Why is polygamy permitted in Islam?

Indeed, polygamy generates more misconceptions about Islam than almost any other topic. To begin with, it should be recalled that polygamy was a common practice in many cultures predating Islam and is not exclusive to Muslim communities. However, Islam is unique in having restricted this ancient and widespread practice: whereas pre-Islamic cultures allowed unlimited polygamy, Islam limits a man to no more than four wives simultaneously, and further discourages the practice. In addition to having been customary before Islam, polygamy is, in fact, still considered natural for men even in today’s world. Remarkably, many biologists, psychologists, and social philosophers in the West maintain that strict monogamy goes against male nature. The key difference between Divine Law—which Allāh has chosen for His servants—and the corrupt secular and materialist laws of Western liberalism lies in the form of polygamy: Islam permits it under strict conditions and with a maximum of four wives, while in the West, men are legally required to be monogamous yet often remain practically unlimitedly polygamous, able to cohabit with any number of women despite having only one legal wife. Islamic polygamy is a sacred marital arrangement in which a husband maintains a conjugal bond with multiple wives—women who willingly enter into a stable, committed relationship as co-wives. It is a serious commitment on the part of the husband, who is obliged to assume full moral and financial responsibility for all his wives and to maintain justice among them. In stark contrast, polygamy in the Western context reduces women to mere girlfriends—treated as sexual objects by men who maintain multiple partners or as mistresses of unfaithful married men. Western men do not speak the truth openly; they pretend to support monogamy while, in reality, they desire complete freedom from marital restrictions. They regard the legal wife as a burden or a stumbling block in their path; to them, even one wife is too much, let alone two, three, or four. This is why they defend cohabitation and casual sexual relationships. Throughout the 20th century, Western men have succeeded in deceiving women on numerous issues related to marriage and family, employing high-sounding ideals of equality and liberty to minimize their responsibilities while maximizing opportunities for personal gratification.

A brief look at major world religions and cultures makes it clear that the institution of polygamy did not originate in Islam. Polygamy has been permitted in Judaism, in Christianity, in Hinduism, and in many other religious traditions. Few realize that what Allāh has granted in the Qurʾān is, in fact, a restriction on a practice that, historically, allowed men in many cultures to marry as many wives as they wished and to keep as many mistresses and concubines as they desired. In modern times, Western constitutions protect individuals’ private sexual acts from government intrusion or criminalization, rendering fornication and adultery a private matter. Unsurprisingly, no Western law prohibits a man from having even a thousand mistresses. In stark contrast, the Qurʾān does not grant men an unrestricted right to multiple wives, as polygamy is a responsibility rather than a license to satisfy their lust. In line with this, Allāh has placed specific and rigorous conditions on its practice. A man who seeks to be polygamous must be capable of justice toward all his wives, which extends beyond financial support to include equitable treatment in time, attention, affection, and care for their children. Consequently, the vast majority of Muslim men remain monogamous, as Islamic polygamy requires a level of responsibility and equality that most men cannot fulfill. Unlike in the Western model—where men commonly have mistresses or multiple casual partners, reducing women to sex objects without rights—Islamic polygamy is not designed to serve male desire but to ensure the dignity, respect, and lawful rights of women. As a result, Muslim communities have the lowest rates of polygamy. Conversely, forms of polygamy remain widespread in many other communities worldwide, particularly in Western societies, where men may engage in countless casual sexual relationships without any obligation to honor, grant rights, or provide stability to their female partners. Indeed, there is hardly a man in these societies who does not have dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of sexual partners over a lifetime within the framework of so-called casual sex, where women are reduced to mere sex objects with virtually no rights. Yet the same societies do not permit men to have multiple wives who can retain their lawful rights and live honorable, dignified, and respectable lives.

