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:

a friend of mine was all most raped by her brother in law, so to protect herself she inflicted a wound on him by using a knife, he was stabbed, after all this he attempted to rape her again after 2 months, it has been over 6 years and her husband wants his brother to come live with them again, she is very uncomfortable around him and among other men now, did she commit a sin by stabbing him, and should and can she refuse to allow him back in the home, even if her husband and in laws ask her to?

(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:

Attempted Rape, stabbed the culprit

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.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) warned the believers to beware of non-mehram men mixing freely with one’s wife, and especially mentioned the husband’s brother and said that he was the most dangerous of all men in regards to one’s wife, and termed him a grave danger and ‘death’; because of his close relationship and proximity.

Your question: did she commit a sin by stabbing him.

Every believer has a right to protect their lives, their property, and above all their honor. If the brother of the wife’s husband tried to rape her, and in defense of her honor she stabbed and injured him; there is absolutely no sin upon her. The sin is upon her husband’s brother and if he does not seek sincere repentance from Allah Subhanah and amend his conduct, he will have a severe accounting in the Just Court of Allah Subhanah on an Inevitable Day.

Your question: and should and can she refuse to allow him back in the home, even if her husband and in laws ask her to?

She should immediately tell her husband about the attack on her honor by his brother, and she is absolutely well within her rights to refuse to live with or associate in any way with a person who has tried to commit such an evil crime against her and her honor!

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