What should a wife do when her husband does not pray, while she is teaching her children to observe the five daily prayers?

This question was addressed by Sheikh Mohamed Kamal, a Fatwa Secretary at Egypt’s Dar Al-Ifta, after a woman named Natalia from Ukraine explained that her husband does not pray despite her repeated attempts to encourage him.

She also explained that her young son regularly performs the five daily prayers and often asks his father to pray and go to the mosque with him. When his father refuses, the child becomes upset and cries. The mother therefore asked the child's paternal uncle to take him to the mosque, and the uncle agreed.

What Should a Wife Do When Her Husband Does Not Pray?

Sheikh Mohamed Kamal explained that the first message to the husband should be a reminder of the importance of maintaining prayer, which is a fundamental obligation in Islam.

At the same time, the wife should approach the matter through wisdom and gentle advice rather than harshness or constant confrontation.

Advice Should Be Given Gently

The Dar Al-Ifta official emphasized the importance of advising the husband with kindness, referring to Allah's command:

“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction.”
(Qur'an 16:125)

The wife can therefore choose an appropriate moment to speak with her husband about prayer and remind him of its importance without turning every discussion into an argument.

She can also continue praying for his guidance and asking Allah to help him return to regular prayer.

How Should the Mother Deal With a Child Who Wants to Pray With His Father?

The child should be encouraged to continue praying and going to the mosque with his uncle, as the mother has arranged.

However, the child should not be exposed to constant negative messages about his father because of his failure to pray. Such comments could negatively affect their relationship in the future.

Instead, the child can be encouraged to pray for his father's guidance and to maintain a loving and respectful relationship with him.

Can the Child Help Encourage His Father to Pray?

The child's love of prayer can potentially become a positive influence within the family.

The family may pray together at home and gently invite the father to participate. Sharing prayer with his child could provide an opportunity for the father to reconnect with worship while also strengthening the bond between father and son.

The approach should remain encouraging rather than confrontational.

What Should a Wife Do If Her Husband Continues to Refuse Prayer?

The wife can continue offering calm advice and praying for her husband's guidance while maintaining her own commitment to teaching the children prayer.

It is also important not to allow the issue to become a source of constant conflict inside the home. Repeated arguments may increase tension without achieving the intended purpose of advice.

As for the detailed Islamic rulings concerning someone who abandons prayer, scholars have discussed this issue extensively and there are differences of opinion regarding several legal details. Such matters should therefore be addressed with qualified scholars rather than reduced to a single general ruling.

Conclusion

The central guidance in this situation is wisdom, gentleness, prayer, and encouraging the children to maintain their worship while avoiding negative portrayals of the father in front of them.

The child's love of prayer can become a bridge rather than a source of conflict. Sometimes a gentle invitation opens a door that repeated criticism could never unlock.

Should I continue advising my husband to pray?

Yes. Advice should be offered gently, at an appropriate time, without turning the matter into constant conflict.

Can my child go to the mosque with his uncle instead?

Yes, provided this is appropriate and safe for the child.

Should I tell my child that his father does not pray?

It is better to avoid creating a negative image of the father in the child's mind and instead encourage the child to pray for his father's guidance.

How can I encourage my husband to pray?

Gentle invitations to pray together at home, positive encouragement, and continued supplication for his guidance can be helpful.

Does abandoning prayer have specific Islamic rulings?

Yes. The issue has detailed jurisprudential discussions and differences among scholars, so specific cases should be referred to qualified Islamic scholars.