مِيثَاقٌ غَلِيظٌ : حُقُوقٌ مُتَبَادَلَةٌ، وَقُلُوبٌ مُتَرَاحِمَةٌ : A Solemn Covenant: Mutual Rights and Compassionate Hearts

Al Quran is the final Holy Book revealed upon the Last of Prophets Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). The Quran & Sunnah is the only source of holy guidance as it entails detailed instructions for each and every walk of human life. Here guidance from Quran for the followers of Islam (مِيثَاقٌ غَلِيظٌ : حُقُوقٌ مُتَبَادَلَةٌ، وَقُلُوبٌ مُتَرَاحِمَةٌ : A Solemn Covenant: Mutual Rights and Compassionate Hearts) is discussed wrt the mutual rights and compassion as a solemn covenant for better living from Quran and Hadith of Prophet ﷺ. This is an approved Jumma Khutba from the Sultanate of Oman and translated in English.

أَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In the name of ALLAH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

مِيثَاقٌ غَلِيظٌ ... حُقُوقٌ مُتَبَادَلَةٌ، وَقُلُوبٌ مُتَرَاحِمَةٌ

A Solemn Covenant... Mutual Rights and Compassionate Hearts

Praise be to Allah, Who facilitated marriage to serve as a source of tranquility, and Who placed affection, mercy, and security between spouses. We bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, with no partner, and we bear witness that our master and prophet, Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the servant of Allah and His Messenger—the best of people and the most devoted to his family. May peace and blessings be upon him, his family, his companions, and those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment. This is the translation of the recited verse from Surah Al Room:

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فاعوذ باللہ من الشیطان الرجیم- بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

وَمِنۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦۤ أَنۡ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٲجً۬ا لِّتَسۡكُنُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَڪُم مَّوَدَّةً۬ وَرَحۡمَةً‌ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.

Surah Al Room – 21

O servants of ALLAH: Fear ALLAH and Adopt piety, for piety is the gateway to happiness. ALLAH says in Surah Al Nisa

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسٍ۬ وَٲحِدَةٍ۬ وَخَلَقَ مِنۡہَا زَوۡجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنۡہُمَا رِجَالاً۬ كَثِيرً۬ا وَنِسَآءً۬‌ۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡأَرۡحَامَ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ رَقِيبً۬ا

O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women; and fear Allâh through Whom you demand (your mutual rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship)[]. Surely, Allâh is Ever an All¬Watcher over you.

Surah An Nisa – 1

Know, O believers, that Allah has ordained marriage as a source of tranquility, established it upon affection and mercy, and provided the means of stability that help the spouses build a secure and peaceful home. Amidst the pressures, challenges, and vexations that characterize life today, the discerning Muslim realizes that a successful marriage is not defined by the absence of challenges; rather, it depends on interacting with it well, in accordance with the guidance of Allah the Almighty—who outlined the principles of marital life in His Book, and whose Messenger (peace be upon him) embodied them in his life story. By following this guidance, challenges transform into opportunities to deepen affection, instill mercy, and strengthen stability; for Allah has made marriage a solemn covenant founded upon faithfulness, kind companionship, and the acceptance of responsibility. ALLAH says in Surah Al Nisa

وَأَخَذۡنَ مِنڪُم مِّيثَـٰقًا غَلِيظً۬ا

and they have taken from you a firm and strong covenant?

Surah An Nisa – 21-Part

He then established the relationship between spouses upon three pillars that cause problems to vanish; Allah—Lord of the earth and the heavens—says in Surah Al Room:

وَمِنۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦۤ أَنۡ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٲجً۬ا لِّتَسۡكُنُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَڪُم مَّوَدَّةً۬ وَرَحۡمَةً‌ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.

Surah Al Room – 21

O Muslims: Noble households are not devoid of situations that put forbearance and patience to the test, calling for gracious conduct in relationships. It was Allah’s will that such dynamics occur even within the homes of the Prophets, so that their guidance might remain a light leading people toward proper conduct when disagreements arise. Yet, the greatness of their souls, the sublimity of their character, and the soundness of their judgment ensured that such passing incidents unfolded calmly, preserving the standing of affection and the impact of kindness. Mercy, too, has its place; the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would handle situations with wisdom and embrace emotions with gentleness. He once said to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): "I know when you are pleased with me and when you are angry with me." She asked, "How do you know that, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied, "When you are pleased with me, you say, 'No, by the Lord of Muhammad'; but when you are angry with me, you say, 'No, by the Lord of Abraham.'" She said, "Indeed—by Allah, O Messenger of Allah—I forsake nothing but your name." He (peace and blessings be upon him) would perceive emotions through the lens of mercy; he would not stoke the fires of anger nor meet an emotional outburst with a similar reaction. Instead, he would handle such situations with wisdom and gentleness. Marital happiness begins with understanding one another and is sustained by moderation in one’s reactions; indeed, kind and gracious treatment of one’s spouse is the true measure of noble character and the perfection of manhood. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The best of you is the one who is best to his family, and I am the best of you to my family."

