Answer: No, she cannot.
According to Article 71 of Federal Law No. 28 of 2005 on Personal Status (Note: repealed as of April 15, 2025; now governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2024), if a wife has left the marital home without justification and refuses to comply with a court order to return, without providing a valid reason, she is considered disobedient and loses her right to spousal maintenance from the date the obedience ruling becomes final and binding.
This was confirmed by the UAE Federal Supreme Court in Cases No. 1183 and 1208 of 2024, where:
- the wife filed a claim for alimony, including housing, children's expenses, school fees, and furniture;
- the husband filed a counterclaim for obedience, proving that the wife refused to return to the home without a valid excuse;
- he also showed that he was transferring AED 8,600 monthly and covering school fees, housing, and a nanny;
- the court held that the wife failed to comply with the judgment and therefore lost her right to alimony;
- the appellate decision w...