Dar Al-Ifta addressed the ruling on obeying parents who ask their son to divorce his wife after a married man asked whether he must end his marriage despite having a good and stable relationship with his wife.
The ruling addresses parental obedience in matters related to marriage and explains that decisions concerning the continuation or termination of married life involve personal choice within Islamic legal guidelines.
Must a Husband Obey His Parents and Divorce His Wife?
Dar Al-Ifta explained that a person should not be forced to marry or divorce simply because one or both parents want him to do so, particularly when there is no valid reason requiring the marriage to end.
Marriage is among the matters in which personal choice and judgment have an important role, and the continuation of married life is connected to the ability of the spouses to fulfill the purposes of marriage.
Freedom of Choice in Marriage
Islamic law recognizes personal choice in matters related to marriage as long as that choice does not result in prohibited conduct, harm, or corruption.
Accordingly, a person should not be compelled to make a marital decision against his will without a valid and relevant reason.
The Limits of Obeying Parents
Dar Al-Ifta emphasized the importance of honoring parents and treating them with kindness and respect. However, obedience is governed by what is appropriate and should not require a child to accept serious harm to essential personal interests.
When a parental request concerns marriage, employment, housing, or other major life matters, obedience should not come at the expense of significant harm or hardship.
In such circumstances, the son should communicate respectfully and explain why he cannot comply with the request without insulting or mistreating his parents.
Is Refusing a Parent's Request Considered Disobedience?
Refusing to divorce a wife simply because the parents request it does not automatically constitute disobedience toward them.
Filial disobedience involves harmful or prohibited treatment of parents, rather than every disagreement between parents and adult children.
Ruling on a Man Obeying His Parents in Divorce
Dar Al-Ifta explained that a son is not required to obey his parents when they ask him to divorce his wife merely because they want the marriage to end, particularly when the marriage is stable and there is no valid reason for separation.
Divorce should not be treated as a decision made simply to satisfy another person because it has significant consequences for both spouses and the wider family.
When Is Divorce Justified?
Divorce may become justified when continuing the marriage is no longer possible or when remaining together causes serious and recognized harm.
However, the parents' desire for their son to divorce his wife, by itself, does not make divorce obligatory.
Can Parents Force Their Son to Divorce?
Parents do not have the right to force their adult son to end his marriage merely because they dislike his wife or prefer that he separate from her.
The continuation or termination of marriage should be considered according to the circumstances of the spouses and the purposes of marriage.
Traditional Islamic scholarship has also emphasized the importance of personal choice in marriage and rejected compelling an adult child to marry someone he does not want.
Ending an existing marriage without a valid reason can also result in emotional, financial, and family consequences, making parental preference alone insufficient as a reason for obligatory divorce.
How Should a Son Respond to Parents Asking for Divorce?
If parents ask their son to divorce his wife without a valid reason, he should continue to honor them and speak to them respectfully without treating divorce as obligatory simply to fulfill their request.
A calm conversation can help explain that divorce may create significant hardship, particularly when the wife is righteous and the marriage is stable.
Must a husband obey his parents and divorce his wife?
No. He is not required to divorce his wife simply because his parents request it, especially when there is no valid reason for separation.
Is refusing to divorce considered disobedience to parents?
No. Refusing the divorce itself is not considered filial disobedience as long as the son continues to treat his parents respectfully.
Can parents force their son to divorce his wife?
A parent's request alone does not make divorce obligatory or give them authority to force an adult son to end his marriage.
When can divorce be justified?
Divorce may be justified when married life cannot reasonably continue or when continuing the marriage causes significant harm.
