Q: I am in a very difficult situation, please reply to my query. I used to like a boy who was very pious and prayed and used to fast, give charity, help others and pray tahajjud as well. We liked each other and many a times he helped me raise in my iman. He brought the proposal to my parents but my parents refused based solely on the cast system; him being pathan and me being syed. He was earning but not much, but enough for 2 of us. I still liked him and we tried our best to please my parents and seek their approval but all in vain. My parents used to beat me alot till my face used to swell. My brother used to physically molest me. This went on for one and half year. So one day when I feared for my life we went ahead and did nikah as per hanafi fiqh. We had the qazi, and a muslim man (sane adult) at the nikah ceremony. We read our nikah and qazi and another muslim man heard offer and acceptance of the nikah. we declared the nikah infront of our family and friends. Marriage was consummated. Then my parents forcefully brought me back home by making false promises and then they started beating me and strangled me and threatened me to forget the boy or else they will kill both of us. Then after sometime they married me off by pressuring me, to another man who is also a good man but he doesn’t know anything about my past. My family threatened me not to tell. Now few years have passed and I am living with this other man. If I leave, my parents will again beat me and harm me. And emotionally blackmail me that they will lose their reputation if I leave second man. My first husband has never given me talaq nor have I asked for khula. Please help me what should I do? I have kids also with second man what is the status of both marriges? I have always wondered what will Allah will do with me but I still believe what he does is for good. My parents separated me from first man on bases of many lies like my nikah was not valid. Please help me what should I do islamically?
A: The second marriage is not valid. Living with him is haraam. You should mention it to him.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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