Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

If the wife of a muslim dresses in a way that is too revealing, what should the husband do? Will he be held responsible in any way even though he does not approve of it? Will he be punished for being with her even though she dresses that way? Should he divorce her? 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

What should a Husband do if the Wife wears revealing clothes?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 34:Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct admonish them (first), (next) refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience seek not against them means (of annoyance): for Allah is Most High, Great (above you all).

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.592 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar

I heard Allah's Apostle (saws) saying, "Everyone of you is a guardian, and responsible for what is in his custody. The ruler is a guardian of his subjects and responsible for them; a husband is a guardian of his family and is responsible for it; a lady is a guardian of her husband's house and is responsible for it, and a servant is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible for it."

Allah has made the husband the head of the family in an Islamic society. The wife is a guardian of his honor, and his property in his absence. If the wife does not dress appropriately, and insists on wearing revealing clothes, it is the duty and responsibility of the husband to talk to her, and admonish her to fear Allah Subhanah. Even then, if she does not listen, then there is no sin on the husband; the wife will bear the sin. But if he does not admonish her and she continues to wear in-appropriate clothing, then he will share the sin.

Divorcing her for this reason would not be appropriate, unless of course she absolutely does not obey the husband, and rebels against him. Allah has guided the man in the above aayah of Surah Nisaa, that if the man fears disloyalty, or ill-conduct on part of the wife, he should:

First talk and explain to her in a polite manner, and admonish her to fear Allah;

If she still does not obey and is bent on disobedience, he may threaten to stay away from having conjugal relations with her for a period of time as a sign of his displeasure; (most righteous woman would submit at this stage…)

If she still does not obey, Allah has permitted the man to lightly beat her … please note that this is not a license to beat her black and blue, but rather a permission to lightly beat her on her back as a sign of severe and extreme displeasure;

Lastly, if she absolutely does not wish to obey and is adamant on disobedience, he may now choose to take the extreme step of threatening to divorce her.

Brother, please note that one should give a reasonable and long period of time between the above four steps to make the wife realize her error; and try to make the wife understand that not only is she disobedient to her husband, she is disobedient to the commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws). It is expected that she will fear Allah and do the right thing.

Al-Muwatta Hadith Hadith 48.7

Yahya related to Abu Salih that Abu Hurayra heard the Prophet (saws) say: "Women who are naked even though they are wearing clothes, go astray and make others go astray; they will not enter Paradise, and they will not find its scent, although its scent is experienced from as far as the distance travelled in five hundred years."

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan