They are protectors over women, commanding and forbidding them, just as rulers are over their subjects. They are called protectors for this reason. The pronoun in some of them refers to both men and women, meaning they were dominant over them due to Allah's preference of some over others, and they are the men over the women. This indicates that authority is deserved by virtue, not by overpowering, dominance, or oppression. They have mentioned in the virtue of men: intellect, prudence, determination, strength, writing—generally—horsemanship, archery, and that among them are the prophets and scholars. They hold the major and minor leadership, jihad, the call to prayer, the sermon, seclusion, and the Takbir of Tashriq according to Abu Hanifa, and testimony in punishments, retribution, the increase of shares, and the right of inheritance, and the guardianship in marriage, divorce, and return, the number of spouses, and to them belongs lineage, and they are the people of beards and turbans, and because of what they spend in marrying them from their wealth in dowries and expenses. It was narrated that Sa'd ibn al-Rabi', who was a leader among the Ansar, struck his wife Habibah bint Zayd ibn Abi Zahir. Her father took her to the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and said: 'He has struck my daughter.' He said: 'Let her take retribution from him.' Then this verse was revealed, and the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: 'We intended a matter, and Allah intended another matter, and what Allah intended is better.' [[Thus it is mentioned by al-Tha'labi and al-Wahidi from Muqatil. And Abu Dawood in the Mursal, Ibn Abi Shaybah, and al-Tabari from al-Hasan that a man struck his wife's face: she came to the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and complained to him. He said: 'Retribution.' Then the verse (Men are protectors over women) was revealed. And from Ibn Mardawayh from Ali with his chain or similar. He did not say 'retribution' and added 'I intended a matter, and Allah intended something else.']] And retribution was lifted. There is a difference of opinion regarding this. It was said that there is no retribution between a man and his wife for anything less than a life, even if he strikes her, but compensation is required. It was said that there is no retribution except for injury and killing. As for a slap and similar, they are obedient and dutiful, fulfilling what is upon them to their husbands, guarding what is hidden from them. This means they are guardians of what they must keep secret when their husbands are not witnessing them, preserving what they must protect in the absence, such as their private parts, homes, and wealth. And from the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him: 'The best of women is one whom when you look at her, she pleases you, and when you command her, she obeys you, and when you are absent, she guards you in her wealth and herself.' And he recited the verse [[Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Hakim, and al-Tirmidhi from the narration of Mujahid from Ibn Abbas: 'When the verse about those who hoard gold and silver was revealed, the hadith mentions—should I not inform you of the best thing to hoard? A righteous woman: when you look at her, she pleases you, and when you command her, she obeys you. And when you are absent, she guards you.' And for al-Nasa'i from the narration of Sa'id al-Maqbari from Abu Huraira, he said: 'The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, was asked about the best of women, and he said: 'The one who obeys when commanded and pleases when looked at. And she guards herself and her wealth.' And its chain is good. And it was narrated by al-Bazzar, al-Hakim, al-Tabari, and others through various routes from Sa'id. And there is a narration from Abu Umamah in Ibn Majah, but its chain is weak. And from Abdullah ibn Salam in al-Tabarani. And from Thawban and others.]] And it was said (for the hidden) for their secrets, by what Allah has preserved them, as He advised their husbands regarding them in His Book and commanded His Messenger, blessings and peace be upon him, saying: 'Advise concerning women well.' [[Agreed upon from the hadith of Abu Hazim from Abu Huraira. It has been previously mentioned from another source.]] Or by what Allah has preserved them and protected them and guided them to guard the hidden, or by what Allah has preserved them when He promised them great reward for guarding the hidden, and warned them of severe punishment for betrayal. And 'what' is a source.

And it was recited (بِما حَفِظَ اللَّهُ) with the accusative, meaning that ما is relative, that is, guardians of the unseen by the command that preserves the right of Allah and the trust of Allah, which is chastity, protection, compassion towards men, and advising them. Ibn Mas'ud read: 'The righteous are guardians of the unseen by what Allah has preserved, so turn to them.' The term نشوزها and نشوصها means that she disobeys her husband and does not feel secure with him, and its origin is restlessness in the beds during sleeping. That is, do not bring them under the grave, or it is a metaphor for sexual intercourse. It was said that it means turning one's back to her in bed, and it was said: in the beds: in their houses where they spend the night. That is, do not spend the night with them. And it was recited: in the bed, and in the place of lying down. This is to understand their conditions and to ascertain their matter in the state of disobedience. He commanded to advise them first. [Mahmoud said: 'Allah commanded to advise them first... etc.' Ahmad said: 'This order among these connected actions is not derived from a verbal form, as the conjunction with the waw does not imply order, but is merely indicative of gathering. Rather, the mentioned order is derived from external clues understood from the intended meaning of the speech and its context.'] Then to forsake them in the beds, and then to strike them if advising and forsaking do not succeed with them. It was said: its meaning is to compel them [He returned to his words. Mahmoud said: 'And it was said: its meaning is to compel them... etc.' Ahmad said: 'And perhaps this interpreter is supported by His saying (فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ), for it indicates a prior compulsion regarding a matter, and the clue of the beds indicates that it is sexual intercourse. And the statement of al-Zamakhshari regarding this interpreter is excessive.'] to sexual intercourse and tie them, from the forsaking of the camel when it is tied with a rope.

This is from the interpretation of the heavy burdens. They said: the strike should not be severe, so that it does not injure her or break a bone, and the face should be avoided. And from the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him: 'Hang your whip where your family can see it.' [Narrated by al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad from the hadith of Ibn Abbas, and in it is Ibn Abi Layla the judge, and there is weakness in it. And there is a narration from Ibn Amr narrated by Abu Nu'aym in Al-Hilya in the biography of Al-Hasan ibn Salih from his narration of Abdullah ibn Dinār from him, with the wording 'Hang the whip where the people of the house can see it.' And from Jabir, he raised it: 'May Allah have mercy on a man who hangs a whip where the people of the house can see it.' And from Jabir, he raised it: 'May Allah have mercy on a man who hangs a whip in his house to discipline his family.' And in its chain is 'Abbad ibn Kathir, who is weak.'] And from Asma bint Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with them: I was the fourth of four women with Al-Zubair ibn Al-Awwam, and when he became angry with one of us, he would strike her with a stick of the clothes rack [The saying 'he struck her with a stick of the clothes rack' in the dictionaries: the clothes rack is the wooden stick on which clothes are hung. (A)] until he would break it on her. [Narrated by Al-Thalabi from the narration of Abu Usamah from Hisham ibn Urwah from his father from her with this wording, and 'Abd al-Razzaq reported to us from Ma'mar from Hisham from his father saying 'Al-Zubair was strict with women and would break the sticks of the clothes racks on them.' And Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us from Hafs ibn Ghayath, he narrated to us from Hisham about it.] And it is narrated from Al-Zubair in verses including:

'And if it were not for her children around her, I would have struck her.'

So do not seek a way against them, and remove from them the exposure to harm and reproach and injustice, and repent for them and make what was from them as if it had not been after their return to obedience and submission and leaving disobedience. Indeed, Allah is Exalted and Great, so beware of Him and know that His power over you is greater than your power over those in your hands.

It is narrated that Abu Mas'ud Al-Ansari raised his whip to strike a slave of his, and the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, saw him and shouted: 'O Abu Mas'ud, Allah is more capable of you over him than you are over him,' so he threw the whip and freed the slave. [Narrated by Muslim from his hadith in a similar manner, and he said at the end: 'If you had not done so, the fire would have scorched you.'] Or indeed, Allah is Exalted and Great, and you disobey Him despite His high status and the grandeur of His sovereignty, then you repent and He repents upon you, so you are more deserving of pardon from those who come to you when they return.