Servants of Allah: The Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—graduated from the school of Prophethood. Consequently, the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was reflected in their homes as affection and mercy, and in their interactions as kindness and benevolence, in obedience to the words of Allah the Almighty: […]. They translated this divine directive into practical behavior and attitudes overflowing with respect and appreciation. For instance, Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "I love to adorn myself for my wife just as I love for her to adorn herself for me," Allah the Almighty says in Surah Al Baqara:

وَلَهُنَّ مِثۡلُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيۡہِنَّ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ‌ۚ

And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable,

Surah Al Baqara – 228-Part

Thus, they understood that the stability of marital life rests upon the mutual observance of rights and a race between the spouses to fulfill their obligations before demanding their own entitlements. In this way, affection grows, trust is cemented, and the causes of discord are dispelled before they can escalate, ensuring homes remain filled with harmony and tranquility.

So fear Allah—O servants of Allah—and be certain that kind treatment between spouses is a righteous deed for which you are rewarded; for Allah—Glorified be He—says in Surah Al Nahl:

مَنۡ عَمِلَ صَـٰلِحً۬ا مِّن ذَڪَرٍ أَوۡ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤۡمِنٌ۬ فَلَنُحۡيِيَنَّهُ ۥ حَيَوٰةً۬ طَيِّبَةً۬‌ۖ وَلَنَجۡزِيَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡرَهُم بِأَحۡسَنِ مَا ڪَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islâmic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter).

Surah An Nahl – 97

أقولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُالرَّحِيمُ، وَادْعُوهُ يَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ البَرُّ الكَرِيمُ

I say what you hear, and I ask forgiveness from ALLAH Almighty for me and for you, so ask forgiveness from Him and He will forgive you, for He is the Forgiving and Merciful, and pray to Him and He will answer you, for He is The noble righteousness.

الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الْوَلِيِّ الْحَمِيدِ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، الْمُوَفَّقُ بِالرَّأْيِ وَالْفِعْلِ السَّدِيدِ، ﷺ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ السَّالِكِينَ دَرْبَ نَبِيِّهِمُ الرَّشِيدِ

Praise be to Allah, the Guardian, the Praiseworthy. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the Messenger of Allah—guided to sound judgment and righteous action—may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family, and his companions who follow the path of their rightly-guided Prophet.

To proceed: Fear Allah—O servants of Allah—and know that a tranquil marital life is not left to mere chance or luck; rather, it is a solid structure built through the shared awareness and responsibility of both partners. To safeguard our homes against problems that bring distress and tear the family apart, here are some steps rooted in the Qur’an and Sunnah—a guide for those seeking happiness. The first of these is: The principle of "intelligent overlooking" is rooted in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Let no believing man harbor hatred toward a believing woman; if he dislikes a certain trait in her, he is pleased with another." From this Prophetic guidance, we learn that marital happiness flourishes through the practice of graciously overlooking faults, focusing on virtues, and maintaining a positive view of one’s spouse. A believer looks for the good qualities in their life partner and uses them as a foundation to strengthen affection; this ensures enduring harmony and mitigates the impact of minor lapses, for the perfection of marital life is achieved by prioritizing the virtues of companionship over fleeting errors. The second principle for a stable marital life is safeguarding its secrets, preserving its privacy, and keeping it away from public gatherings and social media platforms; for once a secret leaves the home, its reach widens and its consequences escalate—often fueled by speculation, inflamed by comparisons, and corrupted by personal whims. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Among the people with the worst status before Allah on the Day of Resurrection is a man who has intimate relations with his wife—and she with him—and then spreads her secrets." This matter of etiquette is a trust shared by the spouses; each is entrusted with the other, a guardian of the sanctity of their home, and a builder of its tranquility. The third principle—O servants of Allah—is shared faith within the marital home: reciting the Qur’an, performing prayers, and engaging in the remembrance of Allah and seeking His forgiveness. From a home characterized by this state, Satan is driven away from the threshold, and tranquility descends upon it. The Mercy Bestowed (peace and blessings be upon him) says: "May Allah have mercy on a man who rises at night to pray and wakes his wife to pray; if she refuses, he sprinkles water on her face. And may Allah have mercy on a woman who rises at night to pray and wakes her husband to pray; if he refuses, she sprinkles water on his face."

So fear Allah, O servants of Allah, and cooperate to safeguard your homes and ensure the prosperity of your families. ALLAH says in Surah Al Maeda:

وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ‌ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٲنِ‌ۚ

Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression.

Surah Al Maeda – 2-Part