THE SALAF ARE OUR MODELS IN THE PRACTICE OF POLYGYNY

By

Ibn Abdillah As-sudaisiy Al-Iloori

I saw a video flying around. It seeks to promote a friendly polygyny. There was music in the background, and the two wives were dancing around their husband, and even pecking him together. 

I will advise that we stop sharing it. If you have shared it, you can still delete it. That is not the model of polygyny Islām envisage for us. I want to believe the family involved and those who released the video to the social media in the first place didn't know what they were doing was not right. May Allāh forgive us all. 

Now, their video is everywhere. Even if they take down the original post, what of those who had downloaded it and would keep sharing it on several other social media platforms? Some people who have more than one wives too would start thinking of shooting their own versions. Then, the trend continues. Even if we have a successful polygyny, we should thank Allāh and be modest in the way we would be using it to encourage other people. Then, "the evil eye is real". Let us mind how we publicise our successes. The social media is causing us to misbehave a great deal. 

Islamic people requires adequate knowledge. You need to learn how the Salaf did it. Don't measure your success in polygyny with your own desire. It must be measured with the eye of the shar'iah. If you lack knowledge, you can see things with the eye of the shar'iah. Don't conclude with the friendliness of your wives. Who knows what their friendship is predicated upon? If their friendship is from fear of Allāh and imitation of the conducts of the Salaf, alhamdulillaah. But the truth is that we can't emulate the salaf without knowledge. All the parties in a polygynous home must have considerable understanding of Islām on this concept in order to attain true success. The husband must create learning time for himself, his wives and children. Even if it will take them to invite someone to take them through relevant books on it, it worth it.

As we try to promote polygyny, let us be rightly guided. We should promote it within the confines of the shar'iah. Our polygyny should be unconditionally modelled in a way our salaf. They are the best for us to follow in everything. Let us read their stories and learn from them. Let us not look elsewhere for anything that has to do with our religion and morality. The display of wives of the same husband hugging each other on social media in the name of trying to paint a picture of a successful polygyny is not the best.

These days, I have been trying my best not to delve into trending issues except when it becomes necessary. I have been seeing the video since morning, but I have been very much reluctant to react to it. I thought someone else would soon discuss it so that we can share it. But I was forced to react late this evening when someone very close to me shared the video. I was forced to comment. I registered my concern about it. Our father, Sheikh Suleiman Najmudeen حفظه الله saw the comment and he was happy about it. What I understood from his comment was "write on it!".

May Allāh make it beneficial and guide us all aright.