KUALA LUMPUR: Penang men no longer need to seek permission from their first wife in order to take on another bride. Instead, they now only need to get permission from the Syariah court to do so.
This was announced by Penang Islamic Religious Department director Datuk Sazali Hussein, who said the move can help curb the problem of unmarried women.
“For those who wish to practice polygamy, they only need to get approval from the syariah court to waive the need to present the first wife’s approval to take on another wife.
“However, they need to provide solid reasons before it can be considered.
“Maybe if the reason given is solid and can bring benefits, the judge will grant the request,” he was quoted as saying in Utusan Malaysia today.
Sazali was asked to comment on a suggestion by a reader in the newspaper’s Forum column. The reader, identified as Syed Abdullah Syed Osman Jamalulail from Ampangan, Seremban, had suggested that polygamy conditions be eased to help women of an advanced age who are still unmarried.
Syed Abdullah had suggested that the authorities loosen the condition which stipulates that men who wish to marry women over 30-years-old need to obtain the consent of their first wife.
He had also suggested that another condition which should be relaxed was the requirement for the man to produce his salary slip or confirmation of wages from employers, as per normal procedure.
He believed that it was sufficient that the prospective newlyweds come to a mutual agreement on their union.
and why is in Penang the permission of the Shariah Court necessary? If that permission is too complicated or not granted easily we will find that there are more ‘unregistered’ cases of polygamy – as in many other countries, including in Europe.
and … better control the figures on the cake right from the beginning …
Please, I want to be educated: Which of part of the Holy Quar’an or Hadith requires that a man needs a first wife’s permission before taking a second wife.
Thanks.
As to my knowledge: none.
Jazakallah khairan.
The Answer is here:
Thanks a lot, sister Amtul Farhat, for this complete answer!
it is not necessary for a man to seek permission of his wife to have a second marriage. It is not obligatory in Shariah.But on the other hand Islam seeks that a person should abide by the laws of the country if they are not contrary to fundamentals of Shariah. Like Azan is needed for congregational prayer but if prohibited in law of any country it is ok to go for prayer at a time. But marriage has an other issue. Islam and Quraan did not put any barricade on the polygamy. but if the law of a country aske for permission of firs wife or wives man should seek for it to avoid any disorder in society. But if a man need a second marriage due to permanant illness of wife or for the purpose of children or for any other solid reason and he can afford and make justice among all wives he can have an other wife.But he has to practice a complete justice among all wives it is the required in quran.see chapter 4 verse 4
{ وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَى وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَلَّا تَعُولُوا (4) } (النساء
4)
it is obligatory and required in islam to practice a complete and absolute justice among wives.if some one have a desire to practice polygamy in his life and he is fear of being not just he should avoid thie
Thanks to all of you for your education. Absolute justice cannot be followed by any man but that is not a barrier to polygamy. Allah says in chapter 4:130 of the Holy Qur’an: “And you cannot keep perfect balance between wives, however much you may desire it. But incline not wholly to one so that you leave the other like a thing suspended. And if you amend and act righteously, surely Allah is most forgiving, merciful.”
This means with the fear of God, we can practice polygamy and be as just we can, while we will be reducing the number of unmarried women who are willing to get married.
brother Issa, how many wives do you have so far? (or are you waiting for ‘matches’ ?)
Please Sir, at the moment, I have only one wife but I don’t mind marrying other Muslim ladies who need Muslim husbands to protect their faiths.
In Ghana, sometimes some of our very serious Muslim ladies end up marrying non-Muslims because they don’t get Muslim men to marry them. It is not because they not good Muslims, most of them are very active. Although some of them are prepared to be second wives, the already married make it difficult for their husbands to marry them. But my brother, you know that if they marry non-Muslims, it definitely affects their faiths negatively. Moreover, the Qur’an doesn’t permit Muslim ladies to marry non-Muslims.
So, is it not better if we practice polygamy as a form of sacrifice on the part of Muslim men in order to protect the faith of our Muslim sisters?
What do you think, brother Rafiq?
I agree with you, brother Issa. The problem is how do we convince our wives to have mercy on these unmarried sisters and let us take care of (some of) them?
In any case, Issa, you do not need your wife’s permission: You just need to try your utmost to be fair and equal to them all. May Allah assist you with your plans.
Ameen. Jazakallah my brother.
Hello there! This article couldn’t be written any better!
Going through this article reminds me of my previous roommate!
He always kept preaching about this. I am going to send this article
to him. Fairly certain he will have a great read.
Many thanks for sharing!
If anyone thinks a man can simply marry an additional woman without getting permission from the current wife – go ahead and try… lets see how peaceful life will continue to be… don’t be naive
For God’s sake all decisions in life – especially the big things – should be a shared decision by spouses and mutual understanding
what if the muslim wife dont agree to her muslim husband to have a second wife? its not possible anymore to muslim husband to marry again even if the first wife cannot bear a child? is it legal in malaysia for a muslim husband to have a concubine because the first wife cannot bear a child?