11. If he must travel and leave his wives behind, then upon his return he must continue from where he left off. So if he travelled when one wife’s turn had ende
7 January 2026 • 1.43K views
12. If he intends to travel with one wife, even if both have agreed to take turns accompanying him, he should still clarify the duration of the journey to avoid injustice. One journey may take longer than another, which could lead to dispute. If there is mutual consent after knowing the duration, then there is no harm. However, the preferred method of the Prophet ﷺ is drawing lots: he would cast lots between them, and the one whose name was drawn would accompany him.
13. Even if the chosen wife spends a full week with him during travel, upon return she resumes her normal allotment, because that time was her share through the drawing of lots.
14. If he travels again, he must draw lots again. The turn does not automatically go to the other wife. The purpose of drawing lots is not to compensate the other wife later, but to repeat the process for each journey. Upon returning, he resumes the allotment from where he left off. If he departed during the turn of the accompanying wife, he resumes with her.
15. He must also maintain justice in clothing and food. As for essential spending and clothing, each wife is given according to her needs. Equality is not required here. For example, if one wife lacks sufficient clothing to cover her ʿawrah, or her footwear becomes unusable, he must provide what she needs, without being required to do the same for the other wife unless she also needs it.
16. Similarly, if one wife’s garment becomes torn and she is left with very few clothes, there is no harm in buying her additional clothing. He is not required to buy the same for the other wife unless she is also in need. The same applies to all essential expenditures. If one wife has four or five children while the other has one or two, he must spend more on the former accordingly. If one becomes ill and requires medication while the other is healthy, the healthy wife has no right to demand something in return. The same applies to household necessities, as long as the need is genuine.
17. As for non-essential items—surplus clothing, expenses, luxuries, and gifts—he must observe equality. Justice must be maintained regarding non-essential spending on wives, and likewise with children, as the Prophet ﷺ said: “Fear Allāh and treat your children equally.”
18. Regarding ʿĪd clothing, it is not obligatory for the husband to buy new clothes for his wives unless there is a need. However, it is customary and recommended—especially if she has not received clothes throughout the year—that he buys them for her. It only becomes obligatory if there is a genuine need.
19. Likewise, if he brings treats from the market for one wife, it is obligatory for him to treat the others equally in this regard.
20. With respect to hosting guests, it should coincide with whoever’s turn it is. He should not consistently host guests at one wife’s home under the excuse that she has more endurance or ability. This is not permissible.
21. Regarding accommodation, what is obligatory upon him is fulfilling their essential needs. If his first wife lived in a spacious home before he married a second wife, and the second wife is housed in a smaller one, she has no right to demand the same accommodation, as the first had that prior to the second marriage.