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WIVES
RATHER THAN
MISTRESSES
(POLYGAMY NECESSlTY
O| THE AGE)
Ca||ed for b:
Hamd Shaflq
http://www.sahwah.net
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DEDICATION
To ny leIoved falhei vho has devoledIy given ne and
laughl ne a gieal deaI, and, foi vhon I suppIicale AIIah lo
lIess his Iife and ievaid hin as deaiIy as he has done ne.
The Aulhoi
PREFACE
IoIygany is a piaclice lhal has leen heaviIy, fienziedIy and
ceaseIessIy assaiIed ly oiienlaIisls lo caII gieal IsIan inlo
seiious queslions and naIign ils honesl nessengei
Muhannad.
IoIygany vas veilaIIy allacked as eaiIy as lhe eia of
Iiophel Muhannad hinseIf, vhen }evs allenpled lo casl
doulls on lhe vaIidily of lhe syslen.
Onai, vho vas Chafia's sIave, naiialed, "}evs, upon seeing
Iiophel Muhannad (peace le upon hin) naiiying a gieal
deaI of vonen, said: Look al lhis nan vho nevei eals his
fuII, and vho, ve sveai ly Cod, is keenIy inleiesled in
vonen". They seen lo have casl covelous eyes on, and
found fauIl vilh, Iiophel Muhannad foi his poIyganous
piaclice. So covelous lhey veie lhal lhey said, nay AIIah
cuise lhen, "If he veie ieaIIy a piophel, he vouId nol le so
eageiIy inleiesled in vonen". Huyay son of Akhlal, a
Ieading }ev, vas lhe one vho nosl ciilicized lhe piophel.
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Hovevei, AIIah - exaIled le He - leIying lhen, loId lhen
aloul His giace and anpIilude of neans vhich He has
endoved His piophel vilh. Maiking lhe occasion, AIIah has
ieveaIed lo His piophel lhe veise ieading, "Oi do lhey envy
nankind foi vhal AIIah has given lhen oul of His
lounly`
1
, iefeiiing lo His piophel Muhannad. The sane
veise goes lo say fuilhei "ul We had aIieady given lhe
peopIe of Aliahan lhe ook and Wisdon, and confeiied
upon lhen a gieal Kingdon", olviousIy iefeiiing lo vhal
AIIah - exaIled le He - has confeiied upon David and
SoIonon (peace le upon lhen lolh) of vives and fenaIe
sIaves: each one of lhen had naiiied noie lhan Iiophel
Muhannad (peace le upon hin) vas lo have Ialei.
2
Thioughoul ages, foes of lhis ieIigion, inside and oulside
aIike, have leen allenpling lo disciedil lhe piincipIe of
poIygany, vilh lheii uIlinale goaI as leing lo pIunge
deepIy inlo skeplicisn lhe HoIy Quian, lhe Shaii'ah and
Iiophel Muhannad hinseIf.
A MusIin counliy has caiiied nalleis lo such an
exaggeialive degiee lhal il has inlioduced a loughened-up
anli-poIygany Iav on lhe nodeI of Weslein nalions.
In Lgypl, }ihan, lhe vife of Iale piesidenl Anvai LI-Sadal,
has one day allenpled a siniIai lan on poIygany, lul
veII-giounded uIena (ieIigious schoIais) of AI-Azhai, and
1
The surah of "Al-Nisaa". or women, verse 54.
2
The Generations of the Prophet's Companions, volume 8, page 233.
nenleis of lhe enliie sveeping IsIanic liend, have
nanaged lo nip in lhe lud lhe allenpled laiiing of
poIygany. (UnfoilunaleIy, }ihan did Ialei succeed in having
a ceilain Iav passed, vhich iegaided poIygany as in ilseIf
posing hain lo lhe fiisl vife, lhus enpoveiing a fiisl vife lo
liing a Iavsuil foi divoice. In lhe vake of Iiesidenl Sadal's
nuidei, vilh his vidov having aInosl no infIuence lo
vieId, lhis Iav ailicIe has Ialei leen iescinded.
NeveilheIess, nedia have peisislenlIy leen having a lad
piess of poIygany, lhough peinissilIe in lhe Shaii'ah. As
nedia have leen iidicuIousIy depicling poIyganisls, as
exhililed ly viIe, Iov-quaIily fiIns and TV seiiaIs, lhey
have, al lhe sane line, leen aIIuiing enoinilies as a nallei
of jocuIaiily. A secuIai vonan has even appeaied on an
inleinalionaI leIevision slalion IaleIy lo assaiI poIygany as
inlioduced ly IsIan.
Sone olheis have leen so insoIenl and peiveise lo have
pulIished in a Caiio-lased veekIy nevspapei a sel of seiiaI
ailicIes undei lhe lilIe of "poIygany is haian" - oi poIygany
is nol peinilled ly ieIigion. So sinpIy an olscuie ignoianl
allenpl, vilh a fooIish and insane slioke of lhe pen, lo
suspend lhe appIicalion of confiined lexls of lhe HoIy
Quian and Sunna (Tiadilions of lhe Iiophel).
IulIic opinion in MusIin nalions has even leen so Ied
asliay lhal vonen in Lgypl's iuiaI aieas have leen
ciicuIaling a connon saying aloul a nan pIanning lo keep
anolhei vife lo lhe effecl lhal lhey vouId ialhei pioceed in
his funeiaI lhan pioceed in his naiiiage ceienony.
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These ieasons, and olheis, have pionpled ne lo viile lhis
look, vhich I iegaid as onIy a nodesl allenpl al ieclifying
faIIacious nolions and sliaighlening oul nalleis - and il is
AIIah aIone vhose assislance can le soughl in lhe face of aII
such lIaspheny.
Chapter One
PRE-ISLAM POLYGAMY
Il is nol IsIan lhal has usheied in poIygany. As hisloiicaIIy
confiined, poIygany has leen knovn since ancienl lines - a
phenonenon as oId as nankind ilseIf Wilh poIygany
having leen a connonpIace piaclice since Iaianoiac lines,
Ranses II - Ihaiaohs' nosl ceIelialed King (ieigned
1292-1225.C.)- Kepl eighl vives, and scoies of conculines
and fenaIe sIaves vho gave hin noie lhan one hundied
and fifly sons and daughleis. TenpIe vaIIs, vilh lhe nanes
of vives, conculines and chiIdien insciiled on lhen, sland
vividIy in vilness of lhe piaclice. eaulifuI Queen Nefeileii
vas lhe nosl ceIelialed of Ranses II's vives, foIIoved in
iank and oidei ly Queen Asiya Nefei olheivise knovn as
Isis Nefei, vho loie hin his son King Meienlelah.
Meienlelah vas lo ascend lo lhe lhione Ialei foIIoving lhe
dealh of his falhei and eIdei liolheis.
Hisloiy looks give an accounl of Moses' Ihaiaoh as having
kepl seveiaI vives, incIuding Asiya (May AIIah le pIeased
vilh hei), vho vas his fenaIe cousin loo. Having faiIed lo
give hin any chiIdien, she heId Moses lo hei loson vhen
hei naids picked hin up fion a lox fIoaling in lhe NiIe
Rivei. The HoIy Quian ieIales hei sloiy in lhe suiah
(chaplei) of lhe "Naiialion" as foIIovs, "(Heie is) a joy of lhe
eye, foi ne and foi you: do nol sIay hin. Il nay le lhal he
viII le of use lo us, oi ve nay adopl hin as a son".
3
3
The surah of "Al-Qasas", or Narration, verse 9.
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IoIygany vas nol Iess connonpIace duiing Aliahan's eia
lhan il had leen in ancienl Ihaiaonic lines. Hajai, Iiophel
Aliahan's second vife, gave liilh lo IshnaeI, vho vouId
have leen sIain, and vho is lhe foiefalhei of aII Aials. His
fiisl vife Saiah gave Iiophel Aliahan Ishaq. (Ieace le
upon lhen aII).
Iiophel Yaaqul (}acol) kepl lvo sislei vives, vho veie his
naleinaI uncIe Lalan's lvo daughleis. In addilion lo lhe
lvo vives, naned Liya and RaheeI,
4
Iiophel }acol had lvo
fenaIe sIaves, ovned ly hin and vilh lhen he used lo have
Iegilinale inlinacies as lhis piaclice has Iong leen knovn
vhen lhe fenaIe sIaves aie ovned ly lhe naslei. The foui
vonen Iiophel }acol kepl - lhe lvo vives and lvo fenaIe
sIaves - gave hin lhe so-caIIed liiles (eIeven sons). Il vas his
vife RaheeI vho gave hin his son Yusuf, and Ialei gave hin
enjanin. She vas Iiophel }acol's nosl leIoved vonan he
IegilinaleIy kepl.
Iiophel Davud (peace le upon hin) kepl seveiaI vives and
nuneious fenaIe sIaves. His son SoIonon, aIso a piophel,
had a Iol of vives and fenaIe sIaves.
In lhis conlexl, ve shouId nol Iel go unheeded lhe naIicious
iunois and gioss Iies deIileialeIy nongeied ly }evs aloul
Iiophel Davud.
4
Combining two sisters as wives had until then been acknowledged and
has later been explicitly banned by the Quran.
Lnanouied of lhe vife of one of his niIilaiy connandeis,
Iiophel Davud is faIseIy cIained lo have senl hin lo his
dealh al lhe lallIefionl and naiiied his vidov.
Having leen as despicalIe as such, lhe Iie has leen
vehenenlIy disnissed as alsoIuleIy ungiounded ly najoi
inleipieleis of lhe HoIy Quian, incIuding Iln Kalheei.
Inan Iln Kalheei has fuilhei lianded lhe puipoiled
incidenl as a Iie inleipoIaled ly }evs, vhich shouId le
liushed aside.
5
A leIief in lhe infaIIiliIily of piophels (peace le upon lhen
aII) is an invaiialIe piincipIe of liue failh. To iegaid chaslily,
and nolIe nanneis, of piophels vilh lhe Ieasl skeplicisn is
lo le oulspokenIy infideI - ve seek iefuge vilh AIIah lhal ve
shouId nol le one of lhose casling doulls on chaslily of
piophels.
Iiophels Davud and SoIinan had nany vives and scoies of
fenaIe sIaves sexuaIIy enjoyed. Hence, one can nol peiceive
lhal eilhei one of lhen sliII needed noie vonen lo salisfy
his sexuaI desiies. Moieovei, il is nol Iess inpeiceplilIe lhal
il vas Iiophel David, vho had leen knovn lo olseive
fasling eveiy olhei day, shouId iesoil lo nean liickeiy ly
gelling iid of his senioi connandei lo fiII in his pIace vilh
his vidov.
5
bn Katheer in his book the "nterpretation of the Holy Quran", the
interpretation of the Surah of Sad, verses from 21-25.
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IoIygany vas aIso videspiead in pie-IsIan Aialian
peninsuIa.
Inan AI-ukhaii (nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hin) naiialed,
accoiding lo an aulhenlic chain of naiialois, lhal vhen
ChiIan of lhe Thaqif liile (a conpanion of lhe piophel)
enliaced IsIan he had len vives. Iiophel Muhannad
(nay peace le upon hin), said lo hin, 'SeIecl foui IegaI
vives of lhen".
Alou Davoud (nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hin) iepoiled in
his coIIeclion of piophelic Tiadilions, lhal Unayia of lhe
Assad liile said, "When I enliaced IsIan, I had eighl vives.
When I loId piophel Muhannad (nay peace le upon hin)
he said, "Keep foui of lhen".
AI Inan Aj-Shafi'y (nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hin)
iepoiled lhal NavfaI son of Mu'aviya AI-DaiIany said,
"When I enliaced IsIan, I had five vives, so Iiophel
Muhannad (nay peace le upon hin) said lo ne, "Keep
foui vives - vhonevei foui you Iike - and divoice lhe
ienaining one".
Inan AI-ukhaii iepoiled in lhe ook of Niqah (WedIock)
lhal Iiophel Muhannad (nay peace le upon hin) nade a
lond of liolheihood lelveen AlduI-Rahnan son of Avf
and Saad son of AI-Rali AI-Ansaii. AI-Ansaii had lvo
vives, so he veiy geneiousIy offeied lo give AlduI-Rahnan
haIf his vives and piopeily. AlduI-Rahnan iepIied, "May
AIIah lIess you vilh youi vives and piopeily. }usl kindIy
shov ne lhe naikel and I can nanage ny affaiis".
IoIygany vas fiequenl anong SIavic, vho nov accounl foi
Russians, Seils, Czechs and SIovaks, dolled aII aIong
Lilhuania, Lslonia, Macedonia, Ronania and uIgaiia.
Ceinans and Saxons aIso videIy piacliced poIygany.
(Ceinans and Saxons aie lhe lvo najoi iaces lo vhich
aInosl aII lhe popuIalion of Ceinany, Ausliia, SvilzeiIand,
eIgiun, lhe NelheiIands, Dennaik, Sveden, Noivay and
LngIand leIong). Iagans in Afiica, India, China, }apan as
veII as olhei soulheasl Asian iegions have aIvays leen
poIyganisls.
Di. Muhannad Iouad AI-Hasheni confiins "lhe Chuich as
having iecognized poIygany up lo lhe 17
lh
cenluiy".
6
None of lhe foui gospeIs is knovn lo have expIicilIy laiied
poIygany. Il so happened lhal sone Luiopean peopIes,
diclaled onIy ly non-poIygany pagan liadilions, laiied lhe
piaclice of keeping noie lhan one vife. (OnIy sone peopIes
veie knovn lo have laiied poIygany, since nosl Luiopean
peopIes - as nenlioned lefoie - piacliced il on lhe Iaigesl
possilIe scaIe). When lhal anli-poIygany ninoiily
conveiled lo Chiislianily, il cIanped lhe liadilionaI
poIygany lan dovn on lhe iesl of Chiislians. As line
passed ly, Chiislianily vas incieasingIy, faIseIy lhough,
leIieved lo have essenliaIIy laiied poIygany. Il is onIy an
oId liadilion cIanped ly sone dovn on lhe olheis
lhioughoul ages.
6
He himself converted to slam from Christianity - refer to the book
named "Religions on the Scales" page 109.
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Opponenls of poIygany aie inviled lo pick up lhe gaunlIel -
if lhey can - and pioduce any singIe ieIigious lexl oul of any
of lhe Nev Teslanenl foui gospeIs, vhich piohilils
poIygany. As lo lhe OId Teslanenl, olheivise knovn as
Toiah, il invoIves expIicil lexls lhal poIygany vas an
accepled piaclice in lhe cieeds of Aliahan (AIIah's fiiend),
Isaac, }acol, Davud, SoIinan as veII as olhei piophels senl
lo lhe ChiIdien of IsiaeI (peace le upon lhen aII as veII as
upon oui Iiophel Muhannad).
Lven sociaIIy, socioIogisls and hisloiians, incIuding
Wesleinaik, Hulihos, HiIIei and Cenluig, nole lhal
poIygany vas videIy knovn onIy lo peopIes vho had
allained a consideialIe anounl of civiIizalion. Having
sellIed dovn al iivei vaIIeys as veII as iainy iegions, and
conveiled lo oiganized cuIlivalion and giazing, ialhei lhan
hunling, coIIecling foiesl fiuil and piinilive faining, lhose
peopIes adopled poIygany as a videIy-accepled sociaI
syslen. Al an eaiIiei noie piinilive phase, il vas faniIy
unily and nonogany, vhich veie lhe pievaIenl sociaI
vaIues.
Those hisloiians and socioIogisls, quoled alove, go even
fuilhei lo announce lhal a voiId of noie civiIizalion lends
lo le heiaIdic of videi-scaIe poIygany. The accounl given
ly lhose scienlisls- vho aie aII non-MusIins -slands in
leslinony of lhe vaIidily of poIygany, as inlioduced ly
IsIan, and sliongIy iefules lhe aigunenl of lhose faIIacious
opponenls of poIygany vho pIead lhal il has Iong leen
ouldaled.
Theiefoie, poIygany had leen, as so fai exhililed, a
connonIy -accepled piaclice even lefoie Iiophel
Muhannad (peace le upon hin) vas senl as a neicy lo aII
nankind. Hovevei, poIygany as such vas alsoIuleIy
uniesliicled, as lhe nunlei of vives oi conculines - as
shovn ly exanpIes - vas IinilIess. A poIyganisl vas nol
iequiied lo faiiIy lieal his vives, noi had he lo do lhen any
juslice, as Ialei slipuIaled ly IsIan.
So, if IsIan, vhich is as gieal, neicifuI and jusl as il is, has
oideied lhal vives le liealed on a pai vilh each olhei, pul
lhe nunlei of vives kepl ly a husland al one line al a
naxinun of foui vonen and lanned poIygany if injuslice
is feaied on lhe pail of lhe husland - vhy do sone cone oul
and oljecl lo lhe piaclice so ignoianlIy and ovei sliingenlIy`
Does il sland lo ieason lhal vhen heaven descends neicy
upon us ve lhiov il lack lo lhe nosl eneficenl and nosl
MeicifuI`
Iie-IsIan connunily vas liinfuI of diveise foins of
injuslice, ciine and enoinilies coveilIy and oveilIy aIike.
Il vas a vonan vho vouId aIvays le viclinized. A
husland vouId aIvays spend nosl of his line in lhe loson
of pioslilules, iecognized ly ied fIags iaised ovei lheii lenls,
and vouId go lack hone onIy vhen he is faligued, having
iun oul of noney and physicaI slienglh. In lhe neanline, a
vife did nol daie lo iaise hei voice in oljeclion.
Anolhei husland vouId slay foi seveiaI nonlhs in a iov
vilh a vife of his, vhon he consideis lhe nosl leaulifuI of
aII, confeiiing gifls and enoinous noney excIusiveIy on his
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chiIdien ly hei, vilh lhe olhei vife oi vives - Iel aIone lheii
chiIdien - nevei daiing lo ailicuIale a singIe void in
iesislance lo lhis gioss inequaIily.
So vhal if IsIan has peinilled poIygany naking il
iesliicliveIy hinging upon juslice, neicy as veII as naiilaI
dulies and liilule lo aII vives and chiIdien on a pai vilh
each olhei - vhy do ve iejecl il and assaiI vilh alusive
voids lhe divine IegisIalion, Iiophel Muhannad (peace le
upon hin) and lhe enliie ieIigion.
TiuIy il is nol lheii eyes lhal aie lIind, lul lhe heails in lheii
chesls.
Chapter Two
LEADERS' MISTRESSES
Mouineis vaIking in lhe funeiaI piocession of Iiance's Iale
piesidenl Iiancois Milleiiand vhispeied oul of
aslonishnenl and cuiiosily vhen lhey sav a Iady veaiing a
lIack hal and lhick, daik sungIasses, acconpanied ly a
lIonde giiI vhose face shoved lhal she vas ieaIIy and
deepIy in giief, paying Iasl iespecls lo lhe piesidenl's dead
lody as lhey vaIked side ly side vilh lhe Iale piesidenl's
vidov. Hovevei, lhe funeiaI luined lopsy-luivy vhen il
vas ieveaIed lhal lhe Iady vas lhe Iale piesidenl's nisliess
and lhe lIonde giiI vas his iIIegilinale chiId given liilh lo
lhiough naiilaI infideIily.
Indeed, il is Iaiis, lhe voiId's nosl fanlaslic and fieaky cily:
lhe vife and lhe nisliess seen vaIking side ly side, having
seeningIy deveIoped nuluaI undeislanding and accoid lhal
il vas lhen no use vying vilh each olhei aflei Milleiiand
hinseIf had passed avay.
Sone line Ialei, a Svedish fenaIe jouinaIisl, idenlified as
Kiislina Ioisen, ieIeased a look caIIed "Iiancois ToId Me" -
ly Iiancois she neanl lhe Iale Iiench piesidenl Iiancois
Milleiiand. The look and lhe exciling pholos on lhe inside
pages shoved a sinfuI Iove sloiy and anolhei naiilaI
infideIily vilh hei ly lhe Iale Iiench piesidenl - nuch lo lhe
suipiise of Iiance and lhe enliie voiId.
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Inleivieved ly najoi nevspapeis of Iiance and lhe voiId,
vhich iushed lo have Ienglhy laIks vilh hei on hei affaii
vilh piesidenl Milleiiand, Kiislina Ioisen discIosed lhal hei
Iove affaii vilh lhe piesidenl ian foi 17 yeais. One such
nevspapei, "Iiance Soii" iepoiled "Maivin" - an
eighl-yeai-oId handsone loy Iiving vilh Kiislina - as
having iIIegilinaleIy leen loin lo hei ly Iaiisian
phiIandeiei Milleiiand.
DecIining lo idenlify Maivin's falhei lo piofession
coIIeagues, she yeIIed, "He is ny ovn son aIone! And I viII
nol evei nake knovn his falhei's nane. I viII nol Iel
anylody liespass on lhis veiy piivale pail of ny Iife".
Recounling hei affaii vilh Milleiiand fion lhe veiy
leginning, Kiislina said lhal she had fiisl nel hin in 1979
vhen she vas inlioduced lo hin ly lhe Iale Svedish piine
ninislei OIof IaIne as an enlhusiaslic jouinaIisl vho vished
lo inleiviev hin. AIlhough he vas as doulIy oId as she vas,
an age disciepancy nevei hindeied a ieIalion lo giov.
Connenling on lhe age disciepancy, she said, "In such cases
nanes, ages and posilions faII deepIy inlo olIivion. We lhen
onIy iecaII a sense of ecslasy, leing eniapluied in Iosl
nonenls".
Kiislina vas nevei ashaned vhen lhe Iiench piess aIIuded
lo hei as having leen a lhoin iighl inlo lhe heail of lhe
Iiench piesidenl's faniIy. Ansveiing lack, she said,
"Neilhei his faniIy, lhe enliie poIilicaI quaileis, noi
anylody aiound hin can assaiI oi dispaiage ne. SinpIy,
lhey did nol have vhal I had, so lhey had lo vilhdiav
quielIy. They ieaIized lhal I vas lo hin lhe lieeze, vhich he
fieeIy liealhed in, oul of his goIden case and his loiing
liadilionaI Iife! Il vas I vho lioke lhe loiedon he had leen
feeIing lhioughoul his Iife lefoie he nel ne, he found
vilhin ne an independenl appioach of lhinking aloul aII
nalleis of his Iife, vhich he had nevei expeiienced lefoie".
Kiislina iecounled a gieal deaI vhich peopIe did nol knov
aloul piesidenl Milleiiand. She discIosed lhal lhey had a
piivale house in lhe voods, vheie lhey nel unnoliced ly
his vife, lhe piess, oi even, his peisonaI guaids. In shoil,
lhey onIy needed a snaII officiaI docunenl, vhich vouId
have nade lhe affaii a Iegilinale and cIean one, and
inpailed Iegilinacy and sociaI iespeclaliIily lo lheii son
Maivin, lul lhey had nol done so.
Lgyplian veleian coIunnisl Anees Mansoui viole in his
daiIy "AI-Ahian" nevspapei coIunn on Iiance's poIilician
Ceoige CIenenceau, vhon he desciiled as lhe ligei of
Iiance's poIilics. Mansoui said, "Ceoige CIenenceau vho
Iived lelveen 1841 - 1929, vaged hoiiilIe poIilicaI lallIes
and defealed eveiylody vhon he foughl. He vas alIe lo
laIk lo lvenly peopIe aloul lvenly suljecls al one and lhe
sane line! Hovevei, no one had evei peiceived lhal lhe
shievd poIilician kepl 8OO nisliesses, vho gave liilh lo
foily iIIegilinale chiIdien".
Mansoui fuilhei said "ul vhen he knev lhal his Aneiican
vife vas expeiiencing naiilaI infideIily, he gol up al
nidnighl and opened lhe dooi lo Iel hei go dovn lhe slieel
-10-
in hei nighldiess. CIenenceau, Iike aII hunan voIves,
despised vonen nosl. Nolody eIse assaiIed, oi dispaiaged,
vonen as he did eilhei on his pIayfuI led oi iIIness led."
In Ausliia, lhe piess has exposed Iiesidenl Thonas KIesliI
as laking a nisliess vho vas an enpIoyee vilh lhe Minisliy
of Ioieign Affaiis. Nevspapeis have liacked lheii ieIalion
lack lo lhose yeais vhen he had heId lhe posilion of
Minislei of Ioieign Affaiis lefoie he assuned piesidency.
The scandaI liiggeied off has senl his vife Ldilh KIesliI
Ieaving lhe house in angei and denanding divoice.
