Why is a man allowed to have more than one wife in Islam? (8.45 minutes)

1. Definition of ‘Polygamy’

’Polygamy’ means a system of marriage whereby one person has more than one spouse. Polygamy can be of two types. One is polygyny where a man marries more than one woman, and the other is polyandry, where a woman marries more than one man. In Islam, limited polygyny is permitted; whereas polyandry is completely prohibited.

Now coming to the original question, why is a man allowed to have more than one wife?

2. The Qur’an is the only religious scripture in the world that says, “marry only one”

The Qur’an is the only religious book, on the face of this earth, that contains the phrase ‘marry only one’. There is no other religious book that instructs men to have only one wife. In none of the other religious scriptures, whether it be the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Geeta, the Talmud or the Bible does one find a restriction on the number of wives. According to these scriptures one can marry as many as one wishes. It was only later, that the Hindu priests and the Christian Church restricted the number of wives to one.

Many Hindu religious personalities, according to their scriptures, had multiple wives. King Dashrat, the father of Rama, had more than one wife. Krishna had several wives.

In earlier times, Christian men were permitted as many wives as they wished, since the Bible puts no restriction on the number of wives. It was only a few centuries ago that the Church restricted the number of wives to one.

Polygyny is permitted in Judaism. According to Talmudic law, Abraham had three wives, and Solomon had hundreds of wives. The practice of polygyny continued till Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (960 CE to 1030 CE) issued an edict against it. The Jewish Sephardic communities living in Muslim countries continued the practice till as late as 1950, until an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel extended the ban on marrying more than one wife.

3. Hindus are more polygynous than Muslims

The report of the ‘Committee of The Status of Woman in Islam’, published in 1975 mentions on page numbers 66 and 67 that the percentage of

polygamous marriages between the years 1951 and 1961 was 5.06% among the Hindus and only 4.31% among the Muslims. According to Indian law, only Muslim men are permitted to have more than one wife. It is illegal for any non-Muslim in India to have more than one wife. Despite it being illegal, Hindus have more multiple wives as compared to Muslims. Earlier, there was no restriction even on Hindu men with respect to the number of wives allowed. It was only in 1954, when the Hindu Marriage Act was passed that it became illegal for a Hindu to have more than one wife. At present it is the Indian Law that restricts a Hindu man from having more than one wife and not the Hindu scriptures.

Let us now analyse why Islam allows a man to have more than one wife

4. Qur’an permits limited polygyny

As I mentioned earlier, Qur’an is the only religious book on the face of the earth that says ‘marry only one’. The context of this phrase is the following verse from Surah An Nisa’ of the Glorious Qur’an:

“Marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one.”[Al Qur’an 4:3]

Before the Qur’an was revealed, there was no upper limit for polygyny and many men had scores of wives, some even hundreds. Islam put an upper limit of four wives. Islam gives a man permission to marry two, three or four women, only on the condition that he deals justly with them.

In the same chapter i.e. Surah An Nisa’ Verse 129 says:

“Ye are never able to be fair and just as between women....”[Al Qur’an 4:129]

Therefore polygyny is not a rule but an exception. Many people are under the misconception that it is compulsory for a Muslim man to have more than one wife.

Broadly, Islam has five categories of Do’s and Don’ts:

(i) ‘Fardh’ i.e. compulsory or obligatory

(ii) ‘Mustahab’ i.e. recommended or encouraged

(iii) ‘Mubah’ i.e. permissible or allowed

(iv) ‘Makrooh’ i.e. not recommended or discouraged

(v) ‘Haraam’ i.e. prohibited or forbidden

Polygyny falls in the middle category of things that are permissible. It cannot be said that a Muslim who has two, three or four wives is a better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who has only one wife.

5. Average life span of females is more than that of males

By nature males and females are born in approximately the same ratio. A female child has more immunity than a male child. A female child can fight the germs and diseases better than the male child. For this reason, during the paediatric age itself there are more deaths among males as compared to the females.

During wars, there are more men killed as compared to women. More men die due to accidents and diseases than women. The average life span of females is more than that of males, and at any given time one finds more widows in the world than widowers.

6. India has more male population than female due to female foeticide and infanticide

India is one of the few countries, along with the other neighbouring countries, in which the female population is less than the male population. The reason lies in the high rate of female foeticide and infanticide in India, and the fact that more than one million female foetuses are aborted every year in this country, after they are identified as females. If this evil practice is stopped, then India too will have more females as compared to males.

7. World female population is more than male population

In the USA, women outnumber men by 7.8 million New York alone has one million more females as compared to the number of males, and of the male population of New York one-third are gays i.e sodomites.The USA as a whole has more than twenty-five million gays. This means that these people do not wish to marry women. Great Britain four million more females as compared to males. Germany has five million more females as compared to males. Russia has nine million more females than males. God alone knows how many million more females there are in the whole world as compared to males.

8. Restricting each and every man to have only one wife is not practical

Even if every man got married to one woman, there would still be more than thirty million females in USA who would not be able to get husbands (considering that America has twenty-five million gays). There would be more than four million females in Great Britain, five million females in Germany and nine million females in Russia alone who would not be able to find a husband.

Suppose my sister happens to be one of the unmarried women living in USA, or suppose your sister happens to be one of the unmarried women in USA. The only two options remaining for her are that she either marries a man who already has a wife or becomes public property. There is no other option. All those who are modest will opt for the first.

In Western society, it is common for a man to have mistresses and/or multiple extra-marital affairs, in which case, the woman leads a disgraceful and unprotected life. The same society, however, cannot accept a man having more than one wife, in which women retain their honourable, dignified position in society and lead a protected life.

Thus the only two options before a woman who cannot find a husband is to marry a married man or to become public property. Islam prefers giving women the honourable position by permitting the first option and disallowing the second.

There are several other reasons, why Islam has permitted limited polygyny, but it is mainly to protect the modesty of women.

Why does Islam degrade women by keeping them behind the veil? (8.52 minutes)

The status of women in Islam is often the target of attacks in the secular media. The ‘hijaab’ or the Islamic dress is cited by many as an example of the ‘subjugation’ of women under Islamic law. Before we analyze the reasoning behind the religiously mandated ‘hijaab’, let us first study the status of women in societies before the advent of Islam.

1. In the past women were degraded and used as objects of lust

The following examples from history amply illustrate the fact that the status of women in earlier civilizations was very low to the extent that they were denied basic human dignity:

1. Babylonian Civilization:
The women were degraded and were denied all rights under the Babylonian law. If a man murdered a woman, instead of him being punished, his wife was put to death.

