[satthackacibe]

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم


A`ūdhu billāhi min ash-shaitāni r-rajīm
b-ismi-llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm

The roles are beautifully delegated. In addition to what has been listed here, there is another angle from which to look at the clear-cut differences in roles:

Women are truly blessed in marriages that live up to Islamic standards. We bear children, we nurse children, we nurture children, we care for our coming generation. Men aren't absolved of responsibility, on the contrary, they bear the full responsibility of ensuring the proper tarbiyyah of their children; an overly harsh father can drive a child away, a father who isn't careful can be negligent in his duties. Hence the careful choosing of spouses for each - man and woman.

The relations are so interconnected in kindness, mercy, patience and forgiveness... truly amazing, I see a proper marriage as a favour from Allah (SWT). Man is given an opportunity to be patient and kind towards his wife and children, to be merciful towards them and to forgive them their differences and shortcomings. Women do the same with their husbands and children. We are human and we all have our shortcomings but marriage and marital relations is one area of struggle where jannah has been promised so that tells you how important it is. It is not a minor detail that can be taken for granted. It is not child's play. Nor is it an area to exercise oppression through.

That's just a couple of thoughts. Those of us who have have had broken marriages, know the shortcomings and can clearly see where our (and our ex-spouse's) kindness, patience, mercy and forgiveness may have been lacking.

And Allah (SWT) knows best.