Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Mercy-Giving

 

 All praise is due to Allah. Peace and blessings be upon His Messenger Muhammad.

  

Your question indicates your sincere intention and efforts to take on responsibilities after your mother’s sad death while you badly feel for your studies. I pray to Allah to ease your burden and grant you success in your studies and future career.

 

Now as for your question whether you are supposed to do all the work at home the answer is no. You have every right to expect that your brother as well as your father – unless he is sickly or extremely old – to contribute to the household chores.

 

The Prophet’s wife, Aishah, the mother of the faithful was asked, “What was the Prophet, peace be upon him, doing at home?”, she replied, “He would be helping his family in household chores., and when the time for Salah came he would prepare himself to go to the mosque.” (Al-Bukhari)

 

On another occasion, when the Iqama for salah was called, and people were ready to start the Salah, he bade his companions to wait: He then went home and came back saying: I forgot to place the cover on the cooking pot!”

 

If the Prophet, peace be upon him, in spite of all of the heavy responsibilities would do the household chores such as the above, then it is only reasonable for you to expect that they share the household duties with you.

 

As for the question, whether you need to cook every day, the answer is, again, no. It is entirely right that you divide your work at home in such a way that you can devote to your studies. Cooking twice a weak would be fine.

 

As you can see from the example of the Prophet, peace be upon him, if your brother and father want to eat fresh food every day, then they can also find some time to learn how to cook. It is easy nowadays with all the recipes on the internet which can be easily accessed through google.

Finally, you have the right to consider advancing your studies; Islam does not stop you as a woman from pursuing your goals in life.

 

I pray to Allah to grant you success.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.