Slayer Seven
OOOhhh ok one more question, since Muslims believe women are equal, and so do I...
does this mean I can have up to 4 husbands? and if not why?
because here in America it takes 4 men to equal one woman, he only has to work, if he even works at all, since the 80s financially takes more than one income to run a household, someone has to do the house work, deal with the kids, cook, clean...which is funny because my Italian heritage says physically it takes 4 woman to equal 1 man, and this i can understand, 1 on each side to grab his arms 1 in front to visually distract him and 1 to club him from behind...but alas spousal abuse laws, so we cant settle things the Italian way anymore...
and why 4? whats with that #?
I'll Try to Give you a Basic Understanding of "That Situation"
A Man has to Support And Protect Women
Do you understand In Islam that one must take on the role of supporter, protector, provider, custodian and servant to the family (man's role)?
Woman Gives Birth - Raises Children
One must take on the role of carrying the child and delivering it and then feeding it and raising it to become a true servant of Allah (woman's role).
Not Equal - But Treated Fairly In Justice
Men and women are not the same nor are they "equal" as some folks would have us believe. Whatever is on one side of an 'equals' sign must be exactly the same as what is on the other side without any difference in value, only in the way that it is expressed. How then could we say that a man, who is unable to conceive or give birth and then breast feed a baby is the equal to a woman who can?
Equal In Faith And Actions
They are equal in their beliefs and good deeds of course. But still they are not the same as each other. Each one must fulfill their role as humans.
Children's Rights Protected
Islam is also very much about rights. Children also have rights in Islam. When a man dies his wealth is left to his family. How could the court know who to give the wealth of a man,
if he was one of several husbands to a woman? How would a child know who his father was? No society ever supported the concept of a woman being married to two or more men at the same time.
Women's Right - Best Treatment
Almost every society supported the concept of a man having more than one woman. Yet, they did not limit the number nor did they provide the protection and maintenance that Islam insists on for each one. Islam came to set things straight. Women were given rights. Men were strictly ordered to treat their women with the very best of treatment.
Limit - Number in Marriage
When the verse was revealed the companions of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)did not run out with the attitude that they were going to get four wives all of a sudden. Some of them already had much more than that and these men had to divorce their wives, if they had more than four.
So this was not an order to go out and get four wives. It was an order to begin limitations. And the first limitation was; No more than four.
Limit - Equal Maintenance and Treatment
Second, the limitation of equal treatment for all of them. How could a man keep more than one wife unless he was exceedingly wealthy and/or exceedingly strong and virile?
Next, the limitation very clearly states; ".. but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them) then only one ..."
Muslims Today - Most Monogamous
Step by step, the men of Islam have come to be known today as the most monogamous of all men on earth (we only have one wife). Check for yourself and see. In the majority of all the Muslim homes on earth, a man gets married once, to one woman and then he stays married to her until the death of either himself or his wife.
Woman's Right To Choose Any Husband She Likes -
Even If He Is Already Married
One very important point that is often overlooked by modern society is the right that Islam gave to the women that it does not give to the man. A man is limited to marry only from the woman who is not already married. Obviously, this provides rights for the children and provides for them from inheritance from the father. But Islam also permits the women to marry a man who is already married to protect her in a society where the number of women outnumbers the population of men. Additionally, the woman has a large selection of men to choose from. In fact, she has the right to choose from any man in the community as long as he does not already have four wives. She also has the opportunity to see how the other wife was being treated and go into a marriage knowing exactly what to expect from her husband. After all, he must treat her in the same way as he is treating the other wife.
Women Need Husbands - Allah Provided the Answer
The prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) predicted that in the Last Days the women would outnumber the men to a great extent. Today we are seeing this become a reality all over the world. Allah has already provided for us for this occasion. After all, He is the One who makes it all happen and He already knew that many women would come into Islam in these days. He also knew many of the Muslim men would be killed or die at an early age, just as it is happening these days. These women all need husbands. Allah has given us the solution to all of life's problems.
Women's Right to Vote - 1,400 Years Ago
We might add that Islam also gave the women full status as citizens over 1,400 years ago by giving her to right to speak and vote the same as anyone else. American women had to take their cause to the streets with "Women's Suffrage" and were not granted the right to vote until just ninety years ago.
Women Keep Their Identity - And Their Names
Additionally, Islam protected women's rights to keep their identity and they were not considered property of some man. As such, they were no longer forced to change their last names to be that of their husbands. This is still the practice of Muslim women today just as it was fourteen hundred years ago.
Women Keep Their Property And Earnings - Men Must Share
Yet, at the same time the western society is so concerned about the way Islam demands that a couple be married, the man actually must work instead of the woman; the woman owns her own property without giving anything for the support of the house or the child; a child has the right to his or her own mother raising them instead of a baby sitter or day care; father must support his children; divorce is hated; and marriage is sanctified.
West Can't Tolerate Man And Woman - In Marriage
It is strange isn't it, a society like America, has no problem accepting sex without marriage; homosexuality; same sex marriages; sex without responsibility; children without fathers; and divorces are more common place than the measles or chicken pox. Yet, there is no tolerance for marriage between a man and a woman if it is not on their terms.
