Can a husband demand his wife's earnings?

What do the esteemed scholars and respected Muftis say regarding the following issue: I am a married woman with three children. I was already employed before marriage. At the time of marriage, my parents had informed the groom’s family that I would continue working, and they agreed. However, after marriage, they started demanding money from me — asking for my full salary and even telling me to quit the job if I don’t hand over the money. My husband insists that he is entitled to my earnings. My in-laws also have the same attitude. My husband claims that since he has allowed me to work, he is therefore entitled to take my salary. He says he even asked someone and was told that he has the right over my income.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

It should be clearly understood that, according to Shari‘ah, the responsibility for a woman’s expenses after marriage lies upon her husband. Therefore, if the husband is fulfilling this responsibility and asks his wife not to work, then it is not permissible for her to go out of the house for employment purposes. However, if the husband’s income is insufficient to cover her necessary expenses, and the wife, while observing proper hijab and the limits of Shari‘ah, takes up a permissible job with the husband’s consent, then in such a case, it is permissible for her to work. In this situation, whatever she earns belongs solely to her — it is her personal property, and she has the right to spend it wherever she wishes. The husband or his family have no right to demand it from her. However, if she willingly chooses to give something to them, she is allowed to do so.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کمافی الدر المختار: ثم ذكر خلافا في المرأة مع زوجها إذا اجتمع بعملهما أموال كثيرة، فقيل هي للزوج وتكون المرأة معينة له، إلا إذا كان لها كسب على حدة فهو لها اھ(4/325)۔
وفیہ ایضاً: وفی البحر: لہ منعھا من الغزل وکل عمل ولو تبرعاً لاجنبی الخ
وفی الشامیۃ:(تحت قولہ: وکل عمل ولو تبرعاً لاجنبی) کذا ذکرہ فی البحر بحثا حیث قال: وینبغی عدم تخصیص الغزل،بل لہ ان یمنعھا من الاعمال تبرعاً المقتضیۃ للکسب،لانھا مستغنیۃ عنہ لوجوب کفایتھا علیہ وکذا من العمل تبرعاً لاجنبی بالاولیٰ اھ(5/330)۔