His father forces him to keep his wife in the house and she does not visit her relatives
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Fatwa number ( 5880 )
Q: I am a man in my thirties, and I am currently pursuing graduate studies in medicine. I was raised under my father’s care, and my conduct with him was a model in our community, praise be to Allah. In the early years of my university studies, my father married me, with my consent, to my cousin; that is, the daughter of his sister, for whom he held all love and respect. That marriage took place about six years ago. During the first years, I was abroad for my studies, and my wife was with me, of course. After a year of absence, we returned for a short visit. During that visit, I allowed my wife to spend most of her time with her parents, but that angered my father. He tried to persuade her, so I told him that her going to her parents’ home was with her husband’s—meaning my—consent. He then tried to persuade me to prevent her, so I tried to be accommodating, but to no avail. He asked
My intention was to divorce her, but I informed him that Allah had brought us together, and he changed his opinion after I kissed his feet. The years passed while I was abroad, and trivial problems recurred with every visit of mine. I was blessed with a daughter, which increased my father's dissatisfaction. Now my wife is in her seventh month with the second child. As for my marriage, I praise and thank Allah for His success, for my wife is a woman who fulfills her duty toward her Lord and then her husband. Finally, what was not expected happened: my father confronted me with strange ideas about my wife's family, and began to imagine that she is against him and that they are his enemies. He completely cut off his relationship with his sister and asked me to divorce my wife. He told me in a long message that he would be angry with me and consider me an undutiful son, and he told me that he would pray against me that Allah not grant me success in my marriage and my offspring if I do not listen to what he asks of me. He has started repeating the story of Ibrahim and his son Isma'il (peace be upon them), when he asked his son to change the threshold of his door, meaning: his wife, so he did it in obedience to his father. Now, O honorable Shaykh: what do I do? My marriage is successful, praise be to Allah, and we have a daughter and the other is on the way, and I have not seen in my wife anything but what pleases me in matters of religion and worldly life. So what sin has she committed? On the other hand, my father threatens with anger and that he will pray against me if I do not divorce my wife. So what is the way out? The summary of my question is: Am I undutiful or disobedient to my father if I refuse to divorce my wife , and do his prayers against me cause for concern? And
at the present time, I have decided to continue accommodating him and calling him constantly, ignoring the subject of his request. I ask you for a clear fatwa; perhaps it will be a means to satisfy everyone.
A: If the reality is as you described, regarding your wife’s righteousness, her fulfillment of what Allah has obligated upon her of His rights, and her good conduct with you and your parents, then there is no blame on you in keeping her as your wife, and your father’s anger and his cursing you for that will not harm you, if Allah wills. As for the story of Ibrahim al-Khalil and his son Isma'il, peace and blessings be upon them, where he ordered his son to divorce his wife and his son complied with his order, that was due to her bad character toward her father-in-law, her annoyance with the livelihood, and her complaints about the narrowness of life, not merely for the sake of desire. Therefore, he did not order him to divorce the second wife because of her good conduct, her satisfaction with the livelihood, and her praise of Allah the Exalted and of married life. You must treat your parents with kindness, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-'Ankabut 29:8] the verse.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I am a man in my thirties, and I am currently pursuing graduate studies in medicine. I was raised under my father’s care, and my conduct with him was a model in our community, praise be to Allah. In the early years of my university studies, my father married me, with my consent, to my cousin; that is, the daughter of his sister, for whom he held all love and respect. That marriage took place about six years ago. During the first years, I was abroad for my studies, and my wife was with me, of course. After a year of absence, we returned for a short visit. During that visit, I allowed my wife to spend most of her time with her parents, but that angered my father. He tried to persuade her, so I told him that her going to her parents’ home was with her husband’s—meaning my—consent. He then tried to persuade me to prevent her, so I tried to be accommodating, but to no avail. He asked
My intention was to divorce her, but I informed him that Allah had brought us together, and he changed his opinion after I kissed his feet. The years passed while I was abroad, and trivial problems recurred with every visit of mine. I was blessed with a daughter, which increased my father's dissatisfaction. Now my wife is in her seventh month with the second child. As for my marriage, I praise and thank Allah for His success, for my wife is a woman who fulfills her duty toward her Lord and then her husband. Finally, what was not expected happened: my father confronted me with strange ideas about my wife's family, and began to imagine that she is against him and that they are his enemies. He completely cut off his relationship with his sister and asked me to divorce my wife. He told me in a long message that he would be angry with me and consider me an undutiful son, and he told me that he would pray against me that Allah not grant me success in my marriage and my offspring if I do not listen to what he asks of me. He has started repeating the story of Ibrahim and his son Isma'il (peace be upon them), when he asked his son to change the threshold of his door, meaning: his wife, so he did it in obedience to his father. Now, O honorable Shaykh: what do I do? My marriage is successful, praise be to Allah, and we have a daughter and the other is on the way, and I have not seen in my wife anything but what pleases me in matters of religion and worldly life. So what sin has she committed? On the other hand, my father threatens with anger and that he will pray against me if I do not divorce my wife. So what is the way out? The summary of my question is: Am I undutiful or disobedient to my father if I refuse to divorce my wife , and do his prayers against me cause for concern? And
at the present time, I have decided to continue accommodating him and calling him constantly, ignoring the subject of his request. I ask you for a clear fatwa; perhaps it will be a means to satisfy everyone.
A: If the reality is as you described, regarding your wife’s righteousness, her fulfillment of what Allah has obligated upon her of His rights, and her good conduct with you and your parents, then there is no blame on you in keeping her as your wife, and your father’s anger and his cursing you for that will not harm you, if Allah wills. As for the story of Ibrahim al-Khalil and his son Isma'il, peace and blessings be upon them, where he ordered his son to divorce his wife and his son complied with his order, that was due to her bad character toward her father-in-law, her annoyance with the livelihood, and her complaints about the narrowness of life, not merely for the sake of desire. Therefore, he did not order him to divorce the second wife because of her good conduct, her satisfaction with the livelihood, and her praise of Allah the Exalted and of married life. You must treat your parents with kindness, as Allah the Exalted said:
But if they endeavor to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. To Me is your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do.
وَإِنْ جَاهَدَاكَ لِتُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلا تُطِعْهُمَا إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَAnd success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.