Answered by: Maulana Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
The husband is abusive to the wife, she left him and he has divorced her. Is she still entitled to accommodation although she is living separate and also expenditure?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
In general, a wife is entitled to basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter. Once a divorce takes place, the husband is responsible to provide the basic necessities up to and until the duration of the ‘iddah (waiting period after divorce). – (See: Mukhtaṣar Al-Qudūrī, Dār Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmiyyah, page 172)[1]
“When you [Muslims] divorce women, divorce them for [the commencement of] their waiting period and keep count of the waiting period and be mindful of the Almighty, your Lord. Do not turn them out of their [husbands’] houses.” – (Qur’an 65:1)[2]
Only Allāh knows best.
Written by Maulana Yūsuf Badāt
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1]وإذا طلق الرجل امرأته فلها النفقة والسكنى في عدتها رجعيا كان أو بائناولا نفقة للمتوفى عنها زوجها وكل فرقة جاءت من قبل المرأة بمعصية فلا نفقة لها وإن طلقها ثم ارتدت سقطت نفقتها– مختصر القدوري ١٧٢
[2] فَطَلِّقُوهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ وَأَحْصُوا الْعِدَّةَ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ ۖ لَا تُخْرِجُوهُنَّ مِن بُيُوتِهِنَّ – الطلاق ١