Esselam alaykoum, I was talking to my wife about our financial issue then I wanted to explain to my her some payments details by writing on a whiteboard and she got very upset and she said to me: "This is an insult" and she still accusing me that I insulted her and asking me for apology. She even refused to have sexual intercourse with me and she said until I apologize about showing her the whiteboard. What do you think about that? Is she wrong?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

There is no harm in the way that you used with your wife (to explain your financial issue to her), however, since your wife is provoked and feels humiliated by this way, then in future you should take another means by which you may avoid causing this problem. In fact, the matter is easy and it should not cause any dispute between you.

On the other hand, your wife is not permitted to refuse to have sexual intercourse with you because a wife is obligated to answer her husband whenever he calls her to bed unless she has a sound reason to refuse, and we have already discussed this in Fataawa 88547 and 96046.

Moreover, she should not ask you to apologize for something that does not need seeking apology, but there is no harm if you apologize to her in order to avoid dissension and as a way of understanding her mentality.

Finally, it should be noted that mutual understanding should prevail between both spouses, and they should understand the position of each other and fulfill the rights of each other.

For more benefit on the rights and obligations of the spouses towards each other, please refer to Fataawa 85308 and 85167.

Allaah Knows best.