2. Greek Civilization:
Greek Civilization is considered the most glorious of all ancient civilizations. Under this very ‘glorious’ system, women were deprived of all rights and were looked down upon. In Greek mythology, an ‘imaginary woman’ called ‘Pandora’ is the root cause of misfortune of human beings. The Greeks considered women to be subhuman and inferior to men. Though chastity of women was precious, and women were held in high esteem, the Greeks were later overwhelmed by ego and sexual perversions. Prostitution became a regular practice amongst all classes of Greek society.

3. Roman Civilization:
When Roman Civilization was at the zenith of its ‘glory’, a man even had the right to take the life of his wife. Prostitution and nudity were common amongst the Romans

4. Egyptian Civilization:
The Egyptian considered women evil and as a sign of a devil.

5. Pre-Islamic Arabia:
Before Islam spread in Arabia, the Arabs looked down upon women and very often when a female child was born, she was buried alive.

2. Islam uplifted women and gave them equality and expects them to maintain their status

Islam uplifted the status of women and granted them their just rights 1400 years ago. Islam expects women to maintain their status.

Hijaab for men

People usually only discuss ‘hijaab’ in the context of women. However, in the Glorious Qur’an, Allah (swt) first mentions ‘hijaab’ for men before ‘hijaab’ for the women. The Qur’an mentions in Surah An Noor:

“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.”[Al Qur’an 24:30]

The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.

Hijaab for women.

The next verse of Surah An Noor, says:

“ And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons...”[Al Qur’an 24:31]

3. Six criteria for Hijaab.

According to Qur’an and Sunnah there are basically six criteria for observing hijaab:

1.Extent:
The first criterion is the extent of the body that should be covered. This is different for men and women. The extent of covering obligatory on the male is to cover the body at least from the navel to the knees. For women, the extent of covering obligatory is to cover the complete body except the face and the hands upto the wrists. If they wish to, they can cover even these parts of the body. Some scholars of Islam insist that the face and the hands are part of the obligatory extent of ‘hijaab’.
All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women.

2.The clothes worn should be loose and should not reveal the figure.

3.The clothes worn should not be transparent or translucent such that one can see through them.

4.The clothes worn should not be so glamorous as to attract the opposite sex.

5.The clothes worn should not resemble that of the opposite sex.

6.The clothes worn should not resemble that of the unbelievers i.e. they should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols of the unbelievers’ religions.

4. Hijaab includes conduct and behaviour among other things

Complete ‘hijaab’, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes the moral conduct, behaviour, attitude and intention of the individual. A person only fulfilling the criteria of ‘hijaab’ of the clothes is observing ‘hijaab’ in a limited sense. ‘Hijaab’ of the clothes should be accompanied by ‘hijaab’ of the eyes, ‘hijaab’ of the heart, ‘hijaab’ of thought and ‘hijaab’ of intention. It also includes the way a person walks, the way a person talks, the way he behaves, etc.

5. Hijaab prevents molestation

The reason why hijaab is prescribed for women is mentioned in the Qur’an in the following verse of Surah Al Ahzaab:

“O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”[Al Qur’an 33:59]

The Qur’an says that Hijaab has been prescribed for the women so that they are recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from being molested.

6. Example of twin sisters

Suppose two sisters who are twins, and who are equally beautiful, walk down the street. One of them is attired in the Islamic hijaab i.e. the complete body is covered, except for the face and the hands upto the wrists. The other sister is wearing western clothes, a miniskirt or shorts. Just around the corner there is a hooligan or ruffian who is waiting for a catch, to tease a girl. Whom will he tease? The girl wearing the Islamic Hijaab or the girl wearing the skirt or the mini? Naturally he will tease the girl wearing the skirt or the mini. Such dresses are an indirect invitation to the opposite sex for teasing and molestation. The Qur’an rightly says that hijaab prevents women from being molested.

7. Capital punishment for the rapists

Under the Islamic Shari’ah, a man convicted of having raped a woman, is given capital punishment. Many are astonished at this ‘harsh’ sentence. Some even say that Islam is a ruthless and barbaric religion! I have asked a simple question to hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose, God forbid, someone rapes your wife, your mother or your sister. You are made the judge and the rapist is brought in front of you. What punishment would you give him? All of them said they would put him to death. Some went to the extent of saying they would torture him to death. To them I ask, if someone rapes your wife or your mother you want to put him to death. But if the same crime is committed on somebody else’s wife or daughter you say capital punishment is barbaric. Why should there be double standards?

8. Western society falsely claims to have uplifted women

Western talk of women’s liberalization is nothing but a disguised form of exploitation of her body, degradation of her soul and deprivation of her honour. Western society claims to have ‘uplifted’ women. On the contrary it has actually degraded them to the status of concubines, mistresses and society butterflies who are mere tools in the hands of pleasure seekers and sex marketeers, hidden behind the colourful screen of ‘art’ and ‘culture’.

9. USA has one of the highest rates of rape

United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries of the world. It also has one of the highest rates of rape in any country in the world. According to an FBI report, in the year 1990, everyday on an average 1756 rapes were committed in USA alone. Later another report said that on an average everyday 1900 rapes are committed in USA. The year was not mentioned. May be it was 1992 or 1993. May be the Americans got ‘bolder’ in the following years.

Consider a scenario where the Islamic hijaab is followed in America. Whenever a man looks at a woman and any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic hijaab, that is the complete body is covered except the face and the hands upto the wrists. After this if any man commits rape he is given capital punishment. I ask you, in such a scenario, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease?

10. Implementation of Islamic Shari’ah will reduce the rate of rapes

Naturally as soon as Islamic Shari’ah is implemented positive results will be inevitable. If Islamic Shari’ah is implemented in any part of the world, whether it is America or Europe, society will breathe easier. Hijaab does not degrade a woman but uplifts a woman and protects her modesty and chastity.

Why are two witnesses who are women, equivalent to only one witness who is a man? (3.56 minutes)

It is not true that two female witnesses are always considered as equal to only one male witness. It is true only in certain cases. There are about five verses in the Qur’an that mention witnesses, without specifying male or female. There is only one verse in the Qur’an, that says two female witnesses are equal to one male witness. This verse is Surah Al Baqarah, chapter 2 verse 282. This is the longest verse in the Qur’an and deals with financial transactions. It says:

“O ye who believe! when ye deal with each other, in transactions involving future obligation in a fixed period of time, reduce them to writing... and get two witnesses, out of your own men, and if there are not two men, then a man and two women, such as ye choose, for witnesses, so that if one of them errs, the other can remind her.” [Al Qur’an 2:282]

This verse of the Qur’an deals only with financial transactions. In such cases, it is advised to make an agreement in writing between the parties and take two witnesses, preferably both of which should be men only. In case you cannot find two men, then one man and two women would suffice.

