Asalamualaikum. I am 29 years old female. I have question regarding domestic violence/abuse. My mother and I have been subjected to some pretty nasty domestic abuse at the hands of my brother. My father passed away 13 years ago and since then our mother has raised us a single parent. We have always been a nuclear family. My father was a police officer and was shot at after offering eid ul adha salah in masjid premises. My brother was along with him. He was in 8th standard then. A year after, I went away for further studies to another city and that is when my brother’s torture started. He made unfair demands, blackmailed my mother with threats of suicide. He has done everything which falls under the category of domestic abuse. He has abused us verbally, beaten us, made threats that he would beat us up even more, thrown things at us, broken things, issued threats that our relatives shouldn’t come to our house. My mother and I live under constant fear. I have these palpitations whenever he shouts at us and I am afraid that something might happen to my mother because of the shock what his son is doing to her. He beat me up again just a few days ago and shouted at and insulted my mother just moments ago. He even curses my father. I cannot take it anymore. We do not have any other male member in the family and there is no one he listens to. In the past, whenever my mother’s brothers have tried to get some sense in his head, he has insulted them too and then lashed out us later on. I am thinking of making a police complaint against him. There are no imams/counsellors here and moreover he isn’t a practicing muslim that he would listen to any such arguments. Please advise as to what to do. What is the islamic ruling for such situations? Is there any other alternative then the one I am thinking about? Please guide me and let me know as soon as possible.
May Allah reward you for the work you are doing.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
We are sad to learn of your brother’s aggressive behaviour and abuse which is unacceptable. You and your mother should never bear and tolerate such abuses.
In the circumstances explained by you, you should not hesitate to contact the police and even take out an interdict against him.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hafizurrahman Fatehmahomed
Student Darul Iftaa
Netherlands
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.