Atheists allege that Islam permits polygamy as a pretext for men to fulfill their sexual desires, yet this claim is far removed from what Islam actually seeks to achieve. It is striking that they raise no objection to the Western pattern of free love, promiscuity, and licentiousness, while simultaneously attacking Islam, which rendered polygamy more humane by instituting equal rights for all wives. Sexual decadence—effectively the form of polygamy prevalent in Western secular societies—has produced what may be described as the greatest moral crisis in human history: abortion, with approximately 893,000 abortions occurring in the United States alone in 2016.¹ The fact that this inhuman practice of abortion—the genocide of the most innocent members of the human community—continues to be prevalent in many Western countries does not confer legitimacy upon it: {Lost indeed are those who have murdered their own children foolishly out of ignorance} (Qurʾān 6:140). Induced abortion is tantamount to a horrifying new Nazism. It is a genocide occurring daily in the West at rates unprecedented in human history. In response to this reality, the phenomenon known as “drop-off baby boxes” has emerged in a number of countries, including several in Europe as well as the United States, China, Japan, and South Korea, providing mothers—without shame or blame—a place to abandon unwanted newborns safely. These baby boxes are presented as a “clean” alternative to abortion and to the abandonment of infants in trash cans or dumpsters. In the United States, baby boxes first began appearing in 2016, and there are now 113 such boxes across the country.²

Islam recognizes the sexual needs of both men and women, but it provides marriage as the sole lawful means for their fulfillment. It also acknowledges the reality that men, by their very nature, are inclined toward polygamy, and that if they are unable to practice it in a correct, responsible, and ethical manner, they may instead resort to unethical forms of polygamy involving mistresses and prostitutes. Accordingly, Islam has authorized polygamy while placing upon it various conditions that are, in practice, extremely difficult to observe, and it has strictly forbidden lustful, animalistic relationships outside the lawful framework of wedlock. In other words, Islam comprehensively prohibits ziná—which in Sharīʿah encompasses both fornication (consensual sexual intercourse between unmarried adults) and adultery (extramarital sex)—and classifies it as a grave and destructive major sin: {˹They are˺ those who do not invoke any other god besides Allāh, nor take a ˹human˺ life—made sacred by Allāh—except with ˹legal˺ right, nor commit fornication. And whoever does ˹any of˺ this will face the penalty. Their punishment will be multiplied on the Day of Judgment, and they will remain in it forever, in disgrace. As for those who repent, believe, and do good deeds, they are the ones whose evil deeds Allāh will change into good deeds. For Allāh is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful} (Qurʾān 25:68–70). Indeed, ziná is among the gravest of major sins, as it inflicts serious harm not only upon the individuals who commit it but also upon society as a whole. It is worth noting that abortion was first legalized in the West and gradually accepted largely on the basis of a single assumption: that unborn babies were not human beings. The unborn child was described as a “clump of cells,” and if a fetus were merely a clump of cells, abortion could be likened to pulling a tooth or removing a tumor. In recent years, however, the abortion debate has shifted, since supporters of abortion can no longer deny the biological humanity of unborn babies; instead, they deny that babies qualify as persons, arguing—implausibly—that being human no longer entitles one to the right to life. That is, they claim that not every human being possesses an inherent right to live. The reality is that supporters of abortion have lost the scientific argument, since the humanity of the embryo can no longer be denied, and have therefore shifted the debate to personhood, defined according to their subjective values and personal judgments. Islam, by contrast, regards the fetus as the precious origin of human life and upholds its sanctity. Accordingly, abortion is considered unlawful and a major sin at any stage of pregnancy unless a qualified physician determines that continuing the pregnancy would genuinely endanger the mother’s life. It is considered an even greater sin and a form of deliberate killing after the soul is believed to enter the fetus at approximately 120 days (four months). In this way, Islam firmly established the sanctity of life and abolished the practice of female infanticide that had been widespread before its advent: {and when baby girls, buried alive, are asked for what crime they were put to death} (Qurʾān 81:8–9). Terminating a pregnancy after the soul has been breathed into the fetus is considered the taking of a soul, according to scholarly consensus.³ Allāh says: {whoever takes a life—unless as a punishment for murder or mischief in the land—it will be as if they killed all of humanity} (Qurʾān 5:32). Islam prohibits secret extramarital sexual relationships, which have harmful effects on society, and instead encourages legally sanctioned husband-wife relationships—even under polygamy, when there is a pressing need. A man who wishes to be with more than one woman is obligated to do so lawfully, through a polygamous marriage that is publicly declared, not kept secret. As noted earlier, a man may marry more than one woman only if he can maintain justice among his wives in all aspects, including fair treatment, spending nights with them equitably, and providing for all of them and their children by meeting their needs for food, drink, clothing, and housing. If a man cannot fulfill these responsibilities, he must remain content with a single wife. In fact, the Qurʾān is the only Scripture that explicitly states: “marry only one.” Allah says: {If you fear you might fail to give orphan women their ˹due˺ rights ˹if you were to marry them˺, then marry other women of your choice—two, three, or four. But if you are afraid you will fail to maintain justice, then ˹content yourselves with˺ one or those ˹bondwomen˺ in your possession. This way you are less likely to commit injustice} (Qurʾān 4:3). For the first time in human history, a religion—Islam—has placed a limit on the number of wives a man may have. It stipulates that, under certain circumstances, a man may marry up to four wives, provided he is able to provide for them and maintain justice among them; otherwise, such a marriage is unlawful. If a man cannot fulfill the condition prescribed by Allāh, he should marry only one wife, as this is the best way to prevent him from committing injustice and oppression.⁴ Limiting himself to one wife increases the likelihood that he will fulfill her rights and refrain from transgressing against her.⁵ However, if a man is certain that he can treat all his wives fairly—by providing each with the same standard of housing, food, and clothing; showing equal kindness and consideration; and spending equal time with each—then he is permitted to marry two, three, or four wives, and no human has the right to prohibit what Allāh has made lawful.

