Is a wife who left her husband's home without his permission, after a dispute in which she was the cause, and refused to return despite the husband providing all her rights and his attempts at reconciliation, and whose behavior changed, and who demanded a divorce, considered disobedient (nashiz) and rebellious (ʿāṣiyah) in Islamic law?
A wife's departure from her husband's home without his permission, when there is no necessity, is impermissible and is considered an act of defiance (nushooz) by which she forfeits her right to maintenance, except in specific cases such as seeking justice from a judge, or earning maintenance when the husband is in financial straits, or seeking a religious ruling (fatwa). The wife is disobedient and defiant if she leaves without justification, and she must repent and return. Obedience to the husband in what is right is obligatory and takes precedence over obedience to anyone else, even her parents. If the wife requests a divorce without justification, the husband has the right to refuse divorcing her until she relinquishes some of her rights to him.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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