The late prominent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Sayyed Sabiq states that: “The lodging must suit the wife’s social standard and bring about marital stability. This is the Islamically approved lodging. If it is not suitable for the wife or does not enable her to obtain her marital rights, she is not obliged to live in it, because in such a case it is not approved in Shari`ah. For instance, if other people share the lodging with her and this prevents her from enjoying her conjugal rights or causes her any harm or abuses her belongings, such lodging is not considered suitable for a wife. The same is true if the lodging lacks essential facilities or is in a terrible state or is situated in a bad neighborhood.
Therefore, if the wife is subject to any harm that hinders her from enjoying her legal rights, she has the right to a private lodging. But, if she demands so, only out of personal disagreements with husband’s family members, reconciliation between the wife and her in-laws is to be sought, for nothing better than setting things right.”