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AhmedBahgat · (This post was last modified: 09-17-2005, 07:29 AM by Muslimah.)

Polygamy for Prophets Allowed as a Special Privilege:

The fact that only Muhammad is accused of polygamy is rather surprising, since this is a privilege enjoyed by Prophets before him, their wives and concubines came in great numbers too! The Torah, the Bible, and the Quran tell of some of them, the rest are not mentioned so we don't know, but among the ones who were polygamous, According to the Old Testament, we can count Prophets: Ibrahim “the friend of God” (Abraham), Ya'qoub (Jacob), Dawoud (David), and Solaiman (Solomon). The Scriptures talk of Polygamy as a "favor" bestowed upon them from The Lord:

First Kings 11:1-3 indicates that King Solomon had 700 hundred wives and 300 hundred concubines!

"In sealing treaties in ancient days, it was customary for a lesser king to give his daughter in marriage to the greater king. Every time a new treaty was sealed, Solomon ended up with yet another wife. These wives were considered "tokens of friendship" and "sealed" the relationship between the two kings."

[Reasoning from the Scriptures- on 1 Kings]

Scripture indicates that David also acquired wives and concubines, David's blessings, including his wives, were given to him as a result of God's favor

" (2 Sam. 5:12-13; 12:8; D&C 132:39). Scriptural records say that the Lord did command some of his ancient saints to practice plural marriage. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- among others (D. & C. 132) -- conformed to this ennobling and exalting principle; the whole history of ancient Israel was one in which plurality of wives was a divinely accepted and approved order of matrimony. Those who entered this order at the Lord's command, and who kept the laws and conditions appertaining to it, have gained for themselves eternal exaltation in the highest heaven of the celestial world. In the early days of this dispensation, as part of the promised restitution of all things, the Lord revealed the principle of plural marriage to the Prophet. Later the Prophet and leading brethren were commanded to enter into the practice, which they did in all virtue and purity of heart."

[Mormon Doctrine of Plural Marriage, p. 578]

The dictionary of the Bible states that an ordinary man can marry 4 wives

"Polygamy meets us as a fact: e.g. Abraham, Jacob, the Judges, David, Solomon… In Deutronomy 17:17, the King is warned not to mutiply wives; later regulations fixed the number at eighteen for a king and four for an ordinary man"

[Dictionary of the Bible (James Hasting, Editor), Revised Edition, Charles Scribner’s Sons, N. Y., 1963, p. 624]

The philosophy behind the legalization of polygamy is explained in the Encyclopaedia Biblica

"The man who owns his wife as a chattel can on the same principle own as many as he pleases that is to say, as many as he can afford to buy an keep…The Talmusidts fotmulate the rule that no Jew may have more than 4 wives, kings may have at most 18"

[Encyclopaedia Biblica (Rev. T.K. Cheyene and J.S. Black, Editors), The Macmillan Co., London, 1902 vol. 3, p. 2946]

It was the only of the beginning of the eleventh Century! (about 4 centuries after the advent of Islam) that polygamy was expressly prohibited in Judaism according to Westermarck

"Among European Jews polygamy was still practiced during the middle ages, and among Jews living in the Muhammadan countries, it occurs even to this day. An express prohibition of it was not pronounced until the convening of Rabbinical Synod at Worms, in the beginning of the eleventh century. This prohibition was originally made for the Jews living in Germany and Northern France, but it was successively adopted in all European countries. Nevertheless the Jewish marriage Code retained many provisions which originated at a time when polygamy was still legally in existence"

[Westermarck, Edward A., The History of Human Marriage, (5th Edition Rewritten), Macmillan and Co., London 1925 vol III, p 42-43 ]

 In Christianity, the history of Polygamy is evident as explained by Westermarck, the noted authority on the history of human marriage

"As of the Old Testament is a vital part of the Christian faith, it cannot be disregarded in this discussion. It was concerning the Old Testament laws and the Old Testament Prophets that Jesus said plainly that he came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but rather to fulfil. In addition, there is no passage in the New Testament that clearly prohibits polygamy. This was the understanding of the early Church Fathers and for several centuries in the Christian era."

