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:

As-salaamu alaikum ! Please maintain my anonimity. A sister of mine ( with kids ) is leaving seperately from her husband due to his second marriage which he made under a different name and kept it a secret for a long time. Only when it came to light problems started and she started staying with her parents.What is to be done Islamically in this regard? Can she stay seperated and live the way she is currently ( working , independent and with parents ) Hope to receive your reply according to the Islamic Principals Jazak Allah Khair 

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Answer:

Should a woman leave her husband if he marries again?

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.

Allah Subhanah has allowed the believing man to take upto four wives at any one time, if he chooses to do so. But Islam has also guided the man to declare his marriages publicly by arranging a marriage feast or ‘walima’, so that the whole society knows of his marriage ties. It is not permissible for a believer, who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day, to have secret illicit relationships, where one secretly marries a woman, and hides this relationship from his near and dear ones!

If the first wife does not approve of her husband’s second marriage, she is well within her rights to seek a divorce; and there will be no sin on her in such a case.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 65 Surah Talaaq verse 1: O Prophet! When ye do divorce women, divorce them at their prescribed periods and count (accurately) their prescribed periods: and fear Allah your Lord: and turn them not out of their houses, nor shall they (themselves) leave except in case they are guilty of some open lewdness. Those are limits set by Allah: and any who transgresses the limits of Allah does verily wrong his (own) soul: thou knowest not if perchance Allah will bring about thereafter some new situation.

But if she does not seek divorce and wishes to remain his wife, she must fear Allah Subhanah, and give all the rights that are due to her husband, and the husband must give all the rights that are due to her. It would not be righteousness in the sight of Allah that a husband and wife remain separated forever. Either they choose to live together in peace and harmony as husband and wife, or they divorce each other in peace and with magnanimity.

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

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan