Difficulty having his wife with him

9-2-2005 | IslamWeb

Question:

I'm out of my house and far away for job, my wife is in my house with my parents and brothers, as my mother is ill and can't work, but afford to have a servant, I want to take my wife and children with me, but due to mother's illness, I can't, as my brothers are Baligh, I'm from Pakistan, and also have cultural probe. What Islam says Fatwa? I'm very much confused.

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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 is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

We advise you, brother, to bring your wife to live with you for the following reasons:

First, your wife has rights upon you and you cannot fulfill them leaving her far from you in another country.

Second, according to Islamic legislations, a wife is not obliged to serve her parents in-law.

Third, letting your wife stay with your adult brothers in the same house is a great danger that may lead to many bad consequences. The Prophet said: "Avoid visiting alien (marriageable) women." A man from among the Ansaar (residents of Madeenah) asked: 'O Allaah's Prophet what about in-laws?' He said: "They are death (as dangerous as death)." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Therefore, leaving your wife with her adult in-laws in your absence may open the door of evil. Hence, you have to fear Allaah regarding your wife and should bring her to stay with you. As for taking care of your parents, your brothers are more entitled to take care of them than your wife.

Allaah knows best.