How long a woman can stay at her parents place after Nikah before Rukhsati?

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh

The concept of rukhsati is regarded as a mutual agreement in Shariah. After the nikah, the girl or her parents wish to keep the girl back for some reason or the other. In many instances, the excuse is that the girl is young and she requires training in cooking and household matters. 

The boy agrees for her to remain at her parents’ home for a certain time period. The girl or her parents commit to release her to her husband on that time. This is a mutual agreement and morally minding. Both the parties should honour the agreement. However during the rukhsati period, the boy has a Shari right of access and communication to his wife. He cannot be stopped from meeting or talking to his wife. That is the Shari right of the husband. Whoever becomes an obstacle for him in exerting this right will be committing a sin.

And Allah knows best

Mufti Ebrahim Desai 

Darul Iftaa