Islam Together: Desember 2008

Jumat, 12 Desember 2008

The Symposium Addresses Shared Jewish-Christian-Muslim Heritage

Although Christianity, Islam and Judaism share the common heritage of Abraham, these three major faiths have lived in conflict and misunderstanding for centuries. A group of inter-confessional scholars gathered on the campus of Andrews University to examine and share solutions to skewed attitudes and general misconceptions among the three religions.
Although Christianity, Islam and Judaism share the common heritage of Abraham, these three major faiths have lived in conflict and misunderstanding for centuries. A group of inter-confessional scholars gathered on the campus of Andrews University to examine and share solutions to skewed attitudes and general misconceptions among the three religions.

Scholars at the March 28 symposium, "Our Father Abraham," came from different backgrounds and locations, sharing a dedication to mutual tolerance, dialogue, and peace. Presentations explored the sociological, ethical, and philosophical dimensions of each religion, along with the theological grounds for each faith's attitude toward the other two with the hope of replacing narrow-mindedness and antagonism with common ground.

The symposium was Sponsored by the International Religious Liberty Association, the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, and Shabbat Shalom, a journal covering Jewish-Adventist relations,

Professor of Rabbinic Literature at Jerusalem's Schechter Institute, Mordechai Arad began the discussion with the lecture, "For the Sake of Peace: Rabbinic Evolving Attitude Toward Gentiles, Christians, and Moslems." He examined the history of the Jewish perspective of Christians and Muslims in Rabbinic literature. Arad noted that at the beginning of the Christian and Muslim faiths, these two religions were not considered to be Gentiles, or outsiders, by Jews, but rather were recognized for their commonalities.

Asking "Whose Son Are You?" Dr. Jacques B. Doukhan, professor of Hebrew and director of the Institute of Jewish-Christian Studies at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, explained that "brotherhood is a sign of 'sonhood.'" In other words, anyone claiming to be a son of Abraham had better show respect for his brother.

"Differences in belief are something precious to help us discover the Father," Doukhan went on to say. Thus, when we alienate Christians, Jews, or Muslims, we are turning our back to a part of our Father's face not visible in our own reflection, he added.

Doukhan closed by reminding attendees of the results of religious intolerance and exclusion, in a quotation from author Marvin R. Wilson: "Disputes are often fueled because those who have sought to make Abraham exclusively theirs have in the process demonized the others." His call that each faith not only acknowledge the other two, but commit to learning what each does right, was echoed by speakers throughout the symposium.

Coordinator of the Kroc Institute's Program in Religion, Conflict, and Peacebuilding (PRCP) at the University of Notre Dame, A. Rashied Omar, along with president and co-founder of the Islamic Education and Resources Network "ILearn," Soraya M. Orady, provided a Muslim perspective on inter-religious relations. Omar spoke on the dilemma of reconciling the oneness of God with the diversity of creation, reasoning, "God is always greater than our limited and frail interpretations."

"The litmus test of a good religion," Omar concluded, "is the extent to which our faith motivates us to embrace 'the other' as an extension of ourselves."

Orady then pointed out that "injustice is not a license for further injustice." "God alone is the only one qualified to judge," she clarified, "He alone knows all individual intentions and circumstances."

Orady; Michael Friedland, spiritual leader of Sinai Synagogue in South Bend, Ind.; and Seventh-day Adventist Jerald Whitehouse -- committed to cultivating an "academic, authentic, and truthful discussion of religion."

The panelists discussed what it means to be a child of Abraham, the role political greed and negative media play in aggravating the already fractured relationship among the three Abrahamic faiths, and how best to eradicate misconceptions and build community.

The three panelists advised representatives of their respective religions that the best way to destroy stereotypes and misinformation is to get acquainted and work together toward remedying issues of social injustice independent of any doctrinal or ideological thrust.

Whitehouse added, it is vital to approach inter-religious relations with a "non-sectarian agenda," if one hopes to discover the "tremendous commonalities" among the three religions.

Throughout the day, other symposium speakers included Jon Paulien, professor of New Testament interpretation at the Seventh-day Theological Seminary; Abigail Doukhan, professor and lecturer who is currently completing her doctorate in philosophy from the University of Nanterre, Paris, France, with an emphasis in contemporary ethics; Øystein S. LaBianca, professor of anthropology and senior director of the Institute of Archaeology at Andrews University; and John Graz, director of the Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department at the Seventh-day Adventist headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Source : http://news.adventist.org/data/2006/1143759992/index.html.en

Symposium Addresses Shared Jewish-Christian-Muslim Heritage

The Muslim Women Find Their Voice

n what many scholars are calling a significant step, more than 100 Muslim women leaders will gather in New York City this month to launch an advisory council--one that could provide alternative opinions and become a voice for women's rights in the traditionally male-dominated field of Islamic law.

The council, which hopes to build consensus on varying issues, comes on the heels of what appears to be a growing movement among Muslim women to seek empowerment.

Last year, an Islamic studies professor, Amina Wadud, led a mixed congregation in Friday prayers in New York City, creating an uproar across the Muslim world. Prayers on an Islamic holiday last January were conducted by a woman in Boston. And in the spring, a woman led Friday worship in Canada.

Two Muslim countries have also decided to take on the issue of women's equality. In Morocco, 50 women imams were recently awarded diplomas by the Islamic Affairs Ministry. In Turkey, the Diyanet, or Directorate of Religious Affairs, appointed 200 state-paid female preachers. The Diyanet also announced in June that it would delete from the hadith, or traditional sayings and deeds of Muhammad, passages that discriminated against women or even subordinated them to men.

"What you're seeing is the emergence of a feminist movement," said Daisy Khan, organizer of the Women's Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equity, the conference next weekend that hopes to launch the women's shura or advisory council.

More Muslim women are pursuing degrees in Islamic studies and Islamic law, she said, to the point where they feel comfortable adding a "critical and unique voice."

Panel's credibility questioned

Still, some experts wonder whether an advisory council for and by women will be accepted by men or the larger Muslim community.

"Credibility among Muslim leadership is the key issue," said Laila Al-Marayati, spokeswoman for the California-based Muslim Women's League. "If you have something that carries weight and could influence a community or generate change in behavior, then it would have value."

One scholar, Emory University law professor Abdullahi An-Naim, insisted that the shura would be discredited simply because it's being formed in the United States, whose foreign policy is heavily criticized throughout the Muslim world.

The conference is organized by the American Society for Muslim Advancement with sponsorship from U.S. foundations like the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

The session is to bring together women from a wide spectrum--liberal feminists, moderates and conservatives--from America, Canada, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. The Muslim establishment will be represented by Ingrid Mattson, the first woman to head the largest Muslim group, the Islamic Society of North America. On the progressive end will be women like Asra Nomani, author of "Standing Alone in Mecca," who wants to end strict gender separation during prayer.

In the absence of a pope or hierarchy, Muslims follow different schools of thought and when they don't understand something, they approach an imam, a community leader or read books.

9th Century interpretations

Women scholars point to the 9th Century as a time in Islamic history when many Islamic rules and laws--derived from interpreting the Koran and hadith--were laid out by scholars who were mostly men. Those rules are now repeated by traditional imams or religious leaders. In Muslim countries that follow Shariah law, the problem becomes more profound.

"Muslim countries that are using the Shariah, the law that's practiced is not pure," said Irfana Anwer, executive director for Karamah: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights. "They're very biased and very discriminatory toward women. They don't protect them."

So, many Muslim women lawyers and academics are calling for the reinterpretation of those dictates and laws.

Groups like the Sisters in Islam in Malaysia, the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, Karamah and the Muslim Women's League at times have put that reinterpretation into practice, calling for a more humane treatment of women, but using the Koranic text to back their arguments.

"It's a cross between theoretical feminism and Koranic feminism," said Marcia Hermansen, an Islamic studies professor at Loyola University Chicago. "They want to keep the text as revelation, and they believe the meaning can be read as egalitarian and women-friendly. They know that's the way to change minds in the Muslim world where people are deeply religious."

