Should Muslims be forbidden from practicing polygamy?

[Kirran]

Statistics shows that females are outnumbering males, polygamy is the solution

In some areas men outnumber women. Polygamy can similarly be a solution there.

 

[gnostic]

If it isn't legal for a Muslim woman to have more than one husband, then it should be illegal for a muslim man to have more than one wife.

There is no equality in Islamic system. A man shouldn't have more rights than a woman.

In any case, Muhammad is a poor role model, because in his lifetime, he robbed merchants (in 623 to 624), and he allow for war captives, but only non-Muslims, to be taken as slaves as spoils of wars, or to be sold as slaves at the market (e.g. The women and children of the Banu Qurayza; only those who converted were freed), and he started all the wars (e.g. (A) with the Mecca, when he was raiding and robbing merchants, (B) caused troubles with Banu Qaynupa, Banu Nadir and Banu Qurayza in Medina,, which led to wars with them, (C) started the war with Byzantine (in 629), and (D) started the war in Ta'if (630)).

Just because Muhammad have more than one wife at the same time, it doesn't mean that Muslims should follow his Muhammad's example. Muhammad may be a "great Muslim", but he is not a "good man".

But getting back to mind earlier point, if a woman cannot have more than one husband at the same time, then a man shouldn't have more than one wife at the same time.

Second. If Muslims choose in the land or nations that have law that prohibited the practice polygamy, than Muslims shouldn't have exceptions or special rights. All citizens, regardless they are Muslims or not Muslims, should abide by the nation's law.

Third, it is not practical for a poor Muslim to have as many as four wives.

To do so, it would mean his wives and children will also have to live in poverty.

And the government should have to aid polygamy by wasting taxpayers' money, when any Muslim living beyond their means, when he cannot to finance such a larger family.

But that doesn't mean a rich man should be able to have as many as four wives, because of my 1st and 2nd points.

Fourth, and lastly, again poverty plus overpopulation are serious problem, where it is a serious problem in countries that allow any man, rich or poor, to have as many as four wives.

In many countries today, so many are living in poverty, because even a poor man can have as many as four wives. And the numbers of poor people in any nation, always outnumbered those who are wealthy.

The population of those living in poverty are not sustainable to any government or globally.

The Qur'an in the 7th century don't see and cannot foresee the problem of global overpopulation in the 21st century.

Which is why I think the Qur'an archaic, outdated. The Qur'an and Muslims following Muhammad's example, revealed just how impractical the Islamic system is.

Does anyone know how people use to deal with overpopulation before the 20th century?

They used to ship poor people out to colonise other lands, hence sending out migrants. But such answer is not really workable or sustainable, today, especially when a lot of nations cannot handle huge influx of immigrants.

But sometimes it is not peaceful immigration, but the results of one nation invading another. So to deal with overpopulation, they used to sent out invaders to take land and colonise it.

The Arabs did it, during the caliphates, sending out invaders, to take lands that don't belong to them. The vikings did it, when Scandinavia was overpopulated, from 8th to 11th centuries. Western European nations did it during the medieval periods, with their crusades, colonising the Holy Land, because many 2nd and 3rd sons cannot receive inherit anything from their father. The British empires did it, by sending out people to colonise other parts of the world, sometimes through wars, and they had to compete with the Germans, Dutch and French, whoever doing the same things.

Anyway, Islam don't have any answer to the problem of overpopulation, and having as many four wives would certainly not help with the problem.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

I don't see why polygamy is illegal in the first place. As long as it goes both ways, wives/husbands/both, and consent is had by all, why should the government step in to stop consenting adults?

That's just it though - in Muslim societies (which is where the comparison is being drawn) it does not go both ways because women are only allowed to have certain responsibilities & needs which makes polyandry seem silly compared to polygyny. Our culture (Western, generally speaking) is so patriarchal that polyandry would almost certainly become the exception to the rule and would be looked upon as weird, even deviant.

 

[FearGod]

The prophet Muhammad was a polygamist. Should there be laws that forbid Muslims from imitating their Prophet?

If you are a Muslim, you must have no objection to polygamy, right?because it was the practice of the Prophet whom God chose to bring the world the true Faith, it can't be a bad thing, right?

The prophet married at the age of 25 years old, he didn't care about any woman before
knowing Khadija when she was 40 years old, he loved and chose a woman which is
15 years older than him and no Muslim will do the same as what the prophet had did.

He lived with Khadija for 25 years and he had no relation with any women aside of her,
his concern was to spread the message and nothing else.

 

[gnostic]

The prophet married at the age of 25 years old, he didn't care about any woman before
knowing Khadija when she was 40 years old, he loved and chose a woman which is
15 years older than him and no Muslim will do the same as what the prophet had did.

He lived with Khadija for 25 years and he had no relation with any women aside of her,
his concern was to spread the message and nothing else.