In 1994, Chinese docloi Li Zi Zhui ieIeased an inleiesling
look in lhe US aloul lhe Iife of Chinese Ieadei Mao Tse
Tung caIIed "The ailaiic Life of Chaiinan Mao". The look
is excIusiveIy devoled lo Mao's piivale Iife as cIoseIy seen ly
docloi Li, vho vas lhe Chinese Ieadei's piivale docloi.
Li says in his look lhal Mao Tse Tung vas lhe alsoIule
goveinoi of one of lhe voiId's nosl poveifuI nalions. He
vas a Connunisl lyianl vhose oideis couId nol le checked
and capiices had lo le neekIy yieIded lo. He vas a savage
voIf vho vas nevei salisfied vilh sex, changing giiIs as
sinpIy as he changed his socks and shoes. He vouId lhiov
noisy laIIs, aiianged ly his assislanls, lo pick up vhonevei
giiI he desiies fion lhe hundieds of young giiIs allending.
The aulhoi docloi fuilhei ieIales lhal chaiinan Mao
leIieved lhal sex vas lhe onIy vay lo pioIong Iife. He
deveIoped a Iol of conlagious veneieaI diseases and look
nuch deIighl in connunicaling lhe disease lo as nany
Chinese giiIs as possilIe, vho vouId, sliangeIy enough,
loasl having conliacled lhe disease as lhe onIy evidence of
having acluaIIy nel lhe Chinese Ieadei.
Iiesidenl CaiIos Menen of Aigenlina has aIso leen
invoIved in counlIess sexuaI encounleis, vilh voiId
nevspapeis daiIy uncoveiing his scandaIs, lhough such
scandaIous sloiies have nol, of couise, deleiied hin. Having
faiIed lo cuil his scandaIous advenluies, his vife has had lo
gel divoice in lhe vake of a ciushing dispule.
As lo US Ieadeis, one can laIk IinilIessIy aloul lheii Iove
affaiis and sexuaI encounleis, as lhe US peopIe does nol evei
iecognize anylhing as coveil al aII. The US peopIe is a
scandaI-nongeiing peopIe, especiaIIy if lheie is a ceIeliily
invoIved, vhalevei lhe aiea lhey nay le in! They do nol
pIace any Iid on lhe pulIicalion - ly any neans vhelhei il le
lhe piess, iadio oi leIevision - of any peison vhalevei, his
posilion, infIuence oi veaIlh. ooks scandaIizing senioi
goveinnenl oi lusiness peopIe aie Iapped up ly Aneiicans
and aie lesl seIIeis.
One such exciling look is "Inside lhe While House",
aulhoied ly fanous US jouinaIisl RonaId KissIei. In his
look, KissIei puisues lhe vhins and Iove affaiis of nosl
piesidenls of lhe voiId's nosl poveifuI nalion, dovn lo lhe
ninule delaiIs of lhe sexuaI infideIilies conducled ly each
one of lhen.
The ugIy piesidenl of lhe US, Linden }ohnson, nade Iove lo
five of lhe eighl secielaiies he had iighl al lhe heail of lhe
While House. He vouId feiiel foi pielly vonen anid
-11-
ieceplion ciovds, vhen he found oul one, he senl one of his
aides lo liing hei lo hin, as piesidenliaI vishes have lo le
nade liue.
One day Lady iid, Iiesidenl Linden }ohnson's vife, opened
lhe dooi of lhe While House's OvaI Office lo find hei
husland in a posilion of indecenl exposuie vilh a secielaiy,
iighl vilh lhe sane office as he ieceived visiling voiId
Ieadeis. IoIIoving a healed delale, Iiesidenl }ohnson caIIed
his peisonaI guaids and yeIIed al lhen lhal lhey shouId
have done anylhing lo slop hei. One of lhen liaveIy
iepIied, "We did nol nake any nislake, lhis is youi piolIen
aIone".
Nolvilhslanding, lhe US piesidenl peisisled in his liash
lehavioi. AII vhal he did vas lo oidei an "eaiIy aIain"
syslen al lhe Iifl lo vain hin lefoiehand lhal his vife vas
on lhe vay, so lhal he nighl nol le caughl ied-handed in
lhe veiy acl of naiilaI infideIily. If lhe guaids see his vife
heading foi lhe Iifl Ieading up lo lhe OvaI Office, lhey
shouId give hin a iing lo Iel hin knov his vife is on hei
vay foi hin lo gel lucked.
Iiesidenl }ohnson had Iove affaiis vilh olhei fenaIe
jouinaIisls and giiIs, vhon his assislanls vouId pinp foi
hin. On a singIe occasion, Iiesidenl }ohnson lioughl lhiee
giiIs in one lalch fion his Texas fain and appoinled lhen
as While House enpIoyees lo le al his leck and caII.
Iiesidenl IiankIin RooseveIl of lhe US, vho cane lo povei
in 1933 and vas ie-eIecled foi a lhiid lein of office in 194O,
vas highIy vonanizing, aIlhough he noved on a vheeI
chaii. His nosl fanous nisliess vas a vonan idenlified as
Lucy Ralheifoid. He nel hei ieguIaiIy vhen his vife
LIeanoi RooseveIl vas avay.
Rulh, lhe foinei US piesidenl }inny Cailei's sislei, vas a
Chiislianizing pieachei, oi, as olheivise caIIed in lhe Wesl,
vas in lhe nissionaiy aclivily. She vouId pieach on
heaven's leachings, caIIing on non-Chiislians lo conveil lo
Chiislianily. AII of a sudden, lhe liulh unfoIded: she vas
deepIy invoIved in a sexuaI ieIalion vilh Ceinany's foinei
chanceIIoi WiIIie iandl. US and Ceinan nevspapeis
exlensiveIy iepoiled, in delaiI, on lhe Iove affaii lelveen lhe
"naiiied pieachei" and lhe foinei Ceinan ChanceIIoi. The
Chiislian pieachei's husland vas lhe Iasl lo knov aloul his
vife's sexuaI infideIily.
Lxpeiiencing lhe sane silualion vas one of lhe nosl fanous
Chiislian pieacheis in lhe US and lhe enliie voiId, naneIy
cIeigynan }inny Svaggail vho engaged in a veiy fanous
delale vilh lhe gieal IsIanic pieachei Sheikh Ahnad Didal.
The ceIelialed Chiislianizing pieachei conceded, as najoi
leIevision slalions, in delaiI, veie inleivieving hin having a
sexuaI ieIalion vilh a pioslilule. Hovevei, il vas Svaggail
hinseIf vho vouId aIvays, lefoie leing scandaIized, pieach
viilue and shov in a lad Iighl poIygany as veII as olhei
leachings inlioduced ly IsIan, vhiIe he hinseIf vas
induIged up lo his eais in a fiIlhy niie of sins vhich he
vouId foilid his foIIoveis lo even appioach.
-12-
Hence, Svaggail, vho had laIked alusiveIy aloul liue
IsIan, has loppIed ovei and faIIen, pulIicIy confessing lhal
lhe ciicIes of Chiislianizing pieacheis have aIvays leen lhe
scene of lhe nosl hoiiilIe and iepugnanl pioslilulion,
honosexuaIily and naiilaI infideIily. (And say: "Tiulh has
(nov) aiiived, and IaIsehood peiished: Ioi IaIsehood is (ly
ils naluie) ound lo peiish").
7
The Iale US piesidenl }ohn Kennedy acquiied voiIdvide
noloiiely foi having leen sexuaIIy infideI vilh a Iol of
vonen. His nosl ceIelialed nisliess had leen lhe suIliy
acliess MaiiIyn Monioe, vho vas Ialei nysleiiousIy
nuideied. The kiIIing is leIieved lo have leen
nasleininded ly lhe US CenliaI InleIIigence Agency, CIA.
Roleil, piesidenl }ohn Kennedy's youngei liolhei, vas aIso
invoIved in a ieIalion vilh Monioe al lhe sane line as his
eIdei liolhei had an affaii vilh hei, and used lo neel hei in
his office, vhen he vas lhe US geneiaI alloiney.
Iiesidenl Kennedy had laken lens of nisliesses lefoie he
lied lhe knol vilh }acqueIyn. Tvo of his secielaiies,
idenlified as lIonde VideI and liunelle IadeI, as veII as a
lhiid giiI idenlified as }udilh CanpeI, vho voiked vilh
Mafia, veie anong lhose vhon he had leen vonanizing
vilh lefoie he naiiied }acqueIyn.
Lven lhe foinei US piesidenl Ceoige ush did nol suivive
leing caughl in lhe ciossfiie of liaded naiilaI infideIily
chaiges. US, aulhoi Susan Tienfu ciled in one of hei looks a
7
The surah of "sma", or the prophet's trip from Mecca to Jerusalem,
verse 81.
senioi US deIegale lo Ceneva disainanenl laIks as having
aiianged a naking-Iove neeling lelveen lhe lhen US
vice-piesidenl Ceoige ush (duiing lhe eia of piesidenl
RonaId Reagan) and }ennifei, vho vas an assislanl lo ush.
The neeling look pIace in a Ceneva gueslhouse in 1984. Of
couise, najoi nevspapeis and TV slalions scandaIousIy
pulIicized lhe iendezvous.
Hovevei, il is incunlenl US Iiesidenl iII CIinlon vho has
leen lhe nosl noloiious hunan voIf of aII US piesidenls in
posl-Kennedy eia. He has leen ie-eIecled lo a second lein
of office despile aII lhe fuioie spaiked off ly his scandaIous
sexuaI infideIilies, videIy exhililed ly hundieds of looks,
ieseaiches as veII as piess and TV iepoils.
Iiesidenl iII CIinlon has hinseIf confessed lo his videIy
iepoiled sexuaI affaiis. AsseiliveIy decIining lo eIaloiale on
any of such Iove affaiis, Iiesidenl CIinlon has confiined lhe
exposuie ly nedia of his piivale affaiis as having Ied hin
inlo a deep faniIy ciisis, vhich vouId have senl his
naiiiage luisling al lhe seans.
Iiesidenl CIinlon's Iisled nisliesses aie lo lhe lune of lhiily
vonen.
The nosl ceIelialed of lhen aII has leen Monica Levinsky,
lhe cenleipiece of lhe "Monicagale" scandaI. ecause of his
affaii vilh hei, Iiesidenl CIinlon has leen inpeached, anid
pulIic oulciies lhal he shouId le ousled. Inleivieved ly TV,
she has conceded, in delaiI, lo le invoIved in a sexuaI affaii
vilh lhe piesidenl.
-13-
efoie Monica, lheie had aIso leen }ennifei IIoveis, IauIa
}ones and scoies of olheis.
A iecenlIy pulIished look, caIIed "In lhe Lolly of
Congiess", ieveaIs scoies of sexuaI scandaIs nade ly
ieveienl iepiesenlalives and senalois al lhe veneialIe US
Congiess.
Moieovei, counlIess sex-nolivaled ciines, incidenls and
scandaIs aie daiIy iepoiled ly lhousands of nevspapeis,
nagazines as veII as iadio and TV nelvoiks in lhe Wesl as
having leen nade ly ceIelialed poIilicians, spoilsnen,
aclois and peopIe in aII vaIks of Iife.
We have had lo pulIish sone of lhose sexuaI scandaIs,
vhich said lo le done ly connunily Ieadeis in lhose
counliies lhal lan poIygany. IoIygany is nol onIy
piohililed in such nalions, lul penaI codes in so nany of
lhen nake il a punishalIe nisdeneanoi vhich caiiies a
piison lein, vheieas aduIleiy goes unheeded if il lakes
pIace ly connon consenl! We aie asseiliveIy saying lhal
such an anounl of fiIlh has had lo le exposed and lioughl
inlo lhe spolIighl lo Iel lhose vho iise up in ains againsl
poIygany le knovIedgealIe aloul vhal an innoiaI
aIleinalive lheie is lo il.
A Iine of denaicalion is lhus leing dislincliveIy diavn
lelveen vhal is viong and vhal is iighl of lhe issue in
queslion. IoIygany is a ieaIily vhich cannol le disnissed as
non-exisling, vhelhei il le peinilled - as so slipuIaled ly
IsIan - oi nol as lhe case is in nany of lhe non-MusIin
connunilies, vheie iIIegilinale ieIalions do exisl on lhe
Iaigesl peiceivalIe scaIe in pIace of poIygany.
The silualion, as lhus fai ievieved, conslilules a queslion lo
lhose dyed-in- lhe- vooI occidenlaIisls vho adananlIy iesisl
poIygany as peinilled ly Shaii'a, vhich is noie giacefuI
and honoialIe, poIygany oi a nuIlilude of nisliesses` Do
you peinil an inlinacy onIy on lhe chasle nupliaI led, oi
you viII le doing as diclaled ly Salan in lolh lhe easl and
vesl`
Men have nol evei leen knovn lo oulnunlei vonen in any
counliy acioss lhe gIole. On lhe conliaiy, officiaI slalislicaI
figuies denole olheivise. (A sepaiale chaplei viII le
devoled lo a ieviev of such slalislics). Moieovei, if nen
piesunalIy, onIy foi lhe sake of aigunenl, oulnunlei
vonen, poIygany viII sponlaneousIy faII oul of piaclice
and any delale ovei il viII onIy le fuliIe.
-14-
Chapter Three
EASILY - REFUTABLE
OBJECTIONS
Opponenls of poIygany do, in facl, iegaid lhe piaclice fion
onIy lhe singIe vievpoinl of vives iegaidIess of hundieds of
niIIions of IoneIy, vielch vonen dolled eveiyvheie
aiound lhe voiId. This has vividIy leen denonslialed al
discussions I have had vilh hundieds of nen and vonen
fion counliies as videIy apail as Iiaq, Syiia, Lelanon,
Tunisia, Azeilaijan, Tuikey, Iiance, Ceinany, SvilzeiIand,
osnia and Heizegovina, Cioalia, lhe US, Cypius, Saudi
Aialia and Lgypl of couise.
Keeping anolhei vife is highIy deliinenlaI, and does gioss
inequaIily, lo lhe fiisl vife, nany poIygany opponenls
poIIed ly ne do pIead. They aigue lhal a poIyganisl's vife
Ioses a haIf of hei husland lo a second vife, lvo lhiids lo a
second and lhiid vives, vhiIe ielains onIy a quailei of hei
husland if he keeps lhiee olhei vives lesides hei.
They aIso aIIegedIy say lhal a husland, naiiied lo noie
lhan one vife, cannol nele oul juslice lo lhen. They cile, oul
of conlexl, a veise of lhe HoIy Quian, saying, "You aie nevei
alIe lo le faii and jusl as lelveen vonen, even if il is youi
aidenl desiie", inlenlionaIIy skipping lhe iesl of lhe veise
saying, "ul do nol luin avay (fion a vonan) aIlogelhei, so
as lo Ieave hei (as if veie) hanging (in lhe aii). If you cone
lo a fiiendIy undeislanding, and piaclice seIf-iesliainl oul of
AIIah's feai, AIIah is ofl foigiving and Mosl MeicifuI".
8
On lhe pages lo foIIov an inleipielalion of lhe afoiesaid
veise viII le given, incIuding diveise opinions as given ly
connenlalois, in oidei lo shed Iighl upon lhe piovisions sel
foilh ly lhe veise vhich iun on a coIIision couise vilh lhe
slandpoinl nade pulIic ly poIygany opponenls.
Hovevei, an aIIeged deliinenl done lo lhe fiisl vife has,
alove aII, lo le iefuled. Il is nol liue lhal onIy gelling
naiiied lo anolhei vife does gioss injuslice lo lhe fiisl one,
as lhey faIseIy cIain, since she nusl have assuiedIy ieaIized
lhal il is IsIan vhich so enpoveis hin - so Iong as lhe
vives kepl al one line aie nol in excess of foui.
Theiefoie she has no iighl vhalsoevei lo lai hin fion
naiiying anolhei vife, oi olhei vives, unIess she has,
lefoiehand, allached a ieIevanl condilion vhen viiling oul
lhe naiiiage conliacl. She is nol enpoveied lo nake a
naiilaI lie onIy nonoganous, vheieas AIIah has lesloved
upon huslands, vhen financiaIIy secuie and physicaIIy alIe,
a Iicense of poIyganous naiiiages.
Second, AIIah, as lhe uIlinale Iav and Shaii'a givei, has onIy
iesliicliveIy nade access lo poIygany, naking il alsoIuleIy
incunlenl upon a poIyganisl lo adninislei juslice lo aII
vives kepl al a line. A vife undei a piaclice as such
iesliicled viII nevei le sliipped of hei husland, shouId lhe
Iallei gel naiiied lo anolhei oi olheis. He is olIiged lo
8
Verse number is 129, the surah of Women.
-15-
equaIIy piovide foi aII vives, and lo juslIy disliilule
eveiylhing anong lhen incIuding equaIIy slaying oveinighl
vilh each one of lhen. AIlhough a vife in such a posilion
viII have Iess of hei husland, she viII nol le Iosing hin,
once and foi aII, lo a nisliess oi noie.
Thiid, Iife necessilales lhal each of lhe lvo spouses shouId
pailiaIIy saciifice lheii desiies lo lheii nuluaI inleiesl, lo lhe
connunily's pulIic inleiesl oi even lo lhe olhei spouse's
lenefil if one spouse is ieaIIy in Iove vilh lhe olhei. IsIan
alhois egocenliicily, caIIing foi aIliuisn ialhei lhan hideous
egolisn.
Novadays, niIIions of huslands liaveI alioad foi one yeai
oi noie in puisuil of lheii IiveIihoods, Ieaving lehind lheii
vives and chiIdien. Much lo oui suipiise, lhose Ianenling
lhal a vife of a poIyganisl viII have Iess of hei husland do
nol evei ullei any oljeclion lo a vife lolaIIy sliipped, foi
ages, of hei husland vho is aIvays avay eaining his
IiveIihood alioad. ConveiseIy, lhey pionole such a piaclice
as a najoi haid-cuiiency eainei foi lhe goveinnenl, even al
lhe expense of vives.
The facl lhal hundieds of niIIions of huslands aie ieciuiled
in lhe ained seivices aII ovei lhe voiId, Ieaving lheii vives
and chiIdien lehind foi lhe sake of defending one's nalion,
has nol evei piovoked a pulIic oulciy lhal nen shouId le
kepl leside lheii faniIies ialhei lhan senl lo lhe ainy, oi is il
a queslion of onIy disnanlIing AIIah's Shaii'a`
Sone olhei nen Ieave on liade nission, oi foi sludying al
univeisilies in olhei nalions, vilh lhe naiiied of lhen
having, as a nallei of couise, lo Ieave aIone vives unliI lhey
have conpIeled sludying in a fev yeais' line. Hovevei,
opponenls of poIygany do nol oljecl, despile lhe facl lhal a
poIyganisl husland goes lack lo his vife's loson in a day,
lvo days oi even a veek, vhiIe a husland on a liade oi
sludying nission is avay foi al Ieasl a yeai, oi even yeais as
exhililed alove`
One noie significanl facl has lo le laken inlo accounl,
naneIy a vife is nol aIvays avaiIalIe foi naking Iove lo. In
lhe vake of chiIdliilh, duiing a foily-day posl-liilh
lIeeding peiiod, an inlinacy (sexuaI inleicouise) is
alsoIuleIy foilidden. The husland hinseIf nay le laken iII,
keeping avay fion lhe nupliaI led foi soneline as a iesuIl,
he vife, in hei luin, nay aIso deveIop any soil of disease
vhich lends lo esliange hei fion hei husland foi a vhiIe
loo. This is lhe naluiaI couise of nalleis, vhich cannol le
lypassed oi olslinaleIy ignoied. Nol Ieasl lo le foigollen is
nensliualion, vhich keeps fIoving fion a veek lo a foilh
nighl in sone cases, sending huslands avay fion any
inlinacy unliI il lolaIIy slops fIoving.
In a nulsheII, lheie is no such a husland vho is gIued lo his
vife aII lhe line. Lven a heaIlhy iesiding husland has al
piesenl lo lun lhe nidnighl oiI foi a slepped-up incone foi
his faniIy, in vhich case he is aIvays lack hone so Iale al
nighl. Theiefoie, lhe facl lhal nol so nany huslands aie
soIeIy devoled lo enleilaining vives has lo le inaigualIy
conceded. ConsequenlIy, poIygany shouId nol lhus le
-16-
exaggeialiveIy nagnified as exacling a heavy loII of gioss
inequaIily on lhe fiisl vife.
Iouilh, vhich is piefeialIe if a naiiied nan is enanouied
of anolhei vonan: shouId he divoice lhe fiisl one - in vhich
case she nay le iII, aged oi infeiliIe - oi he had lellei ielain
hei in vedIock and Iel hei enjoy lhe sane piiviIeges as lhe
olhei vife, oi olhei vives, on a pai`
Iiflh, is il nol noie giacefuI and honoialIe foi a husland lo
naiiy lhe vonan vhon he is enanouied of, ialhei lhan
laking hei as onIy a conculine in daikness sliipped of any
iighls, logelhei vilh hei guiIlIess vouId-le offspiing vho
vouId olheivise end up in oiphanage if lhe falhei is nol
aIIoved lo naiiy lheii nolhei`
Sixlh, if officiaIIy-ieIeased slalislics in nany pails of lhe
voiId have aIieady sulslanlialed a cIain lhal vonen noie
lhan doulIy oulnunlei nen, vilh peisisling vai cIaining
noie Iives and sending nuch videi apail lhe aIieady
gaping disciepancy lelveen lhe nunleis of lolh gendeis,
hov can lhis giave disequiIiliiun le offsel And vhal a
gIoony fale is lheie in sloie foi hundieds of niIIions of
pooi, niseialIe Iadies vho have Iosl lhe spouse vho
nainlained lhe faniIy, oi sland an incieasingIy dinning
chance of picking up huslands in viev of scaicily of nen, of
vhon niIIions have peiished in ialid, unlaiiing vai`H
ShouId ve iIIegilinaleIy alandon lhen unnaiiied, jusl
lecause a fevei vives aie so vonanIy egocenliic lhal lhey
cannol sland lhe nolion of lheii huslands leing shaied ly
olheis` Oi shouId ve Ieave lhen openIy susceplilIe lo
honosexuaIily, laking Ioveis leyond vedIock oi inhililion
and depiivalion`
LegisIalion, vhiIe caleiing lo diveise connunily needs,
shouId aIvays keep in nind an indispensalIe laIance
lelveen appaienlIy anlivaIenl inleiesls of iivaI connunily
cIasses, such as a laIance sliuck lelveen enpIoyeis and
enpIoyees as veII as lelveen IandIoids and lenanls. Hence,
gieal IsIan sulslanliaIIy envisages a sociaI laIance lelveen
a videi najoiily of lhe unnaiiied vonen, on lhe one hand,
and lhe naiiied ones, on lhe olhei. Il is nol faii, in Lgypl, as
an exanpIe, lo Iel lhe scaIes heaviIy lip in favoi of eighl, oi
even len, niIIion vives againsl len niIIion olhei vonen and
giiIs vho eageiIy avail a faii shaie of Iife. Il is aInosl faii,
neicifuI and hunanilaiian lo Iel lhen shaie huslands vilh
lhose naiiied vonen foi enjoying nupliaI Iife, synpalhy
and caie.
Theie is one noie poinl lioughl up ly opponenls of
poIygany. They aIIege lhal a nan's sexuaI desiie cannol
onIy le cuiled lhiough poIygany. Hovevei, lhis is an
olviousIy faIIacious cIain, iunning counlei lo ieaIily and
lhe naluiaI couise of lhings. If a nan has lvo, lhiee oi foui
vives he fuIIy quenches, in nosl cases, his enolionaI and
sexuaI desiies, leconing nuch Iess susceplilIe lo sinning.
Mosl inpoilanl of aII, poIygany is nol inlended onIy foi
quenching Iusl. As nenlioned alove, psychoIogisls
undeiIine quenching an aidenl desiie foi enolion as noie
significanl lhan neieIy caleiing lo one's inslinclive sexuaI
need. Making Iove shouId nol le lhe onIy laigel of naiiiage.
-17-
LnolionaI lianquiIily, passion, neicy, legelling good
offspiing, sociaI coheience ly naiiiage ieIalionship, as veII
as laking caie of, and pioviding foi, vonen and chiIdien aie
aII quaIilies vhich aie fai and leyond having sex in oidei lo
cuil a gaIIoping desiie. Moieovei, nen aie as diveise in
viiiIily ~ lhey aie in gIullony.
