why is polygamy allowed in Islam?

[Talat]

:salam2:
I have always been asked by none muslims, those who need a little somthing to reject Islam, about polygamy and why muslim men can marry more than one wife, I never had a right answer to this question untill I came across this site. which fully explains polygamy in Islam.

http://www.al-islamforall.org/litre/Englitre/polygainis.htm

 

[abubaseer]

Sister,

I'm not sure if the below is correct.

It is also evident that the general rule in Islam is monogamy and not polygamy

There is difference of opinion among the Scholars about generally which is more preferable. With stronger one being Ploygamy, because in Quran Polgamy is mentioned without condition while Monogamy is conditional.

Also, other opinions are Polygamy with 2 Wives being most preferable because it is mentioned first in the verse of the Quran...Allahu'Aalam!

InshaAllah I will try to post some information on this when I have time...

 

[Talat]

Sister,

I'm not sure if the below is correct.

It is also evident that the general rule in Islam is monogamy and not polygamy

There is difference of opinion among the Scholars about generally which is more preferable. With stronger one being Ploygamy, because in Quran Polgamy is mentioned without condition while Monogamy is upon the condition.

InshaAllah I will try to post some informatio on this when I have time...

:salam2:
thank you,I really appriciate it.

 

[believers_path]

assalam,
last year in our islamic class we had a disscusion on this topic and we had learned this whole theme as a Quest answer.so i have it i wil send u inshallah

 

[believers_path]

Why is Polygamy allowed in Islam


Q. Why is a man allowed to marry more than one wife in Islam? Or why is polygamy allowed in Islam?

Answer:first of all to understand this we will have to understand what is polygamy

1. Definition of Polygamy: Polygamy means a system of marriage whereby one person has more than one spouse. Polygamy can be of two types. One is polygyny where a man marries more than one woman, and the other is polyandry, where a woman marries more than one man. In Islam, limited polygyny is permitted and polyandry is completely prohibited. Now coming to the original question, why is a man allowed to have more than one wife?

 

[believers_path]

so for tht we will have to look for the scriptures,

2. Qur'an is the only religious scripture in the world that says 'marry only one'
Qur'an is the only religious book, on the face of this earth, that contains the phrase 'marry only one'. There is no other religious book that instructs men to have only one wife. In none of the religious scriptures like the Vedas, the Ramayan, the Mahabharat, the Geeta or the Bible does one find a restriction on the number of wives. According to these scriptures one can marry as many as one wishes. It was only later, that the Hindu priests and the Christian Church restricted the number of wives to one.

Many Hindu religious personalities, according to their scriptures, had multiple wives. King Dashrat, the father of Rama, had more than one wife. Krishna had several wives. In earlier times, Christian men were permitted as many wives as they wished, since the Bible puts no restriction on the number of wives. It was only a couple of centuries ago that the Church restricted the number of wives to one.

Polygyny is permitted in Judaism. According to Talmudic law, Abraham had 2 wives, and Solomon had hundreds of wives. The practice of polygyny continued till Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah. (960 A.D to 1030 A.D) issued an edict against it. The Jewish Sephardic communities living in Muslim countries continued the practice till as late as 1950, when an Act of the chief Rabbinate of Israel extended the ban on marrying more than one wife.

 

[believers_path]

3. Hindus are more polygamous than Muslims The report of the 'Committee of The Status of Woman in Islam', published in 1975 mentions on page numbers 66,67 that the percentage of polygamous marriages between the year 1951 -1961 was 5.06 among the Hindus and only 4.31 among the Muslims. According to Indian law only Muslim men are permitted to have more than one wife. It is illegal for any non-Muslim in India to have more than one wife. Despite it being illegal, Hindus have more multiple wives as compared to the Muslim. One can imagine what would have been the percentage of polygamous marriages among the Hindus if the Indian government had made it legal for them. Earlier, there was no restriction even on Hindu men with respect to the number of wives allowed. It was only in 1954, when the Hindu Marriage Act was passed that it became illegal for a Hindu to have more than one wife. At present it is the Indian Law that restricts a Hindu man from having more than one wife and not the Hindu scriptures.

 

[believers_path]

Let us now analyse why Islam allows a man to have more than one wife.

