|
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Friday Sermon
HAZRAT KHALIFATULLAH AL-MASSIH AL-MA’OUD
Munir Ahmad Azim
(06 Muharram 1433 Hijri)
(Summary of Friday Sermon on Polygamy)
After having greeted the members (and all Muslims round the world) with the Salutations of Peace, the Messiah (Massih’ullah) read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and he said:
فَانكِحُواْ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاء مَثْنَى وَثُلاَثَ وَرُبَاعَ
… Fan-kihuu maa taaba lakum-minan-nisaaa-‘imasnaa wa sulaasa wa rubaa
…Marry those that please you of women, two or three or four. (4: 4)
I am today by the grace of Allah continuing the second part of my Friday Sermon on Polygamy. One more thing that a woman must understand is that it is Allah who has instituted desire in a man so that he may marry more than one wife. If Almighty Allah had not put any desire in a man, then it is a fact that man would not want to contract marriages. He would not only, not want to marry two, three or four wives, but perhaps he would not want to marry at all!
Nowadays, one can see that sumptuous weddings are celebrated, but when the time for Honeymoon comes, and the man cannot satisfy his bride, the next day it so happens that the young girl leaves the marital roof and spread the words around that the boy is not a good one, he is not man enough and she does not hesitate to humiliate him. Not only the boy has to face such humiliations, but the boy’s family also is subject to this kind of humiliation, and the girl’s family does not hesitate to spread lies everywhere (on the boy and his family also). Do you think Allah appreciates such behaviour (and is pleased with this (kind of) situation)? The girl and her family create chaos just because on the next day of her wedding, the wedding has not yet been consummated. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has said: “After me I have not left any affliction more harmful to men than women.” (Bukhari)
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) got to know (from Allah) that some women shall be causes of afflictions for some men; (He knows) in what way these women shall behave with these men. It often happens that women and young girls do not want to become the second or third wife of a man. They prefer to lead a celibate life, with all its harsh, difficult times, problems and where they can fall prey to temptation wherein the wrath of Allah can struck them.
Therefore the factor which hinders a young girl or a woman from accepting polygamy is her thoughts concerning becoming a second, third or fourth wife of a man. From the woman’s perspective, it (polygamy) is something which diminishes her status in society. But these thoughts are only satanic inspirations because in the law of Allah resides our honour, and not our dishonour. Moreover, we all know how great a status and honour that Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) amidst all the Sahaba, and it is a fact that she was not the first wife of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).
In the same way, we see how Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) gave the hand of his daughter Hafsa in marriage to him despite the fact that he was already married. Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar:
“When the husband of Hafsa, Kunays ibn Huzaifa died, Umar ibn al-Khattab said, “I went to Uthman ibn Affan (to offer to marry her to him) and he said, 'Let me reflect on it.’ A few days later he met me and said, 'It seems to me that I should not marry at this time.’” Umar said, "Then I met Abu Bakr as-Siddiq and said, ‘If you wish, I will marry you to Hafsa bint Umar.’ Abu Bakr was silent and did not give me any reply at all and that was more painful to me than Uthman. Some days later the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, proposed to her and I married her to him.” (Bukhari)
Normally young people like to marry virgins and do not like to marry matrons (widows or divorcees). On the other hand, it is a known fact that the passion of a woman does not die along with the death of her husband or her divorce. Therefore, where is the harm if an already married man takes charge (through marriage) of a widow or divorcee instead of a youth, to help her financially and to preserve her dignity and when the woman knows (is satisfied) that there is someone for her to protect her from the harm of thugs and evil-minded men wanting to trap her, and abuse on her weaknesses, if ever she had no such support? The woman needs a good, sincere and believing man who can support her and bring her out of her trials and despair. Such a good man can perform the Nikah with the lady and thus protect her honour and dignity and help her and satisfy her in all that is licit.
In a Jihad, the ones to die are the men. Therefore, are the women whose husbands were martyred destined to live without husbands till death overcomes them? Or do men who have survived the wars (like in the times of the Holy Prophet of Islam) have the right to take second wives?
According to Hadiths, in the last days that would be more girls (and women) than boys (and men). Is there any other solution besides polygamy, which is the solution Almighty Allah already gave (in Chapter 4 Verse 4) to solve this problem, wherein every girl (or woman) can be under the guardianship of a husband? This applies only to a believing man who is attached to his Islam, prayer and Holy Quran and makes Dawa, not the kind of boy and man with whom a girl and woman will be more miserable (getting into deeper problems), and where she then regrets marrying such a man.
What I want to make you understand in this sermon that multi marriages are not for those kinds of (bad) boys and men who shall be a source of further afflictions for girls or women. (O ladies) before you become the second or third wives of a man, you must see to it that he is a good man with a good behaviour, how he leads his life and you must make sure that he is someone who is attached to the Deen of Islam and attached also to his Holy Quran. In this sermon, I am specifying multi marriages to decent, good and believing men; not those who are without religion (who are Muslim only in name) and who waste their lives in such vices without anti-vice (that is, those men who waste their lives in sins).
