⚖️ Polygyny: rulings & justice · #75

Is the rota of nights the same as dividing maintenance (nafkah) between the wives?

The rota of nights and maintenance are two separate obligations; fulfilling one does not cancel the other. The rota keeps justice in time and togetherness, while maintenance covers each wife's and child's needs for food, clothing and housing. Establish justice in both: equal time, and maintenance according to each household's real needs. Do not use heavy spending in one household as an excuse to cut the rota in another, or the other way round. On matters of the heart, Allah says: “you will never be able to be just between your wives, however much you desire it” (Surah an-Nisa' 4:129); yet outward justice in time and maintenance remains obligatory. If calculating maintenance leads to a dispute, the Syariah Court is the right place to assess it. See fiqh of polygyny.

Sources

Surah an-Nisa' 4:129

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Related questions

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This answer is general reference, not a fatwa. For your situation, consult the religious affairs office, a Syarie lawyer or your state Syariah Court.

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