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Should a wife return to the marital home after her husband has beaten her and refused to apologize, or should she seek a divorce? Is she sinful for leaving the marital home in this situation?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

If a husband beats his wife unjustly, he has committed an act of injustice and wrongdoing, and repentance and seeking forgiveness become obligatory upon him. It is not permissible for the wife to leave the house due to being beaten unless she fears harm. She must return to her home and not refuse to do so except for a legitimate Shar'i reason, and the husband's failure to apologize is not a sufficient excuse. Seeking divorce is forbidden unless there is an acceptable Shar'i justification. The husband is not obligated to come and fetch his wife, though it is better if he does. Understanding and mutual agreement are advised to ensure the stability of marital life.

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

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