Fatwa ID: 07823

 

 

Written by Maulana Sakib Shadman

 

Question:

 

Is it likeable to Allah for a husband and wife to live together with the husband’s brother when the wife does Pardah and the living system is open and frank? Or should the wife insist on living separately when they can afford to?

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

Our beloved Prophet (SAW) warned women against living in a “joint family” situation, especially if the brother-in-law is living in the same house. 

 

`Uqba b. `Amir reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Beware of entering into the houses and meeting women (in seclusion). A person from the Ansar said: Allah’s Messenger, what about the husband’s brother, whereupon he (ﷺ) said: Husband’s brother is like death. (Sahih Muslim 2172a)

 

 

This Hadith warns women against their “hamw”. The “hamw” includes the husband’s relatives such as his cousin, nephew, brother, etc. 

 

 

You must guard yourself against such relatives. Living as a joint family is from the pre-Islamic culture of the Indian subcontinent. This is not from Islam. Even if you wear a niqab around your current house, there is still scope for fitnah.

 

 

In Islam, it is your basic right that your husband accommodates you with separate housing away from your in-laws. This is to ensure your privacy, safety, comfort and security. Please advise your husband to provide you with separate housing as it is your right, and your husband must not be a miser in this matter. He should remember that he will be rewarded immensely for spending on you and fulfilling your rights. InshaAllah you will find much more peace and happiness in your marriage if you follow this Islamic advice. May Allah Ta’ala make things easy for you. Ameen.

 

 

__________________________________

 

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْخَيْرِ، عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏”‏ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالدُّخُولَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَرَأَيْتَ الْحَمْوَ قَالَ ‏”‏ الْحَمْوُ الْمَوْتُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

 

Sahih Muslim 2172a

https://sunnah.com/muslim:2172a

 

وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ اللَّيْثَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ، يَقُولُ الْحَمْوُ أَخُ الزَّوْجِ وَمَا أَشْبَهَهُ مِنْ أَقَارِبِ الزَّوْجِ ابْنُ الْعَمِّ وَنَحْوُهُ ‏.‏

 

Ibn Wahb reported: I heard Laith b. Said as saying: Al-Hamv means the brother of husband or like it from amongst the relatives of the husband, for example, cousin, etc.

 

Sahih Muslim 2172c

https://sunnah.com/muslim:2172c

 

(وَعَلَى الزَّوْجِ أَنْ يُسْكِنَهَا فِي دَارٍ مُفْرَدَةٍ لَيْسَ فِيهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ إلَّا أَنْ تَخْتَارَ ذَلِكَ) لِأَنَّ السُّكْنَى مِنْ كِفَايَتِهَا فَتَجِبُ لَهَا كَالنَّفَقَةِ، وَقَدْ أَوْجَبَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مَقْرُونًا بِالنَّفَقَةِ، وَإِذَا وَجَبَ حَقًّا لَهَا لَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يُشْرِكَ غَيْرَهَا فِيهِ لِأَنَّهَا تَتَضَرَّرُ بِهِ، فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَأْمَنُ عَلَى مَتَاعِهَا، وَيَمْنَعُهَا ذَلِكَ مِنْ الْمُعَاشَرَةِ مَعَ زَوْجِهَا وَمِنْ الِاسْتِمْتَاعِ، إلَّا أَنْ تَخْتَارَ لِأَنَّهَا رَضِيَتْ بِانْتِقَاصِ حَقِّهَا (وَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ مِنْ غَيْرِهَا فَلَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يُسْكِنَهُ مَعَهَا) لِمَا بَيَّنَّا وَلَوْ أَسْكَنَهَا فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ الدَّارِ مُفْرَدٍ وَلَهُ غَلْقٌ كَفَاهَا لِأَنَّ الْمَقْصُودَ قَدْ حَصَلَ.

——–

ص397 – كتاب فتح القدير للكمال بن الهمام ط الحلبي – فصل على الزوج أن يسكنها في دار مفردة ليس فيها أحد من أهله – المكتبة الشاملة

 

أَمَّا وُجُوبُهَا فَقَدْ دَلَّ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابُ وَالسُّنَّةُ وَالْإِجْمَاعُ وَالْمَعْقُولُ أَمَّا الْكِتَابُ الْعَزِيزُ فَقَوْلُهُ ﷿ ﴿أَسْكِنُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ سَكَنْتُمْ مِنْ وُجْدِكُمْ﴾ [الطلاق: ٦] أَيْ: عَلَى قَدْرِ مَا يَجِدُهُ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنْ السَّعَةِ وَالْمَقْدِرَةِ وَالْأَمْرُ بِالْإِسْكَانِ أَمْرٌ بِالْإِنْفَاقِ؛ لِأَنَّهَا لَا تَصِلُ إلَى النَّفَقَةِ إلَّا بِالْخُرُوجِ وَالِاكْتِسَابِ وَفِي حَرْفِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ ﵁ أَسْكِنُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ سَكَنْتُمْ وَأَنْفِقُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ وُجْدِكُمْ وَهُوَ نَصٌّ وَقَوْلُهُ ﷿ ﴿وَلا تُضَارُّوهُنَّ لِتُضَيِّقُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ﴾ [الطلاق: ٦] أَيْ: لَا تُضَارُّوهُنَّ فِي الْإِنْفَاقِ عَلَيْهِنَّ فَتُضَيِّقُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ النَّفَقَةَ فَيَخْرُجْنَ أَوْ لَا تُضَارُّوهُنَّ فِي الْمَسْكَنِ فَتَدْخُلُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ غَيْرِ اسْتِئْذَانٍ فَتُضَيِّقُوا عَلَيْهِنَّ الْمَسْكَنَ فَيَخْرُجْنَ، .

——–

ص15 – كتاب بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع – كتاب النفقة – المكتبة الشاملة

 

 

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Sakib Shadman 

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham