Is the husband obligated to provide his wife with the cost of a doctor and the like?
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The questioner : Is it correct, O Shaykh, that the husband is not obligated to provide maintenance for his wife?
The Shaykh : The medicine.
The questioner : Yes, the doctor.
The Shaykh : The medicine and the doctor’s fee are not obligatory according to the school of jurisprudence, because it is an incidental matter outside the scope of maintenance. The correct view in this is to follow custom. If it is customary for the husband to treat his wife, it is obligatory for him; if it is not customary, it is not obligatory. I think custom differs among us. Expensive expenses, such as if she needs surgery abroad, are not obligatory for the husband, but minor expenses are obligatory for the husband. The standard that is always before you is the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):, and the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Abi Dawud 1905Sahih (Al-Albani), so follow custom in this.
And with this the session ends, and until a future meeting if Allah wills (Blessed and Exalted is He) when the study begins in the next chapter if Allah wills, and we apologize to the brothers whom we did not answer, because some of you...
The Shaykh : The medicine.
The questioner : Yes, the doctor.
The Shaykh : The medicine and the doctor’s fee are not obligatory according to the school of jurisprudence, because it is an incidental matter outside the scope of maintenance. The correct view in this is to follow custom. If it is customary for the husband to treat his wife, it is obligatory for him; if it is not customary, it is not obligatory. I think custom differs among us. Expensive expenses, such as if she needs surgery abroad, are not obligatory for the husband, but minor expenses are obligatory for the husband. The standard that is always before you is the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):
And live with them in kindness
وعاشروهنّ بالمعروفYou are responsible for providing them with food and clothing in a fitting manner
ولهنّ عليكم رزقهنّ وكسوتهنّ بالمعروفAnd with this the session ends, and until a future meeting if Allah wills (Blessed and Exalted is He) when the study begins in the next chapter if Allah wills, and we apologize to the brothers whom we did not answer, because some of you...