Separate accommodation for the wife

Question

Question: My daughter was married in 1951. The young man she married is from a wealthy household and a respectable family. My daughter also has three children. During this time the young man formed a liaison with a courtesan, and other men also kept visiting this courtesan; in short, the young man’s illicit relations with this courtesan lasted four or five years, and during this time two children were also born to the courtesan.

Answer

When offer and acceptance (ijab and qabul) were made in the presence of witnesses, the nikah was contracted. Whatever desire is fulfilled by means of nikah is a thousand times better than fulfilling desire without nikah. However, when someone has two wives, equality between the two is obligatory.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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