Q 1: A husband promised his wife saying, for example, "If you obey me, I will give you a bracelet." Will he be obliged to fulfill his promise or not? You may say that he should, but taking (Part No. 26; Page No. 117) fees in return for an obligatory matter is not permissible, as said by Imam Al-Suyuty in "Al-Ashbah-wal-Nadha'ir" saying, "It is not permissible to take fees in return for an obligatory matter." Again, you may say that he should not, but Allah (Exalted be He) says, And fulfil (every) covenant. Verily, the covenant, will be questioned about.

A: Fulfilling a promise or a covenant is one of the signs of Iman (Faith/belief); whereas breaking it is a characteristic of hypocrisy. When the hypocrites speak, they tell lies, and when they make a promise, they break it.Therefore, when a husband promises to give his wife a present or whatever if she obeys him in a lawful matter, he should fulfill that promise for the sake of observing the high moral standards of Islam and avoiding hypocrisy as a result of breaking a promise or a covenant. Furthermore, this would encourage the wife to be more obedient and kind towards her husband. It should be said that the bracelet here offered to the wife does not take the literal meaning of fees given in return for obedience; rather it is a sign of the husband's estimation of his wife, softening her heart towards him as well as strengthening the bonds of marital life between the spouses. In this sense, it is a means of encouragement to observe her duties and it is closer to reward and prize more than actual fees given to the wife in return for obedience.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.