Her husband is too busy to go out with her
Fatwa No: 92001

Question

I study in the USA and I have my wife and 4 months old son with me. I go to school almost every day except weekends and Fridays. My wife complains a lot because I do not allow her to go outside our house alone even for 10 minutes. She wants to go to the park with our son to get fresh air whenever she is bored, or may be go get some foods' needs while I am at school. She always tells me that it is okay for women to go out to for such purposes. I know my wife is a good wife Mashaa' Allaah, and she just feels bores because her family is back in Yemen and she has almost nobody in my city to visit or spend time with. There is a Masjid in the city but the thing is that "May Allaah forgive me" I am always busy with school and the Masjid is far from our house and I go to the Masjid on Fridays and in the weekends; however sometimes when I want to take her to the Masjid it is cold for our child or our son is sleeping. I always tell my wife that in Islam, women can not go out side their homes for no reason. Feeling bored is not enough for them to go out alone even to a safe place such as parks. We decided to ask and go by what Islam says about this condition. Can my wife go out alone or with our son if I am not at home and she feels bores because she stays at home for many days?

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.

 

In principle a woman should stay at home and not go out, as Allaah Says (what means): {And abide in your houses.}[Quran 33:33]. However, if there is a need for a woman to go out and it is safe for her to do so, then there is no harm on her, Allaah willing, provided the religious requirements are met, like seeking the permission of the husband, wearing Hijab, avoiding mixing with men, and the like.

Finally, it should be noted that the husband should endeavour his utmost to find a time to entertain his wife and make her happy, as this is one of the means of maintaining good marital relationships between married partners.

Allaah Knows best.

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