American's view on Islam

[doodlebugg 10]

where the heck is VP????????

[Sofiyya 1,687]

where the heck is VP????????

Why? She doesn't know the verse either Besides, I'm quite capable of presenting both sides.

Edited February 29, 2008 by Virtual wife

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

I saw the comment about Muslimas being forbidden to marry non-Muslims and had to chime in. My friends and I have talked about this issue and here is how I rationalize it:

In Surah Baqarah (verse 221) it says:

Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters), until they believe. A slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allures you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe. A man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. [...]

From that this is what I gather...Muslim men and women are not supposed to marry non-Muslims. That would be the end of it but the Quran goes further to say in Surah al-Maaidah (verse 5):

[...] (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time [...]

Now, looking at these 2 verses, I say that if Muslim men, who are not supposed to marry unbelievers, but, given permission to marry the People of the Book, then it follows that the same goes for women since the People of the Book are not considered unbelievers. There is no verse that has explicitly said "Women do not marry anyone but a Muslim man" (if there is, then I guess I missed it).

I know that this explanation does not fly for everyone. Like I said I haven't seen anything else to suggest that Muslim women are not to marry non-Muslim men (unless to count all the scholars who say so - who all happen to be men). If someone finds it, please share.

Peace.

We can see if wahrania comes up with that prohibitive verse to settle the question. If kitabis are mushrik or kuffar, Muslims could not marry them, period. But there is the poor argument that after denying such unions to all Muslims, He then "changed His mind" and let men have at them. That makes sense if you believe God doesn't know the Message that has existed since Adam.

since there is great wisdom and experience in this group, how whould you answer this: When a Muslim man marries an athiest woman, is he still a Muslim?

or maybe this should raise a red flag for the woman as to the true reason he is marrying her, as this is considered Haram!

anyway, just curious as this thread seems to ber taking so many turns !

The answer depends on whether you follow Islam, the Middle Way, or Hislam, the double standard that expands men's rights while reducing women's rights. I'll leave Hislam to wahrania and tell you that even Muslims who marry out due to adultry are still Muslims. We have been forbidden by Allah to profess takfir on another Muslim. Their assignation and fate is with Him alone.

I mentioned before that the same sources that created a prohibition against interfaith marriage for Muslimas also created a prohibition against Muslim men living in the west with non-Muslim women.

But, we don't talk about that prohibition . . .

Oh yeah... now you are calling ISLAM "hislam"? Frankly, you are neither an Islamic scholar nor do you represent the views of the majority of muslims in the world today.

"disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His messanger Prophet Muhammad SAW" also falls under the definition and Christian and Jewish men fall under this whether you like it or not. Muslimas CANNOT marry non muslims and if you believe this to be true , you are in the minority of most muslim believers including the muslim spouses of the women on this board I can assure you. I can absolutely assure you that you will not find any reputable scholar anywhere in MENA that will tell you that its perfectly ok for muslimas to marry outside of ISLAM. If the non muslim loves the muslima, he can revert to ISLAM. Everything you are saying is absolute hogwash and you are reinventing ISLAM to fit your ideas and behavior. I absolutely stand behind the statement that MUSLIMAS CANNOT MARRY A NON MUSLIM MAN. Period.

If you did so and he did not revert, that is most likely because you did not grow up or live in a MENA country. No way on Allah's green earth would that fly in Egypt or Algeria. If a non muslim wants to marry a muslima, he reverts, period. There are no exceptions. Period. If you did that with a non muslim, its because you lived in the USA .

[doodlebugg 10]

I saw the comment about Muslimas being forbidden to marry non-Muslims and had to chime in. My friends and I have talked about this issue and here is how I rationalize it:

In Surah Baqarah (verse 221) it says:

Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters), until they believe. A slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allures you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe. A man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. [...]

From that this is what I gather...Muslim men and women are not supposed to marry non-Muslims. That would be the end of it but the Quran goes further to say in Surah al-Maaidah (verse 5):

[...] (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time [...]

Now, looking at these 2 verses, I say that if Muslim men, who are not supposed to marry unbelievers, but, given permission to marry the People of the Book, then it follows that the same goes for women since the People of the Book are not considered unbelievers. There is no verse that has explicitly said "Women do not marry anyone but a Muslim man" (if there is, then I guess I missed it).

I know that this explanation does not fly for everyone. Like I said I haven't seen anything else to suggest that Muslim women are not to marry non-Muslim men (unless to count all the scholars who say so - who all happen to be men). If someone finds it, please share.

Peace.

We can see if wahrania comes up with that prohibitive verse to settle the question. If kitabis are mushrik or kuffar, Muslims could not marry them, period. But there is the poor argument that after denying such unions to all Muslims, He then "changed His mind" and let men have at them. That makes sense if you believe God doesn't know the Message that has existed since Adam.

since there is great wisdom and experience in this group, how whould you answer this: When a Muslim man marries an athiest woman, is he still a Muslim?

or maybe this should raise a red flag for the woman as to the true reason he is marrying her, as this is considered Haram!

anyway, just curious as this thread seems to ber taking so many turns !

The answer depends on whether you follow Islam, the Middle Way, or Hislam, the double standard that expands men's rights while reducing women's rights. I'll leave Hislam to wahrania and tell you that even Muslims who marry out due to adultry are still Muslims. We have been forbidden by Allah to profess takfir on another Muslim. Their assignation and fate is with Him alone.

I mentioned before that the same sources that created a prohibition against interfaith marriage for Muslimas also created a prohibition against Muslim men living in the west with non-Muslim women.

But, we don't talk about that prohibition . . .

Oh yeah... now you are calling ISLAM "hislam"? Frankly, you are neither an Islamic scholar nor do you represent the views of the majority of muslims in the world today.

"disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His messanger Prophet Muhammad SAW" also falls under the definition and Christian and Jewish men fall under this whether you like it or not. Muslimas CANNOT marry non muslims and if you believe this to be true , you are in the minority of most muslim believers including the muslim spouses of the women on this board I can assure you. I can absolutely assure you that you will not find any reputable scholar anywhere in MENA that will tell you that its perfectly ok for muslimas to marry outside of ISLAM. If the non muslim loves the muslima, he can revert to ISLAM. Everything you are saying is absolute hogwash and you are reinventing ISLAM to fit your ideas and behavior. I absolutely stand behind the statement that MUSLIMAS CANNOT MARRY A NON MUSLIM MAN. Period.

If you did so and he did not revert, that is most likely because you did not grow up or live in a MENA country. No way on Allah's green earth would that fly in Egypt or Algeria. If a non muslim wants to marry a muslima, he reverts, period. There are no exceptions. Period. If you did that with a non muslim, its because you lived in the USA .

why do I feel like you're gonna give her a time out now?

[Sofiyya 1,687]

A time out? You hit the nail on the head, sis.

Oh yeah... now you are calling ISLAM "hislam"? Frankly, you are neither an Islamic scholar nor do you represent the views of the majority of muslims in the world today.

Wahrania, I said that there is Islam and there is Hislam. That is a true statement. You know very little about me, but whether I am a scholar or not is irrelevent to the discussion. Besides, you're having a hard time keeping up as it is. I also doubt either of us know for certain what 1.3 billion Muslims all believe.

"disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His messanger Prophet Muhammad SAW" also falls under the definition and Christian and Jewish men fall under this whether you like it or not. Muslimas CANNOT marry non muslims and if you believe this to be true , you are in the minority of most muslim believers including the muslim spouses of the women on this board I can assure you. I can absolutely assure you that you will not find any reputable scholar anywhere in MENA that will tell you that its perfectly ok for muslimas to marry outside of ISLAM. If the non muslim loves the muslima, he can revert to ISLAM. Everything you are saying is absolute hogwash and you are reinventing ISLAM to fit your ideas and behavior. I absolutely stand behind the statement that MUSLIMAS CANNOT MARRY A NON MUSLIM MAN. Period.

If that is so, then disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His messanger Prophet Muhammad SAW" also falls under the definition and Christian and Jewish WOMEN fall under this whether you like it or not. As my boss, a scholar with ijaza, likes to say, if non-Muslim men have cooties, than so do non-Muslim women.

