His wife disrespects Islam and does not want their children taught Islam
Fatwa No: 89418

Question

I am married to a convert white woman because she was looking a good Muslim husband. She is not very attractive but I married her just because of Deen. I had nothing in my mind to get visa or anything. I have already everything with me. She impressed me and my family at the beginning that she loves Islam and were praying. She live another country than my country. I was working on very senior position in a multinational company. She become pregnant and asked me to leave my job and come to her. She is working and have a good job. And she told me that I will be able to get a job where she lives. I asked her to leave her job and come and live with us. We very respectable and well off religious people. But she refused and insisted me to come to her because after few years she will be able to get pension from the job. She put me so much under pressure that I resigned and joined her and Allaah gave us a beautiful son and later after 11 month a daughter. But she stopped praying and respecting my family and have very little contact with them. And meanwhile I was unable to find a job. But she said that she is earning and I have not worry and keep me under her control. Than she get transferred from Japan to Europe and we moved there. Since she arrived in her culture she forget Islam and talking against Islam and does not like that I have to teach Islam to my children and practice myself. We are here last four months and I have no job. During this time my mother passed away and was feeling pain fro me. I am very honest man. Never did any bad thing to anyone in my life. Where I go people love and respect me. And she gets jealous. Things are getting worst. My savings are almost finishing. Lot of people and Alim told me that I can divorce her and take my children away from her, which is not easy. I am always asking Allaah help. Please help me what I have to do. I am 49 years of age and my wife is 42 years and son 3 years and daughter 2. May Allaah pour upon you Thy Light, Wisdom and Love.

Answer

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.

If this woman shows that she hates Islam and insults its rulings and says or does other things that might suggest Kufr (disbelief), then you have to advise her and remind her about Allaah and about the seriousness of apostasy. If a scholar or a student of knowledge could talk to her on this issue then that is more appropriate so that he might establish the evidence against her. So if she takes heed, then all perfect praise be to Allaah, but if she insists on her falsehood then she is a non-Muslim and an apostate. In this case you have to divorce her and it is not permissible for you to have sexual relations with her; Allaah Says (what means): {Likewise, hold not the disbelieving women as wives.}[Quran 60:10]

As regards the children, she has no right to their custody as long as she is in this condition. If you can take your children from her by any means, then do so. But if you do not find a way to do that, you are not sinful as Allaah does not burden a soul more than it could bear. You have to endeavor to influence her and your children with good moral conduct while advising them whenever you meet them or contact them.

Allaah Knows best.

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