I have been married for 36 years. my wife is very sick and i cannot have sex with her, so i want to marry again. since i have to treat both wives equally, 1]do i have to give my second wife the same amount of meher i gave my first wife? 2] do i have to give my first wife whatever clothes/jewellery i give my second wife at the time of marriage? 3] i have to spend lakhs of rupees on my first wife’s illness. do i have to give the same amount to my second wife also? i cannot really afford to do so. 4]my first wife has said that she is willing to give up her time with me for my second wife but i should let her stay on in the house in which she is now living and bear her expenses. she is 57 years old and does not have any one else to help her, or have a place to go to. she needs to stay in mumbai because of her treatment. i have a much smaller house outside mumbai in which i will have to live with my second wife. is this islamic? 5] do i have to give my second wife the same amount of money that i have given my first wife over 36 years? please reply urgently, as i plan to remarry within a very short time.
Answer:
(Fatwa: 1050/882=B/1429)
1.No, you have to fix the amount of Mahr similar to that of the second wife’s sister or aunty etc.
2.No, but you may give clothes and jewellery according to your capacity.
3.No, it is not so.
4.If there is none to look after and help her so you should keep her in a place where she could not face any problem. The present first wife will be rightful to take back her turn and in this case the husband must visit both of them with equality and justice.
No. The present first wife has the right whenever she wishes she may fix her term. And it is wajib for the husband to treat equally in passing nights.
Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) knows Best
Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband