The first question asks: What is the ruling on having doubts about one’s wife if they arise through waswas (whispers) and illusions, and is divorce obligatory?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : What is the ruling on having doubts about one’s wife if they arise through waswas (whispers) and illusions, and does it necessitate divorce?
The Shaykh : This is from Shaytan, for a person to imagine that his wife has deviated in her behavior and morals. It is obligatory for him to seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan and to pay no attention to these waswas. A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, my wife gave birth to a black boy, and I suspect her of infidelity.”
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained to him that such a thing does not necessitate suspicion of the woman. Even though it is a matter that may cause a person to have doubts if his wife is white and he is white, yet she gives birth to a black child, he will undoubtedly feel some degree of doubt. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) dismissed this by saying that perhaps it is a trait inherited from his previous ancestors, from his father or his mother. If this is the case in a situation where doubt may be strong, then other cases are even more so. It is obligatory for a person to refrain from these waswas, unless he sees a matter that he cannot bear. In that case, he must first protect his wife to preserve her, and she must also preserve him.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If it is not possible and the situation does not improve, and the suspicions become strong, then the best course is to divorce her.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : He also has another question.
The Shaykh : This is from Shaytan, for a person to imagine that his wife has deviated in her behavior and morals. It is obligatory for him to seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan and to pay no attention to these waswas. A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, my wife gave birth to a black boy, and I suspect her of infidelity.”
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him:
“Do you have any camels?” He said, “Yes.” He said, “What are their colors?” He said, “Red.” He said, “Are there any white ones among them?” He said, “Yes.” He said, “Where did they get that from?” The man said, “Perhaps it is a trait inherited from their ancestors.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, “And this son of yours, perhaps it is a trait inherited from his ancestors.”
هل لك من أبل قال : نعم قال فما ألوانها؟ قال حمر قال : فهل فيها من أورق؟ قال : نعم قال : من أين أصابها ذلك فقال الرجل لعله نزعه عرق فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم له : وابنك هذا لعله نزعه عرقThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If it is not possible and the situation does not improve, and the suspicions become strong, then the best course is to divorce her.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : He also has another question.