Polygamy in Islam 'Here, I’m not going to repeat wha we all (assumably) know. We know that, the Prophet salla Allahu ‘alaihi wasallam, practised poloygamy. We also know that, significant number of the companions of the Prophet, salla Allahu ‘alaihi wasallam, also practised polygamy. Therefore, polygamy is Islamic. What I want to say (although it’s also known), is that, there are two verses in the Qur’an, which discussed polygamy. Both verses are mentioned in the same Surah, which Surah Al-Nisaa (the Chapter of Women), though they are mentioned in separate locations. The first verse is 4:3, in which Allah says: ﻓَﺎﻧﻜِﺤُﻮﺍ ﻣَﺎ ﻃَﺎﺏَ ﻟَﻜُﻢ ﻣِّﻦَ ﺍﻟﻨِّﺴَﺎﺀِ ﻣَﺜْﻨَﻰٰ ﻭَﺛُﻠَﺎﺙَ ﻭَﺭُﺑَﺎﻉَ، ﻓَﺈِﻥْ ﺧِﻔْﺘُﻢْ ﺃَﻟَّﺎ ﺗَﻌْﺪِﻟُﻮﺍ ﻓَﻮَﺍﺣِﺪَﺓً ﺃَﻭْ ﻣَﺎ ﻣَﻠَﻜَﺖْ ﺃَﻳْﻤَﺎﻧُﻜُﻢْ، ﺫَٰﻟِﻚَ ﺃَﺩْﻧَﻰٰ ﺃَﻟَّﺎ ﺗَﻌُﻮﻟُﻮﺍ It means, “you may marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that you might not be able to treat them with equal fairness, then only one or those your right hand possesses. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].” In the second verse, which is in Surah Al-Nisa, 4: 129, Allah says, ﻭَﻟَﻦ ﺗَﺴْﺘَﻄِﻴﻌُﻮﺍ ﺃَﻥ ﺗَﻌْﺪِﻟُﻮﺍ ﺑَﻴْﻦَ ﺍﻟﻨِّﺴَﺎﺀِ ﻭَﻟَﻮْ ﺣَﺮَﺻْﺘُﻢْ، ﻓَﻠَﺎ ﺗَﻤِﻴﻠُﻮﺍ ﻛُﻞَّ ﺍﻟْﻤَﻴْﻞِ ﻓَﺘَﺬَﺭُﻭﻫَﺎ ﻛَﺎﻟْﻤُﻌَﻠَّﻘَﺔِ It means, “You will never be able to treat your wives with equal fairness, however much you may desire to do so, but do not ignore one wife altogether, leaving her suspended [between marriage and divorce].” When we reflect on the meaning of the first verse, it’s understood that polygamy is permitted with a condition. That condition demands that, a man should be able to practise fairness among his wives, and to be just. Any man who knows of himself, the inability to practise fairness and justice, should stick to one wife. The other verse, however, emphasizes that no matter how man strives to practise fairness among his wives, he can never achieve that. But it did not bar us from marrying more than one wife. This is because, the last part of the verse does instruct men “not to ignore one wife [out of the multiple wives] altogether, leaving the her suspended.” The point is, although we (have to) strive for perfection in all we do, we are meant for imperfection. Some people have understood that, although the first verse permits the practice of polygamy, the other prohibits it. And (according to them) since fairness is impossible to be achieved, then polygamy is not permissible. Wait for a moment! Let’s take a look at how the Prophet, salla Allahu ‘alaihi wasallam, understood, interpreted and lived these two verses in his actions (Sunnah), in the next section. The first verse permits men to practise polygamy, provided they can provide physical fairness and justice for the wives. Such physical fairness is attainable and comes in the form of distributing provisions, allowances, gifts and spending time with them. Every man should be able to equally offer these, to his wives. If he fears the inability in himself, to do so, it’s better for him to refrain from polygamy. The other verse, however tells us, that when it comes to the heart feelings, attractions, love, and emotions, it’s impossible (based on Allah’s Wisdom) for human to control them, no matter how much effort we put in (although we are expected to put in the effort), we can’t practise real fairness for our wives. Example of this is the compassion a parent possesses for his or her children, a teacher tries to maintain for his or her students, or a neighbour reserves for his or her neighbours. Who is the parent, who can claim to have the same amount affection for each of his or her children? Who is the teacher, who can claim, that he or she maintains the same level of love for his or her students, let alone care and attention? Who is the neighbour, who can claim to love all his neighbours equally? It’s (almost) impossible, because that relate to emotions and feelings which are connected to the heart and the heart is uncontrollable. It reacts according to what the outside world sends to it. Despite this, a parent must practise equal fairness among his or her children in their upbringing; even in the kisses he or she offers them. A teacher must treat all his students equally. A neighbour must as well, treat all his neighbours equally. Equal treatment and fair distribution of provisions (which are physical) are likewise required from any husband, towards his wives, if he chooses to practise polygamy.' Try always to be A Good Muslim Habz@ All About Islam
Posted on: Fri, 05 Jul 2013 09:23:03 +0000
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