Finding a Better Partner

23-7-2026 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamualaikum,
My question is that, if due to my husband having a second wife, and wanting to divorce his first wife. I make a settlement with him that he do not have to share nights with me or provide financially according to verse 4:128. Also, after that I'm still required to obey him, and so he can intimate with me whenever he wants. However, he does not permit me to work, and so I cannot provide for myself and he would not too, or he will divorce me. What should I do in this case?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

As long as your husband is unwilling for you to remain with him unless you waive your right to financial support from him and agree to that, and he does not permit you to earn a living through permissible work, then you have no option before you except one of two things: either you agree to remain with him and seek some other way to meet your needs – such as a relative who supports you, for example – or you agree to divorce, placing your trust in Allah Almighty that He will enrich you from His bounty.

Allah the Exalted Says (what means): {But if they separate [by divorce], Allah will enrich each [of them] from His abundance} [Quran 4:130]

Al-Qurtubi said in his tafsīr: "That is, if they do not reconcile but instead separate, let each of them think well of Allah, for Allah may provide the man with a woman who brings comfort to his eyes, and provide the woman with one who provides generously for her." (End of quote)

Allah knows best.