Islam Did Not Permit Plural Marriage
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Fatwa No. ( 3166 )
Q: Since Islam permits plural marriage, two, three, or four wives at the same time, why is this permitted, and what are its conditions, characteristics, and distinguishing features? And how should one respond to those who doubt this permission?
A: It is Allah the Exalted who permitted the Muslim to marry more than one wife, up to four wives, if he is able to fulfill their rights, and if he trusts himself to be just among them and fears no injustice. He revealed this in His Book and inspired it to His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). So Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nisa 4:3] Thus, the Exalted permitted the Muslim to marry more than one; if he wishes, two by two, and if he wishes, three by three, and if he wishes, four by four; provided he does not fear injustice for himself and a lack of equity among them. He, Glorified and Exalted, is the All-Knowing, the Expert in the affairs of His servants, the Wise in His legislation. He does not legislate for them except what is in their benefit and by which their affairs are regulated. He is not asked about what He does, but they are asked. Therefore, submission to Him, Glorified is He, is obligatory,
and entrusting the matter to Him in His legislation, just as belief in His divine decree and destiny is obligatory. All of this is the requirement of wisdom, whether a person knows it or not. In the minds of human beings, there is a deficiency that may prevent them from grasping the details of the ruling in many branches of legislation. Let the Muslim scholar, when debating the doubters and atheists on this matter, turn the discussion to the foundation of religion and the belief that the universe has a Lord who is All-Knowing, Wise, Compassionate, and Merciful, and that He sent trustworthy, truthful messengers, bringers of good news and warners. He, Glorified is He, inspired to them what brings happiness to humanity and rectification to the universe. They conveyed the clear message, and the proof was established against the servants through them. If a person believes in the Lord’s knowledge, wisdom, justice, and mercy, and in the truthfulness, trustworthiness, and conveyance of the messengers, then the proof is established against him, and submission to Allah in His legislation becomes obligatory, whether he knows the wisdom in the branches of legislation or not. If he refuses to believe in the foundations, there is no benefit in entering into the details of the Shari'ah with him. Nevertheless, there are wisdoms in the permission of plural marriage. Among them is that statistics or induction indicate that the number of females born is greater than the number of males born, and that the number of males who die is greater than the number of females who die; due to the many causes of death that males are exposed to, unlike females, such as confrontations in wars, repelling
The dangers of enemies, performing arduous tasks, long journeys, and the like, in which a person is exposed to troubles and risks. If plural marriage were prohibited, a number of women would remain without husbands, and they would be deprived of the pleasure and satisfaction of their sexual instinct through fulfilling their desire in a manner befitting honor and dignity, upon which the building of families, tribes, and peoples is established. Many women would fall into the snares of those who indulge in lust, who would play with them, leading to the violation of chastity, a decrease in offspring, an increase in foundlings, the disintegration of families, the spread of corruption in society, the prevalence of calamity, and the spread of deadly diseases, such as syphilis and gonorrhea. Among the wisdoms is that plural marriage leads to an increase in offspring, due to the multiplication of the place of cultivation and the fulfillment of desire. This contributes to the building of the nation, supports its strength, fosters cooperation in the hardships of life, and promotes the settlement of the earth, in which man has been made a successor. The Shari'ah has encouraged marriage to achieve chastity, increase offspring, protect chastity, and preserve the continuation of the species. Among the wisdoms is what is the cosmic Sunnah of Allah, that women menstruate, become pregnant, give birth, and continue to have post-natal bleeding for a period. If a man has more than one wife under his protection, he finds in his wives one with whom he can keep his private parts chaste from what is forbidden.
He fulfills his desire with her, and this helps him to control himself and rein in his desires, so that Satan does not allure him and his lusts do not take over him. Among the wisdoms is that a wife may be barren, yet there is harmony between her and her husband, and he desires marriage for the sake of offspring, which is beloved to Allah and through which the earth is settled and the nation is strengthened. The Shari'ah has permitted him plural marriage, hoping that Allah will grant him offspring from them that pleases his eye and brings him happiness in his life, among other wisdoms. Finally, the matter is as mentioned at the beginning: that plural marriage is a legislation from the Wise, the Praiseworthy, the Merciful, the Loving, who knows what He has created and is the Subtle, the Aware, who is not questioned about what He does, while they are questioned. Let the servant know the status of his Lord, and let him place himself in his proper position of shortcoming, and let him refer the knowledge of what he does not know to the One who knows the unseen of the heavens and the earth, and let him occupy himself with doing what Allah has commanded and avoiding what He has forbidden. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: Since Islam permits plural marriage, two, three, or four wives at the same time, why is this permitted, and what are its conditions, characteristics, and distinguishing features? And how should one respond to those who doubt this permission?
