Polygamy as a Custom of having many spouses for pleasure is not allowed in the Grand
Qur'aan
Grand Qur'aan is
the Guide in timeline. It incorporates instructions and guidelines to
meet all situations that people might face. Anything relevant to human
beings is but mentioned in it
[ref 6:38]. Grand Qur'aan
portrays unambiguously and in
simple words a very well defined Value System. The hub of a society is
the Family, not an individual.
-
O you the
mankind! Listen carefully:
-
You people
be mindful, cautious and fearsome of your Sustainer Lord. Your Sustainer
Lord is He the Exalted Who
created you the living people from an entity-person that acts as individual; retains
individuality.
-
And He created his spouse-wife from a
part of that person.
-
And He the
Exalted spread apart
majority
of men and all women from that couple.
-
And always be mindful and
conscious of Allah the Exalted in Whose Name you ask-claim from one another; and be
reverently mindful for relationship of the Wombs by which you implore.
-
Take heed: Allah the Exalted is
certainly ever eternally watchful over you people. [4:01]
The first and foremost social-unit is Husband and Wife. It resulted in
the formation of family, and thereby in society, tribe, nation and
civilization. It is the husband who is treated and considered as
referential head of the Social Unit of society, and lineage is
associated and referred by his name and not by the name of Woman
[exception is for that woman who gave birth to a child without man's
association].
The Social Unit-Family breaks when the husband dies a natural death
or is killed. Resultantly, the ground situation could be only a bereaved
wife-widow who, for reference, is always mentioned by the name of her
deceased husband until she marries another man; or wife and bereaved
children. Bereaved child of either gender whose father died natural
death, or is killed, is described in Arabic by Adjectival Noun
.
[Word "orphan" is not exact match since it denotes a
child without parents: a child whose
parents are both dead or who has been abandoned by his or her parents,
especially a child not adopted by another family]
In such breakdowns of
social units, the humanity is
given these instructions:
-
And you are directed to give to the
bereaved children of fathers
their inherited property and wealth
[on
reaching age of marriage-4:06 which is full
maturity-6:152;17:34 and in presence of witnesses-4:06]
-
Be mindful that you should not replace their valuable
property-wealth with invaluable-junks.
-
Moreover, you should not devour-consume-absorb their wealth in
your personal belongings.
-
Indeed this is a great crime-major
sin/self destruction
[since it is like eating hell fire
4:10]. [4:02]
-
Know it: Subject to
the condition; should you people [clan-tribe-society]
apprehend that you might not equitably treat and look after the
bereaved children of fathers—father-orphans, adopt
this course:
-
Thereat, it is
imperative upon you the men
to enter in matrimonial bondage; that which seemed pleasing, delightful
and fairly good for you
[2:235], with such women who
have since expired the Prescribed Obligatory Period,
circumstantially two two, and three three, and four four.
-
Sequel to this
injunction: in
case you-the Men apprehended in complying this order that you might not be
able to do financial and physical justice in all fairness:
-
Thereby, in partial
modification of aforesaid injunction you are directed to enter in matrimonial bondage with
one widow who is lonely;
-
Alternatively to meet financial constraints: Marry with
that woman upon whom the right hand of you people have the authority
and responsibility for ordering and managing her affairs.
-
This course of action will diminish
the chance regards that you might not sustain the household
[widow mother and her children].
[4:03]
: This Ayah-Unitary
Verbal Passage begins with
[wāw],
the Recommencing particle. It is a discourse
coordinator, that signals the speaker's identification of an upcoming
unit which is coordinate in structure to prior unit.
is the Particle of Condition that renders the following verb in Jussive
State, as Verb of Condition.
is a Verbal Sentence with Verb Perfect, Second
Person; Masculine; plural with suffixed Subject Pronoun in nominative
State. This Verb in Jussive State being Verb of Condition is transitive.
Derived from
مصدر-خَوْفٌ
Verbal noun, it denotes an
apprehension of happening of something not desirable.
This is the Object of preceding Verb. This is the apprehension.
is
a Subordinating
conjunction comprising a Subjunctive Particle-Interpreted Verbal Noun as
Object and Negation Particle.
is Imperfect; second Person; Masculine; plural
Verb in Subjunctive Mood. It is Form-IV with مصدر
إِقْسَاطٌ Verbal Noun.
