What is the ruling on a husband abstaining from conjugal relations with his wife for more than a year and a half without a valid reason, and what is the correct course of action for the wife in this situation, taking into account her desire not to seek divorce in order to preserve the family for the sake of the children?

A husband must treat his wife with kindness, and it is not permissible for him to abstain from intercourse with her for a period that harms her; otherwise, he would be disobedient, because intercourse is one of the wife’s rights and a primary objective of marriage.

If the husband abstains from intimate relations with his wife without an excuse, she has the right to demand a divorce or to refer the matter to a judge to compel him to fulfill his duty or to dissolve the marriage.

If the wife does not want anyone to intervene or a divorce, she should persuade her husband to grant her right to intercourse by employing means to attract him to her, being a good wife, beautifying herself, and seeking advice and admonitions. If none of that works, then she has no choice but to be patient and silent, for the sake of her children's well-being.