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Hedonistic polygyny

Mr. A. Faizur Rahman’s article “Why hedonistic polygyny is against Islam (April 5)” was an excellent exposition of the law of polygyny. It clarified my longstanding misconception on the issue. As rightly pointed out by Mr. Rahman, it is the Muslim women — the worst sufferers — who must take the initiative to reform the Muslim personal law. It is a shame that we allow ourselves to be brainwashed by the clergy into becoming subservient to men when it is not prescribed in the Quran. Muslim women should not get carried away by quotations from spurious traditions in the name of the beloved Prophet of Islam.

Maryam Fatima,

Bangalore

Polygyny in Islam is strictly conditional and cannot be resorted to for satisfying our sensual pleasures. Unrestricted polygamy, marriage between step-mother and step-son after the father’s death and temporary marriage called muta were the kind of social vices that were prevalent in Arabia in those days. If Islam had allowed polygamy for pleasure, it would have meant giving legitimacy in another form to the practices which it wanted to eradicate. What Islam promoted and encouraged was only monogamy.

Usman Basha,

Chennai

Kudos to the author for elucidating the miseries and exploitation of Muslim women in the name of polygyny purported to have been allowed in the Islamic law. No religion allows a plurality of wives or concubines. The Quran also does not at all advocate polygamy or polygyny. But the seeds of wrongful interpretation of the law sown right from the medieval period have taken deep roots and led to the present level of apathy towards femininity. The agony is that such an incorrect custom that affects Muslim women has emboldened men of other religions to convert to Islam and thrive in polygyny with the sole aim of sense gratification. Will women’s forums around the world take up the cause of Muslim women and fight for eliminating the evil?

R.M. Manoharan,

Chennai

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