Is a husband permitted to prevent his wife from completing her university education, and is he sinful if he lets her do as she pleases despite his fears regarding her behavior at the mixed-gender university?
The conditions stipulated by either spouse in the contract must be fulfilled, unless they contradict the contract's essence. So, if the wife stipulates completing her education, the husband must fulfill this, even if her purpose is to please her family or for social status. However, if her studies lead to religious corruptions, such as forbidden intermingling (ikhtilat) or traveling without a mahram, she must abandon them, and the husband has the right to prevent her. The interest of preserving religion takes precedence. If the wife does not respond to the husband's prevention and insists on going out, this is an act of nushuz (disobedience), and the husband should follow what the Sharia has prescribed for dealing with a disobedient wife. If the problem is not resolved, wise family members should be consulted; otherwise, the suitability of separation should be considered. Jealousy is commendable when there is suspicion, but one must be careful not to be excessive in it.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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