𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 (327)

Islam permits a maximum of 4 wives, but the Prophet ﷺ married more? Question: Why did our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ marry 11 women while Islam permits only four wives? Please clarify. Sheikh Muhammad Al-'Ansi responds: The matter is clear, may Allāh preserve you. This was a special privilege granted exclusively to the Prophet ﷺ. Allāh, the Almighty, bestowed upon His Prophet certain distinctions unique to him, separate from his followers and even from other Prophets—due to his honour and esteemed status before his Lord. As Allāh says: “A privilege for you, and not for the [rest of] the believers” [Al-Ahzab 33:50]. He also says: “You may defer [the turn of] whom you will among them and take to yourself whom you will” [Al-Ahzab 33:51]. This is the only valid response to this question.