Is it possible to marry a Muslim woman while still married to my US wife?
Assalam O Alaikum,
First off, let me say that I am a recent convert to Islam. I also met a Muslim woman whom I would like to marry. However, I am still legally married in the US. I left my estranged wife almost 2 years ago due to her abusive behavior to me. Now after many attempts to get her to sign divorce she is still refusing to do so. There is no possibility of reconciliation and I want nothing more to do with her. Is there a way to Nikah with out being divorced ?
Thank you.
searcher67.
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Salaam searcher67.
Congratulations on your conversion to Islam brother! I am not very knowledgable on the details on nikah and what is allowed so I suggest you contact a scholar.
To the best of my knowledge (strictly speaking) if you married your estranged wife with a ceremony and not a nikah then Islamically you are not married to her anyway, as only a nikah is a valid marriage in Islam. So strictly speaking I would say that it is likely that you can marry a Muslim woman by nikah. But please do check with a scholar if you can. InshaAllah another editor will clarify anything if I am unclear or incorrect. You cannot however have another civil ceremony as you are by US law married.
So although its allowed for you to marry Islamically, whether or not its a good idea remains another question. Some men have married and have found their now angry estranged wife re-appearing and causing problems as she was not informed etc. So ideally the best thing to do would be to try and get the marriage annulled. Can you do this via a third party and not your ex?
Sara
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
Salaam brother., welcome to the fold of islam, the religion of peace. . . . . . I will answer ur question based on islamic paspective. . . As a man, islam allows u to marry maximum of for women if at all u know u can maintain justice between them. Quran4:3 says ".... then marry women of your choice, two or three, or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then (marry) only one....." .. Islamically, Allah has given u d permission to marry d woman u want as a second wife without divorcing ur first wife. . . . . The marriage must be through nikka (islamic marriage process) for it to be valid... . . . . This is strictly the islamic point of view. However i am not sure as to d legality of ur marriage with ur first wife since d marriage is not done through Nikkah, u shld ask a shiek or a qualified islamic schooler. . . . Allah knows best...
I think if you are married on paper to two people in the US you can be arrested for polygamy, so you need to have those divorce papers signed before you get married again.
Wow!!! Is that d law in d USA., lol i never knew that... Then where is d freedom to religion since they claim they practice democracy???