Why are Muslim men allowed more than one wife?
Polygamy is the practice of having more than one spouse simultaneously; polygyny is the specific practice of having more than one wife simultaneously. In pre-Islamic Arabia, polygyny was a normal custom, and there were no limitation on the number of wives a man may have. Islam placed a limitation for men to have no more than four wives. There are a number of possible practical reasons why polygyny is allowed in Islam. In times of war, it can be used to look after the widows who are left behind, and who may not be financially able to look after themselves or their children. In addition, a man who discovers that his wife is barren or is chronically ill, but who wishes to have children of his own or satisfy his natural instinct in a legitimate way, while still caring for his first wife, can also turn to polygyny as a solution. Polygyny may be likened to the practice of having a mistress by some, but a non-Muslim male has no legal obligations or responsibilities towards his mistress(es) an