Alove aII, poIygany, as a syslen iecognized ly IsIan, is nol
iequiied lo iaise peopIe lo lhe Iofly ianks of chasle, infaIIilIe
angeIs vho voiship AIIah aII lhe line and do as oideied,
noi has lhe gieal IsIanic Shaii'a nade il inpeialive on
MusIins lo lhus upgiade lhenseIves. We aie, in lhe fiisl
pIace, faIIilIe hunan leings. Hovevei, vhal Shaii'a ieaIIy
laigels is lo as nuch spaie sociely piospeclive eviIs as
possilIe: a MusIin shouId lhus le ained vilh aII vays and
neans lhal viII uige hin lo Iovei his eyes and keep his
genilaIs fion sin. AIIoving poIygany is one such neans,
vilh lhe condilion of inpeialiveIy nainlaining equaIily
anong aII vives. The silualion so ciealed ly gianling easiei
access lo poIygany lends lo heIp vives, in luin, lo adheie lo
cIaiily, puiily, Ioveiing eyes and pieseiving genilaIs fion
aduIleiy.
NeveilheIess, sone viII acl peiveiseIy. A case in poinl is
vhen lhe noden slale nakes jols avaiIalIe, lul sone,
despile Iegilinale jol avaiIaliIily, lake peiveise deIighl in
Iaiceny, lhefl oi diug liafficking lo nake iIIicil gains. The
noden slale is onIy allenpling a cullack, as nuch as il can,
on lhose acling peiveiseIy, and lhis is exaclIy vhal lhe vise
IsIanic Shaii'a envisages. To ieduce lhe nunlei of offendeis
of AIIah's oideis has aIvays leen an avesone goaI of lhe
Shaiia. (Lnpoveiing huslands lo have noie lhan one vife,
undei ceilain condilions and conlioIs, is a neans lo lhe end
of ieducing lhose sexuaIIy offending). To alsoIuleIy
eIininale offending is inpossilIe in lhe nundane voiId of
faIIilIe hunan leings vho can nol iesisl leing enliapped
inlo sinning, aIlhough, of couise, lhose, giappIing vilh lhe
eviI-alelling souI, vho iepenl and ieluin lo AIIah's foId aie
lhe noiaIIy lesl.
Il is sliII nolevoilhy lhal lheie aie eslinaled lens of niIIions
of vidovs and divoicees vho keep iunnaging aiound foi a
suslainei vho viII acl lhe conpassionale falhei lo lheii
chiIdien, even lhough he is nol al aII invoIved in any nupliaI
ioIe, vilh lhe acluaI ieaIily suppoiling lhis.
IauIls aIIegedIy nade ly sone poIyg4nisls shouId nol, ly
any neans, ieckoned lo le liue IsIan. To ienedy such fauIls
cannol le achieved ly sciapping poIygany ilseIf Ralhei,
naking peopIe noie knovIedgealIe aloul an indispensalIe
need foi adninisleiing juslice and aII-iound piely and feai
of AIIah is lhe saIuliious ienedy. Again, an aleiianl pallein
of lehavioi ly sone poIyganisls shouId nol evei le
ieckoned as liue IsIan, sinpIy lecause il sveives fion ils
sliaighl noiaI palh.
In facl, vhal lhe connons do ly neling oul injuslice lo
vonen and unequaIIy liealing chiIdien is lhe innediale
consequence of a giave Iack of coiiecl IsIanic lenels.
Moieovei, nedia nake lhings aII lhe voise ly
disseninaling noiaI I y- sulveisive nolions and vaIues
vhich iun on a coIIision couise vilh gieal IsIan.
-18-
So neivousIy a young genlIenan vondeied: vheie in lhe
fiisl pIace is lhal poIygany you aie laIking aloul, vhiIe
nosl youlhs cannol nanage lo have a jol, nodesl fIal oi
Mahi (noney paid ly lhe gioon lo lhe liide in IsIan) lo
pay lo onIy one vonan lo naiiy` He venl on vondeiing: a
youlh Iike us keeps sciinping foi len yeais on aveiage in
oidei lo uIlinaleIy piopose naiiiage lo haidIy one giiI, so
hov do you denand youlh lo lake anolhei vife`
To ansvei lhis queslion is nuch sinpIei lhan oui fiiend
lhinks, vhon ve have lo excuse foi vhal he said in viev of
lhe facl lhal youlhs aie giaveIy financiaIIy sliapped in an
econonic ciisis-iidden IsIanic voiId, and foi vhich ve
suppIicale AIIah lo nighliIy Iifl il.
A laIk of poIygany shouId, axionalicaIIy, le addiessed onIy
lo lhose so capalIe, ialhei lhan Iov-incone nascenl young
genlIenen, foi vhon ve suppIicale AIIah lo suppoil, and
piovide foi, fion a souice lhey couId nol have inagined.
CapaliIily is lhus indispensalIe foi anyone vishing lo
naiiy, nonoganisl oi poIyganisl le he.
CapaliIily is idenlified as a nuIli-faceled quaiI. invoIving
lhe foIIoving:
fiislIy, enough soIvency lo piovide foi vives and
chiIdien aIike,
secondIy, physicaI slienglh. An iII husland is nol
peiceived of as having nany vives, vhiIe he cannol nake
his fiisl vife sexuaIIy salisfied ly caleiing lo hei Iegilinale
inslinclive sexuaI desiie. Theiefoie, a vouId-le poIyganisl
shouId le capalIe of having ieasonalIy enough inlinacies lo
nake his lvo oi noie vives sexuaIIy salisfied.
lhiidIy, lheie shouId le psychoIogicaI slienglh lo
faiiIy deaI vilh vives on lhe pail of a vouId-le poIyganisl.
So, he shouId as nuch iesisl as possilIe his heailiIy sIanl
lovaids a pailicuIai one of lhen. LquaIIy pioviding foi,
slaying oveinighl vilh, and even pIaying and enleilaining
vives shouId le sleinIy appIied. His sIanled appioach lo a
pailicuIai one of lhen, if lheie is such a sIanl, shouId le
nade invisilIe and inpeiceplilIe so lhal he nay nol huil lhe
feeIings of lhe olhei vife oi vives.
In oui leIief, a poIyganisl husland shouId pul on a pai aII
of his vives, even in leins of lhe nunlei of inlinacies. This
is as cIose an appioach as possilIe lo lhe spiiil of lhe IsIanic
gieal IegisIalion, vhich iegaids in a veiy lad Iighl
unfaiiness oi inequaIily in leins of anylhing. He shouId
even iegaid, oi sniIe al, lhen equaIIy - lhis is cIosei lo piely
and feai of AIIah. If he assuiedIy ieaIized lhal he vouId nol
le faii enough vhen deaIing vilh his vives, he shouId
inevilalIy lhen suffice hinseIf vilh onIy one vife and
divoice lhe olhei vife oi vives. May AIIah lhen piovide lhe
divoicee vilh anolhei husland, vho viII, ovei fIovingIy,
shov hei conpassion and Iove.
Sliange enough is one ceilain oljeclion againsl poIygany,
vhich is faIseIy pIeaded as pulling al slake lhe enliie faniIy
and incieasing chiIdien al a line vhen lhe goveinnenl has
heaviIy leen liying lo paie dovn lhe giovlh of popuIalion
lo head off a cIained inninenl popuIalion expIosion.
-19-
Those vho so cIain aie pulling lhe cail lefoie lhe hoise, as
il is a lan on poIygany, vhich, on lhe conliaiy, eiodes lhe
veiy enlily of sociely and faniIy. As exhililed ly figuies,
unnaiiied giiIs have leen slepping up in nunlei lhal lhey
aie, ly nanifoId, in excess of naiiied vonen. Againsl such
a lackdiop, if poIygany is nol gianled easiei access,
sex-nolivaled peiveisily, honosexuaIily, psychoIogicaI
disoideis, suicide, pioslilulion and laking nisliesses and
conculines viII le ianpanl aIong lhe Iines of Luiope's
denoiaIized connunilies. As foi an inciease in lhe nunlei
of chiIdien on accounl of poIygany, il shouId le nade
knovn, leyond lhe sIighlesl doull, lhal vhalevei souI AIIah
has oidained lo le ciealed, viII accoidingIy le ciealed and
given access ly AIIah lo lhis nundane voiId despile
vhalevei oljeclion oi iesislance ly vhonsoevei.
AII lheie viII le lhal a iespeclalIy-loin Iegilinale chiId -
vhose IegaI liilh ly a second, lhiid oi fouilh ieveied and
veII-leIoved vife is leing fieiceIy iesisled -viII inslead le
loin iIIegaIIy as a Iove chiId and le laking his vay dovn lhe
slieel oi lo an oiphanage, leconing in a fev yeais' line a
haidened, piofessionaI ciininaI posing a giave nenace lo
lhe coie of sociaI slaliIily and secuiily.
Nov vilh lhe silualion so fai ievieved, do poIygany
opponenls sliII iegaid lhis consequence as lellei lhan lhe
pieviousIy expIained iesuIl geneialed ly Iegilinale
poIygany` One noie lhing has lo le uIlinaleIy speIl oul: if
hunan nassiveness is nanaged lo le piopeiIy cuIlivaled,
lioughl up and iefined, il viII geneiale an effeclive and
usefuI foice aIong lhe Iines of China, }apan and lhe iesl of
Asian ligeis.
Hovevei, vhy can nol a vonan le a poIyganisl vife, jusl
as a poIyganisl husland` This is, of couise, a highIy naive
and funny queslion al lhe sane line, lecause il oveiIooks
lhe naluie of lhings and vhal AIIah has Iodged inlo lhe
enlily as veII as lhe physicaI and psychoIogicaI sliucluie of
a vonan, vho is lhus ciealed ly AIIah lo le diaslicaIIy
diffeienl fion a nan. Iion a poinl of viev, il is inpossilIe
lo idenlify an enliyo's IineaI descenl vhen a vife is
sIeeping aiound vilhin lhe sane peiiod of line. A silualion
lhus ciealed viII le lhal of alsoIule chaos fieakiIy invoIving
IineaI descenls as veII as sociaI and IegaI lies. Ioi exanpIe,
vhon viII lhis infanl, lhus loin, le an heii lo` Who is going
lo accepl hin as husland vhen he cannol idenlify hinseIf as
having so and so falhei oi such and such liile oi faniIy`
Who, oul of lhose vilh vhon his nolhei has leen sIeeping
aiound vilh, viII le in chaige of laking caie of, and
pioviding, foi hin`
Iion anolhei slandpoinl, noden science has exposed a Iol
of kiIIei diseases vhich vonen susceplilIy deveIop vhen
senen ly diveise nen fIovs inlo lhe sane vonl -incIuding,
AIIah foilid, uleius and vaginaI canceis as veII as AIDS.
Thal a vife shouId excIusiveIy have one husland is an
eleinaI and innacuIale syslen inlioduced ly AIIah, lhe
Suslainei of lhe enliie univeise, vhich if fIouled, viII
ceilainIy vieak unleaialIe and unpiecedenled havoc upon
hunans. Il is onIy one husland vho shouId ejacuIale spein
-20-
inlo a vife's vonl, and cIaining olheivise onIy signaIs
fauIl and inevilalIe annihiIalion.
One noie lhing has lo le uIlinaleIy cIaiified: hov can a
nuIlilude of nen go inlo lhe ledioon of one and lhe sane
vife` y AIIah, dunl aninaIs do desisl fion such a pallein
of lehavioi, so a hunan, vhon AIIah has honoialIy
piefeiied lo olhei ciealuies, had lellei desisl fion
induIging hinseIf inlo such a quagniie`
Iiophel Muhannad's Tiadilions Conceining His Daughlei
Ialina
Mosl poIygany opponenls allenpl lo lake advanlageousIy
lhe incidenl of Iiophel Muhannad's (Ieace le upon hin)
decIining lo aIIov his cousin conpanion and son-in- Iav AIi
son of Alu-TaIel - vho vas naiiied lo lhe piophel's (peace
le upon hin) daughlei Ialina - lo naiiy lhe daughlei of
Anie son of Hishan, vhose iunning epilhel vas Alu-}ahI
(IileiaIIy: "lhe Ignoianus"). They inaigualIy pIead lhal
Iiophel Muhannad (peace le upon hin), vhen iefusing lo
Iel AIi lake anolhei vife lesides Ialina, has invaIidaled lhe
oiiginaIIy vaIid and peinissilIe piincipIe of poIygany, oi
has al Ieasl conceded deliinenl as laking a heavy loII on lhe
fiisl vife vhen lhe husland lakes anolhei vife, oi vives.
To invaIidale lhe aigunenl lhose poIygany opponenls say,
ve have, fiisl of aII, lo fuIIy cile lhe piophel's (peace le upon
hin) hadilh (saying) lo knov lhe ieasons foi vhich he has so
decIined.
The hadilh iepoils AIi son of Alu-TaIel as having pioposed
naiiiage lo Alu-}ahI's daughlei vhiIe he vas naiiied lo
Ialina, lhe daughlei of Iiophel Muhannad (peace le upon
hin). The iepoilei of lhe hadilh, idenlified as AI Misvai son
of Makhiana, says, "I heaid AIIah's piophel addiess his
audience fion his puIpil, and I vas aduIl enough al lhe
line. He (peace le upon hin) said (Ialina leIongs lo ne
and I feai lhal she nay le lenpled oul of hei failh). The
iepoilei of lhe hadilh lhen ciled Iiophel Muhannad (peace
le upon hin) as highIy connending one of his in-Iavs fion
Ald-Shans cIan. The piophel (peace le upon hin) said "He
failhfuIIy laIked lo ne and honoied vhal he pionised ne lo
do" iefeiiing lo Alu-AI-Aas son of AI Rali'i (and I do nol
foilid vhal AIIah has nade peinissilIe, noi do I nake
peinissilIe vhal AIIah has foilidden. ul, ly AIIah, nevei
viII lhe piophel's daughlei le neeling al lhe sane pIace
vilh lhe daughlei of AIIah's foe).
In lhe sane hadilh, lhough olheivise iepoiled in diffeienl
veisions, Iiophel Muhannad (peace le upon hin) said,
"The offspiing of Hishan son of AI-Mughiia have iequesled
ny consenl lo naiiy lheii daughlei off lo AIi son of
Alu-TaIel. ul, heiely, I decIine lo give consenl, lhen I
decIine lo give lhen consenl, lhen I decIine lo give lhen
consenl, unIess AIi son of Alu-TaIel so vishes lo divoice
ny daughlei and naiiy lheii ovn. My daughlei leIongs lo,
and is pail and paiceI of, ne: vhalevei is huiling lo hei is
equaIIy huiling lo ne, and vhal exacls a loII on hei equaIIy
exacls a loII on ne".
-21-
In lhe foIIoving Iines ve viII le ievieving lhe eIucidalion of
lhe afoiesaid hadilh, vhich has leen iepoiled ly Inan
MusIin, (one of lhe liggesl aulhois of hadilhs coIIeclions) as
inleipieled ly Inan AI-Navavi.
Inan AI-Navavi expIains as foIIovs:
(}uiisls have slaled: lhis hadilh caiiies a piohililion of
anylhing hainfuI lo lhe piophel - peace le upon hin -vhiIe
aIive ly any neans oi undei any ciicunslances, even if lhis
hain is geneialed ly a nallei vhich is oiiginaIIy peinilled.
Iiophel Muhannad - peace le upon hin - has nade il
pulIicIy knovn lhal il is peinilled lo naiiy Alu-}ahI's
daughlei ly having said, "I do nol foilid sonelhing vhich is
oiiginaIIy peinissilIe". Hovevei, he has foilidden lhal lolh
vonen le naiiied ly lhe sane husland al one and lhe
sane line foi lvo ieasons. The fiisl ieason vas leing lhal
lhis vas deliinenlaI lo Ialina, and as such il vas
deliinenlaI lo lhe piophel - peace le upon hin -, vhoevei
hains hin liings dovn on hin lhe vialh of AIIah. So, he -
peace le upon hin - has lhus foilidden such a naiiiage foi
his fuII conpassion foi lolh AIi and Ialina. The second
ieason vas leing he feaied foi his daughlei leing lenpled
oul of failh lecause of vonanish jeaIousy.
The hadilh has aIso leen expIained olheivise. The hadilh,
lhus undeislood, is nol inlended lo foilid naiiying lhe lvo
ly AIi, lul sinpIy neans lhal lhe piophel - peace le upon
hin - knev lefoiehand fion AIIah lhal lhey vouId nol le
naiiied ly AIi - as AIIah ieveaIed lo hin fuilhei evenls. As
olheis pul il, il vas piolalIe lhal lhe piophel - peace le
upon hin - foilade naiiying lhen lolh ly AIi lecause one
is daughlei of lhe Messengei of AIIah
And lhe olhei is daughlei of lhe foe of AIIah, lhus adding
such a naiiiage lo lhe vonen Iisled ly lhe HoIy Quian as
foilidden lo naiiy, in vhich case his saying "I do nol foilid
anylhing vhich is peinissilIe" shouId le expIained as lhal
he does nol say anylhing vhich offends AIIah's iuIings oi
leachings. If
AIIah peinils sonelhing, he cannol foilid il, if He (AIIah)
foilids il he (lhe piophel) cannol aIIov il noi can he ienain
siIenl aloul il - as ienaining siIenl aloul il couId signaI
consenl and peinissiliIily. }uiisls lhus concIude lhe
expIanalion of lhe hadilh.)
If ve have lhe iighl lo add anylhing, ve have lo asseil lhal
Iiophel Muhannad, peace le upon hin, has olviousIy
idenlified lhe ieason foi his decIining lo Iel AIi son of
Alu-TaIel naiiy lhe olhei vonan, in addilion lo Ialina, as
having leen lhal lhe olhei giiI vas lhe daughlei of Alu-}ahI
- lhe lyianl vhose iunning epilhel duiing his Iife vas lhe foe
of IsIan. He savageIy and liulaIIy foughl IsIan unliI lhe
nonenl he gave up lhe ghosl al lhe veiy end of sinfuI and
viIIainous Iife. ConsequenlIy, lhe daughlei of AIIah's foe
nusl nol have leen deaIl vilh on a pai vilh lhal legollen
ly AIIah's leIoved piophel and His neicy senl lo nankind.
Moieovei, il couId nol have leen acceplalIe lhal lhe
daughlei of AIIah's Iasl nessengei - vho leIongs lo hin as
veII as pail and paiceI of hin as he, peace le upon hin,
desciiled hei on a Iol of occasions - le pIaced in a posilion of
piofaneIy vying foi a husland's heail, vhich, naluiaIIy,
-22-
enlaiIs nuluaI jeaIousIy as veII as leing Iocked in healed
lanleiing and aigunenl as lhe case is in nosl househoIds.
AIIah's piophel and his daughlei nusl have leen Iofliei
lhan lhal cheap cIash, invoIving vonen in eveiy sociely and
al any line, lo vin huslands' heails.
In addilion, Muhannad's daughlei piesunalIy sels an
exanpIe foi aII vonen of nankind lo foIIov. In hei capacily
as such, she nusl have leen safeguaided againsl any iivaI
vonen, so lhal she nighl le lolaIIy devoled, logelhei vilh
hei falhei, lo lhe nolIe caII foi peace and IsIan.
A speciaI nenlion has lo le nade of lhe facl lhal lheie aie
ceilain piovisions vhich excIusiveIy appIy lo AIIah's
piophels and nessengeis- and lheii sons and daughleis
suloidinaleIy. eing cenliaI lo lhe IsIanic failh, such
piovisions have lo le caiefuIIy olseived. We fiinIy leIieve
lhal Ialina is a sislei lo aII MusIins, as hei nolhei, Iale
Khadija (nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hei) is lhe nolhei of aII
lhe failhfuI leIieveis as shovn ly lhe HoIy Quian ilseIf.
Ialina's falhei, Iiophel Muhannad (peace le upon hin), is
cIosei lo leIieveis lhan lhenseIves, and as such he is
iegaided as lhe falhei of eveiy MusIin, le il naIe oi fenaIe.
Theiefoie, if his daughlei Ialina has leen a sislei lo aII
fenaIe MusIins, she shouId nol le conlined in naiiiage
vilh any of hei sisleis, eilhei ly AIi - as his lvo vives - oi
ly anylody eIse. And since Ialina is an exceplion case
coveied ly a speciaI iuIing oi piovision, no olhei case vhich
is nol coveied ly lhe Quianic lexl iefeiied lo shouId le
nade anaIogous lo hei.
UIlinaleIy, il is nol evei IegaI lhal AIIah's nessengei fIouls
oi invaIidales a piovision, Iike poIygany, even lhough AIIah
has ieveaIed veises of lhe HoIy Quian in acknovIedgenenl
lheieof. To say lhal lhe piophel has fIouled oi invaIidaled
such a piovision is lo cenliaIIy undeinine lhe lenels of IsIan
and ciininaIIy caII inlo queslion Iiophel Muhannad's
deeds.
-23-
Chapter Four
FIGURES TALK LOUDER
AIIah desiies lul lo nanifesl His nighl and neicy eveiy
nov and lhen. If a leIievei has lo oley and give in lo AIIah's
leachings and oideis, aIlhough he does nol ieaIize lhe
ieason oi ieasons lehind a iuIing nade ly AIIah,
non-leIieveis sonelines heIp liing inlo lhe spolIighl
unavaies AIIah's leachings, lhus causing lhe divine
IegisIalion lo unfoId ils coveil visdon onIy lo an audience
of lhe unliased non-leIieveis vho - in acknovIedgenenl of
lhe vise divine insliuclions - kneeI dovn in ave lo lhe gieal
Cod. An olvious exanpIe in case is lhe peinissiveness of
poIygany.
As denonslialed ly lhe nosl up-lo-dale popuIalion census
conducled in lhe US, fenaIes oulnunlei naIes ly noie
lhan eighl niIIion vonen, in iilain, vonen aie in excess of
nen ly five niIIion fenaIes, and in Ceinany, lhe ialio of
vonen lo nen is 3 lo1.
In slalislics conducled iecenlIy ly lhe veekIy "AI Maydan"
nevspapei
9
of Lgypl, onIy one Lgyplian giiI oul of eveiy len
giiIs al lhe age of naiiiage, vhich has leen pushed up fion
22 lo 32 yeais, gels access lo naiiiage. In aInosl aII cases, a
polenliaI liidegioon is so veII ovei lhiily-five yeais lhal he
is aInosl foily yeais of age. This shouId nol le nuch lo oui
suipiise: a nev giaduale has lo vail foi a jol foi len lo
lveIve yeais lo ollain il, has lo sciinp foi sone noie line
and lhen sel off feiieling foi his so-caIIed lellei haIaaI "AI
9
Tuesday's issue, May 6th 1997.
Maydan" nevspapei goes on lo say lhal accoidingIy
foilidden ieIalions have leen incieasingIy ianpanl, and so
has leen lhe phenonenaI connon-Iav naiiiage againsl a
lackgiound of niIIions of unnaiiied vonen. (y
connon-Iav naiiiage ve nean a foin of naiiiage in vhich
lhe lvo vouId-le spouses do nol daie having lheii naiiiage
- lhough Iegilinale sliII -iegisleied vilh lhe officiaIs so
aulhoiized ly lhe goveinnenl). The suivey -conducled foi
lhe nevspapei ly lhe lvo fenaIe ieseaicheis Chada
Muhannad Iliaheen and DaIia KanaI Azzan undei lhe
supeivision of lhe NalionaI Cenlei of SocioIogicaI and
CiininaI Sludies - has exposed young naiiiage as having
leen sleepIy in decIine oving lo lhe evei-iising slandaid of
Iife and vilh unenpIoynenl and housing faIIing veII shoil
of lhe iequiied.
Anolhei suivey, ieIeased in lhe US, puls lhe nunlei of
iIIegilinale chiIdien al one oul of eveiy six infanls loin (as
iepoiled ly AI-Akhlai nevspapei of 2/7/1968).
UndoulledIy, lhe nunlei acioss lhe US is lo lhe lune of
niIIions and niIIions of iIIegilinale chiIdien annuaIIy.
olh Iiaq and Iian have appaIIingIy leen undeigoing a
giave inlaIance lelveen nen and vonen in viev of lhe
eighl-yeai-oId heavy vai lhe lvo nalions had leen vaging
againsl each olhei. In eilhei of lhe lvo counliies lhe ialio of
nen lo vonen slands al 1:5 oi 1:7 in sone olhei iegions.
