Fatwa ID: 07904

Answered by: Maulana Nuski Cassim

Question:

A scholar said if a man has two wives even though he has to give each wife a separate house/living quarters he doesnt have to live with them or go to each on her day. Rather he may have house specific house for him and when  is the day of each he summons them to his place, and he may do this even if they don’t agree with this. Is this true? Can a man do this even if the wives not happy with such arrangement

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

In the scenario you’ve presented, if the man has the given his wives an equal share in pertinence to food, clothing and separate housing, then for him to have them come to his specific house [on their days] would not be something problematic.

Essentially, there are no grounds for the wives to disagree with this arrangement as this is something being carried out with each of the wives, and along with this, each of them is being treated fairly regarding maintenance.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Nuski Cassim

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

1.

ومنها: وجوب العدل بين النساء في حقوقهنّ. وجملة الكلام فيه أنّ الرجل لا يخلو إمّا أن يكون له أكثر من امرأة واحدة وإمّا إن كانت له امرأةٌ واحدةٌ، فان كان له أكثر من امرأة، فعليه العدل بينهنّ في حقوقهنّ من القسم والنفقة والكسوة، وهو التسوية بينهنّ في ذلك حتىّ لو كانت تحته امرأتان حرّتان أو أمتان يجب عليه أن يعدل بينهما في المأكول و المشروب و الملبوس و السُّكنى و البيتوتة. والأصل فيه قوله ﷻ: فإنْ خفتم ألاّ تعدلوا فواحدة

[بدائع الصنائع، كتاب النكاح، ج ٤، صفحة ١٥٦، الدار العالمية]