Darulifta Ahlesunnat (Dawateislami)
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: Zaid married Hindah. While still married to her, Zaid also married Hindah’s niece (sister’s daughter), Khalidah, and even established marital relations with her. They are still living together as husband and wife, and he has not yet left her. What is the ruling of Sharī’aĥ about such a person?
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Until the wife is married to a man or she is in that person’s ‘iddah, it is impermissible and haram for the husband to marry his wife’s niece (sister’s daughter). This prohibition is proven from the Holy Qur’an, blessed ahadith, and the principles of Sharī’aĥ. Therefore, because Zaid married his wife’s niece, Khalidah, while still being married to his wife, he committed haram and a major sin. Along with sincere repentance in the court of Allah Almighty, it is necessary for both to do ‘Mutarakah’. Because this Nikah was fasid to begin with, both have the right of ‘Mutarakah’.
The method of ‘Mutarakah’ is that Zaid says to Khalidah, “I have left you”, or Khalidah says to Zaid, “I separate myself from you,” then they should separate from each other. Zaid must also pay Khalidah the Mehr Misl or the agreed-upon Mehr, whichever is less. (Mehr Misl is the Mehr amount which is generally decided for females like her on the bride’s father’s side, such as her sister, paternal aunt, paternal uncle’s daughter, etc.) Furthermore, Khalidah must also spend the ‘iddah period after ‘Mutarakah’. After the ‘iddah period, she can get married to whoever she desires. But until her ‘iddah is complete, it is also impermissible for Zaid to have intercourse with his wife, Hindah.
If they do not separate, the relatives and all other Muslims must stop eating and drinking with them, socializing with them, participating in their joys and sorrows, and including them in their own celebrations and griefs, and they should cut off ties with them until they repent from this vile deed and separate from each other.
To be married to an aunt and her niece simultaneously is prohibited in the Qur’an, ahadith, and principles of sharī’aĥ. Thus, discussing the verse which mentions the different haram relations, Allamah Kasani Hanafi رحمۃ الله تعالى عليه writes:
أما الآية فيحتمل أن يكون معنى قوله تعالى: ﴿وَاُحِلَّ لَکُمۡ مَّا وَرَآءَ ذٰلِکُمْ﴾ (النساء: 24) أي:ما وراء ما حرمه اللہ تعالى،والجمع بين المرأة وعمتها وبنتها وبين خالتها مما قد حرمه اللہ تعالى على لسان رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه وسلم الذي هو وحي غير متلو على أن حرمة الجمع بين الأختين معلولة بقطع الرحم، والجمع ههنا يفضي إلى قطع الرحم،فكانت حرمة ثابتة بدلالة النص فلم يكن ما وراء ما حرم في آية التحريم
(Badai’ Al-Sanai’, Book of Nikah, Chapter of some haram relations, Vol. 3, p. 437, Publ. Quetta)
It is stated in Sahih Al-Bukhari and other books of hadith that Jabir رضي الله تعالى عنه states:
نهى رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه وسلم أن تنکح المرأة على عمتهاأو على خالتها
Translation: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade that a woman be married to a man along with her paternal or maternal aunt.
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book of Nikah, Chapter: Prohibition for a woman to be married along with her aunt , Vol. 2, p. 272, Publ. Lahore)
A’la Hazrat, The Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan الله تعالى عليه رحمة(d. 1340 AH/1921 CE) writes:
اپنی زوجہ کی بھانجی،تو جب تک زوجہ اس کے نکاح میں ہے،ا س کی بھانجی سے نکاح حرام ہے ۔
Translation: The wife’s niece: Until his wife remains in his nikah, it is haram to marry her niece. (Fatawa Razawiyah, Vol. 11, p. 271, Publ. Raza Foundation, Lahore)
Sadr Al-Shari’ah, Mufti Muhammad Amjad ‘Ali A’zami رحمۃ الله تعالى عليه (d. 1367 AH/1947 CE) writes:
وہ دو عورتیں کہ اُن میں جس ایک کو مرد فرض کریں، دوسری اس کے ليے حرام ہو (مثلاً دو بہنیں کہ ایک کو مرد فرض کرو تو بھائی، بہن کا رشتہ ہوا یا پھوپی، بھتیجی کہ پھوپی کو مرد فرض کرو تو چچا، بھتیجی کا رشتہ ہوا اور بھتیجی کو مرد فرض کرو تو پھوپی ،بھتیجے کا رشتہ ہو ا یا خالہ،بھانجی کہ خالہ کو مرد فرض کرو تو ماموں، بھانجی کا رشتہ ہوا اور بھانجی کو مرد فرض کرو تو بھانجے ،خالہ کارشتہ ہوا)ایسی دو عورتوں کو نکاح میں جمع نہیں کر سکتا، بلکہ اگر طلاق دے دی ہو،اگرچہ تین طلاقیں، تو جب تک عدّت نہ گزرلے، دوسری سے نکاح نہیں کرسکتا ۔
