In the pre-Islamic era, polygamy was considered lawful in all religions. Polygamy with no limit was common in Saudi Arabia, India, Iran, Egypt etc. No religion ever set the limit of more than one wife. The Glorious Qur’ān set the limit and allowed with just four wives while uprooting this bad custom of the society and urged men, in case of more than wives, to practice justice and equality and it gave a severe warning to those men in case of violating the order
It concludes that Islam allows men to get married with more than one wife in some cases; for an example, the wife is infertile or she always stays ill, or he wants to sustain a widow or for any other reason. But, he should take the following points into consideration
Islam has just allowed polygamy, and not urged. It has declared polygamy as lawful and not mustaḥab preferable
In the Prophet’s lifetime, the companions though used to get married with more than one woman as there were fought wars leaving widows and orphans in a large number. But the scholars of the Islamic fiqh are of the view that it would be better to get married with only one woman
Thus Allāmah Burhānuddīn Marghīnānī (ra) states
A man is married with one and wants to get married with another. He will not be allowed, if he fears that he will not judge them justly and if he is sure that he will judge them justly, then he will be allowed to get married with another woman. But, if he, in this case too, does not get married with another woman, he will be rewarded because he will stay away from putting his wife into anxiety and trouble. But if a woman wants to get married with a man who is already married with another woman, this marriage will be valid but if she does not get married with the man considering his first wife, she will be rewarded.
Polygamy is allowed with the condition of justice, that means if a man is able to judge between more than one wife justly, he will be allowed to get married with another Almighty Allah says in the Glorious Qur’ān
If you fear that you cannot do justice to so many then one only
A severe warning has been proclaimed for the one who does not do justice between his wives as the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wasllam says
“Whoever has two wives and leans towards (i.e. favours) one of them (over the other), will come on the Day of Resurrection with half of his body leaning
It is not allowed to get married with more than four wives at a time. The Almighty Allah says in the Glorious Qur’ān
Marry of women who seem good to you, two or three or four۔Justice
