Ask Ghamidi

A Community Driven Discussion Portal
To Ask, Answer, Share And Learn

Forums Forums Sources of Islam 4:3 Limit On Number Of Wives

  • 4:3 Limit On Number Of Wives

    Posted by Ahmad Shoaib on November 23, 2020 at 7:18 pm

    An-Nisa’ – 4:3

    Arabic

    وَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَلَّا تُقۡسِطُواْ فِى ٱلۡيَتَٰمَىٰ فَٱنكِحُواْ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ مَثۡنَىٰ وَثُلَٰثَ وَرُبَٰعَۖ فَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُواْ فَوَٰحِدَةً أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُمْۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدۡنَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعُولُواْ

    This ayah seems to just say- ‘marry how ever many you can- two or three or four’

    The implication would be that it is just a suggestion or a description of a normal number being 2 or 3 or 4- but there is no actual limit.

    Why do most people say this ayah refers to a limit?

    Dr. Irfan Shahzad replied 2 years, 10 months ago 4 Members · 9 Replies
  • 9 Replies
  • 4:3 Limit On Number Of Wives

  • Rafia Khawaja

    Member November 23, 2020 at 7:20 pm

    What does 2-3-4 mean to you more than 4-5-6-7?! To me it obviously means maximum 4

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor November 23, 2020 at 7:21 pm

      I have already written in my question what an interpretation could be

  • Rafia Khawaja

    Member November 23, 2020 at 7:24 pm

    To me the limit appears 4. If we start interpreting every word and finding other meanings to something obvious, we will be going around in circles with no end in sight.!

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor November 23, 2020 at 7:24 pm

      If I say

      ‘Bring some ketchup- two or three packets’

      I’m not prescribing a number just giving a suggestion

  • Umer

    Moderator November 23, 2020 at 7:41 pm

    Please see this response by Ghamidi Sahab:

    Discussion 35215 • Reply 35223

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor November 23, 2020 at 7:45 pm

      👍

  • Ahmad Shoaib

    Contributor May 23, 2021 at 10:29 am

    I have pondered a bit more on this I have just thought that the argument from Ghamidi sahab doesn’t make sense. Since the ayah seems to says ‘… from women, two or three or four’. I’m not sure if it equates ‘do do teen teen chaar chaar’. Maybe @irfan76 could help out since the word used for two three and four is not ithnayn thalaatha arba3 but mathnaa thulaath and rubaa3

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor May 23, 2021 at 10:30 am

      Apparently it means ‘two per (each man)…’

  • Dr. Irfan Shahzad

    Scholar May 26, 2021 at 12:49 am

    These are Mathna, Thulatha and Ruba’, they are used for pairs as we say in our language do do, teen teen, chaar chaar. these are not like simple for two three and four.

You must be logged in to reply.
Login | Register