What is the maximum time for a man to leave his wife alone?

The maximum time a man may leave his wife without resuming marital relations is outlined in the Qur'an, which states: Those who forswear their wives must wait four months; then, if they change their mind, lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 2:226. This verse establishes that if a husband swears to abstain from his wife, he has a waiting period of four months.

After this period, if he does not resume relations, he is required to either return to intimacy or initiate a divorce. The scholarly interpretation emphasizes that the waiting period is intended to protect the wife's rights and ensure that she is not left in a state of uncertainty indefinitely. Ibn Kathir explains that if the husband does not resume relations within these four months, the wife has the right to demand that he either return to her or divorce her to avoid harm (Tafsir Ibn Kathir).

Thus, the maximum time a man can leave his wife alone, when he has sworn an oath of abstention, is four months, after which he must act to either reconcile or divorce.