Divorce on Parents’ Command: Shar‘i Ruling
Source: Ahkam wa Masail, Masail-e-Talaq, Vol. 1, p. 336
❀ The Question
If parents—especially the father or the mother—command their son to divorce his wife, what is the Shar‘i ruling? Is it obligatory for the son to obey his parents and divorce his wife in such a case?
❀ The Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh, ammā ba‘d!
◈ Guidance from the Hadith
It is clearly established in authentic Hadith:
Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) said:
«کَانَتْ تَحْتِیْ اِمْرَأَةٌ اُحِبُّهَا وَکَانَ عُمَرُ يَکْرَهُهَا فَقَالَ لِیْ طَلِّقْهَا فَأَبَيْتُ فَاَتٰی عُمَرُ رَسُوْلَ اﷲِ ﷺ فَذَکَرَ ذٰلِکَ لَهُ فَقَالَ لِیْ رَسُوْلُ اﷲِﷺ طَلِّقْهَا»
(رواہ الترمذی وأبو داود، مشكاة: باب البر والصلة، حديث 4940)
“I had a wife whom I loved, but my father, ‘Umar (رضي الله عنه), disliked her. He told me to divorce her, but I refused. Then ‘Umar went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and mentioned it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: ‘Divorce her.’”
◈ The Incident of Ibrahim (عليه السلام)
Further clarification is found in the story of Ibrahim (عليه السلام). When he instructed his son Isma‘il (عليه السلام) to part with his wife due to certain reasons, Isma‘il (عليه السلام) complied and let her go.
❀ Conclusion
From the above Hadith and the incident of Ibrahim (عليه السلام), it is clear:
① If parents—especially the father—command their son to divorce his wife with a valid reason (such as a religious or moral shortcoming), then the son should act upon it.
② This was the case with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما), who, upon the instruction of the Prophet ﷺ, divorced his wife in obedience to both Allah’s Messenger and his father’s concern.
③ This demonstrates the importance of obeying parents and acting upon their sincere advice when it is rooted in genuine concern for deen and character.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
(And Allah knows best what is correct.)
