It is best for a woman to stay at her family's house when her husband is absent

9-3-2011 | IslamWeb

Question:

Peace be upon you.
My husband has traveled abroad to study and I could not accompany him because of certain circumstances. I am staying alone in my house and do not want to go to the house of my family or the family of my husband. I prefer to stay in my own home and I want to know if it is permissible for me stay alone in my house?
May Allaah reward you.

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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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

First, we ask Allaah The Almighty to join you and your husband in the best conditions, grant your husband success and make you both beneficial to Islam and Muslims.

You should not stay alone in your house, as Ibn 'Umar reported that, "The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, forbade being alone; for a man to spend the night alone or to travel alone." [Ahmad]

Consequently, it is preferable for you to go to your mother's house, or ask one of your female relatives or Mahram (non-marriageable) men to stay with you. Alternatively, you may go to the house of your husband’s family if you are sure that there will be no impermissible intermixing between men and women.

In any case, you should consult your husband before you go to either house.

Finally, we ask Allaah The Almighty to protect you.

Allaah Knows best.