A. (#DrZakirNaik): Regarding the first question that – why is Polygamy allowed for the male, and not for the woman?…Why is a man allowed to do Polygamy? Polygamy means, a man having more than one spouse… more than one wife. Polyandry, is the woman having more than one husband. In fact if you analyse, Qur’an is the only religious Scripture on the face of the earth, that says…‘Marry only one’ it’s shocking. Qur’an is the only religious Scripture on the face of the earth, that says…Marry only one. If you read the Ramayana, if you read the Vedas, if you read the Bible, other Scriptures….No Scripture says… Marry only one, except the Holy Qur’an. In fact, if you read the Scripture of the Christians, their saint Soloman, had hundreds of wives – Abraham had more than one wife…the Bible says, three wives. Even the Hindu Scriptures, they had several wives… the father of Rama… King Dashrata – he had more than one wife.The Holy Qur’an is the religious Scripture which says that…Marry only one. It says in Surah Nisa Ch. No. 4, V. No. 3, “Marry woman of your choice, in twos, threes or fours. But if you cannot do justice, marry only one” – Islam puts an upper limit. In other ways of life, you can marry as many as you want – no upper limit. Islam puts on upper limit, of maximum four. But you can marry, only if you can do justice. If you can’t do justice, marry only one. And the Qur’an says in Surah Nisa, Ch. No. 4, V. No. 129, that… “It is difficulty to do justice between your wives. So don’t altogether turn away from them”. It is nowhere mentioned, that if you marry more than one wife, you get more blessings. No where its mentioned – Its optional.
So, why has Islam given permission to marry more than one wife. The reason is that, Islam has given permission because…if you analyse the birth rate of male and female… they are approximately equal. But if you ask any pediatrician… a doctor of the children, he will tell you that…The female child can fight the germs and the disease, much better than a male child. They are the stronger sex medically – so there are more death rate in the males, than the female children. When you grow up, there are accidents taking place, wars taking place, more men die than women. If you analyze the statistics of the world, India is one of the few countries, in which the female population, is less than the male population. You know why?… Because there is the answer given in BBC…a television programme “Let her die”, by the title… assignment Emilly Beckhenen, a Britisher. She came and said…according to the statistics…Every day, more than 3000 feticides are been aborted, after they are identified as female. According to a government hospital report, of Tamil Naidu…Out of ten born alive, four are put to death…female children. Islam prohibits female infeticide , in Surah Al Takurr, Ch. 87, Verse 8 and 9. In fact, Qur’an says in Surah Isra, Ch. 17, Verse 31, as well as in Surah Anam, Ch. 6 Verse 151 , “Kill not your children for want of sustenance , for it is Allah who will give…who will give sustenance, to you and your children”. It is prohibited in Islam…even if its male or female. So because of this…that the male population is more in India. If you stop this evil practice of female infeticide and female infeticide…even in India, within a few decades, the female will be more. If you know the statistics of America… in America alone, there are 7 to 8 million more females than the males – in New York alone, there are one million more females than males. Out of the population of New York, 1/3rd are Gays. Gays, means Sodomites, Kaume – Looth… who can’t find female partners. There are more than 25 million Gays, in America. If you analyse the statistics, there are more than 30 million females in America, who can’t find husbands. In U.K. alone, there are more than 4 million females, as compared to males – Germany alone, there are more than 5 million females, more than male – Russia alone, there are more than 7 million more females, than the male. And almighty God alone knows, that how many millions females, are more in the world, than the males. If I agree with the customs, the religious Scriptures, put no upper limit – You marry as many as you want. If you believe into the customs of the other ways of life, that… You should marry only one – and if my sister happens to live in America, and suppose the market is saturated – every man has got a wife for himself. Yet, there will be 30 million females, who won’t be able to find husbands. If my sister happens to be one of those unfortunate ladies, who has got not married, living in America – the only option remaining for her is… she either marries a man who already has a wife, or become public property – There no third option. And I have asked this question, to modest people… That what would you prefer for your sister?…Would you prefer your sister, marry a man who already has a wife, or become a public property. All the modest people said that…We will choose the first one, when required. If you can get a man who has got no wife, then grab him…No problem. Regarding the second part of the question, that why can’t the Muslim women, be allowed to marry more than one husband? The reason is that of you analyze if a man has more than one wife , you can identify father as well as the mother. But if a woman has more than one husband…you can identify the mother, but not the father. There are today…researches today done, that you can have genetic coding and blood testing, which can identify. May be possible…which is accepted by the court of law …I have got no objections . That is one of the reason, may be for the past. These one other reasons, that a man is more sexual than a woman, biologically. And if a man has more than one partner…more than one wife, there are no problems of sexual disease. But if a woman is having more than one husband, then there are chances of Veneral disease, more chance of AIDS, more chance of general diseases. That’s the reason, why Islam does not allow polyendry. Hope that answers. Birth control is a very low. Birth control means… Birth control, is a word used by every one… should follow this, by hook or by crook. Like, India takes out a law…Hum Do, Hamare Do… Ek Ke Baad, Abhi Nahi – Do Ke Baad, Kabhi Nahi (We two and our two, after one not now and after two not ever). See irrespective of rich and poor, if my parents would have done family planning, I wouldn’t have been here. I am the fifth child of my parent – I wouldn’t have been in front of you. So birth control is not allowed in Islam. Birth control is for every one – whether you are rich or poor… you follow. Regarding family planning, there are do’s and dont’s – For that, you can refer to my Video Lecture – Qur’an and Modern Science – its given there… it’s a long answer. Hope that answers your question
Related question: why is Polygamy permitted in Islam – and that is why, a man is allowed to marry more than one wife?
Dr Zakir Naik :: Question & Answer 