The wife has the right for a separate home
Fatwa No: 86388

Question

What are women's right against their in-laws? Is it her duty to follow their orders in order to please them? Is it necessary for a woman to live with her in-laws?

Answer

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. A wife is recommended to do her best to maintain good relations with her in-laws since this, in turn, strengthens her relations with her husband. Her good and strong relations with her husband result in a happy life, which consequently has well impact on her entire family members. In fact, making efforts in order to have a happy home is highly encouraged in Shariah. If a woman has a hard time with her in-laws and faces problems, we advise her to be patient and await the reward of Allah. She should avoid treating them harshly just as they treat with her. On the contrary, she should be good, soft and kind with her in-laws, Allah will grant her better reward and her husband will be pleased with her behavior. However, a woman is not obliged to live with her in-laws. She has the right to have a separate house for herself and it is the duty of her husband to provide her with a separate residence particularly, if she faces harm in living with her in-laws. But if a woman gives up her right and lives willingly with her in-laws then there is no objection to that. Allah knows best.

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