The father preventing his son from taking back his wife

Question:
Between you, O Shaykh, is a man who divorced his wife, and when he wanted to take her back, his father refused and said, "If you take her back, you are no longer my son." What should this husband do?

Answer:
This is his right, and his father has no right to object to it. His father has no right to separate a husband from his wife. It is forbidden for him to do so, and obedience to the father is not obligatory in this matter, because this is the son's right. Therefore, the son must intervene in this, unless there is a legitimate Shari'ah justification, such as the woman not being sound in her religion, or that she is mistreating the father, or mistreating the people of the house. That is a different matter. But if things are going well and the woman is righteous and upright, it is not permissible for the father to intervene between a husband and his wife and separate them, and tell him, "Do not take her back." Or... Yes, this is a mistake.