The ruling on a father neglecting his children on the pretext of marrying a second wife

السؤال:
After this, a lengthy letter was sent by one of the brothers, saying: Your brother in Allah (B. A. Z.), our brother’s letter is very long. The summary of what is in this letter is that his father married, and had children from the new wife, and at that time he stopped treating them with the treatment of a compassionate father toward his sons.

The Shaykh: Repeat.

The presenter: He says: His father married, and had children from the new woman, and at that time his feelings toward his former children changed, and he no longer looks at them with the look of a compassionate father. He asks the Shaykh’s leniency to guide this father specifically, and those like him, especially since they describe him as neglectful, even toward a disabled daughter who is twelve years old. May Allah reward you with good?

Answer:
It is obligatory for the father and mother to be just between their children in everything; because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): So it is obligatory for the father to be just in his giving, in his attention, in his spending, and in his good character. He must be just in all of it, males and females alike. The mother is the same. This is what is obligatory for everyone; because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): And this is general, encompassing justice in spending and giving, and other things. And because the lack of justice causes resentment, enmity, and hatred, and the consequences of that are severe. We ask Allah for guidance for everyone.

The presenter: O Allah, amen, O Shaykh! If you would be so kind... In reality, what has harmed the reputation of plural marriage is the behavior of some people like this behavior. I was encouraged by this program to have a word from the Shaykh so that people do not harm the Shari'ah of Allah with their bad behavior. May Allah reward you with good?

The Shaykh: It is obligatory for one who has married two, or three, or four wives to be just, and to seek justice between his wives, and between all his children. So Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, when He legislated plural marriage, He also legislated justice, and He commanded justice. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said when he was dividing between his wives: .
And he used to divide, and be just—(peace and blessings be upon him)—so this is what is obligatory for the man: to be just between his wives, and between his children, and to seek justice in that. And what he is unable to do, and cannot manage; Allah does not burden a soul except within its capacity [al-Taghabun:16]. Yes.

The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.