Marrying my niece
In Muslim marriage, can I marry my niece? It is my wife who has a direct blood relationship. She is the daughter of my wife's sister. I am older than my niece, twice her age. Can this be possible to marry my niece in Muslim marriage ceremony?
juan0101
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Sorry is Haram to marry ur niece. Pls don't do it.
Leave the poor girl alone
You are twice her age? And you are her uncle?
My recommendation would be to marry someone within your own age bracket....and not your niece.
No, your niece is one of the muharramaat: women you cannot marry. So refrain from it or face whatever Allah punishes you with.
And marry someone who is of a similar age to you, but that is only a cultural advice I have given; perhaps age does not matter in your culture, as long as the person has reached puberty.
Salam
The brains of teenagers are still developing, so marriage to a girl who has just reached puberty would be....just...wrong. I mean, a 12 year old? Seriously?
OK, so your question is not relevant to the original question, but I think you might have misunderstood me, so I'll answer anyway!
What I said was:
'' perhaps age does not matter in your culture, as long as the person has reached puberty''
That is, in some cultures, such as the Western culture in developed countries, marrying at an young age like 12 is wrong - and I am of that view. But I am also aware that in many other cultures, this is not the case. For example, my grandmother married when she was 13, back in my country, but my mother married when she was around 30. So I was just accommodating for different cultural views, as I did not know the culture or the beliefs of the original questioner; I was definitely not saying that it is ok for teens to marry.
I apologise if my original answer was not very clear. I hope this clears up any doubt.
Great -- thanks for clarifying. Perhaps, you are referring to more of a generational thing? My grandmother was probably a teenager too when she married, but these days even in 3rd world countries "child brides" are discouraged. I'm glad you agree that teenaged brides are not ideal -- and hopefully the OP's niece isn't one either.
AsSalaamu 'alaikum brother,
There are two types of nieces:
1. The niece that you share blood with. It is forbidden in Islam to marry this type of niece.
2. The niece that your wife shares blood with, without you. It is forbidden in Islam to marry this niece while still married to her Aunt.
Your case seems to be the second type of nieces, which implies that you can only marry her if you are separated from her Aunt--but fear Allah to cause a separation between you and your current wife, just to go marry her niece, as Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is watchful of what you do.
As for the age differences, this doesn't matter at all if she is matured and knows what she wants. For example, a man could be 40 and marry a 20 year old matured woman, and there is nothing wrong with it as long as her acceptance was by her own free-will and choice. It will be wrong for anyone to question their decision.
And Allah knows best.
As-salamu alaykum brother,
Brother Issah is exactly right. The age difference is not the primary problem. And although the girl might call you Uncle, from an Islamic legal perspective she is not your niece. She is your wife's niece. If you were single then yes, you could marry her.
But you are not single, you are married, and in Islam it is forbidden to marry two sisters at the same time, or a woman and her paternal aunt at the same time, or a woman and her maternal aunt at the same time, as Allah says,
“Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters, your foster mothers who gave you suck, your foster milk suckling sisters, your wives’ mothers, your stepdaughters under your guardianship, born of your wives to whom you have gone in — but there is no sin on you if you have not gone in them (to marry their daughters), — the wives of your sons who (spring) from your own loins, and two sisters in wedlock at the same time, except for what has already passed; verily, Allaah is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”
[al-Nisa’ 4:23].
Also, Al-Bukhaari (5109) and Muslim (1408) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “One should not be married to a woman and her paternal aunt, or a woman and her maternal aunt, at the same time.”
So you cannot be married to your wife and her niece simultaneously.
Technically you could divorce your wife and marry her niece, but this is obviously a recipe for disaster, as it will cause endless grief and strife within the family,
Bottom line: stop coveting your niece. The Prophet (sws) said, "Beware the in-laws, for the in-laws are death." Men allow themselves to become comfortable and friendly with their in-laws, forgetting to observe Islamic adab, until they begin to desire the women they see, and get themselves into trouble.
Be mature. Focus on your relationship with your wife. Build and strengthen that relationship, and do not get distracted by every pretty young face that you see.
Wael
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
You would be a very sick and deranged individual to marry your wifes niece.