Assalamualikum!
I have a two wives. I have 4 children from my first wife. My 2nd wife has her 4 childrens from her first husband. My 2nd wife is a working women. She do the job for her 4 children. Before marriage we were agreed that I can give her Rs. 20,000 from my Salary. My major portion of salary is expensed in the house of 1st wife. And my 2nd wife run the home by combining her salary with my give amount of Rs. 20,000. If i do the equality then i will not be able to meet the expenses of my first home. And that will lead to clash or even separation. My question is whether i am bound for equality in terms of money between the two wives or that initial agreement with my 2nd wife before the 2nd marriage saves me from in-equality?
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Equality between wives is in food, shelter and clothing. [1] You are responsible to maintain only the second wife, not her children. If the Rs20 000 is sufficient for her personal shelter, food and clothing, then you are fulfilling her basic rights. If the amount is in excess and she uses the excess for her children’s needs with your consent, that will be a gesture of goodwill from your side for which you will be rewarded.
If the needs of your first wife is been taken care of like the needs of the second wife, then you are fulfilling your obligation of equality between the wives.
The expenses of your four children is different and not included in the maintenance structure and level of your first wife.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Aboobakr Siddeeq bin Mufti Amjad Mohammad
Student Darul Iftaa
Azaadville, JHB, South Africa
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
[1] البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق – (3 / 234)
وفي الْبَدَائِعِ يَجِبُ عليه التَّسْوِيَةُ بين الْحُرَّتَيْنِ أو الْأَمَتَيْنِ في الْمَأْكُولِ وَالْمَشْرُوبِ وَالْمَلْبُوسِ والسكني وَالْبَيْتُوتَةِ
بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع – (6 / 166)
فإن كان له أكثر من امرأة ، فعليه العدل بينهن في حقوقهن من القسم والنفقة والكسوة ، وهو التسوية بينهن في ذلك حتى لو كانت تحته امرأتان حرتان أو أمتان يجب عليه أن يعدل بينهما في المأكول والمشروب والملبوس والسكنى والبيتوتة.
رد المحتار – (10 / 341)
( قَوْلُهُ وَفِي الْمَلْبُوسِ وَالْمَأْكُولِ ) أَيْ وَالسُّكْنَى ، وَلَوْ عَبَّرَ بِالنَّفَقَةِ لَشَمِلَ الْكُلَّ
الجوهرة النيرة – (4 / 78)
قَوْلُهُ وَإِذَا كَانَ لِلرَّجُلِ امْرَأَتَانِ حُرَّتَانِ فَعَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَعْدِلَ بَيْنَهُمَا فِي الْقَسْمِ بِكْرَيْنِ كَانَتَا أَوْ ثِيبَتَيْنِ أَوْ إحْدَاهُمَا بِكْرًا وَالْأُخْرَى ثَيِّبًا ) أَوْ كَانَتْ إحْدَاهُمَا حَدِيثَةً وَالْأُخْرَى قَدِيمَةً وَسَوَاءٌ كُنَّ مُسْلِمَاتٍ أَوْ كِتَابِيَّاتٍ أَوْ إحْدَاهُمَا مُسْلِمَةً وَالْأُخْرَى كِتَابِيَّةً فَإِنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَعْدِلَ بَيْنَهُمَا فِي الْمَأْكُولِ وَالْمَشْرُوبِ وَالْمَلْبُوسِ
اللباب في شرح الكتاب – (1 / 261)
(وإذا كان لرجل امرأتان حرتان) أو أمتان (فعليه أن يعدل بينهما في القسم) في البيتوتة والملبوس والمأكول والصحبة
الفتاوى الهندية – (11 / 379)
وَالنَّفَقَةُ الْوَاجِبَةُ الْمَأْكُولُ وَالْمَلْبُوسُ وَالسُّكْنَى