Hovevei, lhe silualion is aII lhe noie lizaiie and nenacing
in osnia-Heizegovina, vhich vas pIunged inlo a fiIlhy
iaciaI vai vhich had ciushingIy and ceaseIessIy peisisled
-24-
fion 1992 unliI 1996. The consequence has leen a leiiifying
ialio of 1:27. Yes, onIy one nan lo eveiy lvenly-seven
vonen. The sociaI calasliophe lhal MusIin nalion has leen
undeigoing oving lo lhe scaicily of nen and nassiveness of
vonen is leyond any slielch of inaginalion. Connunisn
has leen cIanped dovn on lhal counliy foi lens of yeais. Il
jellisoned ciininaI Connunisn onIy lo le ensnaied in lhe
javs of a noie peiishing and ciininaI ciusade. Whal
aIleinalive is lheie foi MusIin giiIs lo do if lhey can nol
cone acioss MusIin huslands` ShouId ve Iel lhen naiiy
Oilhodox Seils oi CalhoIic Cioals jusl lecause sone ovei
sliingenl vonen and nen do nol acknovIedge poIygany`
Oi is il lhe facl lhal lhose ovei sliingenl vonen and nen
piefei lhal MusIin giiIs shouId lake Ioveis (aduIleieis
lehind lhe scenes) aIong Weslein denoiaIized Iines`
In a hol piess iepoil on lhe "expIosion of lacheIoi giiIs",
Tahani AI-uiluqaIi, lhe coiiespondenl in Kuvail of
Caiio-lased "AI-Ahian" nevspapei, iecaIIs vhal happened
a fev yeais ago vhen Kuvail's sociely expeiienced lhe
phenonenaI sending ly hundieds of unnaiiied giiIs of
Ielleis lo Kuvaili vives, in vhich each giiI denanded lhe
vife lo shaie lhe husland vilh hei in a lid lo keep alieasl
of lhe piolIen of lhe iising nunlei of lacheIoi giiIs in
Kuvail's sociely as veII as in CuIf sociely in geneiaI.
Anolhei iepoil caiiied ly "AI-Ahian AI-Aiali" nagazine,
on ils fiisl issue, said lheie veie eslinaled 4O lhousand giiIs.
The nunlei is nol IillIe if conpaied lo lhe enliie popuIalion
of Kuvail as a vhoIe - il iepiesenls 16 of Kuvail's vonen
vho accounl foi a IillIe noie lhan 25O lhousand peopIe oul
of an enliie popuIalion of Kuvail as a vhoIe of haIf a niIIion
peopIe.
To depiive a vonan of enolion is a giealei heaIlh hazaid
lhan lo depiive hei of sex. The pIeasuie allained ly a
vonan vhen having sex, in lhe alsence of enolion, does
nol excile a vonan as nuch as a genlIe void oi kind
fondIing viII ceilainIy do, sending hei sexuaIIy exciled lo
lhe degiee of salisfaclion. This ienaik is undeiscoied ly
Saed AlduI-Azeen, a piofessoi of psychialiy and neuioIogy
al lhe Caiio Univeisily's IacuIly of Medicine. He fuilhei
expIains lhal a vonan's enolionaI depiivalion is lhe
shoilesl vay lo acling peiveiseIy, sexuaI fiigidily and a
videi iange of physicaI and psychoIogicaI iIInesses aIike.
10
Di. Muhannad HeIaI Rifa'i, a gynecoIogisl, asseiliveIy says
lhal lhe Iack, oi even deIay of naiiiage nakes a vonan
noie exposed lo lieasl lunouis, uleius cancei as veII as
filioid lunouis lhan lhe naiiied ones. Having leen poIIed,
nany vonan palienls vho fiequenl his cIinic
oveivheIningIy said lhey piefei gelling naiiied lo an
aIieady-naiiied nan lhan gIooniIy ienaining a lacheIoi
giiI. Sone of lhose vonen palienls said lhey even piefeiied
leing a lhiid oi fouilh vife lhan leing peinanenlIy heId
caplive ly spinsleiship.
If lhis is lhe viev of science, a vonan docloi can, lo a
giealei degiee of fideIily, desciile vhal an unnaiiied
vonan feeIs. A vonan docloi ciles in a nessage lo Ahnad
10
"Your Private Doctor" magazine of May 1997
-25-
ahgal, a veleian Lgyplian coIunnisl vilh lhe Caiio-lased
AI-Ahiain nevspapei, slalislics as having exhililed lhal
eslinaled len niIIion vonen and giiIs Iive on lheii ovn in
Lgypl. She fuilhei quoles lhe suivey as cIassifying lhose
vonen and giiIs as eilhei divoicees, vidovs vilhoul oi
vilh chiIdien (vho Ialei giev up and enlaiked on lheii
ovn Iives aIone), oi giiIs vho have nol leen naiiied lefoie.
She vondeis vhelhei anylody can inagine lhe nagnilude
of liagedy lhal lhose IoneIy vonen have lo expeiience. They
cannol nainlain laIanced ieIalions vilh olheis, lul lhey aie
disliaughl vilh lension, anxiely and a deep desiie lo ienain
isoIaled avay fion cuiious eyes, foiked longues and
pie-deleinined chaiges of snalching huslands fion fiiends,
one's kilh and kin oi neighlois.
This aII Ieads lo depiession, iejeclion of Iife and inaliIily lo
le piopeiIy voven inlo lhe sociely's faliic. The docloi is
iaising lhe aIain lhal lhose unnaiiied vonen aie noie
susceplilIe lo psychoIogi6aI as veII as physicaI diseases,
suc4 as nigiaine, hypeilension, ailhiilis, slonach and
duodenaI uIceis, iiiilalIe coIon, nensliualion disoideis, Ioss
of haii and noiaI peiveisily, vilh nany of lhen having
uIlinaleIy lo naiiy an aIieady-naiiied nan.
11
IionicaIIy enough, sone Weslein nalions vheie vonen
aIainingIy oulnunlei nen have had lo appiove poIygany
as lhe onIy aIleinalive lo an inninenl iiieveisilIe sociaI
11
Ahmed Bahgat in his daily column called the "Peeping Show",
Al-Ahrarn of May 13th, 1997.
expIosion vhich lhey can neilhei deaI vilh noi cope vilh ils
deadIy faIIoul. This happens againsl a lackgiound of
MusIins onIy in lhe nane diunning up vai againsl lhe
vaIidily and Iegilinacy of poIygany.
Di. Muhannad Youssef Moussa, an Lgyplian ceIelialed
univeisily piofessoi and inleIIecluaI in lhe fiisl haIf of lhis
cenluiy, leIIs a ieIevanl sloiy vhose scene vas an
inleinalionaI youlh confeience in 1948 in Ceinany's Munich
cily. Al lhe invilalion of lhe confeience oiganizeis, Di.
Mohaned Youssef Moussa and one of his coIIeagues
allended a seninai al lhe afoiesaid confeience. The najoi
lhene of lhe seninai vas a posl-WoiId Wai II piolIen in
Luiope of having vonen oulnunleiing nen ly seveiaI
foId. Having exhausliveIy deaIl vilh aII soIulions pioposed
ly Weslein pailicipanls, lhe seninai luined lhen aII dovn,
lianding lhen as faIIing IaigeIy shoil of ienedying lhe
innenseIy difficuIl piolIen. Thus fai, neilhei Di. Youssef
Moussa noi his coIIeague had asked foi lhe fIooi lo addiess
lhe seninai. Addiessing lhe seninai, lhey caIIed foi lhe onIy
naluiaI aIleinalive,
NaneIy adopling poIygany. The IsIan-oiienlaled
slandpoinl vas fiisl aslonishingIy and sneeiingIy gieeled.
Hovevei, having lhoioughIy, faiiIy and piudenlIy nuIIed
ovei lhe viev, ieseaicheis allending lhe confeience ended
up appioving lhe IsIanic soIulion lo lhe piolIen, as lhe one
and onIy soIulion, and adopling il as a confeience
ieconnendalion. OnIy one yeai Ialei, iesidenls of lhen Wesl
Ceinany's cily onn, veie videIy iepoiled ly lhe piess and
nevs agencies as denanding lhe Ceinan conslilulion lo
-26-
fealuie an ailicIe aIIoving poIygany. Hence, AIIah
nanifesls vhal is iighl despile secuIais' unviIIingness.
12
Wilh lhe syslen of poIygany having leen in pIace foi
cenluiies, MusIin connunilies have nanaged lo suivive
counlIess eviIs and nisfoilunes. A conpaiison sinpIy sliuck
lelveen socielies in Saudi Aialia, foi exanpIe, and lhe US
viII shov noiaI ciines - such as iape and pioslilulion - as
iaieIy laking pIace in lhe foinei, as againsl nisliesses fai in
excess of vives in lhe Iallei, vilh iIIegilinaleIy-loin
chiIdien accounling foi noie lhan 45 of liilhs in lhe US
annuaIIy. In accoidance vilh officiaI US slalislics,
iIIegilinale chiIdien had nol exceeded 88 lhousand infanls
ly 1938, cIinling lo 2O2 lhousand infanls ly 1957, lo 25O
lhousand ly 1958 and lhen skyiockeling lo niIIions of
infanls loin oulside vedIock. Hovevei, ieaI figuies usuaIIy
lend lo le, ly a Iong chaIk, fai noie lhan officiaI figuies
ieIeased ly goveinnenls and vhoevei knovs lhe olhei
hidden pails of lhe silualion.
In viev of aII lhis, Iiance's ceIelialed nan of Ielleis Alienne
Denez once vondeied, "Is a lan on poIygany noiaIIy
usefuI`
He ansveis hinseIf ly saying, "This is highIy skeplicaI, as
pioslilulion, happening once in a lIue noon in nosl IsIanic
nalions, viII le going videIy ianpanl, sending innenseIy
desliuclive faIIoul eveiyvheie. Wonen viII IaigeIy ienain
12
"Fiqh Al Sunna", by Sheikh Sayyid Sabiq, volume 2, the chapter on the
family system, edition published by Maktabatul Muslim.
lacheIoi giiIs, enlaiIing a gieal deaI of coiiuplion, aIong
lhose nalions lanning poIygany.
13
13
From the book "Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah", translated by the
late Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Dr. Abdul-Haleem Mahmoud.
-27-
Chapter Five
POLYGAMY NOT LEFT
UNCONTROLLED
AIIah, LxaIled le He, said, "If you feai lhal you shaII nol le
alIe lo deaI juslIy vilh oiphans, naiiy vonen of youi
choice, lvo oi lhiee oi foui, ul if you feai lhal you shaII nol
le alIe lo deaI juslIy (vilh lhen), lhen onIy one, oi (a
caplive) lhal youi iighl hands possess. Thal viII le noie
suilalIe, lo head you off fion doing injuslice.
14
Inleipieling lhis veise vhich aIIoved poIygany,
Iln-Qalheei said, "If anyone of you has in his cuslody a
fenaIe oiphan lo vhon he feaied lhal he shouId nol give
nahi (naiiiage poilion) equaI lo lhose vho aie siniIai lo
hei, he shouId lhen do hei juslice ly luining lo anolhei
vonan, AIIah has ciealed so nany vonen lhal he viII nol
le in a Ioss foi one oi ones.
15
Inan AI ukhaii iepoiled - aulhoiilaliveIy - Uiva, son of
AI-Zulaii, as having asked his naleinaI aunl Aisha, nay
AIIah le pIeased vilh hei, aloul lhis veise. She iepIied ly
saying, "My nephev, lhe veise iefeis lo a fenaIe oiphan
vho, as leing kepl in cuslody, shaies hei noney vilh hei
guaidian. Wilh hei noney oi leauly lickIing his fancy, hei
guaidian vishes lo naiiy hei vilhoul doing hei juslice (lo
14
Verse three of the surah of "Al-Nisaa" or Women, the Holy Quran.
15
"The nterpretation of the Great Quran", by bn-Qatheer. The
elucidation of verse three of the surah of "Al-Nisaa" or Women.
give hei a nahi equaI lo lhe one lhal vouId have olheivise
leen paid lo olheis siniIai lo hei).
So, a guaidian vilh such a fenaIe oiphan in his cuslody has
leen foilidden lo naiiy hei unIess he deaIs vilh hei on a
pai vilh any olhei vonan vho is nol in his cuslody ly
gianling hei lhe naxinun nahi he vouId olheivise have
given lo an equivaIenl vonan. A guaidian, in such a
posilion, has leen oideied, feaiing injuslice, lo naiiy as
nany as naxinaIIy foui vonen vhon he desiies, apail
fion lhose fenaIe oiphans undei his pioleclion".
Alu-}aafai Muhannad son of }aieei, in his eIucidalion of
lhe sane veise, iepoiled Rali'aa as saying, "AIIah, LxaIled
le He, oideied his voishippeis lo Ieave lhose fenaIe
oiphans in lheii cuslody foi any olhei foui vonen vhon
AIIah has naxinaIIy aIIoved". Alu-}affai has iepoiled olhei
(juiisls) as saying, "Maiiy naxinaIIy foui sliangei vonen
vhon AIIah has aIIoved you lo naiiy. In case you feai nol
deaIing faiiIy vilh noie lhan one of lhose sliangeis, you
have eilhei lo conlenl youiseIves vilh onIy one vife oi vilh
lhose fenaIe caplives in youi iighl hands".
Olhei juiisls said, as sliII iepoiled ly Alu-}aafai, "The veise
can even le expIained as foilidding naiiying in excess of
foui vonan so lhal oiphans funds nay nol le depIeled ly
guaidians. A liilesnan of Quiaish used - in pie-IsIanic
lines - lo naiiy lo lhe lune of len vonen, oi noie oi Iess of
vonen. Having exhausliveIy spenl his noney on his len
vives and lhus lecone a deslilule, such a liilesnan of
Quiaish vouId head foi lhe funds of lhe oiphans in his
-28-
cuslody lo spIuige oul on his vives oi on naiiying nev
ones. Theiefoie, AIIah has foilidden such a piaclice".
16
AI-Inain AI-Nasafy, anolhei gieal inleipielei of lhe HoIy
Quian, said, "As iepoiled, nen in pie-IsIanic lines feIl fiee
lo connil aduIleiy, lul nevei feIl as fiee lo lake oiphans in
lheii cuslody. So, AIIah loId lhen if you do nol ieaIIy feeI
fiee lo lake oiphans in youi cuslody, feaiing injuslice lo
lhen, you had lellei feai aduIleiy, fion vhich you shouId
keep youi genilaIs ly naiiying vonen vhon AIIah has
aIIoved you lo naiiy and nevei hovei aiound AIIah's
foilidden lhings. Oi lhey did nol feeI fiee lo lake veaIlhy
oiphans in lheii cuslody, vheieas giving lhenseIves an
alsoIuleIy fiee hand lo keep as nany vives as possilIe,
aIlhough vhen lhey aie noie lhan foui vives lhey aie noie
pione lo gioss inequaIily leing done lo lhen. Il is as if AIIah
veie leIIing lhen: if you feeI hand-lied lo keep oiphans in
youi cuslody, you shouId nol feeI fiee lo do lhe nany vives
you keep injuslice eilhei, shouId you feai unfaiiness as
possilIy leing neled oul lo lhose vives, conlenl youiseIves
vilh onIy one vife oi, olheivise, lake as nany fenaIe
caplive sIaves possilIe, so lhal you nay nol lieal any vife
unjuslIy".
17
The neaning caiiied ly AIIah's saying in lhe veise you feai"
is as foIIovs:
If you lhink you viII nol, nosl piolalIy, nele oul faiiness lo
lhe oiphan, oi oiphans, you have in youi cuslody, you have
16
Please refer to "Jamiul Bayan Fi Tafseer Al Quran" by bn-Jareer
Al-Tabary, the chapter on the interpretation of the surah of Al-Nisaa.
17
The interpretation of the Holy Quran by mam Al-Nasafi, the chapter on
the surah of Al-Nisaa.
lo "sveive" fion hei lo anolhei one. In lhis conlexl, a conlioI
ovei having nany vives is nol inpeialive. In olhei voids,
even a guaidian vho does nol feai doing injuslice lo
oiphans, he nay have noie lhan one vife (second, lhiid oi
fouilh vife) lhus doing jusl as lhe one vho exaclIy feais
injuslice.
18
AIIoving poIygany is a geneiaI iuIing, vhich
appIies lo aII MusIins, vilh sliings allached. As foi vhal
AIIah said in lhe sane veise "lhal viII le noie suilalIe lo
head you off fion doing injuslice", il sinpIy neans as lhe
veise says "To head off fion injuslice", ialhei lhan (as olheis
have unsuccessfuIIy inleipieled il) "lhe Ieasl nol lo have so
nany offspiing" (The Aialic void used ly AIIah in lhe
veise can nean nol lo do injuslice" oi nol lo have so nany
offspiing"). AI-Talaiy iepoiled, ciling Iln-Allas, Mujahid
and Iln-Onai, lhal lhe Aialic conlioveisiaI void iefeiied
lo assuiedIy neans "injuslice" and "sIanling". The sense of
lhe conlioveisiaI Aialic void is nol "The Ieasl nol lo le
pooi" eilhei, as lhe enliie sense of lhe veise does nol go iighl
as such. Whal is videIy leIieved, ly IsIanic juiisls, lo le
iighl is "Nol lo do injuslice oi lo le sIanled againsl vhal is
iighl".
Ncvcr In Exccss nf Fnur WIvcs At Onc TImc
AIIah has Iicensed a MusIin nan lo naiiy fion one up lo
foui vives, as diavn fion lhe veiy voiding of lhe veise of
lhe suiah of "AI-Nisaa" (vonen) and videIy-acknovIedged
sayings of lhe gieal inleipieleis of lhe HoIIy Quian. A
18
Fiqh Al Sunna", by Sheikh Sayyid Sabiq, volume 2, the chapter on the
family system, edition published by Maktabatul Muslim.
-29-
MusIin husland cannol have in excess of foui vives al lhe
sane line, if he feais lhal he is highIy IikeIy nol lo deaI vilh
lhen on a pai vilh each olhei, in case of noie lhan one vife,
he shouId conlenl hinseIf vilh onIy one. The iuIe of nol
doing any injuslice appIies lo a husland of lhiee vives:
feaiing injuslice he shouId ieduce lhen lo onIy lvo, a
husland of lhiee feaiing injuslice if he gels a fouilh one
shouId conlenl hinseIf vilh onIy lhe lhiee vives he aIieady
has.
Wise Shaii'aa even lans nonogany if lhe husland is feaifuI
of doing his onIy vife injuslice. Cieal IsIan is keenIy
inleiesled in adninisleiing juslice undei aII ciicunslances.
Theie is consensus anong juiisls lhal a MusIin husland
nay nol conline in excess of foui vives.
19
If Iiophel
Muhannad, peace le upon hin, has conlined nine vives
al one line, lhis excIusiveIy appIies lo hin, no olhei MusIin
shouId le anaIogous lo lhe Iiophel.
In lhe foIIoving Iines, ve viII le eIaloialing on lhe ieason
and ciicunslances Ieading hin (peace le upon hin) lo
naiiy eveiy one of lhose vives in oidei lo cIaiify any
ieIevanl confusion oi nisundeislanding as veII as lo iefule
Iies nongeied ly oiienlaIisls and }evs aIike.
AI-Inan AI-Shafii, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hin, said in
his coIIeclion of aulhenlic hadilhs, "The Iiophel's sunna,
eIaloialeIy expIaining vhal AIIah has sel foilh in geneiaI in
19
Sayyid Sabiq, op cit.
lhe Quian, has cIaiified leyond lhe sIighlesl doull lhal il
vas Iiophel Muhannad aIone vho vas enpoveied lo
keep vives in excess of foui."
Sone Shiile juiisls have said lhal a MusIin husland nay
conline up lo nine vives, inleipieling lhe ieIevanl veise of
"AI-Nisaa" suiah as foIIovs: (lvo + lhiee + foui = nine)!!
Anolhei queei and unaccepled opinion says lhal a MusIin
husland nay conline 18 vives, inleipieling lvo as 2 + 2,
lhiee as 3 + 3, and foui as 4 + 4, aII lolaIing 18 vives.
Hovevei, lhe veiy voiding of sunna as veII as lhe deeds of
conpanions and foIIoveis calegoiicaIIy denole lhal a
MusIin husland nay have access onIy lo foui vives. Sunni
juiisls, piedecessoi and descendanls aIike, have
unaninousIy agieed lhal il vas excIusiveIy lhe Iiophel vho
vas aIIoved lo have noie lhan foui vives.
We iefei oui ieadeis lo lhe hadilhs pieviousIy ciled in
chaplei one of lhis look, incIuding lhal iepoiled ly Inan
AI-ukhaii (aIso iepoiled ly MaIik, Nasa'i and Daiaqulni)
lhal ChiIan of lhe Thaqif liile had len vives vhen he
enliaced IsIan. Iiophel Muhannad, peace le upon hin,
said lo hin: "Keep onIy any foui of lhen you desiie and
divoice lhe iesl." Anolhei hadilh has aIso leen pieviousIy
ciled in chaplei one of lhis look. Il is lhal hadilh iepoiled ly
Alu.-Davoud ciling Haiilh son of Qais of lhe Asad liile as
saying, "When I enliaced IsIan I had eighl vives. When I
so loId lhe Iiophel, he said: Keep onIy foui of lhen."
20
20
Please refer to chapter one of this book, which deals with pre-slam
polygamy.
-30-
Iln-Kalheei, eIucidaling lhe veise of lhe Quian having lo do
vilh poIygany, saying, "AIIah says naiiy as nany vives as
lvo, lhiee oi foui if you so vish. AIIah, LxaIled le He, said
(Who nade lhe angeIs nessengeis vilh vings - lvo, oi
lhiee, oi foui),
21
'(2) lhal is lo say lhal sone of lhose angeIs
have lvo vings, sone have lhiee vings vhiIe olheis have
foui vings. The conlexl heie is lhal of AIIah, lhe enefacloi,
nenlioning His loons lhal He has endoved upon His
voishippeis, and leIIing lhen vhal He has aIIoved lhen lo
do. So, if AIIah had aIIoved nen lo conline noie lhan foui
vives, He vouId have nade il cIeai in lhe Quian.
22
AI-Inain AI-Quiluli, iefuling lhe aIIeged peinission foi
nen lo naiiy noie lhan foui vives, has said, "Those vho so
cIain do neilhei undeisland lhe Quian noi lhe sunna al aII,
alandoning vhal lhe MusIin nalion's anceslois fiinIy
leIieved in. They cIained lhal lhe conjunclion ('And) in lhe
ieIevanl veise is an aII-conlining one. In facl, il is lhe juiisls
vho leIong lo lhe secl of Rafida, oi Rafidiles (ceilain
offshools of Shiile), and sone of lhose associaled vilh lhe
secl of Zahiiiles (a ceilain IsIanic secl adopling lhe opinion
of laking ieIigious judgnenls diieclIy fion Quian and
sunna lexls as lhey aie on lhe suiface, even IileiaIIy,
iegaidIess of vhalevei delaiIs, expIanalions oi iesliiclions
juiisls of olhei schooIs of juiispiudence nay have
21
Verse number one from the surah of "Fatir", or the Originator of
Creation.
22
bn-Katheer's book on the interpretation of the Quran, previously
referred to.
concIuded) vho have nade lhal highIy-ignoianl cIain.
Sone olheis have gone fuilhei lo a nuch voise slielch ly
aIIeging lhal AIIah has Iicensed nen lo conline eighleen
vives. This aII is an exanpIe of gioss ignoiance of lolh
Ianguage and sunna aIike, and fIouls lhe nalion's consensus
as veII, as none of lhe Iiophel's conpanions oi foIIoveis
vho cane in sulsequenl ages vas heaid of as having
naiiied noie lhan foui vives."
