Polygamy in Islamic and Feminism Perspectives

Funny Looking Polygamy

Polygamy is an interesting phenomenon to study from religion perspective and also from feminist’s opinion. It because almost all of feminist especially radical feminist assume that polygamy or men who have more than one wives classified as oppression to women and insulting sexual intimate. Why not? Most of feminist have a hunch that polygamy is root of awfulness and oppression of women from men. Women who had polygamy by their husband will be feel envious, ill will both to their husband and society’s judgment that the wife couldn’t keep harmonies in their family until their husband get married again with another woman. Besides that, impacts for both spouses are pressure in psychological, sexology, anthropology and from theology aspects^[1].

Tommy F. Aluy, an Indonesian feminist and an author said that in polygamy practice, women deemed to be a sexual object to fulfill men’s contentedness. In patriarchal society, the main subject is men and the passive object is women[2]. In this case, men are one who determines the way of life women. Women as second sex in this society defenselessly have to follow the main subject as the controller. According to this feminist, this key term of polygamy is the basic definition in feminism aspect. Changing of the period and globalization still make the ideology of patriarchal society exist for standing the woman as subordinate and governable human. Using that ideology, most of men are allowing their selves for doing polygamy that actually far from religion norms. In this special case, Tommy said that polygamy tend to be a cultural phenomena than religion. 

In Indonesia, polygamy practice becomes popular study but it still interesting to be discussed as discourse. That because almost Indonesian people doing polygamy practice especially men, but only little parts of women who agree with this practice. Women still doesn’t have any objection about this crucial case, because they must be oppress when their husband have co-wife. This crucial case still doesn’t have any solutions.  

Different opinions among polygamy doer, society woman and socialite make polygamy has several kind of law concepts. Firstly we analyze from feminist both domestic and foreign figures, average of them said that polygamy is a shape which is placed women in subordination area and erotic object for men. Generally we know about the family that practiced polygamy, besides there is ironic concept which has relation between polygamy problem with Islamic religion and family discrepancy relationship and also harmonist in the house hold. Polygamy is like sets out for getting many wives in the right way until appear stigmatization in the society that men is a king while women around him are concubines who are ready to fulfill the king biological needs.

Besides the opinion that of course discriminate women figure as complement of material life, there also assumption that polygamy instead make men as shifting trophy who is snatched his attention by women. Those both stigmas about polygamy above are inappropriate and incorrect according to Islamic religion norms that may allow polygamy practice in several discourse contexts. Far before Islam was born in this universe, polygamy and its practice have been occurred as tradition in Arabic society. But this practice exceed in amount and justness toward society. After Islam come in the society to reorganize and revolutionize polygamy within them, the polygamy can be practiced with several requisites. Those are no more than 4 wives and fair to every wife. Concept polygamy that not allowed for having no more than 4 wives is very clear; therefore I shouldn’t explain it anymore. But, a fair deal in this case is still become controversial in the society, it because context fair in here very general and visceral.

According it Islamic perspective, justness context is fair for giving affection, earnings, and could keep all rights and obligation of the spouse and every wife. In this case, Islam has explained in the Holy Al Qur’an which declares that human cannot be fair although they think able to fair. In Qur’an surah An Nisa’ verse 129:

`s9ur (#þqãè‹ÏÜtFó¡n@ br& (#qä9ω÷ès? tû÷üt/ Ïä!$|¡ÏiY9$# öqs9ur öNçFô¹tym ( Ÿxsù (#qè=ŠÏJs? ¨@à2 È@øŠyJø9$# $ydrâ‘x‹tGsù Ïps)¯=yèßJø9$$x. 4 bÎ)ur (#qßsÎ=óÁè? (#qà)­Gs?ur  cÎ*sù ©!$# tb%x. #Y‘qàÿxî $VJŠÏm§‘ ÇÊËÒÈ  

129. You will never be Able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is Your ardent desire, so do not incline too much to one of them (by giving her more of Your time and provision) so as to leave the other hanging (i.e. neither divorced nor married). and if You do justice, and do All that is Right and fear Allah by keeping away from All that is wrong, Then Allah is ever Of ­ Forgiving, Most Merciful. (QS. An Nisa’: 129)

Although Islam has allowed polygamy such in the Holy Al Quran surah An Nisa’ verse 3:

÷bÎ)ur ÷LäêøÿÅz žwr& (#qäÜÅ¡ø)è? ’Îû 4‘uK»tGu‹ø9$# (#qßsÅ3R$$sù $tB z>$sÛ Nä3s9 z`ÏiB Ïä!$|¡ÏiY9$# 4Óo_÷WtB y]»n=èOur yì»t/â‘ur ( ÷bÎ*sù óOçFøÿÅz žwr& (#qä9ω÷ès? ¸oy‰Ïnºuqsù ÷rr& $tB ôMs3n=tB öNä3ãY»yJ÷ƒr& 4 y7Ï9ºsŒ #’oT÷Šr& žwr& (#qä9qãès? ÇÌÈ  

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)265, then only one266, or (A captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice.

[265] Prevail as deal man is act in serve his wives especially clothing and anything related to external and physical material.

[266] Islam allows polygamy within several requisites. Before this verse come to Muhammad SAW, polygamy has been exist and have done by several prophets before Muhammad SAW. This verse bounds only for having no more than 4 wives.

In this case, husband must be fair in every aspect to his wives. If we behold the history that what Muhammad SAW done is not primarily want to put women as the object of sexual activity, but He act like that because he wants to force their self-esteem and courtesy. If our Great Prophet want to do like that, it is proper for him because he is a man who can be fair to his wives. Moreover women that have married by Muhammad SAW are widowers and attain the age, even there are several who older than Muhammad SAW. Besides that, they married by Muhammad SAW because their husbands are killed in the battle field. Muhammad SAW means to marry them to saves and earns them. This case is show that Muhammad SAW wants to raise women degree in front of Allah SWT and also society, not for oppressing them.

            However, Polygamy in this period on the contrary with everything that Muhammad SAW was learned in the past. Most of polygamy doers are only doing polygamy for getting contentment of sexual activity behind religion. Therefore, this kind of polygamy that said by feminist as a discrimination of women.

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[1] Prof. Dr. Siti Musdah Mulia, MA

[2] Tommy F. Aluy