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Fatwa CenterHusband Is Not Obligated to Do House Chores
Question
Salam. Is there any authentic narration that says that our Prophet (PBUH) used to cook? we know that He (PBUH) used to help in the house but is it proven that He (PBUH) used to cook? Many Callers to Islam in my country cite the above and urge men to help in the kitchen and cooking and dishes. In my country, it is the custom that only women manage the kitchen and cooking and men typically do the manly chores like moving heavy things around the house, cleaning his own clothes and shoes, fixing things, etc. Isn't it sufficient for men to do these chores in the house? Men who does the kitchen work are seen as feminine here. So is it a sin if men avoid doing the kitchen work and do only the masculine chores? Is it okay for women to insist that their husbands help them in the chores that are traditionally known as feminine? It is known that our Prophet (PBUH) divided the household chores between Hazrat Ali (RA) and Hazrat Fatima (RA) and He (PBUH) delegated the indoor works to Hazrat Fatima (RA). please detail
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
We did not find in the Sunnah what indicates that the Prophet used to cook food in his house. What is known in this regard is the general indication of the Hadeeth cited in Saheeh Al-Bukhari on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah 
in which she was asked: “What did the Prophet use to do in his house?’ She said: “He used to keep himself busy serving his family, but when the time of the Prayer would come, he would go out to it.”
Service is a general term that includes all the chores that are customarily carried out by men to help their wives at home. Ibn Rajab 
said in Fat-h Al-Baari: “‘Aa’ishah explained the nature of this ‘service’ in another narration reported on her authority. It was narrated that Al-Miqdaam ibn Shurayh reported on the authority of his father that he asked ‘Aa’ishah ‘What did the Prophet do when he was at home?’ She replied, ‘He did what one of you would do in his house; he mended his sandals, patched his garment, and arranged things.’
Mu‘aawiyah ibn Saalih narrated on the authority of Yahya ibn Sa‘eed from ‘Amrah that she asked ‘Aa’ishah ‘What did the Prophet use to do in his house?’ She said: ‘He was a human from among the humans; he used to serve himself, milk his ewe, patch his garment, and mend his sandals.’
It was also narrated, in Saheeh Ibn Hibbaan, on the authority of Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah, from his father, that it was said to ‘Aa’ishah : “What did the Prophet do in his house?” She said: ‘He sewed his garments, mended his sandals, and did what men customarily do in their houses.’” [End of quote]
This service is considered a manifestation of good companionship and noble morals, but it is not obligatory on men in usual situations. Therefore, a man does not bear a sin if he avoids helping his wife in the kitchen or with other household chores because it is not obligatory on him to do so. Similarly, a woman is only obliged to serve her household within the scope of the customary practice. In fact, if the woman had servants (prior to marriage), or she has an excuse preventing her from serving, like being sick, her husband is obligated to provide her with a servant, as mentioned by the jurists.
A woman should not insist that her husband must help her with the chores that are customarily performed by women. Rather, if doing so is considered customarily discreditable to the man or to his wife, he should avoid it. Al-‘Iraaqi said in Tarh At-Tathreeb: “The Shaafi’i scholars held that the preponderant opinion regarding the case when a husband is obligated to provide his wife with a servant and he says: ‘I will serve her (instead),’ to save the expenses of the servant, he must not do so. They explained that it would be customarily embarrassing and discreditable to her…” [End of quote]
Allah Knows best.
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