In a groundbreaking verdict, the Lahore High Court has ruled that marrying the sister of a former wife within just nine days of divorce is illegal. Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh issued an 11-page written judgment, shedding light on the legal and religious implications of such marriages.
The court emphasized that marrying the sister of the first wife before the completion of iddat (the waiting period after divorce) is equivalent to marrying two sisters simultaneously, which is prohibited under Islamic law. It reaffirmed that a person cannot maintain simultaneous marriages with two sisters.
According to the ruling, marriages conducted under such circumstances will be considered invalid. The judgment instructs both parties to immediately separate upon the annulment of the marriage. Failure to comply will result in the responsibility falling on a cleric to dissolve the marriage.
The case under scrutiny involved Musawwir Hussain, who allegedly married his former wife’s sister just nine days after their divorce. The court also dismissed the interim bail of the suspect who entered into the marriage without completing the iddat.
The decision sets a precedent regarding the legality of marriages conducted shortly after divorce, reiterating the importance of observing religious protocols and legal requirements in such matters.
