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:

i am a muslim girl that is in love with a married muslim man with 4 kids. he realy loves me and wants to marry me but, claims that he love his wife too. is it OK in the muslim religion for a man to have 2 wifes? please help me i feel like i am commiting a big sin. 

(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:

Second wife Polygamy

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 no one (no idol, no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) 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: is it OK in the muslim religion for a man to have 2 wifes?

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

And if you be apprehensive that you will not be able to do justice to the orphans,  you may marry two, or three, or four women whom you choose.   But if you apprehend that you might not be able to do justice to them, then marry only one.

Islam has permitted the believers to marry and keep upto a maximum of four wives at any one time, if they wish to do so.  There is absolutely no harm if the brother proposes to you to be his second wife, provided he is confident he will be able to do justice between his wives in the allocation of his time and resources. 

Your Question: please help me i feel like i am commiting a big sin. 

If the brother proposes to you and marries you legally as his second wife, rest assured that neither you nor the brother would be committing any sin. 

But if you tried to get the man to divorce his first wife, or tried to take away any right due to his other wife, etc. then indeed it would be a sin in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

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