Advice to a wife who is suffering some problems with her husband, whom she married under pressure from her mother and without the consent of her father

It is permissible for a woman to go out of her house for work, subject to specific guidelines that we have explained previously in fatwa no. 106815. 

But you mentioned that your friend works in a place where there is mixing, working at night, in a non-Muslim country, and this kind of work is usually not free of a number of things that are prohibited. Therefore she has to fear Allah, may He be glorified, and repent to Him from having done such work that is contrary to Islamic teachings.

She is under no obligation to hasten to bring her husband if doing so will result in doing haraam deeds, such as continuing in a job that is not permissible, or telling lies in the official paperwork, because lying is prohibited, even if it is concerning a minor matter. We have previously explained that the Muslims, especially those living in non-Muslim societies, should strive to be truthful and avoid telling lies with the disbelievers, even more than in the case of believers, because striving to be truthful and connecting that to the teachings of the religion, is a kind of practical da‘wah to non-Muslims. It lets them see what Islam promotes of noble characteristics, and perhaps that will motivate some of them to enter the religion of Allah. 

But if the Muslim appears to be a liar or a cheater, or shows other blameworthy characteristics in front of non-Muslims, that may put them off the religion and make them despise its followers. Please see fatwa no. 175632. 

With regard to her marriage to this man without her father’s consent, it is a mistake. It is not permissible for a woman to get married without her guardian’s permission. But so long as that has been done, then the marriage is to be deemed valid. Please see fatwa no. 132787. 

With regard to her problems with her husband, we advise her to be patient with him and to offer a lot of supplication to Allah, may He be exalted, and to ask Him and beseech Him to set things straight between them, and to guide them and enable them to do that which He, may He be glorified, loves.

She should understand that people’s hearts are in the hand of Allah, may He be glorified, and that it is His way with His slaves to cause them to alternate between hardship and ease, restriction and abundance, so as to test them and see if they will show gratitude and patience. This wife herself has acknowledged that in the beginning she spent some time with her husband that she describes as happy, so let her fear Allah, may He be glorified, and turn to Him alone, and let her try hard to please her husband, for Allah, may He be glorified, is able to change this situation and make it the best of situations.

As for her current dislike of him, that may be due to living apart, for living apart may cause hard feelings. So let her try hard to bring her family together and start a happy life with her husband, in which they will live according to what Allah, may He be exalted, has prescribed.

We ask Allah, may He be exalted, to bring them together in the best way.

And Allah knows best.