4. Qur'an permits limited polygyny As I mentioned earlier, Qur'an is the only religious book on the face of the earth that says 'marry only one'. The context of this phrase is the following verse from Surah Nisa of the Glorious Qur'an: 'Marry woman of your choice in twos' threes' or fours' but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly, (with them), then only one' [Al-Qur'an 4:3]

Before the Qur'an was revealed, there was no upper limit for polygyny and many men had scores of wives, some even hundreds. Islam put an upper limit of four wives. Islam gives a man permission to marry two, three or four women, only on the condition that he deals with them justly. In the same chapter i.e. Surah Nisa verse 129 says: 'It is very difficult to be just and fair between women'. [Al-Qur'an (4:129)]

Therefore polygyny is not a rule but an exception. Many people are under the misconception that it is compulsory for a Muslim man to marry more than one wife.

Broadly, Islam has five categories of Do's and Dont's.

(i) 'Farz' i.e compulsory

(ii) 'Mustahab' i.e recommended or encouraged

(iii) 'Mubah' i.e permissible

(iv) 'Makruh' i.e 'not recommended' or discouraged

(v) 'Haram' i.e prohibited or forbidden

Polygyny falls in the middle category of things that are permissible. It cannot be said that a Muslim who has two, three or four wives is a better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who has only one wife.

 

[believers_path]

now let us analyse why it is permited,what are the reasons:

5. Average life span of females is more than that of males:

By nature males and females are born in approximately the same ratio. During paediatric age however, in childhood itself a female child has more immunity than a male child. A female child can fight the germs and diseases better than the male child. For this reason, there are more deaths among males as compared to the females during paediatric age.

During wars, there are more men killed as compared to women. More men die due to accidents and diseases than women. The average life span of females is more than that of males, and at any given time one finds more widows in the world than widowers.

6. India has more male population than female due to female foeticide and infanticide. India is one of the few countries, along with the other neighbouring countries, in which the female population is less than the male population. The reason lies in the high rate of female infanticide in India, and the fact that more than one million female foetuses are aborted every year in this country, after they are identified as females. If this evil practice is stopped, then India too will have more females as compared to males.

7. World female population is more than male population In the USA, women outnumber men by 7.8 million. New York alone has one million more females as compared to the number of males, and of the male population of New York one-third are gays i.e sodomites. The USA as a whole has more than twenty-five million gays. This means that these people do not wish to marry women. Great Britain has four million more females as compared to males. Germany has five million more females as compared to males. Russia has nine million more females than males. God alone knows how many million more females there are in the whole world as compared to males.

8. Restricting each and every man to have only one wife is not practical Even if every man got married to one woman, there would still be more than thirty million more females in USA who would not be able to get husbands (considering that America has twenty five million gays). There would be more than four million females in Great Britain 5 million females in Germany and nine million females in Russia alone who would not be able to find a husband.

Suppose my sister happens to be one of the unmarried women living in USA, or suppose your sister happens to be one of the unmarried women in USA. The only two options remaining for her are that she either marries a man who already has a wife or becomes public property. There is no other option. I have posed this question to hundreds of non-Muslims and all opted for the first. However a few smart people before accepting, said they would prefer their sisters to remain virgins. Biologically, it is not possible for an average man or a woman to remain celibate throughout life. It may be possible in exceptional cases of one in ten thousand. In the vast majority, the person either gets married or performs illicit sex or indulges in other sexual perversions. Sex hormones are released in the adult body every day. That is the reason why Islam has prohibited monasticism.

In Western society it is common for a man to have mistresses and/or multiple extra-marital affairs, in which case, the woman leads a disgraceful, unprotected life. The same society, however, cannot accept a man having more than one wife, in which women retain their honourable, dignified position in society and lead a protected life.

Thus the only two options before a woman who cannot find a husband is to marry a married man or to become public property. Islam prefers giving women the honourable position by permitting the first option and disallowing the second. There are several other reasons, why Islam has permitted limited polygyny, but it is mainly to protect the modesty of women.

 

[believers_path]

Hope inshallah its clear.
jazakallah

 

[Talat]

Hope inshallah its clear.
jazakallah

very helpeful, it has all been explain in the link that I have provided above
by Dr A. Badawi. and Isha-Allah people will understand that monogmy is prefarable to pologymy by Islam.

 

[abubaseer]

:salam2: Sisters,

Quote from the post

Therefore polygyny is not a rule but an exception.

I would advice you to refer to the Scholars about this issue.

The Ayah of Quran clearly asks Men to Marry two, three, four and if they cannot do Justice marry only one.

So the general rule without condition according to the Ayah of Quran is 2,3,4 and Conditional is marry only ONE.

Also, this was the seen in the Lives of the Sahabas, as they were generally Polygamous.

I would advice you to refer to Scholars and Usool Al Fiqh...

