Nikaah & Marriage Issues

Rights and obligations

Q: Is it permitted for a wife to keep in contact with her brother without her husband knowing by texting him daily and sometimes calling and neglecting the husband's rights? What is the ruling with wife keeping in contact with her family members, including her siblings and cousins? If husband feels like this is too much and the wife should be more interested in seeking ilm then can the husband not allow the wife to keep in contact with the husband until she fulfils the husband's rights? Please let me know what course of action I should take in order to resolve the issue because I tried explaining her husband comes first before her family members.

Condition for the validity of nikaah

Q: In my area the Shariah is not applied to its extent. My question is regarding marriage. There are many so called Muslims getting married according to the customs of this area which is not in compliance wih Shariah. People roam freely to choose and meet there life partners instead of the Shariah compliant way. Will these marriages be cosidered as Legal according Shariah?

Polygamy

Q: 

  1. Are second, third, fourth marriages a sunnah?
  2. Is polygamy encouraged in Islam (emphasized sunnah) or is it something permissible?