Why polygamy is still there amongst Muslim women?

Polygamy, a question to marriage, in India is outlawed. While polygamy was not prohibited in ancient India and it was common among aristocrats and emperors, it is believed that it was not a major cultural practice. The lack of prohibition was in part due to the separation between land laws and religion (independence of the judiciary), and partially since all of the major religions of India portrayed polygamy in a neutral light.

Talking about the muslim women in context to this, fresh effort from a Muslim women’s organisation seeking to further codify the way Islamic law is applied in India takes an unusual position: it calls for a ban on polygamy. The law drafted by the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, aimed at further codifying Islamic legal provisions regarding marriage, first set down after the famous Shah Bano case, would make all polygamous marriages illegal.

Why did polygamy evolve in Islam? Were there practical reasons for it in Muslim societies? First of all, was polygamy an Islamic invention? Polygamy has always been regarded as part of the Islamic religion, but the truth is that It had been practiced ages before Islam. Moreover, Polygamy is permitted for many social reasons. However it is by permission and not an obligation or recommendation in the Quran that a Muslim male should indulge in polygamy.

In calling for a ban on polygamy, the BMMA finds itself in unusual company. The Bharatiya Janata Party has for years been calling for a Uniform Civil Code that would replace all religious laws with one that governs all citizens. Chief among the demands of those who have called for the UCC is a ban on Muslim polygamy – whether out of belief in secularism or, as opponents allege, because it is thought by few that having extra wives allows Muslims to have children at a faster rate than Hindus. However, it doesn’t put forth a strong stance to the topic, so, it can be rightly concluded that it might not be a social evil to women at all if its used for the right reasons and controlled to an extent.