I have sent my question to you about being away from my wife for more than six months. You answered that if the wife accepts then it is o.k. What is the solution if the wife is dissatisfied with this absence? She has no choice in the matter as our financial circumstances are difficult,
I have no choice either as if I return to my country, working there will not be enough for even food, let alone everything else. I have no choice but working far from her. I may stay away for 7 years or even more. I do not see her but for one month a year.
What is the Islamic ruling on this if my wife is dissatisfied? What is the ruling if the husband is able to return to his wife but he stays away for love of gathering money?.
Praise be to Allah.
If the wife does not agree to her husband being away for more than six months, the case should be referred to the qadi (judge) so that he can correspond with her husband and order him to return. If he does not return, then the judge may rule as he sees fit,
either divorce or annulment of the marriage. This applies whether the husband is travelling and absent for a reason such as needing money and not being able to find work in his own country, or if there is no excuse, rather it is for love of money, as mentioned in the question.
But the difference between there being an excuse and there being no excuse is that if the husband has an excuse, he is not obliged to return, and he is not sinning if he does not return. But if he has no excuse, then he must return and he is sinning if he does not return.
