Sir
Syed Ahmad Khan’s response to Sir William Muir on Polygamy and Divorce
Mohammad
Muslim
Ph
.D Research scholar
Dept.
of Islamic Studies
AMU
Aligarh
Introduction
The book Al-Khuṭbāt al-Aḥmadiya fī al-ʻArab wa Sīrat al-Muḥammadiya is a
collection of twelve essays on the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), written by Sir
Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1898) in London.
This book was written in response to Sir William Muir’s (1819-1905) book
The Life of Mahomet into four
volumes. In his book, William Muir had been charged with several allegations against
the character of Islam and some particulars of Prophet’s life, such as for
instance, polygamy, divorce, and slavery in Islam.
Polygamy In respect of polygamy, in Islam, William Muir says, at the age of fifty-three, a new change began in the life of Muhammad that yet limiting himself with a single wife, had engaged with Polygamy. The unity of his family was broken, never again to be restored. His love was to be shared by a plurality of wives, and his days spent alternatively between their several houses. Furthermore, about polygamy, he writes, with the acceptance of polygamy, Muhammad made a serious movement away from Christianity, by the tenets and practice of which Muhammad must have known that polygamy was forbidden. And polygamy creates divergence from Christianity.
In response to this allegation,
Sir Syed discusses it with three points of view, namely, nature, society and
religion.
Polygamy
and Nature
From the first point, Sir Syed says, it will be
necessary to find out, what has been the will or intention of the all-wise
creator of all living creatures, in other words, whether he planned man to be
universally polygamists or not. This, His intention can understand be read
clearly and disputably in all works of nature, for it is evidently
impossible that His will should be at variance with the productions of it. And,
accordingly from the absolute manifestations of nature, it can be learned that
such beings as are planned by their Creator to be monogamists invariably bring
forth their young, in pairs, one of the two being a male, and the other a female.
And those, on the other hand, that are intended to be polygamists are
delivered of one or more, no relative proportion of gender being observed.
According to this law of nature, a man comes under the second category, but by
his position and by the rare and precious endowment of intellect, man is raised above all other conscious beings. So man is required to use all those powers,
rights, and privileges bestowed upon him by nature in common with the other
beings around him with caution and in harmony with his physical, social and
political liabilities, as well as with the laws of hygiene and the influence on climate
in which he lives.
Polygamy
and Society
From the second point of view,
Sir Syed says Man by his nature is an asocial being. According to the Torah, as “god
saw, it is not good for man to be alone, He made a helpmate for him that is a woman”. A woman who was destined to share with him the cares and pleasures of life
to increase his happiness by her tender sympathy to carry out that great all-important command, “Increase and multiply and replenish the earth.”
Sir Syed says that for any
reason, helpmate fails to perform her natural duty then instead of it Allah, the all-wise have made laws to solve
this problem, that is polygamy, by this point he clears that man can find another
helpmate because he cannot be lived alone.
According to Sir Syed, this right
must be given to a woman in case of incompetency of her husband; which is given by
the Islam. But women must first obtain legal authorization before taking
this decision.
Sir Syed Says that, if this
provision was not maintained by the all-wise creator, society would have
greatly suffered from the beginning, and as a result society engaged in full disturbance
crimes of the deepest die.
Adding another argument, in
respect of polygamy, Sir Syed speaks in the light of Islamic Jurisprudence (sharia) that there are several
conditions to prevent man from polygamy, like observance of perfect equality of
rights and privileges, love and affection among all wives, etc., etc. According
to Sir Syed, these conditions and regulations materially serve to prevent truly
pious and religious persons from indulging in polygamy. He says that it is
clear that the institution of polygamy affords many facilities to the libertine
but for this abuse of a beneficial institution they will be responsible to the
all-wise creator. By this point, Sir Syed makes a clear conception of polygamy in
Islam, polygamy is not fully allowed but in some situations.
From this second point of view i.e.
nature, Sir Syed quotes some orient lists views, those who had written in favor
of polygamy, like Mr. Higgins and Mr. Davenport. Both gentlemen viewed
polygamy from the same point of view, namely, physiological. From this point, Mr.Davenport
says, “women in hot
Countries are marriageable
eight, nine, or ten years of age. So in these countries childhood and marriageable
time of women go together. And women in these countries become old at twenty,
thus in these countries a man should leave one wife to take another and
polygamy should be introduced”.