The advisory council hopes to bring the local efforts into a more global body that could quickly issue a position when an incident unfolds like that of Mukhtar Mai in Pakistan or Amina Lawal in Nigeria. A tribal council sanctioned the gang rape of Mai in retaliation for an alleged sexual offense that her brother had committed. Lawal was sentenced to be stoned to death for an out-of-wedlock birth.

Khan, the conference organizer, hopes that during next week's gathering a core of about six Muslim woman scholars can be selected.

It would be up to them to hash out opinions on various cases. The general body of the advisory council--the other women attending the conference--would then vote on each recommendation. The majority opinion eventually would be distributed globally.

Female scholars in shadows

Abdul Malik Mujahid, chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, said most Muslims are not aware of the work being done by women scholars studying Islam.

"Once they come together, their voices can be collectively known," he said.

Legitimacy may, or may not, come later, he said.

"Some will accept it," he said. "Some may not, and some may accept it halfway."

PANEL LIKELY TO DISCUSS HONOR KILLINGS, DRESS

These are some issues that may be addressed in a proposed advisory council for Muslim women:

Honor killings: How can Muslim women end the tradition of honor killings in some cultures? Such killings target women for alleged sexual or marital offenses. They often are carried out by family members, but perpetrators are rarely prosecuted in court.

Hudood laws: How can laws unfair to Muslim women be removed, such as the Pakistani penal code that makes it hard to prove an allegation of rape?

Dress: What is the obligatory Islamic dress for Muslim women? Some cover their hair, some don't. Some cover their faces as well. In Britain, a teacher's aide's fight to wear the niqab, or face veil, drew criticism from Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Equality in the mosque: How can Muslim women have equal access to mosques? Often they are relegated to a back room, entered only through a side door. They cannot see the religious leader or imam, and at times cannot hear the sermon.

Women imams: Can Muslim women lead prayers for both men and women? In New York last year a female Islamic studies professor created a storm by leading a joint prayer.

Source : http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/2916

The Islamic Laws Regarding Divorces

Islam allows divorce if circumstances warrant or necessitate it. Islam has permitted divorce reluctantly, neither liking nor recommending it. The Prophet of Islam has said:

"Among lawful things, divorce is most disliked by Allah" (narrated in the book of tradition of Abu Daud).

Islam has not made it necessary that the grounds of divorce should be publicized. It, however; does not mean that Islam views divorce lightly. In fact, publicity of grounds may not be of any positive consequence. The grounds may not be pronounced but genuine. On the other hand, the grounds may be stated and may in reality be false. Islam does not also want washing dirty linen of private affairs in public or in the court except in exceptional circumstances. It is for this reason that court comes in as a last resort in the Islamic scheme of separation of husband and wife.

The Quran states as regards grounds of divorce in very general terms:

"And if you fear that the two (i.e husband and wife) may not be able to keep the limits ordered by Allah, there is no blame on either of them if she redeems herself (from the marriage tie) "
(2 : 229).

The general ground of divorce in the Quran, therefore, is hopeless failure of one or both parties to discharge their marital duties and to consort with each other in kindness, peace and compassion.

The jurists have developed some indices which may be accepted as grounds of divorce in case the divorce matter goes to the court. Long absence of husband without any information, long imprisonment, refusal to provide for wife, impotence etc. are some of the grounds on which wife can ask for divorce. Either party may take steps to divorce in case of chronicle disease, insanity, deceptive misrepresentation during marriage contract, desertion etc.

A Muslim male is allowed three chances, that is to say, three pronouncements or acts of divorce on three different occasions provided that each divorce is pronounced during the time when the wife is in the period of purity (that is not in her menstrual time). A husband may divorce his wife once and let the Iddat (the period of waiting after divorce) pass. During the waiting period the two have the option of being reconciled. If however the waiting period passes without reconciliation, they stand fully divorced.

If after the first divorce the husband is reconciled with his wife but the hostility and conflict begins all over again, he may divorce her a second time in the same manner as stated above. In this case also he can return to her during the Iddat (or waiting period). If however, after second reconciliation, he divorces the wife the third time, he can not take back the wife during the Iddat. She is totally prohibited for him. The lady, thereafter can marry any person she likes according to her choice. (Ref: The Lawful and the prohibited in Islam by Dr. Yusuf Al Qaradawi).

The wife can divorce her husband if this condition is stipulated in the marriage contract. This kind of divorce is called ‘Delegated Divorce’ (Talaq Taffiz). Marriage can also be dissolved through mutual consent. This is called Khula in the technical language of Islamic law. Marriage can also be dissolved by judicial process through the court on complaint of the wife on the grounds explained before.

One of the consequences of the divorce is the commencement of waiting period for the wife. This usually lasts three months. If there is a pregnancy, it lasts as long as pregnancy lasts. The waiting period is basically a term of probation during which reconciliation can be attempted. It is also required to establish whether the wife has conceived. It also allows time for planning the future.

Maintenance of wife during the waiting period is on husband. The wife can not be expelled from her place of residence and he can not in any way harass her. These will constitute moral as well as criminal offence.

In case of divorce, the young children remain in the custody of their divorced mother. However, the father has to provide the cost of maintenance of young children though they remain under the custody of mother. (Ref : The Family Structure in Islam by Dr. Hammudah Abdul Ati).

Islamic law of divorce is based on practical considerations. The process of separation is basically a matter of husband and wife. However; when conflict arises, attempts should be made for reconciliation. It has not made judicial process obligatory in divorce for reasons explained earlier. The intervention of court has nowhere reduced the number of divorce. Judicial process in Islam is the last resort in so far as divorce is concerned.

Islamic law on divorce if followed in true spirit will enhance the dignity of man and woman, reduce conflict and ensure justice.

Source : http://www.jamaat.org/islam/divorce.html

Women In Islam : The Divorce

Moreover the procedure of divorce in Islam is such as to encourage reconciliation where possible. After divorce the woman should wait three monthly cycles during which her husband remains responsible for her welfare and maintenance. He is not permitted to drive her out of the house during this period. She has been advised not to leave the house of the divorcing husband, in order to enhance the chances of reconciliation, as well as to protect her right of sustenance during the three months waiting period. The main purpose of this waiting period is to clarify whether the divorced wife is or is not expecting a child. Its second use is as a cooling-off period during which the relatives and other members of the family or of the community may try to help towards a reconciliation and better understanding between the partners. The Qur'an says:

"And if you fear a breach between the two, then appoint judge from his people and a judge from her people; if they both desire agreement, Allah will effect harmony between them, surely Allah is Knowing, Aware." (4:35).

If they are reconciled they may resume the marriage relations at any time within the waiting period, whereupon the divorce is automatically revoked. If further trouble arises and divorce is pronounced a second time, the same procedure is followed. Only if the matter reaches a third divorce does it become irrevocable. The wife is then to leave the house and is free after three monthly cycles to marry another man if she wishes. The first husband is not then permitted to remarry her unless she has in the meantime married another man and been divorced in usual legal manner.

This procedure is the normal one followed if the husband is the one seeking divorce or if the divorce is by mutual consent. If the wife seeks divorce against the wishes of the husband she may take her case to the court and obtain divorce.

An instance was reported at the time of the Prophet when a woman came to him saying that although her husband was a good man and she had no complaint against his treatment, she disliked him greatly and could not live with him. The Prophet directed that she should return to the husband a garden which he had given to her as her dowry, as the condition of her divorce. This procedure is sanctioned in the Qur'an where Allah says:

"And if you fear that they may not be able to keep the limits of Allah, then there is no sin for either of them, if the woman redeems herself with that" (2:229).

One may observe that modern developments in marriage law in England and other Western countries are tending towards the Islamic pattern, albeit unconsciously, in many ways, stressing guidance and counselling before divorce, privacy of divorce proceedings and speeding of the process of divorce once it has been established that the marriage has irretrievably broken down.

The law of Islam does not therefore compel unhappy couples to stay together, but its procedures help them to find a basis on which they can be reconciled with each other. If reconciliation is impossible the law does not impose any unnecessary delay or obstacle in the way of either partner's remarriage.

