What is the ruling regarding a wife remaining in her family's home and refusing to return to her repentant husband, especially given her family's refusal to encourage her to obey her husband and their incitement to divorce?
A wife is not permitted to leave her husband's home except for a legitimate Shar'i (Islamic legal) excuse. If the excuse ceases to exist, she is obligated to return. If she refuses, she becomes a nashiz (rebellious wife). It is not permissible for the wife's parents to incite her not to return, nor is it permissible for her to obey them in this, because there is no obedience to a creature in disobedience to the Creator. We advise mediating the matter through sensible individuals to resolve the problem and persuade her parents to allow her to return. Otherwise, the husband has the right to take the matter to court. The father's statement that she is his daughter in his home and he has the final say over her is incorrect, for when a woman enters into the bond of marriage, her husband has more authority over her than her parents.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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