|
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Friday Sermon
HAZRAT KHALIFATULLAH AL-MASSIH AL-MA’OUD
Munir Ahmad Azim
(13 Muharram 1433 Hijri)
(Summary of Friday Sermon on Polygamy)
After having greeted the members (and all Muslims round the world) with the Salutations of Peace, the Messiah (Massih’ullah) read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and he said:
فَانكِحُواْ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاء مَثْنَى وَثُلاَثَ وَرُبَاعَ
… Fan-kihuu maa taaba lakum-minan-nisaaa-‘imasnaa wa sulaasa wa rubaa
…Marry those that please you of women, two or three or four. (4: 4)
For many years now, particularly since Islam appeared on the scene as a credible alternative to Judaism and Christianity, polygamy has been a subject of repeated debates between the adherents of Islam and Christianity. Christian scholars have often ridiculed Islam for permitting this practice within the divine injunction of the Holy Quran and regrettably, Muslims scholars have more often than not been extremely apologetic in the defence of polygamy in Islam.
In this sermon a comparative study shall be made of the concept of polygamy, as viewed by Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. I stress however that all references made to ‘Biblical and Hindu prophets’ in consequences of the evidence available in the Bible and the Hindu Scriptures do not necessarily reflect upon or bear resemblance to the lives of these prophets as pinpointed in the Holy Quran.
Plurality of wives had in fact been practiced long before the advent of Islam. In several cases it was found not only permissible but positively justifiable. Abraham’s wife Sarah, for instance, was a barren woman and hence he took Hagar, the mother of Ismael as a second wife (Genesis 16: 3) so as to achieve the Lord’s purpose to bless him the promised seed. Much later in life, Abraham took another wife Keturah (Genesis 25: 1) and possibly some others also. (Genesis 25: 6).
Jacob, “the consecrated son of Isaac” in whose seed the Christian believe the “salvation of mankind was to be realised” is apologetically defended for having been “tricked into polygamy by his father-in-law, Laban”. Yet this excuse does not appear to be valid. Jacob demanded Rachel from Laban within hours of his marriage to Leah and took her as a second wife within a week of his first marraige (Genesis 29: 25/28). He then proceeded to marry the handmaids of his wives, Bilhah and Zilpah. (Genesis 30: 4/9).
It was but a consequence of his agreement with his father-in-law who had pursued him after Jacob had “stolen away unawares” from Laban that Jacob finally abstained from multiplying his wives beyond the four he already had (Genesis 31: 50). David married a chain of wives while he dwelt in Hebron and Jerusalem and, according to conservative estimates; he maintained a harem of 99 wives. (2 Samuel 3: 2/5, 2 Samuel 5: 13 and 1 Chronicles 16: 3). Solomon set an all-time record with his 700 wives and 300 concubines. (1 King 11: 4)
Moses, the great Biblical Prophet, expounded the law which Christ said he had come not to destroy but to fulfill (Matthew 5: 17). Within this law, of which till heavens and earth pass, one jot or one tittle in no way shall pass (Matthew 5: 18), Moses did not express any prohibition against polygamy. On the contrary, evidence exists that Moses issued instructions for regulating polygamy in a proper manner.
Neither shall thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, besides the other in her life time (Leviticus 18: 18).
Some biblical commenters think that this verse contain an express prohibition of polygamy, arguing that the word sister merely signifies a wife which a person had already married. There are, however, no passages in the scriptures which favour the views of the anti-polygamists.
Exodus (21: 10) makes it binding upon a polygamous man to treat his wives with equality and provide them with the essentials of life: if he takes him another wife; her food, her raiment and her duty of marriage shall he not diminish. Not only did Moses protect the privileges of the wives but also guaranteed the rights of the offsprings born within polygamous marriages (Deuteronomy 21: 15).
