All praise is due only to Allaah. We laud Him and beseech His

Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) treatment of his wives
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At the time when our beloved Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) 
passed away, he left nine wives. These blessed wives of Nabi 
(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) were not angels who fell from the 
heavens. They were normal women and the usual rivalry which 
is natural between co-wives also took place amongst them. The 
issues which normally spring up between husband and wife 
also occurred to Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and his 
wives. Hadhrat Aishah (radhiallahu anha) says that not only did 
Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) never lift his hand on any 
female his entire life, but whenever he entered the home, he 
would do so smiling. 
The Sunnat of Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) 
The Sunnat of our Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was this 
that he never ever struck any woman. Although there is consent 
to strike the wife, nonetheless, this is only in extreme 
circumstances. But better than that is to practice on the Sunnat 
of Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), which is never to strike a 
woman, and to always enter the home smiling. 
 The importance of the husband/wife relationship
We understand that the relationship between the husband and 
the wife is of utmost importance. The Shariah and Nabi 
(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had laid much stress on this. If the 
spouses do not fulfil the rights of each other then the 
repercussions of this will reflect on not only their home-
environment, but on both their families. This in turn will have 
an adverse effect on society as a whole. 
Women are your prisoners
Hadhrat Amar bin Ahwas (radhiallahu anhu) states that Nabi 
(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) once gave a sermon where he 
praised Allaah Ta'ala, and said, 
“Listen carefully! I advise you 
to have amicable relations with your wives. They are prisoners 

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which cannot be tolerated and need rectification, and this is his 
duty, then too, the Qur`aan Majeed prescribes the manner in 
which to go about it. Allaah Ta`ala states in the Qur`aan 
Majeed, 
“And those women from which you fear evil, you 
should counsel them, and then (if this does not work) separate 
yourselves from their beds and (if this also bears no result) 
then you should strike them (very lightly, i.e. NOT beat them).”
[Surah Nisaa, Aayat 34] 
Firstly the husband should counsel the wife with kindness and 
compassion. This is the first stage. If she corrects her ways 
after the advices, then enough, the husband should not proceed 
any further. If this stage fails, then the husband should separate 
from her bed and sleep in another room. If she reforms and 
rectifies her errors, then the husband should leave the matter 
right there and not proceed any further.