For instance, suppose a person wants to undergo an operation for a particular ailment. To confirm the treatment, he would prefer taking references from two qualified surgeons. In case he is unable to find two surgeons, his second option would be one surgeon and two general practitioners who are plain MBBS doctors.

Similarly in financial transactions, two men are preferred. Islam expects men to be the breadwinners of their families. Since financial responsibility is shouldered by men, they are expected to be wellversed in financial transactions as compared to women. As a second option, the witness can be one man and two women, so that if one of the women errs the other can remind her. The Arabic word used in the Qur’an is ‘Tazil’ which means ‘confused’ or ‘to err’. Many have wrongly translated this word as ‘to forget’. Thus financial transactions constitute the only case in which two female witnesses are equal to one male witness.

However, some scholars are of the opinion that the feminine attitude can also have an effect on the witness in a murder case. In such circumstances a woman is more terrified as compared to a man. Due to her emotional condition she can get confused. Therefore, according to some jurists, even in cases of murder, two female witnesses are equivalent to one male witness. In all other cases, one female witness is equivalent to one male witness. There are about five verses in the Qur’an which speak about witnesses without specifying man or woman.

While making a will of inheritance, two just persons are required as witnesses. In Surah Al Ma’idah Chapter 5 Verse 106, the Glorious Qur’an says:

“O you who believe! when death approaches any of you, (take) witnesses among yourself when making bequests — two just persons of your own (brotherhood) or other from outside if you are journeying through the earth and the chance of death befalls you.”[Al-Qur’an 5:106]

Two persons endued with justice in case of talaaq.

“And take for witness two persons from among you, endued with justice, and established the evidence (as) before Allah.” [Al Qur’an 65:2]

“Four witnesses are required in case of charge against chaste women,”[Al Qur’an 24:4]

There are some scholars who are of the opinion that the rule of two female witnesses equal to one male witness should be applied to all the cases. This cannot be agreed upon because one particular verse of the Qur’an from Surah An Noor Chapter 24, Verse 6 clearly equates one female witness and one male witness:

“And for those who launch a charge against their spouses, and have (in support) no evidence but their own - their solitary evidence (can be received)...” [Al-Qur’an 24:6]

Hazrat Ayesha (ra) hadith narrated of one witness

Many jurists agree that even one witness of a woman is sufficient for the sighting of the crescent of the moon. Imagine one woman witness is sufficient for one of the pillars of Islam, i.e. fasting and the whole Muslim community of men and women agree and accept her witness! Some jurists say that one witness is required at the beginning of Ramadaan and two witnesses at the end of Ramadaan. It makes no difference whether the witnesses are men or women.

Some incidents require only female witness and that of a male cannot be accepted. For instance, in dealing with the problems of women, while giving the burial bath i.e. ‘ghusl’ to a woman, the witness has to be a woman.

The seeming inequality of male and female witnesses in financial transactions is not due to any inequality of the sexes in Islam. It is only due to the different natures and roles of men and women in society as envisaged by Islam.

Under Islamic law, why is a woman’s share of the inherited wealth only half that of a man? (3.56 minutes)

The Glorious Qur’an contains specific and detailed guidance regarding the division of the inherited wealth, among the rightful beneficiaries.

The Qur’anic verses that contain guidance regarding inheritance are:

* Surah Al Baqarah, Chapter 2 Verse 180

* Surah Al Baqarah, Chapter 2 Verse 240

* Surah An Nisa’, Chapter 4 Verse 7-9

* Surah An Nisa’, Chapter 4 Verse 19

* Surah An Nisa’, Chapter 4 Verse 33 and

* Surah Al Ma’idah, Chapter 5 Verses 106-108

“Allah (thus) directs you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; If only one, her share is a half. For parents, a sixth share of the inheritance to each, if the deceased left children; If no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth. (The distribution in all cases is) after the payment of legacies and debts. Ye know not whether your parents or your children are nearest to you in benefit. These are settled portions ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
In what your wives leave, your share is half. If they leave no child; but if they leave a child, ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave, their share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eight; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question, has left neither ascendants nor descendants, but has left a brother or a sister, each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two, they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to anyone). Thus it is ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-Knowing, Most Forbearing” [Al Qur’an 4:11-12]

“They ask thee for a legal decision. Say: Allah directs (thus) about those who leave no descendants or ascendants as heirs. If it is a man that dies, leaving a sister but no child, she shall have half the inheritance. If (such a deceased was) a woman, who left no child, her brother takes her inheritance. If there are two sisters, they shall have two thirds of the inheritance (between them). If there are brothers and sisters, (they share), the male having twice the share of the female. Thus doth Allah makes clear to you (His Law). [Al Qur’an 4:176]

In most of the cases, a woman inherits half of what her male counterpart inherits. However, this is not always the case. In case the deceased has left no ascendant or descendent but has left the uterine brother and sister, each of the two inherit one sixth. If the deceased has left children, both the parents that is mother and father get an equal share and inherit one sixth each. In certain cases, a woman can also inherit a share that is double that of the male. If the deceased is a woman who has left no children, brothers or sisters and is survived only by her husband, mother and father, the husband inherits half the property while the mother inherits one third and the father the remaining one sixth. In this particular case, the mother inherits a share that is double that of the father. It is true that as a general rule, in most cases, the female inherits a share that is half that of the male. For instance in the following cases:

1. Daughter inherits half of what the son inherits,

2. Wife inherits 1/8th and husband 1/4th if the deceased has no children.

3. Wife inherits 1/4th and husband 1/2 if the deceased has children

4. If the deceased has no ascendant or descendent, the sister inherits a share that is half that of the brother.

In Islam a woman has no financial obligation and the economical responsibility lies on the shoulders of the man. Before a woman is married it is the duty of the father or brother to look after the lodging, boarding, clothing and other financial requirements of the woman. After she is married it is the duty of the husband or the son. Islam holds the man financially responsible for fulfilling the needs of his family. In order to be able to fulfill the responsibility the men get double the share of the inheritance. For example, if a man dies leaving about Rs. One Hundred and Fifty Thousand, for the children (i.e one son and one daughter) the son inherits One Hundred Thousand rupees and the daughter only Fifty Thousand rupees. Out of the one hundred thousand which the son inherits, as his duty towards his family, he may have to spend on them almost the entire amount or say about eighty-thousand and thus he has a small percentage of inheritance, say about twenty-thousand, left for himself. On the other hand, the daughter, who inherits fifty thousand is not bound to spend a single penny on anybody. She can keep the entire amount for herself. Would you prefer inheriting one hundred thousand rupees and spending eighty thousand from it, or inheriting fifty thousand rupees and having the entire amount to yourself?

