Question Summary:
Does the Husband need to seek the permission of his wife before taking a second wife?

Question Detail:

To do a second nikah does the husband have to seek permission from the first wife?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuhu
There are two aspects regarding the husband taking a second wife:
 
a) Shariah
b) Practicality
 
According to the Shariah, a man may have four wives at once on condition he maintains equality among all his wives as stipulated in Shariah. This is clearly mentioned in the Qur’aan. According to Shariah, a man may take a second wife without the permission of the first wife. However, from a practicality perspective, in order to maintain a harmonious relation, it is wise to talk the first wife into his intention of taking a second wife. Generally, if a man marries a second wife without discussing the issue with his first wife, his life become miserable and that causes a great amount of anxiety, stress and discomfort to his wife and dependants. One should therefore approach the matter of taking a second wife with diplomacy and wisdom by informing the first wife. This will lead to a more harmonious and successful marriage.
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
 
Ismail Desai,
Darul Iftaa
 
Checked and Approved,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.