Todays Khutbah (Islamic sermon)

Assalamu Alaikum

An-Nisa 4. 3-5

3.

If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, Marry women of your choice, Two or three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice.

4.

And give the women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift; but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, Take it and enjoy it with right good cheer.

5.

To those weak of understanding Make not over your property, which Allah hath made a means of support for you, but feed and clothe them therewith, and speak to them words of kindness and justice.

The above verse is often quoted by people advo­cating a strictly monogamous relationship. Verse (4:3) above calls for equal fairness (justice) to be meted out to the spouses. However (4:3) should be read and under­stood in conjunction with its complementary verse, viz.

(4: 129)

“And it will not be within your power to treat your wives with equal fairness, however much you may desire it; and so, do not allow yourselves TO incline TOWARDS ONE TO THE EXCLUSION OF THE OTHER. LEAVING HER IN A STATE AS IT WERE OF HAVING AND NOT HAVING A HUSBAND. But if you put things right and are conscious of Him — behold, Allah is indeed Much-forgiving, Dispenser of Grace.”

The above verse makes it very clear that Allah (SWT), being the Ahkamul-Haakimeen (the Most Wise of those who are wise) tells us that it is not JUSTICE that is de­manded, but rather that the husband “should not incline towards one to the exclusion of the other.” In other words, one should practise EQUITY, over and above justice. ‘Eq­uity’ should not be confused with ‘justice’. The dictio­naries define ‘equity’ as: “The quality of being impartial or reasonable; fairness.” In the ethical scheme of things, if equity is genuinely practised, then justice has no choice but to fall in line!

POLYGAMY is a state wherein a man or a woman has many spouses. POL’YANDRY is a state wherein a woman has many husbands. Islam allows POLYGYNY —a situation wherein a man may have more than one wife, and that too under certain strict conditions.