Is it permissible for a Muslim man to remain married to a Christian woman who is older than him, unable to conceive, and whose mother is displeased, to the extent that she does not speak to him due to her insistence on divorce, given that the husband knows of his wife's righteousness and fears falling into sins if he divorces her, and considering the difficulty of finding a suitable alternative that would meet his mother's expectations?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Obeying parents in divorcing one's wife is obligatory if there is a legitimate reason. If there is no legitimate reason for them, then obeying them is not obligatory. The wife's inability to bear children is not a reason that necessitates obeying parents in divorcing her. One should strive to appease the mother through kindness, gentle persuasion, and earning her contentment.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/154223
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 154223
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy