Should the questioner seek divorce from her husband who abandoned her and her children for years then returned apologizing, but has not provided for them for a year, citing debts and the difficulty of coming to their country, given her fear for her children in a foreign land and the unavailability of job opportunities for her in her home country?

If the wife is harmed by her husband's distance from her, she has the right to seek divorce due to clear harm. However, given the presence of children, divorce may not be the best option. Rather, it is preferable to continue trying to reach an understanding with him and to ask wise family members to intervene and advise him to fulfill his duty. It is important for the spouses to reside in the same country. If the husband cannot come, perhaps it is better for the wife to travel to him to live with him, to understand his situation, to converse with him, to cooperate in raising the children and caring for the family, and to seek a solution for the issues of work and debt. This also enables the wife to bring the matter before the Sharia (definition) court if needed, to remove the harm and compel the husband to fulfill his obligations.