secret second marriage

Re: secret second marriage


agree and also because of the Islamic laws of inheritance. ALL children have the right to get inheritance according to Islamic laws. i've seen the secret children come out claiming the inheritance and courts deny them their rights because the marriage was NOT known.

Knight 30, I think you can name her as a beneficiary.

Re: secret second marriage


your properties will be disposed of according to the laws of the land. you need a will to change this distribution as per Islamic laws.

btw, Islamically, anyone can carry out the nikaah process. he doesn't have to be an officially appointed imaam. as far as laws of the land is concerned, yes the marriage has to be registered.

agree and also because of the Islamic laws of inheritance. ALL children have the right to get inheritance according to Islamic laws. i’ve seen the secret children come out claiming the inheritance and courts deny them their rights because the marriage was NOT known.
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Right. Also, by keeping the second marriage secret, one is violating the very first condition of Islam, that is to treat both wives equally.

In the case of secret marriage, first wife is not aware of the second wife, so husband has taken her right of having a trustworthy relationship away, and the right to refuse to have a sokan, which means that she can’t stop him but she can ask for khula. That is na-insaafi with her.

Second wife does not have any legal or social rights. She can’t claim to be his wife, or stand by his side in a public event as his spouse. That is na-insaafi with her.

your properties will be disposed of according to the laws of the land. you need a will to change this distribution as per Islamic laws.

btw, Islamically, anyone can carry out the nikaah process. he doesn’t have to be an officially appointed imaam. as far as laws of the land is concerned, yes the marriage has to be registered.
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He has named her the beneficiary on his properties. He does not need a will fit that purpose.

Re: secret second marriage


EXACTLY! well said, TLK! :) i couldn't agree more. :)

Re: secret second marriage


i was talking about the inheritance after [God forbid] his/her passing away. children/wife have their share in the inheritance. if one cares for Islamic distribution of his/her wealth after death.

Re: secret second marriage

whaaat!? I haven't heard of that happening in our community. We've had plenty of affairs, unfortunately, but no word of polygamy. It happens a lot back home in Pakistan amongst people we know, from what I heard from relatives.

whaaat!? I haven’t heard of that happening in our community. We’ve had plenty of affairs, unfortunately, but no word of polygamy. It happens a lot back home in Pakistan amongst people we know, from what I heard from relatives.
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Yes was kind of new to me.then I know this guy personally who has married a Mexican here abd had a wife back home. Both wives know about each other, in fact he went back last year eighth his Mexican wife and living there with both of them. He has kids with both.

Re: secret second marriage

If the second wife knowingly enters the marriage forgoing some of her rights then I think it's permissible (not being treated equally). Since there's a Hadith about not divorcing a woman if she agrees to forgo some of her rights and u r ok with that setting. E.g the wife says don't divorce me u can visit me a few times a month and I'm fine with that, or u don't have to give me money for whatever etc.

Re: secret second marriage

If you as a woman forfeit rights under the law, then that's your problem. When later you want to use your rights, well, then. Too bad.

Sasha has a good point.

But what about the rights of the first wife.

Re: secret second marriage

Is this really becoming that common? In our community, I've only heard of one instance like this (and the gentleman was not middle aged, quite the opposite) and the circumstances were rather twisted, so it was definitely not the norm.

Re: secret second marriage

If it's hidden from society, then the only people who'd end up knowing anyway would be the witnesses and imams who conduct the marriages. However imams here won't even conduct the nikah without the proper paper work.

Re: secret second marriage

hopefully it's not becoming common. as much as we blame the men, its also the womans fault for agreeing to become someones second wife when she knows that the first wife is being lied to. aurat hi aurat ki dushman hai :(

Re: secret second marriage

If your living in the US get legally married. Even though you have her as a beneficiary, you are going to cause her multiple problems.

  1. Tax purposes, If your filing as "married filing Jointly, currently its fraud as you know your not actually married.
  2. Transfers of property between spouses is not taxable, if you passaway, since your not married, all the property that will be giving to her will be subject to taxes after the gift tax.
  3. Godforbid, you in a coma, or whatever health condition, she wont have rights to your health choices (like being on lifesupport)

Re: secret second marriage

great points

Re: secret second marriage

haven't heard of it in our community/extended relatives yet but then again I don't go out much. Divorces and husbands living with girls parents are more common though.

Re: secret second marriage

Islamically, if you have two witnesses to your nikkah then it is valid.
Secret nikkah is defined as man and woman doing "Ejaab & Qabool" without anyone's presence or without anyone witnessing so that would not be a valid nikkah.
whether keeping a valid nikah secret from everyone, that is not at all encouraged by Islam.

Re: secret second marriage

Totally agree. so we all know that this is happening but why is this happening is the key question. what are the underlying facts behind keeping a second marriage secret?