A man is married and has three wives, and he neglected some of them and did not treat them with justice; what is the ruling in that?
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The questioner : In the last of this questioner's questions from Sudan, he says: A man is married and has three wives, and he neglected some of them and did not treat them with justice; what is the ruling in that? May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible for a man who has wives to be unjust among them. If he does so, he has committed a major sin, for the warning regarding this is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He said:Sunan Abi Dawud 2133Sahih (Al-Albani) And Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, prohibited polygamy in His Book if a man fears that he will not be just. So Allah the Exalted said: [An-Nisa 4:3].
It is obligatory for him to be just among them in everything in which he is able to be just. As for the love of the heart and its inclination toward one of them, a man cannot control that. Rather, what he can control is to spend the night with each one as he spends it with the other. If he intends to travel, he should draw lots between them, and whoever the lot falls for, he travels with her. Likewise, he must be just among them in financial maintenance, not giving one more than the other, and so on for whatever he is able to do, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Taghabun 64:16] and His saying, Blessed and Exalted is He: [An-Nisa 4:129] meaning you cannot achieve complete justice even if you strive hard, but [An-Nisa 4:129]. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible for a man who has wives to be unjust among them. If he does so, he has committed a major sin, for the warning regarding this is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He said:
When a man has two wives and he is inclined to one of them, he will come on the Day of resurrection with a side hanging down.
من كان له امرأتان فمال إلى إحداهما جاء يوم القيامة وشِقّه مائلthen 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. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].
فَانكِحوا ما طابَ لَكُم مِنَ النِّساءِ مَثنى وَثُلاثَ وَرُباعَ فَإِن خِفتُم أَلّا تَعدِلوا فَواحِدَةً أَو ما مَلَكَت أَيمانُكُم ذلِكَ أَدنى أَلّا تَعولواIt is obligatory for him to be just among them in everything in which he is able to be just. As for the love of the heart and its inclination toward one of them, a man cannot control that. Rather, what he can control is to spend the night with each one as he spends it with the other. If he intends to travel, he should draw lots between them, and whoever the lot falls for, he travels with her. Likewise, he must be just among them in financial maintenance, not giving one more than the other, and so on for whatever he is able to do, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا استَطَعتُمAnd you will never be able to be equal [in feeling] between wives, even if you should strive [to do so]
وَلَن تَستَطيعوا أَن تَعدِلوا بَينَ النِّساءِ وَلَو حَرَصتُمSo do not incline completely [toward one] and leave another hanging
فَلا تَميلوا كُلَّ المَيلِ فَتَذَروها كَالمُعَلَّقَةِThe questioner : May Allah reward you.