In-laws are death

My youngest sister has been staying with my second sister since my father passed away in 2000. My mother stays with them too since then. And this second sister has been married for many years. My youngest sister, who has been pursuing her degree in Medicine came to visit me today, since she is having her one-month break. We have no chance of talking much since I left the country for the last four years.

Looking that she has become a fully grown-up lady now, I reminded her to observe her ‘awrah in front of her brother in-law while in the house, since he is her non-mahram, no matter how close we are to him. He is a nice and pious person though, no doubt about it. Surprisingly, she responded that she heard there was a dispensation given to someone who had been staying with and raised by a non-mahram, such as a brother in-law, since one was still a minor. And concealing of the ‘awrah according to her could be relaxed. I have’nt heard such a ruling before and found it quite strange.

I told her that as far as I am concerned, it is in fact on the contrary, relationship with the in-laws is to be more strictly observed since given the familial and social atmosphere, one tend to feel comfortable and forget that one were not actual blood brother-sister in relationship.

For that reason the Prophet has been reported, in both Sahihayn, Sahih Bukhari and Muslim of an authentic hadith from Uqbah ibn Amir (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said: “Beware of going near (non-mahram) women.” A person inquired: “What about in-laws?” The Messenger of Allah (May Allah bless him and give him peace) responded, “The in-laws are death. The Prophet compared the in-laws to death, to demonstrate its gravity even more than the non-mahrams.

It is up to her to follow my advice or her google ustaz that she found on the internet. What a big fitnah now during this cyber age when we have spurious google alims and mawlanas mushroomed on the internet. These people, most of them, do not even have any proper formal learning and qualification. May Allah help us all.