A: It is Allah the Exalted who permitted the Muslim to marry more than one wife, up to four wives, if he is able to fulfill their rights, and if he trusts himself to be just among them and fears no injustice. He revealed this in His Book and inspired it to His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). So Allah the Exalted said:
And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hand possesses. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].
وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَى وَثُلاثَ وَرُبَاعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَلا تَعُولُواand entrusting the matter to Him in His legislation, just as belief in His divine decree and destiny is obligatory. All of this is the requirement of wisdom, whether a person knows it or not. In the minds of human beings, there is a deficiency that may prevent them from grasping the details of the ruling in many branches of legislation. Let the Muslim scholar, when debating the doubters and atheists on this matter, turn the discussion to the foundation of religion and the belief that the universe has a Lord who is All-Knowing, Wise, Compassionate, and Merciful, and that He sent trustworthy, truthful messengers, bringers of good news and warners. He, Glorified is He, inspired to them what brings happiness to humanity and rectification to the universe. They conveyed the clear message, and the proof was established against the servants through them. If a person believes in the Lord’s knowledge, wisdom, justice, and mercy, and in the truthfulness, trustworthiness, and conveyance of the messengers, then the proof is established against him, and submission to Allah in His legislation becomes obligatory, whether he knows the wisdom in the branches of legislation or not. If he refuses to believe in the foundations, there is no benefit in entering into the details of the Shari'ah with him. Nevertheless, there are wisdoms in the permission of plural marriage. Among them is that statistics or induction indicate that the number of females born is greater than the number of males born, and that the number of males who die is greater than the number of females who die; due to the many causes of death that males are exposed to, unlike females, such as confrontations in wars, repelling
The dangers of enemies, performing arduous tasks, long journeys, and the like, in which a person is exposed to troubles and risks. If plural marriage were prohibited, a number of women would remain without husbands, and they would be deprived of the pleasure and satisfaction of their sexual instinct through fulfilling their desire in a manner befitting honor and dignity, upon which the building of families, tribes, and peoples is established. Many women would fall into the snares of those who indulge in lust, who would play with them, leading to the violation of chastity, a decrease in offspring, an increase in foundlings, the disintegration of families, the spread of corruption in society, the prevalence of calamity, and the spread of deadly diseases, such as syphilis and gonorrhea. Among the wisdoms is that plural marriage leads to an increase in offspring, due to the multiplication of the place of cultivation and the fulfillment of desire. This contributes to the building of the nation, supports its strength, fosters cooperation in the hardships of life, and promotes the settlement of the earth, in which man has been made a successor. The Shari'ah has encouraged marriage to achieve chastity, increase offspring, protect chastity, and preserve the continuation of the species. Among the wisdoms is what is the cosmic Sunnah of Allah, that women menstruate, become pregnant, give birth, and continue to have post-natal bleeding for a period. If a man has more than one wife under his protection, he finds in his wives one with whom he can keep his private parts chaste from what is forbidden.
He fulfills his desire with her, and this helps him to control himself and rein in his desires, so that Satan does not allure him and his lusts do not take over him. Among the wisdoms is that a wife may be barren, yet there is harmony between her and her husband, and he desires marriage for the sake of offspring, which is beloved to Allah and through which the earth is settled and the nation is strengthened. The Shari'ah has permitted him plural marriage, hoping that Allah will grant him offspring from them that pleases his eye and brings him happiness in his life, among other wisdoms. Finally, the matter is as mentioned at the beginning: that plural marriage is a legislation from the Wise, the Praiseworthy, the Merciful, the Loving, who knows what He has created and is the Subtle, the Aware, who is not questioned about what He does, while they are questioned. Let the servant know the status of his Lord, and let him place himself in his proper position of shortcoming, and let him refer the knowledge of what he does not know to the One who knows the unseen of the heavens and the earth, and let him occupy himself with doing what Allah has commanded and avoiding what He has forbidden. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.