Islamic solutions for marital disagreements and problems

Islamic solutions for disputes and marital problems Sheikh Ibn Al-Jibreen Sheikh Ibn Al-Jibreen Foundation Islamic solutions for disputes and marital and family problems (real disputes and problems in many homes) Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all worlds, who legislated laws and established rulings and clarified what He legislated, distinguishing between lawful and unlawful, and included in His religion and Shariah all that benefits mankind. I praise Him, سبحانه, and thank Him for His abundant favors. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, with no partner, exalted above sharing idols and statues, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, the best of those who pray, fast, and perform Hajj to the House of Allah, may Allah bless and send peace upon Muhammad, his family, and his noble righteous companions. As for what follows: The Shariah and religion of Allah are of the utmost perfection and completeness, as Allah, the Most High, said: "This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion" [Al-Ma'idah: 3]. And Allah commanded His Prophet Muhammad — peace be upon him — to clarify and explain what was revealed to him, saying: "And We have sent down to you the mention (the Qur'an) that you may explain to the people what has been sent down to them" [An-Nahl: 44]. And the Prophet — peace be upon him — fulfilled this command and explained to his nation what Allah ordered him, giving examples and personally engaging in actions until the truth became clear, Allah’s command was made known, and people learned how to worship their Lord. Nothing was left confusing for them; there is no good except that he pointed the nation to it, and no evil except that he warned them against it. His companions — رضي الله عنهم — testified to this, mentioning that he died, and not a bird flapping its wings but that they knew something about it. Returning to this Shariah removes all confusion, dissolves all problems, and teaches Muslims from the fundamentals of Islam how to deal with disputes and conflicts that may occur between individuals and groups. By addressing these issues, harmony is achieved, love is strengthened in hearts, and Muslims become brothers in faith, as Allah mentioned: "So you have become, by His favor, brothers" [Al-Imran: 103]. This is the greatest goal of Islam, which urges its followers to recognize each other, foster affection, and establish love in hearts; leading to cooperation in righteousness and piety, calling to Allah with wisdom and good admonition, debating kindly, enjoining good and forbidding evil, supporting Muslims, and establishing their religion over all other religions, even if the disbelievers dislike it. Allah has also decreed that disputes naturally occur among Muslims, as He said: "And they will continue to differ except those whom your Lord has mercy on" [Hud: 118-119]. This is Allah’s way in His creation. Therefore, it is necessary to appoint judges, imams, and rulers to resolve disputes, end conflicts, restore rights, and prevent oppressors from continuing their injustice, returning rights to their rightful owners, and clarifying what may be confusing for some people. Resolving problems relies on Islamic principles and evidences, as they encompass all interests for servants and the land. It is necessary to appoint qualified judges who have knowledge, understanding, and learning from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet — peace be upon him — and who understand the deductions of recognized scholars and the precedents of previous cases and rulings. By referring disputes to them, all conflicts within this society are resolved, as they judge according to the Shariah and speak the truth, without injustice, bias, or favoritism. The disputants leave satisfied with the judgment, and enmity, hatred, and animosity are removed. Love, brotherhood, and reconciliation are established, unity is restored, and Muslims become united, cooperating in righteousness and piety, speaking and acting upon the truth. Among the common problems and disputes are those between spouses, which cause separation, estrangement, divorce, loss of rights, and family disintegration, among other issues that occur frequently nowadays. These may be caused by trivial worldly matters, unnecessary conditions, or non-essential requests. Some brothers have compiled questions related to marital and family disputes, and I have answered them based on what appeared to me at the time, as most are similar and realistic. I was unable to research solutions in old references due to the lack of explicitness in most cases, as they occurred. Some students have requested to print and publish these, hoping that many problems will be resolved, brotherhood and love restored, conditions improved, and good companionship and dealings established. I acknowledge my shortcomings and limited understanding of these problems, and perhaps judges and rulers can point out errors and mistakes that contradict their knowledge of the cases brought to them, and write clarifications and correct answers for issues arising among families, relatives, and kin, so that conditions improve, and hostility and hatred are eliminated. Allah is the Guide to the straight path. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon Muhammad, his family, and his companions. Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman Al-Jibreen