Forced sex in marriage is not a punishable offence in Islam. But that does not mean it is encouraged.
In Australia, forced sex in marriage was not a punishable offence until very recently. Does this mean that our grandparents promoted forced sex in marriage simply because Australian law did not ounish it?
How Does Islam Tell Men To Treat Women?
The Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) said:
“Woman was created from a rib, and if you try to straighten a rib you will break it, so deal with her gently
.” (Reported by Ahmad, 5/8; Ibn Hibbaan, 1308; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2/163).
“O you who believe!...
you should not treat them with harshness...And live with them honourably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and God brings through it a great deal of good
[al-Nisaa’ v.19]
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Apostle of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him) said:
‘Be kind to women.’”
(Bukhaari, 3153; Muslim, 1468).
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) said: “The most perfect of the believers in faith are the best in attitude, and
the best of you are those who are best to their womenfolk.”
(Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 1/217; Ahmad, 2/250; Al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 284).
Not harming one’s wife is one of the basic principles of Islam. Because harming others is forbidden in the case of strangers, it is even more so in the case of harming one’s wife.
It was narrated from Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit that the Apostle of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him) ruled,
“There should be no harming nor reciprocating harm.”(Ibn Maajah, 2340 - graded as "authentic" by Imam Ahmad, al-Haakim, Ibn al-Salaah and others)