Abstaining from having sexual intercourse with drunken husband

Q 5: Is it permissible for a wife to desert her drunken husband's marital bed and refuse him when he wants her, as she cannot bear his drunkenness? Is she considered a sinner for refusing to sleep with him and is cursed by the angels until morning as stated in the Hadith?

A: If the reality is as you mentioned, she is not considered a sinner. She must advise him and if he performs Tawbah (repentance to Allah), praise be to Allah. However, if he refuses and persists in committing this evil, she may ask for Talaq (divorce initiated by a husband) to escape this Munkar (that which is unacceptable or disapproved of by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect). If he refuses to divorce her, she may refer the matter to the court. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.