A question for Muslims regarding Mohammed.?

Question

The Qur'an states that you shall marry only up to four women: "If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with 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 that which your right hands possess..." (4:3).
If the Qur'an is eternal, having been written on the table in heaven, then the four wife limit was an eternal decree.
Question: Why did Muhammad have 12 wives if the Qur'an says to have only four? Khadija, sawda, Aesah (8 years old), Omm Salama, Hafsa, Zaynab (originally the wife of Muhammad's adopted son), Jowayriya, Omm Habiba, Safiya, Maymuna, Fatima, Hend, Asma (of Saba), Zaynab, Habla, Asma?

I know all about king solomon? who cares. he wasn't muslim. the question regards mohammed.

Answer 1

Thanks for asking this. And please be patient to read my answer.

First of all, polygamy was a way of life until the Quran was revealed 1400 years ago. When the earth was young and under-populated, polygamy was one way of populating it and bringing in the human beings needed to carry out God's plan. By the time the Quran was revealed, the world had been sufficiently populated, and the Quran put down the first limitations against polygamy.
The Quran emphasizes the limitations against polygamy in very strong words:

"If you fear lest you may not be perfectly equitable in treating more than one wife, then you shall be content with one."(4:3)
"You cannot be equitable in a polygamous relationship, no matter how hard you try." (4:129)

Second of all, prophet Muhammad was married to one wife, Khadijah, until she died. He had all his children, except one, from Khadijah. Thus, she and her children enjoyed the Prophet's full attention for as long as she was married to him; twenty-five years. For all practical purposes, Muhammad had one wife - from the age of 25 to 50. During the remaining 13 years of his life, he married the aged widows of his friends who left many children. The children needed a complete home, with a fatherly figure, and the Prophet provided that. Providing a fatherly figure for orphans is the only specific circumstance in support of polygamy mentioned in the Quran (4:3).
Other than marrying widowed mothers of orphans, there were three political marriages in the Prophet's life. His close friends Abu Bakr and Omar insisted that he marry their daughters, Aisha and Hafsah, to establish traditional family ties among them. The third marriage was to Maria the Egyptian; she was given to him as a political gesture of friendship from the ruler of Egypt.

Third and last of all, all the stories circulating on the Internet and in the hadiths books about Aisha's marriage at age of 6 or 8 or 9, are no more than lies found in the corrupted books of Hadiths and completely contradict the teachings of the prophet Muhammed that came from his mouth, the Glorious Quran. Any person at the age of six is still a child who is incapable of taking crucial decisions which are essential for marriage under Quranic guidance, like taking solemn pledge, ascertaining mutual attraction, agreeing to the dowry (including adjustment thereto), ascertaining whether the opposite person is an idol worshipper or not and many other issues. Further, marriage involves taking serious responsibilities on the part of both the spouses concerning the upbringing of the family, which a child of the age of 6 or 8 or whatever is incapable of taking.

Hope it helps.

Peace.

Answer 2

Muhammad got to do whatever he wanted, everyone knows that. Muslim men are not limited to just their wives though. They can also have sex with captives and it's ok with allah. They just have to wait until she gets her period so they know she isn't pregnant. That's pretty convenient. So what does it really matter if they have 4 wives or not?

quran 23 -
5. And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts, from illegal sexual acts)
6. Except from their wives or (the captives and slaves) that their right hands possess, for then, they are free from blame;
7. But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors;

Some Muslim men are literally still doing this. There have been many horror stories about "masters" raping, hitting and abusing their servants, especially in Saudi Arabia. Read about the Sudan and the slavery that is taking place. It's horrible.

God Bless.

Answer 3

Solomon(PBUH*) was also a Muslim as were the prophets from Adam to Jesus(PBUT*). Muhammad(PBUH*) had 12 wives to establish close family ties with his companions and because ALLAH(SWT) told him to. Aisha was not 8 years old. She was around 13 when the Prophet(PBUH*) married her. No one has any idea how old she was. People who say she was 6 or 9 that comes from weak Hadiths and weak Hadiths aren't to be followed.

Answer 4

Several of his wives in later years were widows with children. Their husbands were killed in battle, and he married them so that they would have support for themselves and the children.

I've been told that he did not sleep with Aisha until she was older, but I don't know for sure. I find that part a little disturbing, myself. I don't know any Muslims at the masjids we go to that are married to anyone under 18, and I don't think it's common today.

Answer 5

Prophet Muhammad was exempt from this ruling...

"O Prophet (Muhammad)! Verily, We have made lawful to you your wives, to whom you have paid their Mahr (bridal money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), and those (captives or slaves) whom your right hand possesses - whom Allah has given to you, and the daughters of your Amm (paternal uncles) and the daughters of your Ammah (paternal aunts) and the daughters of your Khal (maternal uncles) and the daughters of your Khalah (maternal aunts) who migrated (from Makkah) with you, and a believing woman if she offers herself to the Prophet, and the Prophet wishes to marry her; a privilege for you only, not for the (rest of) the believers. Indeed We know what We have enjoined upon them about their wives and those (captives or slaves) whom their right hands possess, - in order that there should be no difficulty on you. And Allah is Ever OftForgiving, Most Merciful."
( سورة الأحزاب , Al-Ahzab, Chapter #33, Verse #50)

"You (O Muhammad) can postpone (the turn of) whom you will of them (your wives), and you may receive whom you will. And whomsoever you desire of those whom you have set aside (her turn temporarily), it is no sin on you (to receive her again), that is better; that they may be comforted and not grieved, and may all be pleased with what you give them. Allah knows what is in your hearts. And Allah is Ever AllKnowing, Most Forbearing."
( سورة الأحزاب , Al-Ahzab, Chapter #33, Verse #51)

Answer 6

Ok....It's because when the Surah was revealed and the rule about the four wives was made clear, Prophet Mohammad was already married to some of these ladies you've mentioned.

The only solution would have been to divorce some of them so the correct number of wives becomes four.

Do you think it would have been fair on those ladies whom he chose to divorce? Would they have enjoyed being picked out and rejected by their husband?

Answer 7

You didn't understand what it says. It says that you may marry as many as you can provide for. King Solomon in the bible had 800 wifes. Way more than Muhammad.

Answer 8

aisha, peace n blessins b upon her, was nine not eight even tho that aint a big difference she did not actully marry him till she was of age it was just arranged dat she marry him, and wen dis verse was revealed upon him he was already married to them, but it made a restriction not allowing him to marry any more wives

Answer 9

he wasn't married to all of them at the same time. for example: khadejah she died and he married someone else. but she was his first wife.

Answer 10

Although I am unsure on the point of number of wives, the Quran makes about a dozen exceptions and special rules for Mohammed and his wives - which should give you a good idea who was actually coming up with the rules, and it weren't no angel!

edit: Thank you, 4Ever Muslim, for giving us the actual scripture that makes an exception for Mohammed on the number of wives ruling. How anyone can read this and think that anyone but Mohammed was coming up with it is beyond me.