THREAD: On what basis does Hasib Noor say "Hanbalis literally say it's disliked to have more than 1 wife and is khilaf al-awla"? Is it based on the text he pasted? Students of knowledge easily recognize that these texts are proof against what he has written. Translation: ...

“It is mustahabb [for a man] to choose a pious, fertile, non-relative virgin female of good lineage. [That] is without dispute. And it is also mustahabb for him not to exceed one if fulfilment of [his] sexual needs is achieved through her according to the dominant Hanbali view."

"This is asserted in al-Mudhhib and [list of other texts]. In [four other books the authors] said: It is preferable not to marry more than one."

"And [al-Mardawi in al-Sughra] said: Marrying one is closer to equity. [The author of] Tajrid al-`Inayah said: This is the most widely held view. Ibn Khatib al-Salamiyyah said: The major ulama [of the madhhab] preferred that a man not marry more than one."

"Ibn al-Jawzi said: Except in the case that one does not give him fulfilment of sexual needs." [end quote]

If there are some other texts of the madhhab, let Hasib produce them.

So, where do Hanbalis “literally say it’s disliked" to marry a second (or third or fourth) wife, as Hasib has claimed? Is he perhaps thinking that doing other than the mustahabb is automatically "disliked"?

So on what basis does Hasib say marrying a second is “disliked”? Is it also Hasib’s view, then, that marrying a non-virgin is also “disliked,” as mentioned in the first statement he quotes? How about an infertile or less fertile woman? Isn't that the implication of his rendering?

Hasib should know that, in principle, khilaf al-awla - which he translates as “against what is more prior” - doesn’t mean makruh.

Crucially, the quote from Insaf clearly makes a conditional: "*IF* fulfilment of his sexual needs is achieved through her."

Meaning, "IF fulfilment of [his] sexual needs is achieved through her, THEN it is mustahabb not to marry more."

Furthermore, all scholars agree that if he is not sexually satisfied with one, then he can and should marry more, so long as he can provide for all wives equitably.

Now, let’s look at the paragraph immediately after what Hasib pasted from al-Insaf:

"And another position [held by some scholars in the madhhab] is: The mustahab is two wives, just as [is the case in the dominant position] if one does not give him fulfilment of sexual needs."

"And [this view] is the apparent meaning of the statement of Imam Ahmad, rahimahullah, for he has said: “[The situation is such that even a man without means can] take a loan & marry. And if he would marry two there is hope he would let go [of taking any haram look beyond them].”

"And [this] is the apparent of ibn Aqil's words in his Mufradat. Ibn Razin said: It is mustahabb to marry more than one. [...]"

Hasib ( @hasibmn), you mentioned Hanbalis explicitly say multiple marriage is disliked. However, you mischaracterized the dominant view and there is a

...difference of opinion among Hanbalis.

Why didn’t you include the relevant paragraph which mentions the other view and also explicitly mentions that it is mustahab in the dominant view to marry more than one if fulfillment of sexual needs is not achieved?

So the screenshot Hasib posted is of someone requesting him to speak about multiple marriage in an upcoming marriage course and Hasib shutting it down.

Does Hasib know that the questioner doesn't physically need more than one wife, or that he is mistreating the first??

With his response, Hasib is blocking the door to something that is at the very least permissible, but might even be recommended or even wajib for many men with the same question. And worse, he is posting this misinformation publicly further confusing Muslims into thinking that...

...the scholars believe polygyny is by default disliked, which is simply false.

He is shaming brothers for legitimate questions about what is halal.

Btw, Hasib, what kind of being “disliked” do you mean?

كراهة تنزيهية
or
كراهة مخففة
or
كراهة مغلظة
or something else?

What Hasib also leaves out is that this discussion of what is mustahabb and awla regarding marriage ALSO applies in the case of *one* wife.

In the case of those with no desire, is marriage recommended, preferable, neither, etc.? Scholars have debated this across and within schools. The fiqh discussion regarding multiple wives is an extension of those same considerations.

Much more can be said, but we have to reflect on those who misrepresent deen through selective cut and paste jobs gone wrong.

Public accountability for public mistakes is good.

Students of knowledge have to make sure we do not fall into doing the dirty work of liberals, feminists, and reformists by contradicting well-known Islamic principles and practices, like polygyny, via sloppy, inaccurate, selective readings of our tradition.

May Allah protect us.