What is the religious ruling regarding a wife who requested a divorce multiple times due to her husband's refusal to change his bad behavior and the deterioration of the marital relationship, and he refused, which led her to commit adultery with another man, then she repented, knowing that she has abandoned her husband for more than five months?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
An unjust and wicked husband does not justify his wife committing adultery, which is a major sin requiring immediate repentance through abstention, remorse, and determination never to return to it, along with concealment (of the sin) and increasing good deeds. The wife is permitted to seek a divorce due to the harm of beating and wickedness. If the husband refuses, she may refer the matter to a judge. A wife abandoning her husband is forbidden, but it is permissible if the husband is neglectful of his duties towards Allah Almighty.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/136778
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 136778
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy