Keep Thy Faith

FAQS and FACTS

Now that we are more or less there with the basics of Islam, lets get deeper into the realm of the misconceptions it is faced with every now and then. Multiple versions of a concept, a belief or a principal of Islam, are often found and one cannot but feel helpless because you can't blame the one's who believe it.. the one's to be blamed here are actually the one's who've led the others to think in a certain fashion. And so we're often left with some FAQS which need attention in order to give people an insight to these. So let's counter some of those FAQS with the FACTS!

As I have stated earlier - it is never a faith that can go wrong, it is always, but always, the followers of that faith who can make or mar the image of the said faith in the eyes of those who follow other faiths. Taking Islam for instance, just because of misrepresentation of some of it's concepts, they are being ridiculed in the society.

One of them being the system of Polygamy. And the questions remain; How can a faith allow you to marry so many woman? Is it an obligation?Why at all have it in place?

It is looked upon as a silly custom and for many people it seems disgusting to even think of someone marrying four women. However, most of these people do not have any idea how the custom came into existence and what purpose did it serve at the time of it's origin.
Going back to history, the custom dates back to the age when most of the men lost their life in battles and the ratio of men to women was quite alarmingly low. It was then that the custom of one man marrying more than one woman came into existence. In a society where a ratio of this sort exists, strict monogamy means that many women will never have a chance to marry at all, and could more easily be tempted into immoral relationships. This was thus done, in that age, to safeguard the chastity of a woman and to provide her financial support.
However, the rules for any Muslim man to marry a second woman or a third one, are very strict and must be adhered to.
To begin with, one ought to have his first wife's consent before marrying a second one and the later wives must not be a cause of distress to the previous ones.
Moreover, there are other regulations like, treating them alike in terms of gifts, clothing, food and giving them equal amount of attention - which must be followed in order for a man to marry more than one woman.
Polygamy is also allowed in a situation where a man's wife is so physically ill that she cannot look after her family and her husband or is not able to bear him children - but even here, the wife's consent is a must.

Although, just like any other rule or custom, this one has had it's share of abuse but the FACT remains that one must have his first wife's permission to marry another woman.

Watch this space for more FAQS and their address.

posted by Shanya @ 9:54 PM