How to deal with a wife who refuses to wear the niqab
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
After this, we move on to the Arab Republic of Egypt via a message sent by the listener: Muhammad Mur'ay 'Ali from Minya. Our brother has a number of issues he is asking about, and he says:
What is your opinion, Your Eminence, regarding a wife who refuses the niqab despite her commitment and her obedience to her husband in all other matters? Does her refusal of the niqab constitute an anomaly that necessitates divorce after advice, boycott, and beating? Or should her husband be patient with her, as Your Eminence indicated in your book of fatwas and advice?
Answer:
Yes, it is obligatory to continue with advice, guidance, and mentioning the evidence to her. Divorce is not obligatory, because she may have a doubtful matter (shubhah) from the fatwas of some scholars regarding the permissibility of leaving off the niqab. She may be convinced of her opinion and the opinion of the one who issued the fatwa for her.
So the result is: that such a matter does not necessitate divorce, but rather advice and persistence, and that she should leave her opinion, act according to her husband's statement, and obey him in obedience to Allah. This is something that benefits her and keeps her away from accusation, evil, and danger. The niqab has many benefits, so advise her of that. You should strive with her using kind words, and there is no need for beating. But advise her to fear Allah, advise her of the hijab, and not to be deceived by the fatwas of some muftis. And this—if Allah wills—is sufficient. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
After this, we move on to the Arab Republic of Egypt via a message sent by the listener: Muhammad Mur'ay 'Ali from Minya. Our brother has a number of issues he is asking about, and he says:
What is your opinion, Your Eminence, regarding a wife who refuses the niqab despite her commitment and her obedience to her husband in all other matters? Does her refusal of the niqab constitute an anomaly that necessitates divorce after advice, boycott, and beating? Or should her husband be patient with her, as Your Eminence indicated in your book of fatwas and advice?
Answer:
Yes, it is obligatory to continue with advice, guidance, and mentioning the evidence to her. Divorce is not obligatory, because she may have a doubtful matter (shubhah) from the fatwas of some scholars regarding the permissibility of leaving off the niqab. She may be convinced of her opinion and the opinion of the one who issued the fatwa for her.
So the result is: that such a matter does not necessitate divorce, but rather advice and persistence, and that she should leave her opinion, act according to her husband's statement, and obey him in obedience to Allah. This is something that benefits her and keeps her away from accusation, evil, and danger. The niqab has many benefits, so advise her of that. You should strive with her using kind words, and there is no need for beating. But advise her to fear Allah, advise her of the hijab, and not to be deceived by the fatwas of some muftis. And this—if Allah wills—is sufficient. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.