This is permitted according to most scholars—the four imams and others. Although marriage between these two women would be prohibited, that prohibition arises from ties of marriage, not blood ties. The underlying reason for the prohibition is to prevent the severing of kinship ties. Thus, this case falls outside both the wording and the meaning of the verse establishing the prohibition.

As for two women whose blood relationship does not bar marriage, such as female cousins on the paternal or maternal side, marrying both at once is permissible. But is it disliked? There are two views, both reported from Ahmad, because they share blood ties, though not within the prohibited degrees.

As for “the two disputed rulings”: may a person own a blood relative within the prohibited degrees of marriage? And may he separate two such relatives in ownership by selling one but not the other? Both questions are disputed, and this is not the place to discuss the various positions.

“The prohibition on concurrent marriage” ceases when the marriage ends. Thus, if one of four wives, or one of two sisters, dies—or he divorces her or her marriage is annulled, and her waiting period has ended—he may marry a fourth wife or the other sister, by scholarly agreement. If, however, he divorces her revocably, he may not marry the other woman according to the overwhelming majority of scholars—the four imams and others.

ʿUbayda al-Salmānī reported:

“On no matter were the Companions of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as united as they were that a fifth woman may not be married during the fourth wife’s waiting period, nor may a woman be married during her sister’s waiting period.”

This is because a revocably divorced woman retains the status of a wife: each spouse inherits from the other. Although she is heading toward an irrevocable separation, that does not prevent her from remaining a wife. The same applies when he makes her divorce contingent on a future date, as when he says, “If you give me a thousand at the end of the year, you are divorced.” This woman, too, is heading toward an irrevocable separation