Having ciled aII lhe Iiophel's hadilhs in vhich he oideied
conpanions lo keep onIy any foui of lhe vives lhey had and
lo divoice lhe ones in excess lheieof, AI-Quiluli
23
has
sliessed lhal conlining nine vives al a line vas an
excIusiveIy speciaI lhing of lhe Iiophel, peace le upon hin,
vilh divine diieclion lo fuIfiI ceilain oljeclives foi lhe good
of lhe caII and nessage ilseIf. Then, AI-Quiluli has said,
"AIIah, LxaIled le He, has addiessed Aials in lhe pIainesl
Aialic slyIe. Aials, eIoquenl as lhey veie, nevei said lvo
and lhiee and foui vhen lhey nean "nine." Aials
conpIeleIy disagiee of an Aial saying: give sonelody foui,
six and eighl inslead of oul iighlIy saying eighleen. The
conjunclion "And" in lhe giacious veise (Tvo and lhiee and
foui vives) sinpIy neans :inslead of lvo you nay naiiy
lhiee, and inslead of lhiee you nay naiiy foui vives." "If he
gels a fiflh vife, lhe naiiiage sponlaneousIy luins nuII and
void and is even punishalIe, lhough schoIais have assuned
diveise posilions on lhis," AI-Quiluli fuilhei said. In iepIy
lo a queslion vhy AIIah has nol used lhe conjunclion "Oi" in
23
Al-mam Al-Qurtubi in his book "The Book All nclusive of the Holy
Quran Provisions".
-31-
lhe veise inslead of "And," AI-Quiluli has said, "If (oi) had
leen used, lhe veise vouId have neanl lhal a husland of
lvo nay nol lake a lhiid vife, and lhal a husland of lhiee
nay nol lake a fouilh one, vhiIe aII lhis is peinilled.
CapabI!Ity tn PractIcc Pn!ygamy
As nenlioned lefoie, having access lo poIygany piinaiiIy
hinges upon capaliIily. }usl as naiiying lhe fiisl vife,
naiiying a second, lhiid oi fouilh vife iequiies financiaI,
heaIlh as veII as psychoIogicaI capaliIily. In lhe Iack of
capaliIily, poIygany is, aulonalicaIIy, nol aIIoved. He vho
cannol piovide foi lvo househoIds has lo suffice hinseIf
vilh onIy one vife al lhe cenlei of onIy one househoId. A
husland of lvo shouId conlenl hinseIf vilh lhe lvo unIess
he is capalIe, in leins of lolh finance and heaIlh, of keeping
a lhiid oi fouilh vife, and so on.
y finance ve nean soIvency lo piovide foi lhe chiIdien ly
lhe vife, oi vives, kepl.
HeaIlh capaliIily, in oui opinion, is lhe aliIily lo salisfy
sexuaI desiies of lhe vives kepl, as ils inpeialive on lhe
husland lo culei foi lhe Iegilinale and naluiaI sexuaI
desiies of his vife oi vives. y so doing, he heIps his vife,
oi vives, lo le sexuaIIy chasle. If lhe husland is sexuaIIy
inpolenl, foi exanpIe, he is nol envisaged as having any
vife, even a singIe one, as lhis does hei gioss injuslice. We
aIso leIieve lhal a husland, oi lhen, sexuaIIy polenl foi onIy
one vife shouId nol have noie vives lecause he is lhus
doing hei injuslice, naking naiiiage giossIy
disadvanlageous lo hei. Hovevei, eveiy individuaI case has
lo le consideied independenlIy of olheis. A husland's
conscience, seIf-honesly and ieIigious sciupIe aie apl lo
dissuade hin fion inequaIily lo his vife oi vives. If,
nolvilhslanding, a husland insisls on having a vife oi
vives vhon he is nol alIe lo adequaleIy and ieasonalIy
salisfy hei sexuaIIy, lhe vife (oi vives) lhus kepl has peifecl
iighl lo pioceed againsl hin denanding a divoice on
giounds of deliinenl and a feai of having iIIegaI sexuaI
affaii. A couil judge is lioadIy enpoveied lo assess lhe
nagnilude of deliinenl in eveiy individuaI case.
As lo psychoIogicaI capaliIily, il neans an aliIily lo
adninislei juslice lo lhe vives kepl, in leins of eveiylhing
avaiIalIe, vilhoul shoving any sIanl lovaids one vife, oi
his chiIdien ly hei, againsl lhe olhei vife, oi vives oi his
chiIdien lyhei oi lhen.
In lhe alsence of any of lhe lhiee capaliIily pieiequisiles
ciled alove, poIygany is nol, ly any neans, aIIoved.
JustIcc Amnng WIvcs
AIIah, LxaIled le He, says in lhe lhiid veise of "AI-Nisaa"
suiah, "ul if you feai lhal you shaII nol le alIe lo deaI
juslIy, lhen onIy one."
24
AIIah, LxaIled le He, aIso says
"You aie nevei alIe lo le faii and jusl as lelveen vonen,
even if il is youi aidenl desiie, lul do nol luin avay fion a
vonan aIlogelhei, Iesl you shouId Ieave hei as if she veie
hanging in lhe aii. If you cone lo a fiiendIy undeislanding,
and exeicise seIf-iesliainl, AIIah is Ofl Ioigiving, Mosl
24
Verse number 3 of Al-Nisaa surah.
-32-
MeicifuI.
25
So, hov can lhe voiding of lhe lvo veises of
lhe suiah le ieconciIed` And vhal aie lhe ciileiia of lhe
juslice iequiied`
In ansvei, AI-Inain AI-Quiluli says, "AIIah, LxaIled le He,
has infoined His voishippeis lhal juslice cannol le neled
oul lo lhe vives in leins of affeclion, naking Iove and heail
incIinalion. AIIah, LxaIled le He, nosl piopeiIy desciiled
hunan disposilion, naking il peifeclIy cIeai lhal hunans
cannol, ly naluie, lake connand of lheii heails sIanling
heaviei lovaids one oi lhe olhei. In viev of lhis aII, Iiophel
Muhannad used lo faiiIy deaI vilh his vives in leins of
expenses, lhen said, (O AIIah, lhis is lhe vay I vas alIe lo
nele oul juslice lo ny vives in leins of vhal I have conlioI
ovei, so AIIah do nol lIane ne foi vhal I do nol have
conlioI ovei and vhich faIIs onIy undei youi conlioI). Then
AIIah has foilidden excessive luining avay fion a vife lo
anolhei ly saying (Do nol luin avay fion a vonan
aIlogelhei), naneIy do nol deIileialeIy do hei hain - as
Mujahid iepoiled - lul deaI juslIy in leins of slaying
oveinighl and expenses as lhese lvo aie veII undei one's
conlioI.
26
Alu-Huiaiia quoled Iiophel Muhannad, peace le upon
hin, as saying, "He vho has lvo vives lo vhon he had nol
neled oul juslice, viII le coning on lhe Day of }udgenenl
25
Verse number 129 of Al-Nisaa surah.
26
Al-marn Al-Qurtubi in his book "The Book All nclusive of the Holy
Quran Provisions", the chapter on the interpretation of verse 129 of
"Al-Nisaa" surah.
sIanling on one of his sides."
27
}uslice, as nenlioned in lhis
hadilh, iefeis onIy lo expenses and slaying oveinighl, ialhei
lhan in leins of Iove oi heail incIinalion, as il is AIIah vho is
in fuII connand of hunan heails.
Iln-Allas, Iln-}aieei, and AI-Hassan AI-asiy said lhal "As
if she veie hanging" neans: do nol luin avay fion hei,
Ieaving hei neilhei divoiced lo gel anolhei husland noi
naiiied ly a husland vho viII lake caie of hei and neel
hei Iegilinale iighls.
Qalada has inleipieled lhe void as neaning: do nol luin
avay fion hei, Ieaving hei as if she veie inpiisoned. Ullay
son of Qaal, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hin, vouId iead lhe
veise in Aialic lo sound lhe Aialic void vhich neans
"Inpiisoned."
Iln-Masoud, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hin, vouId iead
lhe veise in Aialic lo sound Iike "Ieaving hei as if she veie
hanging." These aie aII vays of ieciling lhe HoIy Quian,
onIy lo cIaiify lhe neaning, as lhus lhey shouId nol le
iegaided as a change in lhe voiding of lhe HoIy Quian -
AIIah foilid...
Sheikh Sayyid Saliq asseils, "}uslice as iequiied ly AIIah is
onIy lhe exleinaI one of vhich one is capalIe, ialhei lhan
juslice in leins of Iove and affeclion. No one is capalIe of
27
The hadith was reported by Abu-Dawoud, Al-Nasa'i, bn-Majah and
Al-Termidhy.
-33-
lhe Iallei, lhe juslice denied is lhe one having lo do vilh
affeclion, Iove and naking Iove lo."
28
Muhannad son of Siieen, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hin,
said, "Upon asking Ulaida aloul lhis veise, he iepIied:
"}uslice cannol evei le achieved in leins of Iove oi naking
Iove."
Alu-aki son of AI-Aiali, laIking aloul Iove and affeclion
in queslion, has said, "no one can conlioI Iove. Lnanaling
fion lhe heail, Iove cannol le laken conlioI of, as il is AIIah,
lhe eneficenl, aIone vho can dispose of hunans' heails.
The sane appIies lo naking Iove: a husland nay le
pailicuIaiIy sexuaIIy aclive vilh a vife of his, vhiIe leing
Iess aclive vilh anolhei. If he is nol so deIileialeIy, he is nol
guiIly. He cannol conlioI his enolion, so he is nol so
assigned."
AI-Inain AI-Khalali has said, "Things shouId le faiiIy
disliiluled ly a husland lo aII lhe vives vhon he has, so
Iong as lhose vives aie nol caplive sIaves. InadvisalIe is
one's incIinalion lovaids one vife noie lhan lhe olhei, oi
olheis, iesuIling in (naleiiaI) iighls nol piopeiIy caleied foi,
ialhei lhan lhe incIinalion of heails vhich cannol le
conlioIIed."
The deceased Sayyid Qull, a pioninenl figuie of lhe
MusIin iolheihood says, "Whal is ieaIIy iequiied is juslice
in leins of deaIing, expenses, and sexuaI inleicouise. A
28
Fiqh Asunnah", by Sheikh Sayyid Sabiq, volume two, the chapter on
family system.
husland is nol iequiied lo give oul equaI senlinenls lo lhen
aII, as a hunan leing cannol evei do so lecause il is fai
leyond lhe scope of hunan voIilion. And lhis exaclIy lhe
kind of juslice vhich AIIah has desciiled ly saying "And
you viII nevei le alIe lo deaI faiiIy vilh lhen, even if you
so aidenlIy desiie). This veise is nanipuIaliveIy used ly
sone as a faIse pielexl lo lan poIygany, vheieas lhe veise
does nol so nean. AIIah's Shaii'aa is nol so jocuIai lo pass
and adopl a ceilain pallein of lehavioi in one veise and
lans il in anolhei, AIIah's Shaii'aa does nol evei give oul
sonelhing vilh lhe iighl hand and lake il avay vilh lhe Iefl.
}uslice uiged ly lhe veise is in leins of expenses, deaIing
and naking Iove lo. This is exaclIy lhe juslice vilhoul vhich
a husland nay nol lake noie lhan one vife. Il appIies
nainIy lo exleinaI nalleis vhich have lo le fuIIy caleied foi
ly a husland - nolhing shoil lheieof -in such a vay lhal a
vife is nol favoied ly sonelhing al lhe expense of lhe olhei,
in leins of expenses and naking Iove. A case in poinl is lhe
spIendid exanpIe sel ly Iiophel Muhannad, peace le
upon hin, vho is lhe nankind's Iofliesl nan. He used lo
nele oul juslice, aIlhough eveiyone vas peifeclIy
knovIedgealIe lhal he Ioved Aisha lellei. Hovevei, he did
nol evei piefei hei lo olheis in leins of slaying oveinighl oi
expenses."
29
In a nulsheII, one's heail incIinalion oi Iove foi a vife noie
lhan lhe olheis shouId, as ve leIieve, le inpiisoned vilhin
29
"n the Shades of the Holy Quran", by Sayyid Qutb, volume one, edition
published by Darel Shrouk publishing house.
-34-
one's loson, ialhei lhan iendeied inlo aclion lhal viII huil
lhe feeIings, oi undeinine lhe inleiesls, of lhe iesl of his
vives oi lheii chiIdien in favoi of lhe nosl leIoved vife oi
hei chiIdien.
We aie, alove aII, hunans ialhei lhan angeIs. Theiefoie,
eveiylody shouId le conlenl vilh juslice in leins of nalleis
vhich aie vilhin hunan conlioI: alsoIule juslice exisls onIy
in lhe Heieaflei vilh AIIah, LxaIled le He, in Whose
piesence no one is evei done injuslice, vhiIe lheie is no vay
lo conpeI hunans lo equaIIy adninislei feeIings and
senlinenls.
AIIah, LxaIled le He, viII neicifuIIy and juslIy conpensale
lhe vife vho does nol lask in hei hsuland's Iove oi favoi. If
she is palienl and feaifuI of AIIah, she viII le geneiousIy
conpensaled vilh vhalevei is good, lolh in lhis nundane
voiId and lhe heieaflei. eing Iocked in a silualion of nol
lasking in hei husland's Iove nay le a visilalion ly AIIah lo
hei, foi vhich AIIah viII ievaid hei on condilion lhal she le
palienl and oledienl lo AIIah's oideis. In lhis conlexl, ve
have lo ienind such a vife lhal hei conlinued slay vilh hei
husland - lhough nol fuIIy enjoying his Iove, vhiIe sliII
having fuII access lo hei iighls and hei chiIdien's - is fai
lellei lo hei lhan alhoiienl divoice and lolaI depiivalion of
aII lhal.
This nundane voiId is nol an eleinaI one, vilh uIlinaleIy
defeclive and piofane anenilies. Il is lheie in paiadise,
ialhei lhan on Lailh, vheie lheie is nevei-ending loons and
peifecl happiness.
In concIusion, if il veie liue lhal lhe veise nunlei 129 of
"AI-Nisaa" lans poIygany - as il has nade il calegoiicaIIy
cIeai lhal adninisleiing juslice lo vives is inpossilIe -
Iiophel Muhannad, peace le upon hin, logelhei vilh his
conpanions, vouId have divoiced lheii vives as soon as lhe
veise had descended, conlenling lhenseIves vilh one vife
each. As ve have aulhoiilaliveIy leen loId, none of lhen
had so done - AIIah foilid lhal lhe piophel oi any of his
conpanions vouId fIoul AIIah's oideis lo divoice exlia
vives, if AIIah has evei so oideied.
AccoidingIy, poIygany is liuIy aIIoved unliI lhe Day of
}udgenenl. In suppoil of lhis is a hadilh vhich says,
"Wonen aie dooned lo suivive, vhiIe nen viII le so fev
lhal eveiy fifly vonen viII have a coiiesponding one nan
lo conlioI, and lake caie of".
This hadilh caiiies a piophecy lhal viII cone liue in yel
olhei geneialions lo cone, and faII vilhin lhose piophelic
liadilions deaIing vilh lhe signs of lhe lhen-appioaching
Doonsday. Il is, hovevei, significanl as lo oui issue of
poIygany and lhe inlaIance in lhe nunlei of lhe lvo
gendeis.
30
DIvIsInn nf tImc and Mnncy Amnng WIvcs
In juiisls jaigon, lhe void "division" iefeis lo neling oul
juslice lo lhe vives a husland keeps in leins of slaying
30
This hadith is reported by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Al-Termedhy, Al-Nasa'i
and bn Majah.
-35-
oveinighl, expenses and olheis.
31
A husland is olIiged lo
equaIIy divide food, slaying oveinighl, cIolhing and iesiding
anong his vives.
AII lhe olhei naleiiaI nalleis have aIso lo le equaIIy
divided anong lhen, iegaidIess of lhe vives leing iich oi
pooi, of high cIass oi nol. If a husland feais injuslice and
inaliIily lo fuIIy calei foi lheii iighls, he is nol enpoveied
lo conline noie lhan one vife.
32
Whal ieaIIy counls as fai as expenses aie conceined as given
piepondeiance ly lhe foIIoveis of Alu-Hanifa, knovn in
Aialic as Ahnaf - is lhe soIvency oi nol of lhe husland,
iegaidIess of lhe vives' condilions. ConsequenlIy, aII lhe
vives kepl ly a husland shouId le equaIIy deaIl vilh in
leins of expenses, vhich naluiaIIy invoIve lhe upkeeping
(pioviding enough food and valei), cIolhing and housing
foi lhe vives. Saying olheivise in apl lo liiggei off
disagieenenl and lo nouiish iancoi and ennily anong lhe
vives and lheii chiIdien ly lhe sane husland.
AccoidingIy, peifecl juslice has lo le deaIl oul in leins of
expenses and aIlogelhei naleiiaI nalleis. A falhei, in oui
leIief, shouId aIso le keen enough nol lo nake pulIicIy feIl
his Iove senlinenls of one specific vife, if he Ioves hei lellei
lhan lhe olheis. A husland shouId le vise and sage enough
31
"slamic Fiqh Along the Four Schools of Fiqh", volume 4, the chapter
on personal status.
32
Fiqh Asunna". BV Sheikh Savvid Sabia. volume two.
lo piolecl lhe enlily of lhe faniIy and lo slen any possilIe
disagieenenl.
}uiisls have allached condilions lo dividing nalleis anong
vives.
The fiisl of such condilions is leing lhe slale of nind: a
peison vho is nenlaIIy deianged is nol olIiged lo divide
anong his vives, lul an insane vife shouId have fuII access
lo shaiing vilh olhei vives lhings deaIl oul ly lheii
husland, on condilion lhal she le lianquiI and quiel, nol go
inlo fils and le peinanenlIy slaying in hei husland's house
foi ease, ly hin, of sexuaI inleicouise vilh hei. Olheivise,
she has no iighl lo shaiing lhings.
The second condilion allached is leing lhal lhe husland
shouId le aduIl. Ioi a vife il is nol necessaiy le pulescenl,
lul she shouId al Ieasl sland sexuaI inleicouise. If lhe
husland is nol pulescenl and has, consequenlIy, done
injuslice lo one of his vives, il is his guaidian vho is
inpIicaled, sinpIy lecause il vas his guaidian vho naiiied
hin off and iesponsiliIily has lo le lIaned on hin.
33
The lhiid condilion allached is leing lhal lhe vife shouId
nol le a iecaIcilianl one. If lhe vife is disoledienl, aIvays
exhililing unviIIingness lo oley hei husland's oideis, she
has lhen no iighl lo shaie hei husland, oi vhal he gives oul,
vilh lhe olhei vives. Shaiing spousaI caie is nol diaped ly
any inpedinenl lo sexuaI inleicouise, vhelhei lhis
33
Fiqh Along the Four Schools of Fiqh", volume four.
-36-
inpedinenl le a vife nensliualion, posl-liilh lIeeding oi
iIIness, Oi vhelhei lhis inpedinenl le on lhe pail of lhe
husland, such as iIIness oi inpolency. This is lecause
slaying oveinighl vilh a vife does nol necessaiiIy caiiy
sexuaI inleicouise, slaying oveinighl is piinaiiIy inlended
foi enleilaining, ialhei lhan necessaiiIy sexuaI inleicouise. If
a husland is so iII lhal he cannol nove, he nay slay vilh
vhonevei he leIieves viII seive and nuise hin lellei.
This judgenenl is diavn fion vhal Iiophel Muhannad,
peace le upon hin, did vhen he vas laken giaveIy iII
innedialeIy lefoie his dealh. Having leen iII on his dealh
led, lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, vas gianled connon
consenl ly his vives, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh lhen, lo
slay vilh his vife Aisha, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hei.
They so did lecause lhey ieaIized hov nuch he Ioved hei
and hov salisfied he vas vilh hei nuising hin.
Undei no ciicunslances a vife shouId le deIileialeIy Iefl
vilhoul sexuaI inleicouise pIeading lhal he does nol Iove
hei. A silualion as such is apl lo send hei acling peiveiseIy
and coiiuplIy. If he does nol ieaIIy inlend lo ieasonalIy and
adequaleIy nake Iove lo hei - in oidei lo nake hei sexuaIIy
salisfied - he shouId inevilalIy divoice hei, and nay AIIah
send hei a husland vho is lellei lhan he is, and send hin a
lellei vife lhan she is.
Theie is a sound opinion lhal a vife has peifecl iighl lo have
hei husland slaying vilh hei oveinighl eveiy foui nighls,
on lhe giounds lhal a husland can keep foui vives. Il is
exaclIy lhe sane iighl gianled lo a nonoganisl vho is
pieoccupied vilh voishipping oi voik, in vhich case he has
lo slay oveinighl vilh his vife eveiy foui nighls, vhiIe
devoling his lhiee olhei nighls lo voishipping.
And lheie is aIso lhe nosl piolalIe veidicl ciled lefoie,
uiging a husland lhal he shouId have sexuaI inleicouise
vilh each of his vives ieasonalIy and adequaleIy lo nake
hei sexuaIIy conlenl and disliacl hei fion lhinking of any
olhei nan.
Hanifiles, oi lhe foIIoveis of Alu-Hanifa, leIieve lhal a
judge - if lhe vife pioceeds againsl hei husland - shouId
pass a iuIing in favoi of lhe vife leing sIepl vilh eveiy nov
and lhen in lhe vay he deens sufficienl lo nake hei sexuaIIy
alslinenl.
MaIikiles, oi lhe foIIoveis of Inan MaIik, leIieve lhal a
husland is foilidden lo inlenlionaIIy alslain fion having
sex vilh one of his vives, duiing hei aIIolled line, on lhe
giounds of saving his slienglh and vigoi foi sIeeping vilh
anolhei one vhon he enjoys lellei. So, if he is slaying vilh
lhe aIIolled one and feIl sufficienlIy sexuaIIy exciled lo have
sexuaI inleicouise, lul he did nol, lo keep his eneigy foi lhe
nosl leaulifuI vife, he is consideied guiIly. He is sinfuI
lecause his viIIfuI deIay of sexuaI inleicouise is iighlIy
leIieved lo exacl a heavy loII on lhe aIIolled one, even if she
is neilhei acluaIIy hained noi did conpIain.
A husland nay aIso shaie lhings equaIIy vilh his vives in
accoidance vilh his condilion: if he voiks diuinaIIy, he
shouId shaie his line vilh lhen nocluinaIIy, if lhe olhei
vay iound' in case he le a valchnan foi exanpIe, he shouId
-37-
shaie line vilh lhen diuinaIIy. Lveiy vife can have, foi
exanpIe, a nighl oi day oi lvo days oi nighls. He nay aIso
shaie line vilh lhen as foIIovs: eveiy vife a soIid veek oi
noie, on condilion of gelling lheii connon consenl, lhough
lhis opinion is diveiseIy eIaloialed ly vaiious schooIs of
fiqh
34
(juiispiudence).
A husland is foilidden lo have sexuaI inleicouise vilh
anyone apail fion lhe aIIolled vife foi lhal nighl noi is he
aIIoved lo kiss anolhei one apail fion hei. Hovevei, he can
have access lo lhe iesidence of his vife, oi vives, vho is nol,
oi aie nol, aIIolled foi lhal day oi nighl if necessily shouId
aiise oi if she, oi lhey, needed expenses, vanled hin lo
cone lo see lhe chiIdien oi lo do lhen any indispensalIe
need.
HanlaIiles, oi lhe foIIoveis of Iln-HanlaI, leIieve lhal
division anong vives shouId le on lhe lasis of onIy one
nighl each and nolhing in excess foi any of lhen unIess lhey
so connonIy consenl.
Spending lhe nighl vilh anyone of lhen, a husland nay, as
usuaI, go oul lo nosque foi piaying as veII as Ieave hei lo
honoi a pionise, fuIfiI a duly oi lhe Iike. NeveilheIess, he
nay nol deIileialeIy go oul noie oflen duiing lhe nighl oi
day of lhe aIIolled one lhan lhe nighls oi days of lhe olheis.
If he so does, he viII le deaIing injuslice oul lo hei (unIess
she olheivise consenls).
34
Fiqh Along the four Schools of Fiqh", volume four.
HanlaIiles do nake an addilionaI cuiious iuIing: a husland
nay nol have access al nighl lo any olhei vife excepl foi lhe
aIIolled one unIess she is in deep disliess, such as leing on
hei dealh led and vishing lo nake a viII, oi lhe Iike of onIy
giave nalleis. y day, he nay have access lo lhe unaIIolled
one (vhose luin has nol yel cone) foi doing sonelhing
uigenlIy, on condilion lhal he shouId nol slay Iong vilh hei,
if he slays Iongei, he shouId conpensale lhe aIIolled one -
vilh vhon he shouId have spenl lhe day - ly spending
anolhei day vilh hei. If he has sexuaI inleicouise vilh lhe
unaIIolled one, he shouId have sexuaI inleicouise vilh lhe
aIIolled one (he shouId have one noie line of sexuaI
inleicouise vilh hei in conpensalion), lo lhe conliaiy of a
veidicl foinuIaled ly Shafi'iles, lhe foIIoveis of Inan
AI-Shafi'i.
