What is the ruling of Islamic law regarding a wife remaining in her family's home after her husband's family insulted her and accused her honor, and they failed to assist her with the expenses of the children or their medical treatment, and her refusal to return to the marital home where the husband's family resides out of fear for herself and her honor, despite her husband ordering her to return?
It is the wife's right that her husband provide her with independent housing. She is not obliged to live with the husband's family, and she has the right to refuse to do so due to the harm that may arise from their awareness of her affairs. It is her right not to live with a co-wife or her husband's family in the same house. If she refuses, he is obligated to house her in a separate dwelling. If she is harmed by the husband's family, there is no blame upon her for staying at her family's house until her husband returns, due to the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm." Therefore, the husband does not have the right to be angry at this action, as it is due to his failure in providing independent housing.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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