Is it compulsory for women to cook?

Why she is not obliged to cook

Everyone can have a certain opinion, but within Islam it is only binding if the sources also support it. Nowhere in the sources do we find that it is obligatory for the wife to cook for her husband.

There are some narrations that say that women performed different household chores, but the same goes for the men as well. Both were active in and around the house. They divided the tasks and often had a servant who helped with this.

It is more fitting for the wife to serve her husband where she can. What she does in serving her husband is only a sadaqa, not an obligation.

Servants who cook

In the old days, people would hire servants to perform various household tasks. If this had been the duty of women, then these servants would not have been employed so quickly.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "If the servant of one of you has endured heat and smoke in preparing the food, let him sit with you while eating, and if he refuses, take a piece of the food and give it to to the servant to eat from." [Sunan Tirmidhi 1853 (Hasan Sahih)]

Husband who contributes to the household

It is from the Sunnah that the husband helps his wife with the housework. So it is not a task for the woman, but actually for both of them.

Al-Aswad reported: "I asked Aisha what the Prophet used to do when he was with his family. She then replied, 'He used to do chores for his family and when it was time for prayers, he would go out.'" [Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 539 of Bukhari]

Hisham ibn 'Urwa narrated from his father: "I asked Aisha what the Prophet did at home. She replied, "He repaired his sandals and worked as every man works in his house."" [Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 540 of Bukhari]

'Amra reported: "Aisha was asked, 'What did the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, do in his house?' She replied, "He was a man like other men. He removed the lint from his clothes and milked his sheep." [Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 541 of Bukhari]