Sorry I've prepared a lengthy answer to Diane only to discover that her thread has been removed. I hope I'm not breaking any rules by posting this.
Salam Diane
It was inevitable that you asked this question. I'll give you a *concise* answer but please note there are lots of stuff out there from respected scholars.
1. Polygamy:
a. established practice before Islam. In the bible some prophets had hundreds of wives. At the time of the prophet in Arabia, there was no upper limits to the number of wives - Islam restricted this to 4. Ironically, as much as Islam is criticised today for allowing this, at that time it is very conceivable that many rejected Islam for the same reason but with opposite logic (i.e. restricting the maximum). Men who had more than 4 wives had to divorce the extra. This rather tells you Islam is not about pleasing people's desires or being *popular*. It is a divine law that is designed to protect and promote good manners.
b. Why polygamy? Well ... basic statistics really. World wide, there are more boys born than girls (circa 103 for a 100). The number of deaths in males is higher than that in females. The numbers keep getting closer until it balances out at about 30 years of age, following this the number of women becomes consistently higher than that for men in every age group. Over all, there are more women that men in most societies. For the UK, a country of nearly 60 million, there are nearly 1 million females than males for all age groups. These statistics pertain to a developed coutry in a relatively peaceful time (UK). I'll leave you to imagine what things can be like in war times. The only countries in the world where the number of males is greater than females are countries that practice something called female infanticide (mostly done on fetuses thanks to advances in medical ultra-sound), something Islam forbidden 1400 years ago. The practice is prevalent in the two most populist countriess in the world (India & China - thanks to Hindusim, Communism (single child policy) and Buddhism .. of course). In India, the numbers killed are estimated to be in the tens of millions. In some places in China there are nearly 70 women for every 100 men. Indeed, the proportions of the massacre are staggering but NO one is talking about it because they are too busy demonising Islam.
c. Islam does not encourage polygamy, quite the opposite. However it is permitted out of necessity of the human society. What are the alternatives for those women ? Is it not the right of every woman to be a wife & a mother ? Why should they be thrown to the depths of adultery and the humilliation that comes with it ? Please note that the number of women surpass that of women after 30 years of age, when the woman is rather more vulnerable and has got less "buying power" (the term is not meant to be deragatory). Being a wife gives the woman in Islam certain priviliges, such as financial and social security. These are basic needs and it is only right that every woman has them.
If this survive, I'll try answering your question about slavery.
Salam Diane
It was inevitable that you asked this question. I'll give you a *concise* answer but please note there are lots of stuff out there from respected scholars.
1. Polygamy:
a. established practice before Islam. In the bible some prophets had hundreds of wives. At the time of the prophet in Arabia, there was no upper limits to the number of wives - Islam restricted this to 4. Ironically, as much as Islam is criticised today for allowing this, at that time it is very conceivable that many rejected Islam for the same reason but with opposite logic (i.e. restricting the maximum). Men who had more than 4 wives had to divorce the extra. This rather tells you Islam is not about pleasing people's desires or being *popular*. It is a divine law that is designed to protect and promote good manners.
b. Why polygamy? Well ... basic statistics really. World wide, there are more boys born than girls (circa 103 for a 100). The number of deaths in males is higher than that in females. The numbers keep getting closer until it balances out at about 30 years of age, following this the number of women becomes consistently higher than that for men in every age group. Over all, there are more women that men in most societies. For the UK, a country of nearly 60 million, there are nearly 1 million females than males for all age groups. These statistics pertain to a developed coutry in a relatively peaceful time (UK). I'll leave you to imagine what things can be like in war times. The only countries in the world where the number of males is greater than females are countries that practice something called female infanticide (mostly done on fetuses thanks to advances in medical ultra-sound), something Islam forbidden 1400 years ago. The practice is prevalent in the two most populist countriess in the world (India & China - thanks to Hindusim, Communism (single child policy) and Buddhism .. of course). In India, the numbers killed are estimated to be in the tens of millions. In some places in China there are nearly 70 women for every 100 men. Indeed, the proportions of the massacre are staggering but NO one is talking about it because they are too busy demonising Islam.
c. Islam does not encourage polygamy, quite the opposite. However it is permitted out of necessity of the human society. What are the alternatives for those women ? Is it not the right of every woman to be a wife & a mother ? Why should they be thrown to the depths of adultery and the humilliation that comes with it ? Please note that the number of women surpass that of women after 30 years of age, when the woman is rather more vulnerable and has got less "buying power" (the term is not meant to be deragatory). Being a wife gives the woman in Islam certain priviliges, such as financial and social security. These are basic needs and it is only right that every woman has them.
If this survive, I'll try answering your question about slavery.