Polygamy and the Prophet of Islam
Polygamy and the Prophet of Islam
Critics often object that polygamy involves intemperance and monogamy is the ideal system. Let us first consider the question of polygamy in general, and whether a plurality of wives negates high spirituality. In this context it should be remembered that none of the great religious system has polygamy been prohibited in the scriptures of a religion. So far as Judaism and Christianity are concerned, the righteous among them in earlier ages, for instance, all the Prophets of the Old Testament, married more wives than one, which is proof that polygamy is not inconsistent with the highest standard of spirituality. Long before the appearance of the prophet of Islam polygamy was being practiced by the Biblical prophets. Abraham had three wives, David one hundred, and Solomon over seven hundred. That was a very common practice of the society to marry more than one wife, and there was not any limit for that. And polygamy was not only in Arabia rather it was being practiced in the entire world. So according to the custom of the time prophet of Islam also practiced polygamy, and it was when he was over fifty years old and up to the age of 50 years the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had only one wife. After the death of Hadrat Khadijh, But later it was revealed to the prophet, as God’s commands that the Muslims can practice polygamy, under certain restrictions as the Holy Quran says:
“And if you fear that you will not be just in dealing with the orphans, then marry of other women as
may be agreeable to you, two, or three, or four; and if you fear you will not be able to do justice,
then marry only one or marry what your right hand possess. Thus it is more likely that you will not
do injustice. And give the women their dowries willingly. But if they, of their own pleasure, remit to
you a part thereof, then enjoy it as something pleasant and wholesome”.(Holy Quran, 4:4-5)
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Categories: Ahmadiyyat: True Islam, Islam
I feel that they oppose polygamy just for the opposition of Islam. Almost all the western advocates of monogamy have several affairs. Honest and straight forward people call it “hypocrisy”.
Exactly! It’s so strange that the West allows men to have several (without number), girlfriends, but, looks down on legitimate wives.
In fact, this is very irresponsible behaviour and also unjust to women. Do these women who are kept as mistresses (mistresses of what?), who have no rights the same as the wives? Wouldn’t they prefer to have legitimate rights of wives compared to the status they hold as mistresses? And their off-spring, too?
Which brings to mind the over-population of the world. If only married people were allowed to bring children into the world, I think it would make a difference to the present complaints of over-population and it’s various problems…
For example, in my country, if one visits the maternity wards of most hospitals more than half the women there are single mothers!
You are wrong to say that major religions do not condemn polygamy,i.e,where one man collects several women as concubines for his harem. While polygamy was condoned in the Old Testament (a Jewish book) is is condemned in the New Testament (a Christian book)in Matthew 19, 3-9; First Epistle of Paul to Timothy,3: 1,2; and in the Epistle of Paul to Titus, 1: 4-7. Men are told they should have only one wife. Polygamy is an ancient patriarchal practice come down to us from the dark ages when women were considered chattels. It is very different today, when women (at least in First World countries) are considered men’s equals and this equality is enshrined in State law. On November 23 2011, Chief Justice Robert Bauman of BC Supreme Court, Canada, after 4 months of hearing both pro and con arguments about polygamy, ruled that polygamy should continue to be banned in Canada because it is harmful to ALL society, contravenes women’s equality rights and harms their children, and, since Nature has made the sexes almost equal in number (there are not even 2 women for every 1 man) it also harms younger, and perhaps poorer, men who cannot find a wife when rich men help themselves to four or more wives. This disgusting practice needs to be kicked into the garbage can of history, where it should have been kicked years ago. THE YEAR IS 2012 AD, NOT 2012 BC!
Ancis: It would sound good if what you are saying would not be totally unrealistic. Is the ‘ah so modern’ and ‘ah so equal’ Western (Christian) society not practicing polygamy? (without the piece of paper part). Do men in the USA have only one partner, marry her and stay with her all the life? Is it not a lot worse to ‘try one lady after the other’ often ‘several at the same time’ before deciding to ‘finally marry one’? and then feel soo good because he married only one and left all the others he has played with ‘suspended out there’?
Wake up to reality! Polygamy means responsibility, which the men in the West are shirking away from these days.