Leadership Roles of Husband and Wife in Promoting Family Wellbeing from the Qur’anic Perspective

Leadership within the family constitutes a foundational element in ensuring stability, harmony, and overall wellbeing. In Islamic family law and Qur’anic discourse, leadership is not merely associated with authority or decision-making power, but is intrinsically linked to responsibility, accountability, and ethical conduct. This article examines the concept of leadership of husbands and wives in shaping a prosperous and well-beingoriented family from a Qur’anic perspective. A qualitative research approach was adopted in this study, employing content analysis of primary sources, namely relevant Qur’anic verses and Hadiths, alongside secondary sources including classical and contemporary scholarly interpretations. The method involved systematic identification, categorisation, and thematic analysis of texts to explore the roles and responsibilities assigned to both spouses within the framework of Islamic family law. The discussion highlights the complementary and cooperative nature of husband and wife leadership, showing that the husband’s role encompasses responsibility for provision, guidance, and protection, while the wife’s role emphasizes support, care, obedience, and the safeguarding of family dignity. Both roles are interdependent, and their proper execution, guided by Qur’anic principles and ethical conduct, contributes to harmony, resilience, and emotional stability within the household. The study concludes that family well-being can only be realised through mutual collaboration, faith-based ethical leadership, and the fulfilment of divinely ordained responsibilities by both spouses.

Islamic family law, family leadership

1. Ahmad Helwani Syafi’I & Muhammad Syaoki, (2018) Human Character in the Qur’anic Perspective: Surah Luqman, Komunike. Indonesia: Universitas Muhammadiyah Mataram [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Yunus, A.R.M. (2004). The Concept of Human Leadership. Ulum Islamiyyah. Vol 3(1). Malaysia: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Al-Ghazali (2017). Ihya’ Ulumuddin. (trans. Akhyar LC & Syahrin Jusoh). Kuala Lumpur: Pustaka Al Shafa [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Al-Qurṭubi, A.A.M. (2006). Al-Jami‘ li Aḥkam al-Qur’an (Vol. 6). Beirut: Mu’assasah alRisalah.Fingerman K. L., Pitzer L., Lefkowitz E. S., Birditt K. S., & Mroczek D (2008). Ambivalent Relationship Qualities Between Adults And Their Parents: Implications For The Well-Being Of Both Parties. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Ibn Khatir, Ismail Bin Umar (1998), Tafsir al-Qur’anil al-azim, Darul Kutub al-'Ilmiyyah. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Ibn Manzur, Jamal al-Din Muḥammad bin Mukrim (t.t.), Lisan al-‘Arab, vol. 12. Beirut: Dar Sadir Ibnu Hasyim (1992). Marriage Personality. Kuala Lumpur: GG Edar [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Jasmi, K. A., Mohammad, A., & Mohamed, A. K. (2004). Foundations of marital happiness according to Al-Nawawi’s paradigm. In National Family Development Seminar (pp. 1–12). Malaysia: Universiti Malaya. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Kevin A.Galbraith & Jay D.Schvaneveldt (2009), Family Leadership Styles And Family Well-Being, Journal of Family And Consumer Sciences 33(3) [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Abu Bakar, M. Z., & Wan Abdullah, W. A. R. K. (2008). An analysis of the issues of the rights of spouses in Islamic family law in Malaysia. Journal of Ethics, Legal and Governance, 4, 35–52. Universiti Utara Malaysia. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Mohamad, R. E., Baharuddin, E., & et al. (2021). Causes of divorce among adult Muslim couples: Insights from the authorities. Jurnal Pengurusan dan Penyelidikan Fatwa, 26(2). Kuala Lumpur: Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Rozita Ibrahim, Muhammad Rahimi Hasan & Bahiyah Abdul Hamid, (2018). Definition of leadership, characteristics of leaders, and motivation to lead from the perspective of grassroots women leaders.. Jurnal Pengajian Umum Asia Tenggara. V. 19: 28-42. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Sayyid Qutb, (1992) Tafsir Fi Zilal al-Quran, Beirut: Dar al-Syuruq [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Syed Ismail al-Qudsy, S. H. (2021). Women’s leadership from the perspective of Siyasah Shar‘iyyah. Jurnal ‘Ulwan, 6(3), 111–135. Kuala Lumpur: Universiti Malaya. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Halimah, S., & Azahari, R. (2020). Husband leadership in the Islamic perspective: Its role in strengthening the family institution. Jurnal Syariah, 28(2), 127–156. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Putung, S. H., & Basir, D. H. A. G. (2017). Husband involvement in household tasks: A case study in Sabah. Jurnal Fiqh, 14, 1–26. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Shafiyurahman al-Mubarakfuri, S. (2000). Al-Mishbah al-Munir fi Tahdhib Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 2). Riyadh: Daarus Salaam Lin Nasyr Wat Tauzi’. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Bahri, S. (2015). The concept of sustenance (Nafaqah) in Islamic law. Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, 66, 281–399. Indonesia: Redaksi Kanun. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Tengku Ismail, T. A., & Sulaiman, Z. (2020). Household well-being during the Movement Control Order: Kelantan. Kubang Kerian, Malaysia: Universiti Sains Malaysia. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Data Integration in Malaysian Syariah Courts: A Study of Challenges and Solutions
• The Concept of Family Well-Being from the Perspectives of Islam, Western Thought and Malaysia Madani
• Leveraging AI Tools for Islamic Scholarship: Podcast and eBook Innovations in Teaching the Sunni Intellectual Tradition
• Cryptocurrency and Shariah: Analyzing the Implications of Islamic Jurisprudence on Bitcoin and its Ethical Framework
• Islamic Credit Card and its Value-Based Proposition: A Perspective from Maqasid Al-Shariah