DOES ISLAAM PROMOTE POLYGAMY?
For Muslim men to have more than one wife is a permission which is given to them in the Quraan provided it is not done to satisfy lust but to meet social solutions and needs. This permission is given provided the person is capable of treating the wives equally. It is not an injunction. In the pre-Islaamic period, men used to have many wives. One person had 11 wives and when he became Muslim, he asked the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of God be upon him) “What should I do with so many wives?” and he said, “Divorce all except four.” The Quraan says, “you can only marry 2 or 3 and up to 4 women if you can be equally just with each of them.” Since it is very difficult to be equally just with all wives, in practice, most of the Muslim men do not have more than one wife. Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of God be upon him) himself from age 24 to 50 was married to only one woman, Khadeejah (May Allaah be pleased with her). In the western society, some men who have one wife have m
