Wife working against her husband's will

7-9-2006 | IslamWeb

Question:

If a husband asks his wife to stop working outside house, as he fulfills all her needs basic as well as extra, (even her work is done by house maid). Moreover, he told his wife before marriage that he might stop her to work whenever he wants. Her excuse is that she works in prada (Hijaab) and she is a doctor, and Istakharah fovours her job. Reply in view of Islam, husband is not at all satisfied with her because of her job.

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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.

 

It is firmly established in Sharee’ah (Islamic Law) that the wife is obliged to obey her husband within what is permissible and she is not permitted to go out of his home for work or any other purpose without his permission except for a necessity.

Therefore, this woman is obliged to obey her husband and leave her job, especially that there is no condition put on him that he must fulfill in this regard, and it appears that he had conditioned that he may prevent her from work whenever he wishes. If he had conditioned this on her, then obeying him in this matter is even more confirmed.

Furthermore, her husband preventing her from work is not necessarily due to her not adhering to Hijab so that she would say that she is wearing it. Rather, his reason of refusal may be jealousy or any other acceptable reason. Therefore, she is obliged to obey him even if there are no reasons that are mentioned above.

Finally, it is worth reminding this woman that obeying her husband is an act of worship by which she gets closer to Allaah. It is confirmed that the Prophet said: “A woman who performs her five prescribed daily prayers, fasts the month of Ramadan, guards her chastity and obeys her husband, will be addressed (on the Day of Resurrection): ‘Enter Paradise from any gate you like’.” [Ahmad].

On the other hand, we advise this husband to be patient and wise, and he should debate with his wife in a good manner and try to convince her, but he should avoid anything which could cause disputes as this has bad consequences.

Allaah Knows best.