Why Islam supports polygamy?

Answer 1

Islam doesn't "support" polygamy it allows it. If a man decides to marry more than one woman, he can. But if your'e going to marry many you must treat them equally and they must agree to marry you on these terms. Alot of women are looking to marry but have no luck, so if a man thinks he can treat the women he marries with respect and equity he can marry many. But if he cannot treat them well, he must only marry one.

The main reason why Muslims are allowed to marry more than one woman is because there are a lot of women(poor or widows) (ever wondered why there are more women then men in the world?)in need of support. Especially in the time of the Prophet saws (peace be upon him)

A man needs to provide everything for his wife. There are many misconceptions, and people saying that the women in Islam are opressed. But if you take time to read and inform yourself about Islam, you realize that men must treat their wives like princesses.

In fact a woman isn't even obliged to work if she doesn't want to. The man must provide everything for her. When they get married he gives her money for herself that she dosent have to spend for the chores but the man must spend his money on his family. He must also treat her with kindness.

There are a lot of things like that and misconceptions about Islam and the status of women.

Briefly, men and women must live together peacefully and work as a team when they get married. If the man decides to marry more than one woman he must treat them and make them feel as if they're not neglected at all by the situation. If he can't do that then he should marry only one.

"Then (marry) only one." Al-Qur'an 4:3

Answer 2

and why not. Polygamy is the natural rule since start of mankind. Even prophets were married with more than one wife up to tens and hundreds. Only Jesus is claimed that he was not married.There was no limit on the number of wives to be married by one man. However, in Islam, the number of wives allowed by a Muslim man to marry is limited to four. Polygamy in Islam is also subject to strict rules that makes it not easy and usual to marry with more than one.

Refer to question below for more information.

Answer 3

In Islam, polygamy is allowed and practised under certain restricted conditions. Muslim men are allowed to practise polygyny, that is, they can have more than one wife at the same time, up to a total of four. Polyandry, by contrast, is not permitted.

Some Muslim-majority countries have Islamic law (sharia) which permits polygyny, although there is internal debate regarding the role of women in Islam. See this discussion on the extent to which states can and do recognize these forms as valid.

Polygamy for Muslims, in practice and in law, differs greatly throughout the Islamic world, where polygamous marriages constitute only 1-3% of all marriages. In some Muslim countries, polygamy is relatively common, while in others, it is rare or non-existent. Tunisia, for example, is a predominantly Muslim country where polygamy is not legal.

Unrestricted polygamy existed in pre-Islamic Arabia. It was practiced by Hebrew patriarchs in the Old Testament such as Abraham, Jacob, David and Solomon.

The passage in the Qur'an dealing directly with the topic of polygamy is in Surah 4 Verse 3:

And if you fear that you cannot act equitably towards orphans, then marry such women as seem good to you, two and three and four; but if you fear that you will not do justice (between them), then (marry) only one or what your right hands possess; this is more proper, that you may not deviate from the right course.

There is also a Verse that discourages the practice of polygamy (Verse 129 in Surah 4) which is a sort of response to the Verse 3 in Surah 4:

You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire, so do not incline too much to one of them (by giving her more of your time and provision) so as to leave the other hanging (i.e. neither divorced nor married). And if you do justice, and do all that is right and fear Allâh by keeping away from all that is wrong, then Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

The Qur'an instructs the guardians of the children of widows, which it refers to as orphans, to marry the widows, where this is lawful, if they fear that they would not otherwise be able to fulfil their obligations to protect the children and look after their wealth and property. Men are allowed to engage in polygamy with two conditions:

1. A man may not take more than four wives.
2. If a man is unable to deal justly with four wives he should not marry more than the number he can be just with.

Additionally, a man may not marry two or more sisters at the same time.

The Qur'an encourages wives to adapt to the situation, but, in spite of the wife's efforts, if the family does not remain intact then it is not her responsibility.

As with any other conditions of an Islamic marriage contract, a woman may, before marriage, make a stipulation that the husband not marry any other women. A subsequent second marriage by the husband invalidates his first marriage.