Polygyny in Islam

This is a sub-article to Polygyny (see motivations under this article) and Islamic marital jurisprudence In Islam , polygamy is allowed and practised under certain restricted conditions. Muslim men are allowed to practise polygyny , that is, they can have more than one wife at the same time, up to a total of four. Polyandry , by contrast, is not permitted. Some Muslim-majority countries have Islamic law ( sharia ) which permits polygyny , although there is internal debate regarding the role of women in Islam. See this discussion on the extent to which states can and do recognize these forms as valid. Polygamy for Muslims, in practice and in law, differs greatly throughout the Islamic world , where polygamous marriages constitute only 1–3% of all marriages. In some Muslim countries, polygamy is relatively common, while in others, it is rare or non-existent. Tunisia , for example, is a predominantly Muslim country where polygamy is not legal.

Political Islamic leadership Caliphate Majlis-ash-Shura Imamate Wilayat al-faqih Bay'ah Dhimmi Aman Family Criminal Etiquette Adab Gender segregation ( Purdah ) Mahram Honorifics Toilet Economic Hygiene Military Jihad Ghanimah Hudna Istijarah (asylum) Prisoners of war Social Haqq al-Nas ( The right(s) of the people ) Islamic studies v t e Traditional Sunni and Shia Islamic marital jurisprudence allows Muslim men to be married to multiple women (a practice known as polygyny and polygamy ) — up to four at any point in time.

Men having more than one wife in Islam Political Islamic leadership Caliphate Majlis-ash-Shura Imamate Wilayat al-faqih Bay'ah Dhimmi Aman Family Criminal Etiquette Adab Gender segregation ( Purdah ) Mahram Honorifics Toilet Economic Hygiene Military Jihad Ghanimah Hudna Istijarah (asylum) Prisoners of war Social Haqq al-Nas ( The right(s) of the people ) Islamic studies v t e Traditional Sunni and Shia Islamic marital jurisprudence allows Muslim men to be married to multiple women (a practice known as polygyny ). Men can have up to four wives at a time according to the islamic jurisprudence.

Men having more than one wife in Islam Political Islamic leadership Caliphate Majlis-ash-Shura Imamate Wilayat al-faqih Bay'ah Dhimmi Aman Family Criminal Etiquette Adab Gender segregation ( Purdah ) Mahram Honorifics Toilet Economic Hygiene Military Jihad Ghanimah Hudna Istijarah (asylum) Prisoners of war Social Haqq al-Nas ( The right(s) of the people ) Islamic studies v t e Traditional Sunni and Shia Islamic marital jurisprudence allows Muslim men to be married to multiple women (a practice known as polygyny ) -- up to four wives at a time under Islamic law -- with the stipulation that if the man fears he's unable to treat more wives in a fair manner he "marry only one". Marriage by a woman to multiple husbands ( polyandry ) is not allowed. Contemporary views on the practice vary. Some think it is no longer socially useful and should be banned (Rasha Dewedar). Some hold that it should be allowed only in cases of necessity ( Muḥammad ʿAbduh ). One school ( Shaafi’i School of jurisprudence ) has ruled it makruh , that is, Islamically allowed but discouraged. Still others feel it is part of the Islamic marriage system and that denying it is tantamount to denying "the wisdom of divine decree" ( Bilal Philips and Jamila Jones).