1. There is a misconception amongst the Muslims, especially the Muslims of the Indian sub continent that women should not be allowed in the mosque. There is not a single verse in the Qur’an which prohibits women from entering the mosque and there is no single authentic Hadith which I know of which states that the Prophet (pbuh) prevented or forbade women from going to the mosque. There is only one Hadith, which could be misunderstood to mean that women should not go to the mosque. It is mentioned in Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 1, The Book of Prayer, Chapter 53, Hadith No. 567: “Do not prevent your women from (going to) the Mosques – but their houses are better for them.” Even in the above hadith which mentions that for the women their houses are better than the Mosque clearly mentions that “Do not prevent your women from (going to) the Mosques.” 2. There are several Ahadith which prove that both men and women went to the mosque during the life of the Prophet (pbuh): (i) The Prophet (pbuh) said, ‘Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from going to the Mosques of Allah.’ [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 1, The Book of Prayer, Chapter 52, Hadith No. 566] (ii) And husbands were specifically told by him, “If the wife of any one of you asks permission (to go to the mosque), do not deny them.” [Sahih Al Bukhari, Vol. 1, Book of Adhaan, Chapter 166, Hadith No. 873] (iii) From the time the Prophet (pbuh) entered Madinah, after Hijra, till his demise, he never prevented women from entering the mosque. (iv) During the time of the Prophet (pbuh), women not only went to the mosque for prayer but also for religious education and literary discussions as the mosque was the centre of community. Several Ahadith tell us that the Prophet (pbuh) addressed people in the mosque, and the audience consisted of both Muslim men and women, and women many a time asked questions to the Prophet (pbuh) in the mosque. (v) Even at the time of Umar (ra) women went to the mosque. The famous incident in which a lady from the back seat of the mosque objected to Umar (ra) considering an upper limit to ‘Mahr’, is very well known. (vi) During the Prophet’s (pbuh) time, mosques had separate entrances for ladies. Women filled the mosques from behind while men had separate entrances and filled the mosques from the front. In between the two sections were children who acted as a buffer zone. (vii) It is reported by Abu Hurairah (ra) that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “The best row for men is the first, and the worst for them is the last. The best row for women is the last, and the worst is the first.” [Sahih Muslim, Vol. 1, The Book of Salaah, Chapter 28, Hadith No. 985] 3. Islam permits women to pray in mosques, but they should have separate and equal facilities. Islam does not permit the intermingling of sexes. Otherwise there will be a similar scene in mosques like other places of worship where some people even come for ‘birdwatching’ and eveteasing. 4. In recent times, women are not allowed in mosques in a very few countries especially in India and the neighbouring countries. Otherwise in most of the other countries, women are allowed in mosques. Women are allowed in mosques in Saudi Arabia, in UAE, in Egypt, in USA, in UK, etc. They are also allowed in the Haram in Makkah and in Masjid An Nabwi in Madinah. Alhamdulillah, the trend is now changing in India. We have several mosques in India and a few in Mumbai which allow women to pray in mosques (masaajid).

A lot of people, including some Muslims, question the logic of allowing Muslim men to have more than one spouse while denying the same right to women. Let me first state emphatically, that the foundation of an Islamic society is justice and equity. Allah has created men and women as equal, but with different capabilities and different responsibilities. Men and women are different, physiologically and psychologically. Their roles and responsibilities are different. Men and women are equal in Islam, but not identical. Surah Al Nisaa Chapter 4 verses 22 to 24 gives the list of women with whom you can not marry and it is further mentioned in Surah Al Nisaa Chapter 4 verse 24, "Also (prohibited are) women already married" [Al-Quran 4:24] The following points enumerate the reasons why polyandry is prohibited in Islam:

1. If a man has more than one wife,the parents of the children born of such marriages can easily be identified. The father as well as the mother can easily be identified. In case of a woman marrying more than one husband, only the mother of the children born of such marriages will be identified and not the father. Islam gives tremendous importance to the identification of both parents, mother and father. Psychologists tell us that children who do not know their parents, especially their father undergo severe mental trauma and disturbances. Often they have an unhappy childhood. It is for this reason that the children of prostitutes do not have a healthy childhood. If a child born of such wedlock is admitted in school, and when the mother is asked the name of the father, she would have to give two or more names! I am aware that recent advances in science have made it possible for both the mother and father to be identified with the help of genetic testing. Even if we agree that the test is 100% accurate, this test was discovered recently and this is not the only reason for not allowing Polyandry.

2. Man is more polygamous by nature as compared to a woman.

3. Biologically, it is easier for a man to perform his duties as a husband despite having several wives. A woman, in a similar position, having several husbands, will not find it possible to perform her duties as a wife. A woman undergoes several psychological and behavioural changes due to different phases of the menstrual cycle and also due to the release of sex hormones, oestrogen. The mental state of a woman is not as stable as compared to normal times. According to a report, most crimes committed by women in USA, are done during their menstrual periods. A woman has more chances of having a quarrel or disagreement with the husband during these periods. Therefore, Islam prohibits a man to give divorce to his wife while she undergoes her menstrual cycle. Thus, in polyandrous marriages, for a woman to have good relations with more than one husband at the same time will be too much of a mental trauma.

4. A woman who has more than one husband will have several sexual partners at the same time and has a high chance of acquiring venereal or sexually transmitted diseases, which can also be transmitted back to her husband even if all of them have no extra-marital sex. This is not the case in a man having more than one wife, and none of them having extramarital sex. The above reasons are those that one can easily identify. There are probably many more reasons why Allah, in His Infinite Wisdom, has prohibited polyandry.

Why did Prophet Muhammed(sal) marry more wives ? (5.37 min)

How many wives did Prophet Muhammad have? (4.04 min)

The Qur’an, in Surah Al Nisaa’, Chapter 4 Verse 3, states that a Muslim is allowed to marry a maximum of only four wives. Another verse in the Qur’an makes Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) an exception to this rule. In Surah Al Ahzaab Chapter 33 Verse 52:

“It is not lawful for thee (to marry more) women after this, nor to change them for (other) wives, even though their beauty attract thee, except any thy right hand should possess (as hand maidens) and Allah doth watch over all things.”[Al-Qur’an 33:52]
This verse clearly gives Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) the permission to keep all his previous wives but prohibits him to marry any more women except those which his right hand possessed i.e. slave girls. The Prophet (pbuh) was allowed to keep all his previous wives because no one was allowed to marry the Prophet’s wives (ra) after they were divorced or widowed as they were ummul-mu’mineen (mothers of the believers). “Nor is it right for you that ye should annoy Allah's Messenger, or that ye should marry his widows after him at any time”[Al-Qur’an 33:53]

People falsely accuse the Prophet (pbuh) of being hypersexual, because he had eleven wives. If you read the life history of the Prophet (pbuh), only two of his marriages, one with Khadija (ra), and the other, with Ayesha (ra) were marriages in the normal course. All his other marriages were contracted as a necessity and were based on various considerations.

