Is plural marriage better for a man, or is it better to remain with one wife?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The student : The second point: As we understood it, there is an equation between a man guarding his chastity by lowering his gaze, and if he does not achieve this with one wife, then as we understood, let him marry more, or it is permissible for him by the Shari'ah to marry a second, third, or fourth wife based on this. You mentioned something, and I seem to have understood from it that very few people are able to lower their gaze and be content with one wife. From this statement, I understood that your words differ from what our other brothers understood.
The Shaykh : ...
The student : He is not patient with us.
The Shaykh : ...
The student : We thank him for his patience with us until we finish the question. So, I understood that it is not an encouragement of plural marriage, but rather advice and an explanation of the legal ruling. The advice is that he should guard his chastity as much as possible and be content with one wife, and if he cannot, then consequently... another.
Another student: He should be content with one if he is unable to be just, but as for the one who is able to be just and is capable of it, then he may marry, and it is preferable for him to marry, following the example of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and following the example of the Companions. We did not speak in the place of preference; we were silent about this. But my speech clarified the original ruling on plural marriage and clarified the injustice of those who attack those who practice plural marriage. One should not stand in the way of a man who marries multiple wives because he did the best, considering that this is what lowers his gaze more. If the one wife is what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 2242Sahih (Darussalam), then the second is even more so, and the third is even more so, and so on. So, he has done what helps him in the mindfulness of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He).
Another student: I did not speak there about what is best. Allah permitted plural marriage up to four, and in addition to that, to spite those who reject it, He permitted more than that, namely the right of the right hand, when the Muslims...
The Shaykh : ... a new lecture ... we need an answer to his question.
The student : And up to now, our Shaykh has not answered.
The Shaykh : This is...
The student : This, our Shaykh, is not a deviation, this is a turn... Our Shaykh, this hadith suits him and those of his ilk.
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
The student : Answer the question, there is a second question, our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : ...
The student : No, I mean, what I understood is that it is not an encouragement.
The Shaykh : ...
The student : It is not that I mean you cannot... I mean, I did not prevent him and I did not encourage him to practice plural marriage. No, and at the same time, I did not give this encouragement as a confirmation. I did not give it confirmation, nor did I prevent it. I did not say, "No, do not marry." Rather, I left the matter and passed over it to what is more important.
The Shaykh : ...
The student : I mean, it means that my understanding was slightly incomplete regarding the matter, in that it is not this equation that I am trying to simplify, but rather he just touched on the matter without emphasis, not restricting it to just one.
The Shaykh : ...
The student : I was thinking that he does not encourage plural marriage if a person is able to guard his private parts, chaste himself, and lower his gaze with one wife. I had this thought in my mind, and I felt as if... this was my understanding. Now, it has become clear... this is what I understand now.
The Shaykh : What is your opinion of this understanding that he understood from you... is the understanding correct or not?
The student : No, it is not correct.
The Shaykh : It is not correct.
The student : Because I said in... it is not correct.
The Shaykh : It is not correct. I mean, the matter is equal for you.
The student : No, it is not equal, I mean, he marries the second.
Another student: You are not answering Adnan now, you are answering...The Shaykh : Nasser is sitting.
Another student: I have that marrying the second is better, and you stated it.
The Shaykh : Listen, listen. What do you have?
The student : That marrying the second is better.
The Shaykh : Your understanding is correct, but that was not his intention. So now, praise be to Allah, you dragged him to your intention. So we congratulate you on your far-reaching understanding, where the speaker did not intend it.
The Shaykh : ...
The student : He is not patient with us.
The Shaykh : ...
The student : We thank him for his patience with us until we finish the question. So, I understood that it is not an encouragement of plural marriage, but rather advice and an explanation of the legal ruling. The advice is that he should guard his chastity as much as possible and be content with one wife, and if he cannot, then consequently... another.
Another student: He should be content with one if he is unable to be just, but as for the one who is able to be just and is capable of it, then he may marry, and it is preferable for him to marry, following the example of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and following the example of the Companions. We did not speak in the place of preference; we were silent about this. But my speech clarified the original ruling on plural marriage and clarified the injustice of those who attack those who practice plural marriage. One should not stand in the way of a man who marries multiple wives because he did the best, considering that this is what lowers his gaze more. If the one wife is what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding one's chastity
أغضُّ للبصر وأحصَنُ للفرجAnother student: I did not speak there about what is best. Allah permitted plural marriage up to four, and in addition to that, to spite those who reject it, He permitted more than that, namely the right of the right hand, when the Muslims...
The Shaykh : ... a new lecture ... we need an answer to his question.
The student : And up to now, our Shaykh has not answered.
The Shaykh : This is...
The student : This, our Shaykh, is not a deviation, this is a turn... Our Shaykh, this hadith suits him and those of his ilk.
The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
The student : Answer the question, there is a second question, our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : ...
The student : No, I mean, what I understood is that it is not an encouragement.
The Shaykh : ...
The student : It is not that I mean you cannot... I mean, I did not prevent him and I did not encourage him to practice plural marriage. No, and at the same time, I did not give this encouragement as a confirmation. I did not give it confirmation, nor did I prevent it. I did not say, "No, do not marry." Rather, I left the matter and passed over it to what is more important.
The Shaykh : ...
The student : I mean, it means that my understanding was slightly incomplete regarding the matter, in that it is not this equation that I am trying to simplify, but rather he just touched on the matter without emphasis, not restricting it to just one.
The Shaykh : ...
The student : I was thinking that he does not encourage plural marriage if a person is able to guard his private parts, chaste himself, and lower his gaze with one wife. I had this thought in my mind, and I felt as if... this was my understanding. Now, it has become clear... this is what I understand now.
The Shaykh : What is your opinion of this understanding that he understood from you... is the understanding correct or not?
The student : No, it is not correct.
The Shaykh : It is not correct.
The student : Because I said in... it is not correct.
The Shaykh : It is not correct. I mean, the matter is equal for you.
The student : No, it is not equal, I mean, he marries the second.
Another student: You are not answering Adnan now, you are answering...The Shaykh : Nasser is sitting.
Another student: I have that marrying the second is better, and you stated it.
The Shaykh : Listen, listen. What do you have?
The student : That marrying the second is better.
The Shaykh : Your understanding is correct, but that was not his intention. So now, praise be to Allah, you dragged him to your intention. So we congratulate you on your far-reaching understanding, where the speaker did not intend it.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.