Polygamy

Many a time I read and heard more than one criticism, both open and veiled - as the case may be - from well-informed and very learned Christian Western sources. The gist of this criticism is that Islam, which came after Judaism and Christianity, that is, in relatively modern times, lawfully permits polygamy : up to four wives. In this respect, Islam is viewed as a "reactionary and backward" religion which takes the human being back to primitive times and societies.

This is an opportunity for me to draw attention to the verse which allows polygamy up to four wives. It is the third verse of the Surah "Women". When cited, this verse is never quoted in full, which results in erroneous interpre-tations, for the conditional clause is always missing. The verse is :

"If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess. That will be more suitable to prevent you from doing injustice", [Women : 3].

This verse proclaims that polygamy is an objective set by Allah - to Whom belongs Might and Majesty. It is the realization of justice, dealing justly with the orphans whom Allah has surrounded with His unfailing Love and Mercy in more than one verse; He commanded the believers to be kind to them. It is extremely important to point out that the aforementioned verse was revealed after the Battle of Uhud, in which, as we know, many Muslims fell, leaving behind widows and orphans with no one to provide for them.

This is why Allah has permitted Muslims - those with financial capabilities, who wish to do good, who are impartial and do a righteous deed, and who fear they might not be able to establish justice - to marry the mothers of the fatherless children, so that they would not have to beg for food and lead a life of wretchedness and ignominy.

It is evident that polygamy is a sacrifice and a righteous deed, not an enjoyment, a pleasure and a satisfaction of carnal appetites.

That is the verse in letter and spirit. Like all the verses of the Holy Quran, it sticks together with its coherent sentences, and it cannot be broken up into independent units of meaning; nor can the context in which it was revealed be ignored in its application.

Also worth pointing out is the fact that Allah - the Great, Almighty - has embedded in the verse another condition when he says : "but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one".

If a man - who is the best judge of himself and of his possessions - knows that he will not be able to deal justly with his wives, he must desist and marry only one.

If the main objective of polygamy is to achieve justice, this objective becomes nonexistent when justice has not been achieved.

Based on the text of the verse mentioned earlier, it seems to us that polygamy in Islam is an exception imposed by unusual circumstances attributed to the aftereffects of the Battle of Uhud, as we have already said. The rule, therefore, is monogamy, not polygamy.

Muslim writers are almost agreed that "Islam has established the principle of polygamy because it aims very high in social reform: among men there are those whose carnal appetites cannot be curbed; Islam has allowed these men to have more than one wife, not only as a way out for their guilt, but also as a protection for woman from so widespread an evil.

In Western societies, where polygamy is not allowed, men of such carnal appetites have mistresses who are denied their rights.

"The injustice done to women through such a common practice knows no limits", says Afif Tabrah (1979), "The goal of Islam is, therefore, to protect the woman from finding herself in a situation of wretchedness wherein she has no social guarantees, in which case she ends up amongst women of evil repute. Islam wants the woman to be treated in all cases on the basis of her being a legitimate wife who has her rights. Which of the two situations is better and more honorable for the woman : to be a second wife of a man who must provide for her and her children, and whom she and her children can inherit when he dies, or to be just a mistress, a girlfriend, who has no right over her boyfriend, and does not inherit him - nor do her children - in which case she and her children become a burden on people ?"(*).

With all due respect to the author of this analysis, and by way of information, we must point out that the third verse of the chapter "Women" does not, whether implicitly or explicitly, include such considerations. By citing this verse, the author did not seek to shed light on the purpose of allowing polygamy, but to list its benefits and positive sides.

Having become aware of the spirit of the verse [Women : 3] mentioned previously, the author said : "From this it becomes evident, and without abuse in the interpretation, that the Koranic text has greatly narrowed the scope of polygamy, because it made the mere fear of not being able to be just and equitable a prohibitive factor against polygamy and a compulsory factor for having one wife only"(**).

Islam allows polygamy, but only as an exception; it has allowed it for the good of society and for doing the righteous deed.