🌹PLURAL MARRIAGE IN ISLĀM 🌹

___________________ Bulūghul-Marām Ḥadīth 991: Narrated Abū Hurairah raḍhiyallāhu ‘anhu Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ said: “It is not permitted to be married to a woman and her paternal aunt at the same time – nor a woman and her maternal aunt.” Reported by Bukhāri (5109) and Muslim (1408). _________________________ Sheikh Ṣāliḥ Al-Fawzān explains: “This ḥadīth also proves the permissibility of plural marriage for men. So the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: “It is not permitted to be married to a woman and her paternal aunt at the same time – nor a woman and her maternal aunt.” This proves that it is permitted for a man to marry other than her relatives that are unforbidden for him, such as an unrelated woman. It is allowed for him Islamically to marry two, three or four women due to the saying of Allāh: {فَانكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ ۖ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً} “..marry other women of your choice, two or three, or four but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with them, then only one..” [An-Nisā : 3] So a man is able to marry a free single woman (if she agrees), and it is allowed for him to marry up to four. _________________ 🌹[BENEFITS OF POLYGYNY] 🌹 The benefits of Polygyny are numerous both for the husband and his wives – and these benefits are not concealed from the person who has true insight, because if a man was restricted to just one woman whilst there are numerous women in a society, then many women will be deprived of husbands. It is known that in society (generally speaking) there are more women than men so these women are deprived of marriage and they remain single and celibate resulting in harm and difficulty upon them. A woman is in need of being looked after (and in need of companionship) and having someone over her in authority, and taking care of her. So the fact that a man marries up to four women and is in authority over them, looking after them, then that is a sharing of responsibility in order to prevent (unhealthy) celibacy, and prevent a society of single women deprived of a loving and caring marriage. And in reality, in this, there is a greater benefit for women than there is for men. That is because the men have to take on the responsibility of maintenance and care over the women, whilst the women are looked after. So the woman is in an advantageous position because she is maintained, cared for, and is given a dwelling to live in as well as the fulfilment of passions. So this is to her advantage and benefit also, so she does not remain single, deprived of a (loving, caring and responsible) husband. Additionally, men are more prone to diseases and illnesses than women; men are exposed to war and battle, and to dangers. Many men die in battles, wars and natural disasters – many, many numbers of men pass away in this manner. So women are left behind, single and no longer married. So plural marriage alleviates this difficulty in society without a doubt. Also, women are prone by nature to the monthly cycle, childbirth and post-natal bleeding. So during those times, a man is deprived of intimate marital relations if he only has one wife, especially if he is young and has strong desires. So if he was to marry more than one woman then those difficulties would go away. It is likewise known that when a woman reaches her menopause usually in her 50’s, then her sexual desires fade. As for a man, then his desires do not fade away and his sexual strength and preparedness for women remains into old age. So it is not correct that he remains for the rest of his life being forbidden from having more children, and forbidden from the enjoyment of intimacy. If he was deprived that would oppose wisdom and oppose the benefits that Allāh has granted for his servants. The pearls of wisdom behind plural marriage for men are indeed numerous. The Prophets of Allāh (may Allāh’s peace be upon all of them) would marry numerous wives and engage in polygamy. The Prophet Sulaymān and other