Misunderstanding of polygamy lingers in Islam

Misunderstanding of polygamy lingers in Islam

Lily Zakiyah Munir, Director, Center for Pesantren and
Democracy Studies (CEPDES), Jakarta, lilyzm@hotmail.com

Over the last few years we have witnessed a relatively new
phenomenon, i.e. the increasing popularity of polygamy,
especially for men with upward social mobility.

During the repressive Soeharto regime, polygamy seemed to be
repressed as well, either by government regulation (Peraturan
Pemerintah No. 10) on the prohibition of polygamy among
government officials, or else by stigmatization due to prevailing
social control. Polygamy appeared to have a pejorative meaning,
often associated with low education, low social status, or the
feudalistic culture of keeping concubines.

Now, along with the reform era toward freedom and democracy,
polygamy has apparently acquired a new image, which has made it
less resisted or opposed by society in general. Many Muslims,
including those with high education, high social status or even
high governmental leadership positions, do not seem to be
bothered about displaying polygamous behavior.

People do not seem to be bothered either seeing their leaders
having two, three, or even four wives. These polygamous men
proudly justify their behavior by referring to it as a "right"
granted by Islam to men. A former minister of religious affairs,
in an informal meeting, jokingly, even equated Islam in terms of
polygamy with the Mormons, a Christian sect whose majority live
in Salt Lake City and whose prophet, Joseph Smith, was said to
have had more than 30 wives.

This way of thinking, viewing polygamy as a man's "right" is
obviously wrong. The notion of polygamy has clearly been
misunderstood, deliberately or ignorantly, and therefore it is
important that we go back to the relevant verses in the Koran and
read them with the Koran's original spirit of liberating the
oppressed, including women.

The core issue of polygamy in current Muslim societies is that
it has been taken as a general attitude to Islam, ignoring the
social justice reasoning behind the revelation of the verse.
Polygamy, which was common in pre-Islamic society, apparently has
a new meaning in Islam.

Islam intended to change it from a male right into a female
privilege in limited circumstances, beneficial to women and
children, and not in circumstances detrimental to women. If it
were acceptable to women, polygamy could be a way to protect them
and give them sexual access to men at a time when women
outnumbered men.

However, the Koran itself does not refer to the sexual nature
or needs of women or men when dealing with polygamy. It refers
only to the need to ensure social justice for orphaned girls, at
a time when unprotected women were open to all kinds of abuse.
This is clear from the Koran's statement, "If you fear that you
will not be able to deal justly with orphans, marry of your
choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that you will not
be able to deal justly with them, then only one" (al-Nisa/4:3).

This rule on polygamy was introduced conditionally: The verse
especially refers to the justice to be done to orphans. The verse
was revealed immediately after the Battle of Uhud, when the
Muslim community was left with many orphans and widows and
captives of war. Their treatment was to be governed by principles
of humanity and justice.

Hence, justice is a prerequisite for a polygamous man.
However, while the Koran refers to justice, it also says that the
condition of being just and fair is difficult to realize due to
human limitations.

It is explicit about this, which makes it even clearer in its
attitude for not advocating polygamy: "You are never able to be
fair and just as between women; even if it is your ardent
desire," (al-Nisa/4:129). It is quite categorical that it is not
within the power of human beings to treat more than one wife with
equal fairness.

There is a big gap between desire and fulfillment, and as far
as polygamy is concerned, the Koran is clear. In spite of good
intentions, men cannot deal justly between their wives.

This may be because, as the Koran says, "God has not given any
man two hearts" (al-Ahzab/33:4). This implies that a man cannot
love two women equally. These verses, then, can be read together
as presenting a case against generalized polygamy, which Muslims
derive from reading half a line of al-Nisa/4:34.

Given the context of its revelation among polygamous pre-
Islamic Arab societies, the Koran accepts the fact that women are
victims of injustice in society. However, abolishing polygamy
completely and giving women equal status with men in every
respect was not a practical proposition in that type of society.

Thus the Koran adopted the middle-way solution, in what is
termed a "pragmatic-ideological" course. It even goes further by
speaking of "the near impossibility" for a man to be fair and
just to multiple wives. This spirit of the Koran in empowering
and liberating the oppressed group, the women, should be captured
when one speaks about polygamy.

Our neighboring country, Malaysia, is launching a monogamy
campaign. Prime Minister Mahatir Mohammad has appealed to all
states to apply the Muslim Family Law as soon as possible, to
avoid heterogeneity in the application of sharia, including
polygamy.

The assertive Muslim feminists group, Sisters in Islam, has
also embarked on this campaign through car stickers bearing three
messages: a) 1 husband = 1 wife, b) Monogamy My Choice, and c)
"If you fear you cannot do them justice, then marry only one."
When will Indonesia follow?