Beware the mischief of wily first ladies

Many leaders have had their reputations ruined by the wives, says the Mufti of Perlis

PETALING JAYA: Powerful statesmen have been known to fall as a result of the mischief done by their first ladies, Perlis Mufti Asri Zainul Abidin has reminded his readers.

In a Facebook posting that calls for God-consciousness among both husbands and wives to ensure good marriages, he gives the example of the late Elena Ceausescu of Romania as a destructive first lady.

“Elena, the wife of the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, was put to death together with her husband because she had a role in wasting the nation’s wealth and in the despotism of his rule,” Asri writes.

“Thus, all sorts of adverse consequences can result from a woman’s wiles if her husband does not properly carry out his pious duty as her mentor and counselor.”

Asri says Muslims do not subscribe to the belief that women are the bane of men.

“The fall of a man or a woman results from his or her own weaknesses which, however, are sometimes exploited by the partner,” he adds.

However, he notes that the Quran does recognise the special power that women have over men, especially when they are intent on carrying out a plot, as mentioned in the chapter that tells the story of the Prophet Joseph. In the case of Joseph, however, the plot to tempt him was unsuccessful because of his piety.

Asri says many powerful men have been brought down by women they loved. “So many leaders have had their reputations ruined by their wives, and they became hated by their people.”

Nevertheless, he quotes several sayings from the Prophet Muhammad that extol women.

Asri concludes that a husband and a wife should encourage goodness in each other. “Otherwise,” he says, “goodness in a wife will be lost to a husband who is bad, like the goodness of Asiah was lost to the despotic Pharoah. Similarly, evil wives will not see the goodness of their husbands. Such were the wives of the prophets Noah and Lot.”