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Fatwa CenterRulings on wife's defiance apply to one who insists on wearing perfume outside the house
Question
My wife loves to wear perfume outside the house. Am I deemed sinful for that, knowing that I repeatedly advised her and that we even quarreled because of this matter? Should I do anything more than advise? If she does not accept my advice, then what should I do?
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.
It was authentically narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “If a woman wears perfume and passes by a gathering, then she is so and so (meaning adulterous).” [At-Tirmithi, Abu Daawood and others]
This Hadeeth, as is clear, highlights the danger of wearing perfume outside the house by a woman; she stimulates the desire of men when she passes by them with her perfume, so they look at her. Unlawful gazing at women is a form of adultery.
That is why we say to the questioner that it is impermissible for your wife to wear perfume outside her house as men can smell its fragrance. Moreover, it is impermissible for you to allow her to go out while wearing perfume; rather, if you allow her to go out like that, this is a sort of Diyathah (a man's approval of indecency among his womenfolk) that is despised by nature and forbidden by the Sharee'ah. It is a behavior that contradicts manhood, Qawamah (the duty and right to be in charge) and responsibility, which Allaah Almighty granted men and made specific to them. You should prevent your wife from going out wearing perfume. If she refrains from accepting this, then she is disobedient to her Lord and disobedient to her husband. The rulings of defiance should be applied to her. These rules were stated by Allaah Almighty in the verse in which He said (what means): {But those [wives] from whom you fear defiance—[first] advise them, [then, if they persist] forsake them in bed, and [finally] strike them...} [Quran 4: 34]
Thus, the questioner should know that mere advice does not clear his liability of the responsibility that he is charged with.
Allaah Knows best.
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