It denotes acting equitably; maintaining two parts of a scale exactly at
balance, to treat two things-objects equally. Prepositional Phrase
relates to preceding Verb.
Thus, conditional
clause is about apprehension that people might not provide equal
position, status, treatment, or care to the bereaved children of dead
fathers which is at par with that afforded to the children of living
fathers. What is the remedy?
This Verbal sentence is preceded by
Prefixed conjunction
فَ
which shows cause and effect-Apodosis clause.
The Verbal sentence commands the remedial measure that will meet the
situation alleviating the felt, estimated apprehension of causing
unequal treatment to bereaved children of dead men. Verb is Imperative;
second person; plural; masculine. The act embedded in the Verb is مصدر-نِكَاحٌ
Verbal Noun. It is transitive. Its Root is "
ن ك ح". The perception infolded therein is that of
joining and combining in the manner of slumber dissolving in eyes, or as
the drops of rain absorb in the Earth. This signifies the mutually
consented Marriage-Bond, between a Man and Women, witnessed, endorsed
and authenticated by the society, the third party to the
agreement-union-bond. This "Union-Bond" grants permission,
and renders sanctity of purity, in
establishing particular matrimonial relationship,
which is otherwise not permissible, and is a grave sin if done by a man
and woman without the Union-Bond. Like the effect of basic perception of
the Root, the romantic look in the eyes caused by gradual dissolving of
slumber therein and inciting odor emerging by the absorption of earlier
drops of rain on dried land, the Marriage-Bond, النِّكَاحُ
, results in romantic attachment between a man and woman,
culminating in intercourse,
which causes association-development of a relationship with the Womb.
The Imperative Verb is
transitive
needing an object to complete the meanings. The Performers are the Men, and act
is النِّكَاحُ
denoting to associate with women in matrimonial bond. The choice of
words in Qur'aan is superb rendering the semantics easy to comprehend
and comply with. Here
"thereby you men enter with those women in matrimonial bond"
is not used, which would have entirely changed the perception of the
command, leaving no personal choices for the men and widows but to
compulsorily get married. Since those widow women are not made the
Object of transitive Verb, the Obvious
object is:
.
It is qualified by the sentence
"that which seemed here before for you
pleasing, delightful, and fairly good".
:
The peculiarity of
in Arabic is that it acts as Particle and a Noun. Noun is found as [ما
الموصولة] General Relative
Pronoun, or an Indefinite Noun modified by an adjective. General Relative
Pronoun means that Relative Noun which is used for Being and inanimate masculine and
feminine, singular, dual, and plural. A Relative Pronoun is followed by
a sentence which relates back to it, most often with a Pronoun named as
[الْعَائِدُ]
that links back to it.
is the
[صلة الموصول]
Linkage clause.
The Pronoun in the linkage clause referring back
to General Relative Pronoun can be elided if it is object, but not when
it is the Subject of a following Verb.
: It
is a verbal sentence with Perfect/Past tense Verb; third person;
singular; masculine; from مصدر-طَيْبٌٌ
Verbal noun,
with hidden pronoun
هُوَ
that links back to General Relative Pronoun, and thus to the
preceding imperative verbal sentence.
:
It
is a Prepositional Phrase relating to preceding perfect Verb, signifying
"for you people". Linkage clause
[صلة الموصول]
denotes that the subject of verb had become something
pleasant, delightful, fairly good and of pious-pure nature
at some point in time in the past.
What was the point in
time and the occasion of happening for
?
A woman in the
matrimonial-bond: النِّكَاحُ of a living man is
not permissible for the rest of all living men of the
world. Except the most honoured and dignified Wives of the Elevated
Messenger Muhammad
Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam
of Allah the Exalted, all women become
permissible for marriage by others on the death of their respective
husbands. Thereat, act of:
النِّكَاحُ becomes
"that which seemed herebefore for/to you
pleasing, delightful, and fairly good". What is the time lapse between
this past fact and the present point in time of this imperative command:
"Thereat, you men enter in
matrimonial bondage"?
The fact happened in
the past:
was at this occasion-happening:
-
This is about those men who are
caused separation-detachment-parting from amongst you
people;
because of natural-accidental death, incidental-planned murder, or
slaughter in the cause/war of Allah the Exalted;
in circumstances that they leave behind their wives.
