: "O 'Aisha, give us to drink; O 'Aisha, feed us; O 'Aisha, bring me the knife and sharpen it with a stone." It is also reported that Fatima came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) complaining about the labor she faced from the hand-mill and asked him for a servant to relieve her of that. We argue that the subject of the contract
(27) In [A], [B], and [M]: "min". (28) In the original, [B], and [M]: "wa-ihtajja". (29) Omitted from: [A], [B], and [M]. (30) Reported by Abu Nu'aym in al-Hilyah 6/104, from Damrah ibn Habib. (31) In [B] and [M]: "alayha". And "nawluha" means her right and what is incumbent upon her. (32) Reported by Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter on the Husband's Right Over the Wife, from the Book of Marriage. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/595. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 4/381, 5/228, 6/76. (33) The wording: "O 'Aisha, feed us... O 'Aisha, give us to drink" was reported by Imam Ahmad in al-Musnad 5/426. The wording: "Bring me the knife and sharpen it with a stone" was reported by Muslim in: The Chapter on the Recommendation of Sacrifice and Slaughtering..., from the Book of Sacrifices. Sahih Muslim 3/1557. (34) Reported by al-Bukhari in: The Chapter on the Proof that the Fifth (al-Khums) is for the Necessities of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)..., from the Book of the Fifth; in: The Chapter on the Merits of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib..., from the Book of the Virtues of the Companions; in: The Chapter on the Work of a Woman in her Husband's House, from the Book of Maintenance; and in: The Chapter on Takbir and Tasbih Before Sleeping, from the Book of Invocations. Sahih al-Bukhari 4/102, 5/24, 7/84, 8/87. Also by Abu Dawud in: The Chapter on Tasbih Before Sleep, from the Book of Etiquette. Sunan Abi Dawud 2/609, 610. And by Imam Ahmad in: al-Musnad 1/136, 153.
