The Qur’an On Polygamy
There
is a widespread misconception that Muslim societies are essentially polygamous.
However, in the Qur’an, permission to marry more than one wife is given under
highly exceptional circumstances and with stringent conditions attached.
After
his hijrah to Madina
from Makkah
in 622 AD, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) laid the foundations of the first Muslim
society which from the start faced grave threats from the Meccans
who waged three major wars against it — the battles of Badr
(624 AD), Uhud
(625 AD), and Khandaq (627 AD). At a time when the
Muslim community in Madina was very
small in number, the death of many men in these wars left a large number of
dependent children and women who had lost the male member(s) of their family,
and had to be provided for.
In
addition, the property of the orphans had to be protected. In English, the word
‘orphan’ refers to a child who has lost both parents. However, in Arabic, it
refers to a child who has lost his or her father. The Qur’an, showed deep
concern regarding this matter enjoined in Surah
4: An-Nisa’:
2, “Render unto the orphans their possessions, and do not substitute bad things
(of your own) for the good things (that belong to them), and do not consume
their possessions together with your own: this, verily, is a great sin.”
In
prescribing moral or legal norms which believers are required to follow in the
future, the Qur’an upholds the highest ethical ideals. However, it also
recognizes that most human beings would not selflessly undertake the
responsibility of caring for disadvantaged children and women, and states in Surah 4: An-Nisa’:
3: “And if you have reason to fear that you might not act equitably towards
orphans, then marry from among (other) women such as are lawful to you — (even)
two, or three, or four: but if you have reason to fear that you might not be
able to treat them with equal fairness, then (only) one — or (from among) those
whom you rightfully possess. This will make it more likely that you will not
deviate from the right course.”
In
order to understand the full meaning or implications of the verses referred to
above, a systematic analysis of the text is required. The well-being of orphans
is the primary concern of this text, and verse 2 begins by enjoining Muslim men
to safeguard their property. Verse 3 begins with the words: “And if you have reason to fear that you
might not act equitably towards orphans, then marry from among (other) women
such as are lawful to you — (even) two, or three, or four.”
Permission
for polygamy was given in order to safeguard the rights of orphans. This means
that there has to be a relationship between the woman
or women whom the Muslim man marries and the orphans, because marrying a woman
unrelated to orphans will not be of help in safeguarding their rights. While
doing justice to orphans is mandatory, so also is doing justice to all the
women whom a Muslim man marries. If he cannot do justice to all his wives, he
must have only one.
Polygamy,
then, is permitted by the Qur’an — not readily but reluctantly as the last
resort — and only in conditions of great social hardship and for humanitarian
purposes. It is very important to note that there are two commandments to do
justice in Surah 4: An-Nisa’:
2-3, and that polygamy was allowed for
the benefit of orphans and the women who were their guardians or caretakers.
If
understood correctly in its Qur’anic context,
polygamy was a grave responsibility for Muslim men. In practice, however, it
has often been regarded as a male privilege intended for the pleasure of men.
The stringent conditions relating to justice which are stated in Surah 4: An-Nisa’:
2-3 have generally been disregarded by the traditional interpreters.
The
writer is a scholar of Islam and Iqbal, teaching
at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.