The number of reputable scholars who are reexamining this issue is growing, and the absolutism surrounding it is beginning to wane. The former Chief Justice of the Egyptian Supreme Court denounced it, and Imam Yusef al-Qaradawi, an esteemed MENA scholar, has reneged on the idea that a married Muslima convert must dump her non-Muslim husband. The tide is turning because there is little to support a ban other than Arab chauvinism.

If you did so and he did not revert, that is most likely because you did not grow up or live in a MENA country. No way on Allah's green earth would that fly in Egypt or Algeria. If a non muslim wants to marry a muslima, he reverts, period. There are no exceptions. Period. If you did that with a non muslim, its because you lived in the USA .

Ok, so once again you revert to the "you're not an authentic MENA Muslim" tactic again. I not only grew up in MENA under the Maliki madhab, my family grew up in MENA. I studied Islam in MENA, married my husband in MENA, and own a home in MENA. Do you think all MENA Muslims are cookie cutter believers, hanging on the word of mortals for their salvation, because you do? That would foolish.

You have stubbornly refused to directly address any historical fact or point of law I have patiently offered to you. I'm not going to humor your red herrings. It is overly clear that you have no real response to my challenge of your views than to attack my personal history and credibilty in ways that have no bearing on the debate. I don't believe you have any idea what I have even offered in rebuttal. You are like a deer caught in the headlights, repeating the same tired lines over and over. Your experience and your male scholars have failed you; maybe you should look to God instead.

[Ban Hammer 13,491]

Submissive and conform to his pleasure?Hogwash....I feel more loved and cherished by my husband tha i ever did w a redneck.

Being submissive and conforming to his pleasure doesn't mean you won't feel loved and cherished. I don't think I need to be submissive and conform to his pleasure btw but it's kind of a turn on in the bedroom.

TMI....

spoilsport!

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I am curious about this, wahrania. How do you square this statement you made with what you said about No compulsion in religion:

If the non muslim loves the muslima, he can revert to ISLAM.

Is there no compulsion in his conversion because, unlike the ahl al kitab wife, respect and accomodation for his freedom of religion is neglected? Is no compulsion in religion only for non-Muslim women, or is it a universal tenet of the faith?

Do you see non-Muslim men as less human than Muslims or non-Muslim women?

[jpaula 20]

You are missing the logic of GEG's argument. The fact that it may or may not be permissible in Egypt, Algeria or Mars is beside the point if you accept the distinction she has made (and argued quite well) between the laws of Allah and those of men. Nowhere has she said that it is allowed by any government (laws of men--would say women as well, but tis not usually the case) although I am less convinced than you are that it is a legal impossibility in MENA. But, assuming for the sake of argument that it is not permitted anywhere in the Arab world, this does not contradict what she is saying. It leaves open the possibility that those man-made laws are misguided, the result of a rather sexist interpretation.

Full disclosure: I have a personal bias here as a Jewish woman married to a Muslim man. We have been supported by both of our families and our friends and have found our own path through it. Five years in and we are comfortable and secure in our marriage. It is a personal thing, how any couple deals with these issues, what compromises we make and how we negotiate those, how outside opinion affects you, etc. The only flack we get is from converts (I don't buy the revert semantics) quoting "scholars." The internet has only added to the problem, spreading cyber fatwa and sprouting experts. I value GEG's input to these discussions as she is one of the few people I know of on these boards who argues for herself from a knowledgeable point of view. I do not know enough about Islam to know if she is technically right or wrong, but she puts forth convincing arguments, presents the points against her own case and then wheighs the two sides. I admire the logic and the thought process.

Now, where the norms ie the cultural or legal implications as opposed to the religious ones of marrying outside of your religion are relevant is in regards to the OP's question. The fact that such marriages are rare in most cultures (much of America included) does mean that it is something we all have to face in our marriages. But, how much of a challenge this is varies alot as it usually comes down to individual and family dynamics. I don't think they are issues to be swept under the rug. If there are things that worry you about your partner's beliefs or if there is real family strain, they have to be taken seriously. But, to worry because of what Islam says instead of what your husband himself believes is creating problems where there are none. As polygamy is the most obvious and oft-touted example (if one more person asks me if my husband can have four wives...), it matters little that it is allowed in certain circumstances in the Quaran. What does matter is that it is something you and your fiance have discussed and agree on. Your husband to be need not answer for all of Islam.

