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Question about whether or not polygamous marriage is a sign of strong Īman.

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by IslamicSolutions.org

Shortened Question:

Is polygamous marriage a sign of strong Īman?

Question:

Assalamu Alaikum

I wanted to know whether or not accepting to take part in a polygamous marriage is a sign of a strong Īman.

I mean think about it, whenever one is willing to put emotions aside, not because they choose to, based on their emotions or desires, but because they understand that it is what has been allowed by Allah, practised by the prophet,  then  that person has good Īman because they are putting the Deen before themselves. Whereas if one is not strong enough to suppress their emotional or physical desires then it is a sign of a weak Īman, is it not?

As you know, one of the major reasons why polygamous marriage is a hard cookie to sallow (I think) is because it deals with one’s emotional desires.

Why is polygamous marriage, which is Sunnah, looked so down upon and the man is looked at like some person who just wants to fulfill his lust and desires, is that not unfair?? There are men who are genuinely concerned for the welfare of their sisters and want to take them in marriage to provide and look after them. Is it not culture to think that way of polygamy that it’s bad?

I don’t know maybe it is not that straight forward. Enlighten me. What is your opinion?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Polygamy is simply mubaah (permissible) with the condition that the husband is able to maintain fairness and equity between his wives.

Allah Ta’ala says:

If you fear that you will not be able to be just to the orphans, then marry women of your choice two or three or four. If you fear that you will be able to do justice then just one or

that which your right hand possesses. In this way it is unlikely that you will be unjust. (Surah Nisaa 4:3).[1]

Practising on something that is mubah (permissible) is not a sign of strong Imaan. However, being sensitive to the conditions of a polygamous marriage being justice and fairness and facilitating the conditions is a sign of strong Imaan.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Saeed Ahmed Golaub

Islamic Solutions

Jamaica

[1]{ وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَى وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَلَّا تَعُولُوا} [النساء: 3]

This answer was collected from IslamicSolutions.org, which is operated by Mufti Saeed Ahmed Golaub from Jamaica. He’s a student of Mufti Ebrahim Desai (rah) from South Africa.

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