Right to Inheritance

Another right of the Muslim woman which is a part of Islamic law is the right to inherit property. The method of division of inheritance is clearly laid down in the Qur'an and the general rule is that man gets double. This may if taken in isolation from other legislation appear to be unfair; however, it must be remembered that in accordance with the verse of the Qur'an quoted earlier, men are charged with the maintenance of all the women and children in their family, and therefore their necessary obligations of expenditure are far higher than those of women. The half-share that a woman inherits may therefore be considered a generous one since it is for herself alone. Any such money or property which a woman owns or any business which she runs is entirely her own and her husband has no right to any of it.

Source : http://www.jamaat.org/islam/WomanDivorce.html

Article of Polygamy

The term polygamy (a Greek word meaning "the practice of multiple marriage") is used in related ways in social anthropology, sociobiology, and sociology. Polygamy can be defined as any "form of marriage in which a person [has] more than one spouse."^[1]

In social anthropology, polygamy is the practice of marriage to more than one spouse simultaneously. Historically, polygamy has been practiced as polygyny (one man having more than one wife), or as polyandry (one woman having more than one husband), or, less commonly as group marriage (husbands having many wives and those wives having many husbands). (See "Forms of Polygamy" below.) In contrast, monogamy is the practice of each person having only one spouse. Like monogamy, the term is often used in a de facto sense, applying regardless of whether the relationships are recognized by the state (see marriage for a discussion on the extent to which states can and do recognize potentially and actually polygamous forms as valid).

In sociobiology, polygamy is used in a broad sense to mean any form of multiple mating. In a narrower sense, used by zoologists, polygamy includes a pair bond, perhaps temporary.

Forms of polygamy

Polygamy exists in three specific forms, including polygyny (one man having multiple wives), polyandry (one woman having multiple husbands), or group marriage (some combination of polygyny and polyandry). Historically, all three practices have been found, but polygyny is by far the most common in the world.^{[citation needed]} Confusion arises when the broad term "polygamy" is used when a narrower definition is intended.

Polygyny

Polygyny is the situation in which one man is either married to or involved in sexual relationships with a number of different women at one time. This is the most common form of polygamy. This was the most common form of polygamy practiced by Mormons in the 19th century, and practiced today by self-identified fundamentalist offshoots.

Polyandry

Polyandry is a practice where a woman is married to more than one man at the same time. Fraternal polyandry was traditionally practiced among nomadic Tibetans in Nepal and parts of China, in which two or more brothers share the same wife, with her having equal sexual access to them. Polyandry is believed to be more likely in societies with scarce environmental resources, as it is believed to limit human population growth and enhance child survival. A woman can only have so many children in her lifetime, no matter how many husbands she has. On the other hand, a child with many "fathers", all of whom provide resources, is more likely to survive. (In contrast, the number of children would be increased if polygyny were practiced, and a man had more than one wife. These wives could be simultaneously pregnant).^[2] It is a rare form of marriage that exists not only among poor families, but also within the elite.^[

Group marriage

Group marriage, or circle marriage, may exist in a number of forms, such as where more than one man and more than one woman form a single family unit, and all members of the marriage share parental responsibility for any children arising from the marriage. Another possible arrangement not thought to exist in reality (on the social level), although occurring in science fiction (notably in Robert Heinlein'sThe Moon Is a Harsh Mistress), is the long-lived line marriage, in which deceased or departing spouses in the group are continually replaced by others, so that family property never becomes dispersed through inheritance.

Bigamy

Bigamy is the act or condition of a person marrying another person while still being lawfully married to a third person. Bigamy is listed (and sometimes prosecuted) as a crime in most western countries. For example, in the United States, because of the contract a married person makes upon becoming married, that person is obliged not to marry again as long as the first marriage continues; stipulations of the marriage license applying.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy

Why Polygamy Is Allowed In Islamic?

Islam has allowed a man to marry more than one wife. This has been done for the purpose of solving many social and domestic problems, which a family is confronted with from time to time. Many are the times when the general welfare of both man and woman depends upon the husband marrying another wife.

As Seyyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi, Chief Missionary of the Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania, wrote in the Submission to the Commission on the Law of Marriage and Divorce and Matrimonial Status of Women which was appointed by the Kenya government:

Polygamy: African society was, and to a certain extent is, a polygamous society. Islam also permits polygamy. It has allowed four wives at a time and has enjoined equality in treatment of all wives.

It should be remembered that polygamy is not a compulsory thing nor is it advocated. It is just a permission with certain limitation and conditions. And in some of the circumstances this permission proves extremely useful.

For example: If the wife is chronically ill, or is barren, or for some other reasons it is not desirable for the couple to live as husband and wife. The remedy offered by certain societies is to divorce the wife and remarry. But is this justice? Is it kind or noble to turn out a woman in her old or middle age from her home, just because she remains sick or she happens to be barren? Islam discourages such cruelty by permitting polygamy. (Light, Vol. I, Nos, 11-12)

Unfortunately, the West, and particularly the Christian church leaders, have used this permission of polygamy for criticizing Islam. Their motive seems just to oppose Islam, hoping thereby to hamper its progress, by degrading it in the eyes of the world.

In their propaganda against this permission, the critics present the following arguments:

1. That marrying more than one wife is against the natural law;
2. That this permission encourages lust and sensuality, which is detrimental to the family well being;
3. That the system of polygamy has social disadvantages, injures the delicate feelings of women; causes deep frustrations and disappointments, giving rise to the feeling of hate and hatred which upsets the proper brought-up of children;
4. That this law disturbs the family planning, as plurality of wives naturally increases the number of children; this in its turn causes economic problems.

Before commenting on these objections, let us first examine whether it was Islam, which originally promulgated the system of polygamy, or it existed since pre-historic days. Also let us see whether it is found in other religions. Then we should see on what grounds and with what conditions has Islam allowed a man to marry more than one wife. Does it offer solutions to the social problems facing many countries today?

Polygamy: An Ancient Institution

S.V. Mir Ahmad Ali writes:

"Polygamy was prevalent among all the nations of antiquity, not excluding the Hindus and Buddhists. The world in general and Arabia in particular before the ministry of the Holy Prophet was lying deeply buried under gross licentiousness and depravity. Which historic fact no educated one among us can ever contradict, particularly about the private life of the rulers of the states. The great king Dasarata, the father of Sri Rama, was polygamous. The Christian monarchs of Europe could not help themselves against having wives more than one. Henry the VIII of England had as many as eight wives. Even the great Apostles of God like Abraham, Solomon and the others had wives more than one." (Translation of the Holy Qur'an, footnote No. 499)

Polygamy: According to Hindu Law

There is a good deal of controversy as to whether polygamy is sanctioned by Hindu Law. According to Manu the Law on the subject is as follows:

1. "For the first marriage of twice-born men (wives) of equal caste are recommended, but for those who through desire proceed (to marry again) the following females, (chosen) according to the (direct) order (of the castes) are most approved." (Here follows the list of women who may be approved of) (Manu, iii 12).
2. "It twice-born men wed women of their own and of other (lower castes) the seniority, honor, and habitation of those (wives) must be (settled) according to the order of the castes (Varna)." (Manu, ix 85).
3. "If, after one damsel has been shown, another be given to the bridegroom, he may marry the both, for the same price that Manu ordained," (Manu, viii 204).
4. "Among all (twice-born men) the wife of equal caste alone (not a wife of a different caste by any means), shall personally attend her husband and assist him in his daily sacred rites." (Manu, ix 86).
5. "But he who foolishly causes that (duty) to be performed by another while his wife of equal caste is alive, is declared by the ancients (to be) as (despicable) as a Kandala (spring from the) Brahamana caste." (Manu, ix 87).

