If a man marries a second wife, how many nights does he stay with her?

Question : Shaykh Muhammad, we have a woman on the line asking: If a husband marries a second wife, does he have the right to stay with her for three nights? Is the wedding night also counted among them? May Allah reward you.

Answer : If he marries another woman in addition to his first wife, and if she is a virgin, he stays with her for seven days, then he divides his time among them, and the wedding night is counted among those days. If she is a previously married woman, meaning the second wife, he stays with her for three days, then he gives her the choice. He says: If you wish, I will stay with you for seven days, but I will stay with my other wives for seven days each. If she chooses the seven days, he gives her seven days, but he divides his time among his other wives, giving each one seven days. Generally, when a previously married woman is given the choice between staying with him for seven days or the obligatory three days, she chooses the three days, because if she chooses the three days, he will stay with the others one night at a time and then return to her.