"Considering that monogamy prevailed as the only legitimate form of marriage in Greece and Rome, it cannot be said that Christianity introduced obligatory monogamy in the Western World. Indeed, although the New Testament assumes monogamy as the normal or ideal form of marriage, it does not expressly prohibit monogamy, expect in the case of a bishop and a deacon. It has been argued that it was not necessary for the first Christian teachers to condemn polygamy because monogamy was the universal rule among peoples whose midst it was preached; but this is certainly not true of the Jews, who still both permitted and practiced polygamy at the beginning of the Christian era."

"Some of the Fathers accused the Jewish Rabbis of sensuality, but no Council of the Church in the earliest centuries opposed polygamy, and no onstacle was put in the way of its practise by kings in countries where it had occurred in the times of paganism. In the middle of the sixth century Diarmait, King of Ireland, had two queens and two concubines. Polygamy was frequently practised by the Merovingian kings. Charles the Great had two wives and many concubines; and one of his laws seems to imply that polygamy was not unknown even among priests. In later times Philip of Hesse and Frederick William II of Prussia contracted bigamous marriages with the sanction of the Lutheran clergy, Luther himself approved of the bigamy with considerable tolerations. It had not been forbidden by God; even Abraham, who was “perfect Christian,” had two wives. It is true that God had allowed such marriages to certain men of the Old Testament only in particular circumstances, and if a Christian wanted to follow their example he had to show that the circumstances were similar in his case; but polygamy was undoubtedly preferable to divorce. In 1650, soon after the Peace of Westphalia, when the population had been greatly reduced by the Thirty Years’ War, the Frankish Kreistag at Nuremberg passed the resolution that thenceforth every man should be allowed to marry two women. Certain sects of Christians have even advocated polygamy with much fervor. In 1531 the Anabaptists openly preached at Munster that he who wants to be a true Christian must have several wives. And the Mormons as all the world knows, regard polygamy as a divine institution."

[Westermarck, Edward A., The History of Human Marriage, (5th Edition Rewritten), Macmillan and Co., London 1925 vol III, p 50-51 ]

 It should be inferred from the above discussion that recognition and practice of polygamy in Judaism and Christianity is the reason for permitting it in Islam.

The qualified permission to practise polygamy in Islam is based upon God’s revelation (The Quran). For an exposition of some of the situations that may justify the practice of polygamy.

If polygamy is immoral, then these other leading figures in the Biblical traditions are immoral, In this case, there would be no sanctity attached to the Bible, its Prophets, or its teachings! No sincere Jew, Christian, or Muslims would regard God’s chosen messengers as immoral persons!

 In Christianity Women were despised and blamed for the Corruption based on Eve's supposed submission to the Devil and her subsequent encouragement to Adam to eat from the forbidden tree

Some Christian scholars of the past even interpreted as sex itself, The following are statements of canonized saints of Christianity concerning women:

"Woman is the daughter of falsehood, a sentinel of Hell, the enemy of peace; through her Adam lost paradise"

[ St. John Damascene ] 

"Woman is the instrument which the Devil uses to gain possession of our souls"

[ St. Cyprian ] 

"Woman is the arm of the Devil, her voice is hissing of the serpent"

[ St. Anthony ] 

"Woman has the poison of an asp, .the malice of a dragon"

[ Gregory the Great ] 

The preponderance of females in the world is an established fact

The death-rate at birth is much higher for boys and women on the whole live longer than men; not to mention, the large number of men who die daily in various wars around the world. Thus, although the ratio may vary from country to country the results are still the same; women outnumber men, here is some statistics:

Russia:
46.1% men
53.9% women
- 1970 census

UK:
48.55% men
51.45% women
- 1971 census

USA:
48.8% men
51.2% women
- 1971 census

Brazil:
49.73% men
50.27% women
- 1970 census

[ The New Encyclopedia Britannica, (USA; Encyclopedia Britanica Inc., 15th edition, 1976), vol. 17, pp. 34,270,244 ]

This apparent imbalance has been further aggravated in the West by the alarming increase in homosexual within society. Hence there are more females competing for a diminishing number of males. Consequently, there will always remain a large segment of women unable to fullfill their sexual and psychological needs through a legitimate means in monogamous societies, unless they engage with another woman, become a public property, sleep with a married man or become a mistress with no rights or marry a married man.

