Islam and Christianity

marrying four women is wâjib (a strong duty) in Islam. It is not a
mendub (pious act), either. It is permitted in case of necessity.
Men are not obliged to marry four women, and the women are
not obliged to accept it, either.” If the government forbids a
mubâh thing, it becomes harâm (forbidden) and no longer
mubâh. This is because a Muslim never disobeys the law. A
Muslim is a person who is not harmful to himself or to others. In
addition, Islam has established economic and social conditions to
preserve the rights and freedoms of the first wife if a man intends
to marry a second wife. Other women whom he may marry later
on will each have special rights, and Islam forbids marriage to
more than one woman for those who cannot meet these
conditions and who cannot attend to rights guaranteed to
women. On the other hand, it is thawâb (a means for blessings in
the next world) for him to give up the second marriage in order
to please his first wife. Furthermore, it is harâm (forbidden) to
hurt a Muslim, i.e., his first wife. In the twentieth century, due to
economic conditions in almost every country, most men cannot
fulfill these conditions. It is obvious, therefore, that it is not
permissible for such men to marry a second woman. Islam
accepts that rules that are based on usage and custom can be
adapted to time, and, therefore, today most Muslim men have
only one wife.
Concerning polygamy, let us now look at some other countries
and religions. Marriage with more than one women is permitted
in the 30th chapter of Genesis, 21st chapter of Deuteronomy, and
the 2nd chapter of Second Samuel of the Torah (Old Testament),
which is accepted as the holy book of Jews and Christians. The
Prophets David and Solomon had several wives and female
slaves; East Roman Emperors always had several wives, and old
German Emperors, e.g., Friedrich Barbarossa (1152-1190) had
three to four wives. An Eskimo can marry a second woman
provided he is granted permission by his first wife. The Mormon
Christian sect founded in America in 1830 permits a man to marry
more than one women. (But presently, American law prohibits
such marriages.) Even in today’s Japan, a man can marry several
women.
In the light of the above facts, it would be gravely unfair to
blame Islam because “it gives a man permission to marry several
women.” Polygamy has been accepted by a number of countries
and religions. The famous author John Milton (1608-1674) said,
“Why should something prohibited neither in the Old Testament
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