Dear Dr.,
Could you please explain to me why a Muslim man is permitted to marry up till four women? While Muslim women are not given the same right?
I can't see what good allowing men have more than one wife can bring to the society.
However I mean no offense to your noble religion, I just feel puzzled whenever this issue is raised at any gathering.
Jessica from Chicago
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Dear Jessica
I can see that my dear readers have become interested in a variety of topics far from politics.
Polygamy in Islam is a rich subject that needs to be covered in more than one session. But let me give you a simple fact about our world that will help clarify the matter for you. But first I want to assure you that when Islam allowed men have up till four spouses it didn't give this license without conditions, it limited it to certain circumstances and under certain conditions so that to ensure that nothing damaging affects the society.
Islam for instance set conditions for polygamy,
Let's see what the noble Qur'an says in regards to this point:
"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 only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice."- Qur'an (4:3)
And because Islam is a religion for all times it granted respect for women's rights and set as a condition for polygamy that a man is able to deal justly with his wife (which is not an easy condition).
"It is very difficult to be just and fair between women." Qur'an (4:129)
So Islam permitted polygamy but very highly discouraged it.
Contrary to the widespread misconception about Islam's polygamy, allowing men to marry more than one wife wasn't for males' sexual privileges and desires, but to ensure certain social order, including protection for the orphans and widows and preventing sins such as illegal sex and prostitution.
And what a lot of people don't know is that Islam actually came to limit polygyny. Before Islam, there was no upper limit for polygyny and men had up till hundreds of wives.
Sheikha Sajida
On behalf of Dr. Kareem
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i want to ask jessica why an american man can have more than one but cant marry legally more than one woman. he is allowed to have illegal relationship with lot of women but cant marry them legally? - user
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