Q&A: What Does the Quran Teach about Polygamy? | Dr. Shabir Ally

A viewer asks, "What does the Quran say about polygamy and how common was polygamy in Islamic history?" Dr. Shabir Ally responds that polygamy has been and remains a minor practice for Muslims. He says that Quran 4:3 provided a solution to a problem that existed at the time. It encouraged men to take on additional responsibility after the Battle of Uhud to provide for widows and orphans. He cautions that some people run away with the verse thinking it's a license to marry multiple wives, but he says this is wrong, since the verse is an "if-then" clause, and in addition, it prioritizes justice. He explains that Muslims in modern times recognize that the practice of polygamy is often abusive to women and try to minimize the effects of suffering in these relationships. Dr. Shabir points to 4:129, which warns of the difficulty of doing justice to multiple wives. He advises that if the problem that gave rise to the Quranic revelation persists, then we have a solution in our scriptures. But due to the real problems arising from polygamous marriages, we learn a lesson from the Quran that it is better to marry only one woman.

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[trendafile]

It was enlightening to hear this perspective, as muslims nowadays we are being bombarded by the likes of "Ali Dawah" and "Mohammed Hijab" that claims islam said all men are polygamous and this is their right. Its refreshing to see you two answer relevant questions in todays society..Thank u!

[joeharry]

Context is when there is a calamity/accident, sometimes you have widows and their children, so the sunnah (way of the Prophet, pbuh) was to help the society/ppl who are unfortunate.

Muslims often claimed they proudly follow the sunnah, yet today, for the current issue at hand, in many instances the aim is more towards self gratification

[tasbirwasi]

Always a pleasure to hear from dr. Shabir ally, his perspectives and interpretations are amazing . Being from the same city proud to have such a scholar

[lightningandthunder]

Our Prophet Muhammad S.A.W didn't get married when he was in nikkah of Hazrat Khadija R.A and he spent his whole jawani with her.. 25 years of his life and after that even all other wives were of either his age or older except Hazrat Ayesha R.A.. and his reason of marriages was never of what these men have at all..
He basically showed that 1st wife you marry is sufficient and he even ordered Hazrat Ali R.A not to marry anyone till Hazrat Fatima R.A is alive.. The message is clear!

[abigailtownsend]

Thank you Dr. Shabir for shining light on this topic. As a revert, seeing all of these young Muslim men posting about how it is their right to get 4 wives really pushed me away from Islam. I had a hard time learning more about Islam because my view was so murky due to these posts. Thank you for sharing the fact that it was right after a battle where many soldiers were lost. We have to look at certain verses of the Quran from the perspective of the time they were delivered. I truly believe this verse is for that one instance that it was delivered, and to help the women and orphans who had lost their families after that battle. It should not be applied today, it is impossible to be just to more than one. In 2022 it was recorded there are 4 billion men and 3.95 billion women. There is no way to justify having more than one wife today. Thank you again <3

[KrisBush]

This was quite thorough and comprehensive an answer that everyone needs to see.

[shudhyayasmin]

Best explanation...thanks to the entire team for their effort 👏

[gweechung]

Thank you. I just read Quran an-nisa 129 and was confused because men these days talks as having 4wives are muslim men’s right. So i search youtube and google but there was little information, I remembered this channel and looked it up.
And clearly in quran Allah SWT says men can not be just.

[eamonnholland]

Jazak Allah Khair Shaykh for these explanations. May Allah reward you for all your efforts

[LyraPleia]

Polygamy is forbidden in Islam and it’s clearly written in Quran, which says that a man can marry 1, 2, 3, 4 wives if he’s JUST to all of them. However later in Quran it’s written, that a man is unable to be just, that this attribute belongs only to Allah. Therefore Quran says indirectly that a man cannot have more than 1 wife, because he doesn’t have the capacity to be just, therefore he can never fulfill the one perquisite to get married to more than 1 wife. Plain and simple, yet scholars are misleading Muslims for centuries, destroying lives of wives who’re being mistreated by their husband, who couldn’t control his animal urges. Polygamy results in the women and children suffering, it results in hatred and incomplete families, wrong upbringing of the children because they see their father once or twice a week, and doesn’t bring anything good.

