Wife’s Right To Intimacy

Question: What is a wife’s right to intimacy?

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

The husband must try his best to fulfill his wife’s emotional and physical needs within reason. This is her right.

Ibn Taymiyya says, “The husband must render his wife her conjugal rights in a goodly manner (bill maruf). This is one of her most crucial rights. It is more important than even feeding her. Regarding how often it is obligatory, some have said once every four months, and others have said that it depends on her need and his ability, and this is the more correct position” (Majmu al Fatawa, Ibn Taymiyya).

As stated above, the husband must try his best to sleep with her and satisfy her needs.

If he is not meeting her needs, they should try to take other means. If they still cannot come up with a solution, they should go to a sex therapist.

If the situation is still dire and the woman genuinely fears that she will fall into sin, they should consider a wife-initiated divorce (khul).

Islam is fair and has solutions for all problems.

Please also see: https://seekers.flywheelstaging.com/answers/general-counsel/islam-say-neglect-wifes-sexual-rights/

I pray this helps.

[Ustadh] Farid

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language