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:

Assalamu Aleikum Warahmatu Allahi Wabarakatu. If someone's husband has married a second wife and your jealousy is so intense that you cannot take the situation. Are you allowed under these circumstances to ask for a divorce.

Thank you.

(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:

Take divorce at husband second marriage

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.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 3:

3 If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them) then only one or (a captive) that your right hands possess. That will be more suitable to prevent you from doing injustice.

If one’s husband has perchance chosen to exercise his lawful right of marrying for a second time, and the first wife cannot bring herself to accept his decision….she is well within her rights in Islam to initiate a ‘khula’ or divorce proceedings against her husband and seek her freedom.

What either the first or the second wife cannot and should not do, if indeed they fear Allah Subhanah and the Last Day, is ask, demand, or coerce their husband to divorce the other wife so that she may have the husband for herself….that indeed would be a grave sin in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.598 Narrated by Abu Huraira

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "No woman should ask for the divorce of her (Muslim) sister so as to take her place, but she should marry the man (without compelling him to divorce his other wife), for she will have nothing but what Allah has Decreed for her."

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