Back to search

Is it permissible for a man to favor one of his wives over another in terms of financial support or lodging, given that the second wife is content?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

A man must be just among his wives in terms of spending (nafaqah), clothing, housing, and division (qism). Some scholars have held that if a husband provides each wife with her sufficiency in spending, he may favor one of them and be more generous with her in spending or housing. This is what Imam Ahmad held in one narration. However, another narration from Imam Ahmad, chosen by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, states the obligation of justice among wives in spending and clothing, and that he is not permitted to favor one over the other. This is the view that Shaykh Abd al-Rahman al-Sa'di deemed more sound.

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

Read the full answer on Ftawy