Embraced Islam but has ten wives

28-9-2005 | IslamWeb

Question:

My question goes thus a man was a Kaffir before acceptance of Islam. Before accepting Islam, he was married to 10 wives with children. All the wives and children accepted Islam with him. As we know from the Quran a man is entitled to 4 wives only, other than 4 is Haraam. What should he do? Should he continue with the 10 wives, or he should choose out of it 4. Less I forget, they all love to do Islam to the core with him including the children. I await your urgent response for the sake of Almighty Allaah.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

If the man and all his wives accept Islam then he can live only with four of his wives whom he chooses. The other wives will be separated from him, but the children are legitimated, so they will be traced back to their father. This ruling is mentioned in our Fataawa: 85000 and 85672.

Allaah Knows best.