🕊️ Conflict & resolution · #17
The husband does not pray and refuses to change. What should the wife do?
Keep advising your husband with wisdom and patience; abandoning prayer is a major sin, but according to the Shafi'i school it does not by itself annul the marriage.
Allah commands the head of the family to enjoin prayer on his household and to be patient in it (Taha 20:132), and the Prophet ﷺ described prayer as the dividing line between a person and disbelief (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Iman). Begin with example and gentle invitation — praying together at home, reminders at calm moments, not during a quarrel. Do not insult him or expose his faults to others.
If there is no change, ask for help from someone he respects, such as his parents, an imam or a marriage counsellor at the religious affairs office. If his refusal comes with other harm, such as neglect of maintenance or violence, get advice from a Syarie lawyer about the options at the Syariah Court. See Nushuz & Conflict and Counselling.
Allah commands the head of the family to enjoin prayer on his household and to be patient in it (Taha 20:132), and the Prophet ﷺ described prayer as the dividing line between a person and disbelief (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Iman). Begin with example and gentle invitation — praying together at home, reminders at calm moments, not during a quarrel. Do not insult him or expose his faults to others.
If there is no change, ask for help from someone he respects, such as his parents, an imam or a marriage counsellor at the religious affairs office. If his refusal comes with other harm, such as neglect of maintenance or violence, get advice from a Syarie lawyer about the options at the Syariah Court. See Nushuz & Conflict and Counselling.
Differences between the schools. Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanafi: abandoning prayer out of laziness without denying its obligation is sinful (fasiq), not apostasy, so the marriage remains. The well-known Hanbali view regards it as disbelief (kufr), which affects the marriage — consult a mufti or the court in an actual case.
Sources
Surah Taha 20:132Surah at-Tahrim 66:6Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Iman