FatwaFederal TerritoriesMarriage & Family
IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE - 639 : HUKUM IPAR-DUAI BERLAINAN JANTINA TINGGAL SERUMAH
Is it permissible for a husband's brother to live in the same house as the wife, a full-time housewife, in a separate room while the husband is out at work?
Short answer
Opposite-sex in-laws living in the same house without a mahram present is prohibited and should be avoided to close the door to fitnah (sadd al-dhari'ah).
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Marriage & Family
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Opposite-sex in-laws living in the same house without a mahram present is prohibited and should be avoided to close the door to fitnah (sadd al-dhari'ah). An in-law is not a permanent mahram, so being alone together is forbidden, based on the hadith describing the in-law as death. Staying overnight in a separate room is allowed as long as a female mahram is present and there is no risk of fitnah. The husband is advised to house his brother separately and to seek an affordable rented room.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Seorang lelaki tidak boleh berdua-duaan dengan seorang perempuan melainkan mahram perempuan itu ada bersamanya.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE - 639 : HUKUM IPAR-DUAI BERLAINAN JANTINA TINGGAL SERUMAH”, 8 November 2021. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/5051-irsyad-al-fatwa-siri-ke-639-hukum-ipar-duai-berlainan-jantina-tinggal-serumah. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-opposite-sex-in-laws-living-together/