(S.V. Mir Ahmad Ali, Ibid)

The above quotations clearly indicate that Manu sanctioned polygamy, "and it is now quite settled in the Courts of British India that a Hindu is absolutely without restriction as to the number of his wives, anyone may marry again without his wife's consent, or any justification, except his own wish." (Mayne, On Hindu Law and Usage, p. 113) (Ibid)

Polygamy: According to Jewish Law

In Exodus (Chapter 21, Verse 10) it is stated:

"If he takes him 'another wife', her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage shall be not diminish."

It is evident to even a casual reader of Old Testament that not only is polygamy permitted but also practiced, and that regulations for that have been stipulated in the scriptures.

Polygamy: According to Christianity

The Christian writers say that "monogamy (i.e., marrying one wife only) is the divine ideal. The Creator constituted as a union between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:18-24 Matt. 19:5; 1 Car. 6:i6) He preserves the number of males practically equal to the number of females." (The Westminster Dictionary of Bible, 1944 edition)

We will talk about this supposed equal numbers of males and females later on. Here I would like to quote from the Bible where God addresses David in following words:

"And I gave thee (David) thy master's house, and thy master's 'wives' into thy bosom, and gave thee the House of Israel and of Juda." (2 Sam. 12:8)

How is it that God Himself gave him his 'master's wives' if His intention was to keep the 'one man with one woman' rule? Even in the seventh generation after Adam we find that "Lamech took unto him two wives" (Gen. 4:19); Abraham had three wives; Jacob had 2 wives besides concubines; Moses did not forbid it, instead he brought Laws to regulate it, as has been mentioned in the previous heading.

Christians try to overcome these difficulties implying that the previous prophets had made mistake in marrying more than one wife. But the insurmountable difficulty faces them in case of Moses. Because Moses had brought a Law from God, and if it was God's intention to make marriage 'an union between one man and one wife', why did He give Moses regulations about polygamy? The above-mentioned Dictionary of Bible tries to gloss over this difficulty by saying, "Moses, who was correcting abuses, not suddenly abolishing them, did not forbid polygamy, but discouraged it."

It is a claim, which cannot be justified, because Moses himself married two wives: one was Zipporah, daughter of Jethro (known in Islamic language as Shuaib), the other was a Cushite woman whom Moses married in the 2nd year of the sojourn of the Israelites in the wilderness. (Num. 12:1)

There is no mention anywhere in the scriptures or any other writing that Zipporah was not alive at that time.

So far about Moses and the Prophets before him. Now we come to the prophets who came after this 'supposed discouraging'. We find that polygamy continued to be practiced even after the time of Moses, as by Gideon, Elkanah, Saul, Rehoboam and countless others. For the details, see Judge. 8:30; I Sam. 1:2; II Sam. 12:8; 21:8.

Prophet "David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem." (11 Sam. 5:13). Prophet Solomon "had seven hundred wives, princess, and three hundred concubines." (I Kings 11:3)

Now we came to the period after the ministry of Jesus Christ, SV. Mir Ahmad Ali writes in his translation of the Holy Qur'an:

It has often been asserted that Christianity interdicted polygamy and made monogamy obligatory on all. Nothing can be farther from the truth.

Ameer Ali, speaking of the general prevalence of polygamy among all nations, remarks:

"And so it was understood by the leaders of Christendom that there is no intrinsic immorality or sinfulness in plurality of wives. One of the greatest fathers of the Christian Church (St. Augustine) has declared that polygamy is not a crime where it is a legal institution of a country, and the German reformers, even as late as the sixteenth century, allowed and declared valid the taking of a second or even a third wife, contemporaneously with the first, in default of issue, or any other cause." (Ameer Ali, Life and Teachings, p. 220, and also Ameer Ali, Mohammedan Law, Vol. II p. 23)

"When Christianity made its appearance in Rome, history shows that polygamy was recognized and the early Christian Emperors seem to have admitted its validity." Says Ameer Ali:

The Emperor Valentinian II, by an Edict, allowed all the subjects of the Empire, if they pleased, to marry several wives; nor does it appear from the ecclesiastical history of these times that the Bishops and the heads of the Christian made any objection to this law. Far from it, all the succeeding Emperors practiced polygamy, and the people generally were not remiss in following their example. Even the clergy often had wives. This state of the laws continued until the time of Justinian, who... resulted in their embodiment in the celebrated laws of Justinian. 'But these laws owed little to Christianity, at least directly.' The greatest adviser of Justinian was an atheist and a pagan. Even prohibition of polygamy by Justinian failed to check the tendency of the age. (Ameer Ali, Life and Teachings of Mohammad pp. 222-223) " (S.V. Mir Ahmad Ali, foot note 499)

It should be mentioned here that Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian (527-565) was in the 6th century of Christian era; it means that up to 6th century there was no prohibition of polygamy in Christianity, at all.

The following paragraphs from 'An Apology For Mohammad And Koran' (by John Davenport) show clearly that the Christian Leaders up to at least 16th century did not frown upon polygamy:

St. Chrysostem, speaking of Abraham and Hagar, says, 'These things were not then forbidden.' So St. Augustine observes that 'there was a blameless custom of one man having many wives, which at that time might be done in a way of duty, which now cannot be done but from licentiousness, because for the sake of multiplying posterity, no law forbade a plurality of wives. (See Grotius, De Jure, vol. i. p. 268 note)

Benefice, Confessor of Lower Germany, having consulted Pope Gregory, in the year 726, in order to know in what cases a husband might be allowed to have two wives, Gregory replied, on the 22nd November of the same year, in these words - If a wife be attacked by a malady which renders her unfit for conjugal intercourse, the husband may marry another, but in that case he must allow his sick wife all necessary support and assistance.

Even writers professing Christianity have published many works in defense of polygamy. Bernardo Ochinus, General of the Order of Capuchins, published, about the middle of the sixteenth century, dialogues in favor of the practice, and about the same time appeared a treatise on behalf of a plurality of wives; the author, whose real name was Lysarus, having assumed the pseudo one of The Ophilus Aleuthes.

Selden proves, in his 'Uxor Hebraica', that polygamy was allowed not only among the Jews, but also likewise among all other nations.

But the most distinguished defender of polygamy was the celebrated John Milton, who, in his 'Treatise on Christian Doctrine', after quoting various passages from the Bible in defense of the practice, says, 'Moreover, God, in an allegorical fiction (Ezekiel, xxiii) represents Himself as having espoused two wives, Ahelah and Aholiah a mode of speaking which Jehovah would by no means have employed, especially at such length even in a parable, nor, indeed, have taken upon himself such a character at all, if the practice which it implied had been intrinsically dishonorable or shameful.

On what grounds, then, can a practice be considered as so dishonorable or shameful which is prohibited to no one even under the Gospel; for that dispensation annuls none of the merely civil regulations, which existed previously to its introduction....

"Lastly, I argue as follows, from Hebrews, xiii. v.4: Polygamy is either marriage, fornication or adultery. The Apostle recognizes no fourth state. Reverence for so many patriarchs who were polygamists will, I trust, deter every one from considering it as fornication or adultery, for 'where mongers and adulterers God will judge', whereas the patriarchs were the objects of his especial favor, as he himself witnesses. If, then, polygamy be marriage properly so called, it is also lawful and honorable: according to the same Apostle, 'marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled.'" (Apology For Mohammed And Koran, pp. 157-59)

John Milton has earlier written in the same book (Treatise On Christian Doctrine) as follows:

"In the definition, which I have given (i.e., of marriage) I have not said, in compliance with the common opinion, 'of one man with one woman', lest I should by implication charge the holy patriarchs and pillars of our faith, Abraham, and the others who had more than one wife at the same time, with habitual fornication and adultery, lest I should be forced to exclude from the sanctuary of God as spurious the holy offspring which sprang from them, yea, the whole of the sons of Israel, for whom the sanctuary itself was made. For it is said (Deut. xxiii 2): A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of Jehovah, even to his tenth generation. Either, therefore, polygamy is a true marriage or all children born in that state are spurious; which would include the whole race of Jacob, the twelve holy tribes chosen by God. But as such an assertion would be absurd in the extreme, not to say impious, and as it is the height of injustice, as well as an example of most dangerous tendency in religion; 'to account as sin what is not such in reality', it appears true that, so far from the question respecting the lawfulness of polygamy being trivial, it is of the highest importance that it should be decided." (pp. 231-32)

Polygamy: According to Islam

First of all, it should be remembered that the Hindus, Babylonians, Persians, Athenians, Jews and pre-Islamic Arabs recognized no limit to the number of wives a man could marry. Islam limited and restricted it in number; and hedged it with severe restrictions.

