An amazingly energetic and interestig lecture from Mrs Shaheen Ali today. The woman is amazing with her loud-speaker voice, taking into account her jet lag and blood shot tired eyes. As i know nothing about islamic law i think the lecture served as a good intro on the topics of polygamy and talaq ( divorce). The misconception, or rather I say the (mis)interpertation of Quran on the subject of pologomy is a topic worth shedding some light on. The Quran, the word from the devine deity, revealed to Prophet Muhamad (sullah ho wali wasalam) over a period of 23 years, was an evolving response to the questions posed by the followers at the time. So the revelations in the Quaran apply to the context that it originally adressed as well as providing a guideline for the believers after the passing of the prophet.
{a bit of distraction from flat mates}
back to my rant.....
The word of Quran is open to interpertation, everyone has their worn school of thought and way of thinking and views the world and its treasures from a different set of mind and a different pair of eyes then me and you. The verses in the Quran regarding polygomy were revealed after the battle of Uhud. The Battle of Uhud was fought between the small community of the first converts of Islam in Median and the forces of Mecca. The Muslims had the worst encounters and lost some 70 of strong men. Given the size of the Muslim community at that time this presented a huge loss and left a great number of women widowed with orphans. These woman came to the Prophet and explained their situation that they were left with no bread winner for the family, noone for protection and to take care of them. Then came the revelation which instructed the men ,left in the community, to take care of these widows and orphans as one takes care of their neighbours. This task became taxing and then came another revelation, in order to solve the social problem, which said that a married men is allowed to take a second wife given that he is able to treat both wives just.
"If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, 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, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice."
Now, this revelation is open several interpertation:
Are men only allowed to marry a windowed woman?
How do you interpert "just" is it measured in material sense for example if one wife has 3 shawls the man must provide the other with 3 shawls. If the first lives in a 2 bedroom appartment, should the man also provide the second wife with the smae. Or should the man be equitable in the more moral sense of the word?
How do you judge wether the man is being just between the two women?
Who judges wether the man is being is being fair to both wives?
......
After the revelation came another one which said that you can never do justice between the two wives.
"Ye are never able to be fair and just as between women, even if it is your ardent desire"
So even on one hand the Quran is saying a man can take a second wife given that he can treat them both fairly and equally, on the other hand it says that it is not possible ( given the human nature) for the man to be fully just. So what meaning can we derive from the two revelations. Over the years the Muslims have conveniently followed the revelations which suits them best and suits theire desires and needs, while ignoring those which dont suit them. This has led to the a common practice of polygamy in most Islamic nations. Polygamy is not encouraged in the Quran, nor Allah had allowed it. He was clearly careful to highly discourage polygamy to men by telling them "but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one...(4:3)" which clearly orders men to either be fair or to not marry at all.
Turkey and Tunisia are the only two Muslim nations which have banned polygamy. Whereas other countries like Pakitan and Morroco have passed laws which allow polygamy under predefined conditions. And convinently no one follows these laws and with the governemnt ,its policies, the economy and the whole social structure in shambels, there is no one incharge who can hold the law brokers accountable. In my view polygamy should be banned, becasue it does nothing more, then bring in an increasing number of starving and illitrate kids in the poor islamic nations. Poor men practicing polygamy don't provide fairness to the newly born kids and to the economically crippled society, and certainly not to their wives either.
Apart from the poor straving kids and social unjustice, the practice of polygamy is posing another issue, especially in the Dutch Muslim society. Men marry several wives for sexual gratification and then abandom them. The abandonment is simplier than ever imagined. Non- Muslim nations do not recognise the "nikkah" which the the islamic way of marriage. Therefore the man can pronounce the marriage null anytime and will not be held legally accountable because the legal system does not consider the Nikkah as a marriage. On the top of the Nikkah one is suppose to have a registered marriage in the city hall, but again due to the unawareness of the issues women simply have a Nikkah which provides the man with the opportuntiy to indulge in the ecstacy of the new marriage and the new woman, and when the infatuation is over he can leave witout any legal binding.
The solution to this problem is to create awareness and not only to educate the muslim woman of their rights but also to educate the men regarding the true teachings of Islam. These men have cemented ideas passed on to them from generations to generations which mis interprust the Quran and makes it acceptable for them to have more then one wife. Some societies even attach higher value to having more then one wife, it is considered more of as a status symbol. The only way to lift the shadows of darkness from the muslim society is to create awareness.....
