Q&A: What Does the Quran Teach about Polygamy? | Dr. Shabir Ally

A viewer asks, "What does the Quran say about polygamy and how common was polygamy in Islamic history?" Dr. Shabir Ally responds that polygamy has been and remains a minor practice for Muslims. He says that Quran 4:3 provided a solution to a problem that existed at the time. It encouraged men to take on additional responsibility after the Battle of Uhud to provide for widows and orphans. He cautions that some people run away with the verse thinking it's a license to marry multiple wives, but he says this is wrong, since the verse is an "if-then" clause, and in addition, it prioritizes justice. He explains that Muslims in modern times recognize that the practice of polygamy is often abusive to women and try to minimize the effects of suffering in these relationships. Dr. Shabir points to 4:129, which warns of the difficulty of doing justice to multiple wives. He advises that if the problem that gave rise to the Quranic revelation persists, then we have a solution in our scriptures. But due to the real problems arising from polygamous marriages, we learn a lesson from the Quran that it is better to marry only one woman. If you enjoy this video, please support our work financially by: Visiting our website http://www.QuranSpeaks.com OR Sending an etransfer to iGive@QuranSpeaks.com OR Subscribing monthly at Patreon.com/QuranSpeaks ► DONATE: http://www.quranspeaks.com/ ► SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=quranspeaks Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/LetTheQuranSpeak Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/QuranSpeaks.tv Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/Quran_Speaks