Then why have more than one wife after Khadija's death?

Why married Aisha who was young to be his granddaughter?

But I am not talking about pedophilia. I would guess that one reason he would marry her would be marriage alliance to one of his earliest followers, friend, advisor and disciple, Abu Bakr, the future caliph. Could that be the reason?

 

[sovietchild]

The prophet married at the age of 25 years old, he didn't care about any woman before
knowing Khadija when she was 40 years old, he loved and chose a woman which is
15 years older than him and no Muslim will do the same as what the prophet had did.

He lived with Khadija for 25 years and he had no relation with any women aside of her,
his concern was to spread the message and nothing else.

That's a good point.

 

[whirlingmerc]

The prophet Muhammad was a polygamist. Should there be laws that forbid Muslims from imitating their Prophet?

If you are a Muslim, you must have no objection to polygamy, right?because it was the practice of the Prophet whom God chose to bring the world the true Faith, it can't be a bad thing, right?

But no one practicing polygamy in the Bible had a happy time with it.... it was a mess, sister against sister with conflicts spilling to the next generation with a favored wife and unfavored and bitter children. Those who don't learn from history are doomed to make the same mistakes, I suppose

Jesus and apostles taught to take one wife... of course if someone was already married to several and became a christian which happens today in Africa and various places... you can't unscramble eggs and believers are called to peace... but if there is a choice no to polygamy as I read the Bible

 

[Sakeenah]

It seems like there are misconceptions in regards to polygamy in Islam. In Islam polygamy is not a substitute for monogamy, but just a permission to practice limited polgamy.
polygamy isn't obligatory or encouraged, but just permissible.

"marry 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 (marry) only one…” [Al-Qur’an 4:3]

The Qur’an also warns about the difficulty of dealing justly between multiple wives:

"Ye are never able to be fair and just as between women, even if it is your ardent desire: But turn not away (from a woman) altogether, so as to leave her (as it were) hanging (in the air). If ye come to a friendly understanding, and practise self-restraint, Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful."
[Al-Qur’an 4:129]

All wives have exactly the same status and are entitled to identical rights and claims over their husband. According to the Islamic law the wives can go to the court and ask for a divorce if the husband fails to provide enough support for any of his wives.

 

[Servant_of_the_One1]

Personaly iam monogamist because i cant handle the constant drama of two wives(4 wives would be nightmare).
But i believe people who wants more than one wife should be giving the right to do that.

Or u want n@zi rules for muslims alone? Whats next?

 

[Sakeenah]

Overpopulation is, too. Polygamy contributes to that. It also contributes to war and social unrest as wealthy men horde women and younger, poorer men are left without prospects for marriage and social advancements. Women and girls are also treated like chattel in polygamous societies, who are just to pump out babies. We'd all be better off with practicing mindful monogamy or celibacy.

I personally prefer monogamy, but I don't think polygamy contributes to social unrest. In some societies it actually contributed to it in a positive way. For example, in societies where widows, and divorced women with children had difficulty remarrying. Most of those societies weren't welfare states so polygamy was a way to secure their social and economic well-being.

regards to today's society it really depends on how it's practiced. Yes it's possible that the wives in the polygamous marriage will be used to just 'pump out babies' and mistreated, the same thing happens in a lot of monogamous marriages, we just can look at the statistics of abusive relationships.

 

[Sakeenah]

Personaly iam monogamist because i cant handle the constant drama of two wives(4 wives would be nightmare).
But i believe people who wants more than one wife should be giving the right to do that.

Or u want n@zi rules for muslims alone? Whats next?

Having the opinion that polygamy should be prohibited by law doesn't mean supporting nazi rules..you're being a bit overdramatic.

 

[gnostic]

Personaly iam monogamist because i cant handle the constant drama of two wives(4 wives would be nightmare).
But i believe people who wants more than one wife should be giving the right to do that.

Or u want n@zi rules for muslims alone? Whats next?

If you were living in Muslim country, run by Muslim government, then you would not have problem with polygamy.

But if you were living in non-Muslim country, and a citizen of that country, then as a citizen, you would have to abide by that law that prohabited polygamy, REGARDLESS if you were atheist, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Wiccan, etc. There is no special law or special right you were any one of those people.

That's not being Nazi, Servant_of_the_One. No particular group of religious or non-religious should have different set rules or special rights just for them.

 

[dianaiad]

Over population is a danger to the planet. Who is the major cause of climate change if it isn’t us humans?

Now....I have to wonder at this. (side issue, I know...sorry)...I'm NOT going to claim that humans don't affect the climate, because, clearly, we do.

However, statements like this make me wonder a bit; how 'humanocentric' and 'egocentric' an idea is this question,,,"who is the major cause of climate change if it isn't us humans," anyway? The earth is something like four and a half billion years old, and the climate upon it has changed---rather drastically--many, many times. Shoot, of the seven last major ice ages (and we are still in the last one, actually) WE HUMANS have only been affecting things for the last, oh, seven thousand years, with any real impact.

