Husband refusing to have sexual intercourse with his wife who does not pray

3-3-2009 | IslamWeb

Question:

can someone refuse to have sex with his wife until she performs the 5 daily prayers?

---

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 

It is permissible for a husband to discipline his wife because of her abandoning Allaah’s Obligations, like the prayer and other obligations, as Allaah Says (what means): {O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones.}[Quran 66:6] ‘Ali interpreted this verse to mean and teach them’.

Disciplining a wife should be by admonishing her and frightening her of Allaah, and if this is of no avail, then by turning one’s back to her in bed and not have sexual intercourse with her. If she still insists on what she is doing, then her husband may hit her slightly without leaving any scars or marks; for more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 84120.

If she still insists on abandoning the prayer, and it becomes clear that turning one’s back to her, admonishing her and beating her are of no avail, then he should separate from her because there is no good for him in keeping her, and Imaam Ahmad said: “I fear that it is not permissible for a husband to reside with a wife who does not perform the prayer.”

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 85264.

Allaah Knows best.