Leaving off plural marriage is a cause for the increase of spinsters in homes
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Question:
We move on to other issues and messages. A message reached the program from listener (Ali S.S.) from the south. Our brother asks Your Eminence, the Shaykh, about the ruling on one who practices plural marriage, and whether one should heed the claims that this contradicts the fitrah (the innate natural disposition)? Please guide us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has legislated for His servants plural marriage with women, provided the husband is able to do so and fears no injustice or neglect, in His saying, Mighty and Majestic: [Surat al-Nisa: 3]. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married several women, and he passed away (peace and blessings be upon him) with nine of them. This is among his special characteristics (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding what exceeds four.
As for the Ummah (the Muslim community), they are not permitted more than four. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) distinguished between those who embraced Islam with more than four wives, ordering them to separate from the excess, and giving them the choice to select four and separate from what exceeded that.
It is obligatory (wajib) for the Muslim to stop at the limit of Allah and not exceed what Allah has legislated, which is four. If he is able to marry four and fulfill their rights, there is no blame on him in that. Rather, it is better for him if he is able to do so, because of the benefits in it: the chastity of his private parts, lowering his gaze, increasing the Ummah (the Muslim community), and increasing the offspring, by which Allah may benefit the Ummah (the Muslim community). Perhaps he will worship Allah and make du'a' (supplication) for his parents, and great good will come to them through that.
If it were not a required matter and a prescribed (mashru') matter with many benefits, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would not have done it. He is the best of people and the most eager for every good (peace and blessings be upon him). Allah placed in his marriage to a large number of women many benefits in conveying the da'wah (calling others to Islam) and spreading Islam through the women and through the men.
If a believer marries two, three, or four for legal interests; because he needs it, or with the intention of increasing children, or with the intention of perfect chastity and perfect lowering of the gaze; because one, two, or three may not suffice for him, all of this is a legally required matter. It is not permissible (la yajuz) for any Muslim man or woman to object to that, nor is it permissible to criticize that. It is not permissible for any radio or television to broadcast what contradicts that. Rather, it is obligatory (wajib) for all media outlets to stay within their limits, and they do not have the right to deny this prescribed (mashru') matter. It is not permissible for those in charge of media to publish an article by someone who objects to that, neither in written media, nor in audio media, nor in visual media. Rather, it is obligatory (wajib) for the ministers of information in Islamic states to warn against that, to fear Allah, and to stay away from what Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has forbidden.
Would a Muslim be pleased for women to remain spinsters in their homes! And a person is able to take two, three, or four. This is not permissible (la yajuz) for a Muslim to do or to see, if he fears Allah and hopes for His mercy.
Is it permissible (ja'iz) for a Muslim woman who fears Allah and hopes for His mercy to deny that, while she knows for certain that being with a husband who has one, two, or three wives is better for her than remaining without a husband until she dies a spinster with no husband? Perhaps Allah will grant her this husband, of whom she has only a part. Perhaps Allah will grant her righteous offspring that will benefit her in this world and the Hereafter. Perhaps she will attain through that the chastity of her private parts, lowering of her gaze, good reputation, and safety of her honor.
It is obligatory (wajib) for Islamic states in general, and for our government in particular, to display this matter and support this matter, and to deny those who oppose this matter in any visual, audio, or written medium. Rather, it is obligatory (wajib) to deny that.
It greatly distresses me, and distresses every Muslim who fears Allah, to hear on the radio, or see on television, or read in a newspaper, someone who objects to the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) of Allah and calls for restricting oneself to one wife, except in the legal way if he fears he will not be able to fulfill the obligation, or is unable to fulfill the rights of two. This has been clarified by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) . But if one is able to marry two, three, or four, there is no blame on him. Rather, he is rewarded and thanked if he intends by that to display the religion of Allah, increase the Ummah (the Muslim community), lower his gaze, and protect his private parts, and to be kind to his sisters in Allah who are in need of marriage. He is thanked and rewarded.
