Is it permissible to divorce my husband because he doesn't contribute to an Islamic environment in our home?

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

If you prove in front of the Muslim judge that your husband does not commit himself to the obligations of Islam and that he does not help you to abide by them, and you fear to be afflicted in your religion by staying with him or that you become religiously weak, and you ask for Khul’, then the Muslim judge will enable you to this effect.

However, we advise you to what is better than that, which is that you fulfill your obligation of advising your husband and admonishing him in a good and gentle manner. You should show him the benefits of good commitment to Islam in this worldly life and in the Hereafter and inform him that Allah linked the happiness of this worldly life and that of the Hereafter with that. Allah Says (what means):

{Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer— We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.} [Quran 16:97]

Allah also Says (what means): {…whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter]. And whoever turns away from My remembrance — indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e. difficult] life and We will gather [i.e. raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind.”} [Quran 20:123-124]

You should help him listen to some tapes about religion and make him read some beneficial literature and supplicate Allah to guide him to the straight path and open his heart to the truth and goodness.

We hope that if you seek Allah’s help, then what you want will happen that your husband will help you in building an Islamic environment while preserving your marital life.

Finally, we like to remind you of the Hadeeth of the Prophet in which he said: “If Allah guides one single man (to Islam) through you, it would be better for you than possessing the red camels (i.e. the most precious breed of camels).” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Allah knows best.