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Fatwa CenterWants to marry a Christian woman to whom his wife is sexually attracted
Question
All praise to Allaah, blessings to the Prophet. Thank you for considering this difficult question. My wife and I are very good friends with one nice lady who is not a Muslim but still a person of the Book. I am trying to understand one thing that has arisen because my wife and I greatly like the idea of accepting her as a second wife, an idea we have not raised with her but which we more or less know she would be very interested in. The difficulty is that there is a strong physical attraction not just between myself and this woman (as there is between my wife and I), but that there is also such an attraction between them. If we do not accept her into our relationship we worry that she will never receive the full exposure to Islam that would be the greatest boon of her life, but on the other hand it seems that we will be putting ourselves into a potentially sinful alliance. They are both very moral, intelligent, and kind women, but without protection we worry what may become of our friend. So what is the best thing to do? Is it perhaps not better to sublimate their desires within a traditional context rather than leaving one out in the cold? Thank you, and all glories to your divine service.
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.
First of all, you should know the following:
1) Your relationship with a marriageable woman, either a Muslim or a woman from the People of the Book or else, in the manner you mentioned, is not permissible. By establishing such a relationship, you are opening a door of temptation to yourself and a cause of committing a sin. Therefore, you should cut the relationship with her and you should not talk to her except according to the necessity while lowering your gaze, avoiding being in seclusion with her, touching her and the like.
2) After you discovered that your wife has a deviant tendency to her female friend, you are obliged to advise her and frighten her with the punishment of Allaah if she pursues and follows her deviant desire. In order to prevent the sin, you should prevent your wife from staying alone with her. It is forbidden for her to sit with her or look at her if she fears to be tempted by her.
3) In principle, it is permissible for you to marry this woman of the People of the Book, but since it is feared that your wife and her will be committing a sin if you marry her, as they would be meeting and staying together longer, then, in our view, this makes marrying her forbidden. As regards calling her to Islam, this could be done without you marrying her, and there are many safe ways of calling her to Islam.
Allaah Knows best.
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