Men are naturally polygamous, which is why polygamy has been part of patriarchal civilizations across the world long before the advent of Islam. The reason Islam did not categorically prohibit polygamy is that certain circumstances, faced by individuals and societies in different places and times, make the limited practice of polygamy a better solution than either divorce or the hypocritical pretense of morality. In other words, there are situations in which polygamy is necessary and the most practical solution. The primary occasion for permitting polygamy, as outlined in the Qurʾān, is wartime, when the number of men in society decreases due to casualties, leading to a rise in widows and orphans. In such cases, Islam allows polygamy so that widows and orphans may still have the possibility of family life after the death of a husband/father. While caring for widows and orphans is the main reason for polygamy, other circumstances may also justify it—for example, when women outnumber men in a community, partly due to females’ greater life expectancy. Because Islam neither encourages female infanticide nor promotes celibacy, permitting a man to be lawfully married to multiple wives becomes the most reasonable means of ensuring that women receive care and protection. If every man were to remain monogamous, many women would be left without the experience of marital life and would be deprived of the lawful fulfillment of their sexual needs, which Allāh created in all human beings. This could drive them toward illicit sexual relations, resulting in a life of hardship for single mothers and fatherless children. Thus, polygamy safeguards women from prostitution, provides them with care and protection, and ensures that children grow up with fathers in a stable and nurturing home. Moreover, if a man desires to have children but his wife is unable to conceive, his options are to remain childless, to divorce and remarry, or to take another wife. Likewise, if a wife becomes incurably ill and is unable to satisfy her husband’s sexual needs, his options are to abstain from sexual relations, to engage in sexual activity outside marriage, to divorce and remarry, or to take another wife. In such circumstances, rather than divorcing the wife who faces the difficulty, marrying a second woman while preserving the first wife’s rights constitutes a more appropriate solution. Furthermore, sexual desire is generally stronger in men than in women, a fact supported by research.⁶

That is, some men possess strong sexual appetites that cannot be satisfied by a single wife, and for such men, the most effective means of preventing adultery may be to take another wife, or more. This is especially so given that women are naturally subject to menstruation, childbirth, and postnatal bleeding—periods during which marital intercourse is prohibited—not to mention circumstances in which sexual relations may also be restricted due to complications of pregnancy. Thus, when a wife is temporarily indisposed because of pregnancy or the regular menstrual cycle, it is preferable for a man to fulfill his needs within the confines of a lawful, dignified, and respectful polygamous marriage rather than seeking sexual gratification through mistresses or prostitutes, as is common in Western societies. Similarly, it is well known that some men travel frequently for business, and this may also lead them to require more than one wife. In short, Islam permits polygamy as a remedial measure for particular situations that may arise from time to time, with due regard for the long-term moral, social, and spiritual well-being of individuals and society as a whole. Consequently, the claim that Islam sanctioned polygamy to enable men to pursue lustful lives is a blatant falsehood.

