Being just between two wives in two countries
18-10-2005 | IslamWeb
Question:
If a person has two wives in two countries, how can he maintain equality with respect to standard of life let alone physical demands?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
The husband is obliged to spend on his two wives equally, he should give each one of them what will suffice her. This differs according to different countries and different circumstances. Ibn Hajar
said: 'What is meant by being just between them is to treat them equally according to what befits each of them.' Therefore, the husband is obliged to spend on each one of them according to the conditions of the country where each of them live.
It should be noted that it is an obligation to be just between wives in relation to spending the night with them. Living far does not exempt the husband from this obligation. Ibn Qudaamah said: 'If a husband has two wives in two different countries, he has to be just between them as he has chosen to be distant from one of them. Being far does not exempt him from fulfilling her rights. He is obliged either to travel to the distant wife when it is her turn or to bring her to his own country where he is staying with the other wife. If she refuses to come though she is able, then she looses her right due to her disobedience. However, if he wants to be just between them while each one of them is in her own country, and it is difficult to be with them every other night, then he may set a time period according to his ability. For instance he may stay one month with one wife and another month with the second, or set a time of more or less than a month according to his ability and according to the distance of the countries.'
Therefore, the husband is obliged to either be just between his two wives or seek the consent of the distant one and reconcile with her.
Allaah Know best.