Is it your contention that if we weren't here....absent all evidence and history to the contrary...the climate would stay perfectly stable and never change?

We are at the end...perhaps...of an ice age. The earth has been, many many times and for far longer periods, much warmer than it is now. Do you honestly believe that with out us, the earth would just sit here and not do anything else?

So do humans contribute? Sure. Are we the only thing responsible?

Somehow I really don't think so, no.

As to polygamy, well.....I'm a Mormon. I may be a bit biased, but perhaps not in the direction that would seem obvious. Practicing polygamy will get one excommunicated from our church faster than almost anything else except adultery and/or publicly coming out and telling the church to get stuffed.

On the other hand, three of my four sets of g-grandparents were polygamous, and until the government stepped in and 'rescued' the women, they were just fine with the idea. Indeed, the women liked it. A lot. With several wives in the house, the children were cared for and the wives could be doctors, lawyers, writers and artists. (and yes, they WERE, actually, all of those). They didn't have to put their kids in daycare...because the kids all had a mom at home who WANTED to be at home.

The husbands weren't quite as happy, because they found out that polygamy, properly practiced, meant that he was outvoted in domestic matters. A lot. yeah, he 'held the priesthood' and was the 'boss' in spiritual matters, but y'know what? Deciding whether to plow the north forty or invest in railroad stock isn't a 'spiritual matter,' nor is deciding whether one of the wives would go east to medical school.

...........and that is the problem with polygamy as it is viewed today. It's not the WOMEN who have problems with it. It's the men. I know precious few men who would want to give up the sort of power they would have to give up in a polygamous household where the partners are equal.

 

[Godobeyer]

Fortunately, Wikipedia is not scripture. That kind of casteism is widely discarded anyway. Polygamy spread in India among ruling classes a lot following influences from the Muslim world of course.

So is polygamy forbidden or not in Hinduism ?

But personally I see no problem with mutually consenting polygamy and polyamory, regardless of the combinations.

Islam propose it as solution of bachelorism,instead of prostitution, or being single all time.

?! Is Polygamy specific to Islam - الدكتور عدنان ابراهيم Dr Adnan Ibrahim

Dr Adnan Ibrahim l Is Polygamy specific to Islam?! l ¡¿El Islam inventó la poligamia?!

 

[Kirran]

So is polygamy forbidden or not in Hinduism ?

There's no central authority, text or set of rules in Hinduism to say whether it is or not. Many Hindu movements are against it nowadays.

Polygyny and polyandry are found among some rural Hindu groups here and there in India. But these are all cultural customs, Hinduism isn't about laws for everything like some religions are purported to be.

Islam propose it as solution of bachelorism,instead of prostitution, or being single all time.

?! Is Polygamy specific to Islam - الدكتور عدنان ابراهيم Dr Adnan Ibrahim

Dr Adnan Ibrahim l Is Polygamy specific to Islam?! l ¡¿El Islam inventó la poligamia?!

If that was true then it would allow women to marry multiple men.

 

[Godobeyer]

There's no central authority, text or set of rules in Hinduism to say whether it is or not. Many Hindu movements are against it nowadays.

Polygyny and polyandry are found among some rural Hindu groups here and there in India. But these are all cultural customs, Hinduism isn't about laws for everything like some religions are purported to be.

What scriptures said?

If that was true then it would allow women to marry multiple men.

Is allowed in hinduism to women to marry multiple men ?

 

[leibowde84]

That's just it though - in Muslim societies (which is where the comparison is being drawn) it does not go both ways because women are only allowed to have certain responsibilities & needs which makes polyandry seem silly compared to polygyny. Our culture (Western, generally speaking) is so patriarchal that polyandry would almost certainly become the exception to the rule and would be looked upon as weird, even deviant.

Whatever a specific culture wants to do is their own business, as long as no one is forced. But, imho, it is not acceptable to allow multiple wives and not multiple husbands.

 

[Jenny Collins]

In many counties polygamy is illegal and they can't practice it. In other countries it is legal. No, people shouldn't stop Muslims from practicing it, if you mean allowing it for everyone else, but targeting them. It is either illegal or legal and everone should follow the law. It has nothing to do with religion.

 

[Kirran]

@Godobeyer - scriptures don't say much, they don't tend to concern themselves with that kind of stuff, and it doesn't really matter much anyway because Hinduism isn't scripture-centred, it's centred on tradition and experience.

There's no central Hindu authority to allow or disallow things. Among some rural Hindu groups polyandry is practiced, and among some polygyny is. The vast majority do neither.

 

[psychoslice]

Who the hell would want to have more than one wife, my god what torturer.