-
Their
respective
wives should wait-restrain their selves,
honestly and sincerely, for a period of four lunar months and ten days
till the eleventh lunar night.
-
Thereat, when they
have elapsed-crossed over the last
moment of their prescribed duration, thereby there is no objection upon you people
regards what these women
decide-act about their selves in accordance with the known norms of the
society.
-
Remain mindful that Allah the
Exalted is aware
of all acts which you people keep doing. [2:234]
This situation, a sad
happening, is also a source of
for some other men, a ground reality:
-
Be aware that there is nothing wrong
and blemish worthy upon you for having subtly indicated your interest to the Widows
of
deceased-alienated husbands;
or you kept it secret to your selves.
-
Allah the Exalted knows that you will
eventually express desire to them.
-
But you should not alluringly lead them to mutual promise,
except that you may say to them a normally acceptable statement in plain words of
evident import.
-
Take note that you
people should not make a firm resolve for the Matrimonial Bondage
with them, until such time the Prescribed Obligatory Period crosses its
terminating moment. [Ref
2:235]
After the expiry of prescribed
obligatory period of restraint from deciding their future course of
action, this is the point in time to obey this command:
"Thereat, you the men enter in matrimonial bondage; that which
seemed pleasing, delightful and fairly good for you
[2:235]".
It is followed by circumstantial clause.
Prepositional Phrase:
relates to the elided but conspicuously understood
circumstance by context of bereaved children of deceased fathers; known
solemn period of self restraint for bereaved wives, and the
prepositional phrase. Preposition
denotes the relation which subsists between the
part and whole, the species and the genus.
It is important to note that
when it precedes a definite noun, especially in
the plural, as is the case here, it often indicates an indefinite quantity or number.
This aspect is further evident by the succeeding circumstantial clause
for the Verb, explicitly by nouns in accusative case. The Prepositional
Phrase not only indicates that the permission-command is with regard to
only those widows who have since exhausted Mandatory restrain period,
but also affords the option of choice, mutual liking and understanding
for the intended:
matrimonial bondage. A further
circumstantial
clause is added to cope various situations arising in society. In
war situations,
Father-Orphans
might become in abundance in the society.
Father-Orphans emerge
when many women have become widows. The circumstantial clause for the
Subject Pronoun and Verb is:
;
which means, two two; and three three; and four four. The use of
repetitive words signifies that each ordinary man of resources is
directed to take in the fold of النِّكَاحُ
matrimonial-bond two, three and four widow women
to cope the situation and alleviate chances of neglect and maltreatment
of bereaved children of deceased husbands.
One will appreciate
the superb choice, beauty, delicacy and purity of purpose in use of word
only
if he visualizes the whole perspective of the arisen situation by the
demise or killing of husbands who have left behind widows and bereaved
children.
The Imperative Verb:
"Thereat, to alleviate the apprehended
possibility, you the men enter in matrimonial bondage" since has the
force of law and imposition of a duty, a saving clause is obviously
needed
for such men who might not be able to sustain this additional
responsibility imposed by the injunction, for physical reasons and
financial constraints. Asking such men to marry widows might create
apprehensions for them of not dispensing justice and fairness to such
wed wives.
An amendment is
introduced in the said Provision of Law to cater for those who might
suffer impracticability, or apprehension of injustice, or unfairness if
made to marry widows:
-
Sequel to this
injunction, in
case you-the Men apprehended in complying this order that you might not be
able to do financial and physical justice in all fairness;
-
Thereby, in partial
modification of aforesaid injunction you are directed to enter in matrimonial bondage with
one widow who is lonely.
-
Alternatively to meet financial constraints, marry with
that woman, upon whom the right hand of you people have the authority
and responsibility for ordering and managing her affairs.
This saving
clause-partial modification to the preceding duty imposing injunction
begins with
,
comprising Conjunction Particle
فَ
, which denotes cause and effect
and sequence of happenings, and Particle of Condition which renders the
following verb in Jussive State. The condition is that of calculated
apprehension by some men that they might not:
.
This is
Verb: Imperfect; Second Person; Plural; Masculine;
Mood: Subjunctive by Subjunctive Particle, evident by elision of
نَ and [و] Subject
Pronoun, nominative state; مصدر-عَدْلٌ-باب ضَرَبَ
Verbal noun.
