Since polygyny has become a reality in my life, I have come across numerous comments, both verbal and written, seeking to define the limitations and conditions of polygyny in Islaam.  Alhamdulillaah , much of the information that I have come across has been correct. However, in the midst of such truth there has also been a great deal of falsehood.  I have decided that because the goal of Polygynous Expressions is to shed a truthful light on this blessed part of Islaam, I want to tackle some of the misconceptions about what polygyny in Islaam is and isn't.  Everything that follows will be accompanied by proof from the Qur'aan and Sunnah Bi’idhnillaah.






Allaah's statement "two or three, or four" means, marry as many women as you like, other than the orphan girls, two, three or four. We should mention that Allaah's statement in another Aayah,


does not mean that other angels do not have more than four wings, as there are proofs that some angels do have more wings. Yet, men are prohibited from marrying more than four wives, as the Aayah decrees, since the Aayah specifies what men are allowed of wives, as Ibn 'Abbaas and the majority of scholars stated. If it were allowed for them to have more than four wives, the Aayah would have mentioned it.

Imaam Ahmad recorded that Saalim said that his father said that Gheelan bin Salamah Ath-Thaqafi had ten wives when he became Muslim, and the Prophet, Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam , said to him, "Choose any four of them (and divorce the rest)." During the reign of ‘Umar, Gheelan divorced his remaining wives and divided his money between his children. When ‘Umar heard news of this, he said to Gheelan, "I think that the devil has conveyed to your heart the news of your imminent death, from what the devil hears during his eavesdropping. It may as well be that you will not remain alive but for a little longer. By Allaah! You will take back your wives and your money, or I will take possession of this all and will order that your grave be stoned as is the case with the grave of Abu Righak (from Thamuud, who was saved from their fate because he was in the Sacred Area.  But, when he left it, he was tormented like they were)." Ash-Shafi'ee, At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah, Ad-Daaraqutni and Al-Bayhaqi collected this Hadeeth up to the Prophet's statement, "Choose any four of them." Only Ahmad collected the full version of this Hadeeth.

Therefore, had it been allowed for men to marry more than four women at the same time, the Prophet, Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam, would have allowed Gheelan to keep more than four of his wives since they all embraced Islaam with him. When the Prophet, Salallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam, commanded him to keep just four of them and divorce the rest, this indicated that men are not allowed to keep more than four wives at a time under any circumstances. If this is the case concerning those who already had more than four wives upon embracing Islaam, then this ruling applies even more so to marrying more than four.


It is clear from the above Tafseer of the classical Mufassir Ibn Katheer that the proof for polygyny being a part of Islaam is established in Aayah three of Surat an-Nisaa'. In addition, this Aayah establishes the limit of four wives, a limitation that was not in place prior to Islaam as is evident from the Hadeeth of Gheelan bin Salamah Ath-Thaqafi who had ten wives prior to Islaam and, upon the revelation of this Aayah, was instructed by the Prophet, Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam, to divorce six of his wives and retain four.

The Hadeeth of Gheelan bin Salamah is also proof against those who claim that the Prophet, Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam, favored monogamy or that Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aalaa  declared monogamy to be better than polygyny.  If this was so, then surely the Prophet, Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam, would have advised Gheelan to divorce nine of his wives and retain only one and surely when ‘Umar, Radee Allaahu ‘Anhu , heard that Gheelan had divorced the remaining four of his wives, he (‘Umar), Radee Allaahu ‘Anhu, would not have advised Gheelan to remarry all four.




Regarding Allaah’s statement,


The Aayah commands, if you fear that you will not be able to do justice between your wives by marrying more than one, then marry only one wife, or satisfy yourself with only female captives, for it is not obligatory to treat them equally, rather it is recommended. So if one does so, that is good, and if not, there is no harm on him. In another Aayah, Allaah said,


Allaah said,

"That is nearer to prevent you from Ta‘uuluu,"

meaning, from doing injustice. Ibn Abee Haatim, Ibn Marduwyah and Abu Haatim Ibn Hibbaan, in his Saheeh, recorded that ‘Aa'ishah said that, the Prophet, Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam, said that the Aayah, "That is nearer to prevent you from Ta‘uuluu," means, from doing injustice. However, Ibn Abee Haatim said that his father said that this Hadeeth to the Prophet, Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam, is a mistake, for it should be attributed to ‘Aa'ishah not the Prophet, Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam.



Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aalaa reveals things in their order of preference and importance. For example, regarding Zakaah, Allaah states,


In Tafseer Ibn Katheer, it is stated, "Allaah mentioned the expenditures of Zakaah in this Aayah, starting with the Fuqaraa' (the poor) because they have more need than the other categories, since their need is pressing and precarious." Also, many of the classical scholars have commented on this Aayah that the categories of people worthy of Zakaah are mentioned according to importance, with the most important being the first mentioned (i.e. the Fuqaraa') and descending in importance and priority accordingly.

That being said, the same is true with regards to the Aayah about polygyny. Again, just to refresh the reader's memory, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aalaa states in Surat an-Nisaa' (4):3,


I have bolded the "but" and the "then" to make a grammatical point.  But first, clearly Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aalaa mentions polygyny first in the Aayah before mentioning monogamy.  Secondly, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aalaa mentions monogamy as being conditional upon one fearing he will not be able to do justice. He states that if one fears not being able to deal justly with more than one wife, then he should marry only one.  The word "then" implies that what comes after it is secondary upon the conditions that are mentioned before it.  This point is very important, for often in discussions about polygyny, people start off with making the point that polygyny is conditional upon the man being able to be just, insinuating that monogamy is of priority and polygyny is secondary.  However, if one were to truly look at the Aayah they would see that, in fact, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aalaa mentions polygyny first and then specifies that monogamy is conditional upon one fearing he cannot be just.

Regarding the Aayah "You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire (4:129)," in Tafseer ibn Katheer it states,

"(it) means, O people! You will never be able to be perfectly just between wives in every respect. Even when one divides the nights justly between wives, there will still be various degrees concerning love, desire and sexual intimacy, as Ibn ‘Abbaas, ‘Ubaydah As-Salmaani, Mujaahid, Al-Hasan Al-Basree and Ad-Dahhaak bin Muzaahim stated.

"Imaam Ahmad and the collectors of the Sunan recorded that ‘Aa'ishah said: The Messenger of Allaah, Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam, used to treat his wives equally and proclaim,

'O Allaah! This is my division in what I own, so do not blame me for what You own and I do not own,'

referring to his heart. This was the wording that Abu Dawuud collected, and its chain of narrators is Saheeh."



So, from the above it becomes clear that when Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aalaa enjoins the believing men to treat multiple wives equally, what is meant by equality is equality in the division of nights, maintenance and those things which one has control over, but that Insha'Allaah he is excused from those things he does not have control over such as love, desire, and sexual intimacy.

Also, this clears up any misconceptions that there are contradictions in the Qur'aan being that in Surat an-Nisaa' Allaah enjoins the believing men to be just to multiple wives and then later states that they will never be able to do perfect justice.  The first Aayah is referring to those things that one has control over and the second is referring to those things which one does not have control over.

Also, take note that while each wife is entitled to equality when it comes to maintenance and nights, a woman can also choose to forego these rights and there will be no sin on the man.  One example we have is that of Sawdah bint Zam'a, Radee Allaahu ‘Anha , who gave up her night  to ‘Aa'ishah, Radee Allaahu ‘Anha.

Third: Regarding the notion that polygyny is only permissible during times of war, marriage to widows or if one's wife cannot have children, there is no authentic proof from the Qur'aan or the Sunnah that supports this claim. Quite the contrary, we find that in the example of Rasulullaah, Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam, who was the best of examples, that amongst his wives were those who were widows and those who were not, those who were married as a consequence of war and those who were not. There is no indication that the Prophet married again due to his current wives not being able to have children. Nowhere in the Qur'aan does Allaah set the condition that a believing man can only have more than one wife in instances of war, marrying of widows, or a current wife's infertility. So, while the above-mentioned scenarios are conditions in which polygyny is beneficial and might be practiced, by no means are they the ONLY conditions under which polygyny can take place.

In closing, Insha'Allaah I pray that I have clarified some of the most common misunderstandings regarding polygyny in Islaam.  And I pray Insha'Allaah that Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aalaa accepts this from me as an extension of my worship of and submission to Him and forgives me my shortcomings.  All that I have said that is correct and true is from Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aalaa. The mistakes are only my own.

~Taken from the Introduction to Polygynous Blessings: Musings of a Muslim Wife