In The Ideal Muslimah, The True Islamic Personality of the Muslim Woman
as Defined in the Qur'an and Sunnah. The famous work by Dr. Muhammad Ali Al-Hashimi, it says:
Marriage in Islam is intended to protect the chastity of men and women alike, therefore it is the woman's duty to respond to her husband's requests for conjugal relations. She should not give silly excuses and try to avoid it. For this reason, several hadith urge a wife to respond to her husband's needs as much as she is able, no matter how busy she may be or whatever obstacles there may be, so long as there is no urgent or unavoidable reason not to do so.
In one of these hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) said:
"If a man calls his wife to his bed, let her respond, even if she is riding her camel [i.e., very busy]."
And: "If a man calls his wife, then let her come, even if she is busy at the oven."
The issue of protecting a man's chastity and keeping him away from temptation is more important than anything else that a woman can do, because Islam wants men and women alike to live in an environment which is entirely pure and free from any motive of fitnah or haram pleasures. The flames of sexual desire and thoughts of pursuing them through haram means can only be extinguished by means of discharging that natural energy in natural and lawful ways. This is what the Prophet (PBUH) meant in the hadith narrated by Muslim from Jabir: "If anyone of you is attracted to a woman, let him go to his wife and have intercourse with her, for that will calm him down."
The way we dress and present ourselves at home is very important for the Muslim woman. Not only does it play a role in averting temptations but reflects on how we feel. How we feel reflects in our attitudes and on those around us. Winter time in particular can be the worst time as we have limited day light exposure, tend to stay in the house more and can get lazy. Below are some tips on dressing for inside the home and some advise on making your money work best in your wardrobe.
The Muslim woman does not need clothing for 4 seasons because she wears different clothing to go outside. So she is free to wear attractive clothing under her garments or in the home.
Most of us don't wear shoes in our homes, however I recommend shoes specifically for inside the house. They dress up the outfit and make it more attractive and fun. I recommend slip on type shoes rather than strap on's so they can be easily removed and put back on again. Shoes can be expensive but I consider them a major part of any outfit. Look through your closet and find which colors you use most. Buy 3 or 4 pairs of shoes to go with those outfits. These can be bought throughout the year.
It's important to be practical. Hit the off season sale racks and shop sales year round. Now is a great time to buy cardigans!
We put together 29 different outfits that look great for roughly $100 each. All skirts hems drop below the knees, tops are casual but pretty. The outfits are simple and can be dressed up with inexpensive jewelry and shoes. Add stockings and a cardigan type sweater in the winter and you have an outfit that will work year round! Pick a color scheme and stick to it.
You will be surprised how a simple thing like dressing up will revitalize your marriage, improve the attitude of your children, and boost your self image! Our example will inshallah also teach our daughters good grooming skills for the future.
-Badreya
Go to Mix n Match to see at least 29 year Round Outfits we came up with!
