Questioner
Having multiple wives is something Allāh legislated for a man.
So what is the wisdom in that?
And when the man marries a second wife, the first wife becomes vile, and some problems which might lead to eternal disunion occur despite the existence of children who are in need of the mother and the father being with them.
So, what is your advice for the man and woman in this regard?
Shaykh Abdul-‘Aziz bn Abdillāh bn Bāz
Having multiple wives is something Allāh legislated for His servants with [the condition of] capability.
And there are numerous benefits in it for the couple—both the man and the woman.
From them is that a man may not be able to satisfy his urge with one woman.
He may be of high and strong urge, so one [wife] does not satisfy his urge, nor does two, or three.
So, Allāh made a way for him to satisfy his urge legally, the way of [marrying] four women.
Likewise, from them is that which is in the enjoyment of the four [wives] such as fulfilling [one’s] desire, pleasure, and being far from atrocities; for indeed, this will assist him in lowering his gaze and staying away from what Allāh prohibited.
Likewise, from them is the preservation of people’s chastity. Because it is not every woman that will find a single man.
The men may be lesser than the women, most especially during battles and particularly in the end time just as the Prophet -may Allāh extoll him amidst those with Him and grant him peace- had informed about it.
So, from the mercy of Allāh is that a man can take four. So, he makes four chaste, and he spends on four.
And in this are benefits for the female as well, for indeed, having a quarter of a spouse is better for her than not having a spouse at all.
She has either a quarter, or a third, or a half. It is better for her than none. So, with that, she is made chaste.
And in it as well, is spending on her and guarding her, and taking charge of her.
And also from the numerous benefits are the offsprings; existence of offsprings, and abundance of the progeny, and the proliferation of the Ummah.
[This is] because the Messenger -may Allāh extoll him amidst those with Him and grant him peace- said:- “Marry the loving and fertile woman. For indeed, through you, I shall outnumber the [other] nations on the Day of Resurrection.” And in a narration:- ‘the Prophets on the Day of resurrection’.
So existence of the progeny and abundance of the offsprings in this Ummah is an affair sought-after and aimed at.
And in that also from the other benefits is that, there is, in a man marrying from here and from here and from here, close association between families and cooperation and mutual love and harmony.
So close association increases within the society and cooperation between a person and his relatives and his in-laws prevalently. And a tie of affectionate love and close association exists among them. This assists on religious and worldly affairs all together.
And we have explained that this [affair] is reasonable.
The prophet -may Allāh extoll him amidst those with Him and grant him peace- married from several clans such that he intended, with that, the circulation of Islām between them and their cooperation with the Muslims and uniting their hearts upon Islam due to them being inlaws to the Prophet -may Allāh extoll him amidst those with Him and grant him peace.
And Allāh the Magnificent and Exalted said:- “… then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four;…” {An-Nisāʾ: 3}.
So in all these are benefits for everyone, benefits for both men and women, and proliferation of the Ummah, and chastity of the private parts, and lowering of gazes, and aiding on spending on the needy women, [extending over] to expenses, and closeness between families, and close association between families, and mutual love between everyone.
So the benefits are numerous as you have heard part of them.
Questioner
Therefore the women is obligated to exercise patience with [her] counterpart and co-wife.
Shaykh Abdul-‘Aziz bn Abdillāh bn Bāz
It is obligatory for the woman who believes in Allāh and the last Day to be patient and know that this is a right of the husband.
And that it is not permissible for her to do what is not appropriate when there is a second wife—so far he (i.e. the husband) is just and fulfills his duty.
So, she must be patient. And it is not permissible that she runs away or seek divorce.
This is not permissible so far the husband has fulfilled the duty that is upon him; he apportions [everyone’s rights] justly and he spends justly, then she has no right to disagree or seek disunion or distress him until he disunites [their marriage].
It is imperative that she is counseled, taught, and advised, and that she equips herself with what is required, so that she is upon clarity regarding the legislation of Allāh in this affair.
