Areas › Your marriage › Answering bids
When your partner is up against something, take their side: this is our problem, we will face it together.
Even if you see the other side, do not side with the enemy against your partner. Stand with them first.
Qur’an and Sunnah
The believers, men and women, support each other (Quran 9:71). To stand with your spouse against the day's troubles is that support made real.
وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتُ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءُ بَعۡضࣲۚ يَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَيَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ سَيَرۡحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمࣱ
The believers, both men and women, support each other; they order what is right and forbid what is wrong; they keep up the prayer and pay the prescribed alms; they obey God and His Messenger. God will give His mercy to such people: God is almighty and wise
Qur’an 9:71read it in the library
Translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, The Qur'an, Oxford University Press, 2004.
What the research says
When a partner brings a struggle, siding with them, this is ours and we will face it together, builds the safety of the bond; siding with the outside party, even when technically fair, wounds it.
Gottman, J.; Coan, J.; Carrere, S.; Swanson, C. (1998). Predicting Marital Happiness and Stability from Newlywed Interactions. Journal of Marriage and the Family doi
Newlywed interaction patterns; accepting influence; soft start-up.
Strength of evidence: one line of research. A single study, or a theoretical account.
Why it works
Showing solidarity, being an ally rather than a judge, is what makes a partner feel supported and safe.
Where this sits: Gottman method, Turn Toward; Stress-Reducing Conversation (be an ally, we against the problem).
This one is still a draft. It is waiting on a scholar and a clinician to read it before it is published.