What is the ruling of Islamic law regarding a husband’s physical estrangement from his wife for a period of six years, while compensating for this with pornographic films and novels, and his claim that he feels unnatural when she demands her legitimate marital rights, and is the wife entitled to seek a divorce in this situation?
If a husband abstains from conjugal relations with his wife without a valid excuse, despite her need for it, he is unjust towards her and neglecting her right. Watching pornographic films is prohibited (haram). There is no blame upon the wife for seeking a divorce if she is harmed by remaining with her husband, but patience and understanding with him, and advising him to repent, is preferable. However, if the reason for his abstaining from intercourse is an illness, then he must seek treatment. If treatment is not effective, then she must weigh the harm of divorce against the harm of remaining with him and choose the lesser of the two harms.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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