I have been married for five years. My husband has two sons from his first marriage. Nevertheless, I took care of his children, and gave birth to a baby boy who is now three years old. Unfortunately, we keep fighting all the time; sometimes over his two sons and sometimes over his family. If I serve his family members and praise them, he treats me kindly. If I don`t, he turns my life into living hell. What should I do?
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His Peace and Blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all of his family and companions.
Spouses should live with each other on a footing of kindness and equity. In your case, constructive dialogue is the best course of action. We advise you to be patient, commit your affair to Allah and ask Him to help you. We also recommend that you seek the help of the people of goodness and make them fix things between you and your husband. If all attempts for reconciliation fail then go to court, but we remind you that a problem, which could be solved with a beautiful word, is no problem at all, so praise family and children and try your best to win their hearts. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
Is everyone obligated to follow the fatwas of his country, and if we adopt the fatwas of scholars of other countries, is it considered a sin?
: It is permissible for one who do not specialize in Shari `ah sciences to apply the opinions of renowned scholars whom he trusts ,whether they be from his own country or not ,but if the scholars don`t arrive at a consensus concerning a certain matter then he must consult someone who is more knowledgeable than himself .It is preferable that you(the inquirer) specify the case of your interest ,so that we could give you a more specific answer since some scholars deliver fatwas based on atypical opinions which should not be applied no matter what .And Allah ,The Exalted, knows best.
What is Aqeeqah?
It is the sheep slaughtered on the seventh day from the child`s birth, and it is a confirmed Sunnah after the Prophet(PBUH).
Is it permissible to divide the Aqeeqah amongst one`s brothers and family?
Giving a portion of the Aqeeqah, even a small one, to the poor and needy is obligatory, and if one`s brothers and family are among the needy then, they are more entitled to it, and this way it is a charity and an observation of kinship ties. However, if they aren`t needy then, it is permissible to give them from the Aqeeqah after giving the poor and needy their share.