The association of polygamy with Islam is unfair, biased, and rooted in a serious misunderstanding, for polygamy is not prescribed as a general rule for all Muslims; rather, the general rule in Islam is monogamy. As previously noted, polygamy was practiced without limitation in nearly all cultures both before and after Islam and continues to be practiced today. However, Islam regulated this practice, restricted it, and rendered it more humane by instituting equal status and rights for all wives. In essence, Islam discourages polygamy and permits it only under strict conditions, when a genuine necessity exists and no better alternative is available. As a universal religion revealed by Allāh to guide people in all places and at all times, Islam adopts a realistic view of the nature of men and women, diverse social needs and problems, as well as cultural differences, and the permission of limited polygamy is consistent with this view. In other words, Islam does not ignore real issues but confronts and resolves them, offering legitimate, ethical, and beneficial solutions rather than demanding hypocritical conformity. If a man is unable to fulfill his sexual needs within a lawful and dignified polygamous marriage—one in which all wives are honored, provided for, sheltered, and protected, and in which children are recognized as legitimate and granted full rights of lineage, kinship, and inheritance—he may instead resort to adulterous, promiscuous relationships, where women are reduced to sexual objects with no rights and are easily used and discarded. Undoubtedly, women who are lawfully married and treated with kindness are far better off than mistresses without legal protection, just as the legitimate children of a polygamous father, born openly and enjoying the full rights and privileges of sons and daughters, are far better off than wanted or unwanted illegitimate children. Hence, Islam presents polygamy—an arrangement that entails serious responsibility and the strict maintenance of justice—as a practical solution suited to times of crisis. However, the Qurʾān conditions the permissibility of marrying more than one wife upon justice and fair treatment, while also reminding men that treating co-wives with true justice is extremely difficult, thereby effectively ruling out polygamy for most men. Islamic teachings are vital, flexible, and far-sighted because they emanate from Allāh, who possesses perfect knowledge of human needs and problems. Hence, humans may choose to reject divine guidance, set themselves up as their own gods, establish their own standards of morality, and devise their own solutions, but they will ultimately discover that these solutions are nothing more than a mirage. Indeed, hypocrisy and burying one’s head in the sand are neither realistic means of achieving a righteous human life nor effective paths toward genuine moral upliftment.

Why do Muslim women so passionately oppose the idea of their husbands taking other wives, even though they know that Islam permits it? This is largely due to the quasi-communitarian rejection of polygamy across many Muslim countries, where women are taught to regard it as the gravest crisis that can befall a married woman. Unfortunately, societal perceptions of polygamy remain archaic, sexist, and entirely mistaken. It is commonly viewed as a harmful practice, detrimental to women and children both individually and collectively. Moreover, many contemporary Muslim men trivialize polygamy, bragging or joking about their “privilege” with statements such as: “If my wife does not make me happy, I have three more chances to find women who will.” Such attitudes make light of a profoundly serious matter. Consequently, false perceptions of polygamy have become deeply entrenched, especially in the minds of women, thereby opening the door for atheists and secularists to attack its legitimacy in Islam. Hence, Muslim men often make several mistakes in how they approach polygamy. Firstly, many trivialize it—single men joke about marrying more than one wife, while married men joke about taking additional wives. Even worse, some married men use polygamy as a threat to intimidate their wives or to settle disputes. Whether intended as a joke or seriously, such behavior is harmful, as it ingrains in women’s minds the belief that taking a second wife is inherently detrimental to the first. In doing so, these men distort polygamy—a practice that can provide legitimate solutions to various personal and social issues—by perpetuating the notion that it harms women. Additionally, societal culture, increasingly moving away from the spirit of Islam, has instilled in women beliefs regarding the supposed emotional and financial costs of polygamy. It is claimed that the first wife loses her sense of safety and security, as well as her financial rights, when her husband takes a second wife. It is also claimed that a man’s emotional attachment to his first wife will diminish, as he shares his affection with another woman, leaving the first wife consumed by neglect and jealousy. Consequently, the husband’s second wife is widely perceived as the most unfortunate event for the first wife. Furthermore, in many cases, men in polygamous marriages mistreat their first wife and deny her rights, which only reinforces these widespread misconceptions. In this way, Muslim men who oppress women in polygamous marriages are complicit in distorting this pure and balanced model of marriage. Consequently, they inadvertently give secular Western critics—who normalize sexual promiscuity—ammunition to disparage lawful, sanctified Islamic polygamous marriage, which entails significant responsibilities and duties. Furthermore, women often face stigma and blame in cases of polygamy, as there is a strong tendency to hold the first wife responsible when a husband takes another wife. Society frequently points fingers at her, assuming without evidence that she is at fault, with remarks such as: “She could have prevented it!” “She did not sacrifice enough!” “Poor man, she must be negligent!” “His second wife is far more exciting!” “He is a man and he has needs!” “She cannot make him happy!” “She asked for it because of her negligence!” The underlying assumption is that if a man seeks another wife, it must be due to deficiencies in the first wife. As a result, the first wife often experiences overwhelming feelings of failure, shame, and guilt, which can severely damage her self-esteem and confidence in the face of reproachful looks and judgmental attitudes from others. Clearly, such finger-wagging, blaming, and shaming are serious mistakes. Therefore, people need to stop holding the first wife responsible and recognize that a man may take a second wife without any fault or negligence on her part.

