Which has greater merit: one's parents or one's spouse, taking into account that the love for parents is unconditional, while the love for a spouse is conditional upon mutual benefit and obedience, and the resulting rulings such as prioritizing obedience to the spouse over obedience to parents to preserve the family unit?

The rights of parents are more affirmed and superior to the rights of the husband. The rights of parents are inherent and do not cease except by their apostasy, and they continue even after their death. As for the husband's rights, they are temporary due to the marriage contract and cease upon its dissolution or his death. Preferring obedience to the husband over obedience to parents is not because the husband has a higher status, but rather because obedience to the husband entails fulfilling the contract and covenant, and because the family system cannot be maintained otherwise.

Therefore, if a father orders his daughter to do something that necessitates her disobedience to her husband in what is lawful, then it is an order to commit a sin, and there is no obedience to a creature in disobedience to the Creator.