>
This is a Twitter lecture on the topic of Polygyny delivered by Kashif Shahzada at http://twitter.com/KashifShahzada
Marriage according To Quran is between two consenting adults, who on account of their belief & circumstances are married.
Purpose of marriage is to find love, tranquility and fulfillment and to procreate & be a family.
Monogamy is the norm in the Qur’an, but under extenuating circumstances, polygyny is allowed. We read:
“And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls then marry those that please you of women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [only] one… Quran 4:3
4:3 indicates that polygny is conditional to justice. If a man cant treat equitably, then he is ordered to be monogamous.
Polygyny in Quran is not for fulfilling the lustful intentions of man, but to provide shelter & support to destitute women
Polygyny enables wealth creation. As the members in a household increase, aggregate earning of family increases.
Polygyny reduces poverty. A wealthy man will marry poor women thus they get food & shelter.
Polygyny creates wealth succession. If a penniless poor woman stays single all her life & dies, then she leaves no inheritance but if a man marries her then through Quranic law of inheritance, she has a right in her husbands property, which then goes to her children or siblings after her demise. This way wealth is not only created but also passed on.
Polygyny saves from perversion. It is a scientific fact that men due to testosterone have a higher sex drive than women…
…instead of meeting their needs illicitly, polygyny allows men to fulfill within the bond of marriage
Polygyny provides childcare and permits women to go to work. A sister wife can look after the kids, while other wives work.
Polygyny provides companionship social, economic & psychological support.
Polygyny provides natural support system for the elderly as Quran orders to financially support their elderly parents
Thus children from polygynous marriages will support their elderly parents and not leave them at the mercy of state pension.
Thus I would argue that polygyny is beneficial for society. Because in society majority are poor & minority are rich
Polygyny applies only to the rich, as Quran makes it a prerequisite on a man to financially support a woman he wishes to marry
Otherwise he should be monogamous or keep himself chaste until he has the means to marry.
Through this Quranic law, the rich minority shares wealth as well as emotional support to the vast poorer majority & there is Equity and just distribution of wealth, increased productivity by more working members in household…
Increase in manpower by larger families, reduced crime because of harnessing male testosterone and aggression
A young workforce brought by larger families and childcare provided by sister wives & elderly care by children
Due to these facts, observations, I rest my case and conclude that Quranic law of polygyny which involves wealthy men to marry from poor & destitute orphaned girls & whom they are duty bound to financially support and share in wealth & love has immense benefits for society in all times. How true is the Qur’an which says
“And We send down of the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers..” 17:82
Takhlees 