Is Serving the Mother-in-Law Obligatory on the Wife?
A woman asked Sheikh Muhammad Rawi a question that her husband's mother remains ill. Her husband demands that she serve his mother, but she is unable to do all this. "Is it obligatory (Wajib) upon me to serve my husband's mother?" The Sheikh replied, "No, serving your husband's mother is not at all obligatory upon you. However, it is obligatory upon your husband to serve his own mother." Then the Sheikh presented three solutions: First solution: Bring the mother home, and your husband and his children should serve their mother and grandmother day and night. This is obligatory upon them; remember, it is not obligatory upon you. Second solution: Keep the mother in a separate house, and he should keep visiting there to look after, serve, and care for her. If the mother demands that he spend the night by her bedside, then staying the night with his mother is obligatory upon him; remember, it is not obligatory upon you. Third solution: Hire a nurse to take care of the mother. If there is difficulty in paying the nurse's salary, reduce household expenses to pay her. If there is a risk of falling into temptation (fitnah) while coming and going in the presence of the nurse, marrying the nurse will become obligatory. In this way, he will gather three rewards: the reward of a second marriage, the reward of serving his mother, and the reward of avoiding fitnah. However, serving your husband's mother is not obligatory upon you, so you may stay in your home with dignity. After thinking for a while, the woman said, "Sheikh Sahib, my husband's mother is also like my mother. If it is not obligatory, it is at least recommended (Mustahabb); I will serve her myself." Narrated.
