How to Deal With In-Laws?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question

Can you give some advice on developing good social relationships with in-laws, especially when they ( seem to) come with a lot of cultural baggage?

Answer

The key is being expressive in one’s husn al-khuluq (excellence of conduct and character), upholding respect and appreciation, and being careful not to correct without consideration of consequence–while upholding what is right and not compromising in respect to one’s practice in ways impermissible or blameworthy. When unsure, consult. When upset, be silent. When annoyed, change the topic.

And Allah alone gives success.

[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani spent ten years studying with some of the leading scholars of recent times, first in Damascus, and then in Amman, Jordan. His teachers include the foremost theologian of recent times in Damascus, the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas (may Allah have mercy on him), as well as his student Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi, one of the leading Hanafi fuqaha of the present age. He returned to Canada in 2007, where he founded SeekersGuidance in order to meet the urgent need to spread Islamic knowledge–both online and on the ground–in a reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible manner. He is the author of: Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School (White Thread Press, 2004.) Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center.