Polygamy

Definition of Polygamy

            The word polygamy is etymologically derived from the Greek, from the word Polus means many and gamos which means marriage. From those combination words, then polygamy would mean "a marriage more than one person". Marriage system that a man having more than one wife at the same time or a woman having more than one husband at the same time basically called polygamy.

            Definition of polygamy according to the Indonesian language is "bond of marriage in which one party owns or married more than one person from the opposite sex in the same time or Polygamy is customary a man married more than a woman".

            According to Islamic law, polygamy or ta'addud al-zaujat defined as the permissibility of marrying women who liked, two, three, or four if you can be fair. As contained in Surah An-Nisa verse 3. The term polygamy in fiqh (according Jumhur Ulama) is limited to four women.

Polygamy In Several Nations Before Islam

            Syed Ameer Ali in his book The Spirit of Islam states that the system of polygamy is widespread and applies to some of the nation before Islam. At certain stages of social development, polygamy is a matter that can not be circumvented. Frequent wars between tribes caused many casualties, reducing the number of men and the increasing number of women, and the absolute power of tribe chiefs, marked the beginning of a habit of polygamy. Among the few nations that apply polygamy is ancient Western nations, Hindus and Israel.

            In ancient Western nations, polygamy was considered as a habit because it had done by the kings who symbolized divinity, so that people take it as a sacred act. The Hindus do polygamy generally since ancient times. Furthermore, the ancient Medes, Babylonians, Assyrians and Persians have no restriction on the number of women that married by a man. A high caste Brahmana even in this modern age may marry as many women as he likes. Among the Israelites, polygamy has been running since before the Prophet Moses who later became the custom followed without any limit to the number of women that married by a man. Moreover, Talmud in Jerussalem limit the amount of the women according to the ability of the husband to maintain their well. Although the Rabbis urge to not have more than four wives, the Karaite not recognize restrictions.

Polygamy in Islam

            Islam allows polygamy with a limited number of women and does not require the followers perform absolute monogamy; with the understanding of a man married a woman should only be under the circumstances and any situation and not indiscriminately whether the man is rich or poor, or hiperseks hiposeks, fair or unfair in physically. Islam basically adopting a monogamous, but giving an exception to do polygamy in limited of the amount of the women. In principle, a man has only one wife and instead of a wife just had a husband. But Islam does not deny directly the habit of the man that married more than one woman which had become a custom. Islam does not reject the possibility of certain male do polygamy, but not all of man can do so because they must have the ability to polygamy. Polygamy in Islam is restricted to certain conditions both the maximum and the other requirements such as:

1. The maximum number of wives in polygamy is four women. If there is one of them dead or divorce, the husband may seek the other woman as long as the amount does not exceed four women at the same time. (QS An-Nisa verse 3).

2. The man must justice to his wives and children, involving the physical needs such as time, maintenance and the other matters relating to the physical needs. While the spiritual needs certainly can not possibly do justice.

            Islam allows men polygamy implement some alternative or solution to the distribution of the sexual needs of men or other causes that interfere with inner calmness in order not to fall into the valley of adultery and prostitution are clearly forbidden by religion. Therefore, the purpose of polygamy in Islam is to avoid the husband does not fall into the abyss Islam prohibited adultery by looking for a halal way which may take another or polygamy to be fair condition.

            Islam permits polygamy basic principal is the word of Allah in the Qur'an Surat an-Nisa verse three. This verse is a continuation of maintaining the orphan, who then mentioned about the ability to have more than one to four. Because of the close relationship orphan care and take more than one to four in this paragraph, it shall first briefly described the origins of the decline of this paragraph. According to Aisha RA interpretation, this verse was revealed because the answer Urwah bin Zubeir, son Asma 'sister Aisha, which is how the origin of people allowed to have more than one to four on the grounds nurture orphans. Then Aisha replied:

            "O my nephew, this verse about the orphan girl in the custody of his guardian taste, which has been mixed with the boy's treasure treasure guardian. The trustees are interested in wealth and beauty, he wanted to marry her by not paying a proper dowry. He did not give a dowry to her but modest, then such dilaranglah, and disuruhlah to marry another woman either as much as two, three or four ".

            The ability to marry another woman even though up to four is to avoid persecution and ill-treatment of children orphaned cheat; than mengahadpi difficulties in managing the orphan's property, may be even up to four wives, provided that may be fair to those wives. But if it will also be difficult because it is difficult to do justice to multiple wives, one wife is enough.

Terms fair in a polygamy is because generally men who have earned the young wife, the wife's parents just left or abandoned. This is to remind all times to men who carry out polygamy.