He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, instructed men to be kind to women:

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhiwa sallam, said: “Adhere to my instructions with regard to women: Actkindly towards women.”

An-Nawawi said: “The narration encourages kindness to women and enduringwrong behavior when it happens and tolerate it and act softly in return.”The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also said: “Women were created from a crooked rib. If you attempt to straighten it; you will break it. So tolerate her behavior you will live with her happily.

He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, repeatedly instructed men to treat women kindly on every occasion. In his sermon during the Farewell Pilgrimage, he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, singled out a section of his speech for this purpose saying: “Treat women kindly, for they are like captives in your hands.

The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, repeated these instructions with regard to women, because he knew that they have the tendency of repeating the behavior that would upset their husbands and that few men would be able to endure patiently and that most men would be enraged by their conduct. This would consequently lead to divorce and division of the family.

Knowing this, the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, instructed husbands to the method which would help maintain the unity of the family and harmony in marital life. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “A believer must not hate a believing woman [his wife]; if he dislikes one of her characteristics he will be pleased with another.”

An-Nawawi said: “Meaning, he should not hate her because even if she has a dispraised quality, he will see in her qualities that are pleasing to him. For example, a woman may be aggressive but very religious, she may speak to him rudely, but she is chaste, and so on

The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, always treated his wives with gentleness and was always cheerful. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was keen on making them happy, sitting with them, joking with them, consulting them, listening to them, condoling them, checking on them and would overlook their mistakes and shortcomings.

In fact, he used to instruct people to treat his wives’ people kindly. Abu Tharr (a Companion) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “You would soon conquer Egypt and that is a land which is known [as the land of Al-Qeeraat]4. So when you conquer it, treat its inhabitants well for there lies upon you the responsibility due to blood relationship and responsibility due to the relationship of marriage.

An-Nawawi said: “The term, “the responsibility due to blood relationship” means, they have a due right to them because Hagar the mother of Prophet Ishmael was from them. The term, “responsibility due to relationship of marriage” because the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, married a woman from them (Maariyah the mother of his son Ibraaheem)