Husband in US Took A Second Wife

1-7-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

My husband marrying a second wife in the United States. Even though we had no social problems or any other problems, my husband married, without informing me or her family, another Muslim woman in only an Islamic marriage (not a civil or a court one) in a Mosque. As you know it is illegal in the United States to get married to a second person. And after we found out about their marriage, he is refusing to take any actions. He is not treating us equally and I am opposed to this marriage anyway. I would like to ask about my Islamic rights and about the validity of their marriage. I have three children and I would like to know what to do.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is the right of the husband to have more than one wife if he wishes as Allah has given him that right. Allah Says (what means): {Marry (other) women of your choice, two or three or four.} [Quran 4: 3]

The fact that the contract was done in the mosque and not in a court does not have any influence on the validity of the contract if the Sharee’ah conditions for a valid marriage were met.

As for you, we advise you to accept this reality and continue being good with your husband and keeping good company with him. We also advise your husband to be just when dealing with his wives (i.e. you and the other one).

Allah knows best.