114. When having already been married to inappropriate persons.

It has been said in this verse (4:23) ‘marrying of two sisters is prohibited except when already’

Some misconstrue this as meaning, they can continue living with both sisters if they have already been married to them.

It should be understood that the phrase in this verse (4:23) ‘if already has taken place’ does not refer only to marriage of two sisters, but to 13 matters altogether.

 Having got married to two sisters is one such.

If for example, a person had married his own sister before accepting Islam, can he continue living with her, the answer is an emphatic no. Nobody argues by citing the phrase ‘if already’ in the verse.

The sin of having committed an act will be forgiven, but not continuing it.

In the same way a person who has married two sisters before accepting Islam cannot continue living with only one of them, for the crime to be forgiven. The phrase ‘if already had taken place’ in this verse means, that people who had committed this obnoxious act will not be punished, and not mean continuing with the same way of life. Similarly verse 4:22 the one previous to this verse of the Quran says, ‘do not marry the wives of your father’ except ‘already taken place’.

This should not be misconstrued as a permission to continue to lead the same life before accepting Islam as a way of life. This should be understood as Allah will not punish for the act that has been committed before coming into the fold of Islam

 Verse 4:23 says marrying the sister’s daughter is prohibited. Another fact here should not be forgotten, the condition that one can come into the fold of Islam only by severing the relationship entered by inappropriate marriage is not there.

One gets to be punished with permanent hell for not coming into the fold of Islam and escapes the punishment by coming into its fold.

If Allah desires to forgive the person who continues to live a life by inappropriate marriage, he escapes the punishment. And in case the crime is not forgiven by the Almighty, he gets punished for that crime alone, and not permanent hell. He will be treated as a traditional Muslim who commits mistakes.

Hence, we need to remind these laws to such people and not tell them that one can come into the fold of Islam only on breaking inappropriate marriage relationships.