What is the Islamic ruling on a husband offering Khamr
(intoxicants) to his wife, and threatening to divorce her
if she refuses it, although he knows that she is regular
at her prayers?
The answer to this question is well-known: "There can be
no obedience to the created which involves disobedience
to the-Creator." (Saheeh-Haakim & Ahmad) It is not
permissible for the wife to obey her husband in
disobedience to Allaah the Exalted, and her divorce from
him is better for her; Allaah says: "But if their
intention is firm for divorce, Allaah hears and knows all
things" (Baqarah 2:227) This is especially true when the
cause for divorce from the woman is her obedience to
Allaah, and disobedience to her husband who is flouting
the commandments of Allaah. However, other issues need to
be taken into account and each case is judged by its
individual merits; if this woman is divorced from her
husband, her and her children's lives may be ruined; in
such a case, it would be possible for us to say that she
should stay with her husband, by way of choosing the
lesser of two evils. However, we do not give such a
ruling generally, for it is against the essential
principle; the matter is as Allaah says: "Nay, each man
is aware of his own self (situation)." (Qiyaamah 75:14)