A strong family structure is an absolute requirement for a strong and healthy society. And, the only way that the family can remain strong and society cater to the needs of its male and female members is through the Islamic form of marriage of which polygamy is a part

Islam didn't Invent Polygamy; it Only Regulated it -- in Favour of Women!

From the above accounts, we can clearly see that Prophets -including Muhammad- were allowed to be more polygamous than their followers, not just for carnal reasons, but for a lot of political and religious reasons pertaining to their Call. Consequently, it is groundless to wonder why Muslims can't marry 12 wives like their prophet, just as it is to wonder why Jews and Christians can't marry 700 like theirs! Islam didn't invent polygamy, Islam only made polygamy more humane, instituting equal rights for all wives. And even so, Muslim women are not forced to accept this, and may put a condition against it in their marriage contract.



The Quran is the only Holy Book that actually says 'Marry only one'.

Images of "sheikhs with harems" are not consistent with Islam, as in fact, the general rule in Islam is monogamy not polygamy:

"If you fear that you shall not be able deal justly with the orphans then 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."

 [The Quran ; Al-Nissa:3]

Polygamy in Islam is not recommended; it's only permitted under certain guidelines. Permission to practice polygamy is not associated with mere satisfaction of passion. It is rather associated with compassion toward widows and orphans.

Before the Quran was revealed, there was no upper limit for polygamy and many men had hundreds of wives. Islam put an upper limit of four wives, permitting a man to marry more than once, only on the condition that he deals justly with all of them. Yet the same verse points out:



"Ye are never able to be fair and just as between women"

[The Quran ; Al-Nissa:129]

Therefore polygamy in Islam is not a rule but an exception.

Why is The Exception of Polygamy Allowed in Islam?

The exception is made for many reasons, but let's note a couple here, addressing the concern that Muhammad "had intercourse outside of wedlock":

1. The verse which allows polygamy was revealed after the battle of Uhud in which many Muslims were killed, leaving widows and orphans for hom due care was incumbent upon the Muslim survivors

As we discussed before in Western society, it is common for a man to have mistresses and/or multiple extra-marital affairs; women in this case are degraded to mere sex objects with absolutely no rights, they're usually on the losing end of such liaisons. The same society, however, cannot accept a man having more than one wife, so women can retain their lawful rights and lead an honourable, dignified and respectable life.

2. If every adult American man got married to only one woman as well considering the preponderance of females discuused earier , there would still be more than 25 million females in U.S.A who would not be able to get husbands, at least considering that -according to latest statistics- 10% of the American population is gay! That's close to 30 million people!

Thus the only three options for a woman who cannot find a husband is either to: 

I. marry a married man

II. have an afair with a married man "A mistress"

III. become a public property - A prostitute

Islam gives women the honorable position by permitting the first option and disallowing the second and the third. At least one of the reasons Islam has permitted limited polygamy, is to protect the modesty of women!

Islam's Sraightforward Aproach in Problem Solving

In Islam, problems are supposed to be faced and solved - not ignored! So, rather than requiring hypocritical compliance, Islam provides legitimate and clean solutions to the problems of individuals and societies. There is no doubt that the second wife legally married and treated kindly is better off than a mistress without any legal rights. Through practical example, Prophet Muhammad as the guide of Muslims has set the applicable rules for this aspect of human relations in order not to leave anything for speculation.

