What is the ruling of Islamic law on obliging a wife to receive her husband's mother, who has been abusive, and to greet her, despite the mother-in-law's mistreatment of the wife's mother, and the wife's inability to tolerate this situation?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
What occurred with the husband's mother is not a justification for the wife to refuse returning to her home and cohabiting with her husband in kindness. Obedience to the husband takes precedence over obedience to parents in this matter. The wife is not religiously obligated to go out to receive her husband's mother, but she must return the greeting. It is commendable to receive her and welcome her, for among the virtues of a wife's character is to treat her husband's family well and overlook their missteps.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/193527
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 193527
- 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