[sarahaziz 0]

By the way, its great to see scriptures from the bible about marriage posted up here. What about quran scriptures equally alike to the bible scriptures? It'd be educational to compare the differences. I had an Islamic website what specifically talked about marriage(s) between a husband and wife but somehow I lost it! If anybody has a good website let me know

I just went looking in my favs for it and cant find mine either! lol sorry

oh well

hahah

[amrssnowangel 0]

My fiance and I have discussed multiple wives extensively. It is his opinion that while Islam permits up to 4 wives. It does so with conditions that MUST be met. If the man can not meet these conditions and continues into multiple marriages..he has basically sinned and must answer to Allah. While my SO knows its his right, and admits it is permissible, he was raised in a home with the belief that one man should take only one wife, due to those conditions being almost impossible in todays world to commit to. For himself, he believes he is meant to have only one wife for life. He does not believe he himself should or could have multiple wives. So a muslim man may have knowledge of his teachings and rights....but this does not mean he takes it as something that he would do or believes is a right course for himself.

[amrssnowangel 0]

What the Quran says about marriage:

Bismah Allah Alrahmen alraheem

Do Not Marry Idol Worshipers.

[2:221]. Do not marry idolatresses unless they believe; a believing woman is better than an idolatress, even if you like her. Nor shall you give your daughters in marriage to idolatrous men, unless they believe. A believing man .is better than an idolater, even if you like him. These invite to Hell, while GOD invites to Paradise and forgiveness, as He wills. He clarifies His revelations for the people, that they may take heed.

[/color]

[4:21]. How could you take it back, after you have been intimate with each other, and they had taken from you a solemn pledge?

Respect for the Father.

[4:22]. Do not marry the women who were previously married to your fathers - existing marriages are exempted and shall not be broken - for it is a gross offense, and an abominable act. .

Incest Forbidden.

[4:23]. Prohibited for you (in marriage) are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, the sisters of your fathers, the sisters of your mothers, the daughters of your brother, the daughters of your sister, your nursing mothers, the girls who nursed from the same woman as you, the mothers of your wives, the daughters of your wives with whom you .have consummated the marriage - if the marriage has not .been consummated, you may marry the daughter. Also prohibited for you are the women who were married to your genetic sons. Also, you shall not be married to two sisters at the same time - but do not break up existing marriages. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful. .

Mutual Attraction And Dowry Required.

[4:24*]. Also prohibited are the women who are already married, unless they flee their disbelieving husbands who are at war with you.* These are GOD's commandments to you. All other categories are permitted for you in marriage, so long as you pay them their due dowries. You shall maintain your morality, by not committing adultery. Thus, whoever you like among them, you shall pay them the dowry decreed for them. You commit no error by mutually agreeing to any adjustments to the dowry. GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise. .

*4:24 If believing women flee their disbelieving husbands who are at war with the believers, they do not have to obtain a divorce before remarriage. See 60:10.

[4:25]. Those among you who cannot afford to marry free believing women, may marry believing slave women. GOD knows best about your belief, and you are equal to one another, as far as belief is concerned. You shall obtain permission from their guardians before you marry them, and pay them their due dowry equitably. They shall maintain moral behavior, by not committing adultery, or having secret lovers. Once they are freed through marriage, if they .commit adultery, their punishment shall be half of that .for the free women.* Marrying a slave shall be a last .resort for those unable to wait. To be patient is better for you. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful. .

Encourage Marriage to Discourage Immorality.

[24:32]. You shall encourage those of you who are single to get married. They may marry the righteous among your male and female servants, if they are poor. GOD will enrich them from His grace. GOD is Bounteous, Knower.

[25:74]. And they say, "Our Lord, let our spouses and children be a source of joy for us, and keep us in the forefront of the righteous."

[40:8]. "Our Lord, and admit them into the gardens of Eden that You promised for them and for the righteous among their parents, spouses, and children. You are the Almighty, .Most Wise.

[30:21]. Among His proofs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves, in order to have tranquility and contentment with each other, and He placed in your hearts love and care towards your spouses. In this, there are sufficient proofs for people who think.

