Taaddud al-Zawjat bayn Haqaiq al-Tanzil wa Iftirayat al-Tadlil
- Author died
- -
- Editions
- Dar Al-Qalam Li Al-Turath
Taaddud al-Zawjat bayn Haqaiq al-Tanzil wa Iftirayat al-Tadlil (Polygamy Between the Truths of Revelation and the Fabrications of Misguidance) is a contemporary treatise written by Mahmud Muhammad Gharib that examines the Islamic rulings and rationale regarding polygyny while responding to modern criticisms and secular interpretations .
Background and Composition
The author concluded the work on the night of mid-Sha'ban 1423 AH (2002 CE) in Salalah, Oman . Gharib states in the introduction that his objective was to defend Islamic principles rather than actively advocate for or encourage polygyny, emphasizing that Islam permitted the practice under specific guidelines rather than obligating it . The treatise was published in Cairo by Dar al-Qalam lil-Turath, with a second edition appearing in 1423 AH / 2004 CE .
Content and Arguments
The treatise begins by reviewing previous religious traditions, arguing that polygyny was practiced in ancient legal codes, the Old Testament, and early Christian historical contexts, and that Islam did not initiate polygyny but regulated and restricted an existing practice . Gharib explores practical individual and societal circumstances where polygyny serves as a solution, including demographic imbalances caused by wars, providing care for widows and orphans, severe illness, infertility, or lengthy spousal travel .
Gharib addresses demographic claims about the prevalence of polygyny, citing statistics indicating that men with multiple wives represent no more than 4% of married men in Muslim societies, with percentages declining among higher educational brackets . He also contrasts the legal permission of polygyny with the widespread prevalence of extramarital mistresses and out-of-wedlock births in Western societies that legally ban polygamous marriages .
In his legal analysis, Gharib discusses the Quranic stipulations of justice between cowives. He differentiates between internal emotional inclination—which lies beyond absolute human control, citing وَلَنْ تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ ("And you will never be able to be equal between wives, even if you should strive")—and practical external justice, which mandates equitable division of overnight stays (qisma) and financial support .
Polemics and Critiques
A significant portion of the treatise engages with contemporary writings on Islamic law and family structure:
- Murad Hofmann: Gharib critiques aspects of the German diplomat and author's writings on polygyny, attributing Hofmann's occasional oversights to his upbringing in Europe and limited immersion in Arabic and Islamic history, while acknowledging his fair-minded intentions .
- Muhammad Shahrur: Gharib delivers a sharp critique of the Syrian author's book al-Kitab wa-l-Qur'an, arguing that Shahrur employs flawed pre-Islamic linguistic derivations to discard established legal meanings of Quranic terminology regarding women and marriage .
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