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Fatwa CenterHis in-laws cut ties with his wife because he cut ties with them
Question
This question is to help my wife to make right decision. I have serious problems with my in-laws. My brother-in-law cheated me and stolen my money. My father-in-law tried to fool me to get money out of my bank but I managed to safeguard myself. My father-in-law is a kind of guy who did many Umrahs and 3 times Hajj but no hesitation to take Riba. Infact he is crazy in searching for banks that give more percentage in interest and will start account with that particular bank. He is a guy who try to avoid giving zakat by making his own lame justifications. Sad part is that he used to advise me also that Riba is only applicable for Rosool's era and there is no harm in taking Riba from bank these days. He is a guy who do all bad deeds and doesn't hesitate to tell "Sorry" when caught and repeat the same bad deed the next moment. He was playing this "Sorry" games with me on many issues in the past just to keep me quite. When I realized his son also doing nasty things and he is supporting this, I decided to stay away from them but I told my wife to keep relationship with them since they are her parents. When my wife informed them about my decision, they said then they will not give my wife any share out of their assets to force me to accept them. My answer to them was I am worried about their assets share since I have no rights in it and it is strictly between my wife and them. Now surprisingly, they decided to cut-off relationships with my wife also because they think they may have to give some share if they keep relationship with her. they called her and commanded her not to call them or visit them. Regardless of what they said, my wife tried to call them many occasions in the past but they were not answering her calls and being stubborn on their decision. In this case, I told her stop calling them and she can continue her good relationship whenever they change their mind. Is that okay if she stays away from calling her mainly bacause they asked her to do it.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
If the situation is as you mentioned in the question that it is the family of your wife who took the initiative to prevent her from contacting them, then it is them who cut relations with her and they are sinful. If your wife has exerted her efforts in trying to keep ties with them, then she has done what she is required to do. Allaah Says (what means): {So fear Allaah as much as you are able.} [Quran 64:16]
However, your wife is obliged to endeavor to reconcile with them; she should first seek the Help of Allaah in doing so, and then the help of some rational and righteous people hoping that Allaah will rectify the matter.
If what you mentioned about your father-in-law is true that he consumes Riba (usurious interest), commits acts of disobedience, and believes that Riba is lawful, then he is in a very serious situation. It is an obligation to advise him and remind him of Allaah and His severe punishment, and inform him that believing that Riba is lawful is an act that takes a person out of the fold of Islam. Riba is forbidden according to the consensus of all the Muslim scholars as we have mentioned in Fatwa 85431.
Also, the statement that the prohibition of Riba is peculiar to the time of the Prophet 
is a statement for which Allaah has not sent down any authority and no Muslim scholar has ever said this. It appears that it is ignorance and desire that led him to say such a statement.
Finally, we advise your wife to be kind and dutiful to her parents and not be negligent about their right on her even if they themselves are negligent about her right. The children are obliged to be kind and dutiful to their parents even if the latter mistreat them. For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 82254 and 84942.
Allaah Knows best.
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