How long should the wife wait for the husband to provide maintenance

Question

Question: During these two years Zayd, despite being employed, lived at his father-in-law’s expense for maintenance and housing, although before the nikah he had said that he was self-supporting. Up to the time of writing he has not arranged a dwelling, nor is there any provision for food and maintenance. Now the wife lives at her parents’ home and demands that he arrange food, maintenance and housing, or else separate us completely so that I can make other arrangements.

Answer

(1) This demand of the wife is correct by the Shari‘a. (2) She will be entitled. (3) As long as she can endure; however, she has the right to turn to a Muslim court or a Shari‘a council and obtain a Shari‘a ruling from there.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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