The first marriage of the Prophet (pbuh) took place when he was 25 years of age and he married Khadija (ra) who was twice widowed, and was 40 years old. If the Prophet (pbuh) was hypersexual, why would he marry a woman who was 15 years older than him and already twice widowed? Until his first wife, Khadija (ra) was alive, he never took a second wife. Khadija (ra) expired when the Prophet (pbuh) was 50 years of age and only after this, did he marry the others. If he married eleven wives for sexual reasons, he should have had multiple wives during his youth. Contrary to this, history tells us that all his marriages with his remaining ten wives took place when he was between the age of 53 and 59 years.

All his wives (ra) were between the age of 36 to 50 years, except for two wives (ra). His reputation had spread far and wide, not only in Arabia, but also in the neighboring countries. Could he not have easily got younger and lovelier girls to marry? Most of his marriages were for political gain and for the spread of Islam.

In Arabia, no one could carry on the work of reform and upliftment unless he belonged to, or was related to some specific and respectable tribe. Thus, in the interest of his mission, the Prophet (pbuh) needed inter-tribal relationships. He wanted to weld the quarrelling tribal and clannish factions into one Muslim ummah, as brethren in faith (Ikhwaan fid-Deen).

For instance, his wife Juwayriyya (ra) belonged to the Banu Mustaliq clan, which was very powerful. The entire clan was a bitter enemy of Islam from the start, and they were finally suppressed by military action. When the Prophet (pbuh) married Juwayriyya (ra), the Muslims released all their prisoners, saying that they could not keep the prophet’s relatives in bondage. It was due to this marriage that the whole clan of Banu Mustaliq accepted Islam and became peaceful and obedient to the laws of the new Islamic state. Maymoonah (ra) also came from a very powerful and recalcitrant clan from Najd and was the sister of the wife of the chief of the clan in those days. It was this clan, which had brutally murdered seventy members of an Islamic missionary deputation. The Prophet’s (pbuh) marriage with Maymoonah (ra) changed the whole atmosphere and Najd accepted Madinah’s authority under the leadership of the Prophet (pbuh).

Umm Habibah (ra) was the daughter of the Quraysh chief, Abu Sufyan. It was after the Prophet’s (pbuh) marriage to Umm Habibah, that Abu Sufyan never fought against the Prophet (pbuh). This marriage was largely responsible for the conquest of Makkah. Furthermore, Umm Habibah was first married to a certain Ubaydullah and emigrated with him to Abyssinia, where Ubaydullah became a Christian and a drunkard. Excessive consumption of wine killed him since it was a double shock to her that her husband had become a Christian and later died, she was badly in need of solace.

Safiyyah (ra) was the daughter of a very prominent Jewish chief, Huyyah ibn Akhtab. In consideration of her family status, she could not be merged into an ordinary household. So the Prophet (pbuh) himself married her. After this marriage, the Jews did not dare to revive their opposition to the Prophet (pbuh) and his mission.

In the case of Hafsah (ra), it was the Prophet’s (pbuh) desire to bind in relationship with those of his great companions (sahaabah) who were his advisers and who were trained for future leadership. He had married Abu Bakr’s (ra) daughter, married two of his own daughters to Uthmaan (ra) and one to ‘Ali (ra). ‘Umar (ra) could not be kept outside this wide circle of relationship. By marrying Umar’s daughter Hafsah (ra), the Prophet (pbuh) forged a strong bond of relationship within the Islamic movement thus strengthening the pillars of the ummah.

The Prophet (pbuh) had married his first cousin, Zaynab (ra), to his freed slave, Zayd ibn Haritha (ra), whom he had adopted as his son. This marriage of Zaynab (ra) with Zayd (ra) was intended to break the family and social barriers, but the marriage did not prove to be successful and ended in divorce. The Prophet (pbuh) was then ordered by Allah to marry Zaynab (ra), which he did in 5 AH. Allah also broke another convention, according to which an adopted son became a real son. This difficult problem was solved by the Prophet’s (pbuh) marriage to Zaynab (ra) (as mentioned in the Qur’an, in Surah Al Ahzaab, Chapter 33 Verse 37) to annul that pre-Islamic conception and promulgate an Islamic law instead.

Another lady Zaynab (ra), Umm al Masaakeen (mother of the poor and helpless), daughter of Khuzayma ibn Al-Haarith, belonged to the Hawaazin clan. Her husband was killed in the battle of Uhud. To rescue her from widowhood, the Prophet (pbuh) took her as his wife. After the revelation of the verse in Surah Al Ahzaab, Chapter 33 Verse 52, the Prophet (pbuh) only married Mary the Copt who was a slave girl sent as a present by the Christian Muq-awqis of Egypt. Since the Christian Chieftain of Egypt sent Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) a slave girl as a present, he could not refuse this gift, as a refusal would have disturbed the political alliance. He could not keep her as a slave girl, since Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) preached that slaves should be freed. The only option left with him was to marry her, since the Qur’an gave him the permission to do so. Later on she became the mother of Ibraheem (ra) who died in his infancy.

Prophet Muhammad's (s) Marriage to Aisha (ra) - Yusuf Estes (12.37 minutes)

Why did Muhammad (saw) marry Aisha at a young age? - Sh. Khalid Yasin (9.38 min)

People wonder and ask, ‘Did the Prophet (pbuh) marry a child?’ ‘Was this a normal practice 1400 years ago?’ ‘What was the wisdom behind it?’ It is mentioned in Sahih Al Bukhari, Vol. 5, The Book of the Merits of the Ansaar, Chapter 44, Hadith No. 3896:
“Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) conducted the marriage contract with Ayesha (ra) when she was six years old and the marriage was consummated after she turned nine.”

However it’s important to understand the things in their historical context. One must first understand the things 1400 years ago were very different from now, times have changed and so humans have. 1400 years ago, it was very common for women to marry at a young age. It is a historical fact that the girls from the ages of 9 to 15 were married off in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. For example,

• 1. Saint Augustine (350 AD) – He married a 10 year old girl.
• 2. King Richard II (1400 AD) – He married a 7 year old girl.
• 3. Henry VIII (1500 AD) - He married a 6 year old girl.

