What is the ruling on brothers living in the same house with their father and mother, and eating together as well?

The questioner : I have no question, if you please. We are three married brothers living in one house with our father, our mother, and our younger brothers. We are three married brothers living in one house with our father, our mother, and our younger brothers, but we all sit together in the house for eating and other things, along with all our women. This is one of the customs and traditions of the countryside, so what is the ruling?

The Shaykh : The ruling, may Allah bless you, is that there is nothing wrong with you all eating in one place, but keep the women separate and you separate. That is, each group on their own mat. That is, the men on one mat and the women on the other mat, so that the woman has her freedom to uncover her face.

The questioner : But we do not sit on one mat, O Shaykh. But we do not sit on one mat.

The Shaykh : This is a mistake, because sitting on one mat. It is not possible for a woman to eat comfortably unless she uncovers her face, and it is not permissible for a woman to uncover her face except to her husband or her mahram (close relatives). So change this custom to what I told you. That the women are separate and the men are separate.

The questioner : Well, one of the customs and traditions with us is that a brother greets his brother's wife.

The Shaykh : This is a forbidden custom. It is not permissible for you to continue with it. Rather, you must repent to Allah, and the woman must hide herself from her husband's brother just as she hides herself from a stranger.

The presenter : May Allah reward you with good.