Is polygamy legal for Muslims in the US and UK?
No. Being legally married to more than one person at the same time is bigamy, a crime in every US state and in the UK, and there's no religious exemption for Muslims. Some men try a "religious-only" second marriage, but that leaves the second wife and her children with almost no legal protection. Most scholars in the West advise not doing it.
What the law says
In both countries, you can only have one legal spouse at a time. If you're already married and enter another legal marriage, that's bigamy, and the second marriage is void. A nikah with a second wife that isn't registered isn't a legal marriage at all, so it may not count as bigamy. But it doesn't give her the rights of a wife either, and in some places it can still cause legal trouble. The UK does recognize some polygamous marriages made abroad where they were legal, but the rules are narrow and complicated, so get legal advice if that's your situation.
What Islam actually allows
The Quran permits a man to marry up to four wives, but only with a strict condition: justice. If he fears he can't be fair, he should marry only one.
Another verse warns that men can never be perfectly equal in their feelings between wives, and tells them not to leave one "hanging" (Quran 4:129). So polygamy is permitted, not required, and not encouraged for everyone. Most Muslim marriages, past and present, are monogamous. A woman is never required to accept it. See Do I have to accept polygamy as a Muslim woman?
Why secret religious marriages cause harm
- No legal rights: the second wife may have no claim to the home, maintenance or inheritance, and can't get a civil divorce.
- Children's paperwork: custody and support can become messy without a legal marriage.
- Injustice: hiding a marriage from the first wife, or leaving the second one unprotected, goes against the very justice the Quran demands.
- Immigration and benefits risks: false statements can lead to serious legal problems.
Scholars: follow the law
Many scholars and fiqh councils in the West say that since polygamy is only permitted, not obligatory, giving it up to obey the law costs you nothing in your faith. Living in a country means keeping your agreement to follow its rules, and Islam treats that seriously. See Do I have to follow the laws of my country as a Muslim? If someone proposes a "second wife" arrangement, ask hard questions and speak to an imam and a lawyer before agreeing to anything.
- Bigamy is a crime in the US and UK, with no religious exemption.
- Religious-only second marriages leave women and children unprotected.
- Islam permits polygamy only with justice, and never requires it.
- Most scholars advise Muslims in the West to follow the law.
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