Is my grandfather's wife a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to me, given that she has been divorced from him?
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The questioner : Is my grandfather's wife a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to me, and for your information, she has been divorced from him. Please inform us of the ruling.
The Shaykh : The grandfather's wife is a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to the son of a son or the son of a daughter. In this regard, we would like to clarify an important rule in this chapter. We say:
When a man marries a woman, his father and his paternal and maternal grandfathers become mahram (a relative one may not marry) to this wife, whether she remains with her husband, he divorces her, or he dies and she survives him. Likewise, the husband's sons, his sons' sons, and his daughters' sons are all mahram (a relative one may not marry) to this wife. Thus, the husband's ancestors, namely his fathers and grandfathers, are mahram (a relative one may not marry) to her, and the husband's descendants, namely his sons, his sons' sons, and his daughters' sons, are mahram (a relative one may not marry) to this wife.
As for the wife's side, when a man marries a woman, her mother and her grandmothers become mahram (a relative one may not marry) to him; that is, he becomes a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to her mother and grandmothers, whether the wife remains with him or not. As for her daughters, meaning the wife's daughters, her daughters' daughters, and her sons' daughters, the husband is a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to them if he has consummated the marriage, meaning if he has had sexual intercourse with her. However, if he contracted the marriage and then divorced her without having sexual intercourse with her, then her daughters, her sons' daughters, and her daughters' daughters are not mahram (a relative one may not marry) to him. This is known from the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):[An-Nisa 4:22-23].
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The grandfather's wife is a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to the son of a son or the son of a daughter. In this regard, we would like to clarify an important rule in this chapter. We say:
When a man marries a woman, his father and his paternal and maternal grandfathers become mahram (a relative one may not marry) to this wife, whether she remains with her husband, he divorces her, or he dies and she survives him. Likewise, the husband's sons, his sons' sons, and his daughters' sons are all mahram (a relative one may not marry) to this wife. Thus, the husband's ancestors, namely his fathers and grandfathers, are mahram (a relative one may not marry) to her, and the husband's descendants, namely his sons, his sons' sons, and his daughters' sons, are mahram (a relative one may not marry) to this wife.
As for the wife's side, when a man marries a woman, her mother and her grandmothers become mahram (a relative one may not marry) to him; that is, he becomes a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to her mother and grandmothers, whether the wife remains with him or not. As for her daughters, meaning the wife's daughters, her daughters' daughters, and her sons' daughters, the husband is a mahram (a relative one may not marry) to them if he has consummated the marriage, meaning if he has had sexual intercourse with her. However, if he contracted the marriage and then divorced her without having sexual intercourse with her, then her daughters, her sons' daughters, and her daughters' daughters are not mahram (a relative one may not marry) to him. This is known from the saying of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He):
(22) And do not marry those [women] whom your fathers married, except what has already occurred. Indeed, it was an immorality and hateful [to Allah] and was evil as a way. (23) Prohibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father's sisters, your mother's sisters, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your [milk] mothers who nursed you, your sisters through nursing, your wives' mothers, and your step-daughters under your guardianship [born] of your wives unto whom you have gone in. But if you have not gone in unto them, there is no sin upon you. And [also prohibited are] the wives of your sons who are from your [own] loins, and that you take [in marriage] two sisters simultaneously, except for what has already occurred. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
وَلا تَنكِحُوا مَا نَكَحَ آبَاؤُكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَمَقْتًا وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا * حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهَاتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُكُمْ وَأَخَوَاتُكُمْ وَعَمَّاتُكُمْ وَخَالاتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُ الأَخِ وَبَنَاتُ الأُخْتِ وَأُمَّهَاتُكُمُ اللَّاتِي أَرْضَعْنَكُمْ وَأَخَوَاتُكُمْ مِنَ الرَّضَاعَةِ وَأُمَّهَاتُ نِسَائِكُمْ وَرَبَائِبُكُمُ اللَّاتِي فِي حُجُورِكُمْ مِنْ نِسَائِكُمُ اللَّاتِي دَخَلْتُمْ بِهِنَّ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُونُوا دَخَلْتُمْ بِهِنَّ فَلا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَحَلائِلُ أَبْنَائِكُمُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ أَصْلابِكُمْThe questioner : May Allah bless you.