Back to search
The question

Is it permissible to refrain from marriage for fear that one's wife may become a co-wife in the future, bearing in mind a strong disinclination towards motherhood?

Share this answer

Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

Marriage falls under the five legal rulings [obligatory, recommended, permissible, discouraged, forbidden], and it may be obligatory for one who fears falling into fornication. It is a means of achieving many worldly and otherworldly benefits, including: fulfilling desires, increasing progeny, striving for the Hereafter, fulfilling Allah's will for the continuation of the human species, obeying the command of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and ensuring righteous descendants. Performing it, when one has desire, is better than voluntary acts of worship because of its benefits, such as protecting one's chastity, having offspring, and increasing the Muslim nation. These benefits should not be forfeited due to intense jealousy or fear of the husband marrying again in the future. A woman has the right to stipulate to her husband that he will not marry another, and Allah may remove jealousy. An unwillingness to experience motherhood does not justify abandoning this Sunnah and forfeiting the aforementioned benefits.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy