Very Beneficial Speech Regarding Polygamy In ‘Adwaa Ul Bayaan’ Of Imaam Shanqeeti And ‘Sharh Muntiq’ Of Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaimeen (Rahimahumallaah)
Imaam Shanqeeti (rahimahullaah)
Allaah (subhaanah) said:
‘Verily, this Qur’aan guides to that which is most just and right’
[Surah Israa; Ayah: 9]
And from the guidance of the Qur’aan to that which is Most just and right, is that it allows four wives in number; and if the man fears that he cannot be just between them, then he is to restrict himself to one or those whom his right hand possesses, as Allaah (The Most High) stated:
‘And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan- girls, then marry (other) 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 (the captives and the slaves) that your right hands possess.’ [Surah Nisaa; Ayah:3] No doubt the path that is the most just and right of paths is that which legitimizes polygamy, due to perceptible affairs known to every sensible person.
And from those affairs; is that an individual woman menstruates, falls ill and contends with other hindrances that prevent her from fulfilling the more specific duties of marriage; whereas a man is readily prepared as a means to increasing the Ummah.
And from those affairs is; Allaah made it a common phenomenon that men are fewer in number than women in the various regions of the world and are more often exposed to the causes of death in all walks of life. If a man were restricted to one wife, there would remain a great number of women deprived of marriage, so they (both men and women) will be strongly urged towards illegal sexual intercourse.
So turning away from the guidance of the Qur’aan in this affair of (polygamy) is from the greatest causes of moral deprivation; it is (from the greatest causes) of being lowered to the level of animals with regards to a lack of safeguarding chastity, preservation of nobility, good moral conduct and manners.
So Glorified and Exalted is (Allaah) above all that evil they associate with Him, The All-Wise, Well-Acquainted with all things.
‘(This is) a Book, the verses whereof are perfected (in every sphere of knowledge), and then explained in detail from One (Allaah), Who is All-Wise, Well-Acquainted (with all things)’ [Surah Hood; Ayah: 1] No doubt the path that is the most just and right of paths is that which legitimizes polygamy, due to perceptible affairs known to every sensible person.
And from those affairs is that women are all readily prepared for marriage, whereas many men do not have the ability to fulfill the requirements of marriage due to poverty. Those prepared for marriage amongst men are fewer than those amongst women. A woman is not hindered, whereas a man is hindered by poverty and the ability to fulfill the requirements of marriage.
If a man were restricted to one woman, many women prepared for marriage would have missed the opportunity for marriage and in finding a husband. This will become a cause for lost of virtue. (It will be a cause) for depravation and moral decadence, and the opportunity to preserve the human race would be lost.
So if a man fears that he will not be able to deal justly between the wives, then it is incumbent upon him to restrict himself to one or to those whom his right hand possesses; because Allaah has stated:
‘Verily, Allaah enjoins Al-Adl (i.e. justice and worshipping none but Allaah Alone – Islamic Monotheism) and Al-Ihsaan [i.e. to be patient in performing your duties to Allaah, totally for Allaah’s sake and in accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet in a perfect manner], and giving (help) to kith and kin (i.e. all that Allaah has ordered you to give them e.g., wealth, visiting, looking after them, or any other kind of help, etc.)'[Surah Nahl; Ayah: 90] And it is impermissible to incline towards preferential (treatment) with regards to the sharee’ah rights (given to each of the wives), due to the saying of Allaah;
‘You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire, so do not incline too much to one of them (by giving her more of your time and provision) so as to leave the other hanging (i.e. neither divorced nor married).’ [Surah Nisaa; Ayah: 129] As for the natural inclination towards loving some of them more than others, the human being is incapable of preventing this; because it is an emotional (affair) and the soul’s desire, and not an action that is carried out. This is what is intended by Allaah’s statement:
‘You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives’ [Surah Nisaa; Ayah: 129] A Reply To Some Of The Worthless Statements Of Disbelievers/Atheists
he Claim: And the claim of some of the disbelievers amongst the enemies of Islaam is that polygamy inevitably brings about constant argumentation and disagreement which ends up in a life of misery; because whenever one of the wives is pleased the other is angered, so the two (wives) are always in displeasure and this is not wisdom.
Reply: This (above statement of some of the disbelievers) is a worthless statement, whose worthlessness is perceptible to every sensible person; because argumentation and disagreement between individual members of a family does not bring about separation in the least. It occurs between a man and his mother; between him and his father; between him and his children and between him and his only wife. It is a common affair of no great concern.
And this argumentation and disagreement of no great concern (occurs) alongside the overriding tremendous benefits of polygamy, with regards to safeguarding women and facilitating marriage for them, and in increasing the number of the Ummah so that they can stand firm against the enemies of Islaam in every affair; and an overriding tremendous benefit takes precedence over prevention of a small harm.
And even if we were to presuppose that argumentation and disagreement in polygamy is harmful or that it brings emotional pain to the heart of the first wife, then what we have mentioned with regards to greater benefits of polygamy takes precedence over these (presupposed harms) as is well known in the fundamental principles of Islamic Jurisprudence
Imaam Muhammad Bin Saaleh Al Uthaimeen On Polygamy
From amongst the scholars are those who say that it is befitting to marry more than one. It is better to marry more than one (wife) as long as a person has the financial and physical ability to fulfill their rights; seeking by it the benefits of marriage against the harms that occurs besides these benefits; because the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) had a number of wives. Ibn Abbaas (radiyallaahu-anhumaa) said:
‘The best person of this Ummah had the largest number of wives’ [1] However, it is well known that the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) did not marry wives for the purpose of fulfilling desires; rather it was for the purpose of a universal benefit, in order to be linked with every tribe. So every Arab tribe had a link with the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) because relations by marriage and in-laws have ties of kinship. Allaah (subhaanah) said:
‘And it is He Who has created man from water, and has appointed for him kindred by blood, and kindred by marriage’
The Marriages Of The Prophet Were For The Purpose Of Seeking A Universal Benefit And To Safegurad The Chastity Of Women; And Not For Lust
And from another angle, the prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) wanted (by way of his marriages) that those concealed actions of his, which could only take placed in the houses be adopted; thus his wives took that from him, and that is why much of the Sunan not (performed openly in public) were adopted from his wives (radiyallaahu-anhum).
Likewise, his marriages were for the purpose of safeguarding the chastity of women and to bring solace to their hearts, as was the case with Safiyyah Bint Hayy (radiyallaahu-anhaa). She (Safiyyah-radiyallaahu-anahaa) was a captive during the battle of Khaybar and her father was the leader of Banu Nadr; and without a doubt she would have been heart broken being the daughter of the leader of Banu Nadr and held as a captive; the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) wished to console her, so he married her.
And had he (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) desired to fulfill desires (through marriage), then his wives would not have been women who had been marriage before, except one of them (i.e. Aa’isha); because without a doubt a virgin is more admirable than a woman who had been marriage before, as the Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said to Jaabir:
‘Why did you not marry a virgin, so that you might play with her and she with you, and you might amuse her and she amuse you’
Anyhow, we say, marrying a number of wives is a good thing, but it has to be with the condition mentioned by Allaah (Azza-Wa-Jal), and that is the person should be able to act justly (between his wives).
‘And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan- girls, then marry (other) 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 (the captives and the slaves) that your right hands possess.’ [Surah Nisaa; Ayah:3] No doubt the path that is the most just and right of paths is that which legitimizes polygamy, due to perceptible affairs known to every sensible person.
And from those affairs; is that an individual woman menstruates, falls ill and contends with other hindrances that prevent her from fulfilling the more specific duties of marriage; whereas a man is readily prepared as a means to increasing the Ummah.
And from those affairs is; Allaah made it a common phenomenon that men are fewer in number than women in the various regions of the world and are more often exposed to the causes of death in all walks of life. If a man were restricted to one wife, there would remain a great number of women deprived of marriage, so they (both men and women) will be strongly urged towards illegal sexual intercourse.
So turning away from the guidance of the Qur’aan in this affair of (polygamy) is from the greatest causes of moral deprivation; it is (from the greatest causes) of being lowered to the level of animals with regards to a lack of safeguarding chastity, preservation of nobility, good moral conduct and manners.
So Glorified and Exalted is (Allaah) above all that evil they associate with Him, The All-Wise, Well-Acquainted with all things.
‘(This is) a Book, the verses whereof are perfected (in every sphere of knowledge), and then explained in detail from One (Allaah), Who is All-Wise, Well-Acquainted (with all things)’ [Surah Hood; Ayah: 1] No doubt the path that is the most just and right of paths is that which legitimizes polygamy, due to perceptible affairs known to every sensible person.
And from those affairs is that women are all readily prepared for marriage, whereas many men do not have the ability to fulfill the requirements of marriage due to poverty. Those prepared for marriage amongst men are fewer than those amongst women. A woman is not hindered, whereas a man is hindered by poverty and the ability to fulfill the requirements of marriage.
If a man were restricted to one woman, many women prepared for marriage would have missed the opportunity for marriage and in finding a husband. This will become a cause for lost of virtue. (It will be a cause) for depravation and moral decadence, and the opportunity to preserve the human race would be lost.
So if a man fears that he will not be able to deal justly between the wives, then it is incumbent upon him to restrict himself to one or to those whom his right hand possesses; because Allaah has stated:
‘Verily, Allaah enjoins Al-Adl (i.e. justice and worshipping none but Allaah Alone – Islamic Monotheism) and Al-Ihsaan [i.e. to be patient in performing your duties to Allaah, totally for Allaah’s sake and in accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet in a perfect manner], and giving (help) to kith and kin (i.e. all that Allaah has ordered you to give them e.g., wealth, visiting, looking after them, or any other kind of help, etc.)'[Surah Nahl; Ayah: 90] And it is impermissible to incline towards preferential (treatment) with regards to the sharee’ah rights (given to each of the wives), due to the saying of Allaah;
‘You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire, so do not incline too much to one of them (by giving her more of your time and provision) so as to leave the other hanging (i.e. neither divorced nor married).’ [Surah Nisaa; Ayah: 129] As for the natural inclination towards loving some of them more than others, the human being is incapable of preventing this; because it is an emotional (affair) and the soul’s desire, and not an action that is carried out. This is what is intended by Allaah’s statement:
‘You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives’ [Surah Nisaa; Ayah: 129] A Reply To Some Of The Worthless Statements Of Disbelievers/Atheists
he Claim: And the claim of some of the disbelievers amongst the enemies of Islaam is that polygamy inevitably brings about constant argumentation and disagreement which ends up in a life of misery; because whenever one of the wives is pleased the other is angered, so the two (wives) are always in displeasure and this is not wisdom.
Reply: This (above statement of some of the disbelievers) is a worthless statement, whose worthlessness is perceptible to every sensible person; because argumentation and disagreement between individual members of a family does not bring about separation in the least. It occurs between a man and his mother; between him and his father; between him and his children and between him and his only wife. It is a common affair of no great concern.
And this argumentation and disagreement of no great concern (occurs) alongside the overriding tremendous benefits of polygamy, with regards to safeguarding women and facilitating marriage for them, and in increasing the number of the Ummah so that they can stand firm against the enemies of Islaam in every affair; and an overriding tremendous benefit takes precedence over prevention of a small harm.
And even if we were to presuppose that argumentation and disagreement in polygamy is harmful or that it brings emotional pain to the heart of the first wife, then what we have mentioned with regards to greater benefits of polygamy takes precedence over these (presupposed harms) as is well known in the fundamental principles of Islamic Jurisprudence
Imaam Muhammad Bin Saaleh Al Uthaimeen On Polygamy
From amongst the scholars are those who say that it is befitting to marry more than one. It is better to marry more than one (wife) as long as a person has the financial and physical ability to fulfill their rights; seeking by it the benefits of marriage against the harms that occurs besides these benefits; because the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) had a number of wives. Ibn Abbaas (radiyallaahu-anhumaa) said:
‘The best person of this Ummah had the largest number of wives’ [1] However, it is well known that the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) did not marry wives for the purpose of fulfilling desires; rather it was for the purpose of a universal benefit, in order to be linked with every tribe. So every Arab tribe had a link with the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) because relations by marriage and in-laws have ties of kinship. Allaah (subhaanah) said:
‘And it is He Who has created man from water, and has appointed for him kindred by blood, and kindred by marriage’
The Marriages Of The Prophet Were For The Purpose Of Seeking A Universal Benefit And To Safegurad The Chastity Of Women; And Not For Lust
And from another angle, the prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) wanted (by way of his marriages) that those concealed actions of his, which could only take placed in the houses be adopted; thus his wives took that from him, and that is why much of the Sunan not (performed openly in public) were adopted from his wives (radiyallaahu-anhum).
Likewise, his marriages were for the purpose of safeguarding the chastity of women and to bring solace to their hearts, as was the case with Safiyyah Bint Hayy (radiyallaahu-anhaa). She (Safiyyah-radiyallaahu-anahaa) was a captive during the battle of Khaybar and her father was the leader of Banu Nadr; and without a doubt she would have been heart broken being the daughter of the leader of Banu Nadr and held as a captive; the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) wished to console her, so he married her.
And had he (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) desired to fulfill desires (through marriage), then his wives would not have been women who had been marriage before, except one of them (i.e. Aa’isha); because without a doubt a virgin is more admirable than a woman who had been marriage before, as the Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said to Jaabir:
‘Why did you not marry a virgin, so that you might play with her and she with you, and you might amuse her and she amuse you’
Anyhow, we say, marrying a number of wives is a good thing, but it has to be with the condition mentioned by Allaah (Azza-Wa-Jal), and that is the person should be able to act justly (between his wives).
