Q: What we know as Muslims that according to shariah man is responsible for the economic needs of his wife, but I have heard that economic responsibilities as per shariah do not include wife’s medical expenses.
If such is the case, when in an Islamic family setup a woman is responsible to manage the house and look after her children she will have no time to earn her own income. Knowing about these circumstances when woman has no independent income because she has no employment as she was looking after the house which she is expected to do as a Muslim woman then why isn’t her husband obligated to finance her medical needs?
A: In a nikaah relationship, each spouse is required to show love and commitment in order for the marriage home to run smoothly. The husband and wife should deal with each other with love and respect and try their level best to fulfil the rights they owe to the other.
Apart from each spouse fulfilling what is due on him/her, each spouse should try to go the extra mile in showing compassion and kindness towards the other.
If each spouse is only concerned about himself/ herself and both wish to fulfil the basic right which he/she owes to the other, then this type of selfish attitude will soon weaken the relationship they both enjoy or it may even lead to the breakdown of the nikaah.
Therefore, the husband should understand that nikaah is "a give and take relationship" where each spouse cooperates with the other and each spouse makes effort to please the other. At times, the husband sacrifices his comfort for the comfort of his wife and at times, the wife sacrifices her comfort for the comfort of her husband.
The husband should ponder over the fact that just as it is not his wife's duty and responsibility to cook, bake and feed his parents, family , friends and other guests, but she does all of these things just out of her love for her husband, similarly, when she falls ill, it is only right that her husband should be concerned about her, take care of her and pay her medical bills (though in principle he is not responsible for paying her medical bills).
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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