It is obligatory (wajib) for all Muslims and all Muslim women to be pleased with what Allah has legislated, to beware of objecting to what Allah has legislated, and to fear His wrath and punishment for their objection and contradiction of the command of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) . And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in His great Book: [Surat Muhammad: 9]. I fear for the one who dislikes this prescribed (mashru') matter that his deeds will be nullified and that he will exit his religion while not realizing it. We ask Allah for safety.
And He said, the Exalted: [Surat Muhammad: 28].
The point is that it is obligatory (wajib) for the believer to be pleased with what Allah has legislated, to hate what Allah has hated, to dislike what Allah has disliked, and to love what Allah has loved in all matters, if he is a Muslim believer who fears Allah and hopes for His mercy. We ask Allah for guidance and safety for everyone.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good. The reality, Your Eminence, is that while you are bestowing this sincere guidance, we often hear about the increase of spinsters in homes. Perhaps you have a word, Your Eminence, the Shaykh?
The Shaykh: This is established with us. For this reason, we advise all women not to refuse a husband who has a wife. We advise them all to strive for their chastity and good reputation, and for the protection of their private parts and lowering of their gazes, and for the protection of their honors, to hasten to marriage even if they are neighbors, even if it is as a second, third, or fourth wife. So I advise this, and I ask Allah to guide us all to what pleases Him. I advise capable husbands to marry and to chaste many of the women of their Ummah (the Muslim community), and to strive to increase the offspring, and to protect their private parts and lower their gazes by what Allah has made lawful, not what He has forbidden.
Many people—we seek refuge in Allah—refuse to marry a second wife, but they are pleased with female friends in what Allah has forbidden, and their wife knows that. And that may be more beloved to her than a Muslim wife in the legal way. So she knows about him that he goes to forbidden things and to female friends and to zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), but that does not concern her. However, if he were to marry, she would be angry and deny it, and there is no power and no strength except with Allah. So she is pleased with the haram (forbidden) or approves of the haram (forbidden), but she is not pleased with the halal (lawful). This is among the calamities, and among the weakness of religion and the weakness of faith and the lack of insight. We ask Allah for guidance and safety.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.
We move on to other issues and messages. A message reached the program from listener (Ali S.S.) from the south. Our brother asks Your Eminence, the Shaykh, about the ruling on one who practices plural marriage, and whether one should heed the claims that this contradicts the fitrah (the innate natural disposition)? Please guide us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has legislated for His servants plural marriage with women, provided the husband is able to do so and fears no injustice or neglect, in His saying, Mighty and Majestic:
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
وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَى وَثُلاثَ وَرُبَاعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْAs for the Ummah (the Muslim community), they are not permitted more than four. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) distinguished between those who embraced Islam with more than four wives, ordering them to separate from the excess, and giving them the choice to select four and separate from what exceeded that.
It is obligatory (wajib) for the Muslim to stop at the limit of Allah and not exceed what Allah has legislated, which is four. If he is able to marry four and fulfill their rights, there is no blame on him in that. Rather, it is better for him if he is able to do so, because of the benefits in it: the chastity of his private parts, lowering his gaze, increasing the Ummah (the Muslim community), and increasing the offspring, by which Allah may benefit the Ummah (the Muslim community). Perhaps he will worship Allah and make du'a' (supplication) for his parents, and great good will come to them through that.
If it were not a required matter and a prescribed (mashru') matter with many benefits, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would not have done it. He is the best of people and the most eager for every good (peace and blessings be upon him). Allah placed in his marriage to a large number of women many benefits in conveying the da'wah (calling others to Islam) and spreading Islam through the women and through the men.
If a believer marries two, three, or four for legal interests; because he needs it, or with the intention of increasing children, or with the intention of perfect chastity and perfect lowering of the gaze; because one, two, or three may not suffice for him, all of this is a legally required matter. It is not permissible (la yajuz) for any Muslim man or woman to object to that, nor is it permissible to criticize that. It is not permissible for any radio or television to broadcast what contradicts that. Rather, it is obligatory (wajib) for all media outlets to stay within their limits, and they do not have the right to deny this prescribed (mashru') matter. It is not permissible for those in charge of media to publish an article by someone who objects to that, neither in written media, nor in audio media, nor in visual media. Rather, it is obligatory (wajib) for the ministers of information in Islamic states to warn against that, to fear Allah, and to stay away from what Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has forbidden.