Stages of The Prophet's Married Life:

First, let's remember that Prophet Muhammad lead a life supported only by the bare minimum of necessities, his wives were not idly wasting away the hours in a luxurious harem -as portrayed in western movies- but they lead a life of labor and sacrifice, while he was mostly busy away from home overseeing his numerous duties as a Prophet. So, obviously lust was not a factor as he wasn't even at home most of the time. Further, most of his marriages occurred when lust is not a major factor in any man's life

When the Prophet passed away, he left nine wives behind. This has become a main target of the Christian and Jewish writers. They say that plurality of marriage (polygamy) in itself points to avidity and to yielding to lust and desire, and the Prophet was not content with four wives which had been allowed to his Ummah but exceeded even that limit and married nine women.

It is necessary to point out that this is not such a simple matter to be dismissed in a sentence that he was inordinately fond of women, so much so that he married nine wives. The fact is that he had married each one of his wives for some particular reason due to particular circumstances.

His first marriage was with Khadijah. He lived with her alone for twenty-five years. It was the prime time of his youth and constitutes two-thirds of his married life.

Then he married Sawdah bint Zam'ah whose husband had expired during the second migration to Abyssinia. Sawdah was a believing lady who had migrated on account of her faith. Her father and brother were among the most bitter enemies of Islam. If she were left to return to them, they would have tortured and tormented her, as they were doing with other believing men and women, oppressing and killing them, forcing them to renounce their faith.

At the same time, he married 'Ayishah bint Abu Bakr, who was then a six-year old child. She came to the Prophet's house some time after the migration to Medina. will extend on this marriage later

Then he emigrated to Medina and began spreading the word of Allah. Thereafter, he married 9 women, all of them widows or divorcees and one slave that was given to him, all old or middle-aged. This continued for about eight years. It was only then that he was prohibited by the Almighty from marrying any woman besides those whom he had already married. Obviously, these happenings cannot be explained by his love for women because both his early life and the later period contradict such an assumption.

Just look at a man with a passion for women who is infatuated with a carnal desire, enamored by female companionship, with a sensual lust for them. You will find him attracted to their adornment, spending his time in pursuit of beauty, infatuated with coquetry and flirtation and craving for youth, tender age, and fresh complexion. But these peculiarities are conspicuously absent in the Prophet's life. He married widows after having married a virgin, old-aged ladies after having married young girls. Then he offered his wives a choice to give them a good provision and allow them to depart gracefully, i.e. divorce them if they desired this world and its adornment. Alternatively, they should renounce the world and abstain from adornments and embellishments if they desired Allah and His Prophet and the latter abode. Look at this verse of the Quran:



"O Prophet! Say to your wives: If you desire this world's life and its ornature then come, l will give you a provision and allow you to depart a graceful departure. And if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the latter abode, then surely Allah has prepared for the doers of good from among you a ,mighty reward."

[ The Quran ; Al-Ahzab:28-29 ]

To summarize the prophet married life:

1. He remained single until age 25. He had a reputation as the Honest One.

2. From age 25 to 50 he was faithful to only one wife: Khadija, who bore all his children except one. She was 15 years older than him, with children from two previous marriages. She had actually asked him to marry her -through a friend- after experiencing his exemplary manners and honesty while in her employment. She was his greatest ally when he received The Call at age 40 until she died when he was 50 years old. He remained in love with her until he died and often talked of his life with her with great nostalgia.

3. Between ages 50-52 he remained unmarried and mourning his late beloved wife. He lived alone with his daughters.

4. Between ages 53-60 he married all his other wives for many noble reasons. It's unimaginable for a man to suddenly turn lustful at this age, especially as he was constantly traveling, with bloodthirsty enemies on his heels.

