My wife used to wear Hijab and pray but now after 10 years, she doesn't wear Hijab and Salat. I spoke with her many times, but I now think to divorce her.

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.

Marriage is a blessing from Allah, as Allah Says (what means): {And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.} [Quran 30:21]

Therefore, one should be grateful to Allah for this blessing. Being thankful to Allah requires one to establish his family on piety and fear of Allah. This is possible only if one has good knowledge of the rights of Allah and full awareness of what pleases Him and what angers Him. When a person is aware that this world will end, that death is near to him, and that he will be called for a detailed account of his deeds, he will undoubtedly fear Allah. The first deed he will be asked about is the prayer. The Prophet said: "The person will remain standing on The Day of Judgement until he answers about five things: His life and how he spent it; his youth and how he used it; his wealth and how he collected it, and in what he spent it; and what he did with what he learned."

When a person is conscious of all the above matters and also reminds himself that Allah Alone grants all kinds of blessings, that it is He Alone who bestows upon a person the uncountable blessings, and that He enables a person to hear, to see, etc., no doubt he will never dare to disobey Allah.

Allah Says when mentioning His blessings upon His Slaves (what means): {Say, "Have you considered: if Allah should take away your hearing and your sight and set a seal upon your hearts, which deity other than Allah could bring them [back] to you?" Look how we diversify the verses; then they [still] turn away.} [Quran 6:46]

One should also keep in mind all the time the Mightiness of Allah to Whom belong the Earth and the heavens. Allah Says (what means): {They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be [within] His grip on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens will be folded in His right hand. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.} [Quran 39:67]

Allah also Says (what means): {What is [the matter] with you that you do not attribute to Allah [due] grandeur. While He has created you in stages? Do you not consider how Allah has created seven heavens in layers. And made the moon therein a [reflected] light and made the sun a burning lamp? And Allah has caused you to grow from the earth a [progressive] growth. Then He will return you into it and extract you [another] extraction.} [Quran 71:13-18]

The main reason for the negligence in following the rulings of the Sharee’ah, whether from an individual or a community, is the lack of the matters mentioned above. After all the above details, I would like to tell you that the best solution for the problem which you mentioned in your question is continuously reminding your wife of the rulings of the Sharee’ah. Allah Says (what means): {But remind by the Quran whoever fears My threat.} [Quran 50:45]

Purchase the good cassettes of recitation of the Quran, and cassettes of the sayings of the Prophet and of other good lectures. Leave all those things which may lead to the disobedience of Allah, especially musical instruments, songs, films and shameless serials, etc.

If your wife does not pay attention to the rulings of the Sharee’ah, and does not keep performing the prayer and wearing Hijaab in spite of all these efforts, then, in this case, the second step is to leave her alone in her bed and not to sleep with her. If this practice works, then praise be to Allah who blessed her to the right path. If she does not change herself and continues disobeying Allah, then as a last step you may beat her lightly but not harming her physically, if that is useful. Allah Says (what means): {But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand.} [Quran 4:34]

Know that all the above instructions are recommended only if you believe that they may have good results. If all these efforts do not benefit, then you have only one choice, that is to separate from her.

No doubt, being with a wife who does not perform the prayer and does not follow the rulings of the Sharee’ah, like wearing Hijaab, is more harmful than the harms you might face by separating from her.

In fact, the religion of a Muslim is far more important than any other matter.

For more benefit on the evidence for Hijaab and its conditions, please refer to Fataawa 81554, 83765, 83702, 81494, 354259 and 83033.

For more benefit on the ruling on abandoning the prayer or delaying it, please refer to Fataawa 384457, 377344, 88016, 84178, 83565, 87587, 90926, 88690 and 84403.

Allah knows best.