FatwaFederal TerritoriesMarriage & Family
AL-KAFI #1452 : CERAIKAN ISTERI KEDUA KERANA TIADA PERSETUJUAN ISTERI PERTAMA
Must a husband divorce his second wife if he married her without the first wife's knowledge, based on a hadith attributed to the Prophet?
Short answer
The fatwa finds no hadith requiring the second wife to be divorced when the marriage took place without the first wife's knowledge, and it concludes the claim is fabricated.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Marriage & Family
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The fatwa finds no hadith requiring the second wife to be divorced when the marriage took place without the first wife's knowledge, and it concludes the claim is fabricated. In principle a man may have up to four wives if he can be just, and the first wife's permission is not a requirement in Islamic law. Polygamy is forbidden if it leads to injustice or neglect of maintenance, and disliked if there is no pressing need. Husbands are advised to discuss it with the first wife and to follow the Islamic family law in force.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Walaupun meminta izin isteri pertama tidak menjadi syarat namun ianya sangat penting untuk diambil perhatian oleh suami.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1452 : CERAIKAN ISTERI KEDUA KERANA TIADA PERSETUJUAN ISTERI PERTAMA”, 2 December 2019. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/3845-al-kafi-1452-ceraikan-isteri-kedua-kerana-tiada-persetujuan-isteri-pertama. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/divorce-second-wife-without-first-wife-consent/