To whom does the custody of the two children go if the wife, afflicted with a rare and incurable disease, requests a divorce, and her father is deceased, and her family (her mother, brothers, sisters, and their children, eight in total) live in one room?

A wife is not permitted to seek a divorce without a valid Shar’i (Islamic legal) excuse. However, she is allowed to do so for permissible reasons. After divorce, if the children are under seven years of age, the mother has a greater right to their custody, unless her illness is contagious or harmful to them; otherwise, her right to custody is forfeited. If they reach seven years of age or older, the children are given the choice between the father and the mother. A confined space does not invalidate custody as long as safety and care are provided.