Question:
Assalamu Alaykum Shaykh Gibril,
Alhamdulillah I got married recently. My wife is doing her engineering in computers. She has 1 and half years to complete. I am living in [private] and she in [private]. I am not interested in allowing her to work outside or go for lecturing after she completes her studies. I want to bring her to my place so that we can live together. My view is why do she have to complete it as I am not interested in her working. So I am planning to stop her studies. Is my decision right? Please advise.
Answer:
Alaykum Salam,
Better to let her finish what she started as there will be benefit in it for herself and the whole family and children to have an educated mother.
The first benefit of a degree is not outside employment but rather intellectual formation, self-esteem, and a sense of achievement that helps foster the same values in dependants in sha Allah.
Later there is all the time in the world to decide where to apply or not apply the degree in the professional sense.
As for living together you have a point that that is the meaning of marriage, but you have not clarified whether or not there was an initial understanding that her degree would be completed before she moves to your location.
If there was such an understanding you should follow it through, and strengthen your heart with the answer given above. If not, then the best is to discuss it with your wife and reach a common decision – not unilateral – so that you do not break her heart and so that your marriage not be affected.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
