By Cyril Anderson

Part One of Two

Introduction

One of the issues related to Islam that is found controversial by Western audiences is the allowance of polygamy.  Many have misconceived pictures in their minds of Muslims men as lust-filled beasts who marry four wives because of their insatiable libido and incapacity for commitment.  The truth is something different. 

Reasons for Polygamy

First of all, one must understand something of the philosophy of Islam and its scope as a human system.  Islam is meant as a religion for all times and all places, a religion for all humanity.  It is a set of regulations and guidelines revealed to mankind through the Messengers that God has sent to the earth that serve to guide mankind in any situation.  Life is filled with many problems, and Islam is intended, as the Divinely revealed blueprints for an ideal world, to provide solutions to these problems.  One example of such a solution to real life problems, one that has been much misunderstood, is that of polygamy.  There are a number of examples of cases when polygamy would form a workable and effective solution to the problems faced by both men and women. 

On the men’s side is the case of a husband married to a woman who is incapable of bearing children or who, because of illness, is unable to satisfy her duties to her husband.  Marrying a second wife allows the man to have children and to satisfy his needs.  Otherwise, the man might be put into the difficult position of either being tempted to divorce the wife who is infertile or of suffering in the case of the sick wife. 

On the women’s side, there is first of all the problem of numbers.  It is well known that there is a natural tendency for nations to have higher percentage of women than men.  Men have a lower life expectancy, and have higher death rates than women for a number of factors.   For example, following a war, when many men are killed and many widows left without husbands to care for them.  Differences in the quality of the men available further worsen the crisis, since many men are not fit to be husbands or fathers.  What happens to those women who are left unpaired in a one to one matching?  These women have the same needs for companionship and are just as deserving as other women to have the chance to be married, to have a family, etc.   There is thus a great problem present here as to what should be done about all these women who are not able, in a system of pure monogamy, to find a partner for marriage.  The meeting of these women’s physiological, psychological, and social needs is then left to be fulfilled by illicit means, be it through promiscuity, participation in adultery, homosexuality, or similar steps.  Islam provides a solution for these women, allowing those men with the material means and strength of character to take upon the burden of providing companionship in marriage to these women as a duty to his society.  Much as it is a duty for those who can to look after orphans, and a duty of young men who are able to fight to defend their nation in times of war, it is the duty of those men who God has given the capabilities to undertake the burden of polygamy to do so for the good of society as a whole.

Another potential benefit to polygamy for women is the fact that the wives can support each other in the house and have companionship, as well as help each other out with caring for children.  It is common for mothers who stay in the home to feel isolated because of the responsibilities that keep them in the home.  Having other wives present can provide social support and companionship in the home during the day to make the burden more bearable.

Monogamy as an Ideal

 In Islam, monogamy is recognized as the ideal for most men, but polygamy is allowed as a practical solution in certain circumstances and for a man who can handle the awesome responsibilities of treating and caring for properly, according to the teaching of Islam, not just one wife, but two or more.  Islam as practical solution to life problems allows polygamy to deal with the imperfect world we live in while teaching that monogamy is the ideal to be striven for, and usually the best solution for most people. 

                                   Part One           Part Two