Mr. Higgins speaks in favor of
polygamy, he says that “ biologist and natural philosophers have found other reasons
which might serve as some apology for polygamy which will not apply to us
cold-blooded. This condition may apply to descendent of Ismail (AS) who is
native of the warm desert”. Again in favor of polygamy, Mr. Higgins says, “In hot
countries of Asia makes a difference between a man and woman whereas it is not
in Europe. And warm Asian countries even old age, man haves good health with power
as compared to woman, whereas in Europe man and woman become old together.” Sir
Syed says, if it is true, it may be a right cause to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in
allowing polygamy.
Polygamy
and Religion
From the religious point of view
Sir Syed says that polygamy is nowhere prohibited in Judaism and Christianity.
From this point, Mr. Higgins states that “because Muhammad (SAW) following the
religion of Musa(AS), he gives the permission for his followers a plurality of
wives which always has been abused by
Christians, to use their own words, for pandering to the base passions of his followers .” He says that I don’t know, why,
Christians allowance of the plurality of wives should be visited with such very
harsh censure, while Muhammad(SAW) followed Solomon(AS) and David (AS) in this
subject, who were true followers of God’s own heart, and who was born to
fulfill His Law. In contrast, Jesus (AS) nowhere is prohibited polygamy, in any
one of the twenty Gospel which are a record of his command.”
From the religious point of view
Mr. Davenport says that “polygamy in the Bible, it was not only approved but
even blessed by God.”
Another most distinguished and
talented defender of polygamy, Mr. JhonMilton who quotes many verses from the Bible
in defense of polygamy. He says that “moreover God in, in an allegorical
fiction (Ezekiel), represents himself as having espoused two wives, Ahola and
Aholiyah, then, on what grounds can a practice be considered so dishonorable or
shameful which is prohibited to no one, even under the Gospel.”
To conclude this subject Sir Syed
says that, it is a great mistake to suppose that, by Islam Polygamy is made
compulsory upon its followers.
Divorce
As an abuse in Islam, William Muir writes in
his book, “Life of Mahomet” the number of lawful wives in Islam is restricted
to four, but these may at any moment be divorced at the caprice and by the
simple word of the husband, and others substituted in their stead. And in respect
of female slaves, there is no limit to a Muslim without antecedent ceremony or
any guarantee of continuance and cohabitation. And they are treated as an inferior
and a degraded class. She is the toy of her master, sported with at his
pleasure or cast unheeded aside.
Moreover regarding this subject
William Muir writes, “The exchanging of the wife for another by divorce is
recognized in the Quran”.And
he misinterprets a verse of the Quran (4:24). And
Muir says that it is harder to say that the position of the wife was improved
by the code of Mohammad.
To criticize the institution of
divorce of Islam, Muir says that “it is a cruel violation of the modesty of an
unoffending wife, that her first husband sent her away with divorce may not
take her again to be his wife until she has been married to some other man, who
becomes her legitimate husband, cohabits with her for one night, and divorces
her next morning, for this, Muhammad (SAW) is responsible.”
In response and refutation of William
Muir, regarding Divorce Sir Syed, discusses it from two aspects: one is social
and the other is religious.
Divorce
and Society
From the social point of view,
Sir Syed says, “ Institution of marriage had been universal among all nations
(i.e., Qaum), both ancient and modern it’s general recognition as the basis
of man’s individual and happiness, whatever and whatever broke, it must ever be
regarded as a serious evil, that is divorce.”
“And it’s the reason is that church
of Rome has thrown around marriage the halo of sanctity within seven holy
customs as the best means of its defense; while protestant England, with the
like view, made a decree for divorce-only attainable by a very expensive appeal
to the House of Lords - an arrangement which lasted till the year 1856, when a new court of justice was created to take cognizance of all cases of divorce.
Sir Syed says about divorce,
that, generally speaking, divorce is one of the greatest enemies of society by
which value of marriage falls, and destroying man’s confidence in woman’s
loyalty. But it can’t be denied that divorce has some advantages. He says,
divorce solves the problem of incompatibility of disposition, the violence of
temper, which, embittered the life of both, husband and wife. Sir Syed
says, with advantages to an individual divorce is not less injurious to
society, divorce has an injurious effect upon children during the separation of
parents. Sir Syed says, in Islam divorce is not a sin when it was taken as a
remedy. He meant if conditions are proved more dangerous in the future for a couple
then divorce on such occasions is a remedy, which is maintained in Islam.