Before 1983 C.E. Catholic Canon Laws permitted priests to marry off brides at the age of 12. The legal age of marriage in India for females is 18 years. The legal age of marriage for females in USA is 16 years. A lot of people are unaware that in USA in the state of Delaware in 1880, the minimum age for marriage for females was 7 years and in California the age of marriage for females was 10 years. Even now the age of marriage for females for some states are:-

• i. 12 years (Massachusetts)
• ii. 13 years (New Hampshire)
• iii. 14 years (New York)

We know that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), had only one wife, Khadeejah (ra) throughout the first 54 years of his life. We know that she was a widow and 15 years older than him. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) spent his entire youth with her. He was committed to her until and after her death by keeping ties with her relatives. But what about Ayesha (ra)? Was she a child when she agreed to consummate her marriage with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)? First, it’s important to note that it is strictly prohibited in Islam to consummate the marriage with someone before the age of puberty. Allah says in Surah Al Nisaa’ Chapter 4 Verse 6: “Make trial of orphans until they reach the age of marriage” [Al-Qur’an 4:6]

Note that the age of puberty varies throughout different times and different places. According to scientific references girls might enter full-blown puberty any time between ages 9 and 15 (LiveScience.com). Also the average temperature of the country is considered the chief factor with regard to menstruation and sexual puberty (Women: A Historical, Gynaecological and Anthropological Compendium, Vol. 1, Lord and Bransby, 1988, Pg. 563).
So was Ayesha (ra) a child? No, she was not! She herself testified that she had attained puberty when her marriage with the Prophet (pbuh) was consummated. It is mentioned in Sunan Al Tirmidhi, Vol. 2, The Book of Marriage, Chapter 19, Hadith No. 1109, Ayesha (ra) said: “When a girl reaches nine then she is a woman.” The marriage of Ayesha (ra) was an instruction from Allah (swt). [Sahih Al Bukhari, Vol. 5, The Book of the Merits of the Ansaar, Chapter 44, Hadith No. 3895] So what was the wisdom behind this marriage? Allah (swt) always knows the best.

Ayesha (ra) narrated to us more than 2,200 Ahaadith i.e. sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Ayesha (ra) was exceptionally intelligent, and since she married Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) at a young age, she was able to learn so much from him. She later played an important role as a teacher, expert and interpreter of Islam. So there was much wisdom behind this marriage.

Family planning is broadly divided into two categories. First category consists of family planning adopted by certain families on individual level undergoing certain crisis to plan a healthy family. Second category is a policy adopted by the state or the government, which encourages every family to practice it irrespective of the condition of the individual family in order to control the population of that country. Regarding the first category of family planning, which is done on individual basis, the opinion of scholars differs whether Islam permits it or not. Family planning does not only include the method of contraception but consists of total planning of the family based on the social, economical and health conditions of the family.

All scholars unanimously agree that all methods of family planning are permitted if they are done to protect the health of the mother. For example, if the mother is suffering from any heart disease and pregnancy would lead to heart failure, or if the mother had undergone multiple caesarean and another pregnancy would cause danger to her life, in such cases, all methods of family planning are permitted. The Qur’an mentions in Surah Al Baqarah Chapter 2 Verse 195 “And make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction” [Al-Qur’an 2:195]
A similar guidance is given in the Qur’an in Surah Al Nisaa’ Chapter 4 Verse 29

COMMON QUESTIONS ASKED BY NON-MUSLIMS

“Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily Allah hath been to you Most Merciful!” [Al-Qur’an 4:29] Birth control i.e. family planning to be adopted by every family as a policy of the government to reduce or control population of the country is considered Haram by all the scholars. From the Islamic point of view, the practice of birth control without any legitimate reason amounts to losing on the trust and faith in Allah. The Malthusian theory of population says that foodstuff and other necessities grow by arithmetical progression while the population grows by exponential progression. But now we have realized that Malthusian’s theory has been proved wrong and there is no shortage of food grains. Moreover, in spite of the amount of land India uses in agriculture, there is still much more land in India, which can, with little more efforts in fertilizing it through the proper means be utilized in agriculture thus producing more food grains. It would be interesting to note that population density of Holland and Denmark is about four to five times more than that of India. Nevertheless the living conditions of the people there is far better off (economically) than the Indians. Population is a boon and not a bane. In America the government encourages increase in population. Children are seen in America wearing T-shirts on which it is printed ‘I am my fathers’ tax saver’ because the American law says that the more children you have the less tax you pay. Australia too encourages population then why is India discouraging the growth of population. The reason is due to poverty. If poverty is the actual problem in India then reducing population is not the solution but removing poverty is the solution. Islam has a very good system of Zakaat. It’s compulsory for every Muslim who has a saving of more than 85 gms of gold to give 2.5 % of that amount to the poor in charity. If every rich person in India gives Zakaat, poverty will completely be removed. Besides, even if one faces difficulties in upbringing of children, one should always remember that in these hardships could be a test from Allah as this life is a test for the hereafter. Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an in Surah Al Mulk Chapter 67 Verse 2: “He Who created Death and Life that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might Oft-Forgiving” [Al Qur’an 67:2] Allah also says in the Glorious Qur’an in Surah Al Baqarah Chapter 2 Verse 155: “Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil) but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.” [Al Qur’an 2:155] There are fundamentally two methods of Contraception or family planning. (1) Permanent methods (2) Temporary methods 20

(1) Permanent Methods

Permanent methods include, Vasectomy in males and Tubecotomy in females. All the scholars unanimously AGREE that permanent methods of family planning are COMPLETELY HARAAM (prohibited) since they involve changing human physiology. Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an in Surah Al Room Chapter 30 Verse 30: “So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish) Allah's handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not.” [Al-Qur’an 30:30] The Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said: “Marry the one who is loving and fertile, for I will be proud of your great numbers before the nations [i.e., on the Day of Resurrection].” [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 2, The Book of Nikaah, Chapter 3, Hadith No. 2050]

(2) Temporary Methods:

The group of scholars who agree that family planning can be done under certain conditions say that most of the temporary methods of family planning are allowed. Following are various different temporary methods.

a) M.T.P. (Medical Termination of Pregnancy) or Abortion:

