Mohammed
1
Dear Moulana,
I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out to you as a person of knowledge, seeking your advice and guidance on a marital issue that has been causing significant strain in my life.
I am experiencing difficulties with the level of dependency my wife has on her extended family, specifically her aunty and cousins, who live nearby. It feels as though our marriage and her life cannot exist independently of her family. She feels the need to visit them numerous times a week, spending hours at their house, and insists on having an evening meal there at least once a week.
The dynamics within her family are such that the girls feel they can do whatever they want, however they want, and whenever they want, largely due to the absence of a father figure. They go out frequently and meet regularly, and I sense that my wife is inclined towards adopting this lifestyle. When I request basic things like not coming home late, not sharing every detail of our life, and maintaining proper hijab in front of her male cousins (who are non-mahrams), she perceives me as being overly controlling and strict.
I have expressed my concerns to her about not sending pictures of our daughter or allowing her to be on FaceTime with anyone outside of her immediate family (parents and siblings). However, she dismisses my concerns and believes I am being unreasonable.
For context, there is a history of sihr (black magic) in her family, which has affected both my wife and me. We consulted with Moulana Bilal Bawa saab, who performed his elaaj and recommended that she limit her visits to her aunty and cousins to once a month. Understanding my wife's close bond with her family, I proposed a compromise of allowing her to visit once a week for an hour, which I consider to be more than fair. Unfortunately, she does not see it this way and compares it to the fact that we visit my parents and siblings twice a week.
This ongoing issue has severely impacted my health. I feel unable to communicate openly with my wife for fear that she will share our private conversations with her friends and family. I am also concerned about the lack of trust regarding our daughter's privacy.
In an effort to set an example, I have distanced myself from my own family and friends, hoping she would reciprocate, but there have been no improvements. It feels as though she still wants to prioritize being a girl, cousin, and niece, rather than embracing her roles as a wife and mother. She believes she is fulfilling her duties as a wife, but the reality feels different to me.
This issue has caused me to emotionally and physically distance myself from my wife. I find myself thinking, "If my wife is not willing to listen and do what makes me happy, then why should I do that for her?" I fear talaaq (divorce) is close, but I do not want this to happen for the sake of our daughter.
We have attempted marriage counselling, but she was not happy that the counsellor suggested we put rules and limits on how often she visits her family.
The situation escalated to the point where we had to involve our parents, but her parents did not address the issue with her. I have even contemplated moving away, hoping it might help, but I fear it would only lead to more FaceTime calls to compensate for the distance.
I am at a loss and do not know what else to do. I am seeking your guidance to understand if I am handling this situation incorrectly and to gain insight into possible solutions.
Thank you for your time and assistance.
Sincerely,
Mohammed