The attitude of husband towards all his wives must be such as to give no occasion to heartburning, jealousy, dissatisfaction, discontent and frustration to any of them. There should be no cruelty, injustice, bias or partiality on the part of the husband. It is expected and seen that complete peace, harmony and tranquility prevails in the household where the husband faithfully observes the injunctions of Islam regarding the equal status of all the wives in matters of maintenance, and general treatment.

If the husband cannot exercise this equality he is not allowed to marry more than one. Regarding this restriction of number and equal treatment, the Qur'an ordains:

"Marry such as you please, of other women, by twos, threes and fours; but if you apprehend that you shall not be able to deal justly with them, then marry one only." (Qur'an, 4:3)

To ensure that fairness and justice, the husband must have sufficient economic means to provide adequate food, clothing and other necessities of life to each of them; each of the wives must be provided with a separate house of her own, where only the husband has a right to enter without asking her permission first. The husband must spend equal time in the house of every wife. He must divide his nights among them, and must visit wives in the morning. This will give him a chance to look after the welfare of all every day, and will maintain good relationship with all of them.

The fact is that the imposition of the above conditions has made polygamy very much restricted among the Muslims; and one comes across very rare cases of polygamy in the Muslim societies.

Polygamy: A Natural Law

Now, we should look at the arguments of the Christians against the system of polygamy. Is polygamy really against the natural law?

The facts and findings answer this question in negative.

"'Man', says G.R. Scott, 'is essentially polygamous and the development of civilization extends this innate polygamy.' "(History of prostitution, p. 21; as quoted in 'Polygamy in Islam' published by Islami Mission, Lahore)

Dr. Mercier says: "Woman is by nature monogamist; man has in him the element of polygamist." (Conduct and its Disorders Biologically Considered, p. 292-3; as quoted in 'Polygamy In Islam')

Professor Russel, an American scholar, said in a conference, held at the University of California, convened to discuss the Family Rights:

"Marriage to one wife and being tied down to only one wife for the whole span of life is unnatural and unreasonable." Then, in the course of a long discussion, he summarized his theory by sayings that "man aught to accept the law of more than one wife as an important factor in the struggle for the survival." (Ittilaat, Tehran, No. 3104).

While on this topic, we should examine the claim that the Creator "preserves the number of males practically equal to the number of females."

It is a claim what cannot be justified in any way. There are a number of countries, including Tanzania, where the population of women exceeds considerably that of men. According to statistics published some time ago, in Soviet Russia, the population of women is about 21 million more than that of the men.

And even if we accept, just for the sake of argument, that the Creator creates equal number of males and females, does it prove that there will be no need of polygamy? Well, let us look at this matter in a reasoned way. The girls become capable of re-production, and get the natural sexual feeling earlier than boys. Islam has fixed the age of 9 years for a girl to be considered as an adult, while the age limit for the boys is 14 or 15. It is because in temperate climate girls are able to conceive at the age of 9 or 10; while in the same climate an average boy becomes able to establish sexual intercourse at the age of about 14 or 15.

Now, suppose a group of people settle together in a place, and suppose that every year 50 boys and 50 girls are born in that community. Also suppose that none of the children die in infancy. In 20 years, there will be 1,000 boys and 1,000 girls.

Out of these 1,000 girls, 550 girls (who were born from the 1st. to the 11th year) will have reached the age of puberty, i.e., will be from 10 to 20 years old.

And out of the 1,000 boys only 300 will reach the age of puberty. These will be the ones born from 1st year to the 6th year, who will be from 15 to 20 years old.

If that community practices monogamy, the 300 boys can marry 300 girls. What will be the fate of the remaining 250 girls? So, the supposed equality in number of boys and girls is wrong not only according to the statistics, but in theory also.

Also, one more fact has to be borne in mind, before claiming this equality of the numbers. All healthy women have to pass through a period, every month, when their condition discourages establishment of sexual intercourse. But the man does not lose his sexual urge at any time. What is the remedy if a man is unable to resist his sexual urge at a time when his wife is having her menstruation?

Either polygamy, which has legal status, or going to the prostitutes, which is forbidden in every religion.

Apart from these Natural Causes, which refute the claim of the Christian priests, there are some situations created by man which give lie to that claim. Take for example 'war'. In Europe, during the Thirty-year war and in the last two World wars, so many men were killed that there were not enough males to marry the young girls and young widows. In West Germany alone, after the 2nd World War, there were six million women who could not find a husband. A group of them appealed to the government to promulgate a law allowing polygamy, so that they may get husbands. They pleaded their case on the grounds that it will provide them, economic and social security and satisfy their natural urge. The Church opposed this move, and the helpless 6 million women were left to fend for themselves by illicit sexual activities.

Bertrand Russell says:

"And in all countries where there is an excess of women, it is an obvious injustice that those women who by arithmetical necessity must remain unmarried should be wholly debarred from sexual experience." (Marriage and Morals, p. 47)

Does Polygamy Encourage Sensuality?

The above quotation has brought us to the next objection of the Christian-priests, that polygamy encourages lust and sensuality. We have already shown by arithmetical calculations and historical facts that the, system of monogamy has compelled and is compelling millions and millions of unfortunate girls to live immoral life, and these writers still have the cheek to tell us that polygamy (which is the only cure to this malady) leads to sensuality!

The following paragraphs, taken from 'Polygamy in Islam', give us a fair picture of Western monogamy:

"Islam allows its followers legal marriage in addition to the first one and, having allowed fullest possible legitimate outlet to the sex impulse, it prescribes very severe and deterrent punishment for adultery, because adultery destroys peace, harmony, tranquility prevailing in homes, throws doubt on the fatherhood of children and legitimacy of inheritance, and ultimately results in broken homes, ruined families and dissolutions of marriages.

In Europe and America, it is just the other way about, and they have solved the problem of sexual outlet in a peculiar way. They have allowed women full and free inter-mixing with strangers of opposite sex in name of so-called emancipation of women, and this has resulted in over-increasing cases of fornication and adultery. Bertrand Russell says, 'With the growth of women's freedom there has come a much greater opportunity for conjugal infidelity than existed in former times. The opportunity gives rise to the thought; the thought gives rise to the desire and in the absence of religious scruples, the desire gives rise to the act.' (Marriage and Morals, by Bertrand Russell, page 72)

The result is that the men and women born during the present century in the so-called civilized Europe and America do not believe that fornication and extra-marital relations as such are a sin. There is neither internal nor external control in matters of sex. Conjugal fidelity is not expected now-a-days. The sexual revolution is in full swing.

"Of course, polygamy is considered an infringement of the rights of women, but practically these monogamists go on practicing surreptitious, clandestine and underhand polygamy by defiling secretly the wives, daughters and sisters of other people. Polygamy is considered an evil but left-handed wives are kept without any scruples. No eyebrows are lifted on sexual promiscuity. Enticement is provided by seminude dresses, freedom of intermixing with strangers of opposite sex, posters showing nude women, sex symbols, sex-insinuating material and obscenity in cinemas where physical contours move in synchronization with seductive and vulgar music." (pp. 9-11)

Mrs. Annie Besant wrote on this subject:

"There is pretended monogamy in the West, but there is real polygamy without responsibility. The mistress is cast off when the man is weary of her and she sinks gradually to be the woman of the street: for the first lover has no responsibility for her future: and she is hundred times worse off than a sheltered wife and the mother in the polygamous home. When we see thousands of miserable women, who crowd the streets of Western towns during the night, we must surely feel that it does not lie in Western mouths to reproach Islam for its polygamy. It is better for a woman, happier for a woman, more respectable for a woman to live in Islamic polygamy united to one man only with the legitimate child in her arms and surrounded with respect, than to be seduced, cast out in the streets perhaps with an illegitimate child, outside the pale of law, un-sheltered and uncared for, to become a victim of any passer by, night after night, rendered incapable of motherhood, despised by all."

