What should she do about her problems with her husband’s mother? Does she have the right to prevent her from seeing her granddaughter?
Question

                I am an American woman, married to a man of a different nationality. My problem is with his mother, who continually causes problems. My husband is far from home these days, and there is no communication with him. I ask Allah to bring him back to us safe and sound. I have a daughter from him who is nine months old, and she is the focal point of the problem with my husband’s mother. She wants her to be with her all the time, and she ignores the fact that I am her mother and she has to stay with me, not with anyone else. My husband’s mother is divorced, and lives in another house, whilst I live with my husband’s father, who is the one who is looking after me and my daughter. He told me that I should not respond to her demands to give her my daughter. She is causing trouble and problems. She tells her children not to talk to me and she says bad things about me; the matter has gotten so bad that she even prays against my daughter, that Allah will take her in death, at which point she will be rid of me, because my husband will divorce me. This is what she says! My questions are: Can I prevent her from seeing my daughter? Do I have the right to prevent her from seeing her, even in the presence of my husband? How long do I have the right to prevent her from seeing her? What are the rights of grandmothers over their grandchildren, so that we can acknowledge her rights and fulfil them without wronging her? I have tried very hard to have a good relationship with her, but she does not want to cooperate with me. Now it has been two months since she has seen my daughter. I ask Allah to forgive us.
Praise be to Allah.
      Allah, may He be exalted, says 
      (interpretation of the meaning): “and 
      making peace is better” 
      [an-Nisa’ 4:128]. 

    And the Prophet (blessings and peace of 
    Allah be upon him) said: “There is no kindness in a thing but it adorns it, 
    and it is not taken away from a thing but it makes it defective.”  Narrated 
    by Muslim (2594). 

    It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that a 
    man said: O Messenger of Allah, I have relatives with whom I try to keep in 
    touch, but they cut me off. I treat them well, but they abuse me. I am 
    patient and kind towards them, but they insult me. He said: “If you are as 
    you say, then it is as if you are putting hot ashes in their mouths. Allah 
    will continue to support you as long as you continue to do that.” Narrated 
    by Muslim (2558). 

    These texts urge us to give precedence to 
    kindness; the individual may respond to the one who mistreats him in like 
    manner, but patience and forbearance in putting up with bad treatment is 
    much better before Allah. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of 
    the meaning): 

    “And 
    if you punish (your enemy, O you believers in the Oneness of Allah), then 
    punish them with the like of that with which you were afflicted. But if you 
    endure patiently, verily, it is better for As-Sabirin (the patient ones, 
    etc.)”

    [an-Nahl 16:126]. 

    The grandmother has ties of kinship with 
    her granddaughter, and longs to see her as a mother longs to see her child, 
    so depriving her of this right when there is no good reason to do so is a 
    grave wrong. If you sense that she has this compassionate heart, then do not 
    deny her a right that Allah has ordained for her, because this is her due. 

    In addition to that, respecting the 
    grandmother and giving her her rights comes under the heading of honouring 
    one’s husband, bringing joy to his heart and treating him kindly. You do not 
    know, perhaps if you treat her kindly, she will speak well of you in front 
    of your husband, and that will help to put things right between you and your 
    husband. Experience has shown that the mother of the husband or wife may be 
    a means of bringing happiness, if you treat her well, and she may be a cause 
    of misery if you mistreat her, so pay attention to this principle. 

    There is nothing wrong with treating her 
    kindly and even trying to appease, and hugging her, kissing her head, and 
    showing her respect. Perhaps that will remove the resentment that she feels 
    in her heart towards you.

    In fact some old people become 
    bad-tempered as they grow old, and they get angry for any little reason. So 
    put up with her annoyance and bear it patiently as a means of drawing closer 
    to Allah, especially as she is divorced, and her ex-husband is with you and 
    he is the one who is taking care of you and your daughter. This may be 
    something that is making her more angry, so she is using your daughter as a 
    means of causing trouble, but perhaps the real cause of the problem is the 
    fact that you are living with the one who divorced her, and he is looking 
    after you and he is the grandfather. 