As foi gelling a nev vife, ve leIieve as noie highIy apl lhal
veidicl foinuIaled ly Hanifiles lhal aII vives, le lhey oId oi
nev, shouId have equaI access lo slaying vilh lheii
husland. As veII, a viigin oi nalion (pieviousIy naiiied)
shouId aIso le deaIl vilh on a pai vilh each olhei. If a
husland gels a nev vife, vhelhei she le a viigin oi nalion,
he shouId slail his naiilaI Iife ly slaying vilh hei: he shouId
spend seven nighls vilh hei if she is viigin and lhiee nighls
if she is nalion. His oId vives have lo le conpensaled foi
lhis peiiod of line he spenl vilh lhe nev one.
DeaIing oul juslice lo vives so iequiies, as exhililed ly
Iiophel Muhannad's, peace le upon hin, sunnah.
Hovevei, a husland nay legin his iolalion vilh his vives
vilh lhe nev one, lhen give lhe olheis lheii due days oi
nighls in piopoilion lo vhal he has spenl vilh lhe nev one.
-38-
A vife nay cede hei nupliaI aIIolled line lo anolhei vife in
ieluin foi sonelhing oi vilhoul. If she cedes lhis aIIolled
line lo anolhei vife lul lhen nade up hei nind lo go lack
on il, she is so aIIoved.
35
Savda dauglhei of Zanaa - a vife of lhe nine vives kepl ly
Iiophel Muhanned al his dealh, peace le upon hin, vhose
iunning epilhel vas, aIong vilh lhen aII, "Molhei of lhe
IailhfuI" - has once ceded hei aIIolled nighl lo Aisha,
anolhei "Molhei of lhe IailhfuI" as she knev lhe piophel
Ioved Aisha lellei lhan he Ioved hei. Savda has lhus sel lhe
nosl spIendid exanpIe of seIfIessness, noliIily and
geneiosily, piefeiiing lo pIease AIIah and His aposlIe lo lhis
piofane voiId, conlenling heiseIf vilh lhe facl lhal she viII
le iesuiiecled anong lhe piophel's vives - and suffice le il
a lIessing.
In case lhe husland pIans lo liaveI, a dislinclion shouId le
nade lelveen Ieaving one's pIace foi anolhei lo sellIe dovn
(Iike Ieaving iuiaI aieas foi Caiio oi AIexandiia, oi even
Ieaving a counliy foi anolhei foi good), one lhe on hand,
and liansiloiy liaveI foi sone line aflei vhich a husland
viII cone lack hone vheie his vives aie iesiding, on lhe
olhei.
If lhe husland is liaveIIing lo anolhei counliy foi finaIIy
sellIing dovn, he shouId, if possilIe, lake aII of his vives, oi
he shouId, inslead, diav a Iol anong lhen lo lake lhe
vinning one foi sone line and lhen liing hei lack foi
35
The previous reference.
anolhei one lo go, and so on. If il is difficuIl lo do so eilhei,
he has, inevilalIy, lo divoice lhe one vhon he does nol
vanl and ielain lhe one vhon he vanls lo have vilh hin
vheie he viII le sellIed foi good. The case in queslion is nol
pieciseIy liaveIIing foi voik oi foi louiisn, lul il is ialhei
finaI enigialion. Theiefoie, he nay nol deseil sone of his
vives and lake lhe olheis unIess lhey connonIy give
consenl vhich is aInosl inpossilIe as an unvanled vife viII
Iose hei husland, once and foi aII, if he so Ieaves.
36
If liaveI is lenpoiaiy foi liade, haj (piIgiinage), caIIing foi
IsIan in a non-MusIin nalion, nedicaI liealnenl, louiisn oi
olheis, lhe veidicl ve deen as aplei is lhal a husland
shouId diav a Iol anong his vives lo idenlify lhe one lo
acconpany hin. The peiiod of lhis lenpoiaiy liaveI shouId
nol le ieckoned as vilhin lhe caIendai of lhe vives: il is
excIusiveIy lhe shaie of lhe one vho has von lhe Iol and lhe
olhei vives aie nol lo le conpensaled foi aflei liaveI.
If a vife liaveIs aIone, she shouId nol le conpensaled foi
vhal she has nissed duiing hei alsence. If aII vives go vilh
lheii husland, he shouId shaie his line vilh lhen as he
used lo do in his eaiIiei counliy.
And finaIIy, nay a husland have aII of his vives one pIace`
}uiisls leIieve lhal if lhe husland's house has nany fIals oi il
is a nuIli-sloiy house, vilh each of lhose fIals oi sloiies
having a piivale dooi and uliIilies vhich aie peifeclIy
36
The previous reference.
-39-
independenl of lhe iesl of fIals (a piivale loiIel, kilchen, a
pIace foi a cIolhes Iine), lhe husland nay iighlfuIIy conline
aII of his vives in such a house, even if lhey do nol consenl
individuaIIy. Whal counls is lhal each of lhe vives viII have
a piivaleIy independenl fIal in isoIalion of lhe olheis.
37
If lhe house has a iesidence vhich has onIy one dooi vhich
hinges inlo a singIe ioon oi even a sel of ioons, vilh a
shaied loiIel and kilchen, a husland nay conline aII of his
vives as such onIy vhen lhey aII give consenl. The sane
iuIe appIies vhen lhey aie aII liaveIIing and have lo slay in
one ioon oi lhe sane lenl (as if liaveIIing foi haj, foi
exanpIe) in vhich case lhey can le conlined ly a husland,
vhelhei lhey so consenl oi nol (a case in poinl is lhe
cianned lenls of piIgiins al Minna and Aiafal).
MaIikiles have nade a falva (ieIigious judgnenl) lhal a nan
naking Iove lo a vife vhiIe lhe olhei vife, oi vives, is, oi
aie, valching is "haian" - a lein used ly juiisls lo liand
anylhing vhich is nol peinilled al aII ly ieIigion and vhich
caiiies a punishnenl ly AIIah foi anyone doing il - ialhei
lhan jusl "disappioved of".
SIeeping vilh a vife in fionl of lhe olheis is nol peinilled
undei any ciicunslances, vhelhei lhe vife leing sIepl vilh
is fuIIy exposed lo lhe olheis oi nol.
38
We fuIIy suppoil lhis
sound veidicl ly MaIikiles. In facl, sexuaI inleicouise as
such is nol peinilled fion lhe hunanilaiian vievpoinl, as il
37
The previous reference.
38
The previous reference.
huils lhe senlinenls of olhei vives, and iidicuIousIy aiouses
inslincls and iancoi anong lhen. Il aIso liespasses on lhe
decency of lhe one vilh vhon lhe husland is sIeeping in
fionl of lhe olheis.
Man, vhon AIIah has honoialIy ciealed, piesunalIy
diveiges videIy fion dunl aninaIs, and, keeping lhis
diveigence in nind, sound and unlIenished hunan naluie
iejecls sexuaI inleicouise as done in such a vay as in fionl of
olheis. Lven sone aninaIs, Iike cals, can inpossilIy
copuIale vilh each olhei vhiIe leing cIoseIy valched ly
hunan, oi even cIoseIy vilhoul seeing lhen. And "LxaIled
le He vho has given lo each ciealed lhing ils foin and
naluie, and has fuilhei given il guidance".
We aIso leIieve lhal a husland nay slep up lhe expenses of
one vife lhan lhe olhei, oi olheis, undei ceilain
ciicunslances, incIuding having noie chiIdien lhan lhe
olheis. Ioi exanpIe, if a husland gives a vife having five
chiIdien six Ioaves, vhiIe giving lhe one vilh lhiee chiIdien
foui Ioaves, he viII nol, axionalicaIIy, le deaIing oul
inequaIily lo eilhei of lhen. This division is exaclIy lhe coie
of juslice, as il lakes inlo accounl lhal eveiy individuaI viII
have a Ioaf. ConsequenlIy, if one of lhe vives is giaveIy iII
and needs nedicalion, lhe olhei vives shouId lhank AIIah
foi having good heaIlh and need nol iequesl lhal lhe, le
paid a coiiesponding sun of noney as lhe iII one ieceives
fion a husland foi nedicalion.
If a vife-lo-le allaches a sliing, vhen concIuding lhe
naiiiage conliacl lhal hei vouId-le husland shouId nol
-40-
lake anolhei vife in addilion lo hei, lhe husland shouId
olseive lhe condilion ly nol naiiying anyone unIess lhe
fiisl vife consenls and cedes lhe condilion allached. A
hadilh ly Iiophel Muhannad, peace le upon hin, ieads,
"The condilions vhich nosl deseive lo le fuIIy nel aie lhose
vhich aie allached lo naiiiage." The hadilh, as iepoiled ly
lolh AI-ukhaii and MusIin, olviousIy uiges lhal
condilions allached lo naiiiage aie lhe ones, vhich deseive
nosl lo le iespeclfuIIy fuIfiIIed.
Chapter Six
THE APOSTLE'S WIVES
As said lefoie, lhe foes of IsaIn have despeialeIy leen
allenpling, since IsIan davned on hunanily up liII nov, lo
dispaiage, and caII inlo seiious queslion, IsIan, using lhe
pIuiaIily of vives lhe piophel naiiied lo liy lo deaI IsIan a
falaI lIov.
They have aIvays leen cIaining lhal lhe piophel vas
alsoIuleIy devoled lo fuIIy salisfying his Iusl ly ioIIing in
lhe losons of nine vives!! When lhis cIain vas iniliaIIy
nade ly }evs in Yalhiel
39
- vhich vas Ialei lo le knovn as
Madina aflei Hijia - lhe HoIy Quian has eIoquenlIy exposed
lheii aIIegalion as nolivaled onIy ly envy foi, and
covelousness of, lhe piophel since lhe lvo piophels Davood
(David) and SoIinan (SoIonon), peace le upon lhen lolh,
had leen lesloved vilh a Iaige Kingdon each and had had
nany noie vives and caplive fenaIe sIaves lhan Iiophel
Muhannad, peace le upon hin, had.
OiienlaIisls oulside, as veII as secuIaiisls and Ieflisls inside,
aie sliII cheekiIy laIking dispaiagingIy aloul lhe piophel's
Iofly posilion and his puiified sunna (liadilions) oul of
naIice lovaids lhis ieIigion. Hovevei, AIIah viII le
safeguaiding His ieIigion, despile lheii iII viII, unliI AIIah
inheiils lhe Lailh and vhoevei is on il.
39
Refer to the introduction of this book.
-41-
Sone olheis foIIov suil lecause lhey do nol knov vhy lhe
piophel naiiied so nany vonen. Iiofound Iook al his
inpeccalIe liogiaphy viII easiIy shov lhal sone of lhose
naiiiages veie piinaiiIy caleiing foi hunan nolivalion,
vhiIe sone olheis veie neanl lo ieassuie eslianged heails
and souIs as veII as lo Iay lhe giound ieady foi lhe fiisl seed
of lhe lIessed caII foi IsIan. Moieovei, lhe piophel, peace le
upon hin, had a naluiaI iighl and desiie lo naiiy lecause
he vas a hunan leing, ialhei lhan an angeI. As ve have
said lefoie, naiiiage has leen sel foilh in lhe lenels of aII of
AIIah's piophels (even in lhe lenel of lhose vho did nol evei
naiiy Iike }esus and Yahia (}ohn lhe aplisl), peace le upon
lhen lolh). None
of lhe foui gospeIs slipuIaled a lan on poIygany.
40
Lel us legin vilh Khadija, lhe piophel's fiisl vife. Khadija,
lhe daughlei of KhuvaiIed, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hei,
had, lefoie IsIan's advenl, leen naiiied lo Hend son of
Nallash of lhe Tanin liile, vhose epilhel vas Alu-HaIa.
Aflei his dealh, she naiiied Aleeq son of Aled of lhe
Makhzouin liile.
41
Then Aleeq died as veII.
Khadija leIonged lo one of lhe Quiaish liile's Iofliesl
househoIds in leins of Iineage. She had an enoinous
veaIlh, vhich she used in liade. She used lo send sone nen,
vilh hei noney on liade nissions lo Syiia. When she heaid
of Muhannad's (peace le upon hin) inlegiily, she senl foi
hin and iequesled hin lo lake hei noney on a liade nission
40
Refer to chapter one, "Polygamy Before slam".
41
"Al-Tabaqat Al-Qubra" (or Generations of the Prophet's Companions)
lo Syiia, pionising lo pay hin as lvice as she used lo pay
olheis vho peifoined lhe sane lask. Muhannad, peace le
upon hin, look hei noney foi liade in Syiia, acconpanied
ly hei loy sIave Maysaia. Theie, he liaded, coning lack lo
Mecca vilh a nuIlifoId piofil fai in excess of vhal olheis
used lo eain foi Khadija duiing lhe sane jouiney. Khadija as
pieviousIy pionised doulIy paid hin.
Upon knoving fion hei loy sIave, Maysaia, aloul his
niiacIes, peace le upon hin, duiing lhe jouiney: a cIoud
shaded hin and a cIeigynan leIIing Maysaia lhal his feIIov
Muhannad vouId le lhe uIlinale aposlIe lo le senl ly
AIIah, as heiaIded ly pievious hoIy looks, Muhannad
lickIed hei fancy noie and noie, and she piesenled heiseIf
lo hin foi naiiiage lhiough hei fenaIe fiiend Nafeesa
daughlei of Unaya. AIlhough Khadija vas foily yeais oId,
lhe piophel agieed lo naiiy hei and vas lhen al lhe age of
lvenly-five.
Khadija gave liilh lo aII of Muhannad's chiIdien -loys and
giiIs- excepl foi his son Iliahin, vho vas loin Ialei in his
Iife ly Maiy, lhe Coplic fenaIe sIave given as a gifl lo lhe
piophel ly AI-Mukavkis, lhe ieIigious Ieadei of Lgypl's
Copls. The piophel, peace le upon hin, nevei naiiied any
olhei vonan unliI Khadija died al lhe age of sixly-five,
vhiIe he vas onIy a IillIe noie lhan fifly yeais oId.
Nov, ve have lo iighlfuIIy vondei: if lhe piophel, peace le
upon hin, had Iived up lo lhe age of lvenly-five vilhoul
naiiiage, if he vas highIy connended ly aII of Mecca's
peopIe as lhe honesl nan of inlegiily, if his chasle and
sexuaI alslinence veie exenpIaiy - as conceded ly lhe nosl
-42-
haidened, iancoious and halefuI of Mecca's poIylheisls -,
and if he Ialei naiiied Khadija, vho vas fifleen yeais his
senioi, and conlenled hinseIf vilh hei as an onIy vife even
aflei she exceeded sixly yeais of age, if aII lhese facls have
leen liue, vhal Iusl is lheie lhey cIain lo have nolivaled his
so nany naiiiages
The piophel, peace le upon hin, vas lhen in lhe piine of
his youlh and had nol leen pieoccupied as yel vilh lhe
heavy luidens of his lIessed caII foi IsIan. If he had leen
sveepingIy IuslfuI, as lhe foes of IsIan cIain, he vouId have
naiiied as nany vonen as he couId, as poIygany and
laking conculines vas a veiy connon pie-IsIan piaclice, as
said lefoie,
42
vilhoul any Iinil.
Hovevei, lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, nevei so did. Is
nol lhis an evidence lhal he look nany vives Ialei foi Iofliei
ieasons lhan neieIy salisfying his Iusl, lhough salisfying
Iusl shouId nol in ilseIf le consideied a shane`
SliII, lheie is one noie poinl lo expIain, lefoie noving lo
olhei vives, vhich is lhe facl lhal he aIvays highIy
connended, and ienained failhfuI lo, Khadija aflei hei
dealh. Lven aflei he had laken nine olhei vives, he vas
ieaIIy fuiious vhenevei anylody iII-nenlioned hei, even if
il vas Aisha. He used eveiy possilIe occasion lo sing
Khadija's piaises, ciling hei leing veiy giacious lo lhe gieal
caII foi IsIan. He nevei foigol hei lhough she vas lhe oIdesl
of aII lhose vhon he naiiied lhioughoul his Iife and he
42
Refer to chapter one, "Polygamy Before slam".
Ialei naiiied youngei ones vho veie, piolalIy, noie
leaulifuI lhan she vas.
Is il faii enough lo desciile a husland as such as naiiying
piinaiiIy foi Iusl!` Can such a spouse le so iII lhoughl of
vhiIe he vas connended ly AIIah, lhe LxaIled, as having
"Cieal nanneis" - AIIah foilid.
Nov, ve have lo shed Iighl on lhe ciicunslances undei
vhich lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, naiiied his second
vife, Savda daughlei of Zanaa, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh
hei. She vas naiiied, duiing lhe pie-IsIan peiiod lo
AI-Sakiaan son of Anie son of Ald-Shans, vho vas aIso
hei cousin. Having lolh enliaced IsIan in Mecca, lhey
venl oul on lhe second enigialion lo Alyssinia. Having
cone lack fion Alyssinia, hei husland died in Mecca and
she lecane a vidov. When she spenl a peiiod of foui
nonlhs and len days aflei hei husland's dealh - as a MusIin
vife shouId so spend aflei hei husland's dealh vilhoul
naiiiage lo nak6 suie lhal she is nol piegnanl ly de
deceased husland - lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, senl foi
hei and pioposed naiiiage lo hei. IoIIoving lhe naiiiage
she enigialed vilh hin lo Madina.
She had giovn oIdei ly lhe line lhe piophel pioposed
naiiiage lo hei. Wilh lheii naiiiage gelling oIdei, she ceded
hei aIIolled line lo anolhei vife of lhe piophel, vho vas
Aisha. Ceding hei aIIolled line, she said lo lhe piophel, as
iepoiled ly one naiialoi, "Oh you lhe aposlIe of AIIah, I
sveai ly AIIah lhal I don'l ciave foi nen any noie
(iefeiiing lo lhe facl lhal she vas oId and vas nol IuslfuI any
-43-
Iongei) lul I piay lhal I vouId le iesuiiecled anong youi
vives on lhe Day of }udgenenl". The piophel, peace le
upon hin, accepled hei ceding hei aIIolled line lo Aisha
and ielained hei as his vife unliI his dealh,
43
peace le upon
hin. So, can his naiiiage lo anolhei oId Iady, Iike Savda, le
laken as evidence lhal lhe piophel's (peace le upon hin)
poIygany vas neanl, as nongeied ly lhe foes of IsIan,
onIy foi Iusl and ciaving foi vonen!!` Oi cannol il le lellei
desciiled as an acl of consoIalion ly hin, peace le upon
hin, foi a MusIin vidov vho had no one lo piovide foi
hei, noi had she any veaIlh, youlh oi leauly lhal vouId
have pionpled anyone eIse lo naiiy hei`! y AIIah, such an
unyeained-foi naiiiage vas anong his luidens, peace le
upon hin, and a heavy duly his nolIe souI lhoughl il vas
inpeialive lo do. Who eIse vouId have consoIed a leieaved
vidov` And vho eIse vouId have heIped anyone lo his feel
aflei having sIipped, vouId have lioken caplivily oi vouId
have heIped lo foileai nisfoilunes` Il vas he, peace le
upon hin, vho vouId do so, since il vas he vho vas senl as
a neicy lo lhe enliie nankind`
Aisha, lhe daughlei of his conpanion Alu-aki AI-Siddeeq,
nay AIIah le pIeased vilh lhen lolh, vas lhe lhiid vife of
Iiophel Muhannad, peace le upon hin. Il vas naluiaI lhal
a pieachei le cIoseIy lied lo lhe nen vho vouId Ialei eiecl
lhe Iofly edifice of IsIan and vho vouId pionole lhe caII foi
AIIah lo lhe foui coneis of lhe gIole. The lesl lie lelveen
lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, and his senioi conpanions
vas lhe sacied lie of naiiiage. Theiefoie, he, peace le upon
hin, naiiied Aisha, vho vas lhen veiy young.
43
"Al-Tabapt A-Qubra", by bn-Saad.
The fouilh vife vas Hafsa, lhe daughlei of his olhei senioi
conpanion Onai son of AI-Khallal. He naiiied Hafsa
pailIy as lhe pievious naiiiage, naneIy lecause she vas his
conpanion's daughlei, and pailIy lo pIease Onai hinseIf.
Onai had offeied his daughlei in naiiiage lo his
conpanion Alu-aki aflei his daughlei's husland, Khanees
son of Hudhafa of lhe Sahn liile, died in aclion al lhe lallIe
of Uhud.
44
He and Hafsa had enliaced IsIan and
enigialed lo Madina, lhen he died upon lhe coning lack of
lhe piophel fion lhe Uhud lallIe. Having spenl foui nonlhs
and len days aflei hei husland's dealh, she vas offeied in
naiiiage lo Alu-aki ly hei falhei Onai. Alu-aki
decIined and Onai vas upsel. Onai had eaiIiei done lhe
sane lhing lo Olhnan son of Affan, anolhei senioi
conpanion of lhe piophel, lul he decIined, and Onai vas
aIso upsel vilh hin.
ConpIaining lhen lolh lo lhe piophel, peace le upon hin,
lhe piophel naiiied hei in oidei lo pIease hei falhei Onai.
The piophel had aIso eaiIiei honoied Alu-aki ly naiiying
his daughlei Aisha, as shovn alove. Alu-aki decIined lo
accepl Hafsa as a vife vhen offeied ly Onai lecause he
had heaid lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, nenlion lhal he
vouId naiiy hei. Alu-aki vouId nol discIose vhal he
heaid lhe piophel say. Anyvay, Hafsa vas nol a leaulifuI
Iady, as Aisha oi Safiyia, lul she used lo fasl and piay al
nighl a Iol and Ioved AIIah and his aposlIe.
44
Usdul-Ghaba, "volume two".
-44-
So, can his naiiiage lo lolh Aisha and Hafsa le consideied
ciaving foi vonen oi salisfying one's Iusl` Oi can il lellei
consideied a necessily foi slienglhening lhe caII foi AIIah,
pIeasing his senioi canpaign and loIsleiing lies lelveen lhe
piophel and lhe senioi nen in chaige of lhe nascenl caII foi
IsIan` Was nol il consoIing a nailyi's vidov Iike Hafasa
vho vas nol such a leaulifuI oi veaIlhy Iady lhal vouId nol
have lenpled anyone eIse lo naiiy hei. Il vas lhe piophel
vho vas a neicy and loon offeied ly AIIah lo nankind.
As foi Zainal, lhe daughlei of Khuzaina, vhose epilhel vas
"Unn AI-Masakeen" (oi Molhei of lhe Iooi), nay AIIah le
pIeased vilh hei, she vas lhe vife of his cousin Ulaida son
of AI-Haielh son of AlduI-MullaIel, nay AIIah le pIeased
vilh hin. He feII in aclion as a nailyi al lhe lallIe of adi
and Iefl hei vilh no one lo piovide foi hei. So, vas il faii
enough lo ievaid a conpanion, vho vas aIso a nailyied
cousin, ly Ieaving his vidov aIone`! Who eIse vouId have
nainlained a ieIalion of one's kilh and kin, ievaided a
nailyi and lenevoIenlIy, advanlageousIy and neicifuIIy
iepIaced hin vilh his vidov excepl foi Muhannad, peace
le upon hin, lhe Iasl of lhe piophels vho vas aII
lhioughoul his Iife knovn as lhe candid and liuslvoilhy!!`
Can such a naiiiage le iegaided as having leen nolivaled
ly any sensuaI, oi olhei, ciaving`! Oi nusl nol il le vieved
as an addilionaI luiden on lhe piophel's shouIdeis`!
Hovevei, she died, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hei, onIy a
fev nonlhs aflei she naiiied lhe piophel.
Then lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, naiiied
Unn-SaIana, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hei. Naned Hend
daughlei of SuhaiI son of AI-Mughiia of lhe Makhzoun
liile, she had leen naiiied lefoie lhe piophel, peace le
upon hin, lo his paleinaI cousin AlduIIah son of
AlduI-Assad of lhe Makhzoun liile. Hei husland vas
vounded al lhe lallIe of Uhud, and one nonlh Ialei his
vounds heaIed. He lhen venl oul on a shoil-lein,
one-nonlh niIilaiy offensive. Having cone lack, his
vounds ieIapsed sending hin lo his dealh, nay AIIah le
pIeased vilh hin. Alu-SaIana Iefl lehind Unn.-SaIana
and a Iol chiIdien.
