Q&A: Can a man insist on the wife staying with the inlaws

Q: Can the husband force the wife to stay with his parents?

A: The place of shelter must be such that no relative of the husband lives there. It must be free of any relative of the husband whereby the husband and wife can live without any formalities. However, if the wife does not mind living with others, it will be permissible for him to keep her in the same house with other relatives of his, provided that the husband makes adequate arrangements for the purdah of his wife. It is not advised for the husband’s brother to be living in the same house.