Did Qur’an Actually encourage Polygamy? Find out Here

Polygamy is an act of marrying many Woman. Any man with more than one woman is referred to as Polygamous man

In our society, we believe that Polygamy is part of African culture, no dispute about that.

In Christianity, they believed that Polygamous is a sin, but many Christian scholar has comments on the status of Polygamy in Christianity.

Reno Omokri in several of his post, says that Bible never kick against polygamy.

In his explanation, he point out that there are some categories of people which bible made polygamy forbidden for, and are the people with high position in church.

While in Islam, is the fact, everyone believe that Qur’an encourage Polygamy.

Because their is a verse of Qur’an that says so.

On this post, we actually want to look into the verse in Qur’an that speak about Polygamy, did it actually encourage Polygamy?

Let find out from Qur’an chapter 4 verse 3: the Qur’an said:

وَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَلَّا تُقۡسِطُواْ فِي ٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ فَٱنكِحُواْ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ مَثۡنَىٰ وَثُلَٰثَ وَرُبَٰعَۖ فَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُواْ فَوَٰحِدَةً أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُمۡۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدۡنَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعُولُواْ

(Dr. Mustafa Khattab)
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.

(English Transliteration)
Wa-in khiftum alla tuqsitoo feealyatama fankihoo ma tabalakum mina annisa-i mathna wathulathawarubaAAa fa-in khiftum alla taAAdiloo fawahidatanaw ma malakat aymanukum thalika adnaalla taAAooloo

(Mufti Taqi Usmani)
If you fear that you will not do justice to the orphans, then, marry the women you like, in twos, in threes and in fours. But, if you fear that you will not maintain equity, then (keep to) one woman, or bondwomen you own. It will be closer to abstaining from injustice.

-Surah An-Nisa’, Ayah 3

This above verse made it clear that marrying one woman is less likely going to put you in trouble.

In conclusion, Qur’an didn’t decide either Man should marry one, two or three wives, what Qur’an emphasize on is Good treatment, Justice for women, and not marrying more than four.

That don’t keep wives more than four.

So as Muslim your first priority to your in marriage is good treatment and Justice outside of t