George Bernard Shaw advised the people of Europe to adopt the system of polygamy to save Europe from inundation of adultery.

Another Western writer, J. E. McFarlance; writes in his "The Case for Polygamy or The Case against the System of Monogamous Marriage":

"Whether the question is considered socially, ethically or religiously, it can be demonstrated that polygamy is not contrary to the highest standards of civilization. The suggestion offers a practical remedy for the Western problems to destitute families; the alternative is continued and increased prostitution, concubine and distressing spinsterhood."

A Bishop from Ibadan (Nigeria), Rev. Odotula, in a religious conference held at Toronto, shed another light on this subject. He said: "The West by prohibiting the law of (polygamy) act with hypocrisy, as by frequent divorces they have in fact been practicing this custom."

And that Bishop is not alone. Even as early as last century the Christian clergy had realized that Islamic polygamy is infinitely better than the Western monogamy. Reverend Canon Issac Taylor, LL.D. speaking on 'Mohamedanism' at the Church congress at Wolverhampton, on 7th October, 1887, said:

"Owing to polygamy, Muslim countries are free from professional out-casts, a greater reproach to Christendom than polygamy is to Islam. The strictly regulated polygamy of Moslem lands is infinitely less degrading to women and less injurious to man than the promiscuous polygamy which is the curse of Christian cities, and which is absolutely unknown in Islam." (The Times, London, Saturday, 8th Oct, 1887).

And recently, such a personality as Dr. Billy Graham said:

"Christianity cannot but compromise on the question of polygamy. If present day Christianity cannot do so, it is to its own detriment. Islam has permitted polygamy as a solution to social ills, and has allowed a certain degree of latitude to human nature but only within the strictly defined framework of law. Christian countries make a great show of Monogamy, but actually they practice polygamy. No one is unaware of the part mistresses' play in Western society. In this respect Islam is a fundamentally honest religion, and permits a Muslim to marry a second wife if he must be strictly forbidden all clandestine amatory associations in order to safeguard the moral policy of the community." (Quoted in "The Position, of Woman in Islam", published by the Islamic Foundation, Karachi).

Does Polygamy Injure the Feelings of Women?

The third objection is that polygamy has social disadvantages, and injures the delicate feelings of women. We have already seen that far from creating social disadvantages, polygamy cures the social disadvantages, and that it is the pretended monogamy, which is the root cause of the vast array of the social abuses in the Western countries. Now, we may briefly explain the subject of the supposed injury to the delicate feelings of the women. One wonders if the prevalent permissiveness of the Christian countries does not injure the delicate feelings of the wives who see their husbands flirting with all types of 'emancipated' women.

So far as Islamic societies are concerned, the instances are not uncommon where a wife herself persuades the husband to marry a second wife. Often, she herself chooses the bride-to-be. The writings of Westerners do not carry any weight on this subject, because they do not live in a Muslim society, and whatever they write is based on mere presumption and imagination. If there is to be any discussion on this subject, it must be based on the data gathered from Islamic societies.

According to the Ittilaat (daily), Tehran, (No. 13114) a man with his three wives approached the Matrimonial Tribunal to seek their permission to marry a fourth wife. All three existing wives recommended and approved the intended marriage. The reporter of Ittilaat approached the mother of the wife-to-be, to investigate the background of this incident. He learnt that in that village there were 2000 women compared to 400 males (half of them still below 14 years of age). The would-be 'Mother-in-law' preferred to give her daughter to a man already having three wives to the alternative of keeping her unmarried for the rest of her life.

The same paper (No. 13075) published the following news:

A young wife, who did not bear children and, as a result, was very much distressed, approached the Matrimonial Tribunal and asked them to persuade her husband to take a second wife. "Do not think, that I do not love my husband, or that there is no accord between us. On the contrary, because of my deep love to him, I do not want him to remain without child, due to no fault of his own. I have tried to persuade him to marry another wife, but he does not agree. Therefore, I request this Tribunal to intervene. I solemnly pledge to live in harmony and with co-operation with the second wife."

The same newspaper (No. 13091) reported another woman as saying:

"Some years ago, my husband married me so that the two sons of his late brother do not remain without a guardian. Later we had a child of our own, but he died after one month only. My husband is younger than me; and I resolved to find for him a younger wife. Now I have succeeded in getting him married to another girl."

These are a few examples to show that polygamy does not injure the feeling of the wives. Of course, there are instances of discord and disputes in a polygamous household. But they are neither more nor less than the discords and disputes in a monogamous household. Will the Western writers suggest to abolish the institution of 'Marriage' because it creates domestic troubles, disputes and discords, which sometimes result in divorce?

Polygamy vs. Family Planning:

This objection is based on shortsightedness. In Islam, the husband is responsible to maintain his wife or wives and all his children. It is an obligation, which must be fulfilled in all circumstances. If a husband follows the tenets of Islam, he is bound to think twice before entering a new marriage whether he would be able to meet his financial and other obligations concerning the new wife and her off-springs. If his financial condition is not strong, he has to refrain from the new marriage. Therefore, the question of 'economic problems' does not arise at all.

Thus, in the words of John Davenport:

"Mohammed, therefore, did but legalize a practice not only honored but even blessed by God himself, under the old dispensation, and declared to be lawful and honorable under the new one; and, consequently, he must be exonerated from the charge of having sanctioned polygamy, and thereby encouraged licentiousness." (An Apology for Mohammed and Koran, p. 159)

Before ending this booklet, I would like to quote here a letter written by an African, Mr. S.M. Werottere of Karatina (Kenya) which was published in the Sunday Post (Nairobi) of 19th August, 1973. He writes:

Polygamy or Prostitution?

In a survey to find out the cause of the increase of Prostitution and continued marriage breakages in Nyeri District, I have discovered various reasons. But one that caught my attention is that women out-number men.

It will be interesting to note that except in very few families, girls are more than boys in most cases: 5-3, 4-3, 2-1; 6-2, 4-1 and so on. These figures indicate that women are, roughly, two thirds of the country's population.

Normally, it is a boy that approaches a girl when he considers it fit to marry her; a girl simply waits to be consulted by anyone who may be interested in her.

It is a common belief, especially in Christian circles, that the system of "one man, one wife" should be maintained. That would mean that "one half" of girls would never be married. The Church has remained mute as to where the half of the girl population should go.

The Church teaches that the Bible directs a man should have one wife. Yet we know of some holy men in the Bible that were polygamous. There seems to exist some contradictions, anyway.

Indeed, people appreciate present Government efforts to control human population by introducing Family Planning services; they commend some religious institutions, for example Muhammedans, who allow polygamy to their followers.

Through experience, we now know that although the system of "one man, one wife" is aimed at having peaceful families, a good many families in this category have not justified the situation. Some have even divorced or are separated.

We cannot deny that "one half of the girls" (or even more) are without husbands. We have not been able to direct them on how to face life especially as we are already aware that life is too brutal to them. Particularly when the majority of young girls lack skills to enable them earn a living.

The Church priests, the peasants, the economists, the administrators and others quietly admit that the unmarried women should struggle to survive even if it is by prostitution, perhaps (?). 'It is time,' one man told me, 'that the Christian churches examined the present state of affairs and relax the "one man, one wife" rule to help save the situation now facing the world.'

'And one Christian woman told me: won't mind being a second wife of a man. Life becomes hopeless when a woman doesn't have a man's protection. It's better than remaining unmarried.'

Said a known prostitute: 'When I got my baby boy and took five years without getting married, day to day problems pushed me towards prostitution. I have no choice; I can be second or third wife if consulted. Life has been very insecure.

