A man married to two women, one resident and the other in his home country: how does he maintain equity between them in maintenance and lodging?
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The questioner:
He states that he is married to two women, one of whom is with him here, and the other is in his home country. He says: I know that it is obligatory for me to be just between them in maintenance and lodging, but how can I do so when I am unable to divide the maintenance between them, because my salary is small? On the other hand, I am unable to be equal in cohabitation and lodging. I reside with the one who is with me here for nine months, and I reside with the other for three months when I travel to my country. Is there a sin on me in this situation? Please advise us, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh:
As for justice in financial maintenance, this is obligatory according to your ability, by giving to each one or spending on each one according to your ability. Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear[At-Talaq 65:7].
So you are to be just between your two wives, the one present and the one absent, by paying the absent one from money, according to your ability, what she spends on herself, or by leaving for her food that you can afford so that she can spend from it on herself, according to ability, whether present or absent. As for lodging, it is obligatory for you to draw lots between your wives when traveling, and you travel with the one for whom the lot comes out, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do that between his wives when he wanted to travel. You are not required to make up the absence that you were absent for the resident wife; rather, when you return, you divide between them equally. As for the days you were absent, you do not make these up for the second one, as long as you drew lots between them and the lot came out for one of them, then the duration of your absence is an excuse for you regarding the resident woman. And when you are present in your country, you divide between them during the days of residence. Yes.
The questioner:
And if his travel is with her without drawing lots, by his own choice and desire.
The Shaykh:
He has made a mistake in this, yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.
He states that he is married to two women, one of whom is with him here, and the other is in his home country. He says: I know that it is obligatory for me to be just between them in maintenance and lodging, but how can I do so when I am unable to divide the maintenance between them, because my salary is small? On the other hand, I am unable to be equal in cohabitation and lodging. I reside with the one who is with me here for nine months, and I reside with the other for three months when I travel to my country. Is there a sin on me in this situation? Please advise us, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh:
As for justice in financial maintenance, this is obligatory according to your ability, by giving to each one or spending on each one according to your ability. Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear
Let a man of wealth spend from his wealth, and he whose provision is restricted - let him spend from what Allah has given him. Allah does not charge a soul except [according to] what He has given it
لِيُنفِقْ ذُو سَعَةٍ مِّن سَعَتِهِ وَمَن قُدِرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقُهُ فَلْيُنفِقْ مِمَّا آتَاهُ اللَّهُ لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا مَا آتَاهَاSo you are to be just between your two wives, the one present and the one absent, by paying the absent one from money, according to your ability, what she spends on herself, or by leaving for her food that you can afford so that she can spend from it on herself, according to ability, whether present or absent. As for lodging, it is obligatory for you to draw lots between your wives when traveling, and you travel with the one for whom the lot comes out, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do that between his wives when he wanted to travel. You are not required to make up the absence that you were absent for the resident wife; rather, when you return, you divide between them equally. As for the days you were absent, you do not make these up for the second one, as long as you drew lots between them and the lot came out for one of them, then the duration of your absence is an excuse for you regarding the resident woman. And when you are present in your country, you divide between them during the days of residence. Yes.
The questioner:
And if his travel is with her without drawing lots, by his own choice and desire.
The Shaykh:
He has made a mistake in this, yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، رجل متزوج بامرأتين واحدة مقيمة وعه والأخرى في بلده فكيف يعدل بينهما في النفقة والمبيت؟ الشيخ الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.