Darulifta Ahlesunnat (Dawateislami)
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: A person’s wife passed away. Can he immediately get married to his late wife’s (biological) sister, or does he have to wait for a certain period? Such as in the case that one divorces his wife, he has to wait until the ‘iddah period; then he is permitted to marry her sister.
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
According to sharī’aĥ, it becomes permissible for one to marry his sister-in-law immediately after the passing of his wife. It is not necessary to wait for any specific duration. Even if he marries his sister-in-law the day after his wife’s passing, this is permissible and valid according to sharī’aĥ. However, doing so is considered inappropriate according to social customs and norms and becomes a cause for criticism. Therefore, a person should avoid things that go against the norm as much as possible, unless there is an urgent need.
The detail of this ruling is that it is impermissible and Haram for a person to be married to two sisters at the same time, as is explicitly mentioned in the Noble Qur’an. If the wife is still in his nikah, it is clear that it is Haram for him to marry her sister. But if he divorced her and her ‘iddah is ongoing, it is still impermissible and Haram for him to marry her sister. This is because some rulings of nikah remain in effect until the end of the ‘iddah, such as nafqah, etc., and it is as if the nikah is not completely dissolved. Therefore, getting married to her sister at this time also falls under the Qur’anic prohibition. However, if the wife passes away, the nikah is completely dissolved immediately, and there are no remaining effects of the nikah. In this case, the permissibility for him to marry his sister-in-law is immediately established after his wife’s passing.
Being married to two sisters at once is Haram. Allah Almighty states:
﴿وَ اَنْ تَجْمَعُوْا بَیْنَ الْاُخْتَیْنِ﴾
Translation (Kanz-Ul-‘Irfan): (Forbidden for you to marry) and two sisters together.
(Part 4, Surah al-Nisa’, Verse 23)
‘Allamah Zayla’i رحمة الله تعالى عليه states in Tabyeen al-Haqa’iq:
لا یحل لہ ان یتزوج باختھا
(Tabyeen al-Haqa’iq, Vol. 3, p. 32, Publ. Cairo)
The Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah, The Master, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan عليه رحمة الرحمن states:
بموجودی زوجہ سالی سے نکاح حرام ہے۔
Translation: It is Haram to marry the sister-in-law in the presence of the wife. (Fatawa Razawiyah, Vol. 11, p. 317, Publ. Raza Foundation, Lahore)
If one divorces his wife, it is impermissible for him to marry her sister until she is in her ‘iddah. Allamah Burhan-Uddin Abul-Hasan ‘Ali Bin Abu Bakr al-Marghinani عليه الرحمة states in al-Hidayah:
وإذا طلق امرأته طلاقا بائنا أو رجعيا لم يجز له أن يتزوج بأختها حتى تنقضي عدتها ۔۔۔۔ و لنا ان نکاح الاولیٰ قائم لبقاء بعض احکامہ کالنفقۃ و المنع
(Al-Hidayah, Vol. 1, p. 218, Publ. Dar ‘Ihya al-Turas al-‘Arabi, Beirut)
The Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah عليه الرحمة was asked:
عالم حیاتِ زوجہ میں حقیقی سالی یا رشتہ کی سالی سے نکاح جائز ہے یا نہیں؟
Translation: Is it permissible for one to marry his biological sister-in-law or sister-in-law (in relation) while his wife is alive? Or is it impermissible?
He عليه الرحمة answered:
تاحیاتِ زوجہ جب تک اُسے طلاق ہوکر عدت نہ گزرجائے اُس کی بہن سے جو اس کے باپ کے نطفے یا ماں کے پیٹ سے یا دودھ شریک ہے، نکاح حرام ہے۔ قال اللہ تعالیٰ "وَ اَنْ تَجْمَعُوْا بَیْنَ الْاُخْتَیْنِ"
Translation: Whilst his wife is alive, it is Haram for one to marry his wife’s sister, who was conceived by her father’s sperm, was in the womb of her mother, or they are milk related, until she (his wife) is divorced and has completed her ‘iddah. Allah Almighty states: (Forbidden for you to marry) “two sisters together.”(Fatawa Razawiyah, Vol. 11, p. 314-315, Publ. Raza Foundation, Lahore)
It is permissible for one to marry his sister-in-law after the passing of his wife without needing to wait for the ‘iddah or any other duration. It is stated in Majma’ al-Anhur Sharh Multaqa al-Abhur:
لو ماتت المراۃ فتزوج باختھا بعد یوم جاز
(Majma’ al-Anhur Sharh Multaqa al-Abhur, Vol. 1, p. 324, Publ. Dar ‘Ihya al-Turas al-‘Arabi, Beirut)
Allamah Ibn ‘Abideen al-Shami رحمة الله تعالى عليه states:
ماتت امراتہ لہ التزوج باختھا بعد یوم من موتھا کما فی ا لخلاصۃ عن الاصل و کذا فی المبسوط لصدر الاسلام و المحیط للسرخسی و البحر و التتارخانیۃ و غیرھا من الکتب المعتمدۃ و اما ما عزی الی النتف من وجوب العدۃ فلا یعتمد علیہ
(Radd al-Muhtar, Vol. 3, p. 38, Publ. Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)
One should avoid any such action that is against social customs and norms. It is stated in a hadith:
ایاك ومایسوء الاذن
Translation: Avoid those things which don’t sound pleasant to the ears.
(Musnad Ahmad Bin Hanbal, Vol. 7, p. 7, Hadith No. 17,156, Publ. Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyah, Beirut)
It is stated in Fatawa Razawiyah:
عادتِ قوم کی مخالفت موجب طعن و انگشت نمائی وانتشار ظنون وفتح باب غیبت ہوتی ہے۔۔۔۔ائمہ دین فرماتے ہیں : الخروج عن العادۃ شھرۃ ومکروہ
Translation: Going against the customs of people will bring about criticism, pointing fingers, assumptions, and opening the gate to backbiting… The scholars state: Going against norms brings about notoriety and is Makruh. (Fatawa Razawiyah, Vol. 7, p. 416, Publ. Raza Foundation, Lahore)
وَ اللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِہٖ وَ سَلَّم
(Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knows best.)
Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
Ref No: Pin-7555
Date: 21st Rajab al-Murajjab 1446 AH/ 22nd January 2025
