Question:

As-Salamu `alaykum. I married two years ago to a girl of my own choice outside of my own caste. Unfortunately, my parents have never accepted this marriage and are forcing me to choose between them and my wife, encouraging me to marry a girl of their choice. This is causing a great stress on my marriage and home life. Could you please guide me on the best course of action to solve this matter and recommend any du`a\' (supplication) at this difficult time. 

 Answer: 

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear brother in Islam, thanks a lot for your interest about Islam and its teachings. We really appreciate your question, which shows how interested you are in adhering to the dictates of Shari`ah. May Allah save us all from the traps of Satan and enlighten our hearts with the light of Islam!

As for your question, you have to bear in mind that a husband is not allowed to divorce his wife simply because of the whims and fancies of his parents or anyone else if she has not committed any serious violation or breached any of the fundamentals of Islam or marriage.

Responding to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:

\"You should not divorce your wife simply to please your parents. Parents have no right to force you to do that unless she is guilty of some major offenses that necessitate divorce.

As a Muslim you must never succumb to such capricious will of your parents. You should simply refuse to comply, telling them gently that as a Muslim you cannot do so. Perhaps you should seek help of some knowledgeable people in the community to convince them to change their attitude.

You should seek strength through dhikr and prayer. Here is a du`a\' that you can recite regularly:

Allahumma innee as\'aluka al-thabata fi al-amri wa al-`azeemata `ala ar-rushdi wa as\'aluka shukra ni`matika wa husna `ibadatika, wa as\'aluka qalban saleeman, wa lisanan dhakiran, wa al-fawza bi al-jannati wa an-najata mina an-nar.

(O Allah, I implore you to grant me steadfastness in my affairs and firm determination on the path of rectitude; I ask You to bless me to remain thankful to You, and worship You well; I ask you to grant me a pure heart and tongue that is supple in remembering You; I ask you to grant me paradise and freedom from hellfire.)\"

Allah Almighty knows best

Responded by: Sheikh Ahmad Kutty