Excerpt taken from the book “Aḥkām wa Masā’il – In the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah” by Shaykh Mubashshir Ahmad Rabbānī
A man was married for about one year and then fled with his sister-in-law. It has now been approximately four years since that incident. The wife asks: Can I now remarry, or must I continue waiting? Please provide guidance in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Unfortunately, our society today exhibits widespread negligence toward the commands of Sharīʿah and Islamic teachings. Transgression of Allah’s boundaries (ḥudūd) is often seen as trivial, modesty and proper dress codes are neglected (except for those whom Allah protects), and such moral decay has opened the doors to countless evils. Satanic influence has crept into every aspect of life.
When a man marries into a household, it becomes his responsibility to honor the sanctity of that bond. He must observe due respect toward in-laws, especially sisters-in-law and mothers-in-law. Sadly, because proper hijāb is not maintained, sisters-in-law often sit with their brother-in-law, converse freely—even in seclusion—and this dangerous social phrase is common:
“Sālī ādhī ghar wālī” (The sister-in-law is like half a wife)
This statement opens the door for Shayṭān’s mischief, and instead of remaining loyal to the wife, men start developing relationships with the sister-in-law.
We must observe Sharʿī boundaries diligently. Parents must also be cautious and raise their children with proper moral training in clean and disciplined environments. Anyone who tolerates corruption in the home is classified as a dayyūth (one who has no jealousy over the honor of his family). Such individuals will not enter Paradise and will not receive Allah’s Mercy on the Day of Judgment.
"Dayyūth will not enter Paradise"
— [Musnad Aḥmad: 1180 (10/322)]
When such limits are not upheld, cases like the one described emerge, resulting in disgrace and humiliation.
Any man who commits such a grievous sin—running away with his wife’s sister—has committed a severe offense in Islam. He must immediately repent and seek forgiveness from Allah, turning away from this sinful path.
Despite this grave sin, this action does not nullify the man’s legitimate marriage with his wife, according to the stronger and more correct scholarly opinion.
"If a man commits fornication with his wife's sister, his wife does not become unlawful for him."
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5105; Fatḥ al-Bārī: 9/153; Ibn Abī Shaybah: 3/316]
Imām Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله confirms:
"Its chain is authentic."
— [Fatḥ al-Bārī: 9/156]
Further scholarly statements include:
Some narrations claim that even looking at a woman’s private parts would render her mother or daughter ḥarām. Scholars have ruled these narrations weak and unreliable.
The man who ran away with his sister-in-law has undoubtedly committed a major sin, but his wife remains legally in his nikāḥ. She does not automatically become unlawful (ḥarām) due to his sinful act.
If the wife now wishes to marry someone else, she must:
① Obtain a proper divorce (ṭalāq) from her husband,
② Complete her ʿiddah (waiting period),
③ Then she may marry another man.
Meanwhile, the man must repent sincerely, abandon this sinful behavior, and return to his wife if reconciliation is possible.
❖ Question:
A man was married for about one year and then fled with his sister-in-law. It has now been approximately four years since that incident. The wife asks: Can I now remarry, or must I continue waiting? Please provide guidance in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
❖ Answer:
Unfortunately, our society today exhibits widespread negligence toward the commands of Sharīʿah and Islamic teachings. Transgression of Allah’s boundaries (ḥudūd) is often seen as trivial, modesty and proper dress codes are neglected (except for those whom Allah protects), and such moral decay has opened the doors to countless evils. Satanic influence has crept into every aspect of life.
When a man marries into a household, it becomes his responsibility to honor the sanctity of that bond. He must observe due respect toward in-laws, especially sisters-in-law and mothers-in-law. Sadly, because proper hijāb is not maintained, sisters-in-law often sit with their brother-in-law, converse freely—even in seclusion—and this dangerous social phrase is common:
“Sālī ādhī ghar wālī” (The sister-in-law is like half a wife)
This statement opens the door for Shayṭān’s mischief, and instead of remaining loyal to the wife, men start developing relationships with the sister-in-law.
❖ First Advice – Upholding Islamic Boundaries:
We must observe Sharʿī boundaries diligently. Parents must also be cautious and raise their children with proper moral training in clean and disciplined environments. Anyone who tolerates corruption in the home is classified as a dayyūth (one who has no jealousy over the honor of his family). Such individuals will not enter Paradise and will not receive Allah’s Mercy on the Day of Judgment.
"Dayyūth will not enter Paradise"
— [Musnad Aḥmad: 1180 (10/322)]
When such limits are not upheld, cases like the one described emerge, resulting in disgrace and humiliation.
❖ Second Point – Fleeing with Sister-in-Law:
Any man who commits such a grievous sin—running away with his wife’s sister—has committed a severe offense in Islam. He must immediately repent and seek forgiveness from Allah, turning away from this sinful path.
❖ Third Point – Impact on the Validity of the Marriage:
Despite this grave sin, this action does not nullify the man’s legitimate marriage with his wife, according to the stronger and more correct scholarly opinion.
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said:
"If a man commits fornication with his wife's sister, his wife does not become unlawful for him."
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5105; Fatḥ al-Bārī: 9/153; Ibn Abī Shaybah: 3/316]
Imām Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله confirms:
"Its chain is authentic."
— [Fatḥ al-Bārī: 9/156]
Further scholarly statements include:
- ʿAṭāʾ رحمه الله said:
“A man who commits fornication with his wife’s sister has violated one sanctity upon another, but his wife does not become forbidden to him.”
— [Musannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 12781]
- Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib and ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr both said:
“Ḥarām (sinful) actions do not make the ḥalāl (lawful) into ḥarām.”
— [ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 12766; Ibn Abī Shaybah: 3/304]
- Imām al-Zuhrī said:
“If a man fornicates with a woman, he can still marry her daughter.”
— [Al-Bayhaqī: 7/199]
- Imām al-Bukhārī states:
“Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, ʿUrwah, and al-Zuhrī all permitted such cases.”
— [Under Ḥadīth 5105]
✦ Mawdūʿ (fabricated) or weak narrations suggesting otherwise:
Some narrations claim that even looking at a woman’s private parts would render her mother or daughter ḥarām. Scholars have ruled these narrations weak and unreliable.
- Ibn Ḥajar:
“This narration has a weak and unknown narrator.”
— [Fatḥ al-Bārī: 9/156]
- Imām al-Bayhaqī:
“This ḥadīth is disconnected, has unknown narrators, and is weak.”
— [Al-Sunan al-Kubrā: 7/170]
❖ Conclusion:
The man who ran away with his sister-in-law has undoubtedly committed a major sin, but his wife remains legally in his nikāḥ. She does not automatically become unlawful (ḥarām) due to his sinful act.
If the wife now wishes to marry someone else, she must:
① Obtain a proper divorce (ṭalāq) from her husband,
② Complete her ʿiddah (waiting period),
③ Then she may marry another man.
Meanwhile, the man must repent sincerely, abandon this sinful behavior, and return to his wife if reconciliation is possible.