[5:5]. Today, all good food is made lawful for you. The food of the people of the scripture is lawful for you. Also, you .may marry the chaste women among the believers, as well as the chaste women among the followers of previous scripture, provided you pay them their due dowries. You shall maintain chastity, not committing adultery, nor .taking secret lovers. Anyone who rejects faith, all his work will be in vain, and in the Hereafter he will be .with the losers.

Polygamy :

"If you deem it best for the orphans, you may marry their mothers you may marry two, three, or four. If you fear lest you become unfair, then you shall be content with only one, or with what you already have. Additionally, you are thus more likely to avoid financial hardship. " (Quran 4:3)

"You can never be equitable in dealing with more than one wife, no matter how hard you try. Therefore, do not be so biased as to leave one of them hanging (neither enjoying marriage, nor left to marry someone else). If you correct this situation and maintain righteousness, GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful." (Quran 4:129). The Quran also says that you should be content with only one wife or what you already have (for those who are already married to more than one). This way you are more likely to avoid inequity. However, God says that one can never be equitable in dealing with more than one wife, no matter how hard one tries. Since being equitable is such an important commandment in the Quran, monogamy is greatly encouraged. However, if a man wants to take on this challenge, that is between him and his Creator, (Quran 4:129).

These excerpts indicate conduct with spouse in marriage:

... By the time the Quran was revealed, the world had been sufficiently populated, and the Quran put down the first limitations against polygamy....

...Our perfect example here is the prophet Muhammad. He was married to one wife, Khadijah, until she died. He had all his children, except one, from Khadijah. Thus, she and her children enjoyed the Prophet's full attention for as long as she was married to him; twenty-five years. For all practical purposes, Muhammad had one wife - from the age of 25 to 50. .... ...This perfect example tells us that a man must give his full attention and loyalty in marriage to his wife and children in order to raise a happy and wholesome family....

[Sofiyya 1,687]

My fiance and I have discussed multiple wives extensively. It is his opinion that while Islam permits up to 4 wives. It does so with conditions that MUST be met. If the man can not meet these conditions and continues into multiple marriages..he has basically sinned and must answer to Allah. While my SO knows its his right, and admits it is permissible, he was raised in a home with the belief that one man should take only one wife, due to those conditions being almost impossible in todays world to commit to. For himself, he believes he is meant to have only one wife for life. He does not believe he himself should or could have multiple wives. So a muslim man may have knowledge of his teachings and rights....but this does not mean he takes it as something that he would do or believes is a right course for himself.

Do people read the whole surah, or just the "marry two, three or four" part? Al-Nisa never refers to polgamy as a man's right, but as a responsibility to the women who need help. It is presented as a way to protect and care for women, not a means to help men get more than one wife. There are more calls for doing justice and more threats of damnation in that surah for taking advantage and exceeding limits than in any other surah. The attitude that polgamy is a right is not Islamic; it's definitely cultural.

[Zee Bee 61]

Oh yeah... now you are calling ISLAM "hislam"? Frankly, you are neither an Islamic scholar nor do you represent the views of the majority of muslims in the world today.

"disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His messanger Prophet Muhammad SAW" also falls under the definition and Christian and Jewish men fall under this whether you like it or not. Muslimas CANNOT marry non muslims and if you believe this to be true , you are in the minority of most muslim believers including the muslim spouses of the women on this board I can assure you. I can absolutely assure you that you will not find any reputable scholar anywhere in MENA that will tell you that its perfectly ok for muslimas to marry outside of ISLAM. If the non muslim loves the muslima, he can revert to ISLAM. Everything you are saying is absolute hogwash and you are reinventing ISLAM to fit your ideas and behavior. I absolutely stand behind the statement that MUSLIMAS CANNOT MARRY A NON MUSLIM MAN. Period.

If you did so and he did not revert, that is most likely because you did not grow up or live in a MENA country. No way on Allah's green earth would that fly in Egypt or Algeria. If a non muslim wants to marry a muslima, he reverts, period. There are no exceptions. Period. If you did that with a non muslim, its because you lived in the USA .

Being from MENA does not automatically catapult one to Islamic scholar status. I never bought it, never will.

Love is so much more than what your religion is.

