Qualities of a wife

“Jabir b. ’Abdullah … reported: ’I married a woman during the lifetime of Allah’s Messenger … I met the Apostle of Allah … whereupon he said: ‘Jabir, have you married?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘A virgin or a woman previously married?’ I said: ‘With one previously married.’ Whereupon he said: ‘Why did your not marry a virgin with whom you may play with?’ I said: ‘Allah’s Messenger, I have sisters; I was afraid that she might intervene between me and them’, whereupon he said: ‘Well for that then. A woman is married for four reasons, for her religion, her property, her status, her beauty, so you should choose one with religion. May your hands cleave with dust.’” (literally: “May your hands remove the hair on the private parts”: a metaphorical expression for get ready for the husband’s company. Before marriage any hair is removed from the body of the bride and the groom.)

Woman – a crooked rib

“Abu Huraira … reported: ‘The woman is created from a rib and will in no way be straightened for you; so if you wish to benefit of her, then benefit of her while crookedness remains in her. And if you attempt to straighten her, you will break her, and breaking her is divorcing her.’”