Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying “When a man calls his wife to come to his bed and she refuses and does not come to him and he spends the night angry, the angels curse her till the morning.”
Hadith Text & Reference
Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: "When a man calls his wife to come to his bed and she refuses and does not come to him and he spends the night angry, the angels curse her till the morning."
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 2141 | Book: Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah)
Scholarly Commentary
This hadith establishes the gravity of a wife's refusal to fulfill her husband's legitimate request for intimacy without valid religious excuse. The angels' curse signifies divine displeasure, as marital relations are among the primary purposes of marriage and a means of attaining tranquility.
Classical scholars emphasize this applies only when the husband's request is within Islamic boundaries and the wife refuses without valid shari'i reason such as illness, fasting obligatory fasts, or during menstruation. The anger mentioned refers to legitimate displeasure at the denial of a marital right.
This ruling serves to protect the foundation of marriage and maintain harmony between spouses. However, scholars also stress the reciprocal nature of marital rights and that husbands must approach their wives with kindness and consideration.
Legal Rulings & Conditions
The curse applies only when: (1) The request is lawful, (2) The refusal is without valid excuse, (3) The husband spends the night genuinely displeased, and (4) The wife's refusal is willful and obstinate.
Valid excuses include: menstrual period, illness, physical inability, fasting obligatory fasts, recent childbirth, or legitimate fear of harm. The husband's approach must also be respectful and within reasonable circumstances.
Spiritual Wisdom
This teaching highlights the spiritual dimension of marital relations in Islam, transforming physical intimacy into an act of worship when performed with right intention. The preservation of marital harmony is of such importance that divine forces intervene when it is disrupted without cause.
The temporal limitation of the curse ("till the morning") indicates Allah's mercy and provides opportunity for repentance and reconciliation. This serves as both a warning and an encouragement to maintain the sacred bond of marriage.