NO Polygamy in Islam

 

Polygamy is defined in many dictionaries as: " Any person (Male or female) may unconditionally marry unlimited number spouses at the same time."

This means that a male or female may marry unlimited number of males or females at the same time. In other cultures and faiths, a male may marry unlimited number of wives, at the same, for any reason, and unrestricted with any conditions. Such practices are totally prohibited in Islam.

What is allowed in Islam is that in a specified restricted circumstances, a Muslim male may marry other females provided that there are circumstances that needs this kind of arrangements and it is restricted with several clear conditions.

Those conditions are : financial, physical and emotional ability, equal treatment of the wives, the approval of the prospective female to this kind of marriage, the wives are among those who are not prohibited for him to marry either permanently ( Such as aunts, foster daughters and others, or temporally ( Such as marrying two sisters at the same time), and that the number of wives is limited to up to four.

So this is a legal provision that can be properly understood in the context of Islam's position on these important issues:

First, in Islam, the family is considered the cornerstone of Human society; any extra-marital relation is devastating and damaging to the family and hence it is strictly prohibited. Married life is most desirable in Islam, Allah wants a woman to be a respected , an honourable wife, never a secret mistress, and Allah wants men to be respected and responsible husbands, never indulging in secret affairs, both men and women have to make sacrifices to make family life a success.

Second, Islam and Islamic laws are for all times (Past, present, future) and for all circumstances and situations, therefore, it must accommodate all possible social and individual situations.

Third, in Islam, every Muslim man should have a wife and every Muslim woman should have a husband.

One may observe that, although it has been abused in some times and places, this practice can have a valuable function in certain circumstances, in some situations it may be considered as the lesser of two difficult situations, and in others it may be even a beneficial arrangement.

The obvious example of this occurs in times of war, when there are inevitably large numbers of widows and orphans left without companionship, love, income, care or protection.

If it is still maintained under these circumstances that a man may marry only one wife, other females will be deprived from having a family that includes a loving husband, a companion for life, lovely children, a father for the children. What options is left for those women who have no chance to marry ? They could either stay alone, or become someone's mistress.

Most women would not welcome either of those two options. A mistress is just an unofficial second wife who has no legal rights or security for herself or her children. The fact is that women under these circumstances may prefer to share a husband than have none at all, there is no doubt that it is easier to share a husband when it is an established and legal practice than when it is carried on secretly with attempts to deceive the first wife. 

 

There are other situations where this kind of practice may be preferable for all parties, such as if the first wife is chronically ill, if she cannot have children, if a woman cannot earn a living and needs emotional and financial support.

These examples are mentioned because people understand this practice in Islam to be a large number of glamorous young girls (Harem ) to serve and to please the man, not as a real solution to some difficult and real social problems.

The first verse in the Quran that allows this practice was revealed following the battle of Uhud, in which thousands of Muslim men were killed, leaving widows and orphans whose care was the responsibility of the Muslim male survivors.

In the Quran Allah says:-
" To orphans restore their property when they reach their age, and do not 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. If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry 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 MARRY ONLY ONE " (Quran 4:2-3).
From these verses, a number of facts are evident :

This permission is not only associated with mere satisfaction of passion, but it is rather associated with compassion toward widows and orphans, a matter that is confirmed by the atmosphere in which these verses were revealed.

Even in such a situation, the permission is far more restricted than the practice that existed before or even now (unlimited number of wives and no restricted conditions).

Dealing justly with one's wives is an obligation in Islam. This applies to housing, food, kind treatment, etc., that is to say that the husband has complete obligation towards all of his wives and their children without any discrimination.

If one ONLY is not sure of being able to deal justly with them, Allah says to marry only one wife.

This practice is far better and honourable than the case where the husband is secretly having mistresses or involved with prostitutes (Adultery).

This practice is also better than the case where the husband divorces his ill wife and marry another one.