I Am Curious About Polygamy
Polygamy is a strange ancient thing for most people. There are references to the prophets of the Old Testaments being engaged in polygamy. It makes sense to think that the population was lower then, and polygamy (even incestuous relationship) was a real necessity. For example, Prophet Adam's sons Cain and Abel, had to marry their own sisters in order to procreate. The prophets being the most righteous men in a society, would attract many women who are willing to share them. Today, however, women go after attractive men more often than their characters and nobility, unless of course, when they got money and bling bling! Polygamy from my Muslim female perspective, is much like serial monogamy except that it came attached with the rights for the women involved. Any man who've had more than one girlfriends at a time, would not have enjoyed polygamy. In polygamy all three girlfriends would be wives, who have to be supported financially, emotionally and what have yous. In the Koran and according to the practice and saying of Muhammad, Muslim men must allocate equal number of days for each wife, and allocate accomodations that suit the existing lifestyle of each wife. They cannot be lumped together in one apartment, except in emergency situations. A righteous man will lose the favor of God, if he lives in such a polygamous lifestyle without giving women their rights to their own home and privacy in upbringing their children. If someone marries a princess, then he must try his best to provide a high lifestyle for the princess. For women, polygamy is no fun unless the man can pretend that he loves all his girls equally. But some women are less fortunate than others. There are times when women can't be selfish and had to share their husbands, such as in the following situations: 1) At time of war where many women are widowed 2) Higher rates of survival for women - women live longer than men, and many needs either the emotional support, financial support or loving and sexual companionship of a man. 3) There are not many righteous men around - that women are forced to marry drug addicts, traffickers, robbers, murderers, abusers and other criminals. 4) A woman who is married to a "weak" man - who succumbs to temptation from another woman and becomes involved in extra-marital affair. A righteous woman with such a husband, who loves for him to lead a righteous life, will allow that husband to marry the other woman as a second wife. 5) A woman who is married to a sexually active husband who needs sexual intercourse multiple times a day while the wife is not sexually active. This husband may resort to an illicit affair if refused sex. Thus, the wife who loves the husband and desire Paradise for her family should allow him to marry more than one wife or follow his libido. The prophet Muhammad married a number of widows. All of these are meant to protect the society from the consequences of having children out of wedlock, where children are sometimes abandoned or neglected by one or both parents. Would Bill be happier, if he could marry Monica Lewisnsky?
