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A wife refusing her mother-in-law to live with her

Question

Is it obligitory for the wife to care for her husbands mother and perform duties towards her? does a wife have the right to refuse her husbands mother moving in to their home permanantly?

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.

The scholars  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them stated that a husband is obliged to provide his wife with an accommodation where she is not harmed by anyone, be it her mother in-law or else. Therefore, if she refuses her mother in-law to live with her in her own house, she has the right to do so, especially if she is harmed by her mother in-law. However, if the husband wants to accommodate his mother in a section in his house which has separate amenities, then he may do so and the wife has no right to disapprove of this.

Generally, a wife should help her husband be dutiful to his mother, as this strengthens the marital relationship between her and him.

Allaah Knows best.

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