All scholars unanimously agree that M.T.P. or abortion is HARAAM (prohibited.) Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an in Surah Al Anaam Chapter 6 Verse 151 “...kill not your children on a plea of want; We provide sustenance for you and for them;” [Al-Qur’an 6:151] Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an in Surah Al Israa’ Chapter 17 Verse 31 “Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you: verily the killing of them is a great sin.” [Al-Qur’an 17:31] However, scholars unanimously agree that any permanent method of family planning, or even abortion, can be done if the life of the mother is in danger. For e.g. if the woman is suffering from certain diseases like heart disease or has under gone multiple caesarean operations and in her case the continuation of pregnancy or another pregnancy may be detrimental to her life, then the woman can be aborted or a permanent method of family planning can be adopted to save the life of the woman.

b) Taking birth control pills:

Almost all the scholars including Shaykh Ibn Baaz, Council of the Senior Scholars [of Saudi Arabia] agree that it is not allowed to take birth control pills (Fataawa al-Marah) because of its side effects and changes in the normal physiology. I as a doctor would never advice contraceptive pills because of its various side effects and these pills also alter the normal psychological function of the body, which the Shar’iah doesn’t permit. c) The commonly advised temporary method of contraception is the Copper-T. When I was in Medical College, I too was taught that Copper-T was a method of contraception. Now, after reading books and seeing videos of Professor Keith Moore, who is the chairman and professor of Embryology in the University of Toronto, Canada, I have come to know that using Copper-T is not a method of contraception but a method of contra-implantation. Here the ovum is already fertilized by the sperm to form the zygote, which is prevented by the Copper-T to be implanted on the wall of the uterus. Therefore it is contra-implantation and not contraception because conception has already taken place. In short the use of Copper-T causes a very early abortion, which is again prohibited in Islam. Some “scholars” out of ignorance permit this temporary method of family planning without knowing its detail.

d) Coitus Interruptus (‘Azl):

Coitus Interruptus is permissible as long as it is performed with mutual consent of both the husband and wife since both of them have equal right to have children. This is based on the Hadith of Jabir (RA) who said: “We used to practice (‘Azl) coitus interruptus during the days when the Qur’an was being revealed”. Jabir added: “We used to practice coitus interruptus during the lifetime of Allah’s Messenger while the Qur’an was being revealed.” [Sahih Al Bukhari, Vol. 7, The Book of Nikaah, Chapter 97, Hadith No. 5027-5029] Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “With regard to ‘azl, some of the scholars regarded it as haraam, but the view of the four imams is that it is permissible with the wife’s permission. And Allah nows best.” [Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 32/110] Some scholars say that since the Prophet (pbuh) was silent, he approved of this method. While the other scholars say his silence meant disapproval. e) As regarding other temporary methods of family planning like condom etc., the scholars are divided whether their use is permitted or not. Allah in His wisdom has taken care of planning the family and has provided a natural method of spacing between two children that is lactation amenorrhea when the mother breast-feeds the child she does not have her regular menstrual period, which acts as a natural method of contraception. Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an in Surah Al Baqarah Chapter 2 Verse 233 “The mothers shall give suck to their offspring for two whole years...” [Al-Qur’an 2:233] But unfortunately the so-called modern mothers breastfeed the child less and depend more on top feeds. Thus rejecting the natural way of family planning i.e. lactation amenorrhea. Reasons for Family Planning: All the various reasons for family planning can be divided into two categories: 1. Either for poverty or 2. Giving special attention to children by having fewer children. As for those who are poor and fear that they will not be able to meet the economic expenses of the additional child, Allah (swt) has prescribed the system of zakaat. Every rich person who has the savings of more than the nisab level i.e. 85 gms of gold, should give 2.5% of his excess wealth every lunar year in charity. Those who are poor have the right to take the zakaat money. Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an in Surah Al Anaam Chapter 6 Verse 151 “...kill not your children on a plea of want; We provide sustenance for you and for them;” [Al-Qur’an 6:151] Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an in Surah Al Israa’ Chapter 17 Verse 31 “Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you: verily the killing of them is a great sin.” [Al-Qur’an 17:31] Both these verses seems to convey the same message but on scrutiny we realize that the first verse is meant for poor parents, who fear that if one more child is born in the family neither they will be able to survive nor the child, thus Allah (swt) says we provide sustenance for you and for them. In the other verse Allah (swt) says We shall provide sustenance for them and as well as for you, referring to rich parents who feel that if they have less children they can concentrate on them better and give them better education and quality life. Here Allah (swt) reverses the order and mentions first the children and then the parents. I am the 5th child of my parents, if they would have done family planning, I would not have been born. Alhamdulillah, by Allah’s grace I am a doctor by profession. Do you consider me as an asset or a liability to the society. It’s mentioned in Surah Aali Imraan Chapter 3 Verse 54 that Allah is the best of Planners and in Surah Al Ra’ad Chapter 13 Verse 42 that Allah is the Master Planner. “And (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and Allah too planned, and the best of planners is Allah.” [Al-Qur’an 3:54] “Those before them did (also) devise plots; but in all things the masterplanning is Allah's He knoweth the doings of every soul: and soon will the Unbelievers know who gets home in the end.” [Al-Qur’an 13:42] If you want to leave the planning of your family to Allah, it’s well and good but if you feel that you can plan the family better than Allah, the choice is yours.

1. The Qur’an prohibits Muslims to marry unbelievers

Qur’an mentions in Surah Al Baqarah Chapter 2 Verse 221 “Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters), until they believe: A slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allures you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: A man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the Fire. But Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of bliss) and forgiveness, and makes His Signs clear to mankind: That they may celebrate His praise.” [Al-Qur’an 2:221]

2. This life is a test for Hereafter

According to the Qur’an in Surah Al Mulk Chapter 67 Verse 2 “He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.” [Al-Qur’an 67:2]

3. Concept of Salvation cannot differ amongst Life Partners

The ultimate goal and salvation for every Muslim is to attain paradise in the Hereafter. A true husband or a wife will also want his/her spouse to attain paradise in the hereafter. How can two life partners live together if their ultimate goal i.e. Salvation differs? Such a marriage would be like a vehicle whose one tyre is that of a cycle while the other tyre is that of a truck. How will the vehicle run smoothly? Similarly if the beliefs or concepts of salvation of the spouses differ then how can they live in peacefully and achieve marital harmony? .

