Fatwa ID: 08148
Answered by: Maulana Abdoullah Limvoonheek
Question:
Salam, need help with answering this question.
Polygyny vs. Polyandry
He wants to know why a man can marry 4 times, but a woman can only have one husband at a time. He was saying you can still preserve the lineage because we have DNA… etc nowadays.
The brother who asked is a revert, and very learned, mashaAllah.
He asked if there are any books written on this topic in the English language, or even a speech that he can listen to.
Jazakallah
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Wa alaikumus salaam
The law of Allah precede everything, even the logic of a person or advancement of technology. As it is sunnah to have one wife, it is also sunnah to have multiple wives up to 4.
When society look down upon it, that is why we see rampant of adultery and fornication. Taking multiple wives are not only in Islam but finds its way even before and it was never considered as something strange.
When it comes to polyandry, we are bound to submit to the command of Allah even if we don’t understand the wisdom behind it. At times asking such question can be detrimental to one’s imaan.
However, as human, we all have desires. But it has to be fulfilled according to the shariah. A woman can only marry one man and cannot have multiple husband. Those who follow their desire like a girl having multiple boyfriend and seem to be happy.
This is the case where one become immodest and no jealousy left in that person where he allow everything to pass. It will also affect the psychological implications of the child not knowing who is his real father and growing up knowing his mother passed from man to man.
It can also result to serious diseases which have become widespread, such as AIDS etc., when women having intercourse with more than one man, and the mixing of seminal fluids in the woman’s womb causes these lethal diseases.
Lastly, knowledge should not only taken from books. One should sit by the feet of reliable scholars and benefit from then. They will also answer to all kind question a person have and will guide a person accordingly.
Hope this answers the question.
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Maulana Abdoullah Limvoonheek
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
Reference:
Mariful Quran Surah Nisa Ayah 3
وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ ۖ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَلَّا تَعُولُوا
Surah Jathiyah Ayah 23
أَفَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً ۚ فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
Sunan Nasai Hadith 3483
Sunan Tirmidhi Hadith 1110
Mirqat al-Mafatih J5 P2074
