Hijab in a Joint Family System: Is it Permitted?

Understanding the Islamic Rules for Hijab and Family Living

Question: A man’s first wife is seriously ill and on her deathbed. They have a daughter who is now an adult. The man has also remarried, and his second wife has brought an adult son from her previous marriage. Both children are adults, so they must observe the hijab (veil) with each other. The two families live separately. If the first wife passes away and the husband wants to bring both families together, it will be difficult to maintain a hijab within the house. In such a situation, will the requirement of hijab be lifted? Is there any evidence from the time of the Prophet ﷺ or the Companions regarding this matter?

Answer: The adult son and daughter mentioned in the question must observe hijab with each other because they are non-mahram (not closely related) to each other and can marry each other if they wish. There is no evidence from the time of the Companions that two wives should be kept together in one place. According to Islamic teachings, both wives should be kept separately, meaning each should have her own household, living arrangements, and lifestyle, as was the practice of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. During his lifetime, he had nine wives, but each had her own separate living arrangements. The joint family system we have today is against Islam and has many drawbacks, one of which is the lack of proper hijab. Therefore, the man should make separate arrangements for his two wives, even if they live close by, to avoid any mixing.

 Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah

 ❪Jeddah Dawah Center, Hayy Al-Salamah – Saudi Arabia❫