Anyways, this is not something which we need to debate about, So I will end my post here (May be post a video of Student of Knowledge which will inshaAllah clarify this issue later )

 

[Talat]

I would advice you to refer to Scholars and Usool Al Fiqh...
Anyways, this is not something which we need to debate about, So I will end my post here (May be post a video of Student of Knowledge which will inshaAllah clarify this issue later )

:salam2:

dear brother/sister thanks for your posts, but I don't think that you have looked or read the link in my thread, this thread was not posted for debate but it is educational and infomative. the link that I have provided in my tread has answered the issue fully.

 

[abubaseer]

:salam2: Sister,

JazakAllahu Khayr Sister...Overalll MAshAllah it is good.

And I was referring specifically to the discussion on

Is Plural Marriage Sunnah and encouraged (to one who can afford it)?
or it is just permissible and an exception to the Rule ? With the Rule being single Marriage.


There Hadith narrated in Saheeh Al Bukhari, in which Men who have more Wives are better. (I will try to find out complete hadith and post inshaAllah)

Also, below is related answer from islam-qa.com:

Plural marriage is mustahabb for the one who can afford it; it is not obligatory
Is plural marriage obligatory for every Muslim who can afford it?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: plural marriage is Sunnah for the one who can afford it, and is not obligatory, according to scholarly consensus. See al-Mughni, 9/340.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is plural marriage permissible in Islam or is it Sunnah?

He replied: Plural marriage is Sunnah for the one who can afford it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan girls then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or (slaves) that your right hands possess. That is nearer to prevent you from doing injustice”

[al-Nisa’ 4:3]

And it is Sunnah because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did it. He had nine wives and Allaah benefited the ummah through them. This is one of the things that applied only to him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Other men are not allowed to have more than four wives.

There are many benefits in plural marriage for men and women and for the Muslim ummah as a whole. Plural marriage enables everyone to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, to have many children, and for a man to take care of many women and protect them from the causes of evil and deviation.

As for the one who cannot afford that and fears that he will not be able to treat co-wives justly, he should settle for just one wife, because Allaah says: “but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one”. From Fataawa Islamiyyah, 3/202

Secondly: It should be noted that in principle, marriage may be obligatory or mustahabb, depending on each person’s situation and his need for marriage. Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

With regard to marriage, people are of three categories:

1 – Those who fear that they may commit haraam actions if they do not get married. In this case marriage is obligatory according to most of the fuqaha’, because a person has to keep himself chaste and avoid haraam things.

2 – Those for whom it is mustahabb, who are those who feel desire but they are certain that they are not going to do haraam things. For such people marriage is better than devoting oneself to naafil acts of worship, because Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined and encouraged marriage, and because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) got married, as did his companions, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions only did that which is best. And because the interests served by marriage are many, because it protects one’s religious commitment, and it protects the woman, keeps her chaste and takes care of her, and produces children, and increases the numbers of the ummah, and will make the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) proud [of the numbers of his ummah in the Hereafter], and serves other interests, any one of which outweighs the benefits of doing naafil acts of worship, so it is better.

3 – Those who have no desire, either because they were created without desire or because they were created with desire but have now lost it, because of old age or sickness, etc. These people are of two types:

(a) Those for whom marriage is mustahabb, because of the general meaning of the evidence which enjoins marriage.

(b) Those for whom devoting themselves to worship is better, because they cannot fulfil the purposes of marriage and they would not be able to keep a wife chaste, which will cause her harm and this means that he will be keeping her without looking after her properly, and he will be taking on obligations and duties that he may not be able to fulfil.

The evidence which indicates that marriage is encouraged should be understood as referring to those who have desire.

And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A

 

[saif]

:salam2: Sisters,


Therefore polygyny is not a rule but an exception.

I would advice you to refer to the Scholars about this issue.

The Ayah of Quran clearly asks Men to Marry two, three, four and if they cannot do Justice marry only one.

So the general rule without condition according to the Ayah of Quran is 2,3,4 and Conditional is marry only ONE.

Also, this was the seen in the Lives of the Sahabas, as they were generally Polygamous.

I would advice you to refer to Scholars and Usool Al Fiqh...

Anyways, this is not something which we need to debate about, So I will end my post here (May be post a video of Student of Knowledge which will inshaAllah clarify this issue later )

:salam2: akhi Abu Baseer,

Apart from your apparent contradiction of yourself (in the heading you say, Polygyny is exception and in the interpretation of the verse you say, monogamy is the exception), it's a completely new interpretation of this verse, which I have never seen before. But that might be my own ignorance.

