In Islam is it obligatory for a wife to cook and clean in the home?

In a Nutshell: It is not obligatory upon a wife to cook and clean in the home - however it is usually customary that she does this whilst the husband goes out to work. Is is obligatory for a wife to cook and clean? There is a difference of opinion amongst the classical scholars regarding wives serving their husbands ie in relation to cooking and cleaning There are three general positions: 1. One group consider it generally obligatory. This is the opinion of scholars like Ibn Abi Shaybah, Abi Thaur, some Hanafis such as al-Juwzajani, Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Tabari and Muhammad bin Ali bin al-Ityuni (Qurrat al-ayn al-muhtaj 2:415). 2. One group considered it non-obligatory The Hanafis generally consider it a non-compulsory religious obligation as do the Shafi'is, most Hanbalis and some Malikis. Abu Hanifah and Muhammad bin al-Hasan gave this opinion. Ibn Qudamah was certain of it, though he preceded his opinion by saying: “However, it is best that she perform whatever is customary for wives to perform because it is the custom, the situation won’t be right without it, and society won’t function without it.” 3. One group considered it obligatory in certain circumstances The Malikis consider it obligatory if the husband happens to be poor or she is not from the upper echelons of society where she is accustomed to servants undertaking cooking and cleaning roles. Evidences The differences between the scholars arise from the ambiguity in the source evidences that address this issue. Fatimah (ra), the daughter of the Prophet (saw) asked him for a servant. He said, Shall I not tell you of something that is better for you than that? When you go to sleep, say Subhan-Allah (Glory be to Allah) thirty three times, Al-Hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah) thirty three times, and Allahu akbar (Allah is Most Great) thirty four times. (Sahih al-Bukhari) Asma bint Abi Bakr (ra) said: "I married al-Zubayr and he had no wealth on earth and no slaves, nothing except a camel for bringing water and his horse. I used to feed his horse and bring water, and I used to sew patches on the bucket. I made dough but I was not good at baking bread, so my (female) neighbours among the Ansar used to bake bread for me, and they were sincere women. I used to bring date pits from al-Zubayr’s land that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had given to him, carrying them on my head. This land was two-thirds of a farsakh away. One day I came, carrying the date pits on my head, and I met the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who had a group of the Ansar with him. He called me and made his camel kneel down for me to ride behind him, but I felt too shy to go with the men, and I remembered al-Zubayr and his jealousy, for he was the most jealous of people. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) realized that I felt shy, so he moved on. I came to al-Zubayr and told him, I met the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when I was carrying date pits on my head, and he had a group of his Companions with him. He made his camel kneel down for me to ride with him, but I remembered your jealousy. He said, By Allah, it bothers me more that you have to carry the date pits than that you should ride with him. Asma said: After that, Abu Bakr sent me a servant to take care of the horse, and it was as if I had been liberated from slavery." (Sahih al-Bukhari) Jabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah said: My father died and left seven daughters, or nine daughters. I married a woman who had been previously married, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to me, Did you get married, O Jabir? I said, Yes. He asked, A virgin or a previously-married woman? I said, A previously-married woman. He said, Why not a young woman so you could play and joke with one another? I said, ‘Abd-Allah [the father of Jabir] has died and left behind daughters, and I would not like to bring them someone who is like them, so I got married to a woman who can take care of them. He said, May Allah bless you or Fair enough. (Sahih al-Bukhari) Scholarly Opinion The scholars generally considered it to depend on the cultural expectations. If the woman is unable to or from a status where she does not cook, then she is not obliged. Conversely, if she is from a background where this is expected then this becomes included in the marital agreement and she is obliged to cook but a judge will avoid compelling her to do so if the matter goes to court. Imam al-Kasani(rahimauallah) states in his Bada'i al-Sana'i: "If the husband brings food that needs to be cooked, then the wife should cook it, due to the Narration that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) distributed the labour between Siyyuduna Ali and Sayyida Fatima (Allah be pleased with them). The work outside the home was the responsibility of Ali (ra), whereas the household work was the domain of Fatima (ra). It is stated in Hashiyah of Tahtawi on the Durr of al-Haskafi: "These acts are her necessary religious duties in a sense that a Qadi can not force her to carry them out." (3/255) Abu al-Laith(rahimauallah) said: "This is when the wife is unable to cook, or she is from a dignified family. If she is able to cook or she is from those who normally carry out their own jobs, then she will be compelled to do so." (al-Kasani, Bada'i al-Sana'i, 4/24) And in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya: "If she (wife) says: "I will not cook", it is stated in 'al-Kitab': She will not be forced to do so and the husband will be obliged to bring her ready-made food or someone who will cook for her. Abu al-Laith said: " This (neccessity of the husband bringing her food....) is when she is from a upper-class family who normally do not perform the household jobs themselves, or she is not from a upper-class family, but she is incapable of cooking due to some illness or weakness. They (Fuqaha) said: "These (household) jobs are her religious duties, although the Qadi (judge) can not force her. This has also been mentioned in al-Bahr al-Raiq." (al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, 1/548)