One Christian minister told me that although he agreed that polygamy would reduce prostitution to a certain degree, he does not believe that it would serve the situation fully. He maintains further that with family planning, the problem would be saved in future. He had no answer as to what would be done to the problem at present.

In general, the majority of the people have talked to married or not, want the Church to reconsider Its stand so that people can be free to choose between polygamy and monogamy, depending on one's wealth. (Sunday Post, Nairobi)

And with this quotation, I close this booklet, hoping that the readers will fully appreciate the benefits of the Islamic permission of polygamy. Why is a man, allowed to have more than one wife in Islam?

Source : http://www.ezsoftech.com/omm/polygamy.asp

POLYGAMY IN ISLAMIC LAWS

CONTENTS

1. Introduction:

Like Judaism and Christianity, (See, Footnotes No. 2,3,4 and 5) Islam does not provide an explicit prohibition of polygamy (more correctly polygyny).

Unlike Judaism, Christianity and perhaps other religions as well, Islam deals with the issue more clearly and provides certain legal requirements and restraints that amount to the discouragement of such a practice.

The reason for not prohibiting polygamy categorically is perhaps due to the fact that there are certain conditions which face individuals and societies in different places and at different times, which make the limited practice of polygamy a better solution than either divorce or the hypocritical pretence of morality.

Our present day feelings about what is “tasteful” or “distasteful” are something we cannot force on all people everywhere, at all times and under all conditions, unless it is a question of a law coming from God. This leads to the following question.

2. Is Polygamy immoral Perse?

To shorten the discussion, let us begin with the assumption that religions are acceptable sources of “morals”. Let us also select two religions (Judaism and Christianity) which are the closest to Islam, in order to see where they stand on that issue.

a. In Judaism: It is notable that most of the Old Testament Prophets were polygamous. According to the Old Testament, Abraham “the friend of God” had more than one wife, David had one hundred wives, and Solomon is even said to have had 700 wives and 300 concubines.

If polygamy is immoral perse, then these and other leading figures in the Biblical traditions are immoral. In this case, there would be no sanctity attached to the Bible, its Prophets, or its teaching! No sincere Jew, Christian, or Muslim would regard God’s chosen Messengers as immoral persons!

The Dictionary of the Bible states

Polygamy meets us a fact: e.g. Abraham, Jacob, the Judges, David, Solomon……In Deuteronomy 17:17, the king is warned not to multiply wives; later regulations fixed the number at eighteen for a king and four for an ordinary man. (Dictionary of the Bible (James Hasting Editor), Revised Edition, Charles Scribner’s Sons, N.Y., 1963, p.624)

The philosophy behind the legalization of polygamy is explained in the Encyclopedia Bibilica:

The man who owns his wife as a chattel can on the same principle own as many as he pleases that is to say, as many as he can afford to buy and keep….The Talmudists formulate the rule that no Jew may have more than four wives, kings may have at most eighteen. Encyclopedia Biblica (Rev T.K. Cheyene, and J.S. Black, Editors), The Macmillan Co., London, 1902, vol.3, p. 2946.)

It was only at the beginning of the eleventh Century! (about four centuries after the advent of Islam) that polygamy was expressly prohibited in Jadaism. According to Westermarck:

Among European Jews ploygyny was still practiced during the Middle ages, and among Jews living in Muhammadan countries it occurs even to this day. An express prohibition of it was not pronounced until the convening of the Rabbinical Synod at Worms, in the beginning of the eleventh century. This prohibition was originally made for the Jews living in Germany and Northern France, but it was successively adopted in all European countries. Nevertheless, the Jewish Marriage Code tained many provisions which originated at a time when polygyny was still legally in existence.(Westermarck, Edward A., The History of Marriage, (5^th Edition Rewritten), Macmillan and co. Ltd., London, 1925, vol. III, pp. 42-43.)

b. In Christianity: As the Old Testament is a vital part of the Christian faith, it cannot be disregarded in this discussion. It was concerning the Old Testament laws and the Old Testament Prophets that Jesus (P.) said plainly that he came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but rather to fulfill. In addition, there is no passage in the New Testament that clearly prohibits polygamy. This was the understanding of the early Church Fathers and for several centuries in the Christian era.

Westermarck, the noted authority on the history of human marriage states:

Considering that monogamy prevailed as the only legitimate form of marriage in Greece and Rome, it cannot be said that Christianity introduced obligatory monogamy in the Western World. Indeed, although the New Testament assumes monogamy as the normal or ideal form of marriage, it does not expressly prohibit polygyny, except in the case of a bishop and a deacon. It has been argued that it was not necessary for the first Christian teachers to condemn polygyny because monogamy was the universal rule among peoples in whose midst it was preached; but this is certainly not true of the Jews, who still both permitted and practiced polygyny at the beginning of the Christian era.

Some of the Fathers accused the Jewish Rabbis of sensuality, but no council of the Church in the earliest centuries opposed polygyny, and no obstacle was put in the way of its practice by kings in countries where it had occurred in the times of paganism. In the middle of the sixth century Diarmait, King of Ireland, had two queens and two concubines. Polygyny was frequently practiced by the Mervingian kings. Charles the Great had two wives and many concubines; and one of his laws seems to imply that polygyny was not unknown even among priests. In later times Philip of Hesse and Frederick William II of Prussia contracted bigamous marriages with the sanction of the Lutheran clergy. Luther himself approved of the bigamy of the former, and so did Melachthon. On various occasions Luther speaks of polygyny with considerable toleration. It had not been forbidden by God; even Abraham, who was a “perfect Christian”, had two wives. It is true that God had allowed such marriages to certain men of the Old Testament only in particular circumstances, and if a Christian wanted to follow their example he had to show that the circumstances were similar in his case; but polygamy was undoubtedly preferable to divorce. In 1650, soon after the Peace of Westphalia, when the population had been greatly reduced by the Thirty Years’ War, the Frankish Kreistag at Nuremberg passed the resolution that thenceforth every man should be allowed to marry two women. Certain sects of Christians have even advocated polygyny with much fervor. In 1531 the Anabaptists openly preached at Munster that he who wants to be a true Christian must have several wives. And the Mormons, as all the world knows, regard polygyny as a divine institution.

3. WHAT IS THE LEGAL STATUS OF POLYGAMY IN ISLAM?

The verse which allows polygamy “was revealed after the battle of Uhud in which many Muslims were killed, leaving widows and orphans for whom due care was incumbent upon the Muslim survivors.(Abd Al-Ati, Hammuda, Islam in Focus, The Canadian Islamic center, Edmonton Alberta, Canada, 1963, p.103.)

The translation of the verse is as follows:

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…. (Qur’an 4:3)

From this verse a number of facts are evident:

That polygamy is neither mandatory, nor encouraged, but merely permitted.
That the permission to practice polygamy is not associated with mere satisfaction of passion. It is rather associated with compassion toward widows and orphans, a matter that is confirmed by the atmosphere in which the verse was revealed.
That even in such a situation, the permission is far more restricted than the normal practice which existed among the Arabs and other people at that time when many married as many as ten or more wives.
That dealing justly with one’s wives is an obligation. This applies to housing, food, clothing, kind treatment..etc., for which the husband is fully responsible. If one is not sure of being able to deal justly with them, the Quran say: “then(marry) only one.” (Qur’an 4:3)

This verse, when combined with another verse in the same chapter, shows some discouragement of such plural marriages. The other verse plainly states:

“You are never able to be fair and just as between women even if it is your ardent desire…” (Qur’an 4: 129)

The requirement of justice rules out the fantasy that man can “own as any as he pleases.” It also rules out the concept of “secondary wife,” for all wives have exactly the same status and are entitled to identical rights and claims over their husband. It also implies, according to the Islamic Law, that should the husband fail to provide enough support for any of his wives, she can go to the court and ask for a divorce.

The verse says “Marry,” not kidnap, buy, or seduce. What is “marriage” as understood in Islam? Marriage in Islam is a civil contract which is not valid unless both contracting parties consent to it. Thus no wife can be forced or “given” to a husband who is already married.

