Prophets Dawud and Sulayman (i.e. David and Solomon, peace be upon them) practiced polygamy; they had many wives at the same time, by the Will of Allah and through his Legislation.
Many of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and of those who graciously followed them practiced polygyny too.
If polygamy is accompanied by observance of justice, it has many advantages and numerous benefits, including preserving the chastity of man and his being the cause of preserving the chastity of a number of women, his maintenance of their interests, and multiplication of progeny that entails increasing the number of the Ummah. This in turn increases its power and the number of those who worship Allah (Exalted be He).
It also entails the Prophet's (peace be upon him) boasting of them in front of other nations on the Judgment Day.
Many other interests are known to those who glorify the Shari`ah and consider its advantages, wisdom, secrets, and the dire need of people for it with contentment, love, glorification, and insight.
The ignorant person who views the Shari`ah in a negative light and subserviently looks east and west, approving of all that comes from them, is far from perceiving the merits of the Shari`ah, its wisdom, benefits, and the protection of the interests of male and female servants of Allah.
Polygamy was known to the preceding nations that had civilizations and during the PreIslamic era among the Arabs. When Islam came, it limited polygyny, restricted the number of wives to four, and permitted the Prophet (peace be upon him) to have more than four wives due to certain wisdom, secrets, and interests. Finally, Allah made it unlawful for him to marry any woman after his nine wives as indicated in Surah AlAhzab.
The scholars of Shari`ah mentioned that polygyny is among the merits of Islamic Shari`ah and is an aspect of its maintenance of the interests of society and a remedy for its problems.
Were it not for fear of verbosity, I would have reported to the reader excerpts from those scholars, so that the reader would increase in knowledge and insight.
Some enemies of Islam noticed this aspect and admitted the excellence of the Shari`ah and the way introduced this matter. They did so in spite of their enmity and acknowledged the truth out of the pressing necessity to admit it.
I hereby quote some of these testimonies, Qur'anic verses, prophetic Hadith, and comments of Muslim scholars that are far more sufficient and useful than the statements of the enemies of Islam. There are still some people who could benefit more from such testimonies than he could
benefit from the sayings of Muslim scholars and even from verses and Hadith. This is only because he glorifies the west and all that comes from it. I deemed it necessary to quote some of these testimonies of male and female western writers.
It is quoted in "AlManar", vol. 4, p. 360, from the London newspaper by some writers' words to the effect that "Many young women have gone astray and adversity prevailed. Those who examine the cause of this phenomenon have become few. As a woman, my heart aches out of deep pity for and love for them. Yet, how could my grief, anguish, and lamentation benefit them, even if all people shared such feelings with me. Of course nothing can help in preventing this abominable state".
How perceptive was the scholar Tus, who diagnosed the malady and prescribed the cure for it, namely, permitting a man to marry more than one wife. He thus, asserted, "In such a way, adversity would inevitably be removed and our young women would be housewives. For misfortune is indeed entailed by forcing the European man to marry no more than one woman, as such restriction has turned our young girls astray and had driven them to seek man's profession. In turn, the evil would aggravate if man is not allowed to marry more than one woman.
Who can count the number of married men who have illegitimate children that are now weary, dependent, and shameful mark of human society. Indeed, if polygyny was lawful, such children and their mothers would not have suffered the current agony and ignominy, and their children's honor would have been kept intact. For indeed women competing with men (in work) incurs destruction; have you not perceived that her nature reveals that her professions are different from those of man and vice versa. Permitting polygyny grants every woman the right to be a housewife and a mother of legitimate children.
On page 362, another female writer was quoted to have said, "It is better and less distressful that our young women work as housemaids or like housemaids than work in laboratories where they become corrupted with plagues that remove the luster of their lives. Would that our countries were like the Muslim countries endowed with decency, chastity, and purity where the maid and the slave enjoy the most luxurious ways of life and are treated kindly just as children! It is disgraceful for our country of England that it makes its young women an example of vice through their frequent mingling with men. How come then we do not tread in the heels of them (Muslim countries) by assigning for girls the work that suits their natural disposition such as domestic chores, and leave men's work for men so that we could preserve the honor of such girls."
Others like Gustavf Lobone said, "Polygyny is a good system that elevates the moral level of nations that practice it, makes families more connected and grants woman respect and happiness she does not have in Europe.
Moreover, playwright Bernard Shaw said, Indeed, Europe shall have to return to Islam before the close of the twentieth century, whether she likes it or not.
These are excerpts of what I read from non-Muslim writers on the merits of Islam and polygyny, which contains a lesson for all those endowed with sound understanding. It is the Help of Allah (alone) that we seek.
As for what Ibn Al-Surah said about polygyny, it undoubtedly implies denigration of Islam, insult of the Perfect Shari`ah, and ridiculing the Prophet (peace be upon him), which is a negation of his faith. Thus, it is the duty of the rulers to invite him to repent. So, if he repents and declares his repentance in the newspaper where he published his irreligious article, then praise be to Allah. Besides, he should also be disciplined in a way that deters him and his peers.
Yet, if he does not repent, it becomes obligatory to kill him on the grounds of his apostasy, and his inheritance becomes a booty for the treasury, as his relatives are not allowed to inherit him.
Allah (Exalted be He) says, Say: "Was it at Allâh (ﻋﺰ ﻭﺟﻞ), and His Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations) and His Messenger (ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ) that you were mocking?" Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed.
He (Exalted be He) says about the disbelievers, That is because they hate that which Allâh has sent down (this Qur'ân and Islâmic laws, etc.); so He has made their deeds fruitless.
He (Exalted be He) reminds His Slaves that whoever mocks His Religion or hates what He has sent down, they become disbelievers and their deeds will be made fruitless.
In another verse, Allah (Exalted be He) says, That is because they followed that which angered Allâh and hated that which pleased Him. So He made their deeds fruitless.
Undoubtedly, Ibn Al-Surah disliked what Allah (Exalted be He) has sent down concerning the permissibility of polygyny, and disparaged it on the premise of its being an inveterate malady. Therefore, the ruling stated in the verse applies to him. Indeed, there are numerous proofs on this meaning.
We ask Allah to guide us and all Muslims to love what He has legislated for His Slaves and to adhere to it, and to beware of what opposes it. May Allah give victory to His Religion and His Party and obliterate falsehood and disappoint its followers. He is indeed All-Hearing, Ever-Near.
May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon His Slave and Messenger, Muhammad, his family and Companions!