As elaborated above, the widespread misunderstanding of polygamy, coupled with all the cases in which men mistreat their wives, has opened the door for secularists to portray Islamic polygamy as a lustful, hedonistic, misogynistic, and despicable practice. Unfortunately, this has sown seeds of doubt in the hearts of many Muslim women, leading them to harbor negative feelings about polygamy. Moreover, to avoid social judgment, even men who are capable of observing equity in providing for and treating multiple wives kindly often refrain from practicing polygamy—which is ḥalāl (lawful)—and, regrettably, some of them fall into adulterywhich is ḥarām (unlawful). By prohibiting themselves from what Allāh has made lawful, they ultimately commit sin. Therefore, society needs to change its perceptions of polygamy. Muslim men who enter into polygamous marriages must strictly observe the conditions laid down in the Qurʾān. They should not wield polygamy as a threat over their wives, and they must recognize that it is not a game but a serious responsibility. More importantly, they must ensure that the rights of the first wife are fully preserved—financial rights, including food, clothing, accommodation, and medical care; and non-financial rights, including time, affection, sexual intimacy, and kind treatment. Indeed, a man should maintain protective jealousy over the honor and standing of his first wife even to the extent of sacrificing his life in her defense if necessary: “…whoever fights to protect his family is a martyr.”⁷ The point is that it is strictly prohibited to mistreat the first wife or to deprive her and her children of any of their rights. Polygamous husbands must ensure equality in time, care, and resources among all their wives and children, for every man is a guardian and accountable for the people of his household:“Indeed, every one of you is a shepherd and will be held accountable for his flock. … a man is a shepherd over the people of his household and he will be held accountable for his flock.”⁸ In Islam, marriage is a solemn covenant of fidelity: {and they have taken a firm covenant from you} (Qurʾān 4:21). It is only because a woman has faith in the solemnity of this covenant—the promise to care for her and live with her in kindness—that she entrusts herself to a man. Hence, Allāh commands men to honor their wives to the best of their ability: {…And live with them honorably} (Qurʾān 4:19).

Again, polygamous men are obligated to observe complete justice and equality among their wives in their way of treatment, in the amount and quality of maintenance, and in sexual intimacy. Hence, polygamy in Islam is a highly demanding and weighty responsibility—one that most men are not competent to fulfill. It should be noted that Allāh exempts men from achieving absolute equality in matters of love and the inclination of the heart, as these are beyond human control. However, it is mandatory for them to treat their wives fairly in all areas within their power, such as good treatment, financial support, spending nights, and similar obligations. Allāh prohibits polygamous men from wholly favoring one wife while neglecting the other. The punishment for a man who is unjust among his wives is that Allāh will expose him on the Day of Resurrection. He will be resurrected with disfigured features reflecting his grave sin, appearing at the Gathering Place with one side of his body leaning—a representation of the injustice with which he treated his wives. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever has two wives and favors one of them over the other will come on the Day of Resurrection with one of his sides leaning.”⁹ That is why Allāh advises men that it is safer to limit themselves to only one wife, for this is the closest way to justice: {But if you are afraid you will fail to maintain justice, then ˹content yourselves with˺ one or those ˹bondwomen˺ in your possession. This way you are less likely to commit injustice} (Qurʾān 4:3). On the other hand, Muslim women should recognize that polygamy is lawful and permitted by Divine Law, and that a husband’s marrying another woman does not imply that his first wife is inadequate or deficient in any way. Undeniably, it is natural for women to experience jealousy and to be reluctant to share their husbands. They are therefore not to be condemned for such feelings, as jealousy existed even among the most righteous women—the Mothers of the Believers (the Prophet (PBUH)’s wives) and the wives of the Companions. However, jealousy should not lead a woman to develop aversion toward what Allāh has legislated, for harboring aversion toward Divine legislation is a grave matter that results in the nullification of good deeds: {…that is because they detest what Allāh has revealed, so He has rendered their deeds void} (Qurʾān 47:9). However, it is important to understand that it is not ḥarām (unlawful) for a woman to dislike polygamy for herself. As the Prophet (PBUH) stated, Paradise is surrounded by adversities. That is, the path to Paradise is surrounded by matters that humans naturally dislike, since the human self is inclined toward comfort and ease. Accordingly, a woman may dislike polygamy because jealousy is a natural disposition in women, and they are not naturally content with sharing their husbands. If, however, a woman restrains her jealousy and goes against the inclinations of her own self by obeying Allāh and avoiding what He has prohibited, this obedience draws her closer to Paradise and farther from the Hellfire. Nevertheless, while it is not ḥarām for a woman to dislike polygamy for herself, it is impermissible for her to hate or resent the fact that Allāh has legislated it.