I is thus a free choice of both parties. As to the first wife:

She may be barren or ill and see in polygamy a better solution than divorce.
She may divorce him (unilaterally) if he is married to a second wife provided that the nuptial contract gives her the right of unilateral divorce (Ismah).
She can go to court and ask for a divorce if there is evidence of mistreatment or injustice inflicted upon her.

But if polygamy is discouraged and loaded with such constraints, could it have been better if the Quran simply forbade it? To answer this question, we may have to raise another one:

4. CAN POLYGAMY BE A BETTER SOLUTION IN SOME CASES?

Scholars in the past and at present, Muslims and non-Muslims, have consistently pointed out such cases. The following are a few examples which are tied in with the general approach of Islam to individual and social problems.

Individual cases:

1. A man who discovers that his wife is barren, and who at the same time instinctively aspires to have children and heirs.

In a situation as this, the man would either have to:

-Suffer the deprivation of fatherhood for life.

-Divorce his barren wife and get married to another woman who is not barren.

In many cases, neither solution can be considered as the best alternative. Polygamy would have the advantage of preserving the martial relationship without depriving the man of fathering children of his own.

2. A man whose wife becomes chronically ill would have one of possible alternatives:

-He may suppress his instinctive sexual needs for the rest of his life.

-He may divorce his sick wife at the time when she needs his compassion most, and get married to another woman, thus legally satisfying his instinctive needs.

-Or he could compromise by keeping his sick wife, and secretly take for himself one or more illicit sex partners.

Let us discuss these alternatives from the point of view of the Islamic teachings. The first solution is against human nature. Islam recognizes sex and sexual needs and provides for legitimate means for their satisfaction. The second solution is clearly less compassionate, especially where there is love between the two parties. Further more divorce is described by Prophet Muhammad (P) as the “permitted thing which is hated most by God.” The last solution is plainly against the Islamic teachings which forbid illicit sexual relations in any form.

To sum up, Islam being against immorality, hypocritical pretense of morality, and against divorce unless no better solution is available, provides for a better alternative which is consistent with human nature and with the preservation of pure and legitimate sex relationships. In a situation like this, it is doubtful that any solution would be better than polygamy, which is, after all, an optional solution.

b. Social cases

Anthropologists tell us that among various tribes and societies, polygamy is a social and economic necessity. In some very poor areas, the infant morality is very high. Children on the other hand, are a source of additional labour for the earning capacity of the family. To have more children under such situations would require the practice of polygamy. It is by this very reason Christian missionaries in some African regions justified their permission to local people to practice polygamy without being excommunicated from the church. One researcher has even found, through his studies that women in such societies not only accept polygamy, but some of them even prefer this. (See for example Campbell, D., In the Heart of the Bantuland, Seeley, service and Co.,Ltd., London, 1922, p. 160, and Cory H., Sukuma Law and Customs, Oxford University Press, N.Y., 1953, p.52.)
Aside from cases where women outnumber men, devastating wars, in the past and at present, have taken their roll mainly among men. The result is not simply more women who cannot find husbands, but even more widows who may aspire to a respectable family life. In such a situation, if polygamy is bad, the limitation on polygamy is even far worse.

Both unmarried women and widows are human beings. Unless their instinctive needs are legitimately satisfied, the temptation is great for corruption and immorality. But aside from the moral question these women are also exploited. They are used as tools for men’s pleasure, yet have no guarantees, no rights or security, financial or emotional. Should they become pregnant, it is their burden alone. But even if such women are ready to pay the price for this personally, society also suffers seriously from such situations. The increasing number of illegitimate children born today under conditions such as these provides a potential base for tomorrow’s maladjusted and even criminals. Further more it is inhuman, humiliating for those children to grow up without knowing who their fathers were and without enjoying a lean and normal family life.

One question remain:

5. WHY NOT POLYANDRY (PLURALITY OF HUSBANDS FOR THE SAME WOMAN)?

It is evident that the nature of women is physiologically and psychologically different from that of men. Psychologically speaking, the woman is monogamous by her very nature. Furthermore, in all cultures, new and old, the headship of the family, is normally man’s. One can imagine what would happen if the family had two or more heads. Furthermore, if the woman is married to more than one husband, which would be the father of her children?

CONCLUSION

It is now evident that the association of “polygamy” with Islam is not only unfair or biased but based on serious misunderstanding. Polygamy was practiced, often without limitation, in almost all cultures. It was sanctioned by various religions, and practiced both before Islam and for many centuries thereafter. It is presently practiced, though secretly, by the Mormons, (It is estimated that is Utah alone over 30,000 middle-class Mormon Americans secretly cling to the practice of plural marriage. The Mormon church accepted the principal of Plural Marriage as a revelation from God. It was widely adopted after Brigham Young led the Mormons into their “Promised Land”—the Territory of Utah, in 1847. In 1890, however, after polygamy was outlawed a Federal statue, Church funds and property were confiscated. This apparently led the Church to issue a manifesto banning plural marriage. Church President Wilford Woodruff later declared the manifesto had been divinely inspired. For a first-hand report on the practice of polygamy in the U.S.A. as late as 1967, see Ben Merson, “Husband with More than on Wife.” In Journal, June 1967,esp. p. 78) and it is allowed by Christian missionaries in Africa and other areas where polygamy is a social necessity.

It is both honest and accurate to say that it is Islam which regulated this practice, limited it, made it more humane, and insisted equal rights and status for all wives. What the Qur’anic decrees amount to, taken together, is a discouragement of polygamy unless necessity for it exists.

It is also evident that the general rule in Islam is monogamy and not polygamy. However, permission to practice limited polygamy is only consistent with Islam’s realistic view of the nature of man and woman and of the various social needs, problems, and culture variations.

The question is, however, far more than the inherent flexibility of Islam; it also is the frank and straightforward approach of Islam in dealing with practical problems. Rather than requiring hypocritical and superficial compliance, Islam delves deeper into the problems of individuals and societies, and provides for legitimate and clean solutions which are far more beneficial than would be the case if they were ignored. There is no doubt that the second wife legally married and treated kindly is better off than a mistress without any legal rights or security. There is no doubt also that the legitimate child of a polygamous father, born in the “full light of the day”, and who enjoys all the rights and privileges of a son or daughter, is far better off than the wanted or unwanted illegitimate child (especially if it is a girl).

It is fair also to say the polygamy may be harmful in many respects. Islam, however, does not regard polygamy as a substitute for monogamy. Realizing its disadvantages Islam allows it under strict conditions and when no better alternative is available. This is actually consistent with a general rule in Islamic Law, “The Lesser of two evils.” This means that if a harm is certain, and if there is no way to avert such harm unless some other harm is done, then it is better to cause the lesser harm in order to avoid the greater. It is like a captain who gets rid of the ship’s freight in order to save the lives of the sailors.

The vitality, flexibility, and far-sightedness of the teachings of Islam cannot possibly be attributed to any man or group of men, including Prophet Muhammad (P) himself. Its secret simply lies in its Divine Source, God Most high, who knows in entirety what human needs and problems are.

Man can reject the guidance of God, become his own god, and establish his own standards of morality. Ultimately, however, he may discover the mirage that alluded him. A few honest questions finally: What is the situation in countries which banned polygamy? Do they really enjoy sincere and faithful “monogamy?” What is the degree of cohesion of the family? Is there any significant number of mistresses, “Sweethearts”, and illegitimate children? How observant are married men and women of the strict “monogamous” relationship? Are infidelity and secret extramarital sexual relationships more moral than the legitimate, legally-protected husband-wife relationships, even under polygamy if there is a pressing need for it? Which of the two situations is best?

After all, Islam by its very nature, is a universal religion which is revealed by God guide people in all places and at all times.

The guidance can hardly be secured by avoiding issues and problems which are real, even as they are relevant to human life on earth with its diversity. Hypocrisy, apology, or burying one’s head in the sand are hardly realistic means of achieving righteous human life. They are not effective in achieving moral up liftment either!

Source : http://www.al-islamforall.org/litre/Englitre/polygainis.htm