Sibgakhan – (i also thought it was by “samia” khan) … the article’s very nice but let me make a lil correction .. Busharraf I agree wid u ..the most confused ones are Muslims themselves … misconception # 1 is NOT a misconception indeed.. The misconception would’ve been “It is civilized to have more than one wife at a time” I don’t know why Many men believe polygamy is a God-given right enshrined in the Quran

"In Surah Nissah God allows a Muslim to marry, one, two, three or four women
as long as he can do justice between them. If the man can't do justice, the
exhortation for him is: "? then marry only once"."

let me point out what the Quranic verses on polygamy actually say: “ if u fear that u shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of ur choice, two or three or four; but if u fear that u shall not be able to deal justly (with them) then only one (Al Nisa'. 4:3).

Now we r all familiar wid the above verses. What we tend to forget is its subsequent verse..

A subsequent verse states: “You are never able to be fair and just between women even if that were your ardent desire" (Al Nisa', 4:129).


The condition was as long as he can do justice between them.. now Allah stated u r never able to be just n fair …so the clear intention in the Quran is to restrict polygamy.

Marrying more than once is not compulsory, but only an option to tide over
unique circumstances that societies face from time to time. You will find in
many societies today that the ratio between females and males is not 50:50.

it is often forgotten that there was a socio-historical context within which the verse was revealed. Polygamy is permitted within the context of war and orphans. It is permitted only if the men fear they would not be able to deal justly with the orphans. It has nothing to do wid the ratio of males n females in a society.

"The option for women in countries with a bigger female ratio than men is to
share a husband with another woman, to remain single, or to become public
property."

This is ridiculous! The solution to an immoral society, whether in the West or in the Muslim world, is not polygamy. The solution, as found in the Quran and the hadith is self-discipline and respect for the opposite sex.

We shud all go back to the Quran and read its words carefully.