Excessive Eaters

When it came to jurisprudence, the ‘فقهاء’ [classical jurists] did not leave a single stone un-turned … one example is their discussion regarding a wife who eats excessively … can this be ground for divorce?

1- In ‘mawahib al-Jalil’, [5/543]:
ابن يونس: إن وجد المرأة أكولة فليس له فسخ نكاحها إما أشبعها أوطلقها
‘If he finds out that his wife is a heavy-eater, then he cannot annul her marriage. He either satisfies her cravings or divorces her.’

2- Al-Dardir says ‘Sharh al-Kabir’, [2/509]:
ويجب عليه ما يكفيها من القوت (وإن أكولة) جدا وهي مصيبة نزلت به
‘He is obliged to feed her, ‘even if she is a heavy-eater’. It’s a DISASTER that has descended upon him.’

3- In ‘Hashiyah’ of Dasuqi [2/509]:
وهذا ما لم يشترط كونها غير أكولة ، وإلا فله ردها ما لم ترض بالوسط

Note: This is not Qur’an or Hadith , these are ijtihadat of fuqaha. The Prophet said a man will be rewarded for even putting a morsel of food in his wife’s mouth … so the more she needs, the more food he puts into her mouth, the more reward he gets …..

Perspective matters people……..