5. At age 60, Allah revealed to him an aya preventing him from marrying anymore until he died, which was at age 63 years old. The Quran says what means:



"It is not lawful for you (to marry other) women after this, nor to change them for other wives"

 [The Quran ; Al-Ahzab: 52]

Reasons for The Prophet's Marriages:

We can categorize all his marriages under two aspects of his personality:

I- Muhammad the man: who needed a loving wife, children and a stable home, so he married Khadija and remained with only her for 25 years until she died

II- Muhammad the Prophet: who married the other wives for reasons pertaining to his duty to deliver The Message to the world. Those particular women were carefully selected not just haphazardly "acquired" for carnal reasons as suggested but in order to give them protection and safeguard their dignity. Here are some of the reasons for which Muhammad married:

1. To pass on Islam to the next generations as a practical legacy: Prophet Muhammad is the only prophet without any privacy, and with a meticulously preserved tradition in speech and actions in all minute details of his public and private life. Preserved in the sharp minds of his wives and his companions, those narrations comprise the "daily life manual" for Muslims to follow until the end of time. The fact that Islam was spread on the shoulders of women and preserved in their hearts is a great honour to the females of this Ummah. The books of authentic Hadith attribute more than 3000 narrations and Prophetic traditions to his wives alone

2. To cement the relations of the budding nation: In a tribal society, it was customary to seal treaties through marrying into tribes. Muhammad's closest Companions later became the 4 Caliphs who lead Islam at the critical stage after his death, he was married to the daughters of two of them (Aisha daughter of Abu Bakr, and Hafsa daughter of Omar) and the other two married his daughters (Othman married two daughters successively: Roqaiya and Zainab, and Ali married Fatimah)

3. To Teach Muslims compassion with women, not just the young and beautiful maidens, but more so the weak and the destitute widows, divorcees, orphans and elderly women. Islam teaches that women are to be respected, protected, and cared for by their men folk, they're not to be cast out to face a harsh life alone, while able men around them just pitying them and doing nothing to help, or worse: using their weakness to take them as mistresses!

4. To offer a practical role model to Muslims until the end of time: Although many believing women often approached Muhammad offering him themselves in marriage, he politely turned down their offers. Most of his wives after the death of Khadija were old, devoid of beauty, and previously married, except A'isha, who was the only young virgin. He married from other nations and religions; some were the daughters of his worst enemies, and his marriage to one woman has won all her nation into Islam. Regardless of his neutral feelings towards many of them, he was a model example of equal justice and kindness to them all, and he would never discriminate among them.

A few known facts detailing the prophet marriages

1. Sawdah bint Zam'ah's marriage Zainab bint Khuzaymah's husband, 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh (a cousin of the Prophet), was martyred during the battle of Uhud (as stated above). This was the second time she became a widow. She was one of the most generous ladies even in the era of ignorance, so much so that she was called "Mother of the poor". Now she was facing hard times. The Prophet, by marrying her, preserved her prestige and dignity. She passed away in the life-time of the Prophet. Year of marriage: 3 A.H.

2. Ummu Salamah, whose actual name was Hind, was married to 'Abdullah Abu Salamah (another cousin of the Prophet who was also his foster brother). Abu Salamah and his wife were among the first to migrate to Abyssinia. She had renounced worldly pleasures and was highly distinguished for her piety and wisdom. When her husband died, she was very advanced in age and had many orphaned children. That is why the Prophet married her. Year of marriage 4 A.H.

3. Hafsah bint 'Umar ibn al-Khattab was married to him after her husband Khunays ibn Hudhayfah was martyred during the battle of Badr, leaving her a widow. Year of marriage 4 A.H.

4. To set free the slaves: His marriage with Juwayriyyah, i.e. Barrah daughter of al-Harith (chief of Banu al-Mustaliq) was performed in 5 A.H. after the battle of Banu al-Mustaliq. The Muslims had arrested two hundred of their families. Juwayriyyah was a widow, and the Prophet married her after emancipating her. The Muslims said: These are now the relatives of the Messenger of Allah by marriage; they should not be held captive. So they freed all of them. Impressed by this nobility, the whole tribe of Banu al-Mustaliq entered into the fold of Islam. It was a very large tribe, and this generosity of the Muslims as well as the conversion of that tribe had a great impact throughout Arabia.