In summary, as explained above, women’s aversion to polygamy generally stems from three main reasons. The first is society’s perception of polygamy, and the remedy for this lies in correcting societal attitudes and misconceptions. The second relates to financial concerns, as each of a man’s wives possesses equal financial rights over his wealth. Many women are therefore reluctant to share their husband’s resources with other wives and their children. In reality, this reflects a misunderstanding, for worldly provision lies in the hands of Allāh alone, who distributes sustenance among His servants according to His will and wisdom. Allāh may expand the provision of a man who has multiple wives, just as He may restrict the provision of one who is not married at all: {Indeed, Allāh ˹alone˺ is the Supreme Provider} (Qurʾān 51:58). The Prophet (PBUH) cautioned women against asking their husband to divorce another wife while harboring the intention of monopolizing his wealth, saying: “No woman should ask for her sister [in faith] to be divorced so as to take what is in her bowl [her share in the husband’s wealth].”¹⁰ In other words, it is not permissible for a wife to request that her husband divorce a second wife in order to become the sole recipient of his maintenance. Another version of the report adds that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “She will have nothing but what has been decreed for her [by Allāh].”¹¹ This emphasizes that the first wife must recognize that she will receive only what has been divinely decreed for her before she was born, and that her sustenance will not diminish simply because her husband takes another wife: {In heaven is your sustenance and whatever you are promised. Then by the Lord of heaven and earth! ˹All˺ this is certainly as true as ˹the fact that˺ you can speak!} (Qurʾān 51:22–23). The third reason why women dislike the idea of their husbands taking other wives is jealousy. A new wife naturally evokes intense jealousy in the first wife, who fears that a rival might replace her in her husband’s affection. As noted, a woman’s jealousy regarding her husband is innate, and it is not possible to forbid her from feeling it. However, while the woman who feels jealous may object to having a co-wife, she should not resent the fact that Allāh has permitted her husband to take more than one wife. There is a clear distinction between these two matters. Disliking something, even if it is prescribed in the Sharīʿah, does not harm a person, provided that they do not dislike the fact that it has been prescribed. Allāh says: {Fighting has been made obligatory upon you ˹believers˺, though you dislike it. Perhaps you dislike something which is good for you and like something which is bad for you. Allāh knows and you do not know} (Qurʾān 2:216). The inherent jealousy of women in polygamous marriages is a trial for them, and they should strive to overcome it. Their piety and fear of Allāh should serve as a firm foundation for rising above the natural inclinations of jealousy and competition for a single husband. It should be emphasized that the Sharīʿah is not designed to cater to our personal whims and desires—otherwise, how could there be trial and accountability before Allāh? Allāh may test us with things that are difficult and heavy upon our hearts and egos, yet it may be that we dislike something that is ultimately good for us. Therefore, we should obey Allāh and adhere to His commands so that we may attain true guidance, for He has greater knowledge than we do of how matters will unfold and of what is truly beneficial for us in this life and in the Hereafter. Allāh has permitted polygamy, which women may dislike and in which they may experience jealousy over their husband. Similarly, defensive jihād (fighting in the cause of Allāh) against an enemy who transgresses against Islam is considered a collective obligation upon all men who have reached puberty, even though they may dislike it, as it entails enduring the hardships of travel and the risk of injury or death. Beyond jihād, Allāh has prescribed other obligations for men that are not required of women, such as praying in congregation and assuming financial responsibility for the family. The point is that what is required of believers—male or female—in all circumstances is not to be guided by human inclinations or personal desires. Rather, they should allow the fear of Allāh to restrain them from wrongdoing and enmity, and they should seek assistance from Allāh. According to Islam, this life is merely a test: {˹He is the One˺ Who created death and life in order to test which of you is best in deeds} (Qurʾān 67:2). That is, this world is a place of trials and tribulations. Allāh did not praise the believers for being free from whims and desires; rather, He praised them for striving to overcome them for His sake. Without a doubt, there is wisdom and goodness in everything that Allāh has decreed. For example, He has decreed that men have a stronger sexual drive than women. This heightened drive is associated with increased sexual attraction to women, and the divine wisdom behind it is to motivate men to pursue women and to cultivate the qualities that make them appealing to women. When guided by sexual desire, men develop courage, willpower, motivation, persistence and energy. Indeed, women are a primary reason why men work patiently and tirelessly from dawn to dusk for decades: women are naturally attracted to strong men who possess the ability to support them and their children. Consequently, men are willing to labor long hours while their wives enjoy the security and comfort of home. Similarly, there is divine wisdom behind women’s protective jealousy over their husbands. When expressed in moderation, such jealousy is a praiseworthy trait and can be a force for good in a marriage. It reminds the woman to appreciate her husband and not take him for granted. It motivates her to make a conscious effort to ensure he feels valued, and to help him resist the temptation of other women. It also intensifies emotions, making love deeper and intimacy more passionate.

