Islam and Polygamy

Status of Women in Islam (11)

Islam and Polygamy

Islam enjoins marriage, whether monogamous or polygynous, as the conditions of life necessitate, with due regard to piety, so that there may be no violence to human nature; and the desire for sexual intercourse, like other cravings of nature, being duly gratified, may lead to the perfect safety and the complete security of social morality. Thus the Islamic system of marriage, harmonising with the practical need and the requirement of mankind, gains fresh lustre when brought under the search light of unbiased criticism. The Prophet’s example in the matter of marriage is specially striking. It refutes the commonplace objection of ignorant people that it is impossible to deal fairly with more than one wife. The example of the Prophet is vividly before us. He had as many as nine wives, but how lovingly and fairly he behaved towards them, the love he bore to each individual wife, and the skilful spirit of good will that characterised the mutual relation of the Prophet and his wives, is above the possibility of suspicion. We have the absolutely credible evidence of the wives themselves. They state him to be the embodiment of love and justice.[1] Never was there any real grievance on the part of the wives against his treatment. The Prophet with his perfect example has proved completely, that it is quite possible for a polygynous husband to maintain justice and equality of treatment among his wives. It was also intended to show the Muslims how it was within the range of possibility, to deal kindly and justly with a plurality of wives. He left no room for discussion. It is only when we fail to live up to the standard of the Prophet’s perfect manners, that we fail to secure a peaceful and loving attitude towards a plurality of wives, nay even towards a single wife. The Bible did not condemn polygamy. To the contrary, the Old Testament and Rabbinic writings frequently attest to the legality of polygamy.

King Solomon is said to have had 700 wives and 300 concubines [1 Kings 11:3] Also, King David is said to have had many wives and concubines [2 Samuel 5:13] The Old Testament does have some injunctions on how to distribute the property of a man among his sons from different wives [Deut. 22:7]. The only restriction on polygamy is a ban on taking a wife’s sister as a rival wife [Lev. 18:18]. The Talmud advises a maximum of four wives.[2] European Jews continued to practice polygamy until the sixteenth century. Oriental Jews regularly practised polygamy until they arrived in Israel where it is forbidden under civil law. However, under religious law which overrides civil law in such cases, it is permissible. [3]

What about the New Testament? According to Father Eugene Hillman in his insightful book, Polygamy Reconsidered, “Nowhere in the New Testament is there any explicit commandment that marriage should be monogamous or any explicit commandment forbidding polygamy.” [4]

Moreover, Jesus has not spoken against polygamy though it was practiced by the Jews of his society. Father Hillman stresses the fact that the Church in Rome banned polygamy in order to conform to the Greco-Roman culture [which prescribed only one legal wife while tolerating concubinage and prostitution]. He cited St. Augustine, “Now indeed in our time, and in keeping with Roman custom, it is no longer allowed to take another wife.” [5]

African churches and African Christians often remind their European brothers that the Church’s ban on polygamy is a cultural tradition and not an authentic Christian injunction.

The Qu’ran, too, allowed polygamy, but not without restrictions:- “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 only one” [Qur’an 4:3].

The Qu’ran, contrary to the Bible, limited the maximum number of wives to four under the strict condition of treating the wives equally and justly. It should not be understood that the Qu’ran is exhorting the believers to practice polygamy, or that polygamy is considered as an ideal. In other words, the Qu’ran has “tolerated” or “allowed” polygamy and no more. Why is polygamy permissible? The answer is simple: there are places and times in which there are compelling social and moral reasons for polygamy. As the above Qu’ranic verse indicates, the issue of polygamy in Islam cannot be understood apart from community obligations towards orphans and widows. Islam as a universal religion suitable for all places and all times could not ignore these compelling obligations.

In most human societies, females outnumber males. In the U.S. there are, at least, eight million more women than men. In a country like Guinea there are 122 females for every 100 males. In Tanzania, there are 95.1 males per 100 females.[6]

The writer takes this opportunity to point out that our critics have no cause to lose their temper at the mention of polygamy. Islam does not enforce polygamy. It enjoins marriage where no disabilities stand in the way. Monogamy is the general rule; polygamy is a provision for urgent emergencies. It is unwise to question the general wisdom of an institution in exceptional cases. If a man can be content with one wife, Islam does not compel him to resort to polygamy. If Christian critics find that their way of living prevents the necessity of a plurality of wives, they are not bound to have recourse to polygamy. Let them live with one wife and refrain from insulting Islam, as Islam does not make polygamy obligatory. If they clearly understand the problem of polygamy, I hope they will come to entertain better feeling towards the law of Islam simply permits polygamy, if one cannot live in happiness and piety with one wife or if necessity in an emergency arises. But if Christians can live piously and happily with one wife, Islam does not interfere. Islam is as much monogamous as Christianity, the difference, being that the former makes a provision for urgent needs, with due regard to the rights of the wife, whereas the latter does not, should a man fail to find any emergency calling for a plurality.