What is the response to those who prohibit plural marriage, citing the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Do not combine the daughter of the Messenger of Allah with the daughter of an enemy of Allah,” in the hadith of Ali?

The questioner : Our Shaykh, in your previous response to the question of our brother Khalid, you mentioned the points of error made by the people of religious innovation and misguidance in their use of evidence, where they resorted to distorting texts and changing meanings. In our days, we see some people following this same path of the people of religious innovation and misguidance in their use of evidence. We hear some of them arguing with the hadith of Ali when he wanted to propose to the daughter of Abu Dhuha, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not give him permission and said to him: They use this hadith to argue against those who practice plural marriage, i.e., taking multiple wives. What is the answer to this doubt? May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : By Allah, I have not heard this. Who is the one who says this?

The questioner : Many of the people who have followed the West.

The Shaykh : But I know many of them, especially on Egyptian radio. The Egyptian custom is that plural marriage is not permissible except out of dire necessity. But I have never heard such nonsense as using the hadith of Ali’s marriage to Fatimah as evidence when Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do so. I have never heard them argue with this hadith, and this is the first time it has reached my ears. It is permissible for us to say, every day, that we are in ignorance. The point is that they keep going on and on about the fact that Allah the Exalted and Majestic restricted marriage to four, provided there is justice. So if a person cannot be just, then marriage is not permissible. This is correct. But they say, regarding the other verse: They interpret it with a false interpretation. This is what we hear from those who have deviated from the straight path. As for their arguing with a hadith like this, it is very strange. Our evidence is clear: First, and second, the practice of the Muslims. Why did I present at the beginning of the speech? Because many of the callers today do not go on and on about arguing with this verse that it is not permissible for the later Muslims, i.e., the Khalaf, to contradict the Salaf in their methodology. Meanwhile, this verse is an explicit text regarding that. The righteous Salaf, led by the great Companions, including Ali himself, married women other than Fatimah afterwards. Among them was Abu Bakr; few of them had more than one wife. So how can we say that it is not permissible to marry more than one woman? This is the text of the Qur'an, and the condition mentioned is justice, which is impossible to achieve fully, namely justice of the heart. Therefore, he was prohibited from making her like one who is suspended; he was not told not to marry, but he was prohibited from making her like one who is suspended, neither having a husband nor being divorced. Therefore, this argument, in addition to being an innovation, is also contrary to the definitive meanings of the texts of the Shari'ah.

The questioner: May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : And [I say], Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise is to You. I bear witness that there is no deity but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You.