    This does not mean that you should give 
    her rights precedence over your own. Rather what is discussed above comes 
    under the heading of responding in the way that is better. You are the 
    mother of your daughter, and your right to take care of her and look after 
    her takes precedence over the right of the grandmother. 

    With regard to answering your questions in 
    detail: 

    1.
    Can I prevent her from seeing my daughter?

    Answer: It is not permissible to prevent 
    her from seeing her, unless you fear that she will harm your daughter. In 
    order to be on the safe side and avoid falling into sin or fearing for you 
    daughter, you can make sure that she sees your daughter in your presence. So 
    you can visit her, and spend some time with her, then you can leave and go 
    back to your house without any trouble, taking your daughter with you; or 
    you can meet her in the house of someone who is close to both of you, and 
    that house can becomes the place where you meet and 
    communicate.                                                                
    

    2.
    Can I prevent her from seeing my daughter in the presence 
    of my husband?

    Answer: This is also not permissible, 
    unless there is the fear of harm. Preventing her from seeing her in this 
    case is worse than the previous example, and it is unlikely that the 
    grandmother would do something to your daughter in the presence of your 
    husband, as your husband cares for your daughter as you do, and the decision 
    is that regard is up to your husband. So beware of making him angry with 
    you. If you think that it is better not to let her see your daughter, then 
    you have to disclose to your husband the reason why you do not want to let 
    his mother see his daughter, so that he can help you. 

    In this regard we would like to point out 
    the following: 

    Try to tell your husband what happened 
    with the grandmother, and explain to him what the problems are between you, 
    so that he will be able to solve the problem and bring about reconciliation, 
    because the grandmother is more likely to listen to him than you, and his 
    words are more likely to be believed by her. 

    So try to show his mother, gently and 
    kindly, that your intentions are good and that you love her and regard her 
    as equal in status to your own mother, and that it is not appropriate for 
    her to treat you in this manner, when you are like her own daughter to her 
    and you are indeed the wife of her son. 

    3.
    With regard to how long you have the right to prevent her 
    from seeing your daughter

    The answer to that is that reference 
    should be made to what is customary among people, because people vary with 
    regard to such matters. One visit every month may be sufficient for some 
    people, and may be regarded as severing ties of kinship among others. Some 
    people regard frequent visits as the way to show respect and uphold ties, 
    whereas others regard that as opening the door to problems. So you should 
    look at the customs and traditions of people. But before all of that, you 
    should examine the circumstance of every issue and the nature of parties 
    connected to the issue. 

    4.
    What are the rights of grandmothers over their 
    grandchildren?

    Answer: These rights are respect and 
    honour, kindness and upholding ties of kinship, by doing whatever people 
    regard as constituting respect, kindness and upholding ties of kinship, such 
    as meeting her needs, serving her, listening to her when she speaks, and not 
    making her angry. 

    The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah 
    be upon him) said: “He is not one of us who does not show compassion towards 
    our little ones and recognise the honour of our elders.” Narrated by at-Tirmidhi 
    (1920); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi. 

    So how about if this elder is a 
    grandmother? In fact the grandmother and grandfather come under many of the 
    same rulings as parents with regard to it being obligatory to honour them, 
    uphold ties with them and other rulings and etiquettes that are taught in 
    Islam. 

    Please see the answer to question no.
    111892 

    With regard to what you hear of criticism 
    and prayers against you, seek reward with Allah and pray for her to be 
    guided and set straight, and do not respond to her in like manner. Allah, 
    may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “The 
    good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which 
    is better (i.e. Allah ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the 
    time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly), then verily! he, 
    between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a 
    close friend.

    But none is granted it (the above 
    quality) except those who are patient, and none is granted it except the 
    owner of the great portion (of the happiness in the Hereafter i.e. Paradise 
    and in this world of a high moral character.

    And if an evil whisper from Shaitan 
    (Satan) tries to turn you away (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be 
    upon him)) (from doing good, etc.), then seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is 
    the All-Hearer, the All-Knower”

    [Fussilat 41:34-36].
    

     And Allah knows best.