5. To forge friendly relations: Some marriages were entered into in the hope of establishing friendly relationships with some tribes in order to blunt their enmity towards Islam.

Ummu Habibah, i.e. Ramlah daughter of Abu Sufyan, was married to 'Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh and had emigrated with them to Abyssinia in the second migration. While there, 'Ubaydullah was converted to Christianity, but she remained steadfastly on Islam and separated from him. Her father, Abu Sufyan, was in those days raising one army after another in order to annihilate the Muslims. The Prophet married her and afforded protection to her although the hope of any change in Abu Sufyan's attitude did not materialize.

6. Safiyyah was the daughter of Huyaiy ibn Akhtab, (Jewish) chief of Banu an-Nadhir Her husband was killed in the battle of Khaybar, and her father sided with Banu Qurayzah. She was among the captives of Khaybar. The Prophet chose her for himself and married her after emancipating her in 7 A.H. This marriage protected her from humiliation and established a link with the Jews.

7. To establish and implement important laws: The case of Zainab bint Jahsh is its only example. She was a cousin of the Prophet (daughter of his paternal aunt, and sister of 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh, the first husband of Zainab bint Khuzaymah). She was a widow. Islam had annulled class differences and declared that a family's tribe, wealth, or social status are not the criteria of distinction. Every Muslim is equal. While announcing it, the Prophet, in the same sitting, gave his three relative ladies in marriage to persons of "low" birth or status. It was done in order to practically demonstrate the Islamic equality, which up to that moment, was only a theoretical p nciple. Among them, Zainab bint Jahsh was given in marriage to Zayd ibn Harithah, an Arab slave whom the Prophet had freed and adopted as son. People called him Zayd ibn Muhammad. This marriage soon turned sour. Zainab could not overlook that she was a granddaughter of 'AbdulMuttalib, and that Zayd was an ex-slave. No matter how much the Prophet advised them, she did not change her behavior, so finally Zayd divorced her.

In the midst of the continuing social reforms, the Quran had declared that adoption was not recognized in Islam, that the sons should be affiliated to their actual fathers. Allah says:

"Allah has not made for any man two hearts in his breast, nor has He made your wives whom you declare (to be your mothers) as your (real) mothers, nor has He made those whom you call (as your sons) your (real) sons. These are (mere) words of your mouths, and Allah speaks the truth and He guides unto the (right) way. Call them after their fathers; this is more just with Allah, but if you know not their fathers, then they are your brethren in faith and your friends."

 [ The Quran ; Al-Ahzab:4-5 ]

After this admonition, people started calling him "Zayd ibn Harithah". But there was a need to put this new system in effect in such a way as to leave no room for doubt or ambiguity. Allah, therefore, ordered the Prophet to marry Zainab bint Jahsh, the divorcee of Zayd ibn Harithah. The Quran explains:

".... But when Zayd had concluded his concern with her (i.e. divorced her) We joined her in wedlock as your wife so that there should be no difficulty for the believers concerning the wives of their adopted sons when they have concluded their concerns with them, and the command ofAllah shall be carried out."

 [ The Quran ; Al-Ahzab:37 ] 

In this manner, both marriages of Zainab bint Jahsh served to enforce two very important social ethics. Some non-Muslim writers have claimed that the Prophet had fallen in love with Zainab's beauty and that this was why Zayd divorced her.

Such writers are blind to the fact that Zainab at that time was in her fifties. Why did not Muhamaad fall in love with her when she was still a maiden and he himself was young? Consider this question especially in view of the fact that Zainab was a close relative of the Prophet, and that there was no system of hijab at that time, and, in any case, relatives usually know about each other's beauty or ugliness.

