❖ Drawing Lots Among Wives Before Travel and Ruling on Mutual Settlement
By: Imran Ayub Lahori
✿ Introduction
Islam ensures justice among co-wives, even during travel. The Prophet ﷺ provided practical guidelines regarding how a husband should fairly choose which wife to accompany him and how a wife may voluntarily give up her turn out of mutual consent or to prevent marital discord.
✿ Drawing Lots Among Wives When Traveling
➊ Narration of Ḥaḍrat ʿĀ’ishah (RA):
“Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended to travel, he would draw lots among his wives. Whichever wife's name was drawn, he would take her along with him.”
[Bukhari: 2593; Muslim: 7/138; Abu Dawood: 2138; Ibn Majah: 1970]
→ This Hadith confirms that equity in time allocation among wives must be maintained, even in travel situations, and that drawing lots (قرعہ اندازی) is the method prescribed by the Sunnah.
✿ Mutual Settlement: A Wife Giving Up Her Turn
➋ Narration of Ḥaḍrat ʿĀ’ishah (RA):
“Ḥaḍrat Sawdah bint Zamʿah (RA) gave up her turn to ʿĀ’ishah (RA), and the Prophet ﷺ would divide the days between ʿĀ’ishah (RA) for both her own turn and that of Sawdah (RA).”
[Bukhari: 5212; Muslim: 1463; Abu Dawood: 2135; Ibn Majah: 1972; Ibn Ḥibbān: 4211; Bayhaqi: 7/74]
→ According to Ibn Ḥajar (رحمه الله), Sawdah (RA) did this out of fear of being divorced, choosing instead to give up her right voluntarily.
[Fatḥ al-Bārī: 10/391]
✿ Qur’anic Support for Such Settlements
➌ Ḥaḍrat ʿĀ’ishah (RA) explained the context of the verse:
“And if a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part…”
[Surah An-Nisāʾ: 128]
She said:
This refers to a case where a woman fears that her husband will separate from her due to lack of interest, and she says, "I waive my turn and my financial rights, just don’t divorce me."
This is the context in which the verse was revealed.
[Bukhari: 4601; Muslim: 3021; Ahmad: 6/68; Nasa’i: 145; Ibn Majah: 1972]
✿ Summary of Rulings
✔ When a man intends to travel, he must draw lots among his wives to determine who will accompany him.
✔ A wife may lawfully give up her right to a co-wife, whether out of contentment, preference, or concern for divorce.
✔ Such agreements are valid and permissible, and are even mentioned in the Qur'an as a means of maintaining marital harmony.
Conclusion
The Sunnah of drawing lots ensures fairness, while the allowance for peaceful settlement reflects Islam's practical and compassionate approach to marital life. A wife may relinquish her rights voluntarily, and the husband may accept, as long as there is mutual understanding and no coercion.
