بسم الله الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وصحبه ومن والاه.
Bismillaah Alhamdulillaah wassalaatu wassalaam ‘alaa rasuulillaah wa ‘alaa aalihi wa sahbihi wa man waalaah.
All praises be to Almighty Allaah, we beseech His Blessings upon the noblest of Mankind, Muhammad the son of ‘Abdullaah, upon his household, his companions, and all those that tread his path till the day of reconning. Aameen.

Islaam is a perfect religion, perfected by the Creator of the entire universe. No manmade law can outshine nor outweigh the laws of Allaah in its relevance and solution to the problem of the world as it evolves. Allaah said:
{ … ٱلۡیَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِینَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَیۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِی وَرَضِیتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمَ دِینࣰا… }
Meaning: “…this day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you and I’ve chosen for you, Islaam as your religion…”[Surah Al-Mâ’idah: 3]

Before the perfection of the religion of Allaah through the messengership of Nabiyyullaah Muhammad, the world was in complete disorder. Most especially women being subjected to various humiliations and denials. People were never proud of giving birth to female children, thereby resulting to denying them their rights to life. Allaah said in the Qur’aan:
{ وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُم بِٱلۡأُنثَىٰ ظَلَّ وَجۡهُهُۥ مُسۡوَدࣰّا وَهُوَ كَظِیمࣱ (58) یَتَوَ ٰ⁠رَىٰ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ مِن سُوۤءِ مَا بُشِّرَ بِهِۦۤۚ أَیُمۡسِكُهُۥ عَلَىٰ هُونٍ أَمۡ یَدُسُّهُۥ فِی ٱلتُّرَابِۗ أَلَا سَاۤءَ مَا یَحۡكُمُونَ (59) }
Meaning: “And when the news of (the birth of) a female (child) is brought to any of them, his face becomes dark, and he is filled with inward grief.
He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that whereof he has been informed. Shall he keep her with dishonour or bury her in the earth? Certainly, evil is their decision “[Surah An-Nahl: 58-59]

Islaam didn’t just restore the right to life for women by prohibiting their evil acts and even making parents slaughter animals to Allaah in gratitude for the gift of a female child, Allaah restored the right of women to inherit and not to be inherited. Alongside other rights of women and orphan girls, enforced by Allaah as enshrined in His Divine laws, they were also given the right to be cared for and shown compassion through legal marriage with their consents sought and their mahr given. Allaah said in the Qur’aan;
{… فَٱنكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذۡنِ أَهۡلِهِنَّ وَءَاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ … }
Meaning: “…Wed them with the permission of the own folks (guardians, Awliyaa or masters) and give them their mahr according to what is reasonable…”
[Surah An-Nisâ’: 25].

Women are fragile by nature as the Prophet likened them with glass/vessels in their fragileness, thereby in need of protectors financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Allaah made men their protectors and to shoulder their responsibilities through marriage with mercy and compassion. Allaah said:
{ ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّ ٰ⁠مُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَاۤءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعۡضَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲ وَبِمَاۤ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنۡ أَمۡوَ ٰ⁠لِهِمۡ…}
Meaning: “Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allaah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means …”
[Surah An-Nisâ’: 34]

There is a problem in the world to which no law has a solution except the law of Allaah. In the world, it is said that the sex ratio at birth for boys ranges from around 103 to 107 boys per 100 girls (source: Our World in Data) while due to different factors, the death rate of males is higher than that of females. According to ‘Gender Statista’, the mortality rate in the world from 1990 to 2021, ranged from the record of 234.55 per 1000 men and 158.81 per 1000 women to 206.35 per 1000 men and 138.47 per 1000 women, respectively. X-raying these statistics, makes us know that due to the high death rate in men, there are more female adults than male adults in the world, year-in year-out. If women are said to be fragile and feeble by nature, and in need of men to be shown care, mercy, and compassion, how would this be taken care of with this uneven population of both genders? When a problem lingers on for too long without a definite solution, people tend to be inclined to one thing or the other illegally to solve the said problem. This situation gave rise to prostitution, lesbianism, fornication, adultery, and unfathomable diseases to mention but few, around the world. Allaah in his infinite Mercy, gave a solution to this lingering world problem, more as a mercy to women and alleviation of their emotional and economic pains/struggles, He legalized polygyny (which is marrying more than one woman). Allaah said in Suuratu-n-Nisaa’ verse 3:

{ وَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَلَّا تُقۡسِطُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡیَتَـٰمَىٰ فَٱنكِحُوا۟ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَاۤءِ مَثۡنَىٰ وَثُلَـٰثَ وَرُبَـٰعَۖ فَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُوا۟ فَوَ ٰ⁠حِدَةً أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَیۡمَـٰنُكُمۡۚ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ أَدۡنَىٰۤ أَلَّا تَعُولُوا۟ }
Meaning: “And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan-girls, then Marry (other) women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or (the slaves) that your right hands possess. That is nearer to prevent you from doing injustice”.
[Surah An-Nisâ’: 3]
This permissibility didn’t come without giving appropriate consideration to the strength and capability of men. Allaah said to marry two women if you have the strength and capability. If you have more, then marry three women. If you have more, then marry four women. But if you are with no such capabilities for any of the stated above, then maintain just one wife, or even a slave, so as not to treat the women unjustly, thereby earning Allaah’s wrath through it (may Allaah protect us from such).
Baarakallaahu feekum
© AbuLabeebah Taofeeq Busari
Imaam/Director Daaru-s-Sa’aadah Islamic Centre, Ota, Ogun State.