What is the ruling on a husband who abandons his wife for four years and does not provide her with housing, while continuing to send child support payments, and what is the ruling on a wife who insulted her husband and his father because of his abandonment of her and his failure to provide housing?

Marital disputes are something that perhaps no family is free from, and wise people deal with them gently and by prioritizing what is beneficial, as discord can lead to separation and have a negative impact. It is not permissible for a husband to abandon his wife except in the case of her insubordination (nushooz), and such abandonment should be confined to the marital bed. It is the wife's right that her husband not be absent from her for more than six months except with her permission. It is the husband's duty to provide a dwelling commensurate with their circumstances and his means, and the wife is not obligated to live with his family or her own. A wife insulting her husband or his parents is forbidden, and her anger is not an excuse unless it reaches a point where she is not conscious of what she is saying. We advise both spouses to seek harmony and dialogue, and for each to fulfill the rights of the other, and if necessary, to involve sensible family members to mediate and reconcile.