Marriage is about preserving chastity, not promoting polygamy

According to the accepted opinion of the majority of Muslim scholars including the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali schools, the main purpose of marriage is to preserve chastity, not to marry more than one person. This is even the opinion of the reliable scholars of the Hanbali school, whose name some people use today to claim to be Hanbalis although in reality they are not.
One of the most reliable scholars of the Hanbali school, Imam al-Mardawi (RA), said, “If a person can maintain chastity through one wife, then according to the sound position of the Hanbali school, it is preferable not to marry more than one wife. The majority of Hanbali scholars likewise considered it recommended (mustahabb) to refrain from taking more than one wife.” (Al-Insaf, vol. 12, p. 204).
This demonstrates that the claim that “The fundamental principle of Islam regarding marriage is polygamy” is not the position of the four classical schools of Islamic law or traditional Islamic jurisprudence. Rather, it is a later interpretation.
There are some schools of thought behind this idea, where an attempt has been made to apply the social reality of the early era of Islam without considering the environment, history and social context of the present era. However, there were various social reasons behind polygamy at that time. At that time, the number of marriages was unlimited; Islam came and limited it to four. In addition, war, the responsibility of orphans, social needs, financial and physical capabilities, and the social customs of the time were also involved.
However, polygamy is not a principle of Islam in all circumstances; rather, it is permissible (mubah) when the right reasons and conditions are present. Allah Almighty says, “And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hand possesses. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].” (Surah An-Nisa, Ayat 3). But there the condition is very important. In certain circumstances, where a valid Shar‘i necessity exists, marriage or even multiple marriages may rise to the level of being obligatory (wajib).
Therefore, in light of the four schools of law and traditional Islamic jurisprudence, the primary objective of marriage is the preservation of chastity. If this objective can be fulfilled through one wife, then one is sufficient. If it cannot, then a person may marry as many as necessary within the limits of the Sharia, not merely to satisfy desire, but to safeguard chastity. This, however, is subject to financial and physical capability and the obligation to avoid any injustice towards one’s wives. (This does not refer to equal feelings of love, since emotional inclinations are beyond human control.)
If someone knows for sure that he will not be able to do justice, then it is not permissible for him to have polygamy. Rather, Islamic jurisprudence also states that if someone is sure that he will not be able to do justice to even one wife, then it is not permissible for him to marry. Even if the marriage contract is valid, this marriage will still be a cause of sin for him. (Al-Ahwal al-Shakhsiyyah by Allama Muhammad Muhy al-Din Abd al-Hamid.)
Similarly, if a woman fears that her moral security and conjugal rights will not be fulfilled in married life, then she also has the right to seek divorce. Again, if the husband is unable to provide maintenance or manage the normal household, then the woman also has the right to seek divorce. Therefore, the teaching of Islam is not to oppress anyone, not to be unjust to anyone, and not to show any kind of discrimination or favouritism.

The writer is a media researcher, Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), UAE