The Ruling on Joking and Talking with the Husband's Brother

The questioner : May Allah reward you, Shaykh. Some women, as we mentioned, are in...

The Shaykh : Constantly.

The questioner : I say that some women are lax in their conversation, joking, and going out with their husband's brother. Is there any guidance from you on that?

The Shaykh : What is frequent?

The questioner : Is the joking and conversation with the husband's brother frequent?

The Shaykh : A woman’s excessive talking with her husband’s brother and joking with him is one of the greatest causes of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). Indeed, it is one of the greatest causes of fitnah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) warned against in his saying: "The in-law is death." For he (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said, "No man is to be alone with a woman except with..." It was said, "O Messenger of Allah, what about the in-law?" He said, "The in-law is death." He said that as a warning against it because of the magnitude of its fitnah and its subtlety. Therefore, it is not permissible for a woman to joke with her husband’s brother or to laugh at him, but she should speak to him only the words she needs. Yes. Because Satan flows through the son of Adam like blood. So perhaps the man will be tempted and the woman will be tempted if they joke with each other and one of them laughs at the other. And much evil results from that.