First published on: Why Women Can’t Marry Four Men?


 Islam In Women, Sharia Law for Dummies Women in Islam Abeer Eltahan

Interesting question isn’t it? Well, to answer this we’ll go over several steps:

Why can Muslim men marry four women?





Let’s begin,

First: Muslim men can marry four women according to Islamic Shar’iah.

Islam being the final Divine Revelation has to be applicable in every time and place till Judgment Day. Fourteen hundred years ago men in the community of the beginning of revelation could have any number of wives as they please, so it was more of a limitation than a privilege. Also Islam gave parameters for the responsibilities, duties and the rights of each spouse. This resulted in a very civilized relationship between husband and wife in Islam.

A man with more than one wife must treat them equally in all aspects of life e.g. the time he stays and  the money he spends. The Quran in one verse states that men will not be able to be completely fair and advices of one wife to avoid unjustness.

And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hand possesses. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice]”. AN-NISA (THE WOMEN chapter Quran.com/4).

Presently, it is not a common practice in Islamic communities for a lot of reasons; e.g. fear of being unjust, realizing the wisdom behind this restriction and the desire of men nowadays to provide proper care for their wives and children.

Second: Why can’t Muslim women marry four men?

Most importantly, it is a matter of Pride, Piety, maintaining clear pure lineage of children, keeping proper kinship and having natural healthy family life for the upbringing of new generations.

Societies all over the world strive under the weight of moral corruption and can hardly survive consequences of their unnatural choices.

Finally: Why can’t women medically marry four men?

We have to admit that vice and sin are present everywhere and at every time. There is infidelity and sick psychotics that commit bad deeds in the name of personal freedom.  

As our time is dominated by the overwhelming influence of science, here are some scientific facts that show the consequences for promiscuity:

HIV virus appeared after the spread of promiscuous practices in the sixties of the last century along several other diseases that were not seen in people before.


Venereal diseases are multiplying in incidence numbers and speed of spread.


Genital malignancies especially cancer cervix in women is directly related to women having multiple sexual partners.


New types of malignancies that were not seen or rarely seen before; are now diagnosed daily e.g. Laryngeal cancers, Rectal cancers etc.


To conclude,

Clean, pure and pious living cannot be realized by human endeavor alone, since humans do not have the ultimate knowledge that ensures their own welfare.  The need for  divine guidance and wisdom to achieve this goal is fulfilled by Allah through his Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which is Islam.