Introduction

In Islamic religious texts, especially in the hadith collections, the position of women has often been depicted through male-centric power relations, which, from a modern reason-based perspective, undermines women's personal autonomy, mental health and human dignity. This article will analyze two notable hadiths: one in which the Prophet Muhammad described the husband as worthy of the wife's prostration (though forbidden), and another in which a woman, engaging in sexual intercourse with her husband beside the corpse of her dead child, conceals her grief. Despite the proven authenticity of these hadiths (hasan or sahih), they present women as subordinate to men's sexual and authoritarian demands, which from a feminist perspective is misogynistic and reinforces patriarchal structures. This analysis will fiercely criticize them on the basis of reason, modern human rights standards and psychological evidence, without giving priority to any religious blind faith or popular opinion.

Prostration to the Husband: A Symbolic Narrative Subordinating Women

In Islamic hadith collections, such as Mishkat al-Masabih, Sunan ad-Darimi and others, a recurring narration is found in which the Prophet Muhammad says that if prostration to anyone other than Allah were lawful, he would have ordered wives to prostrate to their husbands. For example, in hadith number 3266 of Mishkat al-Masabih, narrated from Qays ibn Sa'd (RA): "If I were to tell anyone to prostrate to another, I would order women to prostrate to their husbands." The authenticity of this hadith has been rated as 'hasan'. Similar narrations are found from Abu Hurayrah (RA) at 3255 in Mishkat al-Masabih and at 1501 in Sunan ad-Darimi, where the husband's right over the wife is shown in exaggerated terms.

In modern human rights and rational analysis, this hadith is extremely degrading to women's dignity. Prostration, which usually symbolizes unconditional submission to God, is here compared to the wife's subordination to the husband. It indicates that women are seen as subordinate to men, which from a modern perspective is horribly misogynistic. Such narrations are a reflection of patriarchal society, where women's rights are confined under the husband's authority. No argument says that this is hyperbolic or metaphorical; rather, it directly places women in a position equivalent to worshipping men, which clashes with human equality. In modern psychology, such narrations promote internalized inequality in women, which can cause domestic abuse or mental stress. If this hadith had any historical context that neutralizes it, that is not proven in research; rather, it is an example of undermining women's rights.

Mishkat al-Masabih (Mishkat)
Volume 13: Marriage
Section: 10. Third subsection - Concerning good treatment of wives and the mutual rights of each (husband-wife)
3266-[29] Narrated from Qays ibn Sa'd (RA). He said, I went to the city of 'Hira' (in Iraq, near Kufa) and saw that they were prostrating to their leader in his honor. Seeing this, I said to myself: surely the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is most worthy of being prostrated to. Then I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said, in my journey to Hira I saw that the inhabitants prostrate to their leader. I have decided that you are more deserving of prostration. Hearing this, he (peace be upon him) asked: (then, after my death) when you pass in front of my grave, will you prostrate to the grave? I replied, (surely) no. He (peace be upon him) said, no, (never) do not do it. Because if I were to tell anyone to prostrate to another, I would order women to prostrate to their husbands. (Abu Dawud)[1]
[1] Hasan: Abu Dawud 2140, Darimi 1504, Mustadrak al-Hakim 2763.
Hadith grade: Hasan (Authentic)
Narrator: Qays ibn Sa'd al-Ansari (RA)

Mishkat al-Masabih (Mishkat)
Chapter: Volume 13: Marriage
Publisher: Hadith Academy
Section: 10. Second subsection - Concerning good treatment of wives and the mutual rights of each (husband-wife)
3255-(18) Narrated from Abu Hurayrah (RA). He said, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: if I were to command any human being to prostrate, I would command the wife to prostrate to her husband.(Tirmidhi)(1)
Hadith grade: Hasan (Authentic). 

