POLYGAMY AND ISLAM

proof of God’s omniscience. His commandment, seemingly elicited by an emergency, became an eternal commandment for the whole of our world under similar circumstances. The Willingness of Women The presence of a greater number of women in a society is not the only prerequisite for polygamy. It is, in addition, compulsory that the woman who is the object of the man’s choice should be willing to enter into the married state. This willingness on the woman’s part is a must before a marriage can be lawful in Islam. It is unlawful to marry a woman by force. There is no example in the history of Islam where a man has been allowed to force a woman into marriage. Solution to a Problem rather than a Commandment The permission to marry more than one woman is provided as a solution to a social problem in the Islamic Shariah. The principle of polygamy, as enshrined in the Islamic Shariah is designed, in fact, to save women from the ignoble consequences of being alone. This commandment, although apparently general in application, was given only as a solution to a specific social problem. It provides an arrangement whereby surplus women may save themselves from sexual anarchy and have a proper stable family life. That is to say, it is not a question of adopting polygamy rather than monogamy. The choice is between polygamy and sexual anarchy. If the commandment to practice polygamy is seen in the abstract, it would appear to be biased in favour of men. But when placed in the context of social organization, it is actually in favour of women. Polygamy is both a proper and a natural solution to women’s problems. The permission to practice polygamy in Islam was not given in order to enable men to satisfy their carnal urges. It was designed as a practical strategy to solve a particular problem. Marrying more than one woman is possible only when there are more women than men. Failing this, it is out of question. It is inconceivable that Islam, just to satisfy man’s desires, would give us a commandment that is neither possible nor practical. To have more than one wife is not an ideal in Islam. It is, in essence, a practical solution to a social problem. o If the commandment to practice polygamy is seen in the abstract, it would appear to be biased in favour of men. But when placed in the context of social organization, it is actually in favour of women.