Husband is not obliged to provide for his in-laws

8-12-2014 | IslamWeb

Question:

i am in a great confusion pls help me my husband was not caring any needs of my house i am always worry about my father who was not earning if i ask my husband he was saying no money to help them that time i feel more angry about him but i am scared of allah s angry upon me to my attitude towards my husband my i cnt ignore my father also i was not earning daily we r fighting to this matter what can 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 is the right of the wife that her husband provides for her as we explained in Fatwa 85361. Your husband has to provide for you in a reasonable manner. You should kindly and wisely advise him about this and inform him that the Islamic Sharee‘ah urges the man to support his family and considers whatever he spends on his family as the most rewardable charity. Abu Hurayrah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "A dinaar you spend in the cause of Allaah, or to free a slave, or as a charity you give to a needy person, or to support your family, the one yielding the greatest reward is that which you spend on your family." [Muslim]

If your husband refuses to provide for you and you can take from his wealth without his knowledge to provide for yourself, you may do so, but take only as much as you need. ‘Aa'ishah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her reported that the wife of Abu Sufyaan said to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, "O Messenger of Allaah, Abu Sufyaan is a miser and he does not provide enough for me and my children, can I take of his money without his knowledge?" The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Take what is sufficient for you and your child in a reasonable manner." [Al-Bukhari]

On the other hand, your husband is not obliged to provide for your father and you have no right to get angry or fight with him because of that. However, it would be better if he helped your father and it is considered charity and an act of kindness that fosters affection and brings him closer to his in-laws.

If you have brothers or sisters, whoever of them is financially able to support your father should do so within their abilities. Scholars asserted that children are obliged to provide for their needy parents who have no source of income or wealth to provide for themselves as underlined in Fatwa 270145.

If you do not have siblings or do have them but they are poor and unable to provide for your parents, then it is the duty of your father's relatives to support him financially. Please refer to Fatwa 83470 about providing for one's relatives.

Allaah Knows best.

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