Dr. Aa'ed Al-Qarni, a prominent Saudi Muslim preacher, has recently >shared his two cents on the topic of polygamy in Islam, which has long been the center of controversy.
Appearing on >Trend KSA, an MBC talk show, Al-Qarni said he discourages men from seeking polygamy. Despite being polygamous himself, Al-Qarni said one wife is "more than enough," stirring mixed reactions on social media.
"Most men who have multiple wives do not fulfill the women's rights nor honor them..."
Islam allows men to wed up to four women at the same time within a tight frame of conditions, which are often disregarded.
When asked about his views on the matter, Al-Qarni said he advises men to be content with just one wife.
He explained, as translated by Al-Arabiya, "If a man wishes to marry more [than one woman], then God help him. But it is not worth the hassle that will affect both him and the women he marries."
He added that while Islam permits men to have multiple wives, most men do not abide by the required conditions, such as treating all wives fairly and providing a decent living for each of them.
"Most men who have multiple wives do not fulfill the women's rights nor honor them," he said.
Polygamy has been frequently debated in the Muslim world, and especially in Saudi Arabia, with many misconceptions and conflicting opinions surrounding the topic.
Just this morning, days after Al-Qarni made his comments, the issue made the rounds on social media, with the hashtag "We demand that polygamy be compulsory" trending on Twitter in the kingdom.
Here is how social media users reacted to Al-Qarni's statements:
Many people applauded his views
Calling him "A voice of reason"
"Rare truth and common sense"
Some pointed out the difficulty of marriage nowadays
"I am not sure any woman wants to share the household"
But, not everyone agrees with his comments
Islam first allowed polygamy for the sake of widows and orphans who have no means of survival.
The Quranic verse that speaks about polygamy is believed to have been revealed after the Battle of Uhud, which led to the death of many Muslim men who left behind families in need of support.
The Quran clearly states that men can marry more than one woman if, and only if, he treats them fairly. "But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one," Surat An-Nisaa (The Women) >states.
But, the surah then decrees, "You will never be able to be equal between wives, even if you should strive to do so." This makes Islam-approved polygamy near impossible to attain.