Would a Muslim be pleased for women to remain spinsters in their homes! And a person is able to take two, three, or four. This is not permissible (la yajuz) for a Muslim to do or to see, if he fears Allah and hopes for His mercy.
Is it permissible (ja'iz) for a Muslim woman who fears Allah and hopes for His mercy to deny that, while she knows for certain that being with a husband who has one, two, or three wives is better for her than remaining without a husband until she dies a spinster with no husband? Perhaps Allah will grant her this husband, of whom she has only a part. Perhaps Allah will grant her righteous offspring that will benefit her in this world and the Hereafter. Perhaps she will attain through that the chastity of her private parts, lowering of her gaze, good reputation, and safety of her honor.
It is obligatory (wajib) for Islamic states in general, and for our government in particular, to display this matter and support this matter, and to deny those who oppose this matter in any visual, audio, or written medium. Rather, it is obligatory (wajib) to deny that.
It greatly distresses me, and distresses every Muslim who fears Allah, to hear on the radio, or see on television, or read in a newspaper, someone who objects to the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) of Allah and calls for restricting oneself to one wife, except in the legal way if he fears he will not be able to fulfill the obligation, or is unable to fulfill the rights of two. This has been clarified by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) . But if one is able to marry two, three, or four, there is no blame on him. Rather, he is rewarded and thanked if he intends by that to display the religion of Allah, increase the Ummah (the Muslim community), lower his gaze, and protect his private parts, and to be kind to his sisters in Allah who are in need of marriage. He is thanked and rewarded.
It is obligatory (wajib) for all Muslims and all Muslim women to be pleased with what Allah has legislated, to beware of objecting to what Allah has legislated, and to fear His wrath and punishment for their objection and contradiction of the command of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) . And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in His great Book:
That is because they disliked what Allah revealed, so He rendered worthless their deeds.
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَرِهُوا مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْAnd He said, the Exalted:
That is because they followed what angered Allah and disliked [what earns] His pleasure, so He rendered worthless their deeds.
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ اتَّبَعُوا مَا أَسْخَطَ اللَّهَ وَكَرِهُوا رِضْوَانَهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْThe point is that it is obligatory (wajib) for the believer to be pleased with what Allah has legislated, to hate what Allah has hated, to dislike what Allah has disliked, and to love what Allah has loved in all matters, if he is a Muslim believer who fears Allah and hopes for His mercy. We ask Allah for guidance and safety for everyone.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good. The reality, Your Eminence, is that while you are bestowing this sincere guidance, we often hear about the increase of spinsters in homes. Perhaps you have a word, Your Eminence, the Shaykh?
The Shaykh: This is established with us. For this reason, we advise all women not to refuse a husband who has a wife. We advise them all to strive for their chastity and good reputation, and for the protection of their private parts and lowering of their gazes, and for the protection of their honors, to hasten to marriage even if they are neighbors, even if it is as a second, third, or fourth wife. So I advise this, and I ask Allah to guide us all to what pleases Him. I advise capable husbands to marry and to chaste many of the women of their Ummah (the Muslim community), and to strive to increase the offspring, and to protect their private parts and lower their gazes by what Allah has made lawful, not what He has forbidden.
Many people—we seek refuge in Allah—refuse to marry a second wife, but they are pleased with female friends in what Allah has forbidden, and their wife knows that. And that may be more beloved to her than a Muslim wife in the legal way. So she knows about him that he goes to forbidden things and to female friends and to zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), but that does not concern her. However, if he were to marry, she would be angry and deny it, and there is no power and no strength except with Allah. So she is pleased with the haram (forbidden) or approves of the haram (forbidden), but she is not pleased with the halal (lawful). This is among the calamities, and among the weakness of religion and the weakness of faith and the lack of insight. We ask Allah for guidance and safety.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.