Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (12/386)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

It is prohibited for either spouse to delay fulfilling what he or she owes the other, or to do so begrudgingly. Once the marriage contract has been concluded, the husband is obliged, if he requests it, to have a free woman who is of an age fit for intercourse delivered to his home, provided that she did not stipulate her own home or town.

His statement: “It is prohibited for either spouse to delay fulfilling what he or she owes the other.” Delay means postponement. From this is the Prophet’s saying: “The delaying of payment by a wealthy person is injustice” (1)—that is, it is unjust for a wealthy person to postpone settling a debt. Thus, it is prohibited for one spouse to delay giving the other his or her due. For example, a wife may say to her husband, “I need clothing,” and he replies, “If Allah wills,” after which days pass and he brings her nothing, despite her need. This is unlawful for him; he must meet her need. Certainly, he is not required, whenever a new fashion appears in the market and she says, “Bring me that,” to bring it to her. In such a case, he need not obey her, for a woman’s demands have no limit. But whatever is indispensable, he must hasten to provide and must not delay.

If either spouse wholly withholds what he or she is obliged to give, this is even more clearly prohibited. If delaying it is unlawful, then withholding it altogether is more so.

His statement: “or to do so begrudgingly.” This is like bringing her what she asks for and needs, but giving it to her harshly and with reproach. This too is prohibited. So long as the matter is obligatory upon you, do not remind her of your favour. In the hadith of Abu Dharr in Sahih Muslim (2), the Prophet ﷺ said: “There are three whom Allah will not speak to, nor look at, nor purify on the Day of Resurrection, and theirs will be a painful punishment: the one who lets his garment hang below his ankles, the one who reminds others of his favours, and the one who sells his goods by means of a false oath.”

Likewise, it is prohibited for the wife to delay giving her husband his due,

(1) Narrated by al-Bukhari in The Book of Transfers of Debt, chapter: “Transfer of Debt and Whether One May Seek Recourse in It” (2287); and by Muslim in The Book of Sales, chapter: “The Prohibition of a Wealthy Person’s Delay in Payment and the Validity of Transfer of Debt” (1564), on the authority of Abu Hurayrah. (2) In The Book of Faith, chapter: “Clarification of the Severe Prohibition of Letting One’s Garment Hang Below the Ankles and of Reminding Others of One’s Gift” (106).

وَيَحْرُمُ مَطْلُ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ بِمَا يَلْزَمُهُ لِلآخَرِ، وَالتَّكَرُّهُ لِبَذْلِهِ، وَإِذَا تَمَّ الْعَقْدُ لَزِمَ تَسْلِيمُ الحُرَّةِ الَّتِي يُوطَأُ مِثْلُهَا فِي بَيْتِ الزَّوْجِ إِنْ طَلَبَهُ، وَلَمْ تَشْتَرِطْ دَارَهَا أَوْ بَلَدَهَا، ........ قوله: «ويحرم مطل كل واحد بما يلزمه للآخر» المطل، أي: التأخير، ومنه قول النبي ﷺ: «مطل الغني ظلم» (١)، أي: تأخير الغني وفاء الدين ظلم، فيحرم أن يمطل بحق الآخر، فتقول له زوجته: أنا أريد كسوة، يقول: إن شاء الله، ثم تمضي الأيام ولم يأتها بشيء، والمرأة محتاجة، فهذا حرام عليه، يجب أن يسد حاجتها، صحيح أنه ليس عليه أنه كلما نزل في السوق زِيٌّ من الأزياء، وقالت: إيتني به، أن يأتيها به، فبهذا لا يطيعها؛ لأن المرأة لا حد لها، ولكن الشيء الذي لا بد منه يجب عليه أن يبادر ولا يماطل. فإن منع أحدهما ما يلزمه بالكلية يحرم من باب أولى؛ لأنه إذا كان التأخير حراماً فالمنع من باب أولى. قوله: «والتكره لبذله» كأن يأتيها بما تطلبه وتحتاجه، ولكنه يعطيها إياه بعنف ومِنَّة، فهذا ـ أيضاً ـ محرم، فما دام أن الأمر واجب عليك فلا تمن، وفي حديث أبي ذر ﵁ في صحيح مسلم (٢) عن النبي ﷺ: «ثلاثة لا يكلمهم الله، ولا ينظر إليهم، ولا يزكيهم يوم القيامة، ولهم عذاب أليم: المسبل، والمنان، والمنفِّق سلعته باليمين الكاذبة». كذلك بالنسبة للزوجة يحرم عليها أن تمطل بحق زوجها،

(١) أخرجه البخاري في الحوالات/ باب الحوالة وهل يرجع في الحوالة؟ (٢٢٨٧)؛ ومسلم في البيوع/ باب تحريم مطل الغني وصحة الحوالة (١٥٦٤) عن أبي هريرة ﵁. (٢) في الإيمان/ باب بيان غلظ تحريم إسبال الإزار والمن بالعطية (١٠٦).