Question: What does the Qur’an
and Ahadith say about the rights/relationship between husband’s
parents and wife and in the same way between wife’s parents and husband?
Answer: I am afraid there are
no categorical injunctions in the Qur’an that specifically mention
the rights of the spouse’s parents. The Book of Allah, however, asserts
that you should show kindness to your parents (4:36). What needs to be
appreciated is the fact, that marriage is a contractual arrangement that
binds two persons into one sacred bond. As an obvious corollary of this
agreement, a wife’s relations become her husband’s and a husband’s relations
become hers. It is for this reason that I opine that the aforementioned
directive of treating your parents well extend to your spouse’s parents
as well. You are, indeed, obligated to show kindness to them as you do
to your own. What needs to be kept in mind is the fact that you and your
spouse are standing in a position of ‘give and take’; the time, care and
love that you extend to her family would obviously be returned to yours.
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