Short answer
No, not if she has done nothing wrong. Obedience to parents is in what is right, and divorcing a good wife over dislike or a family quarrel would wrong her. The famous case where Ibn Umar was told to divorce at his father's wish is explained by the scholars: his father was Umar, with a sound religious reason. Keep honouring your parents while protecting your wife's rights.
It is not wajib to divorce a wife on a parent's order when she fulfils her duties and the parent's reason is not a sound religious one; doing so may be a wrong to her. If the parents have a valid religious reason, such as her open sin, their wish carries weight. In every case the son must stay gentle and dutiful to them.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Ibn Umar said he had a wife he loved, but his father Umar disliked her and told him to divorce her. When he refused, the Prophet ﷺ told him to divorce her. Some people use this to say a son must always divorce when his parents ask. The scholars disagree: Umar was a man whose judgement in the deen was trusted, and he would not have asked without a real reason. It is reported that when a man asked Imam Ahmad about his own father ordering a divorce, he said not to do it until his father was like Umar.
The Prophet ﷺ also said that obedience is only in what is right. Divorcing an innocent wife can wrong her, break up children's home and go against the command to live with wives in kindness (4:19). Parents' rights are great, but they do not include harming someone else.
What to do in practice:
- Listen properly to your parents' reasons. Sometimes there is a real concern about her deen or conduct that you should take seriously.
- If the problem is friction in a shared house, living separately often solves it.
- Ask a respected elder or imam to mediate between your parents and your wife.
- Do not repeat each side's words to the other, and never speak harshly to your parents (17:23).
- Do not give talaq in anger or under family pressure. See talaq in anger.
Every family is different, so speak to a mufti before taking any step. See obeying parents and serving in-laws.
Ask a mufti about your own case. This answer explains the general ruling. When the details of your situation matter, as they do here, ask a qualified mufti and give them the full facts. Where to ask a scholar.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Israa 17:23
۞ وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَٰنًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّۢ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًۭا كَرِيمًۭا ﴿٢٣﴾
And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.
Parents must always be treated well.
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:19
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَرِثُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ كَرْهًۭا ۖ وَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ لِتَذْهَبُوا۟ بِبَعْضِ مَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ إِلَّآ أَن يَأْتِينَ بِفَٰحِشَةٍۢ مُّبَيِّنَةٍۢ ۚ وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ فَإِن كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تَكْرَهُوا۟ شَيْـًۭٔا وَيَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًۭا كَثِيرًۭا ﴿١٩﴾
O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion. And do not make difficulties for them in order to take [back] part of what you gave them unless they commit a clear immorality. And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them - perhaps you dislike a thing and Allah makes therein much good.
A husband also owes his wife good treatment.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1189
Grading to be checked... يا عبد الله بن عمر طلق امرأتك ...
"O Abdullah ibn Umar, divorce your wife."
The case scholars explain as resting on Umar's sound reason.
Sahih al-Bukhari 7257
Sahih... لا طاعة في معصية إنما الطاعة في المعروف ...
"There is no obedience in sin; obedience is only in what is right."
Parents are not obeyed in wronging someone.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, Kitab al-Karahiyya, on obedience to parents. Obedience to parents is in what is permissible and not harmful.
- al-Adab al-Shar'iyya (Ibn Muflih), chapter on obedience to parents. Reports Imam Ahmad's answer about a father ordering his son to divorce.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.