Ask a scholar in MENA about marriage and they will tell you that it is prohibited between non-Muslim men and Muslim women. Ask Muslim scholars in the West and I bet you there is at least one who does not think like everyone does. Ask different scholars from MENA about any dozens of topics and you will find differences across the board. Islam is a religion where people are supposed to think and interpret to the best of their ability. Far be it for me, a smart, inteligent, educated woman to let someone tell me what I can and cannot do in my religion. I am capable of reading and interpreting on my own. I don't need someone to tell me how to do my job or how to solve my everyday problems. Religion should be the same.

How many verses in the Quran are cited to help men, in MENA and around the world, to institute some of the oppressive behavior that they subject their women to? How about the stupid @$$ laws they have in Saudi (especially about women not driving)? It is just asinine. Some of it is culture, but a lot is also how they twist and turn the religion so that the men can have their way.

Like the "scholars" I too am falable. No one is perfect. If I do something that is against Islam I am more than willing to talk about it and learn. Show me a verse from the Quran, that is all I need. Believing that Muslim women can only marry Muslim men is all fine and dandy, but if you are trying to convince people who feel differently otherwise, I think you need something more concrete than the scholars and what they say. Some of us don't buy THEIR hogwash.

[sarahaziz 0]

Everybody put forth a good debate and I'm educated more about Islam now because I've gotten responses from women who are actually in my shoes or can relate to me somehow. Whether it be the Bible or Quran the old stories and the new contradict each other when presented in a debate.

It's year 2008 and nobody sticks to their own religion or culture This forum is an example. I believe Muslims Jews Christians we're all brothers/sisters and we followed the same customs of marriage, human laws, and 10 commandments and we are under 1 God. Ismael and Isaac is where Islam started out of Judaism/Christianity and the PEOPLE/PRIESTS started creating new laws on what is right and wrong..ADAM + EVE = KIDS and Virtual wife thanks for posting why they used to have 4 wives back in the day. It makes sense now that Islam doesn't permit that 4 wives theory anymore b/c men take it in a different sexual context. My spouse repeated everything you said and confirmed that's what a true muslim believes only 1 man for 1 woman.

I believe people are the ones who rearranged God's laws to say a non-muslim is below a Muslim in marriage. God created us all how could he forsake the rest who don't believe in our same faith?

Wahrania I'm sorry and God forgive me for pointing this out but I believe you have Re-married again and by the Qurans rules you would be an adultress for remarrying? It's not right for myself or anybody else to judge Virtual Wife or any other muslima because the heart is what matters these days not laws from 2000 years ago.

[amrssnowangel 0]

My fiance and I have discussed multiple wives extensively. It is his opinion that while Islam permits up to 4 wives. It does so with conditions that MUST be met. If the man can not meet these conditions and continues into multiple marriages..he has basically sinned and must answer to Allah. While my SO knows its his right, and admits it is permissible, he was raised in a home with the belief that one man should take only one wife, due to those conditions being almost impossible in todays world to commit to. For himself, he believes he is meant to have only one wife for life. He does not believe he himself should or could have multiple wives. So a muslim man may have knowledge of his teachings and rights....but this does not mean he takes it as something that he would do or believes is a right course for himself.

Do people read the whole surah, or just the "marry two, three or four" part? Al-Nisa never refers to polgamy as a man's right, but as a responsibility to the women who need help. It is presented as a way to protect and care for women, not a means to help men get more than one wife. There are more calls for doing justice and more threats of damnation in that surah for taking advantage and exceeding limits than in any other surah. The attitude that polgamy is a right is not Islamic; it's definitely cultural.

Islamically it is his right IF the conditions are met. Meaning it is allowed. A right is something that is allowed to do...its a responsibility, a right. He is allowed. And yes..you are right...there is the call for justice and punishment for taking advantage and not fulfilling the duty. HOwever it is still the right of the man to be allowed up to 4 wives. HOWEVER...if you read my next post...you will see...that while he is "allowed" or its his "right" to do this...that those conditions ARE mentioned...AND it is recommended to have only one wife..as the conditions are difficult to fullfil. I didnt mean by a mans "right" that it was something he felt he HAD to do..jsut something he is ALLOWED to do...with conditions...those being for social, economic and other reasons. NOT for his pleasure. And ONLY if he can treat each one equal and fair. Hard to do in todays times... Still...its islamically his ability to take up to 4.