Translation: Two women, if one of whom were hypothetically considered a man, then the other woman would be haram upon him (such as two sisters; if one were considered a male, their relation would be of brother and sister. Paternal aunt and niece; if one were considered a male, their relation would be of a paternal uncle and niece, or if the niece is considered a male, their relation would be a paternal aunt and nephew. Similarly, maternal aunt and niece; if the aunt is considered a male, their relation would be of a maternal uncle with a niece, and if the niece is considered a male, their relation would be of a maternal aunt with a nephew), such women cannot be gathered in one nikah simultaneously. If she is given divorce, and that too all three divorces, the other woman cannot be married until the ‘iddah is complete. (Bahar-e-Sharī’at, Vol. 2, Pt. 7, p. 27, Publ. Maktaba-Tul-Madinah, Karachi)
Because of being married to multiple mahrams simultaneously, the nikah is fasid, Mutarakah is necessary, and the decided Mehr or Mehr Misl (whichever is less) must be paid. Mentioning this, it is stated in Al-Fatawa Al-‘Alamgiri:
ان تزوجھما فی عقدتین فنکاح الاخیرۃ فاسد و یجب علیہ ان یفارقھا ولو علم القاضی بذلک یفرق بینھما فان فارقھا قبل الدخول لایثبت شیء من الاحکام وان فارقھا بعدالدخول فلھا المھر ویجب الاقل من المسمی ومن مھر المثل وعلیھا العدۃ ویثبت النسب ویعتزل عن امرأتہ حتی تنقضی عدۃ اختھا کذافی محیط السرخسی
(Al-Fatawa Al-Hindiyah, Vol. 1, p. 277, Publ. Quetta)
Clarifying Mehr Misl, Sadr Al-Sharī’aĥ الرحمةعليه states:
عورت کے خاندان کی اُس جیسی عورت کا جو مہر ہو ،وہ اُس کے لیے مہر مثل ہے،مثلاً :اس کی بہن ، پھوپھی ، چچا کی بیٹی وغیرہا کا مہر ۔
Translation: The Mehr which was decided for the females from the bride’s family, who are like the bride, is her Mehr Misl. For example, the Mehr of her sister, her paternal aunt, paternal uncle’s daughter, etc. (Bahar-e-Sharī’at, Vol. 2, Pt. 7, p. 71, Publ. Maktaba-Tul-Madinah, Karachi)
A’la Hazrat, The Imam of Ahl-us-Sunnah رحمۃ الله تعالى عليه writes:
اگر دونوں سے ایک ساتھ نکاح کیا دونوں حرام، اور اگر آگے پیچھے کیا توپہلی کا نکاح بے خلل، دوسری کا حرام، پھر جب دوسری سے قربت کی پہلی سے قربت بھی حرام ہوگئی،جب تک اسے جدا کرکے عدت نہ گزر جائے اولادیں بہر حال ولد الحرام ہیں،جیسے وہ نطفہ جو حالتِ حیض میں ٹھہرا،مگر ولد الزنا نہیں،زیدکا ترکہ ان سب اولاد کو ملے گا۔ہاں!دونوں سے معاً نکاح کیا دونوں زوجہ ورنہ پچھلی ترکہ نہ پائے گی،یہ سب اس صورت میں ہے کہ دونوں سے نکاح کیاہو اور اگر زوجہ نکاح میں ہے اور سالی سے زنا کیا تو زوجہ سے قربت بھی حرام نہ ہوگی،نہ اس کی اولاد ولد الحرام ہوگی،سالی سے جو بچے ہوں گے،ولد الزنا ہوں گے اور زید کا ترکہ نہ پائیں گے۔
Translation: If he conducted the nikah with both (sisters) at once, both are haram. If he conducted one after the other, the first nikah is valid, and the second one is haram. If he establishes relations with the second, it becomes haram to establish relations with the first until he leaves her (the second one) and she completes her ‘'iddah. The children are Walad Al-Haram, just like for the pregnancy which is conceived during menstruation, but it isn’t Walad Al-Zina. All the children will receive Zaid’s inheritance. However, if he conducted the nikah with both at once, both are his wives; otherwise (if the nikah was conducted one after the other), the second one will not receive his inheritance. All of this is when he conducted nikah with both. But, if his wife is still in his nikah and he committed zina (fornication) with his sister-in-law (wife’s sister), it will not be haram to have relations with his wife, nor will their children be considered Walad Al-Haram. The child that the sister-in-law would conceive would be Walad Al-Zina, and they would not receive inheritance. (Fatawa Razawiyah, Vol. 11, p. 271-272, Publ. Raza Foundation, Lahore)
Along with the man, the woman also has the right of ’Mutarakah’. Thus, A’la Hazrat رحمۃ الله تعالى عليه writes:
یہاں نہ قاضی کی حاجت ،نہ متارکہ شوہر کی ضرورت کہ نکاح راساً فاسد واقع ہوا،عورت تنہا اس کے فسخ کا اختیار رکھتی ہے، شوہر سے کہہ دے میں نے اس حرام کو چھوڑا، پھر اگر مجامعت نہ ہوئی ،تو ابھی، ورنہ بعدِ عدت جس سے چاہے نکاح کرلے۔
Translation: Neither is a Qadi (judge) required here, nor is a husband required for Mutarakah because the Nikah was initially fasid. The woman has the right to revoke the nikah by herself. She will say to her husband, “I have left this haram”. If they didn’t have intercourse, she can marry whoever she wants immediately; otherwise, she can do so after ‘iddah. (Fatawa Razawiyah, Vol. 11, p. 444, 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: FSD-9264
Date: 11th Sha’ban Al-Mu’azzam 1446 AH/ 10th February 2025