Had polygamy been restricted by moral laws, the children of second wives would have had to be defined as illegitimate issues; they having been born out of the permissible institution of marriage. In that event, these children could not have exercised the right over the inheritance of the father’s estate as permissible under the law. The Bible does not deny the children of second wives a right to inherit their father’s estates (Deuteronomy 21 :15/17) which in fact is a conclusive proof that the moral laws expounded for the benefit of the blessed seed of Isaac did not prohibit polygamy but made allowances for it.
Subsequent history of the Israelite prophets and kings also suggests that polygamy was found permissible by divine laws expounded to the Children of Israel. David was a polygamous man and his sons Nathan and Solomon, through whom the genealogies of the parents of Christ, Mary and Joseph, are traced were both issues of David’s second wife Bathsheba. Solomon, given the divine charge by his father to keep the obligations of Jehovah, your God, by walking in His ways, by keeping His statutes and His commandments could not have indulged in such multiplication of wives, had these statutes and commandments prohibited polygamy. It was in fact Solomon’s strict obedience to the Lord that he was loved by God and named Jedidiah. Jephthah, the son of Solomon, declared as having been sent by Jehovah as a deliverer (1 Samuel 12:11) was also the issue of a second wife.
In fact, most biblical prophets and kings of consequence were thoroughly polygamous. Had polygamy not been permissible within the laws ordained by the Lord, none of these biblical prophets or kings could claim their right to be the members of the divine congregation.
If we cast a look in the annals of Hinduism, we get to find that Rukmini is the first, principal and most prominent wife and queen of Krishna. Rukmini is also considered to be a manifestation of Lakshmi, the “goddess” of fortune. At the pleading of the Princess, Krishna heroically kidnaps her from an unwanted marriage (described in the Bhagavata Purana).
O hero among the Kurus, … Govinda, married King Bhishmaka's daughter, Vaidarbhi, who was a direct expansion of the (Lakshmi) goddess of fortune (Sriyo maatraam). (Bhagavata Purana 10.52.16)
It is also reported that in addition to Rukmini, Krishna is said to have married more wives such as Satyabhama and Jamvanti. Hinduism also accepts the relation of love which existed between Krishna and Radha, one of the Gopis before his actual marriage with Princess Rukmini. Some are even of the opinion that there had been a secret marriage between Radha and Krishna. And according to an exaggerated Indian history, Krishna is said to have married more than 16,000 wives.
Polygamy in fact has never been prohibited specifically in any religion by divine commandment. The Christian argument that since God’s original standard for mankind was for the husband and wife to become one flesh and hence polygamy was not intented, does not appear to have been substantiated by the Gospels – or for that matter even in the Epistles of Paul who seems to have altered the teachings of Christ to a considerable extent.
The law as expounded by Jesus Christ in his Sermon on the Mount: “And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another; and whosoever marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” is not indicative of any prohibition or restriction placed upon polygamy.
Christ’s utterance of these words, as is evident from the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 19), Mark (Chapter 10) and Luke (Chapter 16) was a consequence of a dialogue he happened to have with the covetous Pharisees of his time. It need be stressed at this stage that Christ was very particular in insisting, during his Sermon on the Mount, that he had come to fulfill the law and not destroy it: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am come not to destroy but to fulfill: For verily, I say unto you, till heavens and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law. (Matthew 5: 17/18). The law being referred to in this case was the Law of Moses. Incidentally, none of the prophets or kings before Jesus appears to prohibit or restrict polygamy. On the contrary, as has been discussed earlier, enough evidence exists in the Old Testament to indicate that polygamy was permissible within the laws expounded by earlier prophets.
If Christ is to be credited for any sincerity for his declaration in Matthew 5: 17/18, then the possibility of his having prohibited polygamy would not only be remote but impossible. For it is said in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount: “Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven”. (Matthew 5:19)
As a general rule, every religion has recognised the union of one man and one woman as a valid form of marriage but in exceptional circumstances, all religions have permitted a man to have more than one wife. Islam is not an exception to this rule. The multiplication of the human species was a divine design: And God said unto thee; Be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1; 28).
