Marrying More Than Four
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Fatwa No. ( 1294 )
Q: The question concerns: the ruling on a man marrying more than four wives with evidence; for the urgent need to know this in our environment.
A: It is permissible for a man to marry more than one wife up to four wives if he trusts himself to be just among his wives and is safe from injustice, but it is forbidden for him to have more than four wives in his marriage bond. The evidence for this is the Book, the Sunnah, and consensus. As for the Book: it is the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nisa 4:3] Thus, the Exalted permitted anyone who wishes to marry more than one to marry, if he wills, two by two, if he wills, three by three, and if he wills, four by four; provided he does not fear injustice. And He did not permit him—Glory be to Him—more than four. The original ruling regarding women is prohibition, so it is not permissible except within the limits that Allah has permitted. He did not permit combining more than four wives. Therefore, what exceeds that remains
on the original ruling of prohibition. As for the Sunnah: what was narrated by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah from Qays ibn al-Harith who said: , and what was narrated by Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah from Abdullah ibn Umar who said: , and it was also narrated by Ibn Hibban and al-Hakim , and they authenticated it. The Companions, the four Imams, and the rest of the people of the Sunnah and the community agreed, in both word and deed, that it is not permissible for a man to have more than four wives in his marriage bond
except the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Whoever desires otherwise and combines more than four wives has contradicted the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: The question concerns: the ruling on a man marrying more than four wives with evidence; for the urgent need to know this in our environment.
A: It is permissible for a man to marry more than one wife up to four wives if he trusts himself to be just among his wives and is safe from injustice, but it is forbidden for him to have more than four wives in his marriage bond. The evidence for this is the Book, the Sunnah, and consensus. As for the Book: it is the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hand possesses
وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَى وَثُلاثَ وَرُبَاعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْon the original ruling of prohibition. As for the Sunnah: what was narrated by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah from Qays ibn al-Harith who said:
I embraced Islam and I had eight women [wives] with me, so I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned that to him, and he said: Choose four of them.
أسلمت وعندي ثمان نسوة، فأتيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فذكرت ذلك له، فقال: اختر منهن أربعًاGhaylan al-Thaqafi embraced Islam and he had ten women [wives] with him in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, so they embraced Islam with him, and the Prophet ordered him to choose four of them.
أسلم غيلان الثقفي وعنده عشر نسوة في الجاهلية، فأسلمن معه، فأمره النبي أن يختار منهن أربعًاexcept the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Whoever desires otherwise and combines more than four wives has contradicted the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.