What Muslims in Britain Think About Polygyny

A British Muslim matchmaking website polled users to find out their attitudes towards polygyny. I would think that more that support it, the more business for the website!

SingleMuslim.com Director, Adeem Younis said: "We chose to run this survey in light of recent media stories referencing polygamy, marriage and Islamic law, both here in the UK and internationally.

"The survey results suggest that there are varying views within the Muslim community as to the extent to which polygamy is permissible. I'm not an Islamic scholar, but when I read the Qur'an, I interpret that polygamy is permissible only in exceptional circumstances. The poll results show that the majority of Muslims share my view.

"Yet the survey does highlight a perception that many Muslims interpret the Qur'an to mean that a man may take several wives, without exception."

Polygamy is discussed in two sections of the Qur'an (Sura Al-Nesaa' 4:3 and 4:127). The passages explain how polygamy may be allowed to protect widows and orphaned children.

The Qur'an permits polygamy on condition that the husband treats all his wives with equal respect, emotionally as well as financially. However, the Qur'an later describes the impossibility of treating several wives equally. Therefore monogamy is the norm for most Muslims.

Treating more that one wife equally does not mean treating them the same. One wife may want more time alone than another. One wife might want sex more often than the other. As long as the wives are having their needs met and he is having his needs met, it is a good thing, right? Legalize it.