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Fatwa CenterHer husband's parents want him to marry to have children
Question
I am married childless woman from past 8-years. My in-laws are forcing my husband to get married. But he is denying. He wants to wait. Can the parents force to get married for the 2nd time. Just to have a child. They don't have any problem with me. But my husband is not ready. Is he doing any sin by not listening to them?
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.
In principle it is an obligation to obey one's parents in what is permissible as obeying them is being kind and dutiful to them. Indeed Allaah ordered us to be kind and dutiful to our parents as He Says (which means): {And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents…}[Quran 17:23]. Moreover, the Prophet 
was asked about the best acts of righteousness and he replied: "To perform the prayer on time." Then he was asked: "What is next?" He answered: "To be kind and dutiful to one's parents." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
It is known that Allaah permitted a husband to marry more than one wife; two, three or four if he is able to be just between them. Allaah Says (which means): {…then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one….}[Quran 4:3].
Therefore, in our view if one parent or both of them order their son to marry a second wife while he is able to be just between them and fulfil his obligations towards them, then he has to obey his parents especially if they order him to marry in order to have children as this is something that is urged in Islamic legislation. Indeed the Prophet said: "Marry women who are loving and very prolific, for I shall outnumber the nations by you on the Day of Resurrection." [Abu Daawood]
Undeniably, there is great benefit for a man who marries a second wife, if he knows that he will be just between them, as this is increasing the progeny [and automatically the number of the Islamic nation], and filling the earth with the obedience of Allaah and His worship, especially for a husband whose first wife does not bear children. So if the parents order their son to this effect [to marry a second wife because of not having children with the first one], then it becomes an obligation on their son to fulfil their request.
The first wife has to be pleased and surrender herself to the Commandment of Allaah as it is He Who legislated polygamy for many a wisdom that many wise and knowledgeable people know. For the wisdom of legislating the marriage with more than one wife, please refer to Fatwa: 86818, and Fatwa: 81469 for the ruling on polygamy.
In addition to this, his parents did not order him to divorce his first wife so there is no harm on her in him marrying a second wife as there could be many benefits, blessings and a mercy in it. His children from the second wife would be kind and dutiful to the first wife as if she was their mother. However, if this husband knows that he is unable to fulfil his obligation of being just between them and providing [equally] for them and the like, then in this case he is not obliged to obey his parents because obeying them leads to violating other people's rights.
Allaah Knows best.
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