Married to immigrant, thinking about divorce
Asalaamu alaikum,
I've been married for about 3 years now to an immigrant, we had our ups and downs, but our last fight feels different. I have 1 child with him and am currently pregnant with the second. I'm a stay at home mom and haven't been working since the birth of my firstborn. I receive a small amount from the goverment and he keeps insisting I pay much of the bills with him. I've been doing this since my first pregnancy eventough I've not felt good about it, just to keep the peace, to have a peacefull pregnancy, labor and to be able to breastfeed (to not lose my milksupply). But it has come to the point where Ive been using my savings to help him financially because what I receive in government money is too little, eventhough he earns enough and is able to save half of his salary. I almost have no savings left. I have also borrowed him money in the past and over the course of our marriage I have asked him to return me that money, he just keeps giving excuses as to why he cant return it yet, eventough he had many opportunities to so.
Now and then he tells me Im frugal because I ask him to provide for me. When I had my first talk with him before our marriage I made it very clear to him that I want to become a stay at home mom and focus on giving my children an Islamic upbringing. I told him that I was looking for a man who will provide for his family and will not force his wife to work and split the bills with him. He told me that he has the exact same view about marriage. However, over the course of our marriage he kept changing as a person. Pressuring me to work, to pay more and more bills with him, he kept borrowing money and promising to return it later. The marriage Ive hoped for where I could live in sakeena with my husband and focus on the household and upbringing of my child did not become reality.
Most days I'm too stressed out because Im worrying if he is going to pay a bill or if I need to step up again. As I mentioned before more then 2/3 of my savings is gone. And I just found out that he used half of the savings he saved over the course of 2 years to buy his sister a property. Am I wrong for feeling angry and betrayed that he didnt even provide for me and kept using different ways to take money from me to the point where I almost have no savings left and that he used his savings to buy his sister property? Ive spoken to his mother once before about his pressure to pay bills with him and she kept telling me that husband and wife need to help eachother financially, eventhough she knew my situation of not working. I feel used by his family.
And what makes matters worse is that since the fight about 3 weeks ago with my husband none of them called, whilst in the past they always used to call if I had a fight with him to try and reconcille between us.
He's been ignoring me for 3 weeks now, blocked my number and he hasnt prayed since. Ive tried talking to him multiple times but he keeps ignoring me, my last attempt ended in me shouting at him for the way hes been treating just because I asked for my rights. He had this sadistic smile on his face, as if he's enjoying how much he's been hurting me. I called my parents after the fight and Im staying with them since.
I'm now questioning everything. Is this a scam marriage? Was his intention from the start just to get his papers and then dump me? Was his family in on it, since their behavior changed as well now that he secured his papers.
Ive been trying to look for the positives in him, just for the sake of our children, but I cant find one positive thing.
- He stopped praying
- He's giving me the silent treatment anytime after a fight. I understand the need to take distance after a fight, but a habit where you always ignore your other half for multiple days, sometimes even multiple weeks is too much. After hes done with the silent treatment he never sits with me to talk about the fight and how to prevent similar things from happening later on. He just acts like nothing ever happened.
- He's not providing sufficently, always asks me to pay bills with him.
- He rarely wants to go out or travel with me, I have to beg him most of the time. In the weekend he mostly watches soccer al day long.
- He never helps me around the house eventhough Im in my second trimester.
- He refuses to visit my family.
- Every important matter he discusses with his mother first and then later on with me. His mom and sister always seem to know my husbands and my future plans before I do.
And the list goes on and on...
I never ask him for anything extra, just to be the provider. Eventhough most women in my surrounding ask their husband constantly for favors and even without asking their husbands buy them gifts etc.
I married him with the intention to start a family and give my children a good Islamic upbringing, so I never wanted to burden him by asking him for anything extra, even clothes I buy myself. I always tried helping him financially wherever I could just to ease his burden and for us to be happy as a family. I didnt want money to become an issue. But he just keeps taking from and giving me nothing in return. I never thought I would get a divorce, but the idea is occupying me constantly now.
Would like to hear your opinion or maybe just some feedback on things I could improve from what you read.
Posted Aug 3, 2026, 10:45 AM UTC