Is it permissible for a man to compel his wife to leave a matter that involves doubt?

The questioner : Regarding matters that involve doubt, is it permissible for a man to compel his wife to leave this matter or a specific issue that involves doubt?

The Shaykh : First, not every matter that involves doubt must be treated as a matter of doubt, because doubt may arise from the disagreement of established texts from the Wise Lawgiver. For the student of knowledge, the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) applies here: . Doubt may also arise not from the disagreement of the Lawgiver's texts, but from the disagreement of the jurists' independent legal reasoning. If the doubt is of this type, it is not permissible to burden a wife, son, daughter, brother, or friend, and so on, with it. However, if the doubt is of the first type, then the precaution mentioned in the hadith cited earlier applies: . This is regarding the matter from a general perspective. As for a man and his wife, they have a specific ruling. A man may order his wife to do something whose basis in the Shari'ah is permissible. Set that aside for now; legal precaution is a permissible matter. But if the husband sees that he wants his wife to do this thing, then it is obligatory for the wife to obey him. All the more so, it is obligatory for her to obey him if he is ordering her to do something that involves precaution in her religion, and the precaution is of the first type. Is that clear?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : This is the end of the answer.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : ... And you as well.

The questioner : Shaykh Nasser, peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : And peace be upon you.

The questioner : I gave it to you last Friday.

The Shaykh : You are from Libya.

The questioner : Yes, yes.

The Shaykh : The answer is: do not repeat it. Is that clear?

The questioner: Yes, may Allah bless you.