Regarding divorce, Sir Syed quotes
references from the traditions of the Prophet (SAW). Sir Syed says, “OurProphet
(SAW) neither underrated nor overvalued divorce. He permitted to divorced
parties three several distinct and separate periods within which they might
endeavor to become reconcile and renew their conjugal intercourse; but should
all their attempts to become reconciled prove unsuccessful then the third
period, in which the final separation was declared to have arrived, supervened.
Mahmud, son of Waleed, narrates a tradition that once, Prophet (SAW) was apprised about a man, who had a divorce to
his wife in one sitting, then the Prophet (SAW) becoming exceedingly wrath,
addressed the party thus: “have you considered Allah’s command as a game
and that even in my presence?”
Sir Syed quotes a tradition from Abu Dawood, Ibn Maja, and Darmi, that Prophet (SAW) had said that “a woman who demands divorce without strong and unavoidable necessity will ever remain a stranger to the fragrance of paradise.
Sir Syed says that it will be
evident that Islam allowed divorce under some severe circumstances, which are
harmful for both individuals and society.
Divorce
and Religion
From the religious point of view
Sir Syed writes that in Judaism divorce is allowed in all cases and in all
circumstances and even Christians admit its propriety and lawfulness.
According to Christian doctrine,
“Marriage by its definition is a union of the most intimate nature, but not
indissoluble or indivisible, they two shall be one flesh (Matt. Xix-5).”
The wife is a help-mate for the
husband and, if goodwill, love, help, comfort, fidelity remain unshaken on
both sides (Gen. ii. 18-20). Which, according to universal acknowledgment, is
the essential form of marriage. But if the essential form be dissolved, it
follows that the marriage itself is virtually dissolved. In
the Torah at other place is mentioned
that,“ when a man has taken a wife and married her and it come to pass that she
find no favor in his eyes, because he has found some uncleanness in her, then
write her a bill of divorcement and give it in her hand and send her out of
his house” (Deut.xxiv.1).
Sir Syed says that it is evident from
the institution itself, God gave a wife to man or the beginning to the intent
that she should be his help and solace and delight, if, as often happens she
should eventually prove to be rather a source of the sorrow of disgrace, of ruin,
of the tournament, of calamity, why should think that we are displeasing God by
divorcing.
Sir Syed says that, the spirit of
God itself speaking by the mouth of Solomon, “for three things the earth is
disquieted and for four which it cannot be bear; for an odious woman when she
is married”. (Prov. xxx.21, 23).
“Live joyful with the wife whom
thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he has given thee”. (Eccles.ix.9)
About this verse, Sir Syed Says,
He has given thee means whom thou lovest, no she whom thou hatest, and thus,
in Mal.ii.16, is said that “whoever hates
or because he hates to let him dismiss her. Sir Syed says, Christ himself in New Testament verse 9, permitted divorce for the
cause of fornication
Thus, Sir Syed had tried to prove
that divorce is recognized in all three Abrahamic religions.
[1]Muir, William, The Life of Mahomet, Voice of India, New Delhi,1992, p. 178
[2]Khan, Syed Ahmad, Essays on the Life of Muhammed, Idarah-I Adabiyat-I, Delhi, 2009, Essay 4, pp.8,9
[3]Ibid, p.9
[4]Ibid, p.9
[5]Ibid, p.9
[6]Ibid, p.9
[7]Ibid, p.10
[8]Ibid, p.10
[9]Ibid, p.10,11
[10]Ibid, p.12
[11]Ibid, p.13
[12]Ibid, p.7,8
[13]Muir,
William, Op. cit., p.334
[14]Ibid, p.336
[15]Ibid, p.336
[16]Ibid, p.336
[17]Ibid, p.338
[18]Khan,
Syed Ahmad, Op.cit., p 13
[19]Ibid., p. 14
[20]Ibid., p. 14
[21]Ibid., p. 14,15
[22]Ibid., p. 15
[23]Ibid., p. 15
[24]Ibid., p. 16
[25]Ibid., p. 18
[26] Ibid., p. 19
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