What does Islam say about the relations between man and woman (i.e. husband and wife)?

What does Islam say about the relations between man and woman (i.e. husband and wife)? 

The Quran, unlike the altered Bible and Torah, never considers any woman to be the possession of any man. The Quran eloquently describes the relationship between the spouses by saying:

" And among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them and He has put love and mercy between your hearts: verily in that are signs for those who reflect" (30:21).

This is the Quranic conception of marriage: love, mercy, and tranquility, not possession and double standards. The Qur'an emphasizes the essential unity of men and women in a most beautiful simile:

"They (your wives) are your garment and you are a garment for them." (2:187) 

Just as a garment hides our nakedness, so do husband and wife, by entering into the relationship of marriage, they secure each other's chastity. The garment gives comfort to the body; so does the husband find comfort in his wife's and she in his. The garment is the grace, the beauty, the embellishment of the body, so too are wives to their husbands as their husbands are to them." Islam does not consider woman "an instrument of the Devil", but rather the Qur'an calls her 'muhsana' – (a fortress against Satan) because a good woman, by marrying a man, helps him keep to the path of rectitude in his life. It is for this reason that marriage was considered by the Prophet Muhammad as a most virtuous act. He said:"When a man marries, he has completed one half of  his religion." (Tabarani 'al-Awsat, Vol.3, pg. 161) 

He enjoined matrimony on Muslims by saying:"Marriage is part of my way and whoever shuns from my way is not from me (i.e. is not my follower) (Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

The Prophet Muhammad said:  "No believing man should hate a believing woman. If he dislikes one of her characteristics, he may be pleased with another." (Sahih Muslim #61)

The Prophet Muhammad also said:" Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or else keep silent. Deal kindly with women, for woman was created from a rib…" (Sahih Muslim) 

The Prophet was most emphatic in enjoining upon Muslims to be kind to their women when he delivered his famous sermon on the Mount of Mercy at Arafat in the presence of many of his Companions who had gathered there for the Hajj al-Wada (Farewell Pilgrimage). In it he ordered those present, and through them all those Muslims who were to come, to be respectful and kind towards women. He said:

"Fear Allah regarding women. Verily you have married them with the trust of Allah, and made their bodies lawful with the word of Allah. You have rights over them,  and they have rights over you in respect to their food  and clothing according to your means." (you must feed them and clothe them generously) (Sahih Muslim)

The Islamic laws and teachings regard women as the spiritual equals of men. The main distinction made between them is in the physical realm based on the principle of fair division of labor. It allots the  more strenuous work to the man and makes him responsible for the maintenance of the family. It allots the work of managing the home and the upbringing and training of children to the woman, work which has the greatest importance in the task of building a healthy and prosperous society.