One of his wives was Maymunah whose name was Barrah bint al-Harith al-Hilaliyyah. When her second husband died in the 7th year of Hijrah, she came to the Prophet and "gifted" herself to him if he would accept her. She only desired the honor of being called the wife of the Prophet. The Prophet waited for the divine guidance in her regard. Permission was granted to him from his Lord as we read in verse of the Quran which says:



"O Prophet! Certainly we have made lawful unto you ... a believing woman if she gifts herself unto the Prophet; if the Prophet desires to marry her, (it is) especially for thee (O Prophet!) rcjher than for the rest of the believers."

[ Quran, Al-Ahzab:50 ] 

Who are The Prophet's Wives?

Prophet Muhammad married 12 wives along his life, when he died he had 9 wives, they have a very special status in the hearts of Muslims as the "Mothers of the Believers" as the Quran instructs, and they're the source of a great amount of wisdom which they learnt while living close to such a great man.

The prophet wives names are:

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Sawdah bint Zam'ah, A'ishah bint Abi Bakr, Hafsah bint Omar ibn Al-Khattab, Zaynab bint Khuzaymah, Umm Salama, Zaynab bint Jahsh, Juwayriah bint Al-Harith, Umm Habibah, Safiah bint Hoyay ibn Akhtab, Maymunah bint Al-Harith, Maria the Copt.

You can find a lot of beautiful stories on the Internet

Can We Consider His Marriage to A'isha a Case of "Child Molestation" ?

To answer the speculation, let's continue our objective trip into the past: obviously when traveling back in time 1400 years to examine a lifestyle we never witnessed, it is unfair to apply our present day standards, so let's listen to the experts: Proved by authentic historical records, the social traditions of the time and place -regardless of religion- considered Arab females as "women" as soon as their menstrual cycles began, the custom was to give daughters in marriage at that age. This was practiced by all dwellers in Arabia before Islam: Pagans, disbelievers, Jews and others. It's a fact that female menstruation in hot climates starts much earlier than in cold climates, so females in Arabia matured as early as 8 or 9, they also aged earlier than other women.

It's a neglected fact that before she was married to Muhammad, A'isha was already engaged to an infidel; Jubair Ibn Mus'ab Ibn Ady! Her fiancé had already broken the engagement on the basis of religious difference. So her father -Abu Bakr- agreed to give her hand in marriage to The Prophet.

The Great Wisdom in Selecting A'isha in Particular as a Young Wife

A'isha came from a house famous for learning and memorizing great quantities of knowledge: her father was a live encyclopedia of Arab tribal pedigrees and poetry. She inherited his ability, and in her young, intelligent, receptive mind, she preserved a precious portion of Islam she learnt during 7 years of marriage, for 47 years after the death of The Prophet and she taught thousands of men worldwide their religion as she has learnt it firsthand from the Prophet. To our present day, she is considered among the most prominent Islamic scholars and she holds extremely high esteem in the hearts of all Muslims as such and as "the beloved of the Prophet", who often mentioned her as the human he loved the most on the face of this earth, and with her, he built a model Muslim home for Muslims to strive to imitate forever.

Was Maria the Copt a Slave, a Concubine, or a Wife of the Prophet?

Slavery already existed long before Islam. It's a system whereby a human captured in wars or kidnapped could be sold as a "possession" - that term applied to both genders not to women only. In some cultures slaves were considered subhuman and treated brutally: In Europe for example, Romans threw Christian slaves to the lions while the public cheered, female salves were thought to have "no souls" and tortured mercilessly, slaves lived in degrading conditions, and both genders were forced to offer sexual favors to their masters, and as "possessions", they had no choice, no will, and no rights.

Islam recognized the human rights of slaves and encouraged setting them free. It prohibited adultery, homosexuality, and prevented forcing female slaves into sexual acts against their will. Islam encouraged educating them, setting them free, then legally marrying them and giving them their moral and financial rights. The reward for this -as mentioned in prophetic tradition- is eternal residence in Paradise.

