Mishkat al-Masabih 3267 — Marriage

Qais b. Sa'd said: I went to al-Hira and saw them prostrating themselves before a satrap of theirs, so I said, “God’s Messenger has most right to have prostration made before him.” When I came to God’s Messenger I said, “I went to al-Hira and saw them prostrating themselves before a satrap of theirs, but you have most right to have people prostrating themselves before you.” He replied, “Tell me; if you were to pass my grave, would you prostrate yourself before it?” Then when I said that I would not, he replied, “None of you must do it. If I were to command anyone to make prostration before another I would command women to prostrate themselves before their husbands, because of the special right over them given to the husbands by God.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted it on the authority of Mu'adh b. Jabal.