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is quoted to have said: “From among the portents of the Hour… men will decrease & women will increase so much so that for every 50 women there will be one man to look after them.” (Bukhari) Through this Hadith, if we believers in the religion of Islam do not resolve this problem, would there not be the spread of more immorality, havocs and the loss of shame in the world we were sent by Allah?
Instead of remaining without a marriage, it is preferable that a widow or a girl accepts to marry a good and believing man who takes the institution of marriage seriously, and wherein (in such a marriage) the woman or girl does not have anything to prepare. She just has to give her consent. Without her consent a marriage is not valid. One does not have the right to force them to marry with such and such man or boy.
Almighty Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) has been straightforward on this subject. Nobody has the right to force a woman or a girl to marry. Therefore if the girl (or woman) gives her consent, and says that she wants to marry such boy or man, therefore it is for the bridegroom to make the necessary preparation for a house and comforts, according to his means, to give her. And the man must work hard to feed his wife without harming her (or causing her to be miserable), and he must treat all his wives equally like taught by Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him).
Getting two to four wives does not come like this. It is not easy. One must understand them, understand their caprices and one must know how to judge between (or among) them whenever a problem arise among them (the wives). It is not easy for a man to cope with four wives: four different mentalities, four different caprices, four different minds, to treat equally. One must have a lot of patience and perseverance (in dealing with several wives), and that is why the reward of a man in the eyes of Allah is great, all because he accepted to bear all sorts of difficulties and trials (with his wives) to protect their honour and dignity and to treat them according to his efforts and capabilities, and he does this only for the pleasure of Allah.
That is why the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has said: “You shall have six rewards with Allah… and one among these six rewards, you shall be married with Hur with big beautiful eyes.” (Ibn Maja) And in another Hadith, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has said: “He shall be married to 72 Hur with big beautiful eyes.” (Tirmidhi)
Therefore, if Almighty Allah has reserved these rewards to those good men, this indicates to us that Almighty Allah shall give them what they wish for. Nowadays, it is known that there are few good boys who are attached to their religion (Islam) and practicing it; thus does an intelligent woman or girl wants to become the second or third wife of a good boy or man or will she prefer to become the unique wife of a bad boy or man who is not attached to Islam? Such a man whose life is ruined with gambling, alcoholic drinks, and drugs, and commits adultery, and beats his wife?
Our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) has encouraged his Ummah to have many children. There is no “family planning” in Islam. Reflect upon this: Is there any other lawful (in Allah’s eyes) way besides polygamy for someone to have many children? Therefore it is for this reason that our beloved prophet (peace be upon him) has said: “Marry the fertile loving wife, as I will (be) proud of your number to other nations.” (Abu Dawud)
Nowadays there are many women who lead harsh lives with their husbands, especially those men who have no Islam in them and who live in sin night and day; but despite this situation, the woman does not seek divorce because she fears that after the divorce she may not find a good husband to care for her. If polygamy was practised in countries where Muslims are found, such fear would have been removed for the woman would have known that she may now become the second wife of a good man, instead of living in misery, whereby she can at least lead her life in peace, Insha-Allah.
Polygamy removes disputes between husband and wife. Polygamy makes a woman takes precaution so as not to behave wrongly with her husband for fear that the latter inclines more to his second wife. In this way, there shall always be competition between the wives to attract the attention of their husbands. Therefore, marital disputes diminish and the household lives in peace and prosperity.
Islam is a perfect religion. It is perfect in all its aspects. It is people who renders it imperfect (in the eyes of people), and thus they shall have to account for this (before Allah one day). You know my brothers and sisters, as Muslims, it is the other religions which should have taken us as role models in their daily lives. Each Muslim does not know his true value which Allah gave him when He made him Muslim; he (the Muslim) does not think and realise the immense favour, dignity and honour which Allah gave him when He made him Muslim. Unfortunately, it is the Muslims who are imitating the other religions when the latter should be those who follow our examples (Islam). This would have been a great Dawa and at the same time you would have implemented a divine commandment only for the pleasure of Allah, and in this way give Islam its true divine value as a pure religion, whereby people submit to a Unique God and where is there complete peace and submission. When a man contract several marriages (up to four) and he goes out with his whole family and they all live in peace, do you know how pleased shall Allah be with you, whereby you show the beauty of the teachings of Islam (of Allah and His Messenger – peace be upon him) and at the same time you are defending the honour of our beloved prophet (peace be upon him) in the face of all critics which other religions have said on him?
Insha-Allah, in my next Friday Sermon I shall refute our opponents on polygamy. |