[SALI]

The Bible doesn't prohibit it and mentions situations where men of God had multiple wives. Quran 4:3 says when multiple wives can be afforded--for orphans and widows. Further, Quran speaks that do so if you provide justice, and if not, than better stay with one. The message is simple, clear, and leaves little to be confused about.

And the commentator is right that this is abused more often today in the Muslim world than we would like. And the transgressors will have to answer for it to God one day. Thanks to the channel creators for the clear explanations.

[albertito]

If your mosque has all the men take two wives, then half the men will never marry. Does this sound like a recipe for peace and harmony among the brethren?

[kanizfatima]

My nabi saw was unmarried for 25 years.. he was an orphan and under the protection of his uncle Abu Talib.. he toiled for 25 years remained celibate and chaste.. he did want to marry but there was this one women ( who later became sahabhi) didn't want to marry him due to low status.. he understood. Khadijah (ra) heard about him and his characters and married him.. they were happy for 25 years .. this is the best of creation

[ahmfarooq]

Very good explanation. I observe to my astonishment that most of the scholars avoid the 1st part of the verse where the condition is laid out for a particular situation. However if we look at the Quranic verse 24:32 which says, ”And marry those among you who are single…..”. Here single means unmarried or divorced not anyone with a wife or husband. Moreover if Allah gives the 😢instruction to marry more than one he would not make the male and female proportion 1:1 throughout the world.

[segthig]

MashaAllah, you are very brave on speaking this truth in this day and time. May Allah reward you. Amin

[mustaphahaidar]

And if you fear that you may not be just to the orphans,  then you may marry whom you please of the women, two, three, or four. But if you fear being unfair, then only one, or what your right hand possesses, for that will make it less likely that you act unfairly. 4:3

Confitions for polygamy

Supporting the orphans
Fear of injustice towards the orphans
Treating wives equally

[tenant-komf]

Fellow Muslim here. 24:32 of the Quran states "Marry those among you who are single or the virtuous ones among your male or female slaves". I am confused as to how women can expect to marry single men and men with other wives? Please explain. Thank you

[gozdea]

I don't think Quran encourages polygamy, on contrary it discourages it. In the nur surah, it says "And wed the singles among you, and those who are fit among your servants and maids." The nur surah begins with "A chapter that We have revealed, and made obligatory, and revealed in it clear Verses, that you may take heed."
It is obligatory to wed your SINGLES... How come married man/women can marry again then???? If the same Quran allows and encourages polygamy, this indicates a controversy/dispute in the book, which many says it is the perfect book.

Either we translate the verse in a wrong way (maybe because of hareke/vowel additions disturb the meanining, the original quran does not have vowels), or we understand this verse completely wrong way. When we check prophet's life, he has a monogamous relationship till the death of his wife Hatice. So god has chosen a man who has a single wife!

Quran says do polygamy up to 4 only if you can treat them equal. But same quran also says " You will not be able to treat women with equal fairness, no matter how much you desire it. But do not be so biased as to leave another suspended. If you make amends, and act righteously—God is Forgiving and Merciful. (129)" So it is impossible to treat women equally but god tells us to marry and only if we can treat them equally. So I don't know but it feels like God wants to ban polygamy but he/she is hesitant to do

Another interpretation that verse strictly talk about orphans!!! If that is the case, polygamy should be perform only with orphans or widows, so you can open your home to them without rumors. These marriages are not sexual/consummation but rather "protection" marriages. Even uttermost justice is requirement even though you cannot!

I am sorry but the monogamy vs polygamy in Quran is very confusing!!! I rather took example on relationship with the prophet and Hatice, who is the mother of his children. He does not have any other children from another women. That explains the situation clearly.

[HanneGabriel-or]

Thank you for your
Information.Very clear👍🏿

[waqasahmad]

I think its tough even looking after one woman let alone 4 as the women are very very demanding and its tough to get it through to them if you struggle as a man