The Difference Between Justice in Maintenance and Love
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
May Allah reward you. This person says: A noble verse in the field of plural marriage was revealed in the Noble Qur'an, the saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic:[An-Nisa 4:3] And in another place, the saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic was revealed: [An-Nisa 4:129] In the first, justice is made a condition for marrying more than one woman, and in the second, it is clarified that the condition of justice is not possible. Does this mean that the first verse was abrogated and that one should not marry except one woman?
Answer:
No, my brother, because the justice in the two verses is different. The intended justice is that which a person possesses; this is what is obligatory. You said:[An-Nisa 4:3] This is the justice that a person possesses and is able to do, namely justice in maintenance, clothing, and lodging. This justice and the dwelling place are four things: justice in maintenance, justice in clothing, and justice in lodging. These are the things a person is able to do, and they are what Allah said: [An-Nisa 4:3].
As for the justice that cannot be achieved, it is love in the heart:[An-Nisa 4:129], meaning love in the heart, because the heart is in the hand of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). One may love some of his wives more than others and is not blamed for this, but he must not be unjust toward the one he loves; rather, he must be just toward her and the other women. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to divide his time among his wives and said (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Abi Dawud 2134 and that is the love. Yes.
May Allah reward you. This person says: A noble verse in the field of plural marriage was revealed in the Noble Qur'an, the saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic:
But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one
فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةًAnd you will never be able to be equal [in feeling] between wives, even if you should strive [to do so]
وَلَن تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَن تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْAnswer:
No, my brother, because the justice in the two verses is different. The intended justice is that which a person possesses; this is what is obligatory. You said:
that you will not be just, then [marry only] one
أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةًBut if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one
فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةًAs for the justice that cannot be achieved, it is love in the heart:
And you will never be able to be equal [in feeling] between wives
وَلَن تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَن تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِO Allah, this is my division concerning what I control, so do not blame me concerning what You control and I do not.
اللهم هذا قسمي فيما أملك، فلا تلمني فيما تملك ولا أملك،
Source
نور على الدرب - الفوزان - 03/217 — archive.org (8:19)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.