SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM RATHER THAN A GENERAL COMMANDMENT
The above discussion makes it clear that the difference in the number of men and women is a permanent problem in war and peace. Now, the question arises as to how to solve this problem. What should those women do to satisfy their natural urges when they have failed to find a husband in a monogamous society? How do they secure an honourable life in that society?
One way—hallowed in Indian tradition—is for widows to burn themselves to death so that neither they nor their problems survive. The alternative is to allow themselves to be turned out of their homes onto the streets. The state of Hindu society resulting from adherence to this principle can be judged from a detailed report published in India Today (New Delhi, November 15, 1987) entitled “Widows: Wrecks of Humanity.”
Now, there is no need to discuss this further because it is inconceivable that, in present times, any sensible person would advocate this as a solution.
The other possible ‘solution’ in the ‘civilized’ society of the West is the conversion of unwillingness to become a second wife into willingness to become a mistress, often of more than one man.
During the Second World War, in which several Western countries, such as Germany, France, Britain, etc., took part, a large number of men were killed. As a result, women far outnumbered men at the end of the hostilities. Permissiveness then became the order of the day, to the extent that boards with such inscriptions as “Wanted: A Guest for the Evening” could be seen outside the homes of husbandless women. This state of affairs persisted in Western countries in various forms, even long after the war, and is now largely prevalent.
Unlawful Polygamy
People who would outlaw polygamy have to pay the price. That is, they are forced to tolerate men and women having illicit relations, which is undoubtedly a much more unsavoury state of affairs. Failure to control a natural process whereby the male population dwindles, leaving “surplus” women, coupled with the outlawing of polygamy, has given rise to the evil of the “mistress” (defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “a woman who has sexual intercourse with and, often, is supported by a man for a more or less extended period without being married to him; paramour”). This, in effect, sets up a system of illegal polygamy.
The system of keeping a mistress is prevalent in many countries where there are legal constraints on polygamy or where polygamy is looked down upon socially. In such a situation, the real problem is not whether or not to adopt polygamy. The real issue is whether or not to legalize its adoption. The problem of surplus women in society can be solved only by polygamy, whether we choose to consider it legal or not.
Monogamy is the rule in Islam. However, in exceptional situations wherein the number of women outnumbers men, as an option to sexual anarchy, Islam gives the commandment for polygamy. Therefore, polygamy is given as a solution to the problem rather than a general commandment.