Marriage was hence ordained as a proper arrangement to realise and accomplish this divine purpose. Yet certain unforeseeable conditions may prevail in a marriage where the very purpose of this divine union may be defeated by circumstances beyond the control of individual concerned.
In several situations, a woman could be found incapable of conception. In that event, the realisation of the divine purpose of (Genesis 1:28) could be totally defeated unless polygamous marriages were made permissible. Undue restrictions imposed upon mankind could also frustrate a man’s natural and legitimate desire to have an issue to succeed him and perpetuate his name; unless however a man divorced his barren or ailing wife for no personal fault of hers. This again would be in breach of the law as the resultant issue, for all purpose of the law, would be considered illegitimate hence defeating the very purpose of his marriage. In other circumstances, conditions could also prevail where a wife could be suffering from such permanent disorder so as to render her incapable of fulfilling her physical duties in marriage. Her husband’s failure to successfully resist his carnal passions could lead him to an immoral life. Adultery not only eats into the vitals of a civilised society but has in fact been described as a sin against God (Genesis 39: 9). It is said to be responsible for bringing a person’s own soul to ruin (Proverbs 6: 32/35).
Unless polygamy was permissible under these conditions an unfortunate person could be forced to either take recourse to the most detestable option of divorce or, as an alternative resort to adultery. Islam detests both these options. Divorce has been abhorred in Islam as much as it has been abhorred in Judaism or Christianity. Islam aspires to establish an excellent system of society in every sphere of life and the permissibility of polygamy makes the reality of such a moral and concerned society a feasible possibility. Besides preventing the abhorrent practice of divorce and indulgence in moral crimes, polygamy not only supplements the depleted manhood of a community but provides eligible husbands for marriageable widows and also guardians for grieved orphans.
The effects of strife and violence in our human society have always proved to be burdensome upon mankind. The institution of polygamy in Islam is intended to meet the serious situations that follow in the wake of wars when male species of a nation become so depleted so as to threaten the very fibre of a society with natural destruction. The preponderance of women over men as a result of losses experienced in the battlefields leaves a large number of women as widows and children as orphans. More often than not such situations have lead nations into social and moral degeneration. Women, deprived of an opportunity to find a bread winner, were forced to tend for their own, and in many instances the needs of their families at the expenses of their domestic lives. Being forced to go out and earn their own bread, young children and often elderly parents had to be deserted at least temporarily while daughters and mothers clocked in to grind the mill for basic survival.
The permissibility of plurality of wives in Islam was designed to meet unforeseen challenges and exigencies. The most interesting feature of the passage in the Holy Quran which deals with polygamy is that Islam appears to have been aware of the possibility of such situations appearing in the future, and it was to alleviate such suffering that a necessary resort to polygamy was considered not only permissible but commendable. Islam no doubt is such a religion. It is in consequence of this practical and pragmatic nature of Islamic philosophy that polygamy has been found permissible and acceptable.
In view of the above, Islam appears to be the only religion from amongst the four, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which needs no apology for its excellent teachings on polygamy. Polygamy in Hinduism was practised by the Kings and other Indians having the means to cater for the needs of several. While polygamy in Judaism was unrestricted, Christian expositors of Christ’s saying forced their society to the opposite extreme. Islam in fact offered a compromise between the two extremes and brought civility to the institution of marriage and polygamy. While discouraging indulgence into extreme plurality of wives as found permissible in Hinduism and Judaism, it also offered practical solutions to the problems faced by Christian societies.
I thereby close for the time being the exposition on Polygamy. I hope that these vital reasons, permissibility and commandment not only make men welcome Polygamy but also the women who very often have a very negative thought on this subject. May Allah help both men and women to welcome the commandments of God and not to be repulsed by His well-wishing Divine Laws. Insha-Allah, Ameen. |