1. Two different interpretations

It is mentioned in the Glorious Quran in Surah Al Maa’idah Chapter 5 Verse 5 “(Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book…” [Al-Qur’an 5:5] A Muslim man is allowed to marry a chaste Christian or a Jewish woman because when this woman comes into a Muslim family, she will not be insulted or ridiculed because in Islam we believe and respect all the Prophets of the Bible which the Christians believe in i.e. Adam, Noah, David, Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist, right uptill Jesus (pbut). She will feel comfortable in the Muslim family as all her Prophets are revered. On the other hand, a Muslim woman is not allowed to marry a Christian or a Jewish man (according to the Qur’an 60:10) because when a Muslim woman goes to a Christian or a Jewish family she is bound to be insulted and ridiculed as they do not believe in Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Qur’an prohibits Marriage with a Mushrik. It is mentioned in Surah Al Baqarah Chapter 2 Verse 221 “Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters), until they believe: A slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allures you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: A man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the Fire.” [Al-Qur’an 2:221] It is also mentioned in Surah Al Maa’idah Chapter 5 Verse 72 “They do blaspheme who say: "Allah is Christ the son of Mary." But said Christ: "O Children of Israel! worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." Whoever joins other gods with Allah,- Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help.” [Al-Qur’an 5:72] From the above two verses we come to know that a Muslim is not allowed to marry a Mushrik and from Surah Al Maa’idah Chapter 5 Verse 72 we can decipher that Christians are doing kufr and shirk by calling Jesus Christ (pbuh) as God. These two verses put together seem to contradict with Surah Maa’idah Chapter 5 Verse 5 which gives the permission for a Muslim man to marry a Jewish or a Christian girl. The Qur’an should be analysed as a whole. Surah Al Maa’idah gives permission for a Muslim man to marry a woman from the Ahle-Kitaab but the criterion is that she should be a chaste woman. It is mentioned in Surah Aali Imraan Chapter 3 Verse 110 “Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah. If only the People of the Book had faith, it were best for them: among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors.” [Al-Qur’an 3:110] The Qur’an mentions that among the people of the book, there are some who have faith but most of them are perverted transgressors. Analysing all the four verses of the Qur’an, which are quoted, we can derive that only those Christian women who are Mu’min, that is believers, are allowed to be married to. These Christian women should believe in one God and not in Trinity that is three in one. They should not consider Jesus (pbuh) as God or the son of God but only as a Messenger of God.

‘Talaaq’ is an Arabic word used for ‘divorce’ when given by a husband to his wife. A woman can very well divorce the husband in Islam, but this is not called ‘talaaq’. According to Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith No. 2172 and 2173 which is also mentioned in Sunan Ibn Maajah, Hadith No. 2018, the Prophet (pbuh) said that among the permissible things, the most hateful in the sight of Allah, is divorce. However the following conditions need to be fulfilled. a. The person should not be in a state of intoxication while giving divorce. b. The person should be in a sound state of mind and not mentally unstable. c. Before deciding on giving a divorce there should be a mutual talk regarding the situation between the husband and the wife. d. According to Surah Al Nisaa’ Chapter 4 Verse 35, if the talks fail, two arbiters should be appointed, one from the husband’s family and the other from the wife’s family. In short, have a family meeting to avoid divorce. e. Only if all these measures fail, can a person go ahead to give divorce. f. According to Surah Al-Talaaq Chapter 65 Verse 2, while pronouncing Talaaq, two persons endued with justice should be taken as witnesses. There are five different types of divorce in Islam:- 1. With the mutual consent of both the husband and the wife. Here both may agree that they are not compatible with each other. 2. With the unilateral will of the husband. Here, the husband has to forego the ‘Mahr’, that is, the dower he has given to the wife. In case any amount of Mahr has remained unpaid, he should give it to the wife. 3. With the unilateral will of the wife. This is only permissible if she specifies it in her marital contract that she too will have the right of unilateral divorce. This is called as Ismah or talaq-e-tafweedh. 4. If the husband ill-treats or neglects his wife or does not maintain her properly, she has a right to go to a judge and nullify the marriage. This is called as Nikaah-e-fasq. Here, the judge decides whether the husband has to give the complete amount of Mahr or part of it to the wife. 5. The last type is called ‘Khula’. Here the husband may be very good, but due to personal reasons, the wife may wish to separate. Here, with the permission of the husband she can separate but she has to forgo her marital gift, that is, her Mahr. Some jurists give different names for the above described divorces, while many club the different types of divorce and broadly divide the different types into two or three categories.

There is no direct reference in the Quran, which says that a woman should not be a head of state. However since Islam considers man to be the leader of the house, therefore the head of the state should also be a man. It is mentioned in the the hadith of Sahih Al Bukhari, Vol. 9, The Book of Fitan, Chapter 18, Hadith No. 7099: The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Never will succeed such a nation as makes a woman their ruler.” Some Scholars say this refers only to a particular state at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) i.e. Persia where a Queen was made the leader. But all the Scholars unanimously agree that a woman cannot be a ‘Khaleefah’. Let us analyse the pros and cons of a woman being the head of state in the present context: 1. The head of state has to lead congregational prayers. A woman cannot be an Imaam because during prayers (Salaah) there are several postures to be adopted such as Qiyaam, Rukoo’, Sujood, that is standing, bowing and prostration, and if a woman leads prayers, with men standing behind, it is bound to create disturbance and distraction. 2. The head of state very often has to meet other heads of state who are usually men. Many a time they have to have private closed-door meetings. Islam does not permit a woman to be alone in a closed room with any Non-mahram (i.e. a male except her father, brother, husband, son, father-in-law, son-in-law). Islam does not permit Intermingling of sexes. 3. There is usually a lot of media exposure of the head of state. Photographs and Video recordings are regularly taken. Normally the head of state has to stay in physical proximity with other male dignitaries, which may involve handshakes etc. 4. The head of state has to normally meet women and men regularly to attend to them and to try help solve their problems. 5. If a woman gets pregnant, she requires rest for at least a few months during which she will not be able to attend to the duties as a head of state. 6. During the menstrual cycle, there are certain mental, psychological and behavioural changes, which take place in women due to the release of the sex hormone oestrogen. 7. According to Medical Science, women in general perform better than men in vocal and verbal skills irrespective of the level of oestrogen. Men perform better in spatial relationships which is the ability to see or imagine objects in space for example think in advance how a building or a project will turn out. The decision of a leader is related mainly to this spatial relationship skill. Verbal, vocal and other skills of a woman are very important for her as a mother to raise a child. Here Allah (swt) has given women an edge over men. This study was done by two psychologists of Canada both of whom were women, Dr. Doreen Kimura and Elizabeth Hampson. This report was also published in “The New York Times – Nov. 1988”. 8. If she has children, her responsibility as a mother is important than that as a head of state. Therefore I am more inclined to the view of those scholars who say that a woman should not be made the head of state. However this does not mean that women cannot take active part in politics. They have a right to vote as well as take part in law making. When the treaty of Hudaibiyah was signed most of the people were disturbed. It was the wife of the Prophet, Umm Salamah, who gave him advice and supported him. Though the Prime minister is the most important person in our country, many a time the advisors and the personal assistants are the ones that shape the decisions and have more influence.