Excerpt from Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani’s book: “Ahkām wa Masā’il – In the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah”❖ Question:
Is it mandatory for a man to seek permission from his first wife before marrying a second time?
❖ Answer:
Islam permits a man to marry up to four wives, and this allowance is clearly established in the Qur’an and Sunnah. There is no mention in the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ that a man must seek permission from his first wife in order to take another wife.
The idea of needing such permission stems from man-made laws, often referred to as “kufri (non-Islamic) legal codes”, which have been included in some state-issued marriage contracts — but they do not hold weight in Islamic law (Sharī‘ah).
In Islam, a man is free to marry without requiring his wife’s consent, provided he fulfills the conditions laid down by the Sharī‘ah, namely:
- Justice and equality between wives in terms of time, provision, clothing, and housing.
- Fair distribution of conjugal rights and attention.
❖ Warning on Injustice:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned that if a man fails to uphold justice between his wives, he will face severe consequences on the Day of Judgment. He said:
❝Whoever has two wives and leans towards one of them, he will come on the Day of Judgment with one side of his body leaning (paralyzed).❞
[Sunan Abū Dāwūd, Hadith 2133]
❖ Qur’anic Guidance:
The Qur’an clearly outlines in Sūrah al-Nisā’ (4:3):
“...Then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one...”
(Surah al-Nisā’, 4:3)
This verse establishes that justice is a condition, not prior permission from the first wife.
Conclusion:
- A Muslim man is not obligated to seek his first wife’s permission for a second marriage according to Islamic law.
- However, he must be just and fair if he chooses polygamy.
- If he fears he cannot uphold justice, he should suffice with one wife, as instructed in the Qur’an.