I want to draw your attention towards another possible interpretation, which is more appealing to me and which more convincingly takes the spirit and context of the verse into consideration. However you may prefer to 'follow' the scholars of your own choice.

It is clear in the whole context of the verse, that it is not about allowing or disallowing the polygamy at all. Polygamy have always been accepted and allowed in the religion brought by the prophets of God. The verse clearly shows, that that nobody was having any question or doubt about the legitimacy of the polygamy but the problem under discussion was, how to deal with the aftermath of Uhud. In a small community, when a big number of women were widowed and a big number of children were orphaned, an extraordinary solution was needed to deal with this extraordinary situation. The sprit of the verse is something like, "look, why don't you use polygamy, which is already in your practice, to solve the problem of the orphans, provided you can remain just with your wives". Remaining on the monogamy could hardly be a solution. Therefore if polygamy is suggested as a solution to orphanage, it is natural, that the verse would speak about the polygamy only and take the exception only in the situation, where it is not advisable (i.e. no justice among the wives).

The way you are interpreting it looks to me like "It looks like you are having apprehensions in marrying more than one woman. So know, that you should instead prefer to marry 2 or 3 or 4 women. Only if you fear of doing injustice, marry only one".

Now read this verse in the full context again and decide, which interpretation is more inline with the spirit of Quran.

I am copying here first 8 verses of Sunah anNisa, just to show you that the main topic of this part of the surah is dealing with the orphanage. That is why, Quran returns to that topic after the proposed solution of Polygamy to orphanage.

1. O mankind! reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, His mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;- reverence Allah, through whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the wombs (That bore you): for Allah ever watches over you.

2. To orphans restore their property (When they reach their age), nor substitute (your) worthless things for (their) good ones; and devour not their substance (by mixing it up) with your own. For this is indeed a great sin.

3. If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, Marry women of your choice, Two or three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice.

4. And give the women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift; but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, Take it and enjoy it with right good cheer.

5. To those weak of understanding Make not over your property, which Allah hath made a means of support for you, but feed and clothe them therewith, and speak to them words of kindness and justice.

6. Make trial of orphans until they reach the age of marriage; if then ye find sound judgment in them, release their property to them; but consume it not wastefully, nor in haste against their growing up. If the guardian is well-off, Let him claim no remuneration, but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable. When ye release their property to them, take witnesses in their presence: But all-sufficient is Allah in taking account.

7. From what is left by parents and those nearest related there is a share for men and a share for women, whether the property be small or large,-a determinate share.

8. But if at the time of division other relatives, or orphans or poor, are present, feed them out of the (property), and speak to them words of kindness and justice.

Let me clarify here, that I have chosen Yusuf Ali's translation on purpose because I am more satisfied with the tafaseer, which give higher priority to Quran's internal language and internal context over ahadith, if there is a conflict between the two. This is because Quran claim about itself is to be Furqaan and Meezaan. I am not writing it in ignorance of the other translations, according to which it is "marry (other) women (meaning not orphans) of your choice...". I am also aware of syeda Aisha's hadith in this regard. However, it is the difference of usool, according to which I prefer the above translation instead.

 

[saif]

:salam2:

dear brother/sister thanks for your posts, but I don't think that you have looked or read the link in my thread, this thread was not posted for debate but it is educational and infomative. the link that I have provided in my tread has answered the issue fully.

:salam2:

Thank you dear brother Talat. Now I have read that link you have provided and I feel myself very much in agreement with its contents. Jazakallah Khair.

My previous post is also inline with the understanding of brother Jamal Badawi.

 

[Talat]

:salam2:

Thank you dear brother Talat. Now I have read that link you have provided and I feel myself very much in agreement with its contents. Jazakallah Khair.

My previous post is also inline with the understanding of brother Jamal Badawi.

:salam2:
Alhamdullelah brother, by the way I am a muslima.

 

[Latifabonu]

i was having the same question thanks for the answers

 

[abubaseer]

:salam2: Brother Saif,

Apart from your apparent contradiction of yourself (in the heading you say, Polygyny is exception and in the interpretation of the verse you say, monogamy is the exception), it's a completely new interpretation of this verse, which I have never seen before. But that might be my own ignorance.

I guess you have misunderstood my post. The bolded one in italics was supposed to be quote from the post of the Sister, which i was discussing

My Bad for not putting it in quotes. I have put those in quotes now. Hopefully it is clear now....

 

[Latifabonu]

Jazakullahu khayr