Some of the reasons why Islam Permits Polygamy, starting with statistical data on the population before the physiological characteristics of man.
All ordinances in Islam come from the Most High, the Wise God. This means that all things that are legalized in Islam, bring people benefits, whether it be to an individual or to society as a whole, and in all such prescriptions the benefits far exceed the possible harm from them. Analyzing the causes and consequences of the resolution of polygamy, it becomes clear that the decisions of Islam are indeed such that they are suitable for all times and peoples, since their source is the Supreme Lord, the Wise and the Knowledgeable.
In the Quran it is noted (see Surah 4, verse 3) that polygamy in Islam should be considered, first of all, as a solution to society’s problems with orphans and widows. Islam, as a comprehensive religion, suitable for all times and places, could not ignore these special conditions in which people were forced to turn out.
By the way, polygamy could solve many social problems that exist in the West, including the problem of prostitution and extramarital affairs. Instead of continuing to deceive the spouse (and adultery is one of the main reasons for the divorce in the West), Islam allows a man to marry several times, but in each case there must be full recognition and respect for the rights of all spouses. In relations between spouses, the main principle of Islam should be observed – men are considered responsible for their attitude towards women, as well as women are responsible for their attitude towards men.
The number of women in the world exceeds the number of men. This difference is due to the fact that men die in wars or as a result of grave crimes, and in addition, women live longer than men. The spread of homosexuality increases the problem even more. Bertrand Russell wrote: “In all countries where there is an excess of women, we observe obvious injustice: women who, according to arithmetic calculations, do not have to be married, will forever be without sexual experience”. Thus, polygamy would be the most responsible decision in this case.
Let’s look at the situation in the US as an example. Why extramarital affairs have become so widespread? “This became possible, of course, due to the fact that the offer of women willing exceeds. Most of these women are single, this is due to the increase in the number of unmarried women (today it is 34 million people only in the United States), and the fact that single women in general have more free time and energy than married women. Think about this statistic: every fifth woman today has no potential spouse simply because there are not enough single men around. Already at the age of 25 a single woman faces the difficult task of finding the right man, and with each additional year the situation only worsens. Divorced men are much more likely to remarry than divorced women (and they tend to marry younger women), so by the age of forty, single women are twice as many as men. Indeed, a woman who is divorced at 35 years of age today is likely to remain lonely for the rest of her life. Linked demographically in search of greater autonomy, more and more single women choose to link with married men “.
Country | Male Population | Female Population |
USA | 48.8% | 51.2% |
Russia | 46.1% | 53.9% |
Brazil | 49.7% | 50.27% |
UK | 48.6% | 51.5% |
Another problem is related to the fact that an increase in the number of women who do not have material support in the person of their husband, is the reason for the growth of prostitution in society. For example, in Germany, the ratio of men to women is 0.96 to 1. Reforms in the welfare sphere of the inhabitants of Germany led to the adoption of a law according to which any woman under the age of 55 who was out of work for a year may be forced to perform the work available to her, including being a prostitute in the sex industry, otherwise she risks losing her unemployment benefit! At the same time, a study conducted in 1994 found that 16% of men in the US between the ages of 18 and 59 paid for sex, referring to the services of prostitutes (Gagnon, Lohmann and Kolata, 1994).
In addition, the problem of the unequal parity of the representatives of the two sexes can become even more acute during periods of wars. In this connection it will be appropriate to recall the phenomenon of the “military bride” that existed during the Second World War. After this war in Germany alone, the number of women exceeded the number of men by 7,300,000 (3.3 million of them were widows). In the group of 20-30 year olds, 100 men accounted for only 167 women. Many of these women needed a man not only as a companion, but also as an assistant in the household, because it was a time of unprecedented suffering and difficulties. Soldiers in the victorious Allied armies exploited their female vulnerability. Many young girls and widows were forced to have sexual intercourse. Many American and British soldiers paid for their enjoyments with cigarettes, chocolate and bread.
Polygamy can also be seen as a solution to the problem of divorce in the case of some family troubles. For example, you do not need to get divorced from a sick or barren wife, Islam allows a man to marry another woman without leaving the first without care and attention, but that if she herself agrees to stay with him.
In general, we can say with confidence that the teachings of Islam, including its solution of polygamy, are in full conformity with human nature. Men and women have quite a lot of gender differences among themselves, and these differences are universal. According to the explanation of evolutionary scientists, men are “firmly-tailored” in order to spread their seed as much as possible. Therefore, men, whether single or married, want to find more sexual partners in their lives than women. Islam provides the only responsible solution to this innate desire in men. Foundation Restates Commitment To Propagation Of Islam
It should also be mentioned that there is a universal biological limitation between male and female reproductive systems. The fertility of a woman declines after reaching the age of 20 and ends with menopause, but a man even at the age of 70 retains the ability to become a father. Thus, polygamy can be a possible solution for men, when there is a need to give birth to as many children as possible, especially in traditional agrarian societies. This may seem insignificant in the Western context, where the birth of a child becomes more and more independent of marriage. Polygamy, moreover, is an alternative for a man who wants to satisfy his natural sexual needs within the framework of marriage, but whose wife may not be averse to them because of old age or illness. In addition, Islam prohibits sexual relations during the woman’s monthly cycles. Therefore, for a husband whose wife has a prolonged menstrual period, preventing him from having sexual relations with her, and also for a man whose sexual attraction is not satisfied by a single wife, polygamy would be a way out. Islam allows such men to realize their desire within the framework of legal relationships, taking responsibility for sexuality, for a man is not allowed to turn to prostitutes or make mistresses.
Polygamy prevents the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, such as herpes and AIDS. Such venereal diseases are common in disorderly societies, where extramarital relationships and prostitution are present in large numbers. Sometimes in such a society, infection can occur due to the fact that the husband brings a disease that is infected with fornication, when he returns to his “monogamous” relationship with his wife.
Summing up, it can be said that polygamy has many obvious advantages. A lot of social problems in our time still remain unresolved, and sometimes worsen because of the restrictions imposed on polygamy. It is not necessary to blindly believe in the slogan that is common today, stating that our time and place of life are always a perfection in the centuries-old history of mankind. Let’s analyze our values, traditions and beliefs and check whether they are based on reliable and convincing facts. And if we always do this, approaching the question unbiased, each of us will become closer to the Truth, until it becomes absolutely clear, like daylight.