Ruling concerning remaining with a husband who does not pray

Question: My husband is heedless with respect to his religion. He does not fast Ramadhaan or pray. In fact, he keeps me from doing any type of good. Now, he has started to have doubts about me to the point that he has left his job so he can stay home and watch me. What shall I do?

Response: It is not allowed to remain with such a husband. By his not praying, he has become a disbeliever. And it is not allowed for a Muslim woman to remain with a disbeliever. Allaah has said:

{If you know them [the women] to be true believers, send them not back to the disbelievers. They are not lawful [wives] for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful [husbands] for them}, [Soorah al-Mumtahana, Aayah 10].

The marriage between you and him is annulled. There is no marriage between the two of you unless Allaah guides him, he repents and returns to Islaam. Then you will remain his wife. As for the husband, his behavior is very wrong. In my opinion, it is a kind of illness. It is the illness of doubt, suspicion and whisperings that some people are exposed to with respect to their worship and dealings with others. The only thing that can remove that sickness is the remembrance of Allaah, turning to Him and putting one's complete trust in His decree.

The important point, with respect to you and him, is that you must separate from that husband and not remain with him. This is because he is a disbeliever while you are a believer. As for the husband, we advise him to return to his religion and to seek refuge in Allaah from the accursed Satan. He should also be very keen on beneficial words of remembrance that will repel these whisperings from his heart.

We ask Allaah to benefit him. Allaah knows best.

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen
Fataawa al-Mar.ah