The husband's prolonged absence from his wife with her consent

Question:
The first message in this episode is one that reached the program from the Iraqi Republic, sent by one of the Egyptian brothers from there. He says: Your brother, Wahbah al-Sharbin al-Sayyid, asks and says: What is the ruling in Islam regarding a man who has been absent from his wife for three years, meaning he traveled abroad, and he says that his wife is content with this travel? What is the specific time limit that Islam has set between a husband and his wife, and does the mutual consent of the spouses change the specified time?

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance.
To proceed: If a man travels away from his wife for a long or short period with her consent, there is no blame on him, even if the period is long.
However, the believer should be mindful of his family's need for his presence and strive to ensure safety from fitnah (trial, discord or temptation); because if a woman's husband is delayed, she may be at risk of fitnah. The husband should be mindful of this and not prolong his absence. If he agrees with her on a known duration, there is nothing wrong with that, because the right does not extend beyond the two of them. Nevertheless, he should seek the shortest time in which his objective of fulfilling his need is achieved, while maintaining contact with her and not being far from her for a long period.
It is narrated from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he set a limit of six months for the soldiers. This is a reasonable duration, but time differs and people differ, especially in this era where evil has increased and the causes of fitnah have become great. The husband should seek the shortest time or take her with him to his place of work, out of fear of fitnah and dire consequences. There is no fixed limit in this; rather, the servant should seek the appropriate time in which he hopes for the safety of himself and the safety of his wife. He may be tempted due to the length of the absence and may fall into what Allah has forbidden, and she too is at risk of fitnah.
So he must consider this from the perspective of himself and from the perspective of his wife, by shortening the duration or by moving her with him to his place of work. And success is from Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. If they agree on a specific duration, as our brother the questioner mentions?
The Shaykh: As mentioned earlier, if they agree, there is no blame. The right does not extend beyond the two of them. Yes.
The presenter: But you advise the husband .......
The Shaykh: But even with their agreement, the duration should be short; because she may consent but not be truly content. She may consent out of consideration for his feelings, but in reality she is not content with it, and it is also dangerous for him due to the length of the duration; because he may be tempted in his religion or tempted by other things. Man is created with an inclination toward women, and she is created with an inclination toward men, and desire varies, so not everyone can control his urge.
So he should strive to shorten the duration, and she too should strive for the means of safety and strive to ensure that the duration is short, without causing what would lead to divorce between them. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.