Due To Fear Of Injustice, One Should Marry One

     

Number of marriages (L-508)

وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا۟ فِى ٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ فَٱنكِحُوا۟ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَٰثَ وَرُبَٰعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا۟ فَوَٰحِدَةً  أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعُولُوا۟ 3.

3.  Wa  ‘in  khiftum  ‘allaa  tuq-situu  fil-yataamaa  fan-kihuu  maa  taaba  lakum-minan-nisaaa-‘i  masnaa  wa  sulaasa  wa  rubaa’.  Fa-‘in  khiftum  ‘allaa  ta’-diluu  fawaa-hidatan  ‘aw  maa  malakat  ‘aymaanukum.  Zaalika  ‘adnaaa  ‘allaa  ta-‘uu-luu.

3.  If you fear you cannot act fairly towards the orphans—then marry the women you like—two, or three, or four. But if you fear you will not be fair, then one, or what you already have. That makes it more likely that you avoid bias.

‘Aymaanun  - (right hands), it is plural of yamiin which means ‘the right hand’. Whenever any person catches anything, he catches it usually with his right hand. Therefore, to disclose complete grip of the hand (possession) upon anything, it is said in Arabic idioms, “His right hand is Master of that thing.” That is to say, “he has complete and strong hold on it, for example slave and maid etc.

In this part of the verse, special attention has been drawn towards the orphans because there is none ordinarily to care for them. They can be victim of tyranny by any cruel person easily. If you marry the orphan girls; that should not be for the purpose of desire, greed or to take possession of wealth, but that must be only for their interest and benefit. And if it is difficult to escape from these uncomely affairs, then let the orphan girls remain in their own circumstances and marry any other woman. And if you wish, you can marry who seem good to you, two or three or four. In this case, you have to be more careful to do justice between them. If you cannot do justice to so many wives then marry one only or the maid (captive) that your right hands possess, sustain upon her only. That is nearer to justice.

It is important to understand particularly two or three matters in connection with this verse:

1.   Firstly, if you fear that you will not deal fairly with the orphan girls then do not marry them. However, you can marry even four other women.

2.   Secondly, fundamental condition for marrying more than one is that you would have to establish justice between the wives (which is a very much difficult matter to do so as it has been described at another place also in this chapter).

3.   Thirdly, if you fear that you would not be able to do justice and equality between the wives then you should be satisfied with the captive woman only.  

It means that the matrimony more than one is not open and common but that is bound with the condition of justice. https://youtu.be/K2EqJkI30TQ