Obedience Is for the Husband Not the Mother-In Law Fatwa No: 86482
- Fatwa Date:30-10-2003
I am Amal from Tunisia but I live in Belgium because I work and I got married in summer and my question is that my mother-in law wants me to stay with her in Tunisia because she is sick I don't know what to do?
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.
A woman is not obliged to serve her husband's mother and it is not mandatory on her to obey her mother-in-law. However, a woman's duty is to obey her husband as long as he does not order her to do what is forbidden. So, if your husband orders you to live with your mother-in-law, then you have to obey him except if you had made a condition at the time of marriage that you will continue your work and stay at the place of work. If your husband does not order you to stay with his mother, then you are not required to be with her. Despite the above facts, we advise our sister to respect the feelings of her husband and behave kindly with his mother. However, it is your right to live in a separate and independent house without sharing with your husband's mother or anyone else.
Allah knows best.