A question regarding polyandry (a form of polygamy in which a woman has more than one husband) may arise: Why is it forbidden in Islam for a woman to have multiple husbands at the same time? There are several issues with polyandry that are apparent to any intelligent person. First, the connection between a father and his children becomes uncertain in such a relationship. In other words, the problem of determining the parentage of children is the greatest difficulty with polyandry and has been a major reason why this practice is rarely successful in reality. Even if a DNA paternity test—accurate between 90 and 99 percent—could establish the lineage of a child born to a woman with multiple husbands, the disagreement among the husbands over who should be next to impregnate her creates another significant problem. Moreover, polyandry goes against a man’s natural desire to be a woman’s sole partner and to have a secure and recognized bond with his children. It also goes against the nature of women, as psychological research indicates that women, unlike men, are naturally monogamous—they are biologically predisposed toward fidelity. Additionally, polyandry tears the fabric of the family unit and leads to anarchy because a woman with multiple husbands would be under the authority of several men simultaneously. Furthermore, medical research has shown that one of the major causes of serious diseases, such as AIDS, is women having sexual relations with multiple men. In short, Islam prohibits women from being married to multiple husbands simultaneously to preserve lineages, protect the integrity of families, safeguard the well-being of children, and prevent the spread of dangerous sexually transmitted diseases.

To conclude, from atoms to galaxies, Allāh is the Sole Ruler of the entire universe. Every single atom operates according to the order established by Him, guided by His infinite knowledge, wisdom, will, and might. As discussed, Allāh has permitted polygamy as a solution—beneficial to both men and women—under special circumstances and with specific conditions. When practiced correctly, in accordance with the pure Islamic model, polygamy can resolve many challenges that men and women face. It is Allāh’s legislation that can help remedy social ills such as illicit sexual relations, moral decline, spinsterhood, as well as other personal challenges related to emotional deprivation and loneliness. Historically, polygamy has been practiced in many Muslim societies without causing problems or adverse psychological distress for the first wife. Today, however, difficulties in polygamous households and the emotional struggles experienced by first wives are largely the result of societal disapproval of the practice. Therefore, it is essential for Muslims to develop a correct understanding of polygamy and the wisdom behind all that Allāh has legislated. Moreover, Muslim men must not abuse polygamy and should fulfill the responsibilities it entails. Above all, we, as Muslims, need to be content with and act upon what Allāh, Glorified and Sublime be He, has prescribed.