Giving one of the wives more than the obligatory maintenance

The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, if a man has more than one wife and gives each of them the obligatory maintenance, is it possible for him to give one of them something in excess of the obligatory amount?

The Shaykh:
Yes.

The questioner:
So is it permissible for him to do so?

The Shaykh:
What?

The questioner:
If a man has more than one wife and gives each of them the obligatory maintenance, is it permissible for him to give one of them something in excess of the obligatory amount without giving the same to the others?

The Shaykh:
If he gives each of them what she needs in terms of maintenance, he may give an extra amount to whomever he wishes, because this is a gift from him and not a reduction of the rights of the others, since he has given each of them what she needs. This is especially the case if the wives are not on the same level; for example, if one is the daughter of wealthy people or people of high status, she may need more money due to her obligations. There is nothing wrong with this. If he gives each of them what suffices her, he may give the others, or one of them, whatever he wishes, especially if she needs it. There is no doubt that the daughter of wealthy people or leaders is not like an ordinary woman; the daughters of leaders and the wealthy have more obligations than others. The important point is that this is an extra, a surplus. However, the best course is that he does not do this, because it may provoke trouble and anger from the other wives. But in terms of permissibility, it is permissible and not forbidden for him. Yes.