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:

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh..

Dear brother in islam, AL HUMDU LI LLAH, i am very proud of the work being done in the effort of understanding ISLAM and daily life`s questiones that normally people ignore because they dont have time to search for it OR they dont find a better source to search it for.

My question is
" I heard that if a man does not make love/have sex with his wife for more than six months will be questioned on the day of judgment. I am recently married but because of my family responsibilities i couldnot stay with my wife more than two months ( after marriage ) as i had to join back my job in GULF.
Two reasons :
1-We get only one month leave after completing
one year.
2-I cannot afford to bring her here with me
because of expenses.
What do i do...? 

(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:

Time limit for abstinence sex

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: My question is I heard that if a man does not make love/have sex with his wife for more than six months will be questioned on the day of judgment.

Abu Dhar al-Ghafari reported: ‘The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “there is a reward for you [even] in sex with your wife."’ The companions asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah (saws) is there a reward if one satisfies his passion?" He (saws) said: "Do you know that if he satisfies it unlawfully he has taken a sin upon himself? Likewise, if he satisfies it lawfully, he is rewarded."

Related by Ahmad and Muslim.

Dear and beloved brother in Islam, to the best of our knowledge there is absolutely nothing in the Quran or the Sunnah which stipulates or declares the minimum or maximum times a couple united in the sacred bond of marriage must enjoy conjugal relations with each other; and we absolutely assure you that there is no mention in either the Quran or the Sunnah which states that if one does not have conjugal relations with one’s wife in a period of more than six months will be questioned on the Day of Judgment!

Your Question: What do i do...? 

Beloved brother, it would obviously be best if you could work and live with your family…..but if the earning of your livelihood entails that you work in a nation or place away from your wife and family, and both you and your wife can bring yourselves to accept this condition, remain patient, and are able to guard your chastity….there is absolutely no harm or restriction in Shariah regarding the amount of time one may live away from one’s family, if one has a genuine reason for doing so.

But if the condition of staying away from your wife and family are unbearable for you and your wife, you are well within your rights to either move back to your home nation and search for your livelihood there, or try to bring your wife to the nation where you are currently working.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan