Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Can i marry another person without getting a divorce from my existing husband? I am at the age where i cannot produce any children.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Can a married woman marry

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: Can i marry another person without getting a divorce from my existing husband? I am at the age where i cannot produce any children. 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 24 (part):

24 Also (prohibited for marriage are) women already married,…..

It is absolutely unlawful and forbidden in Islam for a believer to seek to marry a woman who is currently in marriage with another person, or for a married woman to marry another man while she is still in wedlock with her husband. The ability of the woman to bear children or not is not a criteria which would effect this prohibition in the least.

Unless and until your existing husband establishes a proper Shariah divorce against you, or he dies….it would be absolutely and totally forbidden and prohibited in Islam for you to marry another person while still in wedlock with your present husband. Such a thing would be an enormity and an abomination of a sin in the Sight of Allah Subhanah and Shariah Law; and even if such a marriage between a married woman and a single man were to take place, that marriage contract would be absolutely null and void in the Sight of Shariah Law.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan