Fatwa No : 89530
The Ruling and Virtue of a Stepmother Caring for Her Husband’s Children

The Ruling and Virtue of a Stepmother Caring for Her Husband’s Children

A man’s first wife has divorced him, and they have two children. After the divorce, an agreement was made that the children would stay five days with the mother and two days with the father. The man remarried, but now the children spend six days with the father and only one day with their biological mother, as she is employed. The children are 8 and 15 years old, and the husband does not have marital relations with his second wife.
The question is: If the stepmother (the husband’s second wife) takes care of the children for the sake of the husband while the biological mother is alive, is it obligatory for her to do so? Does she receive reward (thawab) for this? And what is the Islamic ruling regarding stepchildren and the responsibilities of a stepmother toward them?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

The act of the stepmother (the second wife) taking care of and serving the children of her husband for the sake of pleasing her husband is undoubtedly a commendable and rewardable (mustahabb and thawab-bearing) deed. This also falls under the category of serving her husband, and there are numerous hadiths emphasizing the virtues of pleasing one’s husband. Furthermore, the stepmother assumes the role of a mother for these children, and it is obligatory for her to show proper care, consideration, and respect toward them, just as would be due to their biological mother. Likewise, the husband should ensure that he instills this understanding in the minds of the children so that their upbringing proceeds in a manner of good conduct and harmony.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

كما قال الله تعالى في القرآن المجيد:وَلَا تَنكِحُواْ مَا نَكَحَ ءَابَآؤُكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ إِلَّا مَا قَدۡ سَلَفَۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَٰحِشَةٗ وَمَقۡتٗا وَسَآءَ سَبِيلًا(سورة النساء:آيه:٢٢)
و في سنن ابن ماجہ: عن أم سلمة قالت: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أيما ‌امرأة ‌ماتت وزوجها عنها راض دخلت الجنة(باب ما جاء في حق الزوج على المرأة، ص:٣٨١،مط:البشرى)