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_{CAN I MARRY TWO OR THREE WIVES ON THE SAME DAY}

Questioner: Can a man marry two or three wives on the same day?

Dr Sharof: There is no problem about it, but it will result in a lot of misunderstandings. This is not from the Sharee’ah. By Allaah, marrying two women on the same day will result in a lot of problems. According to the Sharee’ah, if you marry a lady, you have to keep her company for seven days before returning to other wives as scheduled. If she is a woman, you have to keep her company for three days (before returning to other wives as scheduled). If two wives are married on the same day, how will the time be shared? Some (people of knowledge) say we will organize a contest for them. The one who is lucky will take charge of the first seven days while the other one takes charge of the next seven days (if they are both ladies). Don’t you think they will get into a silly quarrel before the end of the first seven days? The wife who is not favoured with the contest will complain a lot that she has been cheated. She wouldn’t mind ruining the marriage. Therefore, this implies that you shouldn’t create an unnecessary problem for yourself.

Some people interpret the verse, ‘…then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four…’ [Soorah An-Nisaa’ (4):3] to mean that you have to marry one wife, or two women at once, or three women at once, or four at once. Where do they get this illogical understanding from? There is no such thing in the rulings of the Sharee’ah. If that understanding is correct and a person marries two wives at once but he is not contented with them, will he have to marry another three women at once? How many wives will that become?

The Congregation: Five

_{SOME ISSUES REGARDING MAHR/SADAAQ}

Questioner: Is there any difference between Mahr and Sadaaq? Also, is it prescribed to use money alone for Mahr? Is it compulsory that the money be paid before any sexual relation between the couple?

Dr Sharof: The questioner asks if there is any difference between al-Mahr and as-Sadaaq. There is no difference between the two; they mean the same thing. Al-Mahr is the same thing as as-Sadaaq. The money paid to a wife, indicating the love of the man for her to make her happy; that is Mahr, and it is the same thing as as-Sadaaq.

As for whether or not other than money can be used as Sadaaq, something else can be used as Sadaaq, but with the condition that it can be transformed to money. Something else can be used as Sadaaq, but with the condition that it can be transformed to money. For example, you can give a woman a house as Sadaaq, or a car, a costly watch, a costly shoe, in as much as it can transformed to money; (and) some other things that can be transformed to money. That is why the scholars differ as to whether or not teaching a woman that which one knows of knowledge is enough as her Sadaaq in a situation whereby one has nothing else, just as it happened to the Companion that the Prophet gave him a woman with that which he knows of knowledge. The woman came to meet the Prophet and asked his hand in marriage. The Prophet (sollaLloohu ‘alayhi wa sallam) looked at her and gazed to the ground; he did not say he is interested in her. Then one of the Companions asked the Prophet to marry her to him. The Companion had nothing and he was unable to fetch anything, even if it was just a ring made of iron. So he was asked about that which he knows of the Qur’aan. He said, “I know so and so’, so the Prophet said, ‘I give her (in marriage) to you with that which you know of the Qur’aan.’ So if it happens that one has no means, there is no harm if one marries a woman with that which one knows of knowledge with the condition that one will teach her the knowledge.

As for whether or not it is compulsory that money be paid before any intercourse can occur between couples, it is not compulsory; but it is obligatory upon the man to agree that he will pay the Sadaaq. Marriage should not be consummated with the intention that Sadaaq will not be paid. Anyone who marries a woman with the intention of depriving her of the Sadaaq is a criminal. That is why it is from the Sharee’ah that a woman must be given Sadaaq.

However, it is permissible for them to marry even when the man is yet to give her the Sadaaq; in as much as he plans to give her anytime he has it. There are even some women that the Sharee’ah allows to stipulate what they desire as Sadaaq; for example, a woman may be asked to stipulate the amount she wants, and perhaps she is unable to come to conclusion till the husband dies in a situation whereby they have lived together as couples for about ten years. (As for such persons), after her husband dies, something from his property will be given to her as Sadaaq before sharing the property. That is it.

SOURCE: Q&A session of the tape titled, “The virtues of ‘Aa’ishah (rodiyalloohu ‘anha)”