Q: I have a very weird question and you may think I am being irrational but please hear me out. I am married to my husband of 4 years and we have a young infant. I have been noticing for the past year or so that my Mother has taken a liking to my husband. And it is not in a civil Mother in law way, she likes him romantically. I have thought I could be misled and confused but this is why its taken me a year to be fully convinced. I will explain some of the things she does to clarify my assumptions. Firstly i do not live with my parents I stay there every school holiday. My Mum has become very nosy if i am on my phone she comes to look at it. If i am alone in my room with my daughter and my husband video calls she would barge in and interfere (take note she pulls my daughter and gets on the video to him). She always takes my phone. When my husband comes she tries to get his attention she walks by him from the next room in a way where she cant see me but she looks at him. Another thing is she is absolutely furious when i tell her that my husband is loyal. Take note she is always trying to cause problems e.g. his family are bad to you. She wants me to tell him and it always causes us to fight and its silly things. She does this when nobody is around. She also tries to get him closer to my sisters. For example my husband eight now is on holiday so my mum asked me if hes enjoying it and i had told her that he is actually bored. The next thing i see is she rings my sister and tells her that my husband is bored he needs someone to talk to. Basically indirectly telling her to call him. She tries to make me jealous with my own husband. Bare in mind i think my husband knows this i am sure she told him things in my absence. He has told me that my mum is bad so i’m sure he knows. There are so many examples but those are basic things i have noticed. She acts like she is his ‘thauba’ wife because when my brothers want to eat she acts like it is not her job. She takes my daughter and acts as if shes here to visit. She doesnt like me bonding with my child. Please help me is there a dua or something i can read on her? I trust my husband but i feel like what if he listens one day. I hate to say this but she is acting like a shaythan always trying to come in between our marriage.
A: Maintain a distance. It is even more important that your husband maintains a reasonable distance from her. Try not to entertain her phone calls as well. Ask him to show a strict and straight face towards her. This will be very effective insha-Allah.
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)