Having spenl a peiiod of foui nonlhs and len days aflei hei
husland's dealh, she ieceived a naiiiage pioposaI fion lhe
piophel, peace le upon hin. Hovevei, she decIined,
pIeading lhal she vas veiy jeaIous, oId-aged and having so
nany chiIdien. The piophel iepIied lo hei ly saying "As foi
youi ciled jeaIousy, AIIah viII send il dininishing, as foi
youi oId age, I an oIdei lhan you aie, and as foi youi
oiphans, AIIah and His aposlIe viII le in chaige of lhen".
45
Thal is lo say, AIIah and His aposlIe viII lake caie of hei
chiIdien. This vas a ieason foi lhe piophel lo have
lIessingIy gol naiiied lo hei: lo lake caie of oiphans and le
fuIIy in chaige of lhis ieveied fenaIe conpanion having
leen vidoved. And uIlinaleIy, lhe naiiiage vas aIso in
honoi of lhe deceased husland Alu-SaIana, vho had faIIen
as a nailyi, ly laking caie of his vidov and chiIdien and
nainlaining good ieIalions vilh one's kilh and kin as his
nolhei vas a naleinaI aunl of lhe piophel. So vhal Iusl vas
45
"Tabaqat", by bn-Saad.
-45-
lheie lehind naiiying a vidov vho vas fifly-pIus yeais of
age and laking caie of hei chiIdien`
As foi Unn-Halila (RanIah) daughlei of Alu-Sufyan son
of Hail, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hei, she has a sloiy lo le
loId in oidei lo cIaiify lhe nolIe ain envisaged ly lhis
naiiiage. Unn-Halila vas a vife of UlaiduIIah son of
Cahsh son of Khuzainah. They Iefl foi Alyssinia on lhe
second vave of enigialion, vhich vas oideied ly lhe
piophel, peace le upon hin, lo spaie lhe eaiIy MusIin
leIieveis lhe liunl of infideIs' coeiciveness. Theie,
UlaiduIIah conveiled lo poIylheisn and lecane a ienegade
- AIIah foilid - vhiIe his vife Unn-Halila, nay AIIah le
pIeased vilh hei, ienained sleadfaslIy hoIding on lo hei
failh, despile aIienalion, foiIoinness and IoneIiness.
Hovevei, she couId nol have gone lack lo Mecca, vheie hei
falhei vas a haidened Ieadei of lhe liile of Quiaish, vho
used lo coeiciveIy deaI vilh, nosl peisecule, lhe aposlIe and
his conpanions. If she had ieluined, she nusl have leen
pione lo leing suppiessed oul of hei failh, in ieluin.
Theiefoie, she shouId have leen honoied, and conpensaled
foi a ienegade deceased husland, ly lhe piophel (hei
husland had died eaiIiei in Alyssinia).
So, AIIah's aposlIe, vho used lo cuie peopIe's lioken heails
and enleilain lhose vho aie foiIoin, senl lo lhe Negus - lhe
Lnpeioi of Alyssinia, vho had enliaced IsIan - oideiing
hin lo viile oul, on his lehaIf, his naiiiage conliacl lo
inn-Halila.
The Negus did as oideied ly lhe piophel and senl fuIIy
honoied, lo hin in Madina aflei his hijia.
Upon knoving of his daughlei's naiiiage lo lhe piophel,
peace le upon hin, Alu-Sufyan vas veiy nuch deIighled
and, iejoicingIy, connended Muhannad as lhe lesl and
nosl conpelenl evei son-in- Iav. Alu-Sufyan son of Hail
said so aIlhough he vas sliII an infideI and a foe of IsIan.
Hovevei, he candidIy leIieved, as a falhei iegaidIess of
failh, lhal his daughlei naiiied hunanily's giealesl and
nolIesl nen.
AIIah's viIIing vas lhal line vas aiound again and il so
look pIace lhal Alu-Sufyan cane lo Madina lo dissuade lhe
piophel fion conqueiing Mecca aflei infideIs had lieached
peace vilh hin. The infideIs of Mecca had allacked and
kiIIed lhe piophel's aIIies of Khuzaa liile in Mecca, lhe
sancluaiy of AIIah, duiing a "Haian" oi sacied nonlh (one
of foui nonlhs duiing vhich fighling is piohililed ly
IsIan).
IeeIing al a Ioss aflei lhe senioi conpanions had decIined lo
inleicede foi hin vilh lhe piophel, peace le upon hin,
Alu-Sufyan had lo iesoil onIy lo his daughlei's house.
Having aiiived lheie, his daughlei, nuch lo his ovn
suipiise, fuiIed hei nalliess fion hin nosl disguslingIy.
On seeing lhis he said lo hei, "y AIIah, ny daughlei, I do
nol knov you did nol vanl ne lo louch lhe nalliess`"
IIalIy, she iepIied ly saying "Il is lecause lhis is lhe
piophel's, peace le upon hin, and you aie sliII a poIylheisl
infideI".
-46-
Cood heavens! Il vas a failh as deepIy iooled and
unshakalIe in lhe heail of lhe piophel's vife as a nounlain
vhich nade hei so daiingIy face up lo hei falhei vho
geneialed hei. The incidence piovides a vivid exanpIe of
hov liulhfuI and deep failh nakes AIIah and His aposlIe
noie leIoved, lo a liue MusIin, lhan his nolhei, falhei, son
and liolhei.
Aflei aII, vas lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, iequiied lo Iel
lhal gieal Iady dovn lo Iose lhe iighl palh having leen loin
lelveen a ienegade husland and a fIagianl infideI falhei`!
Who eIse lhan he, peace le upon hin, vouId have iushed lo
honoi and ievaid hei foi hei sleadfaslness, palience and
sliuggIe foi hei failh and nessage` And vho eIse vouId
have leen noie equaI lo lhe daughlei of a Quiaish nolIe
nan lhan lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, vho is lhe head
of aII anceslois and descendanls lo cone unliI lhe Day of
}udgenenl`!
Nov, ve cone lo lhe sloiy lehind his naiiiage, peace le
upon hin, lo Zainal daughei of }ahsh of lhe Assad liile,
nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hei, vho vas his cousin as she
vas lhe daughlei of his paleinaI aunl Unayna daughlei of
AlduI-MullaIel son of Hashen. She lhus leIonged lo one of
Quiaish's nosl lhoioughlied nolIe and Iofly househoIds.
She vas aIso iepoiled as having leen chainingIy leaulifuI.
When lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, senl soneone lo
piopose naiiiage lo hei, hei faniIy nislakenIy lhoughl lhal
he vanled hei foi hinseIf. Much lo lheii suipiise, he vanled
lo naiiy hei off lo Zayd son of Haiilha.
Having leen a sIave in pie-IsIan lines, Zayd, nay AIIah le
pIeased vilh hin, had ended up as a sIave undei lhe candid
and liuslvoilhy piophel, Muhannad son of AlduIIah, vho
faiiIy deaIl vilh hin. The piophel, peace le upon hin, so
affeclionaleIy and conpassionaleIy infIuenced hin lhal
Zayd piefeiied lo slay vilh hin foi evei lo going lack vilh
his falhei and uncIe (having leen in puisuil of hin aflei
leing soId as a sIave, his falhei and uncIe finaIIy found hin
vilh lhe piophel and cane lo lake hin lack). Al lhal poinl,
lhe piophel asked lhen lo sland vilness lhal he vas
adopling Zayd as a son ly saying, "Zayd is ny son and ve
nuluaIIy inheiil each olhei". His IineaI falhei so consenled.
AIlhough lhe piophel enfianchised and adopled Zayd (Ialei
IsIan disnanlIed lhe adoplion syslen iesuIling in Zayd
iegaining his nane and fieedon even lefoie lhal) lhe faniIy
of }ahsh luined dovn lhe naiiiage pioposaI nade ly Zayd,
cIaining lhal lheii daughlei, anong olhei giiIs, leIonged lo
a nolIe and dignified faniIy and vas nosl soughl aflei ly
lhe lesl youlh of Aialian IeninsuIa.
Hovevei, AIIah LxaIled le He, so desiied lhal lhis naiiiage
shouId foigo ahead foi a gieal vise ieason, even a nuIlilude
of ieasons. The nosl inpoilanl of lhese ieasons is leing
disnanlIing lhe connon piaclice of loasling IineaI descenls
in oidei lo confiin, and send noie deepIy iooled, lhe
eleinaI, innacuIale and sage iuIe lhal "The nosl honoied of
you in lhe sighl of AIIah is lhe nosl iighleous of you", lhe
-47-
nosl iighleous - ialhei lhan lhe veaIlhiesl, lhe nosl
lhoiough lied oi nolIesl.
On lhal occasion, AIIah senl dovn His veise fion lhe suiah
of "AI-Ahzal", oi cIans, vhich ieads, "Il is nol filling foi a
leIievei, nan oi vonan, vhen a nallei has leen decided ly
AIIah and His aposlIe lo have any oplion aloul lheii
decision. If any one disoleys AIIah and His aposlIe, he is
indeed on a cIeaiIy viong palh". As soon as lhe alove veise
had leen senl dovn, AlduIIah son of }ahsh and his sislei
Zainal, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh lhen, acknovIedged lhal
lhe onIy oplion lhey have vas lo fuIIy oley AIIah and His
aposlIe. So, AlduIIah loId his naleinaI cousin Muhannad,
peace le upon hin, "I viII do vhalevei you oidei ne". And
so he, peace le upon hin naiiied hei off lo Zayd son of
Haiilha.
AIlhough lhe naiiiage vas fuIIy consunnaled, Zainal sliII
luined hei nose up al hin, pIeading lhal she vas noie
lhoiough lied. So peisislenlIy had she leen doing so, lhal
Zayd, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hin, couId nol enduie hei
anynoie. ConpIaining hei lo lhe piophel, he iequesled his
consenl lo divoice hei, on lhe giounds lhal he couId nol Iive
vilh hei any Iongei. The piophel, peace le upon hin,
oideied hin lo le pious enough, so feai AIIah lhal he shouId
ielain hei as his vife.
In lhe neanline, AIIah, LxaIled le He, ieveaIed lo lhe
piophel lhe fuluie evenls lhal }ay in sloie vilh AIIah: Zayd
vas lo divoice Zainal, vhon AIIah vouId lhen naiiy off lo
His liulhfuI piophel. The pioceduie as such, lhe piophel
vas fuilhei ieveaIed lo, vouId alsoIuleIy upiool lhe
pie-IsIan piaclice of adoplion. The noie faii and iighleous
pioceduie, AIIah loId His piophel, is lo caII chiIdien ly lhe
nanes of lheii ieaI falheis, ialhei lhan ly lhe nanes of lhose
adopling lhen. If IsIan has, foievei, foilidden a falhei lo
naiiy his daughlei-in- Iav, lhe case is nol so vilh an
adopled son, as he is nol a ieaI son and shouId nol so le.
AIIah, LxaIled le He, senl dovn anolhei veise of lhe suiah
of "Aj-Ahzal", oi cIans, naiking lhe sane occasion. The
veise ieads, "ehoId! you did say lo one vho had ieceived
lhe giace of AIIah and youi favoi: Relain youi vife in youi
vedIock and feai AIIah. ul you did hide in youi heail lhal
vhich AIIah vas aloul lo nake nanifesl: You did feai
peopIe, lul il is noie filling lhal you shouId feai AIIah. Then
vhen Zayd had dissoIved (his naiiiage), vilh hei, vilh lhe
necessaiy (foinaIily), We joinled hei in naiiiage lo you: In
oidei lhal (in fuluie) lheie nay le no difficuIly lo lhe
leIieveis in naiiiage vilh lhe vives of lheii adopled sons
vhen lhe Iallei have dissoIved lheii naiiiage vilh lhen.
And AIIah's connand nusl le fuIfiIIed".
The lesl inleipielalion of lhis veise - (il is lhe lesl lecause il
is lhe cIosesl lo lhe nolIe posilion of piophels, vhose
infaIIiliIily is unaninousIy agieed leyond any doull) - is
piovided ly Inan AIi son of AI-Hussain son of AIi son of
Alu-TaIel, vhose epilhel is ZainuI-alideen (vhich neans
lhe nosl devoled lo voishipping), nay AIIah le pIeased
vilh hin.
-48-
Shedding Iighl on lhis veise, he said, "Iiophel Muhannad,
peace le upon hin, had eaiIiei ieceived ieveIalion lo lhe
effecl lhal Zayd vouId divoice Zainal and AIIah vouId
naiiy hin off lo hei. So, vhen Zayd conpIained lo lhe
piophel, peace le upon hin, lhal his vife, Zainal, had leen
hainfuIIy disoledienl lo hin and lhal he pIanned lo divoice
hei, lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, said lo hin ly vay of
poIileIy advising hin (e feaifuI of AIIah and ielain youi
vife), aIlhough he, peace le upon hin, had knovn in
advance lhal Zayd vouId divoice hei and he vouId le
iepIacing hin as hei husland. Il vas exaclIy lhis knovIedge,
as iefeiied lo ly lhe veise lhal lhe piophel hid in his heail.
The piophel, peace le upon hin, desisled fion oideiing hin
lo divoice hei on accounl of his knovIedge lefoiehand lhal
he hinseIf vouId naiiy hei, feaiing lhe deliinenl lhal
couId have leen done lo hin ly poIylheisls and hypociiles if
he had naiiied Zainal in pIace of his foinei sIave'Zayd in
case he oideied hin lo divoice hei. Theiefoie, AIIah spoke
lo lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, iepioachfuIIy foi unduIy
feaiing peopIe's gossip vhen enlaiking upon sonelhing
vhich AIIah peinilled hin lo do, as exhililed ly leIIing
Zayd lo ielain his vife, aIlhough he had knovn lefoiehand
lhal he vouId divoice hei. AIIah, LxaIled le He, loId hin
lhal il is AIIah vho is voilhy of leing feaied undei aII
ciicunslances".
Oui juiisls, nay AIIah have neicy upon lhen aII, said,
desciiling lhe alove-ciled inleipielalion ly ZainuI-aliddin
"This veise of lhe Quian has leen lesl eIucidaled as such.
This eIucidalion (as piovided ly ZainuI-aliddin) has leen
lhe one deened as nosl appiopiiale ly lhe HoIy Quian
inleipieleis and veII-eslalIished schoIais vho do nol accepl
any hisloiicaI incidenls unIess lhey lhoioughIy veiify lhen.
On lop of lhose uIena (eninenl schoIais) aie AI-Zuhiy, aki
son of AI-AIaa AI-Qushaiiy, Alu-aki son of AI-Aiali as
veII as olheis".
46
Inan Iln-Kalheei, nay AIIah le pIeased vilh hin, has
adananlIy iefused lo acknovIedge as aulhenlic any olhei
hisloiicaI accounls - ciled in lhe conlexl of eIucidaling ils
veise - vhich iuns on a coIIision couise vilh lhe infaIIiliIily,
and lhe Iofly posilion, of lhe piophel, lianding such
accounls as concocled ones vhich Iack aulhenlicily lolh in
leins of lhe chain of naiialois and in leins of lhe lexl
ilseIf.
47
Connenling on lhese unvilling hisloiicaI accounls, vhich
eIucidales AIIah's saying lo His piophel "And you did hide
in youi heail lhal vhich AIIah vas aloul lo nake nanifesl,
you did feai peopIe, lul il is noie filling lhal you shouId
feai AIIah" as diopping a hinl al lhe facl lhal Iiophel
Muhannad, peace le upon hin, fancied Zainal, AI-Inain
AI-Quiluli said lhal such an aIIeged cIain can le nade onIy
ly soneone vho is eilhei unvilling aloul lhe piophel's -
peace le upon hin - infaIIiliIily oi ly one vho is pIaying
dovn his veII-deseived esleen and iespeclaliIily.
46
The nterpretation by mam Al-Qurtubi, volume eight, the surah of
Al-Ahzab.
47
The "nterpretation of the Great Quran", by bn-Katheer, volume three.
-49-
AI-Hakeen AI-~iinidhy said in his look, lilIed "Nvadei
AI-UsuI" (vhich neans lhe nosl soughl-aflei of ieIigion
fundanenlaIs), "AIi son of AI-Hussain deIved deepei inlo
his highIy-lieasuied knovIedge in oidei lo cone up vilh
lhis eIucidalion of lhe veise vhich is as gIilleiing liiIIianlIy
as a highIy-iefined gen. This is lecause AIIah laIked lo
Muhannad iepioachfuIIy onIy as He, LxaIled le He, had
loId hin lhal Zainal vouId le added up lo youi vives, so
vhy nusl you (Muhannad) have loId Zayd lo ielain his
vife, seiiousIy laking inlo accounl peopIe's gossip Iesl lhey
shouId say: Muhannad has naiiied his daughlei-in-Iov,
vhiIe (Il is noie filling lo feai AIIah, ialhei lhan anylody
eIse)`"
AI-Nahas quoled sone schoIais as saying "This is nol a sin
having leen connilled ly lhe piophel, peace le upon hin,
as he vas nol oideied lo iepenl oi ask AIIah's foigiveness
lheieof Wheieas an acl can le iegaided as nol sinfuI, il
cannol le accepled lecause olhei acls vouId have leen
lellei. The aposlIe, peace le upon hin, hid in his heail an
acl vhich he vas going lo do Ialei, so lhal he nighl nol
lenpl peopIe oul of failh".
48
In a nulsheII, lhe piophel naiiied Zainal daughlei of }ahsh
aflei Zayd son of Haiilha, as oideied ly AIIah had divoiced
hei. Then il vas AIIah vho oul iighlIy naiiied hei off lo His
piophel Muhannad, peace le upon hin, lo disnanlIe -
once and foi aII - lhe syslen of adoplion and so lhal falheis
nay nol feeI avkvaid lo naiiy lhe foinei vives of lhis
48
The interpetation of the Quran, by Al-Qurtubi.
adopled sons, vho aie nol ieaIIy lheii ovn sons. Zainal vas
lhe piophel's paleinaI cousin - hei nolhei leing his falhei's
sislei - and il vas he vho vas in chaige of hei liinging up,
if he hinseIf had desiied lo naiiy hei, he vouId have oul
iighlIy naiiied hei, ialhei lhan having naiiied hei off lo
Zayd iniliaIIy.
Lale Sheikh Muhannad eI-ChazaIi has uiged sliongIy lo
invaIidale vhal hypociiles said in inleipielalion of lhis
veise. He said, "They cIain lhal il vas a fancy foi Zainal
vhich lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, hid in his heail and
foi vhich he feaied gossiping peopIe, ialhei lhan AIIah.
Thal is lo say lhal AIIah, aIIegedIy, iepioached hin foi nol
naking pulIic lhis fancy Iove!! We aie lhus iighlfuIIy
vondeiing jusl foi lhe sake of aigunenl: is il in Iine vilh
good noiaIs vhen a nan is in Iove vilh a vonan lhal he
shouId nake lhis Iove pulIic, nuch lo hei disgiace in
MusIin sociely, especiaIIy if he is so enolionaIIy peiveise lo
le in Iove vilh soneone eIse's vife!`` Can a nan vho has
faIIen in Iove vilh soneone eIse's vife and has lhus hidden
lhis Iove in his heail le iepioached ly AIIah`! WouId he
have leen in a good Iighl if he had viillen Iove poens lo
innoilaIize his Iove lo hei`!! This vouId have leen an acl of
ieckIessness and slupidily!
And il is exaclIy lhis fooIishness vhich sone fooIs deen
filling lo appIy lo lhe inleipielalion of lhe HoIy Quian!!
AIIah vouId nol iepioach anyone foi conceaIing in one's
heail a ieckIess and unfuIfiIIed Iove. Hovevei, vhal lhe
piophel ieaIIy hid in his heail vas a feai of a polenliaI hain
-50-
lhal, he lhoughl, vouId have leen done lo hin ly lhis
naiiiage inposed on hin ly AIIah, ieIuclance lo enfoice
AIIah's oideis lheieof as veII as a feai of peopIe iII gossiping
aloul hin upon seeing a syslen of adoplion -lhey had Iong
leen acquainled vilh - disnanlIing.
AIIah, LxaIled le He, senl His piophel fuIIy ieaIizing lhal
His divine oideis cannol le pul on lhe lack lunei lecause
of Ialoiing undei a ceilain deIusion, and lhal, in viev of a
divine oidei, he shouId have inevilalIy yieIded as ancesliaI
nessengeis vouId do. AIIah has ieveaIed ,lhe 38lh and 39lh
veises of "AI-AIizal", oi cIans, suiah foIIoving lhe
pieviousIy nenlioned veise lo undeiscoie lhis neaning. The
38lh and 39lh veises of "AI-Ahzal" iead as foIIovs:
(Theie can le no difficuIly lo lhe Iiophel in vhal AIIah has
indicaled lo hin as a duly. Il vas lhe piaclice of AIIah
anong lhose of oId lhal have passed avay. And lhe
connand of AIIah is a deciee deleinined. Il is lhe piaclice
of lhose vho pieach lhe nessage of AIIah, and feai Hin, and
feai none lul AIIah. And enough is AIIah lo caII nen lo
accounl)".
Sheikh Muhannad AI-ChazaIi fuilhei says, "You nevei
heailen anyone ly saying: feai nolody excepl AIIah, vhen
he is aloul lo connil a sin. You onIy heailen hin ly saying
so vhen he is aloul lo enlaik on a najoi viiluous acl vhich
conliavenes inheiiled liadilions. AII of lhose veises have
nade il olvious lhal AIIah nevei encouiaged His aposlIe lo
le fuilhei induIged in Iove vilh a vonan, lul ialhei
encouiaged hin lo invaIidale a lad liadilion connonIy in
piaclice ly his peopIe, vho even vanled hin lo conpIy
vilh.
Theiefoie, AIIah, LxaIled le He, says in lhe innedialeIy
foIIoving veise, disnanlIing lhe enliie syslen of adoplion,
(Muhannad is nol lhe falhei of any of youi nen, lul he is
lhe aposlIe of AIIah, and lhe Iasl of lhe piophels: And AIIah
has fuII knovIedge of aII lhings)".
As foi Safiyya daughlei of Huyayy son of Akhlal vhose
falhei (Huyayy son of Akhlal) vas lhe Ieadei of }evs - she
vas capluied ly MusIins aflei conqueiing Khailai aflei hei
falhei, liolhei and husland had leen kiIIed in lallIe. To
have neicy upon hei, lhe aposlIe, peace le upon hin, asked
hei lo opl foi one of lvo lhings: eilhei lo ieIease and
enfianchise hei, Ielling hei ieunile vilh hei liile - if she so
vished lo ienain a }ev - oi lo accepl his pioposaI of
naiiiage in case she decided lo conveil lo IsIan. She iepIied
ly saying, "O nessengei of AIIah, I have fancied IsIan and
leIieved in you, even lefoie you nade such an offei lo ne.
Having caIIed on ne lo have one oplion lhan lhe olhei,
naneIy lo ienain as an infideI oi lo enliace IsIan, I an
heiely naking il pulIic lhal AIIah and His aposlIe aie noie
leIoved lo ne lhan leing disenfianchised and Iel vaIk fiee
lo ny peopIe". As a iesuIl of lhe alove slalenenl, AIIah
nessengei naiiied hei, naking lhe veiy acl of iedeening
and ieIeasing lhe nahi (poilion) due lo hei on naiiiage.
49
49
"Al-Tabaqat" or "The Generations of Prophet's Companions" by
bn-Saad.
-51-
The daughlei of lhe chief of lhe }evs nusl, olviousIy, have
leen naiiied off onIy lo soneone vho is supeiioi lo hei
ovn falhei in sociaI iank. So, il vas Iiophel Muhannad
aIone, peace le upon hin, vho vas so fai supeiioi lo hei
falhei's posilion lhal he vas alIe lo naiiy hei - as he is lhe
chief and head of aII nankind. Hovevei, il vouId nol have
slood lo ieason lo Iel lhal sulnissive Iady - aflei having
"Ten ioIIing in supeiioiily, sulIinily and affIuence - naiiy
jusl anylody vho vouId have nisliealed hei oi lealen hei
on lhe face.