Apprehension in
respect of bereaved children is described by the verb emanating from
Root " ق س ط"
while apprehension in obeying the command of marrying widow women is
portrayed by the Verb emanating from Root "ع د ل".
It seems quite difficult to me to portray the delicate difference
between the two both of which are ordinarily translated as to act
equitably and justly, equity and justice. However, delicacies can be
perceived by assessing the difference in dealings about bereaved
children and sensitivities of relationship of a husband who has more
than one wife. How difficult and delicate is what is inherent in
,
it explains:
-
You people will never be able
to attain the capability that you might maintain absolute justice between your
wives even if you had vehemently wished it.
-
Therefore,
for this natural fact, to
remain near to justice
you people should not turn away, an altogether
turning, whereby you leave her-one
wife from whom you are turning away
in
the manner as flesh separated from bone making her like the one
suspended-hanging. [Ref 4:129]
People who feel
fascinated about the permission for having more than one wife should
read the injunction and true information about human capabilities.
Thereby, they will realize that this is more of a responsibility and
trial than the momentary pleasures. Those
who realize and fear that they will not be able
to do financial and physical justice in
all fairness by marrying widows with bereaved children, an easy to
comply provision is made for them:
"thereby, in such
case
you are directed to enter in matrimonial bondage with
one widow who is lonely".
Conjunction
Particle فَ
denotes cause and effect
and serves as linking Apodosis clause to the conditional clause.
:
It
is Active Participle:
Indefinite; singular;
feminine;
and its accusative case ending and absolute state reflects it as the
Object of elided Verb, visibly understood as used earlier
.
The Object Active Participle denotes that
woman who lives by herself, that she is alone without children. She will
be economical for the intended husband. Financially constrained person
is given yet another option"
"or
marry with that woman upon whom the right hand of
you people have the authority for ordering and managing
her affair-self supporting housemaids."
After this relaxation
clause, the declarative comment makes it abundantly clear that the
problem addressed and resolved is for those people who have financial
constraints in marrying women:
Demonstrative
pronoun:
Singular; Masculine,
Nominative state. It is the Subject
of Nominal Sentence,
referring to the preceding amending clause to the legal
provision of arranging marriages of the widowed women in the
society to just and effectively manage the affairs of Orphans.
Elative
Noun (comparative and superlative): Indefinite; Masculine; singular;
nominative. It is the Predicate.
=
+
Subordinating
conjunction, Subjunctive particle + Negation Particle.
Verb: Imperfect; second person; plural; masculine;
Mood: Subjunctive by Subjunctive Particle, evident by elision of
نَ; and [و] Subject
Pronoun, nominative state; مصدر-عَوْلٌ Verbal
noun. This is derived from Root "ع و ل".
The basic perception infolded in the Root
is to feed, nourish and sustain a household.
It thus reflects sufficiently sound financial position of a man to
manage and sustain his household. A man not holding sound financial
position is advised to opt for marrying a Woman of category:
"She, upon whom the right hand of
you people have the authority for ruling, ordering, or managing
her affair." Thus, its first
occurrence has revealed to us that the striking characteristic of such
Women is that they cause relatively lesser financial obligation for the
Man who intends marrying them.
It is manifestly obvious from the
foregoing that "Polygamy-having
many spouses"
as a Custom-Rule and as source-an approach of pleasure is not allowed in the Grand
Qur'aan.
It is prescribed rather to meet exceptional situations arising in the
society and as a responsibility-duty-obligation imposed upon men who can
manage and afford additional liability of caring for the bereaved
children and wives of dead husbands. The Ayah-Verbal Unitary Passage
begins with a conditional clause explaining existence-emergence of a
peculiar situation, whereby Allah the Exalted issues orders-ordinance to
tackle the situation.
It is an accepted
principle of law that if the prescribed precondition does not exist, the
action allowed to be taken or the granted permission ceases to exist.
It is thus obvious
that Allah the Exalted
has NOT allowed marrying four four virgins. Thereby, there is no concept
of "Polygamy" in Qur'aan.
Marriage with the
widows—mothers of bereaved children will alleviate the possibility of
meeting them ill or unequal treatment as compared to children of living
fathers since it results in the development of relationship with the
Wombs of mothers of bereaved children.
Main Page/Index
Word by Word
Grammar of Arabic of Grand Qur'aan
