Poligamy app

Dating applications are all the rage now ... because what better way to meet the one than from the comfort of your home behind your social-anxiety-proof screen?

And, as we have been fighting our way to inclusivity in all aspects of public life, Muslims have joined in on the hype with a number of "halal dating" apps, including Salaam Swipe and Minder.

Now, Muslim developers have gone above and beyond with a new app called Ayopoligami, which caters to Muslim men seeking multiple wives. And it's stirring quite the controversy. 

Produced by Indonesian company Pandu Solusi, Ayopoligami - or "let’s do polygamy" - is described as a "platform that seeks to bring together male users with women who are willing to make 'big families' from one husband." 

The controversial Tinder-style app was first introduced earlier this year before being taken down, pending discussions with Islamic clerics.

According to The Telegraphthe app was downloaded around a thousand times before being pulled from app stores.

It is now set to officially relaunch this October, having been approved by Islamic clerics after the company made some modifications.

Ayopoligami's owner and founder Lindu Cipta Pranayama, who actually met his current wife through his own app, told The Jakarta Post that the concept emerged based on his personal experiences with online dating platforms. 

"At first, we developed a dating website for singles, but during the development period, the issue of polygamy arose," he said. "I wanted it to be a trusted online dating website."

Here's how it works:

Said to be designed for those looking for a serious relationship, the app will require users to provide a valid identification card and disclose their marital status.

Plus, it requires a letter from a man's first partner permitting him to remarry. Polygamy is legal in Indonesia as long as the first wife consents. 

The app has sparked debate on polygamy in the country, where almost 90 percent of the population is Muslim, constituting the biggest Islamic population of any country in the world.

Polygamy in Islam

While Muslim men are allowed to have up to four wives under Sharia law, it is only permissible within a tight frame of conditions. 

Islam first allowed polygamy for the sake of widows and orphans who had no means of survival.

The only 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.