This couise of evenls, visuaIized as such, is suppoiled ly a
hisloiicaI accounl naiialed ly Dehya of lhe KaIl liile, nay
AIIah le pIeased vilh hin, vho said lo lhe piophel, "Cive
ne a fenaIe sIave of lhose capluied fion }evs". The
piophel, peace le upon hin, iepIied ly saying "Co and lake
foi youiseIf a fenaIe sIave". Upon laking Safyya as his
fenaIe sIave, lhe piophel's conpanions sav hei and said lo
lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, "O AIIah's aposlIe, she is lhe
chief Iady of lhe lvo }evish liiles of lhe Quiaizas and lhe
Nadeeis. In hei capacily as such, il is noie filling lhen lhal il
is you, AIIah's aposlIe, vho shouId naiiy hei"
50
The piophel, peace le upon hin, vas pionpled lo naiiy
}uvaiiiya on siniIai giounds. Naned }uvaiiiya daughlei of
AI-Haiilh son of Diiai, she vas lhe daughlei of lhe Ieadei of
AI-MuslaIaqs, vho foughl MusIins and vas so cuishingIy
defealed ly lhen lhal his liile veie leeleiing on lhe liink of
alsoIule annihiIalion foi sulnission foi evei.
50
"Usdul-Ghaba", volume seven, by bn Al-Atheer.
ConsequenlIy, hundieds of lhe peopIe of AI-MuslaIaq veie
laken caplives as sIaves, incIuding Iady }uvaiiiya daughei
of AI-Haiilh. Upon having leen laken caplive, }uvaiiiya
venl lo lhe piophel saying, " I an }uvaiiiya, lhe daughlei of
AI-Haiilh, vho is lhe chief of his peopIe. You nusl have
knovn vhal has lefaIIen ne (iefeiiing lo caplivily and
ensuing sulnission). I have faIIen vilhin Thalil son of
Qais's poilion of sIaves and looly, leing ny naslei, he gol
ne lo sign a deed lhal I viII le ieIeased upon paying nine
ounces (of goId), so heIp ne in paying lhe needed noney".
Iiophel Muhannad, peace le upon hin, said lo hei, "Do
you Iike sonelhing lellei`". She inquiied vhal lhal lhing
vas and he iepIied ly saying "I ianson you off and naiiy
you (if you so agiee)`". She said "Yes, aposlIe of AIIah, I do
agiee and accepl you as husland". The piophel, peace le
upon hin, said, "I an, heiely, accepling you as vife". He
lhen vaIked oul lo his conpanions and loId lhen aloul lhe
good lidings. Upon knoving lhis, his conpanions couId nol
sland having lhe piophel's in-Iovs in caplivily (iefeiiing lo
hei liile of MuslaIaqs) and iushed lo ieIease any of lhen
vho happened lo have leen in caplivily unliI no one vas
Iefl caplive.
Connenling on lhe naiiiage, Aisha, nay AIIah le pIeased
vilh hei, said "y naiiying }uvaiiiya off lo lhe piophel,
peace le upon hin, one hundied househoIds have leen
disenfianchised. AccoidingIy, I knov of no olhei vonan
vho has evei leen so feIicilous lo hei peopIe".
51
AII of hei
51
"Usdul-Ghaba", volume seven.
-52-
peopIe Ialei enliaced IsIan and even lecane iighleous
MusIins.
52
Hence, lhal naiiiage vas a highIy feIicilous lo IsIan and
MusIins fion aII facels, ialhei lhan inlended foi laking
nany noie vives as leIieved ly lhe unvilly and
disseninaled ly hypociiles and oiienlaIisls!!
If il had leen a desiie, on lhe pail of lhe piophel (peace le
upon hin), foi having as nany leaulifuI (vonen as
possilIe, AIIah vouId nol have foilidden hin Ialei lo naiiy
any noie vives aflei lhe said one, in vhich case lhe aposlIe
vouId have naiiied and divoiced al viII. Hovevei, al lhe
line of his dealh, lhe piophel, peace le upon hin, vas
suivived ly nine vives, vilh lvo of his vives Khadija and
Zainal lhe daughlei of Khuzaina, having died duiing his
Iife line.
Hov exceIIenl a husland and a conpanion he vas, as aplIy
heiaIded ly AIIah, LxaIled le He, as "We senl you onIy as a
neicy lo aII ciealuies".
52
The "Biography of the Prophet", by bn-Hisham.
Chapter Seven
SIGNIRCANT CONTEMPORARY
QUOTATIONS ABOUT
POLYGAMY
The Iale Ciand Sheikh of AI-Azhai, Sheikh Mahnoud
ShaIloul, caIIed on young genlIenen, so capalIe, lo naiiy
noie lhan one vonan.
Duiing lhe eia vhen Sheikh ShaIloul vas lhe Ciand Sheikh
of AI-Azhai, nuliIe fenaIes lhieefoId oulnunleied naIes
vho veie capalIe of gelling naiiied.
Theiefoie, Sheikh ShaIloul deened lhal eveiy such
young-nan shouId aplIy naiiy lhiee giiIs in a lid lo slen,
once and foi aII, lhe piolIen of having so nany lacheIoi
giiIs. ConsequenlIy, lhe Sheikh's iighleous connenls
spaiked off a huge fuioie al lhe line, vilh Weslein-ninded
peopIe having agilalingIy allacked lhe ieveied schoIai.
NeveilheIess, he venluied oul lhe sloin Iike a fiin
nounlain, nevei loving lo il as olheis aie doing lhese
days!!
Asked ly a voiId TV slalion announcei aloul vhal he
lhoughl aloul poIygany, veleian Lgyplian viilei Anees
Mansoui said, "If I an in favoi of a peison's iighl lo give
liilh lo as nany chiIdien as he vishes, il does nol nallei
lhen vhelhei lhey le loin lo lhe sane nolhei oi nol - il is
up lo lhe falhei lo fieeIy decide". In iepIy lo anolhei
queslion ly lhe sane announcei vhelhei he ienains
-53-
connilled lo liile, voin-oul piincipIes, ialhei lhan keeping
alieasl of a iapidIy-changing voiId vhich does nol any
Iongei lack a nuIlilude of chiIdien as geneialed ly
poIygany (iefeiiing, of couise, lo lhe non-MusIin voiId),
Mansoui said, "You have said lhal you aie naking youi
queslion peisonaIIy, and lhis is ny peisonaI opinion. Moie
candidIy speaking, I an gialefuI lo lhe Iack of liilh conlioI
foi ny piesence, as I an lhe ninlh anong eIeven chiIdien. I
an nol in favoi of conlenling oneseIf vilh onIy one vife, as I
vas loin lo lhe second vife of ny falhei vho kepl lvo
vives al a line. And I suppoil fieedon of choice".
53
Di. Ahned ShaIaly, a piofessoi of civiIizalion and IsIanic
hisloiy al lhe Caiio Univeisily Aialic-Language IacuIly,
says, "OiienlaIisls have agilaledIy leen naking an oulciy
lhal poIygany - as Iicensed ly IsIan - is nol acceplalIe.
Hovevei, vhy shouId ve use lhen as oui yaidslick`! Il is
exaclIy lhe Wesl, vhich peinilled nisliesses, vilh niIIion
iIIegilinale chiIdien ensuing.
UndoulledIy, poIygany is noie sulIine and chasle lhan
having conculines. A nisliess has no access lo iighls, noi
does hei chiIdien. IoIygany is noie IaigeIy lo vonen's
advanlage, ialhei lhan lo lheii deliinenl."
54
They even
can foieslaII poIygany if lhey connonIy consenl lhal none
of lhen shouId naiiy a naiiied nan. NeveilheIess, lhey so
do lo salisfy a need, inslead of ienaining lacheIoi giiIs".
53
"Stolen Moments", a book by Anees Mansour, Daru-shruk edition.
54
"History and Goals of Orientalism", published by "Al-Nahda" bookshop.
Di. Ialhiyya AI-Nalaiavi, a piofessoi al AI-Azhai
Univeisily IacuIly of IsIanic Sludies, says, "A MusIin
vonan iejecls oi hales poIygany onIy vhen she is
iII- educaled and veak in failh. Duiing lhe piophel's, peace
le upon hin, eia, MusIin vonen did nol oljecl lo
poIygany, aIlhough vonen aie naluiaIIy knovn lo le
aveise lo poIygany, even lhe piophel's, peace le upon hin,
vives veie knovn lo le jeaIous of each olhei.
Hovevei, lhe silualion slaliIized and sociely acknovIedged
poIygany as Iicensed ly ieIigion vhich has leen senl dovn
fion AIIah. A vonan cannol oljecl lo poIygany as Iong as
hei husland is so financiaIIy secuie lhal he can piovide foi
hei and his chiIdien ly hei, she can nol oljecl eilhei, so Iong
as hei husland viII assuiedIy nele oul juslice lo, and
piolecl, hei and his chiIdien ly hei as againsl lhe nev vife.
Is nol il lellei lhal such a naiiiage le peinilled and nade
pulIic, oi shouId nen le denied access lo such a naiiiage
vhiIe gianled uniesliicled access lo lhe lhen inpeialive
couise of aclion invoIving sin` A poIyganisl husland
shouId lhen le heId in high esleen on lhe giounds lhal he is
a MusIin lypicaIIy feaifuI of AIIah.
NeveilheIess, I find fauIl vilh a Iol of nen vho, having gol a
second vife, keep a second naiiiage seciel aIlhough lhey
have gol IegaIIy naiiied. They olviousIy feeI avkvaid lo
nake lhis naiiiage pulIic lecause chiIdien aie lioughl up
lo iegaid a second vife as a calasliophe, vilh nedia
-54-
faIIaciousIy sliiking lhe sane nole and inpoiled Weslein
palleins of lhoughl iife".
Di. Ialhiyya Nalaiavi goes on lo say fuilhei, "I have
knovn sone coIIeagues vho have, fion lhe veiy leginning,
accepled leing second vives. Hovevei, since naiiiages
veie consunnaled, lhey have leen allenpling lo gial
huslands onIy foi lhenseIves and lo send lhen alandoning
lheii fiisl vives - one of lhose vives has even iequesled hei
husland lo divoice his fiisl vife. Is lhal IogicaI` Does such a
lehavioi sland lo ieason`
Oui sociely has leen undeigoing a nuIlilude of lIuiiy,
faIIacious piecepls vhich nake lhenseIves nosl nanifesl in
leins of an issue Iike poIygany, lul lhey do exisl - lhough
lo a Iessei degiee - in a Iol noie aieas of oui Iives".
Anolhei vonan piofessoi of fiqh (IsIanic juiispiudence),
Di. Nadia Hashen, aiis hei vievpoinl as foIIovs, " In leins
of Shaii'aa, vhal does lhe veise (Maiiy vonen of youi
choice, lvo, oi lhiee, oi foui) exaclIy nean` Does lhe veise
signaI geneiaI and alsoIule peinissiveness, oi ialhei,
peinissiveness quaIified ly ceilain cuils allached ly
Shaii'aa`
Wheieas sone juiisls have said lhal lhe veise signaIs
alsoIule peinissiveness, iegaidIess of necessily oi nol, sone
olhei juiisls have inleipieled lhe veise as signaIing onIy
quaIified peinissiveness.
Hovevei, I advocale lhe Iallei lean of juiisls vho leIieve
lhe veise as. having peinilled poIygany onIy quaIifiedIy.
Of lhe ieasons I deen vaiianling laking a second vife, oi
noie, aie an iII oi infeiliIe vife, a husland vho is so
excessiveIy polenl lhal he faiIs lo conlenl hinseIf vilh onIy
one vife, oi sinpIy fenaIes oulnunleiing naIes in sociely.
Theie aie eslinaled lhiileen niIIion unnaiiied giiIs -al, oi
veII alove, lhe age of naiiiage - in Lgypl, vilh giiIs alove
lhiily yeais of age accounling foi foui niIIions giiIs.
In ny ovn opinion, a necessily aiises foi poIygany againsl a
lackgiound as such: if ve do nol iesoil lo poIygany undei
lhese ciicunslances, a haIf of sociely's giiIs viII ienain
lacheIoi giiIs unalIe lo le sexuaIIy alslinenl".
Di. Nadia Hashen goes on lo expound hei vievpoinl ly
saying lhal a husland has peifecl iighl lo naiiy anolhei
vife, oi olhei vives, vhelhei his fiisl vife consenls oi nol.
This is lecause il is a husland vho is in connand of a
naiiiage conliacl, in a capacily as such, he is enpoveied lo
dispose al viII, on condilion lhal a vife has nol allached,
vhen viiling oul lhe naiiiage ceilificale, a condilion lhal
hei husland shouId nol lake anolhei vife, oi olhei vives, in
addilion lo hei.
Di. Nadia Hashen fuilhei cIaiifies lhal vonen in MusIin
socielies do nol acknovIedge poIygany any noie: vhelhei
lhey le educaled oi nol, veaIlhy oi pooi, uilan oi iuiaI, as
veII as ieIigious oi nol. Coiiupl connon piaclices - deepIy
-55-
sending oul iools - ieIigious un-enIighlennenl, doninaling
Weslein piecepls aie giaveIy inpIicaled foi MusIin
vonen's iejeclion of poIygany. Oui sociely unduIy uphoIds
a connon piaclice of luining dovn poIygany as inequaIily
leing done lo fiisl vives. Hovevei, Shaii'aa sliesses as
coiiupl and invaIid any piaclice vhich iuns on a coIIision
couise vilh ieIigion. Having onIy scaice knovIedge of
ieIigion sends a vonan aveiling fion poIygany. If she had
leen an ulleiIy MusIin vonan, she vouId have assuiedIy
ieaIized lhal she cannol, noi does she have any iighl lo,
head off a second, lhiid oi even fouilh naiiiage ly hei
husland, so Iong as hei husland fuIfiIIs hei ovn iighls.
UnfoilunaleIy, vonen's educalion, doninalion of secuIai
piecepls and lhe so-leined enancipalion of vonen have aII
leen seiiousIy faIIaciousIy insliIIing - lhioughoul Iong
decades - inlo vonen's ninds lhal poIygany hoIds vonen
in Iov esleen.
55
Latc 5hcIkh Muhammad c!-Ghaza!I gIvIng hIs
OpInInn:
Sleady uilan and econonic Iavs inevilalIy govein Iife,
vhelhei lhey le knovn in vhich case lhey viII le caulioned
againsl - oi unvillingIy handIed, vilh lheii inpacl, sliII,
sponlaneousIy unfoIding ilseIf.
Il is sociaI ciicunslances, vhich govein hov nany vonen
an individuaI nan shouId have a ieIalion vilh. To oveiIook
55
"Al-Musfirnoun" newspaper of 6 June 1997.
such sociaI ciicunslances is lo iesisl fail acconpIi lo no
avaiI, as lhe ialio of nen lo vonen can eilhei le equaI on
lolh sides oi liIling in favoi of one side againsl lhe olhei.
If lhe nen-lo-vonen ialio is equaI oi vhen nen do
oulnunlei vonen, poIygany has lo sponlaneousIy faII oul
of piaclice, vilh eveiy nan conlenling hinseIf vilh lhe
vonan coeiciveIy poilioned oul lo hin.
If vonen do oulnunlei nen, onIy one couise of aclion has
lo le opled foi oul of lhe lhiee foIIoving oplions:
(1) lo judge lhal sone vonen le depiived foi Iife of
having lheii sexuaI needs nel,
(2) lo peinil keeping nisliesses, vilh aduIleiy
acknovIedged as lhus Iegilinale,
(3) oi lo aIIov poIygany.
A vonan is videIy leIieved even lefoie a nan - lo desisl
fion eilhei depiivalion oi a disoledienlIy sinfuI led. Wilh
lhe silualion as such, she has lo shaie anolhei vife's
husland, fion vhon hei vouId-le chiIdien viII have a
IineaI descenl, iesuIling in poIygany - as slipuIaled ly IsIan
- leing inevilalIy acknovIedged.
Moieovei, nen do diveige videIy in lein of sexuaI desiie:
sone nen aie so heaIlhy, sliong in eiolica senlinenls and
Ieading a Iuxuiious Iife vhiIe olhei nen aie nol. To deaI on a
pai vilh lolh a sexuaIIy-iigid nan fion his eaiIiei peiiods
of adoIescence and anolhei vho is so sexuaIIy eneigelic lhal
-56-
he can le easiIy exciled is a nallei vhich videIy nisses lhe
naik of juslice.
Aie gIullons nol aIIoved lo have noie anounls of food lhan
aIIoved foi peopIe vilh Iess appelile` So, vhy nol
sexuaI-vise` Il is lhe sane loken voiking heie.
Theie is anolhei vise ieason foi aIIoving poIygany: a vife
nay le so feelIe, diseased, infeiliIe oi oId-aged lhal she
cannol any Iongei salisfy hei husland's sexuaI needs, so
vhy shouId she le so heIpIessIy Iel dovn lo le viclinized
ly lhese excuses`
Cood conpany has lo le ielained ly a husland, vho is lhen
fuIIy enpoveied lo liing in anolhei vife, oi olhei vives,
vho can fuIIy peifoin a vife's ioIe.
In spile of aII lhose ieasons pIeaded as vaiianling
poIygany, IsIan has adananlIy foilidden lhal poIygany le
inlended foi giving venl lo sone nen's sexuaI Iusl and a
sIanl foi physicaI pIeasuie and doninalion.
A gain shouId coiiespondingIy le nel ly a Ioss, easiei
access lo sensuaI pIeasuie shouId le ensued ly luidening
dulies.
Hence, vhen enlaiking upon poIygany juslice has lo le
assuiedIy and safeguaidedIy neled oul. If a husland feais
doing injuslice lo hinseIf, chiIdien oi vives, poIygany is
lhus foilidden. A poIyganisl shouId le alIe lo piovide foi
lhe necessaiy expenses. If lhe Iavgivei, in vhich case il is
AIIah vho has given oul Shaii'aa, iegaids inaliIily lo
piovide foi expenses as an excuse nol lo naiiy an even one
Iady, such inaliIily vouId ialhei piohilil a nan lo naiiy
noie lhan one.
The Iavgivei enjoins fasling on unnaiiied youlh so Iong as
lhey cannol naiiy , lhus oideiing a nan vhon is unalIe
even lo have one vife and le sexuaIIy alslinenl. AIIah lhus
says in lhe suiah of "AI-Noui" (Lighl), "Lel lhose vho do nol
find lhe vheievilhaI foi naiiiage keep lhenseIves sexuaIIy
alslinenl unliI AIIah gives lhen neans oul of His giace".
Whal aloul a nan vho has onIy one vife` He vouId ialhei
le palienl and had lellei le sexuaIIy alslinenl, lhe noie
vives a husland keeps, lhe noie chiIdien he is IikeIy lo
have. IsIan enjoins falhei lo deaI vilh chiIdien on an equaI
fooling in leins of upliinging, educalion, honoiing and
Ioving as veII as neans of Iiving hovevei diveigenl lheii
nolheis nay le. A falhei vilh nany chiIdien shouId lhen
le caulious enough nol lo le capiicious vhen handIing his
chiIdien loin lo diveise nolheis, as a husland a nan
shouId inpeialiveIy adninislei juslice lo his vives.
Hovevei, if a heail incIinalion is loo slulloin lo le
conlioIIed, eveiy husland can fuIIy olseive lhe iuIes and
guideIines in queslion, iighlfuIIy veigh his lehavioi and lo
feai AIIah in vhalevei AIIah has nade hin guaidian of in
leins of a vide specliun of deeds and ciicunslances.
These aie lhe lioadei confines of juslice as allached ly AIIah
lo poIygany. He vho can fuIIy fuIfiI such Iinils nay gel
naiiied lo lvo, lhiee oi even foui vives, olheivise, he has
-57-
lo suffice hinseIf vilh onIy one vife, in iesponse lo vhal
AIIah says:, "If you feai injuslice, lhen keep onIy one vife".
I have seen sone jouinaIisls oljecling lo poIygany as
Iicensed ly IsIan and vondeiing if a nan is enpoveied lo
have as nany as foui vives, vhy is a vonan nol aIIoved lo
have as nany huslands as foui`
Having lhoioughIy Iooked al lhose vondeiing jouinaIisls, I
have found lhen oul noslIy Ievd, cuckoIds oi pinps. To
ny ovn nuch suipiise, lhey aie Ieading a Iife liislIing vilh
aduIleiy, aveising nosl lo cieale a chasle faniIy.
To ansvei lhis invaIid queslion, I have lo cIeaiIy slale lhal
lhe uIlinale goaI of sexuaI ieIalionship is lo cieale a faniIy
and ieai chiIdien in a cIinale of cIean cuslody. This cannol
evei le achieved in a hone vheie a Iol of peopIe fiequenl,
and fighl lo gial, a vonan vhose piospeclive offspiing
cannol le idenlified as having descended fion any of lhen.
In addilion, a vonan's sexuaI ioIe is lhal of a ieceivei, ialhei
lhan a doei of lhe aclion, of lhe one leing Ied and caiiied,
ialhei lhan of lhe Ieadei, caiiiei. One can visuaIize a
Ioconolive puIIing foui caiiiages, ialhei lhan a caiiiage
puIIing foui Ioconolives. Men aie disposed ly naluie lo
nainlain and suslain vonen, and lo disniss lhis facl as
aIIegedIy unliue is coIIiding vilh lhe naluiaI couise of
lhings.
When sone of lhe connons, veiiIy unfoilunaleIy, unheed
lhese confines allached lo poIygany and go keeping as
nany vives as foui vilhoul ieaIizing lhe sense of juslice
lhey aie enjoined lo adninislei - lul ialhei lo ansvei lhe
caII of Iusl - onIy gioss sIanling and inequaIily viII le lhe
iesuIl.
AIlhough a nan cannol even piovide foi hinseIf, he is in
puisuil of anolhei naiiiage, vheieas he is unalIe lo le in
chaige of onIy one vife, he goes seeking anolhei. A
poIyganisl nay nol le deaIing equaIIy, ialhei capiiciousIy,
vilh his chiIdien in leins of educalion and poilioning oul
veaIlh, he nay lake anolhei vife onIy lo deseil lhe fiisl one
and Ieave hei as if hanging in lhe aii.
ConveiseIy, aIlhough a nan nay le veaIlhy enough lo
naiiy foui vonen al one and lhe sane line and lo piovide
foi vhonevei chiIdien lhey legel hin, he Ieads a Iife of
sexuaI legging ad ioIIing in lhe losons of lioIIops.
Does foilidding poIygany cuie a nalion's eviIs as such` No.
To foilid vhal is peinilled is nol anylhing lhal viII le a
diIenna in lhe eye of IsIanic IegisIalion. Hovevei, if
ieIigion had ienained siIenl aloul ils posilion on poIygany,
ve vouId, ialhei, have nade oui say on il ly cIaiifying lhal
il is peinilled lo pieseive pulIic inleiesl as alove expIained.
A Iine of denaicalion has lo le diavn lelveen insliluling a
piincipIe and nisusing il. In as fai as lhe ioIe of IegisIalion in
ieclifying oui sociely and ienedying ils aiInenls is
conceined- in leins of an inpeialive need lo nele oul
juslice ly a poIyganisl - Iel ieseaicheis le piinaiiIy
occupied vilh adjusling lhe yaidslick, as veII as lhe
nanifeslalions, of juslice if lhey so desiie. Any allenpl al
undeinining and deiiding poIygany in piincipIe is dooned
-58-
as leing of no avaiI. I can even iighlfuIIy cIain lhal
conlenpluousIy iegaiding poIygany has leen an innediale
faIIoul of a soil of nev Ciusade againsl MusIin nalions.
SeveiaI sociaI cIasses nov do iegaid poIygany as sonelhing
eviI, vhiIe lhey considei aduIleiy and foinicalion
insignificanl enleilainnenl! The piolIen has cone lo ieIale
lo undeislanding and acknovIedging lhe enliie ieIigion.
Againsl such a lackgiound, lo allenpl iesliicling poIygany
is lo iepuIsiveIy allenpl lo soiI lhe enliie sociely in lhe nane
of Iav and al lhe expense of IsIan.
Many a piophel and good voishipping nan had noie lhan
one vife and lhe piaclice vas nol leIieved lo inpinge upon
his piely oi feaiing AIIah. ooks of lhe OId Teslanenl sland
vilness lheieof.
IsIan does nol iegaid alslaining fion naiiiage a soil of
voishipping, as nonks do, noi does il considei keeping foui
vives a sin, as Chiislianily is faIseIy cIained lo have
lianded. (As ve have seen lefoie, none of lhe foui gospeIs
foilids poIygany: lhe aulhoi Handi Shafeek).
To sin is ieaIIy lo give a fiee iein lo sexuaI desiie, oi lo
inhilil il, Ielling il liickIe dovn as undeigiound valei
liickIes dovn undei lhe deseil.
56
56
Fiqh A-Sira", (Understanding the Prophet's Biography), by Sheikh
Alghazali.