Can my wife restrict me from occasionally travelling for work?

Question

Asalam O Alikum,
I hope you are doing well. I have just completed my PhD and have been trying to secure a job, in this COVID affected hostile job market. I am being considered for a Postdoctoral research job which is outside of my country, and due to family obligations I have told the employer that I cannot permanently relocate outside my country. So we are in the middle of negotiations on some remote working solution. One possibility of remote working can be that initially I would go there for joining, bank account opening etc. and then I will probably need to go to the other country only if needed. Now my wife is saying that she does not allow me to travel and stay there for one week if my employer needs me. So my question is that can my wife restrict me from going away for work for short periods of time? can she prohibit me from joining a job which is halal.
Please guide me on this
JazakAllah Khair

Shariah Board of America · Accepted Answer

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
For such a short period of absence, the wife's permission is neither necessary, nor is it right for the wife to stop her husband. The wife should exhibit receptibility.
Earning Halal income and provision of food and maintenance is a responsibility of the husband and a shariah obligation. It requires some sacrifice to discharge this liability and the wife is expected to support her husband.
ولا یبلغ مدۃ الإیلاء إلا برضا ہا قال الشامی، ثم قولہٗ ، وہو أربعۃ أشہر یفید أن المراد إیلاء الحرۃ، ویؤید ذلک أن عمر ؓ لما سمع فی اللیل امرأۃ تقول: فواﷲ لو لا اﷲ تخشیٰ&lsquo;&lsquo; فسأل عنہا فإذا زوجہا فی الجہاد، فسأل بنتہ حفصۃ کم تصبر المرأۃ عن الرجل ؟ فقالت : أربعۃ أشہر فأمر أمراء الأجناد أن لا یتخلف المتزوج عن أہلہ أکثر منہا۔ (شامی، کتاب النکاح، باب القسم ، زکریا ۴/۳۸۰۔الموسوعۃ الفقہیۃ الکویتیۃ۲۲/۱۴۴)
Fatawa ID: 1436