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Is it permissible for the husband to force his wife to quit her job, and is it permissible for him not to participate in household chores?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Among the objectives of marriage are family stability and tranquility, which are achieved through understanding and cooperation between the spouses. The default is for the wife to manage household chores and for the husband to work outside the home, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ruled between Ali and Fatimah. It is part of a man's good character not to burden his wife beyond her capacity and to assist her. Some scholars have made it obligatory for the husband to provide a maid for his wife if she is from a social standing where it is customary for women like her not to perform household service. The interaction between spouses should not be based on the relationship of commander and commanded, and the husband should assist his wife in what she cannot manage. The husband has the right to prevent his wife from working, and she must obey him if he provides for her needs, unless she stipulated working at the time of the marriage contract, in which case he must fulfill her condition.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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