Hadith on Polygamy: Warning against injustice to multiple wives

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever has two wives and he inclines to one of them over the other, he will come on the Day of Resurrection with one of his sides collapsed.

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān 4207

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Arna’ut

Imam al-Shafi’i said, “I prefer for a man to limit himself to one wife, even though it is permissible to have more, due to the saying of the Almighty: But if you are afraid you will fail to maintain justice, then content yourselves with one,” (4:3).

Source: al-Bayān fi Madhhab al-Imām al-Shāfiʻī 11/189

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلى الله عَلَيه وسَلم قَالَ مَنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ امْرَأَتَانِ فَمَالَ مَعَ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الأُخْرَى جَاءَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَأَحَدُ شِقَّيْهِ سَاقِطٌ

4207 صحيح ابن حبان باب القسم ذكر وصف عقوبة من لم يعدل بين امرأتيه في الدنيا

10/7 المحدث شعيب الأرناؤوط خلاصة حكم المحدث إسناده صحيح في تخريج صحيح ابن حبان

قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ وأحب له أن يقتصر على واحدة وإن أبيح له أكثر لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً

11/189 البيان في مذهب الإمام الشافعي باب نفقة الزوجات مسألة الاقتصار على زوجة

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Abu Amina Elias
Abu Amina Elias (Justin Parrott) is an academic librarian, researcher, and translator specializing in the Quran, Hadith, and their commentaries. He is a former instructor of Islamic Creed for Mishkah University.
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