✦ The Correct Understanding of the Hadith: Woman Created from a Rib ✦
Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdus Salam (Hafizahullah)
Narrated by Abu Hurairah (RA), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm others. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his guest.”
When asked about the rights of a guest, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Three days, and any additional hospitality is charity.”
He further stated: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent.”
Then the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Accept my advice regarding women. A woman is created from a rib, and the most crooked part of the rib is its upper portion. If you try to straighten it, you will break it, and if you leave it, it remains crooked. So treat women kindly.”
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 5185)
This hadith is not a commentary on creation or the status of men and women, but rather a guideline for improving social and marital relationships. It offers instructions concerning:
① Guests – Those encountered occasionally
② Neighbors – Those seen regularly
③ Family, especially women – Those with whom life is spent most intimately
In a patriarchal Arab society where men held dominant roles, the Prophet ﷺ emphasized kind treatment toward women, reminding men of their rights and dignity.
The Qur’an states:
"Allah created you from a single soul and created from it its mate."
(Surah An-Nisa: 1)
However, the Qur’an does not specify the exact method of creation. The hadith's wording about woman being "created from a rib" could refer to Hawwa (Eve) being created from Adam’s rib, but this is not a definitive interpretation.
In Arabic (as well as in Urdu), figurative language is often used. For example, to say someone is made from a “hard bone” refers not to physical creation but to a hard-natured temperament. Similarly, the phrase "created from a rib" is a metaphor highlighting nature and behavior, not biology.
The comparison of a woman to a crooked rib means that a woman’s temperament and emotional composition may sometimes appear unusual or less understandable to men. Just as the rib’s curvature is necessary for its function, likewise, what is perceived as a woman’s “crookedness” is actually an essential part of her nature and role.
Trying to “straighten” this nature forcibly will break the relationship—meaning it will destroy harmony. Hence, the hadith advises gentle behavior, patience, and understanding.
The hadith highlights that a woman’s temperament may not fully align with a man’s expectations because Allah created both genders with distinct attributes. In fact, just as a rib is bent and complements the body, women complement men in their differences.
The metaphor is also reversible: a woman might find men’s nature incompatible with hers, just as two bows may appear curved to each other.
Some narrations include the phrase:
"She will not be completely straight for you."
This does not imply deficiency, but rather advises men not to expect perfect alignment with their ideals. A woman’s emotional variation is a natural quality, not a flaw, and trying to “correct” it forcefully leads to conflict.
A woman’s emotional depth, flexibility, and responsiveness are part of her natural beauty and crucial for her role in family life and child-rearing. If a woman were to become as stern or rigid as a man, she would lose her feminine essence, which is essential for a nurturing family structure.
Just as the rib's curvature serves a purpose in human anatomy, a woman’s emotional nature serves an important role in society and relationships.
The hadith’s core message is to train men to interact with women kindly, recognizing and respecting their natural temperament. Often, men believe that their wives are deficient and that other women might be better, but the hadith reminds us that this “crookedness” is universal and natural.
Hence, the skill in a successful marriage is not in seeking a “perfect” spouse, but in learning how to live with and appreciate each other despite natural differences.
The Prophet ﷺ stated:
"The best of you are those who are best to their families."
(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 3895)
This hadith teaches men to acknowledge and accept the natural temperament of women, and to lead their marital lives with gentleness, wisdom, and endurance.
✔ True excellence for a man lies in maintaining good relations with his wife despite their differences, and in building a peaceful and affectionate home based on mutual understanding and acceptance.
Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdus Salam (Hafizahullah)
❖ Complete Context of the Hadith
Narrated by Abu Hurairah (RA), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm others. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his guest.”
When asked about the rights of a guest, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Three days, and any additional hospitality is charity.”
He further stated: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent.”
Then the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Accept my advice regarding women. A woman is created from a rib, and the most crooked part of the rib is its upper portion. If you try to straighten it, you will break it, and if you leave it, it remains crooked. So treat women kindly.”
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith No. 5185)
❖ Purpose and Explanation of the Hadith
This hadith is not a commentary on creation or the status of men and women, but rather a guideline for improving social and marital relationships. It offers instructions concerning:
① Guests – Those encountered occasionally
② Neighbors – Those seen regularly
③ Family, especially women – Those with whom life is spent most intimately
In a patriarchal Arab society where men held dominant roles, the Prophet ﷺ emphasized kind treatment toward women, reminding men of their rights and dignity.
❖ Meaning of "Created from a Rib"
The Qur’an states:
"Allah created you from a single soul and created from it its mate."
(Surah An-Nisa: 1)
However, the Qur’an does not specify the exact method of creation. The hadith's wording about woman being "created from a rib" could refer to Hawwa (Eve) being created from Adam’s rib, but this is not a definitive interpretation.
In Arabic (as well as in Urdu), figurative language is often used. For example, to say someone is made from a “hard bone” refers not to physical creation but to a hard-natured temperament. Similarly, the phrase "created from a rib" is a metaphor highlighting nature and behavior, not biology.
❖ The Rib Analogy and Its Purpose
The comparison of a woman to a crooked rib means that a woman’s temperament and emotional composition may sometimes appear unusual or less understandable to men. Just as the rib’s curvature is necessary for its function, likewise, what is perceived as a woman’s “crookedness” is actually an essential part of her nature and role.
Trying to “straighten” this nature forcibly will break the relationship—meaning it will destroy harmony. Hence, the hadith advises gentle behavior, patience, and understanding.
❖ Difference Between Male and Female Dispositions
The hadith highlights that a woman’s temperament may not fully align with a man’s expectations because Allah created both genders with distinct attributes. In fact, just as a rib is bent and complements the body, women complement men in their differences.
The metaphor is also reversible: a woman might find men’s nature incompatible with hers, just as two bows may appear curved to each other.
❖ Understanding "لن تستقیم لک"
Some narrations include the phrase:
"She will not be completely straight for you."
This does not imply deficiency, but rather advises men not to expect perfect alignment with their ideals. A woman’s emotional variation is a natural quality, not a flaw, and trying to “correct” it forcefully leads to conflict.
❖ The Value of Emotional Flexibility in Women
A woman’s emotional depth, flexibility, and responsiveness are part of her natural beauty and crucial for her role in family life and child-rearing. If a woman were to become as stern or rigid as a man, she would lose her feminine essence, which is essential for a nurturing family structure.
Just as the rib's curvature serves a purpose in human anatomy, a woman’s emotional nature serves an important role in society and relationships.
❖ Central Lesson of the Hadith: Encouragement of Good Conduct
The hadith’s core message is to train men to interact with women kindly, recognizing and respecting their natural temperament. Often, men believe that their wives are deficient and that other women might be better, but the hadith reminds us that this “crookedness” is universal and natural.
Hence, the skill in a successful marriage is not in seeking a “perfect” spouse, but in learning how to live with and appreciate each other despite natural differences.
The Prophet ﷺ stated:
"The best of you are those who are best to their families."
(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 3895)
❖ Conclusion
This hadith teaches men to acknowledge and accept the natural temperament of women, and to lead their marital lives with gentleness, wisdom, and endurance.
✔ True excellence for a man lies in maintaining good relations with his wife despite their differences, and in building a peaceful and affectionate home based on mutual understanding and acceptance.
