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Fatwa CenterHusband forbidding his wife from visiting her relatives
Question
Is it right of a husband to not let her do things that she wants like visiting her sisters or going to a friend's house? But when he wants something its ok for her to run his errands. Can a woman go out without her husband's permission if he doesn't let her go anywhere for being too strict really turns a person to be evil?
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.
One of the most important objectives of Islam in legislating marriage is to achieve tranquillity and peace between the spouses. Allaah Says (what means): {It is He who created you from one soul and created from it its mate that he might dwell in security with her.}[Quran 7:189]. This may only be achieved by resorting to the Islamic law which is revealed by Allaah for people to achieve their worldly benefits and benefits of the Hereafter. Allaah Says (what means): {It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.}[Quran 33:36]. Moreover, in Islam it is the husband who is the protector and guardian of his wife. Allaah Says (what means): {Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allaah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth.}[Quran: 4:34]. This is in order to achieve stability and tranquillity in all matters. On one hand, a woman is obliged to obey her husband in what is permissible. The Prophet 
said: "If I were to order anyone to prostrate to someone else other than Allaah, I would have ordered the wife to prostrate to her husband." [At-Tirmithi] Thus, a woman is not allowed to go out of her home without his permission unless there is a necessity or a dire need.
On the other hand, the husband should be kind and helpful to his wife in keeping ties with her kinship and in visiting her female friends if there is no religious prohibition in doing so, like if he fears that they would corrupt her and the like. If the husband persists on her not to go out, then she is obliged to obey him and not go out except with his permission. If she goes out without his permission she is sinful, and this may lead to many disadvantages, and she may be greatly harmed because of that. In addition to this, if the husband prevents her from keeping ties with her kinship without a sound reason, he is sinful, but if she does not obey him, she is disobedient. This matter would not reach this level between the spouses if there is mutual respect and trust between them.
As regards your expression 'being too strict', if by this statement you refer to the religion then this is very serious; but if you meant the mistakes that a husband may do when treating his wife, then it is not permissible for the wife to solve the mistake with a similar mistake as this may lead to unpleasant consequences, rather one should act with wisdom. Allaah Says (what means): {…and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good.}[Quran 2:269]. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 85312.
Allaah Knows best.
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