What is the wisdom behind prohibiting a man from marrying his wife's mother?
The text prohibiting marriage to the wife's mother does not mention a reason for the prohibition, and all reasons mentioned are deductions, opinions, and estimations. There might be a general reason, or a specific one for each type of prohibited kin, or common reasons. Among these reasons are: that marriage between relatives might weaken offspring, or that the relationship with some prohibited kin should be one of care, affection, and respect, thus avoiding marital disputes, or that for certain categories like the wife's mother, paternal feelings are not meant to be hurt, or that marriage aims to expand the family circle, not confine it to relatives. In all cases, submission to Allah's choice implies wisdom and benefit, and our knowledge or ignorance does not affect the obligation of obedience and execution.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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