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Her imprisoned husband refuses to hug and kiss her publicly during visitations

Question

My Husband is serving a life sentence for a murder he did no commit. He has served 16 years out of a 20 year tariff. I met him 6 years ago and we got married. I was practising but he wasn't. Now he has started practising within the last 6 months alhamdulilah. I only see him once a week, my visits are so precious and it is the only time I can hold him, lay my head on his shoulder, and kiss him. Now he says that we are not to be like the Kufr and show affection in public and that we are not to do that anymore. This has really hurt me, to the point where my heart is hurting me so much. I have tried to explain my all the reasons why I do not think that cuddling or putting my head on his shoulder is not wrong, how can it be? But he says that he does not feel right about it and that the Prophet's (saaw) words keep coming into his heart, 'do not emmulate the Kufr'. I am so confused and upset, how can the love betweeen a husband and wife who don't see each other except once a week in a crowded visits hall be a bad thing. Allah (swt) but mercy and love between a husband and wife not the Kufr. How can holding each other be seen as something offensive? Please can you help me I am so upset and really do not want to spend all that money and travel all that way each week just to sit there like a cardboard cut out holding hands and nothing more. Jazakallahukhairun.

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 ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, we ask Allaah to bless your husband by setting him free and enabling him to come out of the prison, and make him a comfort to your eyes.

You should know that the matter is easy, so you should not misunderstand what your husband is doing. It is only goodness and bashfulness which prevented your husband from such a conduct in front of the people and bashfulness leads to all good as we were informed by the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). You should know that it is not permissible Islamicly to behave in such a manner in public. Finally, your husband may request the administration of the prison to allow him to meet you in private, and he should exert all efforts in trying to convince them to accept his request.

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 91996.

Allaah Knows best.

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