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Her father lives with a woman without marriage

Question

Salam Alaykom. My dad, unfortunately, he used to be a good man and 3 years ago he has changed and he is involved with a woman. He did not marry her, and he keeps saying he will but he still hasn't and he is also living with her in the same house. He didn't go to the masjid or make a celebration. We keep on trying to convince them to marry but they keep on saying that it isn't the right time, maybe later on and this has almost been 3 years. I would like to know, me and my husband, is it allowed for us to go and visit them or talk to them on the phone? Can we go and make Eid visit when our holidays come around? Is this also considered adultury since everyone knows about it? Can we allow my dad and this woman to visit us and also since this woman does not wear proper clothes?

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 ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

If the matter is true that your father has a relationship with that woman, then he is sinful whether or not he committed adultery with her. The fact that the people know about this relationship does not make it permissible for him to maintain it.

Therefore, they must be advised to repent to Allaah. Then, if he wishes to marry her, and she is a Muslim or a woman from the people of the Book, he should do so according to the Islamic conditions, like the presence of a guardian and the presence of two witnesses. However, he should immediately separate from her; for more benefit please refer to Fatwa 94791.

You should keep ties with your father and be kind and dutiful to him; your father being dissolute is not a sound excuse to cut relations with him. However, your husband is not obliged to keep ties with him, and if there is any benefit in reforming him by deserting him, he may do so.

As regards that woman, she should be reminded about the evil she is doing and she should be prevented from visiting you. Nonetheless, if you visit your father, do not be kind to her, as this may deter her.

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 88120 and 90792.

Allaah Knows best.

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