Spreading kindness at home:
'Aa'ishah may Allaah be pleased with her said: "The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam (May Allaah exalt his mention ) said: '"When Allaah, The Almighty,Wills some good towards the people of a household, He introduces kindness among them.'"
According to another report: "When Allaah loves the people of a household, He introduces kindness among them." [Ibn Abu Ad-Dunyaa] In other words, they start to be kind to one another.
This is one of the means of attaining happiness at home, for kindness is very beneficial between the spouses, and with the children, and it brings results that cannot be achieved through harshness, as the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam (May Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "Allaah loves kindness and rewards for it in such a way that He does not reward for harshness or for anything else."
Helping the wife with the housework:
Many men think that housework is beneath them, and some of them think that it will undermine their status and position if they help their wives with this work. The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam (May Allaah exalt his mention ) however, used to "sew his own clothes, mend his own shoes and do whatever other work men do in their homes."
This is how 'Aa'ishah may Allaah be pleased with her responded when she was asked about what the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam (May Allaah exalt his mention ) used to do in his house; she described what she herself had seen. According to another report, she said: "He was like any other human being; he would clean his clothes, milk his ewe and serve himself."
If we Muslim men were to do likewise nowadays, we would achieve three things:
1. We would be following the example of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam (May Allaah exalt his mention).
2. We would be helping our wives.
3. We would feel more humble and down to earth.
These narrations should act as a reminder to those men, who demand food instantly from their wives, when the pot is on the stove and the baby is screaming to be fed; they do not pick up the child or wait a little while for the food.
Being affectionate towards and joking with the members of the family:
Showing affection towards one's wife and children is one of the things that lead to creating an atmosphere of happiness and friendliness in the home. Thus the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam (May Allaah exalt his mention ) advised Jaabir may Allaah be pleased with him to marry a virgin, saying,
"Why did you not marry a virgin, so you could play with her and she could play with you, and you could make her laugh and she could make you laugh?" [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam (May Allaah exalt his mention ) also said: "Everything in which Allaah's name is not mentioned is idleness and play, except for four things: a man playing with his wife..." [An-Nasaa'ee]
"The
Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam (May Allaah exalt
his mention ) kissed Al-Hasan Ibn 'Ali, and Al-Aqra' Ibn Haabis
At-Tameemi was sitting with him. Al-Aqra' said: 'I have ten children and
I have never kissed any one of them.' The Messenger of Allaah
sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam (May Allaah exalt his mention ) looked at
him and said: 'The one who does not show mercy will not be shown
mercy.'" [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]