Sunan ad-Darimi
Chapter: 2. The Chapter of Prayer
Publisher: Bangla Hadith
Section: 159. Prostration to anyone (other than Allah) is forbidden
1501. Narrated from Qays ibn Sa'd (RA). He said, when we traveled to the city of Hira (in Persia), we saw there that they prostrate to their leader/king. Then I said, O Messenger of Allah! Shall we not prostrate to you? He said: "If I were to command any person to prostrate (to someone other than Allah), then surely I would command women to prostrate to their husbands. Because Allah has decreed over them (the wives) a (much greater) haqq (right) for them (the husbands)."(1)
Hadith grade: Hasan (Authentic)

A Companion's Sexual Intercourse with His Dead Child Beside Him

How much priority is given to the husband's sexual gratification over the woman's own emotions and grief in the Islamic family structure becomes clear when analyzing this incident of Abu Talha and his wife Umm Sulaym. In this narration, it is seen that even while her own child lay dead in the house, Umm Sulaym concealed her intense maternal grief, adorned herself for her husband and engaged in sexual intercourse with him (( Sahih al-Bukhari, Tawheed Publication, Hadith Number: 5470 )). By the standards of modern psychology and human values, this is an extremely abnormal picture, in which a woman's natural emotional reaction is completely suppressed and she is seen merely as a means of satisfying the man's sexual needs.

Sahih al-Bukhari (Tawheed Publication)
71/ Aqiqah
Section: 71/1. Naming the child and performing tahnik (chewing something and putting it into the child's mouth) on the day of his birth, for whom no aqiqah will be given.
5470. Narrated from Anas ibn Malik (RA). He said,a son of Abu Talha fell ill. Abu Talha went out, and meanwhile the boy died. Abu Talha returned and asked: how is the boy? Umm Sulaym said: he is more at peace than before. Then she served him the evening meal. He ate. Then he had sexual intercourse with Umm Sulaym. After the intercourse was over, Umm Sulaym said: go and bury the boy. In the morning, Abu Talha came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and told him about the incident. He asked: did you sleep with your wife last night? He said: yes! The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: O Allah! Grant them barakah.
Some days later, Umm Sulaym gave birth to a child. The narrator said: Abu Talha told me, take care of him until I bring him to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Then he brought him to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Umm Sulaym gave him some dates. The Prophet (peace be upon him) took him (in his lap) and asked: is there anything with him? They said: yes, there is. He took it, chewed it, then took it out of his mouth and put it into the baby's mouth. By this he performed his tahnik and named him 'Abdullah. [1301; Muslim 38/5, Hadith: 2144] (Adhunik Prakashani- 5065, Islamic Foundation- 4961)
Narrated from Anas (RA). He narrated the same hadith. (Adhunik Prakashani- 5065, Islamic Foundation- 4962)
Hadith grade: Sahih (Authentic)
Narrator: Anas ibn Malik (RA)

The most significant point is that Muhammad accepted this matter extremely positively and made a special dua asking Allah's barakah or blessing upon that union. Presenting this sexual act beside the corpse of a dead child as a 'noble' or 'blessed' deed is essentially the ultimate insult to a woman's human dignity and personhood. It sends this message to society: in every situation, a woman's primary and obligatory duty is to keep her body available for fulfilling her husband's lustful desires, even at the most tragic moment such as the death of her own child. The lavish praise and dua from the Prophet for this behavior proves that in this religious ruling, the man's so-called sexual right stands far higher than the woman's mental health or suffering. Such narrations reduce women to a position like that of a sex slave, where the husband's gratification — not her motherhood or human essence — is considered the final criterion.

Modern Perspective: Feminism, Human Rights and Reason

From a feminist perspective, these hadiths are examples of gender-based inequality in Islamic texts. These prostration hadiths subordinate women to men, which clashes with modern human rights—such as the UN CEDAW Convention, which ensures gender equality. The sexual intercourse hadith normalizes the suppression of women's emotions, which psychological research identifies as a cause of depression or trauma. No popular opinion or widespread belief supports these; rather, reason shows that they are a reflection of the 7th-century cultural context, which is irrelevant and harmful in today's society.

Conclusion

These hadiths seriously undermine women's rights in Islamic rulings, perpetuating male-centric authority. On the basis of reason and evidence, these must be critically analyzed rather than blindly believed, so that women's dignity is restored. Without respecting any religious sentiment, it is clear that such narrations are inconsistent with feminist progress.