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Fatwa CenterYour father-in-law is not obliged to spend on you and your husband
Question
I have been married for the past 10 years to the son of an extremely wealthy businessman (my father-in-law also happens to be an Ameer of our local Grand mosque). The problem is, we still are living with my parents, my parents are also well to do but they are wanting us to go to our own place as its been sometime now, further I got 2 schooling kids. Now my husband is not in the business with his father and he has seperate business for the last one year. My husband has 6 older brothers and everybody have their own places to live(homes provided by my father in law). What I wish to know is, is it my father-in-law's duty to provide us with a roof to live? The reason my husband started fresh business was because, my father-in-law did not allow him to draw much money for expences, it was getting very hard, and he did not allow my husband to go anywhere abroad etc etc. whenever my family went abroad on holiday/etc. my father paid for mine and my kids tickets while my husband was not allowed to come. I have heard that a wife should be maintained well. Now my husband is saying we cannot go to our own place right now as our business is new, and he needs a few months time before we start thinking of moving. What can I do now? I feel like a scape goat stuck in the middle, parents preassure from one side and husband refusing to move right away on the other. My in-laws are not getting involved at all, they act as if they do not have any responsibilty towards us, they feel its my parents duty to provide us with a home. Pls explain what i should do, any duas/prayers for this kind of situation. Pls tell me should I repent for thinking that my in-laws are responsible for the problems I am facing as its their duty to provide us with a home. The reason my dad gave me in marriage when I was 16 was because my father-in-law is extremely rich, and my dad was really poor at that time and sick, he did not promise a home as dowry. Jazakallah.
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 is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
Firstly, the husband is obliged to provide his wife with a separate accommodation, and is obliged to feed and cloth her but he is not obliged to pay for her travel tickets and expenses. Similarly, your father and your father in-law are not obliged to provide you with an accommodation or to spend on you. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 85361.
Secondly, the Prophet 
advised whoever has any need to perform two Rak'ahs; in this regard, please refer to Fatwa 82384.
Thirdly, a father should treat his children equally in giving them gifts and otherwise. He is not permitted to favor one child over another unless there is a sound religious reason for doing so. For instance, if the son has no provisions or he is too busy to seek his own livelihood due to him seeking religious knowledge.
Finally, we advise you to treat your husband, the father of your children, kindly. You should not overburden him. Furthermore, you should be patient with him as much as possible, since he was not negligent about his obligations towards you and did what he could.
Allaah Knows best.
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