Islam Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for Muslims, experts in Islam, and those interested in learning more about Islam. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
Is it mandatory for a husband get the consent of his current wife(s) if he wishes to marry another woman? And why?
If so, should he get the consent of all his wives in case he has more than one?
And if it's mandatory and he doesn't get the consent, knowingly or unknowingly, or the wife/wives refuse to give the consent, but still marries another woman, would the marriage be valid?
There is no need to take the wife's consent for new marriage As it is the right for a man to have 4 wives due to Qur'an.
This Fatwa has another aspect, which the second or several marriage is under the country laws. For example, In Iran if you marry another woman without your wife's consent, your first wife can go to the court and take her divorce from her husband (without his allowance and either his consent) and also takes the half of the wealth of her husband.
It is allowed to have more than 1 wife but your wife has to agreed, if she allowed it then you can. But if she doesn't you can't.
“Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about a man who married a woman, and she stipulated that he should not take another wife or make her move from her home, and that she could live with her mother, and he went ahead (with the marriage) on that basis. Is he obliged to adhere to that, and if he goes against these conditions, does the wife have the right to annul the marriage or not? "
-source: Islamaqa.info
If a man wants a good marriage, then it is only logical to consult his wife/wives on such matters. If a man does not want a good marriage, then let the man drown in his own arrogance.
With the above being said, in Islam, a husband does not need permission of his wife/wives for marriage, this is a man's right as dictated in the Quran. This right comes with hefty responsibilities though, hence treat them all equally. That means if you buy one a car, then you buy all of them a car. This is not negotiable. This also includes love, there aren't many men out there who would be able to maintain that perfect balance.
Today I have seen many cases where a man has one wife in Europe, one in America, and one in Asia. The man stays with one in America, and completely neglects the rest. This is wrong as it breaks the condition which allows men to have more than one wife to begin with.
The source: Surah Nisa, chapter 4 verse 3
