Assalamu alaikum, I had to divorce my wife at my parents' behest. parents' inteference both from mine and wife was responsible for the divorce. some of my relatives who visited me since our wedding four years ago reported to my mum that my wife doesnt like cooking for me and that she doesnt take good care of them when they visit. 3. My mum also complained that my inlaws do not respect her. when we visited home last december, my mum and my elder sister went to my wife's home to warn her before her mum. my wife became upset at the way they warned her and she retaliates by shooking her head. this also baffled my mum. though she(my wife) later went to my mum to seek her forgiveness for what she did. Now, after the divorce i intend to bring my wife back because of the condition she find herself. she is pregnant and have custody of our one year old daughter. My parents do not want me to take her back because they dont like them and they are not ready for reconcilation. she even said she will not forgive me if i take her back even her death. they also said my inlaws go to sorcerers. Some people used to report to my mum all sort of lies that i spend so and so amount for my inlaws, whereas i know from my heart is not so. Infact my mum recommended her to me to marry and i obliged her. How do i go about this?

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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Firstly, we would like to point out that the son is not obliged to obey his parents if they command him to divorce his wife for no valid reason; please refer to Fatwa 130549.

If your wife is righteous and pious, then you should not have divorced her at the request of your parents. Instead, you should have kept her and tried to appease them somehow. In fact, their mere objections about your in-laws that they go to sorcerers, for example – if proven correct – are not a valid reason for divorcing your wife as long as she does not join them in such practices.

You should sincerely turn to Allaah and appeal to Him to enable you to convince them to agree to taking your wife back. You can seek the mediation of respected and virtuous people to whom your parents are likely to listen and respond. You should also remind your parents of the grave consequences of divorce on the children. If you succeeded in convincing them, then all praise be to Allaah. But if they persistently refuse, then you should obey them unless you passionately love your wife and long for her in a manner that you fear temptation for being away from her or fear the potential deviation of your children. In this case, it is permissible for you to take your wife back in marriage despite your parents’ disapproval.

It should be noted that in case of the revocable divorce, you may revoke the divorce and take your wife back in marriage and there is no need for a new marriage contract as long as the ‘Iddah (waiting period) has not ended yet. However, if the ‘Iddah has ended, you need a new marriage contract. Please refer to Fatwa 82541 about the types of Divorce.

Allaah Knows best.