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What should a wife do with her husband who does not pray, and with her husband's family who mock her for trying to advise her husband to pray? Is her silence and reliance on Allah regarding the mockery of her husband's family correct?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The question contains two matters:

First: The husband abandoning prayer: This is a serious matter, and some scholars have considered the one who abandons it to be a disbeliever. The wife has done well by advising him. She can seek help from virtuous people who have influence over him and increase supplications for his righteousness. When he prays in times of hardship, he should be reminded of the obligation to maintain prayer at all times, and that a good connection with Allah in times of ease is a reason for the removal of affliction, as stated in the Hadith: "Know Allah in times of ease, and He will know you in times of hardship."

Second: The derision of the husband's family: If this occurred from them, then they are wrongdoers. The wife has done well by ignoring them, as Allah Almighty says: "And when the ignorant address them, they say, 'Peace!'" If there is benefit in responding to them, then they can be responded to gently and kindly. It is the husband's duty to ward off their harm from her. Patience and seeking reward from Allah are required, and one should seek help by recalling the situation of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, when he was harmed.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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