Is divorce permissible if the wife feels hatred and aversion towards her husband, whom she describes as having many bad qualities, and she refuses to bear children from him, with her refusal to bear children being for the sake of the child's welfare?
A wife does not have the right to refuse procreation without a valid excuse, as it is a shared right between the spouses. Neither of them may prevent the other from it except for a legitimate excuse, such as illness. Divorce is disliked in Islamic law, and a woman is forbidden from seeking divorce without a valid reason, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Any woman who asks her husband for divorce without a sound reason, the scent of Paradise will be forbidden to her." However, if the woman dislikes her husband and is unable to fulfill his rights, she is permitted to seek separation through Khul' (dissolution of marriage) or divorce, and her request would not be an injustice to her children. It is recommended to communicate with the husband and to be patient with what she dislikes, as married life is sustained through patience and overlooking faults.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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