upon two views. The school of al-Shafi'i is along the lines of this entire chapter.

Section: The husband has the right to prevent his wife from leaving his house to attend to matters that she can dispense with, whether she intends to visit her parents, nurse them, or attend the funeral of one of them. Ahmad said, regarding a woman who has a husband and a sick mother: "Obedience to her husband is more obligatory upon her than to her mother, unless he gives her permission." Ibn Batta reported in "Ahkam al-Nisa" (Rulings of Women) from Anas that a man traveled and prevented his wife from leaving. Her father became ill, so she asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for permission to visit her father. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to her: "Fear Allah and do not disobey your husband." Her father died, so she asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for permission to attend his funeral. He said to her: "Fear Allah and do not disobey your husband." Allah then revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "I have forgiven her due to her obedience to her husband" (25). This is because obedience to the husband is obligatory, while visiting is not, and it is not permissible to abandon the obligatory for the non-obligatory. She may not leave except with his permission. However, it is not appropriate for the husband to prevent her from visiting and tending to her parents, because in doing so there is a severing of ties and a burden upon his wife to disobey him; Allah the Almighty has commanded to live with them in honor, and this is not part of living in honor. If his wife is a Dhimmi, he has the right to prevent her from going to the church, because that is not an act of obedience nor a benefit. If she is a Muslim, the Qadi said: "He has the right to prevent her from going to the mosques." This is the position of al-Shafi'i. The apparent meaning of the Hadith prevents him from forbidding her, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from the mosques of Allah" (26). It is reported that al-Zubayr married 'Atika bint Zayd ibn 'Amr ibn Nufayl, and she used to go out to the mosques. He was a jealous man and would say to her: "If you would only pray in your house." She would reply: "I will not stop going out unless you prevent me." He disliked preventing her because of this report. Ahmad said regarding a man who has a Christian wife or slave-girl: "Does he buy her a zunnar (a belt worn by dhimmis)?" He said: "No, rather she should go out and buy it for herself." It was said to him: "His slave-girl works on belts?" He said: "No."