🏡 Rights & responsibilities · #7
May a wife work? Does she need her husband's permission?
A wife may work in lawful employment, and according to the Shafi'i school she needs her husband's permission because leaving the home involves the husband's right.
The general conditions are that the work is lawful, preserves modesty and etiquette, is safe, and does not seriously neglect responsibilities to the home and children. The husband should not prevent it without a reasonable cause, especially if the family needs that income. The couple may also make permission to work a condition agreed before or at the akad. The wife's income remains hers. See Rights of husband & wife and Maintenance.
The general conditions are that the work is lawful, preserves modesty and etiquette, is safe, and does not seriously neglect responsibilities to the home and children. The husband should not prevent it without a reasonable cause, especially if the family needs that income. The couple may also make permission to work a condition agreed before or at the akad. The wife's income remains hers. See Rights of husband & wife and Maintenance.
Difference between schools. The Hanbali school enforces conditions in the contract more strongly (for example a condition that she may work); if the husband breaches it, the wife has the right to choose judicial dissolution (fasakh).
Sources
Surah an-Nisa' 4:32Surah an-Nisa' 4:34Sahih al-Bukhari 893