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Multiple Wives in Paradise: What Is for
Women?
Question of Fatwa:
Scholars of Islam, As-salamu `alaykum. Some
traditional Muslims believe that Muslim men will
be rewarded with 70 houris specially created for
them and two believing women from this life. This
is very demeaning and offensive to all women.
A question comes to my mind at this point. Why
would God cause jealousy between husband and wife
on this earth when He promises to give the same
cause of jealousy (multiple wives) in Heaven to
one gender (man) as a reward? He Who put love,
mercy, and affection between the spouses? It is
sad to find that in traditional Muslim literature
the concept of Heaven is a place specially created
for men; there is no equality between men and
women.
For men, Heaven is simply an extension of the
earth where they established control and dominance
over women through legitimizing unsanctioned
polygamy and unlimited sex with females. One
man’s Heaven is a woman’s Hell. This is
supported by scholars, as a majority of them state
that Paradise is a place of fulfillment of
desires, and men—being prone to polygamy—will
receive this as a reward.
My question is, how is it possible that Allah
Almighty will grant the fulfillment of the desires
of the male but not of the female—that is, to
not share her husband with multiple women?
What about women who are patient in this life,
hoping that their desire of not sharing their
husbands will come true? I have read that scholars
state that Allah will remove the “jealousy”
from the heart of the women so they shouldn’t
worry about it. Please explain how does this
justify anything?
Instead of her desire/wish being fulfilled, she
will be brainwashed, but on the other hand men
won’t have to give up anything. Why won’t
Allah remove the lust to have multiple wives from
their hearts in order to please the female
servants, while He will remove jealousy from the
hearts of females in order to please male
servants?
How come jealousy is a “female” product? When
men are jealous, their jealousy is labeled as “ghayrah”
(attack on Morality). Bur when women are
“jealous”, they are labeled as jealous beings?
How I see it, being neutral, jealousy is a human
product and not just a female thing. Allah created
One mate, at least that’s what is mentioned in
the Qur’an, for Adam (peace be upon him).
Therefore it is the fitrah of every male
and female to feel “jealousy” when it is about
sharing one’s spouse. Men are more possessive
and would react in a similar way, even worse when
it is about sharing their spouse. The reason is
because we are both human beings. I totally agree
with the “acceptance” of polygamy in this
life, because it is a “solution” advised in
the situations to avoid the haram. But it
is discouraged by putting conditions on it. But
paradise is every Muslim’s (men and women) goal.
It doesn’t sound/feel right to the fitrah
that it will be more rewarding towards men and
again will require females to sacrifice and share.
No matter how you put it, it is sharing the reward
when one’s husband will have at least two other
wives.
Does Allah love men more than women? A male martyr
will receive 70 wives, but if a female servant of
Allah dies for Jihad fisabillillah, she
will still be required to share her husband with
other wives. This concept is very discouraging and
offensive towards Muslim sisters.
I personally feel like crying because it seems
that no matter how hard I work to please Allah,
even go as far as giving up my life for Allah
Almighty, my reward will not be equivalent to that
of a male servant.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most
Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and
peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Sister, first of all, we’d like to say that
we are impressed by your question, which emanates
from a thoughtful heart. May Allah Almighty help
us all adhere to the principles of this true
religion, Islam, and enable us to be among the
dwellers of Paradise in the Hereafter, Ameen.
Paradise is the abode of the believers in the
Hereafter. Allah has prepared for His believing
servants, males and females, in Paradise
indescribable bliss which no eye has seen, no ear
has heard of, and that has never ever crossed the
minds of people, to the extent that even the
person who has the least blessings in Paradise
will think that he is the most blessed one.
In more than one Qur’anic verse, Allah Most
High, calls upon His servants to do their utmost
in order to be favored with Paradise. For example,
He says, (And
vie one with another for forgiveness from your
Lord, and for a Paradise as wide as are the
heavens and the earth, prepared for those who ward
off (evil). )
(Al `Imran 3: 133)
As regards your question, we’d like to inform
you that in Paradise believing men and women will
be showered with blessings; there is no room for
discrimination based on sex in Paradise. The life
of women in Jannah will be as pleasant and happy
as the life of men. Allah is not partial to any
sex. He created both of them and He will take care
of both of them according to their needs and
desires. Let us all work to achieve the Jannah and
then,in sha’ Allah, we will find there
what will satisfy all of us fully.
In his response to your question, Dr. Sano
Koutoub Moustapha, professor of Fiqh and its
Principles, International Islamic University,
Malaysia, states:
Thank-you so much for your very interesting
comments and understanding of the issue of
polygamy and the blessings given to men in
Heaven.
I congratulate you for your logical ability and
critical way of looking at things. However, I
shall also confirm to you the issue of polygamy,
be it in this life or the hereafter, it should
not be classified as a privilege but rather a
solution as you correctly mentioned in your
arguments.
In other words, Islam does not open the door of
polygamy for all men as it does not open it to
women at all. As you may know well that each
ruling or law has an exception and the exception
is not the principle, therefore, we can not
judge a law through its exceptions.
In this regard, I shall remind you that
rewarding a mujahid with many wives
doesn’t mean betraying the female mujahid.
It simply means there is a such reward for those
mujahids who are looking for it. In other
words, there is no compulsion upon all mujahids
to accept or reject this reward. It is exactly
the same thing as the polygamy in this life.
It is meant for those who want it, not for every
single mujahid. Yet every Muslim man and
woman who is allowed to enter Heaven is given
the opportunity to get whatever he or she wants
as clearly stated in the Qur’an and many
Hadiths of the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him). This means that those women who
don’t want their husbands to have more could
be granted this wish and desire. At the same
time if the husbands of those women want to have
more than them Allah is great and can satisfy
each of them in the way He, the Almighty, wants.
Therefore, a woman should not be frustrated for
a privilege of polygamy offered to men. This is
not, for sure, at the expense of woman. Heaven
is meant for both men and women, both of them
are equally entitled to get what they wish for.
Certainly, there would be no clashes in their
wishes, if any, the Almighty knows how to please
each of them. Having said that, I shall inform
you that the existing setup of humans in terms
of desire, would be changed on the day of
Judgment.
In other words, both men and women would not be
allowed to enter Heaven in their existing
physical makeup. They will be in a better and
greater form as stated by the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him). Both of them would enjoy
living together and having whatever they wish
and like.
Finally, the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) describes Heaven as a place where
there are many things which no eyes have ever
seen, no ears have ever heard before and no
heart has ever felt. Let us pray the Almighty to
grant us this great and wonderful place. Let us
work harder and harder to be in this place. It
is only through our full submission to the will
and the orders of Allah that we will one day be
granted this place.
Source:
islamonline.net
You can also read:
Multiple
Wives in Paradise: What Is for Women?
Will
Women Have “Companions” in Paradise?
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