Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulām Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
What is the ruling on marrying a woman who is already married to someone else?
It is not permissible to marry a woman who is currently in an existing marriage contract with another man. Only after she exits that marriage—either through divorce or the husband’s death and the completion of her ʿiddah (waiting period)—can another marriage be considered.
﴿وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ﴾
“And (forbidden to you are) married women.”
Surah al-Nisā’ (4): 24
This verse explicitly prohibits marrying women who are already married.
① A woman already in a valid nikāḥ cannot be married by another man.
② Any attempt to do so is ḥarām (forbidden) and the nikāḥ is invalid.
③ The prohibition is based on clear Qur’anic injunction.
❖ Question:
What is the ruling on marrying a woman who is already married to someone else?
✿ Answer:
It is not permissible to marry a woman who is currently in an existing marriage contract with another man. Only after she exits that marriage—either through divorce or the husband’s death and the completion of her ʿiddah (waiting period)—can another marriage be considered.
❀ Allah ﷻ says:
﴿وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ﴾
“And (forbidden to you are) married women.”
Surah al-Nisā’ (4): 24This verse explicitly prohibits marrying women who are already married.
Conclusion:
① A woman already in a valid nikāḥ cannot be married by another man.
② Any attempt to do so is ḥarām (forbidden) and the nikāḥ is invalid.
③ The prohibition is based on clear Qur’anic injunction.