Maria was not a "concubine" she was a slave owned by Egypt's Christian governor, who offered her and her sister Serine -among other presents- as a "gift of good will" to The Prophet in reply to his envoys inviting him to Islam. On her way from Egypt to Madinah she was curious to learn about "her new master", and listened to his companions talk about him. As a result, she became Muslim before meeting Muhammad. Scholars' opinions vary of her status afterwards; here is the opinion I support:

One of the prominent Muslim scholars, Sheikh Abdul Majid Subh states:

"Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, instead of taking concubines, entered into lawful marriages based on reason and wisdom. Maria the Copt was given to him as a present, but rather than taking her as a concubine, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, married her. Thus elevating her status by marriage".

 Women's Rights in Islam Surpass Modern Systems

If women in the Muslim World today don't have their rights, it is not because Islam didn't give them to them. Alien traditions have overshadowed the teachings of Islam, either through ignorance or the impact of Colonialization. Most of the so-called "modern reforms" in the status of women appeared after the West abandoned religion for secularism. Those in the West who claim to follow the "Judeo-Christian tradition" really follow the values of Western liberalism.

In England and America less than fifty years ago, a woman could not buy a house or car without the co-signature of a male "guardian"! In Contrast, Islamic Law guaranteed rights to women over 1400 years ago that were unheard of in the West until the 1900s:

Numerous verses of the Quran state that men and women are equal in the sight of Allah; the only thing that distinguishes people in His sight is their level of God-consciousness.

Islam teaches that a woman is a full-person under the law, and is the spiritual equal of a male. Women have the right to own property, operate a business and receive equal pay for equal work. Women are allowed total control of their wealth, they cannot be married against their will and they are allowed to keep their own name when married. They have the right to inherit property and to have their marriage dissolved in the case of neglect or mistreatment. Islam does not consider woman an "evil temptress", and thus does not blame woman for the "original sin". Women in Islam participate in all forms of worship that men participate in.

Prophet Muhammad's mission stopped many of the horrible practices against women that were present in the society of his time. He actually harnessed the unrestricted polygamy of the Arabs of the time, and put many laws in place to protect the well being of women. On his Farewell Sermon just days before his death, he summarized the teachings of Islam to the believers in a final farewell ... his last words were: "Be kind to women!" and He repeated this twice

 The final say

It is fair to say that polygamy may be harmful in many respects. Islam, however does not regard polygamy as a substitute for monogamy. Realizing its disadvantages Islam allows it under strict conditions and when no better alternative is available. This is actually consistent with the general rule of Islam ”The Lesser of two evils”. This means that if a harm is certain, and if there is no way to avert such harm unless some other harm is done, then it is better to cause the lesser harm in order to avoid the greater. It is like a captain who gets rid of the ship’s fright in order to save the lives of the sailors.

This vitality, flexibility and far-sightedness of the teachings of Islam cannot be possibly attributed to any human or group of humans, including Mohammed himself. Its secret simply lies in its Divine Source, God Most High, who knows in entirety what human needs and problems are.

Humans can reject guidance of God, become their own God, and establish his own standards of morality. Ultimately, however, they may discover the mirage that alluded them, a few honest questions left:



1. What is the situation in countries which banned polygamy?

2. Do they really enjoy sincere and faithful ”monogamy”?

3. What is the degree of cohesion of the family?

4. Is there any significant number of mistresses, ”sweethearts”

5. Is there any significant number of illegitimate children?

6. How observant are men and women of the strict ”monogamous” relationship?

7. Are infidelity and secet extramarital sexual relationships more moral than the legitimate, legally-protected husband-wife relationships, even under polygamy if there is a pressing need for it?, which of the two situation is best for women?

After all, Islam, by its very nature, is a universal religion which is revealed by God to guide people in all places at all times, this guidance can hardly be secured by avoiding issues and problems which are real, even as they are relevant to human life on earth with its diversity. Hypocrisy, apology, or burying one’s head in the sand are hardly realistic means of achieving righteous human life. They are not effective in achieving moral upliftment either

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