Can a Man Take His Current Wife’s Sister as a Second Wife?

Answered by Sidi Faraz A. Khan

Question: Salam alaikum, Can a muslim man, who  wants to marry the 2nd or 3rd time …marry the sister of his 1st wife?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and faith.

It is prohibited for a man to marry his wife’s sister while he is still married to his wife, or during her waiting period (`idda) if they separate.

In Sura Nisa’ (4:22-24), Allah Most High lists all the categories of women that one cannot marry, which includes “That you have two sisters simultaneously.”

Once the waiting period of the first wife is over, he may marry her sister. He may also marry her sister if the first wife dies.

Please consult a scholar for specific cases.

And Allah alone gives success.

wassalam

Faraz A. Khan